Gcina ‘Ithemba Lakho Lensindiso’ Ligqamile!

‘Faka ithemba lensindiso njengesigqoko sokuzivikela.’—1 THESALONIKA 5:8.

1. ‘Ithemba lensindiso’ lisisiza kanjani ukuba sibekezele?

ITHEMBA lokusinda lingasiza umuntu aqinisele ngisho nasesimweni esibi kakhulu. Umuntu osesikejaneni osinde emkhunjini ophahlazekile angabekezela isikhathi eside kakhulu uma azi ukuthi kuseduze ukuba athole usizo. Ngokufanayo, ukuthembela ‘ekusindiseni kukaJehova’ kuye kwasekela abesilisa nabesifazane bokholo ezikhathini zezinkathazo izinkulungwane zeminyaka, futhi leli themba alikaze lidumaze. (Eksodusi 14:13; IHubo 3:8; Roma 5:5; 9:33) Umphostoli uPawulu wafanisa ‘ithemba lensindiso’ ‘nesigqoko’ sesambatho sokuzivikela esingokomoya somKristu. (1 Thesalonika 5:8; Efesu 6:17) Yebo, ukuqiniseka kwethu ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosisindisa kuvikela amandla ethu okucabanga, kusisize sihlale sisangulukile naphezu kokuhlupheka, ukuphikiswa nezilingo.

2. ‘Ithemba lensindiso’ liyisisekelo ngaziphi izindlela ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso?

² I-International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ithi: “Ukuba nethemba mayelana nekusasa kwakungesona isici sezwe lamaqaba,” izwe elalizungeze amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala. (Efesu 2:12; 1 Thesalonika 4:13) Nokho, ‘ithemba lensindiso’ liyisici esiyisisekelo sokukhulekela kweqiniso. Kanjani? Okokuqala, insindiso yezinceku zikaJehova ihlobene negama lakhe siqu. Umhubi u-Asafa wathandaza: “Sisize, Nkulunkulu wensindiso yethu, ngenxa yenkazimulo yegama lakho; usikhulule.” (IHubo 79:9; Hezekeli 20:9) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuqiniseka ngezibusiso uJehova azithembisile kusemqoka ukuze sibe nobuhlobo obuhle naye. UPawulu wakubeka wathi: “Ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa kahle ngoba lowo osondela kuNkulunkulu kumelwe akholelwe ukuthi ukhona nokuthi uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho.” (Heberu 11:6) Futhi uPawulu wachaza ukuthi ukusindiswa kwabaphendukayo kwakuyisizathu esiyinhloko sokuza kukaJesu emhlabeni. Wathi: “Likholekile futhi lifanelwe ukwamukelwa ngokugcwele lelizwi lokuthi uKristu Jesu weza emhlabeni ukuzosindisa izoni.” (1 Thimothewu 1:15) Umphostoli uPetru wabhekisela ensindisweni ngokuthi ‘isiphetho [noma, umphumela] wokholo lwethu.’ (1 Petru 1:9) Kusobala ukuthi kuyafaneleka ukuba nethemba lensindiso. Kodwa iyini ngempela insindiso? Futhi yini efunekayo ukuze itholakale?

Iyini Insindiso?

3. Luhlobo luni lwensindiso olwatholwa yizinceku zikaJehova zasendulo?

³ EmiBhalweni YesiHeberu, elithi “insindiso” ngokuvamile lisho ukuhlengwa noma ukukhululwa ekucindezelweni noma ekufeni okunobudlova nokufika kungakabi yisikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, ebiza uJehova ngokuthi “uMkhululi,” uDavide wathi: “UNkulunkulu uyidwala lami . . . Inqaba yami ephakemeyo nesiphephelo sami; msindisi wami, uyangisindisa ebudloveni. Ngiyamemeza kuJehova odumisekayo, ngisindiswe ezitheni zami.” (2 Samuweli 22:2-4) UDavide wayazi ukuthi uJehova uyalalela lapho izinceku zaKhe ezithembekile zikhala zicela usizo.—IHubo 31:22, 23; 145:19.

