Lalela Izwi Elingaphakathi
“Abantu bezizwe abangenawo umthetho [kaNkulunkulu] benza ngokwemvelo izinto zomthetho.”—ROMA 2:14.
1, 2. (a) Abaningi baye benzani ebonisa ukuthi bayabakhathalela abanye? (b) Iziphi izibonelo ezingokomBhalo ezibonisa ukukhathalela abanye?
INSIZWA eneminyaka engu-20 ubudala eyayisesiteshini sesitimela esihamba ngaphansi komhlaba yaba nesithuthwane yawela kujantshi. Ebona lokhu, umuntu owayelapho wadedela amadodakazi akhe wagxuma. Wadonsela le nsizwa enesithuthwane emseleni ophakathi kukajantshi, wayeselala phezu kwayo eyivikela esitimeleni esasima. Abanye bangambiza ngeqhawe lo muntu, kodwa yena wathi: “Umuntu kufanele enze okulungile. Lokhu ngikwenze ngiqhutshwa umusa, ngingacabangi ngokuqashelwa noma ngodumo.”
2 Nawe kungenzeka wazi othile owafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ukuze asize abanye. Baningi abakwenza lokhu phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, becashisa abantu abangabazi. Khumbula nalokho okwenzeka kumphostoli uPawulu nabangu-275 ayenabo abaphahlazekelwa umkhumbi eMelitha, eduze kwaseSisili. Abantu bendawo babasiza laba bantu abangabazi, bebonisa “umusa wobuntu ongaphezu kovamile.” (IzEnzo 27:27–28:2) Noma, kuthiwani ngentombazane yakwa-Israyeli, nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi yayingafaki ukuphila kwayo engozini, eyabonisa umusa yakhathalela omunye wababeyithumbile ongumSiriya? (2 AmaKhosi 5:1-4) Cabanga nangomzekeliso kaJesu odumile womSamariya onothando ngomakhelwane. Umpristi nomLevi bashalazela umJuda wakubo owayeshaywe washiywa kusele umndondo, kodwa umSamariya wazidela wamsiza. Lo mzekeliso uye wathinta izinhliziyo zabantu bezizinda eziningi phakathi namakhulu eminyaka.—Luka 10:29-37.
3, 4. Ukukhathalela abanye okwandile kusitshelani ngenkolelo yokuziphendukela kwemvelo?
3 Yiqiniso, siphila ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo’; abantu abaningi ‘banolaka futhi abanalo uthando lokuhle.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1-3) Noma kunjalo, asikaze yini sibone abantu abathile benza izenzo zomusa, mhlawumbe nathi sazuza kuzo? Ukufisa ukusiza abanye, ngisho nalapho silahlekelwa ngandlela-thile, kuvame kangangokuthi abanye bakubiza ngokuthi “ubuntu.”
4 Ukuzimisela okunjalo ukusiza ngisho noma kusho ukulahlekelwa ngandlela-thile kubonakala kuzo zonke izinhlanga namasiko, futhi kungqubuzana nenkolelo yokuthi umuntu waba khona ngokuziphendukela kwemvelo ngomthetho othi, “kusinda ezinamandla.” UFrancis S. Collins, isazi zezakhi zofuzo, owayehola emzamweni kahulumeni wase-United States wokufunda izakhi zofuzo zomuntu (i-DNA), wathi: “Ukukhathalela abanye ngokungenabugovu kuyinkinga enkulu kumuntu okholelwa ekuziphendukeleni kwemvelo. . . . Akuhambisani nenkolelo yokuthi izakhi zofuzo zilwela ukuzandisa zona.” Wabuye wathi: “Abanye abantu bayazidela ngenxa yabantu abangahlobene nabo nabangahlanganise lutho nabo. . . . Kubonakala inkolelo kaDarwin ingenakukuchaza lokhu.”
