Okwenza Ukukhulekela Kweqiniso Kuthole Isibusiso SikaNkulunkulu

“Dumisani uJah! Insindiso nenkazimulo namandla kungokukaNkulunkulu wethu, ngoba izahlulelo zakhe ziyiqiniso futhi zilungile.”—ISAMBULO 19:1, 2.

1. IBabiloni Elikhulu liyophela kanjani?

“IBABILONI ELIKHULU” liwile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu futhi manje libhekene nokuqothulwa. Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sibonisa ukuthi maduze nje lesi sifebe esingokwenkolo somhlaba wonke sizobulawa amashende aso ezombangazwe; ukuphela kwaso kuyofika ngokungazelelwe futhi kusheshe. Isambulo sikaJesu asinika uJohane sinalamazwi angokwesiprofetho: “Ingelosi enamandla yaqukula itshe elinjengetshe lokugaya elikhulu yalijikijela olwandle, ithi: ‘Kanjalo iBabiloni umuzi omkhulu liyojikijelwa phansi ngomjikijelo osheshayo, futhi alisoze laphinde litholakale.’”—IsAmbulo 18:2, 21.

2. Izinceku zikaJehova ziyosabela kanjani ekubhujisweni kweBabiloni?

² Ukubhujiswa kweBabiloni Elikhulu kuyokhalelwa abanye ezweni likaSathane kodwa ngokuqinisekile ngeke kukhalelwe izinceku zikaNkulunkulu, ezisezulwini noma emhlabeni. Ziyokhamuluka ngenjabulo kuNkulunkulu zithi: “Dumisani uJah! Insindiso nenkazimulo namandla kungokukaNkulunkulu wethu, ngoba izahlulelo zakhe ziyiqiniso futhi zilungile. Ngoba usikhiphile isahlulelo phezu kwesifebe esikhulu esonakalisa umhlaba ngobufebe baso, futhi uliphindisele igazi lezigqila zakhe esandleni saso.”—IsAmbulo 18:9, 10; 19:1, 2.

Yiziphi Izithelo Inkolo Yeqiniso Okumelwe Iziveze?

3. Yimiphi imibuzo edinga impendulo?

³ Njengoba umhlaba uzokhucululwa kususwe inkolo yamanga, luhlobo luni lokukhulekela oluyosala? Singanquma kanjani namuhla ukuthi yiliphi iqembu lenkolo eliyosinda lapho kubhujiswa umbuso wezwe kaSathane wenkolo yamanga? Yiziphi izithelo zokulunga leli qembu okumelwe liziveze? Okungenani kunezimpawu eziyishumi ezibonakalisa ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kweqiniso.—Malaki 3:18; Mathewu 13:43.

4. Iyini imfuneko yokuqala yokukhulekela kweqiniso, futhi uJesu wasibeka kanjani isibonelo kulokhu?

⁴ Okokuqala nje, amaKristu eqiniso kumelwe asekele ubukhosi uJesu abufela—ubukhosi bukaYise. UJesu akazange adele ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yezombangazwe, isizwe, uhlanga, noma ezenhlalo. Wabeka uMbuso kaYise ngaphambi kwazo zonke izifiso zamaJuda zezombangazwe nezezinguquko. Lapho uSathane efuna ukumnika umbuso wezwe waphendula ngalamazwi: “Hamba, Sathane! Ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, ‘NguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe umkhulekele, futhi nguye yedwa okumelwe unikele kuye inkonzo engcwele.’” NgokwemiBhalo yesiHeberu wayazi ukuthi uJehova unguMbusi wangempela phezu kwawo wonke umhlaba. Yiliphi iqembu lenkolo elikusekela ngokungagunci ukubusa kukaJehova esikhundleni sezimiso zezombangazwe zalelizwe?—Mathewu 4:10; IHubo 83:18.

5. (a) Abakhulekeli beqiniso kufanele balibheke kanjani igama likaNkulunkulu? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bayalihlonipha lelo gama?