4. Izinceku zikaJehova zangaphambi kobuKristu zazinaliphi ithemba lokuphila kwesikhathi esizayo?

⁴ Izinceku zikaJehova zangaphambi kobuKristu nazo zazinethemba lokuphila kwesikhathi esizayo. (Jobe 14:13-15; Isaya 25:8; Daniyeli 12:13) Eqinisweni, eziningi zezithembiso zokuhlengwa ezisemiBhalweni YesiHeberu zazibikezela insindiso enkulu—eyoholela ekuphileni okumi phakade. (Isaya 49:6, 8; IzEnzo 13:47; 2 Korinte 6:2) Ngosuku lukaJesu, amaJuda amaningi ayenethemba lokuthola ukuphila okumi phakade, kodwa enqaba ukwamukela uJesu njengoyinhloko ekufezekeni kwethemba lawo. UJesu watshela abaholi benkolo bangesikhathi sakhe: “Nihlola imiBhalo, ngoba nicabanga ukuthi niyoba nokuphila okumi phakade ngayo; futhi yiyo kanye lena efakaza ngami.”—Johane 5:39.

5. Ishoni ngokuyinhloko insindiso?

⁵ NgoJesu, uNkulunkulu wembula konke okushiwo yinsindiso. Ihlanganisa ukukhululwa ekubusweni yisono, ekugqilazweni yinkolo yamanga, ezweni elilawulwa uSathane, ekwesabeni abantu ngisho nasekwesabeni ukufa. (Johane 17:16; Roma 8:2; Kolose 1:13; IsAmbulo 18:2, 4) Ngokuyinhloko, ezincekwini ezithembekile zikaNkulunkulu, ukusindiswa uNkulunkulu akusho nje ukukhululwa ekucindezelweni nasosizini kodwa kusho nethuba lokuthola ukuphila okumi phakade. (Johane 6:40; 17:3) UJesu wafundisa ukuthi ‘emhlanjini omncane,’ insindiso isho ukuvuselwa kwawo ekuphileni kwasezulwini ukuze uhlanganyele noKristu ekubuseni koMbuso. (Luka 12:32) Kubo bonke abanye besintu, insindiso isho ukubuyiselwa ekuphileni okuphelele nasebuhlotsheni o-Adamu no-Eva ababenabo noNkulunkulu ensimini yase-Edene ngaphambi kokuba bone. (IzEnzo 3:21; Efesu 1:10) Ukuphila okumi phakade ezimweni zepharadesi ezinjalo kwakuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni ngesintu. (Genesise 1:28; Marku 10:30) Nokho, zingabuyiselwa kanjani izimo ezinjalo?

Isisekelo Sensindiso—Isihlengo

6, 7. Iyini indima kaJesu ekusindisweni kwethu?

⁶ Ukuphila okumi phakade kungatholakala kuphela ngomhlatshelo kaKristu wesihlengo. Ngani? IBhayibheli liyachaza ukuthi lapho u-Adamu ona, ‘wazithengisela’ esonweni, yena nazo zonke izizukulwane zakhe ezaziseza, kuhlanganise nathi—kanjalo kwadingeka isihlengo ukuze isintu sibe nethemba langempela. (Roma 5:14, 15; 7:14) Ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeyolungiselela isihlengo saso sonke isintu kwafanekiselwa yimihlatshelo yezilwane ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose. (Heberu 10:1-10; 1 Johane 2:2) NguJesu omhlatshelo wakhe wagcwalisa leyo mifuziselo engokwesiprofetho. Ingelosi kaJehova yamemezela ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJesu: “[Uzosindisa] abantu bakubo ezonweni zabo.”—Mathewu 1:21; Heberu 2:10.

⁷ UJesu wazalwa ngokuyisimangaliso yincasakazi uMariya, futhi njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu, akazange azuze ukufa njengefa ku-Adamu. Leli qiniso kanye nenkambo yakhe yokwethembeka ngokuphelele kwenza ukuphila kwakhe kwaba nenani elalidingeka ukuze kuthengwe kabusha isintu esonweni nasekufeni. (Johane 8:36; 1 Korinte 15:22) Ngokungafani nabo bonke abanye abantu, uJesu akalahlwanga ukuba afe ngenxa yesono. Weza ngenhloso emhlabeni ukuze ‘azonikela umphefumulo wakhe ube isihlengo esenana abaningi.’ (Mathewu 20:28) Esekwenzile lokho, uJesu owayesevusiwe futhi wabekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi, wayesekulungele ukunikeza insindiso kubo bonke abahlangabezana nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu.—IsAmbulo 12:10.

