Qaphela Amasiko Angamjabulisi UNkulunkulu

EGCEKENI elincane kunebhokisi lomngcwabo elivulekile elangeni elishisa bhe lase-Afrika. Njengoba abalilayo beshaye ujenga bedlula kuleli bhokisi ukuze babonise ukudabuka kwabo, ikhehla lifike lime kancane. Ligcwele usizi emehlweni, liyakhothama lisondele ebusweni bendoda eshonile bese liqala ukukhuluma: “Awungitshelanga ngani ukuthi uyahamba? Ungishiyeleni kanje? Njengoba manje usubuyile, uzoqhubeka yini ungisiza?”

Kwenye ingxenye ye-Afrika, kuzalwa umntwana. Akukho muntu ovunyelwe ukumbona. Ugcinwa esendlini isikhathi esithile abese ekhishwa ukuze umphakathi umbone ngomcimbi wokumetha igama.

Kwabanye abantu, ukukhuluma nomuntu oshonile noma ukufihla umntwana osanda kuzalwa kungabonakala kuyinqaba. Nokho, kwezinye izizwe nakweminye imiphakathi, inqubo nemibono yabantu ngokufa nokuzalwa ithonywa inkolelo enamandla yokuthi abantu abafile abafile ngempela kodwa bayaphila futhi bayezwa.

Le nkolelo inamandla kangangokuthi iyingxenye ebalulekile yamasiko nemikhuba ehilela cishe zonke izici zokuphila. Ngokwesibonelo, izigidi zikholelwa ukuthi izigaba ezibalulekile zokuphila komuntu—njengokuzalwa, ukuthomba, umshado, ukuzala abantwana nokufa—kuyizingxenye zokudlulela kokunye ukuphila ezweni lokhokho lemimoya. Kukholelwa ukuthi ekuleyo ndawo, umuntu oshonile uyaqhubeka enendima ebalulekile ekuphileni kwalabo abashiyile. Futhi angaqhubeka nomjikelezo wokuphila ngokuzalwa kabusha.

Ukuze kuqinisekwe ukuthi le nqubo yokudlulela kokunye ukuphila yenzeka kahle kuzo zonke izigaba zalo mjikelezo, kwenziwa amasiko nemicimbi eminingi. La masiko athonywa inkolelo yokuthi okuthile okuphakathi kithi kuyasinda lapho sifa. AmaKristu eqiniso agwema noma yimaphi amasiko ahlobene nale nkolelo. Kungani?

Siyini Isimo Sabafileyo?

IBhayibheli licacile uma lichaza isimo sabafile. Lithi nje: “Abaphilayo bayazi ukuthi bayokufa; kodwa abafileyo bona abazi lutho . . . Uthando lwabo nenzondo yabo nomhawu wabo sekushabalele kakade . . . Akukho msebenzi namacebo nalwazi nakuhlakanipha eShiyoli [ithuna elivamile lesintu], indawo oya kuyo.” (UmShumayeli 9:5, 6, 10) Sekuyisikhathi eside abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu beqiniso bamukela leli qiniso leBhayibheli eliyisisekelo. Kunokuba bakholelwe ukuthi umphefumulo awufi, baye baqonda ukuthi ungafa futhi ubhujiswe. (Hezekeli 18:4) Futhi bayazi ukuthi imimoya yabafileyo ayiqhubeki iphila. (IHubo 146:4) Endulo, uJehova wabayala ngokuqinile abantu bakhe ukuba bazihlukanise ngokuphelele nanoma yimaphi amasiko noma imikhuba eyayihlobene nenkolelo yokuthi abafile bayezwa nokuthi bayakwazi ukuthonya abaphilayo.—Duteronomi 14:1; 18:9-13; Isaya 8:19, 20.

Ngokufanayo amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayegwema noma yiliphi isiko elalihlobene nemfundiso yenkolo yamanga. (2 Korinte 6:15-17) Namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi baluhlanga luni, basizwe sini, noma bavela kuphi, bayawagwema amasiko ahlangene nemfundiso yamanga yokuthi okuthile okukumuntu kuyasinda lapho efa.