“Izwi Likanembeza”
5. Yini ngokuvamile eye yaphawulwa kubantu?
5 UDkt. uCollins uveza esinye isici sokukhathalela kwethu abanye: “Yizwi likanembeza elisitshela ukuba sisize abanye ngisho noma singezukuthola lutho.”a Ukukhuluma kwakhe ‘ngonembeza’ kungase kusikhumbuze iqiniso elagcizelelwa umphostoli uPawulu: “Noma nini lapho abantu bezizwe abangenawo umthetho benza ngokwemvelo izinto zomthetho, laba bantu, nakuba bengenawo umthetho, bangumthetho kubo ngokwabo. Yibo kanye ababonisa ukuthi ingqikithi yomthetho ilotshiwe ezinhliziyweni zabo, lapho unembeza wabo ufakazelana nabo, futhi phakathi kwemicabango yabo, babekwa icala noma baze ngisho bavunwe.”—Roma 2:14, 15.
6. Kungani bonke abantu benesibopho sokulandisa kuMdali?
6 Encwadini ayibhalela abaseRoma, uPawulu wabonisa ukuthi abantu banesibopho sokulandisa kuNkulunkulu ngoba ukuba khona kwaKhe nezimfanelo zakhe kusobala ezintweni esizibonayo. Lokhu bekulokhu kunjalo “kusukela ekudalweni kwezwe kuye phambili.” (Roma 1:18-20; IHubo 19:1-4) Yiqiniso, abaningi bamshaya indiva uMdali wabo futhi baphila ngendlela engcolile. Noma kunjalo, intando kaNkulunkulu iwukuba abantu bafune ukulunga kwakhe futhi baphenduke emikhubeni emibi. (Roma 1:22–2:6) AmaJuda ayenesizathu esizwakalayo sokwenza lokho—ayenikezwe uMthetho kaNkulunkulu ngoMose. Kodwa ngisho nezizwe ezazingenawo “amazwi angcwele kaNkulunkulu” kwakufanele zibone ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona.—Roma 2:8-13; 3:2.
7, 8. Uvame kangakanani umuzwa wokulungile, futhi lokho kuyinkomba yani?
7 Umuzwa ongaphakathi wokulungile nokungalungile uyisizathu esinamandla sokuba bonke abantu bavume ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona futhi benze ngokuvumelana nalokho. Umuzwa wethu wokulungile ubonisa ukuthi sinonembeza. Ake ubone lokhu ngamehlo engqondo: Izingane zimi emgqeni zilindele ukudlala emjikelweni. Enye ibe isingenela, ingazinaki lezi ezisemgqeni. Eziningi zithi, ‘Ayilungile le nto oyenzayo!’ Zibuze-ke, ‘Yini eyenza ngisho nezingane eziningi zibonise ngokuzenzakalelayo ukuthi zinomuzwa wokulungile?’ Ukwenza kwazo kanjalo kubonisa ukuthi zinomuzwa ongaphakathi wokulungile nokungalungile. UPawulu wabhala: “Noma nini lapho abantu bezizwe abangenawo umthetho benza ngokwemvelo izinto zomthetho.” Akazange athi, “uma kwenzeka,” njengokungathi yinto okwakuqabukela yenzeka. Wathi “noma nini,” noma “lapho,” esikisela ukuthi kwakuyinto eyayenzeka njalo. Ngamanye amazwi, abantu “benza ngokwemvelo izinto zomthetho,” okusho ukuthi baqhutshwa umuzwa wabo ongaphakathi wokulungile nokungalungile ukuba benze ngokuvumelana nalokho esikufunda emthethweni kaNkulunkulu olotshiwe.
8 Lo muzwa wokuziphatha uye wabonakala emazweni amaningi. Uprofesa waseCambridge waphawula ukuthi izimiso zabaseBhabhiloni, abaseGibhithe, amaGreki kanye naboMdabu base-Australia nabaseMelika zazihlanganisa “ukulahla ukucindezela, ukubulala, ukuphamba namanga, kuhlanganise nokusetshenziswa kwezimiso ezifanayo kwasebekhulile, abasha nababuthaka.” NoDkt. uCollins wabhala: “Zonke izizwe emhlabeni wonke zibonakala zinawo lo mqondo wokulungile nokungalungile.” Lokhu akukukhumbuzi yini eyabaseRoma 2:14?
Usebenza Kanjani Unembeza Wakho?