Kudingekani Ukuze Umuntu Athole Insindiso?

8, 9. (a) UJesu wawuphendula kanjani umbuzo wombusi ocebile osemusha ngophathelene nensindiso? (b) UJesu wasisebenzisa kanjani lesi senzakalo ukuze afundise abafundi bakhe?

⁸ Ngesinye isikhathi, umbusi ocebile osemusha ongumIsrayeli wabuza uJesu: “Yini okumelwe ngiyenze ukuze ngizuze njengefa ukuphila okumi phakade?” (Marku 10:17) Kungenzeka umbuzo wakhe wawubonisa ukucabanga kwamaJuda angaleso sikhathi—kokuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna imisebenzi emihle ethile nokuthi ngokwenza leyo misebenzi ibe miningi ngokwanele, umuntu angazuza insindiso kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa uhlobo olunjalo lokuzinikela lwalungaba umphumela wezisusa zobugovu. Imisebenzi enjalo yayinganikezi ithemba eliqinisekile lensindiso, ngoba akukho muntu ongaphelele owayengazifinyelela ngempela izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu.

⁹ Ephendula umbuzo wale nsizwa, uJesu wamane wayikhumbuza ukuthi kufanele ilalele imiyalo kaNkulunkulu. Ngokushesha lo mbusi osemusha waqinisekisa uJesu ukuthi wayeyigcine kusukela esemncane. Impendulo yakhe yashukumisa uJesu ukuba azizwe emthanda. UJesu wathi kuye: “Inye into esele ngawe: Hamba, uthengise lokho onakho uphe abampofu, futhi uyoba nomcebo ezulwini, futhi uze ube umlandeli wami.” Nokho le nsizwa yahamba ilusizi, ‘ngoba yayinempahla eningi.’ UJesu wabe esegcizelela kubafundi bakhe ukuthi ukuzithanda ngokweqile izimpahla zaleli zwe kuyisithiyo ekutholeni insindiso. Wanezela ukuthi akukho muntu ongathola insindiso ngenxa yemizamo yakhe siqu. Kodwa uJesu waqhubeka wabaqinisekisa: “Kubantu akunakwenzeka, kodwa akunjalo kuNkulunkulu, ngoba zonke izinto zingenzeka kuNkulunkulu.” (Marku 10:18-27; Luka 18:18-23) Ingatholakala kanjani insindiso?

10. Yimiphi imibandela okumelwe sihlangabezane nayo ukuze sizuze insindiso?

¹⁰ Insindiso iyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu, kodwa ayitholakali ngokuzenzakalelayo. (Roma 6:23) Kunemibandela ethile eyisisekelo okumelwe umuntu ngamunye ahlangabezane nayo ukuze asifanelekele leso sipho. UJesu wathi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kakhulu kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhujiswa kodwa abe nokuphila okumi phakade.” Futhi umphostoli uJohane wanezela: “Lowo obonisa ukholo eNdodaneni unokuphila okumi phakade; lowo ongayilaleli iNdodana ngeke akubone ukuphila.” (Johane 3:16, 36) Kusobala ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba umuntu ngamunye onethemba lokuthola insindiso yaphakade abe nokholo futhi amlalele. Umuntu ngamunye kumelwe anqume ukwamukela isihlengo nokulandela ezinyathelweni zikaJesu.

11. Umuntu ongaphelele angamukeleka kanjani kuJehova?

¹¹ Njengoba singaphelele, asithambekele ngokwemvelo ekulaleleni futhi akunakwenzeka ukuba silalele ngokuphelele. Yingakho uJehova alungiselela isihlengo sokusibekela izono zethu. Nokho, kumelwe siqhubeke sizama ukuphila ngokuvumelana nezindlela zikaNkulunkulu. Njengoba uJesu atshela umbusi ocebile osemusha, kumelwe sigcine imiyalo kaNkulunkulu. Ukwenza kanjalo akugcini ngokusenza samukelwe nguNkulunkulu kodwa futhi kusilethela injabulo enkulu, ngoba “imiyalo yakhe ayiwona umthwalo osindayo”; ‘iyaqabula.’ (1 Johane 5:3; IzAga 3:1, 8, NW) Noma kunjalo, akulula ukubambelela ethembeni lensindiso.