NjengamaKristu, yini engasiqondisa lapho sinquma ukuthi kufanele yini siligubhe isiko elithile noma cha? Kumelwe sicabange ngokucophelela ngokuhlobana elingase libe nako nanoma iyiphi imfundiso engeyona engokomBhalo, njengenkolelo yokuthi imimoya yabafileyo ithonya abaphilayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kudingeka sizibuze ukuthi ukuhlanganyela kwethu esikweni noma emkhosini onjalo ngeke yini kubakhube abanye abanolwazi ngalokho oFakazi BakaJehova abakukholelwayo nabakufundisayo. Sinalawo maphuzu engqondweni, make sihlole izici ezimbili ezibalulekile—ukuzalwa nokufa.

Imikhosi Yokuzalwa Nokwethiwa Komntwana Igama

Amasiko amaningi aphathelene nokuzalwa kwabantwana afanelekile. Nokho, ezindaweni lapho ukuzalwa kubhekwa njengokudlulela komuntu ezweni labaphilayo esuka ezweni lemimoya yokhokho, amaKristu eqiniso kufanele aqaphe. Ngokwesibonelo, kwezinye izingxenye ze-Afrika, usana olusanda kuzalwa lugcinwa endlini futhi alwethiwa igama kuze kube yilapho sekudlule isikhathi esithile. Nakuba isikhathi sokulinda sihlukahluka kuye ngokwezindawo, leso sikhathi siphela ngomkhosi wokwethiwa komntwana igama, lapho umntwana ekhishelwa ngaphandle abese ethulwa ngokomthetho ezihlotsheni nakubangane. Ngaleso sikhathi, abakhona baziswa ngokomthetho igama lomntwana.

Ichaza ukubaluleka kwaleli siko, incwadi ethi Ghana—Understanding the People and Their Culture ithi: “Ezinsukwini eziyisikhombisa zokuqala zokuphila komntwana, kucatshangwa ukuthi usuke ‘esavakashile’ futhi esaguquka kusuka ekuphileni ezweni lemimoya kuya ekuphileni kwasemhlabeni. . . . Ngokuvamile umntwana ugcinwa esendlini futhi abantu okungebona abomndeni abavunyelwe ukumbona.”

Kungani kulindwa lesi sikhathi ngaphambi kokuba umntwana ethiwe igama ngokomthetho? Incwadi ethi Ghana in Retrospect iyachaza: “Ngaphambi kosuku lwesishiyagalombili, kucatshangwa ukuthi umntwana usuke engakabi umuntu. Uhlanganiswa nelinye izwe avela kulo.” Le ncwadi iyaqhubeka: “Njengoba ku yigama okungathiwa lenza umntwana abe umuntu, uma umbhangqwana wesaba ukuthi umntwana uzofa ngokuvamile baye bakuhlehlise ukumetha igama kuze kube yilapho sebeqiniseka ukuthi uzophila. . . . Ngakho-ke, lo mkhosi wokudlulela kokunye ukuphila, ngezinye izikhathi obizwa ngokuthi ukukhishwa komntwana, kucatshangwa ukuthi unokubaluleka okukhulu kumntwana nakubazali bakhe. Ngumkhosi owethula umntwana ezweni labantu abaphilayo.”

Ngokuvamile lowo mkhosi wokwethiwa komntwana igama wenganyelwa ilungu lomndeni elidala ngeminyaka. Okwenzeka kulo mkhosi kuyahluka kuye ngezindawo, kodwa ngokuvamile lo mkhosi uhlanganisa nokuthelela amadlozi utshwala, ukuthandaza emimoyeni yokhokho kubongwa ukufika komntwana ephephile kanye namanye amasiko.

Isici esivelele kulo mkhosi kuba yilapho kumenyezelwa igama lomntwana. Nakuba kungabazali abanomthwalo wokwetha umntwana igama, ngokuvamile ezinye izihlobo ziye zibe nethonya elinamandla egameni elikhethwayo. Amanye amagama anencazelo ethile olimini lwendawo, njengelithi “uhambe wabuya,” “umama usebuye okwesibili” noma “ubaba usebuyile.” Amanye amagama anezincazelo ezihloselwe ukuba zithene amadlozi amandla ukuze angamthathi umntwana osanda kuzalwa ambuyisele ezweni labafileyo.

