Isibindi Siqiniswa Uthando
Isibindi Siqiniswa Uthando
“UNkulunkulu akasinikanga umoya wobugwala, kodwa owamandla nowothando nowokuhluzeka kwengqondo.”—2 THIMOTHEWU 1:7.
1, 2. (a) Uthando lungashukumisela umuntu ukuba enzeni? (b) Kungani isibindi sikaJesu sasivelele?
UMBHANGQWANA owawusanda kushada wawutshuza ngama-scuba olwandle budebuduze nedolobha elithile ogwini olusempumalanga ye-Australia. Wawusuzokhuphukela phezulu lapho ushaka omkhulu omhlophe uza ngejubane uqonde kowesifazane. Indoda yenza isenzo sobuqhawe yasunduzela umkayo eceleni, ushaka wabulala yona. Enkonzweni yomngcwabo wayo, umkayo wathi: “Unikele ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami.”
2 Yebo, uthando lungashukumisela abantu ukuba babonise isibindi esivelele. UJesu Kristu ngokwakhe wathi: “Akekho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu anikele umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (Johane 15:13) Esikhathini esingaphansi kwamahora angu-24 esho la mazwi, uJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe, hhayi ngenxa yokuphila komuntu oyedwa nje kuphela, kodwa ngenxa yesintu sonke. (Mathewu 20:28) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu akazange anikele ngokuphila kwakhe esenzweni esasidinga ubuqhawe ngalowo mzuzu. Wazi kusengaphambili ukuthi wayeyoklolodelwa futhi aphathwe kabi, ahlulelwe ngendlela engenabulungisa futhi abulawelwe esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. Walungiselela ngisho nabafundi ukuba bakulindele lokhu, ethi: “Bhekani, sinyukela eJerusalema, futhi iNdodana yomuntu izonikelwa kubapristi abakhulu nakubabhali; bazoyilahlela ekufeni bayinikele kubantu bezizwe, bahlekise ngayo bayikhafulele, bayibhaxabule futhi bayibulale.”—Marku 10:33, 34.
3. Yini eyenza ukuba uJesu abe nesibindi esikhulu?
3 Yini eyenza uJesu ukuba abe nesibindi esivelele? Ukholo nokwesaba uNkulunkulu kwaba nengxenye enkulu. (Hebheru 5:7; 12:2) Nokho, okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi isibindi sikaJesu sasisukela othandweni lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu nangabantu. (1 Johane 3:16) Uma singaba nokholo nokwesaba uNkulunkulu bese sinezela kulezi zimfanelo ngokuhlakulela uthando olunjalo, nathi singakwazi ukubonisa isibindi esinjengesikaKristu. (Efesu 5:2) Singaluhlakulela kanjani uthando olunjalo? Kudingeka sazi uMthombo walo.
“Uthando Luvela KuNkulunkulu”
4. Kungani kungase kuthiwe uJehova unguMthombo wothando?
4 UJehova uyikho kokubili ukwenziwa samuntu kothando noMthombo walo. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Bathandekayo, masiqhubeke sithandana, ngoba uthando luvela kuNkulunkulu, futhi wonke umuntu onothando uzelwe uNkulunkulu futhi uzuza ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu. Lowo ongenalo uthando akamazi uNkulunkulu, ngoba uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:7, 8) Ngakho-ke, uthando olunjengolukaNkulunkulu lungakhula kumuntu uma kuphela esondela kuJehova ngokuba nolwazi olunembile nangokwenza ngokuvumelana nalolo lwazi ngokulalela okusuka enhliziyweni.—Filipi 1:9; Jakobe 4:8; 1 Johane 5:3.
5, 6. Yini eyasiza abalandeli bakaJesu bokuqala ukuba bahlakulele uthando olunjengolukaKristu?
5 Emthandazweni wakhe wokugcina enabafundi bakhe abangu-11 abathembekile, uJesu wabonisa ukuhlobana okukhona phakathi kokwazi uNkulunkulu nokukhula othandweni. Wathi: “Ngibazisile igama lakho futhi ngizolazisa, ukuze uthando ongithande ngalo lube kubo nami ngibe munye nabo.” (Johane 17:26) UJesu wasiza abafundi bakhe ukuba bahlakulele uthando olufana nalolo olwalukhona phakathi kwakhe noYise, wembula ngezwi nangesibonelo lokho okumelelwa igama likaNkulunkulu—izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu ezimangalisayo. Ngakho uJesu wayengathi: “Ongibonile mina umbonile noBaba futhi.”—Johane 14:9, 10; 17:8.