⁵ Imfuneko yesibili iwukuthi ukukhulekela kweqiniso kumelwe kukhulise futhi kungcwelise igama likaNkulunkulu. UMninimandla onke wambulela abantu bakhe u-Israyeli igama lakhe elithi, Jehova (elihunyushwa ngokuthi Yahweh kwezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli), futhi lisetshenziswe izikhathi eziningi emiBhalweni yesiHeberu. Ngisho nangaphambi kwalokho, u-Adamu, no-Eva, nabanye babelazi leli gama, nakuba babengalihloniphi ngaso sonke isikhathi. (Genesise 4:1; 9:26; 22:14; Eksodusi 6:2) Nakuba abahumushi beLobukholwa nabamaJuda ngokuvamile beye balikhipha igama laphezulu emaBhayibhelini abo, oFakazi BakaJehova baye banikeza lelo gama isikhundla nenhlonipho eliyifanele kuyi-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Bayalazisa lelo gama, njengoba nje kwenza amaKristu akuqala. UJakobe wafakaza: “USimeyoni useyilandise ngokuphelele indlela uNkulunkulu ngokokuqala aphendulele ngayo ukunaka kwakhe ezizweni ukuba athathe kuzo isizwe segama lakhe. Futhi amazwi abaProfethi ayavumelana nalokhu, . . . ukuze labo abasele babantu bamfune ngobuqotho uJehova, kanye nabantu bazo zonke izizwe, abantu ababizwa ngegama lami, kusho uJehova, owenza lezizinto.”—IzEnzo 15:14-17; Amose 9:11, 12.

6. (a) Iyini imfuneko yesithathu yokukhulekela kweqiniso? (b) UJesu noDaniyeli bakugcizelela kanjani ukubusa koMbuso? (Luka 17:20, 21)

⁶ Imfuneko yesithathu yokukhulekela kweqiniso iwukuthi kufanele kuphakamise uMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengowukuphela kwekhambi elisemthethweni neliyophumelela lezinkinga zesintu zobubusi. UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ngokucacile ukuba bathandazele ukuba lowo Mbuso ufike, ukuba ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu kuthathe izintambo emhlabeni. UDaniyeli waphefumulelwa ukuba aprofethe ngokuqondene nezinsuku zokugcina: “UNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso ongasoze wachithwa . . . Uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke lemibuso [yezwe, yezombangazwe], wona uqobo ume phakade.” Obani abaye babonisa ngenkambo yabo kuleli khulu lama-20 ukuthi basekela lowo Mbuso ngokuphelele—yizinkolo zeBabiloni Elikhulu noma oFakazi BakaJehova?—Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 6:10; 24:14.

7. Abakhulekeli beqiniso balibheka kanjani iBhayibheli?

⁷ Imfuneko yesine yokuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu iwukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso kufanele zivikele iBhayibheli njengeZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe. Ngakho-ke ngeke zibe yizisulu zokucusumbula, okuzama ukululaza iBhayibheli libe incwadi ebhalwe umuntu enawo wonke amaphutha lokhu okuwasikiselayo. OFakazi BakaJehova bakholelwa ukuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe, njengoba nje uPawulu abhalela uThimothewu: “Yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu futhi inenzuzo yokufundisa, yokusola, yokuqondisa izinto, yokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu afaneleke ngokugcwele, ayihlomele ngokuphelele yonke imisebenzi emihle.”a Ngakho-ke, oFakazi BakaJehova babheka iBhayibheli njengesiqondiso sabo, incwadi yokuphila kwabo kwansuku zonke, nomthombo wabo wethemba ngesikhathi esizayo.—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.

Inkolo Yothando, Hhayi Inzondo

8. Iyini imfuneko yesihlanu yokukhulekela kweqiniso?

⁸ UJesu wabahlukanisa kanjani abalandeli bakhe beqiniso? Impendulo yakhe isiletha kulokho okuwuphawu lwesihlanu oluhlukanisayo lokukhulekela kweqiniso. UJesu wathi: “Ngininika umyalo omusha, wokuba nithandane; njengoba nje nami nginithandile, ukuba nani nithandane. Bonke bayokwazi ngalokhu ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:34, 35) UJesu walubonisa kanjani uthando lwakhe? Ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe kube umhlatshelo wesihlengo. (Mathewu 20:28; Johane 3:16) Kungani uthando loqobo luyimfanelo ebalulekile kumaKristu eqiniso? UJohane wachaza: “Bathandekayo, masiqhubekeni sithandana, ngoba uthando luvela kuNkulunkulu . . . Lowo ongenalo uthando akamazi uNkulunkulu, ngoba uNkulunkulu uluthando.”—1 Johane 4:7, 8.