9. Uyini unembeza, futhi ungakusiza kanjani ngaphambi kokwenza into ethile?
9 IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi unembeza uyikhono elingaphakathi lokubheka nokuhlaziya izenzo zakho. Kunjengokungathi kunezwi elingaphakathi kuwe elikutshela ukuthi isenzo esithile silungile noma cha. UPawulu wakhuluma ngaleli zwi elingaphakathi kuye: “Unembeza wami ufakazelana nami emoyeni ongcwele.” (Roma 9:1) Ngokwesibonelo, leli zwi lingase likhulume kusengaphambili njengoba ucabanga ukuthi ukwenze yini okuthile okungase kubhekwe njengokulungile noma okungalungile. Unembeza wakho ungase ukusize uhlaziye into ohlose ukuyenza futhi ukubonise nokuthi uyozizwa kanjani uma usuyenzile.
10. Ngokuvamile unembeza usebenza kanjani?
10 Unembeza wakho uvame kakhulu ukusebenza ngemva kokwenza okuthile. Ngesikhathi uDavide ebalekela iNkosi uSawule, wathola ithuba lokwenza into engabonisi inhlonipho ngenkosi egcotshwe uNkulunkulu, futhi wayenza. Kamuva, “inhliziyo kaDavide yayilokhu imshaya.” (1 Samuweli 24:1-5; IHubo 32:3, 5) Igama elithi “unembeza” alisetshenziswanga kule ndaba; kodwa yilokho uDavide akuzwa—ukusebenza kukanembeza wakhe. Sonke siye sahlushwa unembeza. Mhlawumbe sasenze okuthile, kamuva sakhathazeka, sihlushwa indlela esenze ngayo. Abanye abantu ababengazikhokhanga izintela bahlushwa kakhulu onembeza babo kangangokuthi kamuva basikhokha isikweletu sabo. Abanye baye bashukunyiselwa ukuba bavume isono sabo sokuphinga kumuntu abashade naye. (Hebheru 13:4) Yiqiniso, lapho umuntu enza lokho okushiwo unembeza, angaba nomuzwa wokwaneliseka nokuthula.
11. Kungani kungase kube yingozi ‘ukumane uvumele unembeza wakho ukuqondise’? Bonisa.
11 Ngakho, singamane ‘siwuvumele yini unembeza wethu usiqondise’? Kuhle ukulalela unembeza wethu, kodwa ositshela khona kungase kusidukise kakhulu. Yebo, izwi ‘lomuntu esinguye ngaphakathi’ lingase lisikhohlise. (2 Korinte 4:16) Cabanga ngalesi sibonelo. IBhayibheli lisitshela ngoStefanu, umlandeli kaKristu ozinikele ‘owayegcwele umusa namandla.’ AmaJuda athile amkhiphela ngaphandle kweJerusalema amkhanda ngamatshe waze wafa. USawulu (kamuva owaba umphostoli uPawulu) wayemi budebuduze futhi “wayekwamukela ukubulawa” kukaStefanu. Kubonakala sengathi lawo maJuda ayeqiniseka impela ukuthi ayenza okufanele kangangokuthi unembeza wawo awuzange uwahluphe. Kumelwe ukuba noSawulu wayezizwa ngendlela efanayo, ngoba kamuva ‘wayesonga futhi eshabashekela ukubulala abafundi beNkosi.’ Kusobala ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi unembeza wakhe wawumdukisa.—IzEnzo 6:8; 7:57–8:1; 9:1.
12. Iyiphi enye indlela okungenzeka unembeza wethu uye wathonywa ngayo?
12 Yini okungenzeka ukuthi yathonya unembeza kaSawulu? Kungenzeka ukuthi okunye kwakuwukujwayelana kwakhe kakhulu nabantu abathile. Abaningi bethu baye bakhuluma ocingweni nomuntu onezwi elifana nelikayise. Kungenzeka ukuthi le ndodana yafuza uyise ngezwi ngezinga elithile, kodwa kungenzeka nokuthi iye yathonywa indlela uyise akhuluma ngayo. Ngokufanayo, kungenzeka ukuthi uSawulu wayethonywe ukujwayelana kakhulu namaJuda ayezonda uJesu futhi ephikisana nezimfundiso zakhe. (Johane 11:47-50; 18:14; IzEnzo 5:27, 28, 33) Yebo, kungenzeka ukuthi abangane bakaSawulu bathonya izwi ayelizwa ngaphakathi, unembeza wakhe.