6 Uthando olunjengolukaKristu luyisithelo somoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. (Galathiya 5:22) Lapho amaKristu okuqala ethola umoya ongcwele owawuthenjisiwe ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., awazange agcine nje ngokukhumbula izinto eziningi uJesu ayewafundise zona kodwa akuqonda ngokugcwele okwakushiwo imiBhalo. Kusobala ukuthi lokhu kuqondisisa kwakhulisa uthando lwawo ngoNkulunkulu. (Johane 14:26; 15:26) Waba yini umphumela? Azimemezela ngesibindi nangentshiseko izindaba ezinhle yize lokho kwakufaka ukuphila kwawo engozini.—IzEnzo 5:28, 29.
Ukubonisa Isibindi Nothando
7. UPawulu noBarnaba bakhuthazelela isimo esinjani ohambweni lwabo lwezithunywa zevangeli?
7 Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “UNkulunkulu akasinikanga umoya wobugwala, kodwa owamandla nowothando nowokuhluzeka kwengqondo.” (2 Thimothewu 1:7) UPawulu wayekhuluma into ayezibonele yona ngawakhe. Cabanga ngalokho yena noBarnaba ababhekana nakho lapho bendawonye ohambweni lwabo lwezithunywa zevangeli. Bashumayela emizini eminingana, kuhlanganise nase-Antiyokiya, e-Ikoniyu naseListra. Emzini ngamunye, kukhona ababa amakholwa, kodwa abanye baba nenzondo babaphikisa. (IzEnzo 13:2, 14, 45, 50; 14:1, 5) EListra isixuku esasithukuthele saze sakhanda uPawulu ngamatshe, samyeka sesicabanga ukuthi ufile! “Nokho, lapho abafundi bemngunga, wavuka wangena emzini. Ngosuku olulandelayo wahamba noBarnaba baya eDerbe.”—IzEnzo 14:6, 19, 20.
8. Isibindi esaboniswa uPawulu noBarnaba sabonisa kanjani ukuthi babenothando olujulile ngabantu?
8 Ingabe lo mzamo wokubulala uPawulu wamethusa uPawulu noBarnaba babe sebeyeka ukushumayela? Lutho! Ngemva ‘kokuba benze abafundi abaningana’ eDerbe, la madoda amabili “abuyela eListra nase-Ikoniyu nase-Antiyokiya.” Ayeyokwenzani khona? Ayeyokhuthaza abafundi abasha ukuba bahlale beqinile okholweni. UPawulu noBarnaba bathi: “Kumelwe singene embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinsizi eziningi.” Ngokusobala, uthando olujulile ababenalo ‘ngamawundlu’ kaKristu yilo olwalubenza babe nesibindi. (IzEnzo 14:21-23; Johane 21:15-17) Ngemva kokumisa abadala ebandleni ngalinye elisha, laba bafowethu ababili babethandaza futhi ‘babanikele kuJehova ababeye bakholwa nguye.’
9. Abadala base-Efesu basabela kanjani othandweni uPawulu ayenalo ngabo?
9 UPawulu wayengumuntu okhathalelayo nonesibindi kakhulu kangangokuthi amaKristu amaningi okuqala amthanda ngokujulile. Khumbula ukuthi kwenzekani emhlanganweni aba nawo nabadala base-Efesu, indawo ayehlale iminyaka emithathu kuyo futhi waphikiswa kakhulu. (IzEnzo 20:17-31) Ngemva kokubakhuthaza ukuba beluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu abawuphathisiwe, uPawulu waguqa nabo wathandaza. Ngemva kwalokho “bonke bakhala kakhulu impela, bawela entanyeni kaPawulu bamanga ngothando, ngoba babezwa ubuhlungu ikakhulukazi ngezwi ayelikhulumile lokuthi babengeke besabubona ubuso bakhe.” Yeka indlela laba bazalwane ababemthanda ngayo uPawulu! Empeleni, lapho kufika isikhathi sokwahlukana kwaba nzima ngoPawulu nalabo ayehamba nabo, ngoba abadala balelo bandla babengafuni ukubadedela.—IzEnzo 20:36–21:1.
10. OFakazi BakaJehova banamuhla baye babonisana kanjani uthando oludinga isibindi?
10 Namuhla, ababonisi abajikelezayo, abadala bamabandla nabanye abaningi abeve bethandwa ngenxa yesibindi abasibonisayo ngenxa yezimvu zikaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, emazweni ahlukunyezwe izimpi zombango, noma lapho umsebenzi wokushumayela uvinjelwe khona, ababonisi abajikelezayo nomkabo baye bafaka ukuphila nenkululeko yabo engozini ukuze bahambele amabandla. Ngokufanayo, oFakazi abaningi baye baphathwa kabuhlungu ababusi nabalandeli babo ngoba nje bengafuni ukukhaphela oFakazi abakanye nabo noma ukusho ukuthi kuvelaphi ukudla kwabo okungokomoya. Izinkulungwane zabanye ziye zashushiswa, zahlushwa, zabulawa ngisho nokubulawa ngoba zingafuni ukuyeka ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle noma ukuyeka ukuhlanganyela namanye amakholwa emihlanganweni yobuKristu. (IzEnzo 5:28, 29; Hebheru 10:24, 25) Kwangathi singalingisa ukholo nothando lwabafowethu nodadewethu abanjalo abanesibindi!—1 Thesalonika 1:6.