Yiqiniso, akukubi ukujabula ngokuzalwa komntwana. Ukwetha umntwana ngegama lothile futhi ukumetha igama elibonisa izimo ezihlobene nokuzalwa kwakhe kungamasiko amukelekayo, futhi ukunquma ukuthi umntwana uzokwethiwa nini kuyisinqumo somuntu siqu. Nokho, amaKristu afuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu ayaqaphela ukuba agweme noma yimaphi amasiko noma imikhosi enikeza umqondo wokuthi ayavumelana nombono wokuthi umntwana osanda kuzalwa ‘uyisihambi’ esisuka ekuphileni kwasezweni lokhokho lemimoya esesizophila ezweni labaphilayo.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, nakuba abaningi emphakathini bebheka umkhosi wokwethiwa igama njengomkhosi obalulekile wokudlulela kokunye ukuphila, amaKristu kufanele acabangele onembeza babanye futhi acabangele umbono oyotholwa abangakholwa. Ngokwesibonelo, uma umkhaya ongamaKristu ungagcina umntwana osanda kuzalwa ukuba angabonwa ngabanye kuze kube yilapho sekwenziwe umkhosi wokumetha igama, abanye bangaphetha ngokuthini? Bebeyoba namuphi umbono uma kusetshenziswe amagama aphikisana nokuzibiza kwawo ngabafundisi beqiniso leBhayibheli?

Ngakho, lapho enquma ukuthi bazokwethiwa kanjani futhi nini abantwana bawo, amaKristu alwela ‘ukwenzela zonke izinto inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu’ ukuze angabi isikhubekiso. (1 Korinte 10:31-33) ‘Awawubekeli eceleni umyalo kaNkulunkulu ukuze alondoloze amasiko’ ngokuyinhloko ahloselwe ukudumisa abafileyo. Kunalokho, adumisa futhi akhazimulise uNkulunkulu ophilayo, uJehova.—Marku 7:9, 13.

Ukusuka Ekufeni Kuya Ekuphileni

Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi ukufa, njengokuzalwa, kuwukudlulela kokunye ukuphila; umuntu oshonile usuka ezweni elibonakalayo aye ezweni elingabonakali lemimoya yabafileyo. Abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi ngaphandle kokuba kwenziwe amasiko athile omngcwabo lapho kushoniwe, imimoya yokhokho, okukholelwa ukuthi inamandla okujezisa noma okuvuza abaphilayo, iyothukuthela. Le nkolelo iyithonya kakhulu indlela okuhlelwa futhi kuqhutshwe ngayo imingcwabo.

Emingcwabeni ehloselwe ukushweleza kwabafileyo kuvamile ukuba kuvezwe imizwa ehlukahlukene yokulila phambi kwesidumbu—kusuka ekuphiyazeni kwabantu bebangalasa futhi bememeza lapho kunesidumbu khona kuya emadilini enjabulo angemva komngcwabo. Ngokuvamile kuleyo mingcwabo kuba namadili angenamingcele, ukudakwa nokudansela umculo okhalela phezulu. Imingcwabo isibhekwa njengebaluleke kangangokuthi ngisho nemikhaya empofu kakhulu ngokuvamile yenza umzamo omkhulu wokuqongelela imali eyanele ukuze yenze “umngcwabo ofanelekile,” nakuba ungase uwubangele ubunzima nesikweletu.

Sekuphele iminyaka oFakazi BakaJehova bedalula amasiko emingcwabo angqubuzana nemiBhalo.a La masiko ahlanganisa imilindelo, ukuthelela amadlozi utshwala, ukukhuluma nokucela kwabafileyo, imikhosi yaminyaka yonke yokukhunjulwa kwabafileyo namanye amasiko asekelwe enkolelweni yokuthi okuthile okukumuntu kuyasinda lapho efa. La masiko ahlazisa uNkulunkulu ‘angcolile’ futhi ‘ayinkohliso eyize’ esekelwe ‘emasikweni abantu’ hhayi eZwini likaNkulunkulu eliyiqiniso.—Isaya 52:11; Kolose 2:8.