“Lulwele Kanzima Ukholo”

12. Ithemba lensindiso limqinisa kanjani umKristu ukuba amelane nezilingo zokuziphatha okubi?

¹² Umfundi uJakobe wayefuna ukubhalela amaKristu okuqala ‘ngensindiso ababeyihlanganyela.’ Nokho, isimo esibi sokuziphatha esasikhona samphoqa ukuba eluleke abafowabo ukuba ‘balulwele kanzima ukholo.’ Yebo, uma sifuna ukuthola insindiso akwanele ukuba nokholo, ukunamathela okholweni lobuKristu beqiniso nokulalela lapho konke kuhamba kahle. Ukuzinikela kwethu kuJehova kumelwe kuqine ngokwanele ukuba kusisize simelane nezilingo namathonya okuziphatha okubi. Nokho, ubulili obeqisayo nobuhlanekezelwe, ukungahlonishwa kwegunya, ukuhlukana kanye nokungabaza kwakonakalisa isimo sebandla lekhulu lokuqala. Ukuze awasize alwisane nokuthambekela okunjalo, uJude wanxusa amaKristu akanye nawo ukuba awugcine ucacile engqondweni umgomo wawo: “Bathandekayo, ngokuzakha okholweni lwenu olungcwele kakhulu, nangokuthandaza ngomoya ongcwele, zigcineni othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kuyilapho nilindele isihe seNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ninombono wokuphila okuphakade.” (Jude 3, 4, 8, 19-21) Ithemba lokuthola insindiso lalingawaqinisa lapho elwela ukuhlala ehlanzekile ekuziphatheni.

13. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi ayisilahlekele injongo yomusa kaNkulunkulu ongafanelwe?

¹³ UJehova uNkulunkulu ulindele ukuba baziphathe ngendlela eyisibonelo labo ayobanika insindiso. (1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Nokho, ukunamathela ezindinganisweni zikaNkulunkulu zokuziphatha akusho ukwahlulela abanye. Akukhona okwethu ukunquma ikusasa elingunaphakade labanye abantu. Kunalokho, nguNkulunkulu oyokwenza lokho, njengoba nje uPawulu atshela amaGreki ase-Athene: “Umise usuku ajonge ukwahlulela ngalo ngokulunga umhlaba owakhiwe ngomuntu ammisile”—uJesu Kristu. (IzEnzo 17:31; Johane 5:22) Uma siphila ngokholo esihlengweni sikaJesu akudingeki silwesabe usuku lokwahlulela oluzayo. (Heberu 10:38, 39) Okubalulekile ukuthi akumelwe silokothe ‘samukele umusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu [ukubuyisana kwethu naye ngesihlengo] bese silahlekelwa injongo yawo’ ngokuvuma ukuba silingelwe ekucabangeni nasekuziphatheni okungalungile. (2 Korinte 6:1) Ngaphezu kwalokho, sibonisa ukuthi ayisilahlekele injongo yesihe sikaNkulunkulu ngokusiza abanye ukuba bathole insindiso. Singabasiza kanjani?

Ukuhlanganyela Ithemba Lensindiso

14, 15. Obani uJesu ababela ukuba bamemezele izindaba ezinhle zensindiso?

¹⁴ Ecaphuna umprofethi uJoweli, uPawulu wabhala: “Wonke umuntu obiza igama likaJehova uyosindiswa.” Wabe esenezela: “Nokho, bayombiza kanjani lowo abangabekanga ukholo kuye? Bayolubeka kanjani ukholo kulowo abangezwanga ngaye? Bayozwa kanjani kungekho oshumayelayo?” Emavesini ambalwa alandelayo, uPawulu uveza ukuthi ukholo alubi khona ngokuzenzakalelayo; kunalokho, “lulandela into ezwiweyo,” okungukuthi, ‘izwi eliphathelene noKristu.’—Roma 10:13, 14, 17; Joweli 2:32.