13. Unembeza womuntu ungathonywa kanjani yindawo yakubo?
13 Unembeza ungalolongwa nayisizinda somuntu, noma indawo ahlala kuyo, njengoba nje indawo yakubo ingase imthonye umuntu ukuba akhulume ngendlela ethile noma ulimi lwesigodi. (Mathewu 26:73) Kumelwe ukuba kwenzeka lokho kwabase-Asiriya lasendulo. Babaziwa ngokuthanda impi, futhi imifanekiso yabo eqoshiwe ibabonisa behlupha izithunjwa zabo. (Nahume 2:11, 12; 3:1) Abantu baseNineve bosuku lukaJona bachazwa ngokuthi babengawazi “umehluko phakathi kwesandla sabo sokunene nesobunxele.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi babengenaso isimiso esinembile sokwahlulela ukuthi ikuphi okufanele noma okungafanele ngokombono kaNkulunkulu. Cabanga ngendlela leyo ndawo eyayingawuthonya ngayo unembeza womuntu owayekhulela eNineve! (Jona 3:4, 5; 4:11) Nanamuhla, unembeza womuntu ungalolongwa isimo sengqondo sabantu abamzungezile.
Ukuthuthukisa Izwi Elingaphakathi
14. Unembeza wethu ukubonisa kanjani okushiwo uGenesise 1:27?
14 UJehova wanika u-Adamu no-Eva isipho sikanembeza, futhi thina sawuzuza kubo ngofuzo. UGenesise 1:27 usitshela ukuthi abantu benziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. Lokho akusho ukuthi sinomzimba onjengokaNkulunkulu, ngoba ungumoya kanti thina siyinyama. Senziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ngomqondo wokuthi sinezimfanelo zakhe, ezihlanganisa umuzwa wokulungile nokungalungile nonembeza osebenzayo. Leli qiniso elingenhla lisibonisa enye indlela esingathuthukisa ngayo unembeza wethu ukuze siwethembe ngokwengeziwe. Leyo ndlela iwukuba sifunde okwengeziwe ngoMdali, kanjalo sisondele kakhudlwana kuye.
15. Iyiphi enye indlela esingazuza ngayo ngokwazi uBaba wethu?
15 IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi empeleni uJehova unguBaba wethu sonke. (Isaya 64:8) AmaKristu athembekile angabiza uNkulunkulu ngokuthi uBaba, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi anethemba lasezulwini noma lokuphila emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (Mathewu 6:9) Kufanele sifise ukusondela kakhudlwana kuBaba wethu ngaleyo ndlela sifunde imibono nezimiso zakhe. (Jakobe 4:8) Abaningi abathandi ukwenza lokho. BanjengamaJuda uJesu athi kuwo: “Anikaze nilizwe izwi lakhe nganoma isiphi isikhathi futhi anikaze niwubone umzimba wakhe; futhi izwi lakhe alisahlezi kini.” (Johane 5:37, 38) Empeleni asikaze simuzwe uNkulunkulu ekhuluma, kodwa singaba nezwi lakhe, ngaleyo ndlela sibe njengaye futhi sizizwe ngendlela azizwa ngayo.
16. Indaba kaJosefa ibonisani ngokuqeqesha nokulalela unembeza wethu?
16 Indaba kaJosefa emzini kaPotifari iyakubonisa lokhu. UmkaPotifari wazama ukuyenga uJosefa. Nakuba kwakungekho ncwadi yeBhayibheli eyayisilotshiwe ngesikhathi sakhe, ingakanikezwa neMiyalo Eyishumi, uJosefa wathi: “Ngingabenza kanjani lobu bubi obukhulu kangaka ngone kuNkulunkulu?” (Genesise 39:9) Akasabelanga ngaleyo ndlela ukuze nje ajabulise umkhaya wakubo; wawuhlala kude. Ngokuyinhloko wayefuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu. UJosefa wayesazi isimiso sikaNkulunkulu ngomshado—umfazi kumelwe abe nomyeni oyedwa, njengoba laba ababili ‘benyamanye.’ Kungenzeka nokuthi wayezwile ngendlela u-Abhimeleki azizwa ngayo lapho ethola ukuthi uRebheka wayeshadile—ukuthi ukumthatha kwakuyoba into engalungile, kwenze isizwe sakhe sibe necala. Yebo, uJehova wakubusisa okwenzeka kuleyo ndaba, ebonisa umbono wakhe ngokuphinga. Ukwazi kukaJosefa konke lokhu kungenzeka kwaqinisekisa okwakushiwo unembeza wakhe awuzuza ngofuzo, kwamshukumisela ukuba enqabe ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili.—Genesise 2:24; 12:17-19; 20:1-18; 26:7-14.