Ukucindezelwa Ukuba Uvumelane Nabanye

Kwabanye kuye kwaba inselele enkulu ukugwema amasiko, ikakhulukazi emazweni lapho kucatshangwa ukuthi kubaluleke kakhulu ukuhlonipha abafileyo. Ngenxa yokungawenzi lawo masiko, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bacatshangelwa noma bamangalelwa ngokuthi bazonda umphakathi nangokuthi ababahloniphi abafileyo. Ukugxekwa nokucindezelwa okukhulu kuye kwabangela abanye ukuba besabe ukwehluka, naphezu kokuba beliqonda kahle iqiniso leBhayibheli. (1 Petru 3:14) Abanye baye baba nomuzwa wokuthi la masiko ayingxenye yendlela yabo yokuphila futhi akunakwenzeka ukuba ayekwe ngokuphelele. Kanti abanye baye bacabanga ukuthi uma abantu bakaNkulunkulu benqaba ukwenza isiko umphakathi ungase ubakhiphe inyumbazane.

Asifuni ukucasula abanye ngokungadingekile. Noma kunjalo, iBhayibheli liyasixwayisa ukuthi uma silimelela ngokuqinile iqiniso izwe elihlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu ngeke lisamukele. (Johane 15:18, 19; 2 Thimothewu 3:12; 1 Johane 5:19) Silimelela ngokuzithandela leli qiniso, sazi ukuthi kumelwe sehluke kulabo abasebumnyameni obungokomoya. (Malaki 3:18; Galathiya 6:12) Njengoba nje uJesu amelana nesilingo sikaSathane sokuba enze okuthile okungamjabulisi uNkulunkulu, kanjalo nathi siyamelana nokucindezela kokuba senze ngendlela engamjabulisi uNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 4:3-7) Kunokuba athonywe ukwesaba abantu, amaKristu eqiniso akhathalela ngokuyinhloko ukujabulisa uJehova uNkulunkulu nokumdumisa njengoNkulunkulu weqiniso. Lokhu akwenza ngokungahlehli ezindinganisweni zeBhayibheli zokukhulekela okumsulwa ngenxa yokucindezelwa abanye.—IzAga 29:25; IzEnzo 5:29.

Ukudumisa UJehova Ngendlela Esibabheka Ngayo Abafileyo

Kungokwemvelo ukudabuka ngokujulile nokuba lusizi lapho kufa umuntu esimthandayo. (Johane 11:33, 35) Ukwazisa inkumbulo yothandekayo nokumngcwaba ngenhlonipho kuyizenzo ezifanele zokubonisa uthando lwethu. Nokho, oFakazi BakaJehova babhekana nosizi olukhulu lokufelwa ngaphandle kokwamukela amasiko angamjabulisi uNkulunkulu. Lokhu akulula kulabo abakhulele ezindaweni lapho abafileyo besatshwa kakhulu. Kungaba inselele ukuma siqinile uma sidatshukiswe ukushonelwa umuntu esimthandayo. Noma kunjalo, amaKristu athembekile aqiniswa uJehova, ‘uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke,’ futhi ayazuza ekusekelweni kothando kwamakholwa akanye nawo. (2 Korinte 1:3, 4) Ukholo lwawo oluqinile lokuthi ngolunye usuku abafileyo abangazi lutho abasenkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu bayobuye baphile, lunikeza amaKristu eqiniso izizathu eziqinile zokuba azihlukanise ngokuphelele namasiko emingcwabo angewona awobuKristu futhi aphika ukuba khona kovuko.

Asijabuli yini ngokuthi uJehova uye wasibiza ‘ukuba siphume ebumnyameni singene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo’? (1 Petru 2:9) Njengoba sijabulela ukuzalwa komntwana futhi sikhuthazelela usizi lokufelwa, kwangathi isifiso sethu esiqotho singaba ukwenza okulungile futhi uthando lwethu olujulile ngoJehova uNkulunkulu lusishukumisele njalo ukuba ‘sihambe njengabantwana bokukhanya.’ Kwangathi singeze sazivumela ukuba singcoliswe ngokomoya amasiko angewona awobuKristu, angamjabulisi uNkulunkulu.—Efesu 5:8.

[Umbhalo waphansi]