¹⁵ Ubani oyoyisa ‘izwi eliphathelene noKristu’ ezizweni? UJesu wawabela abafundi bakhe lowo msebenzi—labo abase befundisiwe kakade lelo “zwi.” (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Johane 17:20) Lapho sihlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nowokwenza abafundi, senza kona kanye lokho umphostoli uPawulu abhala ngakho, kulokhu ecaphuna u-Isaya: “Yeka ukuthi zibukeka kahle kanjani izinyawo zalabo abamemezela izindaba ezinhle zezinto ezinhle!” Ngisho noma abaningi bengazamukeli izindaba ezinhle esizilethayo, izinyawo zethu ‘zisabukeka kahle’ kuJehova.—Roma 10:15; Isaya 52:7.

16, 17. Iyiphi injongo ekabili efezwa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?

¹⁶ Ukwenza ngokuvumelana nalokhu kuthunywa kufeza izinjongo ezimbili ezibalulekile. Okokuqala, izindaba ezinhle kumelwe zishunyayelwe ukuze igama likaNkulunkulu likhazinyuliswe futhi labo abafuna insindiso bazi ukuthi bangayitholaphi. UPawulu wayesiqonda lesi sici salo msebenzi. Wathi: “Eqinisweni, uJehova ubeke umyalo phezu kwethu ngalamazwi, ‘Ngikumisé njengokukhanya kwezizwe, ukuba ube insindiso kuze kube semkhawulweni womhlaba.’” Ngakho, njengabafundi bakaKristu, ngamunye wethu kumelwe abe nengxenye ekuyiseni umyalezo wensindiso kubantu.—IzEnzo 13:47; Isaya 49:6.

¹⁷ Okwesibili, ukushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle kubeka isisekelo sesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esilungile. Mayelana naleso sahlulelo, uJesu wathi: “Lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika enkazimulweni yayo, nazo zonke izingelosi kanye nayo, khona-ke iyohlala phansi esihlalweni sayo esikhazimulayo. Futhi zonke izizwe ziyobuthelwa phambi kwayo, futhi iyohlukanisa abantu omunye komunye, njengoba nje umalusi ehlukanisa izimvu ezimbuzini.” Nakuba ukwahlulelwa nokuhlukaniswa kuyokwenzeka “lapho iNdodana yomuntu ifika enkazimulweni yayo,” umsebenzi wokushumayela unikeza abantu namuhla ithuba lokuqaphela abafowabo bakaKristu abangokomoya bese bebasekela ukuze bona labo bantu bathole insindiso yaphakade.—Mathewu 25:31-46.

Londoloza ‘Isiqinisekiso Esigcwele Sethemba’

18. Singaligcina kanjani ‘ithemba lethu lensindiso’ ligqamile?

¹⁸ Ukuhlanganyela kwethu ngenkuthalo emsebenzini wokushumayela kungenye indlela yokugcina ithemba lethu ligqamile. UPawulu wabhala: “Sifisa ukuba yilowo nalowo kini abonise inkuthalo efanayo ukuze abe nesiqinisekiso esigcwele sethemba kuze kube sekupheleni.” (Heberu 6:11) Khona-ke, kwangathi ngamunye wethu angafaka ‘ithemba lensindiso njengesigqoko sokuzivikela,’ kanjalo akhumbule ukuthi “uNkulunkulu wasabela ukuba sizuze insindiso ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, akasabelanga olakeni.” (1 Thesalonika 5:8, 9) Masikulalele nokunxusa kukaPetru: “Bhukulani izingqondo zenu ngenjongo yokusebenza, hlalani nisanguluke ngokuphelele; bekani ithemba lenu emseni ongafanelwe oyolethwa kini.” (1 Petru 1:13) Bonke abenza kanjalo bayobona ‘ithemba labo lensindiso’ lifezeka ngokugcwele!

19. Yini esizoyihlola esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Okwamanje, kufanele sisibheke kanjani isikhathi esisalele lesi simiso? Singasisebenzisa kanjani leso sikhathi ukuze sithole insindiso thina nabanye? Le mibuzo sizoyihlola esihlokweni esilandelayo.

Ungachaza?

• Kungani kumelwe sigcine ‘ithemba lethu lensindiso’ ligqamile?

• Ihlanganisani insindiso?

• Kumelwe senzeni ukuze samukele isipho sensindiso?

• Umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ufezani ngokuvumelana nenjongo kaNkulunkulu?

[Izithombe ekhasini 10]

Insindiso isho okungaphezu nje kokukhululwa ekubhujisweni