9. Obani abaye babonisa uthando lweqiniso, futhi kanjani?

⁹ Obani ezikhathini zethu abaye babonisa lolu hlobo lothando, naphezu kwenzondo engokohlanga, noma isizwe? Obani abaye baphumelela ovivinyweni olukhulu, kwaze kwaba ngisho nasekufeni, ukuze uthando lwabo lunqobe? Singasho yini ukuthi abapristi bamaKatolika nezindela okuvunywayo ukuthi banecala ngokuqothulwa kohlanga okwenziwa eRwanda ngo-1994? Ingabe ama-Orthodox aseSerbia noma amaKatolika aseCroatia aye ahlanganyela “ekuhlanzweni kohlanga” nakwezinye izenzo ezingebona ubuKristu kuleyompi yombango emazweni aseBalkan? Noma ingabe abefundisi bamaKatolika noma bamaProthestani abaye babhebhezela ubandlululo nenzondo eNyakatho Ireland emashumini ambalwa eminyaka adlule? Ngokuqinisekile oFakazi BakaJehova abanakubekwa icala kuthiwe bahlanganyela kunoma yiziphi izimpi ezinjalo. Baye bahlupheka emajele nasemakamu okuhlushwa, kwaze kwaba ngisho nasekufeni, kunokuba balahle uthando lwabo lobuKristu.—Johane 15:17.

10. Kungani amaKristu eqiniso ehlala engathathi-hlangothi?

¹⁰ Imfuneko yesithupha yokukhulekela okwamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu iwukungathathi-hlangothi ezindabeni zombangazwe zalelizwe. Kungani amaKristu kufanele ahlale engathathi-hlangothi kwezombangazwe? UPawulu, uJakobe, noJohane basinikeza isizathu esiqinile salokho kuma. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ukuthi uSathane ‘ungunkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto,’ ophuphuthekisa izingqondo zabangakholwa ngazo zonke izindlela angenza ngazo, kuhlanganise nezombangazwe ezihlukanisayo. Umfundi uJakobe wathi “ubungane nezwe buwubutha noNkulunkulu,” kanti umphostoli uJohane wathi “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” Ngakho-ke, umKristu weqiniso akanakuhlehla ekuzinikeleni kwakhe kuNkulunkulu ngokuhileleka emkhakheni kaSathane owonakele wezombangazwe nokubusa.—2 Korinte 4:4; Jakobe 4:4; 1 Johane 5:19.

11. (a) AmaKristu ayibheka kanjani impi? (b) Siyini isisekelo esingokomBhalo salesi simo? (2 Korinte 10:3-5)

¹¹ Ngenxa yezimfuneko ezimbili esigcine ngazo, eyesikhombisa isobala, ewukuthi abakhulekeli beqiniso abangamaKristu akufanele bahlanganyele ezimpini. Njengoba inkolo yeqiniso iwubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke obusekelwe othandweni, khona-ke akukho lutho olungahlukanisa phakathi noma lonakalise yonke leyo ‘nhlangano yabazalwane ezweni.’ UJesu wafundisa uthando, hhayi inzondo; ukuthula, hhayi impi. (1 Petru 5:9; Mathewu 26:51, 52) “Omubi,” uSathane, yena lowo owabangela uKayini ukuba abulale u-Abela uyaqhubeka ehlwanyela inzondo phakathi kwesintu futhi ebangela izimpi nokuchithwa kwegazi ngesisekelo sokuhlukana ngokwezombangazwe, ngokwenkolo, nangokohlanga. AmaKristu eqiniso ‘awasayifundi impi,’ kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kusho ukulahlekelwa okungakanani. Ngokomfanekiso, ‘asekhande izinkemba zawo zaba amakhuba nemikhonto yaba ocelemba.’ Aveza izithelo zokuthula zomoya kaNkulunkulu.—1 Johane 3:10-12; Isaya 2:2-4; Galathiya 5:22, 23.

UNkulunkulu Ubusisa Ubumsulwa Bokuziphatha Nobezimfundiso

12. (a) Iyini imfuneko yesishiyagalombili, kodwa yikuphi ukuhlukana okungokwenkolo ongakubala? (b) UPawulu wayiqokomisa kanjani lemfuneko yesishiyagalombili?