17. Kungani thina sisesimweni esingcono kunesikaJosefa endabeni yokufana noBaba wethu?
17 Yiqiniso, thina sisesimweni esingcono kakhulu kunesakhe. SineBhayibheli eliphelele esingathola kulo imicabango nemizwa kaBaba wethu, kuhlanganise nalokho akuvumelayo nakwenqabelayo. Lapho sijula ngokwengeziwe ekufundeni imiBhalo, siyosondela nakakhulu kuNkulunkulu futhi sibe njengaye. Njengoba senza kanjalo, okushiwo unembeza wethu kuyovumelana kakhudlwana nokucabanga kukaBaba wethu. Kuyoya ngokuya kuvumelana nentando yakhe.—Efesu 5:1-5.
18. Naphezu kwezici okungenzeka zasithonya esikhathini esidlule, yini esingayenza ukuze siwethembe kakhudlwana unembeza wethu?
18 Kuthiwani ngethonya indawo engaba nalo kunembeza wethu? Kungenzeka siye sathonywa ukucabanga nezenzo zezihlobo zethu nendawo esakhulela kuyo. Ngakho, kungenzeka ukuthi izwi likanembeza wethu lalingezwakali kahle noma lisho okuphambene. Lalikhuluma “ngendlela” yabantu abasizungezile. Yiqiniso, ngeke sikwazi ukushintsha osekwadlula; kodwa singanquma ukukhetha abangane nendawo ezoba nethonya elihle kunembeza wethu. Isinyathelo esibalulekile siwukuzihlanganisa njalo namaKristu azinikele asenesikhathi eside ezama ukuba njengoNkulunkulu. Imihlangano yebandla, kuhlanganise nobudlelwane ngaphambi nangemva kwayo, isinika amathuba amahle kakhulu okwenza lokho. Singaphawula imicabango nezenzo zamanye amaKristu ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, kuhlanganise nokulungela kwawo ukulalela njengoba unembeza wawo ubonisa umbono nezindlela zikaNkulunkulu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lokhu kungasisiza ukuba sivumelanise unembeza wethu nezimiso zeBhayibheli, kusenze sifane kakhudlwana nomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. Uma sivumelanisa izwi lethu elingaphakathi nezimiso zikaBaba wethu futhi sivumele ithonya elihle lamanye amaKristu, siyowethemba ngokwengeziwe unembeza wethu futhi siyothambekela nakakhulu ekulaleleni lokho okushoyo.—Isaya 30:21.
19. Iziphi izici zikanembeza okusafanele sizidingide?
19 Noma kunjalo, kunzima ngabanye ukulalela unembeza wabo usuku nosuku. Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngezimo ezithile amaKristu aye abhekana nazo. Ngokuhlola izimo ezinjalo, singase siyibone ngokucace ngokwengeziwe indima kanembeza, okwenza onembeza bangefani nendlela esingawulalela ngayo nakakhulu.—Hebheru 6:11, 12.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ngokufanayo, u-Owen Gingerich, uprofesa ocwaninga ngezinkanyezi eHarvard University, wabhala: “Ukukhathalela abanye ngempela kuphakamisa umbuzo ongenayo . . . impendulo engokwesayensi etholakala ngokubheka izilwane. Kungenzeka ukuthi impendulo ekholisa ngokwengeziwe itholakala komunye umkhakha futhi ihlobene nezici zobuntu esizinikwe uNkulunkulu ezihlanganisa unembeza.”
Ufundeni?
• Kungani abantu bazo zonke izizinda benomuzwa wokulungile nokungalungile, noma unembeza?
• Kungani kudingeka sikuqaphele ukumane sivumele unembeza wethu usiqondise?
• Izwi esilizwa ngaphakathi singalithuthukisa ngaziphi izindlela?
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
UDavide wahlushwa unembeza . . .
kodwa akubanga njalo ngoSawulu waseTarsu
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Singaliqeqesha izwi likanembeza wethu