¹² Ubunye bobuKristu buyimfuneko yesishiyagalombili yokukhulekela kweqiniso. Nokho, izinkolo ezihlukanisayo zeLobukholwa azizange zisize ekufinyeleleni lokhu. Izinkolo eziningi okuthiwa izinkolo ezinkulu ziye zahlukana zaba amahlelo ahlukahlukene, umphumela waba ukudideka. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngenkolo yamaBaptist e-United States, ehlukene phakathi yaba i-Northern Baptists (American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A.) ne-Southern Baptists (Southern Baptist Convention), kanye namanye amaqembu amaningi ama-Baptist aye aba umphumela wokuqhekeka. (World Christian Encyclopedia, ikhasi 714) Ukuhlukana okuningi kuye kwabangelwa ukungafani kwezimfundiso noma ukuphathwa kwesonto (ngokwesibonelo, iHabe, i-Episcopalian, iCongregational). Ukuhlukana phakathi kweLobukholwa kufana nalokho kwezinkolo ezingaphandle kweLobukholwa—kungaba ubuBuddha, iNkolo YamaSulumane, noma ubuHindu. Umphostoli uPawulu waweluleka wathini amaKristu okuqala? “Manje ngiyanikhuthaza, bafowethu, ngegama leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ukuba nonke nikhulume ngokuvumelana, nokuba kungabi nakuhlukana phakathi kwenu, kodwa ukuba nihlangane ngokufanele emqondweni ofanayo nasendleleni efanayo yokucabanga.”—1 Korinte 1:10; 2 Korinte 13:11.

13, 14. (a) Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuba ngcwele’? (b) Ukukhulekela kweqiniso kugcinwa kanjani kuhlanzekile?

¹³ Iyini imfuneko yesishiyagalolunye yenkolo evunyelwa uNkulunkulu? Isimiso seBhayibheli sivezwe kuLevitikusi 11:45: “Yibani-ngcwele, ngokuba ngingcwele.” Umphostoli uPetru waphinda lemfuneko lapho ebhala: “Ngokuvumelana noNgcwele owanibiza, nani yibani ngcwele ngokwenu kukho konke ukuziphatha kwenu.”—1 Petru 1:15.

¹⁴ Isho ukuthini lendingeko yokuba ngcwele? Ukuthi abakhulekeli bakaJehova kufanele babe abahlanzekile ngokomoya nangokuziphatha. (2 Petru 3:14) Azifaneleki izoni ezingaphenduki, zamabomu, lezo ngokuziphatha kwazo ezibonisa ukudelela umhlatshelo kaKristu wesihlengo. (Heberu 6:4-6) UJehova ufuna ukuba ibandla lobuKristu ligcinwe lihlanzekile futhi lingcwele. Kwenziwa kanjani lokho? Ngezinga elithile, ngenqubo yokwahlulela yokususwa ekuhlanganyeleni kwalabo abangcolisa ibandla.—1 Korinte 5:9-13.

15, 16. Yiziphi izinguquko amaKristu amaningi aye azenza ekuphileni kwawo?

¹⁵ Ngaphambi kokwazi iqiniso lobuKristu, abaningi babephila ukuphila kokuzitika, ukuthanda injabulo, nokobugovu. Kodwa izwi eliphathelene noKristu labashintsha, futhi baye bathola ukuthethelelwa kwezono zabo. UPawulu wakuveza ngokuqinile lapho ebhala: “Babeshane! Anazi yini ukuthi abantu abangalungile ngeke bawuzuze njengefa umbuso kaNkulunkulu? Ningadukiswa. Izifebe, noma abakhonza izithombe, noma iziphingi, noma amadoda agcinelwe izinjongo ezingezona ezemvelo, noma amadoda alala namadoda, noma amasela, noma abantu abahahayo, noma izidakwa, noma izithuki, noma abaphangi ngeke bawuzuze njengefa umbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa nokho yilokho abanye kini ababeyikho. Kodwa seniye nagezwa nahlanzeka.”—1 Korinte 6:9-11.

¹⁶ Kusobala ukuthi uJehova uyabavumela labo abaphendukayo ekuziphatheni kwabo okungavumelani nemibhalo, baguquke, futhi babe abalandeli beqiniso bakaKristu nezimfundiso zakhe. Babathanda ngempela omakhelwane babo njengoba bezithanda futhi bakubonisa ngezindlela eziningi, njengokuphikelela enkonzweni enikeza isigijimi sokuphila kubo bonke abezwayo.—2 Thimothewu 4:5.

“Iqiniso Liyonikhulula”

17. Iyini imfuneko yeshumi yokukhulekela kweqiniso? Nikeza izibonelo.

¹⁷ Kunemfuneko yeshumi uJehova ayibekele labo abamkhulekela ngomoya nangeqiniso—imfundiso emsulwa. (Johane 4:23, 24) UJesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Niyolazi iqiniso, futhi iqiniso liyonikhulula.” (Johane 8:32) Iqiniso leBhayibheli lisikhulula ezimfundisweni ezihlambalaza uNkulunkulu, njengeyomphefumulo ongafi, isihogo somlilo, nesihlanzo. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 6, 10; Hezekeli 18:4, 20) Lisikhulula emfihlakalweni yaseBabiloni “uZiqu-zintathu Ongcwele Kakhulu” weLobukholwa. (Duteronomi 4:35; 6:4; 1 Korinte 15:27, 28) Ukulalela iqiniso leBhayibheli kwenza abantu babe nothando, ukukhathalela, umusa, nesihe. UbuKristu beqiniso abukaze nanini bukhuthaze abagqugquzeli bokuqulwa kwamacala ezihlubuki abanokuphindisela, nokungabekezeli, njengoTomás de Torquemada, noma izilwi ezinenzondo, njengabagqugquzeli beziMpi Zokholo abangopapa. Nokho, iBabiloni Elikhulu liye laveza lolu hlobo lwezithelo kuwo wonke umlando, okungenani kusukela esikhathini sikaNimrode kuze kube manje.—Genesise 10:8, 9.

Igama Elihlukile

18. (a) Obani abahlangabezana nalezi zimfuneko eziyishumi zokukhulekela kweqiniso futhi kanjani? (b) Yini thina ngabanye okumelwe siyenze ukuze sithole isibusiso esisilindele?

¹⁸ Obani namuhla abahlangabezana ngempela nalezi zimfuneko eziyishumi zokukhulekela kweqiniso? Obani abaziwa futhi baqashelwe abanye ngomlando wabo wobuqotho nokuba nokuthula? Embulungeni yonke oFakazi BakaJehova bayaphawuleka ngokungabi kwabo “ingxenye yezwe.” (Johane 15:19; 17:14, 16; 18:36) Abantu bakaJehova banelungelo lokubizwa ngegama lakhe nokuba oFakazi bakhe, njengoba nje noJesu Kristu ayengufakazi othembekile kaYise. Sibizwa ngalelo gama elingcwele, siqaphela umthwalo wethu wemfanelo wokuphila ngalokho elikumelelayo. Futhi, njengoFakazi bakhe, yeka ithemba elikhazimulayo esinalo! Lokuba ingxenye yomkhaya olalelayo, onobunye, okhulekela uMbusi Wendawo Yonke epharadesi elibuyiselwe lapha emhlabeni. Ukuze samukele isibusiso esinjalo, masiqhubeke sizihlanganisa ngokucacile nokukhulekela kweqiniso futhi sibizwe ngegama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova singenamahloni “ngoba izahlulelo zakhe ziyiqiniso futhi zilungile”!—IsAmbulo 19:2; Isaya 43:10-12; Hezekeli 3:11.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungaphendula Uthini?

◻ Izinceku zikaJehova zikubheka kanjani ukubhujiswa kweBabiloni Elikhulu?

◻ Ziyini izimfuneko eziyinhloko zokukhulekela kweqiniso?

◻ Iqiniso likukhulula kanjani?

◻ Yiliphi ilungelo elikhethekile esinalo njengoFakazi BakaJehova?

[Izithombe ekhasini 17]

OFakazi BakaJehova bashumayela futhi bafundise izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

AmaKristu eqiniso aye ahlala njalo engathathi-hlangothi kwezombangazwe nasezimpini zezwe

[Umthombo]

Airplane: Courtesy of the Ministry of Defense, London