Ungavumi Uthando Lwakho Luphole
11. Iziphi izindlela uSathane azisebenzisayo empini engokomoya ayilwa nezinceku zikaJehova, futhi kudingeka zenzeni?
11 Lapho uSathane ephonswa emhlabeni, wehla enolaka efuna ukubhodlela ezincekwini zikaJehova ngoba ‘zigcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu futhi zifakaza ngoJesu.’ (IsAmbulo 12:9, 17) Elinye lamasu kaDeveli ushushiso. Nokho, ezikhathini eziningi isikhuni sibuya nomkhwezeli ngoba ushushiso lwenza ukuba abantu bakaNkulunkulu basondelane ngisho nakakhulu othandweni lwabo lobuKristu futhi lubashukumisela ukuba bashiseke ngokwengeziwe. Elinye isu likaSathane ukusebenzisa ukuthambekela kwabantu esonweni. Kudinga isibindi esihlukile ukumelana naleli su ngoba impi iba ngaphakathi kumuntu, idinga ukuba alwe nezifiso ezingafanele ezingaphakathi enhliziyweni yakhe ‘ekhohlisayo neyenza ngokuphelelwa ithemba.’—Jeremiya 17:9; Jakobe 1:14, 15.
12. USathane uwusebenzisa kanjani “umoya wezwe” emzamweni wakhe wokwenza uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu lube buthaka?
12 Ezikhalini zikaSathane kunesinye esinamandla—“umoya wezwe,” okungukuthi, umoya walo olibusayo noma izisusa zalo, omelene ngokuqondile nomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. (1 Korinte 2:12) Umoya wezwe ukhuthaza ukuhaha nokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo—‘isifiso samehlo.’ (1 Johane 2:16; 1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10) Ngisho noma izinto ezibonakalayo nemali ngokwako kungeyona ingozi, uma sikuthanda ngaphezu kokuba sithanda uNkulunkulu, uSathane usuke esesinqobile. ‘Igunya’ lomoya waleli zwe noma amandla awo adalwa ukuthi lo moya ukhanga inyama enesono, awubonakali, awudeli, kanti ufinyelela yonke indawo njengoba kwenza umoya ovamile. Ungawuvumeli umoya waleli zwe ungene enhliziyweni yakho!—Efesu 2:2, 3; IzAga 4:23.
13. Ubuqotho bethu bungavivinywa kanjani endabeni yokuziphatha?
13 Nokho, kudingeka sibe nesibindi sokulondoloza ukuziphatha okumsulwa ukuze simelane nomoya omubi waleli zwe futhi siwulahle. Ngokwesibonelo, kudinga isibindi ukusukuma uphume ebhayisikobho noma uvale i-computer noma i-TV lapho kuvela izithombe ezingcolile. Kudinga isibindi ukusukuma umelane nokucindezela kontanga okungekuhle futhi unqamule ukuzihlanganisa nababi. Ngokufanayo, kudinga isibindi ukumelela imithetho kaNkulunkulu nezimiso zakhe lapho uhlekwa usulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uhlekwa yilabo ofunda nabo, osebenza nabo, omakhelwane noma izihlobo.—1 Korinte 15:33; 1 Johane 5:19.
14. Kufanele senzeni uma singenwa umoya wezwe?
14 Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani-ke ukuba siqinise uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu nangabafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya! Zinike isikhathi sokuhlola imigomo yakho nendlela yakho yokuphila ukuze ubone ukuthi umoya wezwe awukungenile yini ngandlela-thile. Uma usukungenile—ngisho noma usakungene kancane—thandazela isibindi kuJehova sokuwukhipha futhi uwudedisele kude nawe. UJehova ngeke angazinaki izicelo ezinjalo eziqotho. (IHubo 51:17) Ngaphezu kwalokho, umoya wakhe unamandla kakhulu kunowezwe.—1 Johane 4:4.
Ukubhekana Novivinyo Lomuntu Siqu Ngesibindi
15, 16. Uthando olunjengolukaKristu lungasisiza kanjani ukuba sibhekane ngokuphumelelayo novivinyo lomuntu siqu? Nikeza isibonelo.
15 Ezinye izinselele okuye kudingeke ukuba izinceku zikaJehova zibhekane nazo zihlanganisa imiphumela yokungapheleli nokuguga okuvame ukuholela ezifweni, ekukhubazekeni, ekucindezelekeni nakwezinye izinkinga eziningi. (Roma 8:22) Uthando olunjengolukaKristu lungasisiza ukuba sibhekane ngokuphumelelayo nalolu vivinyo. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaNamangolwa owakhulela emkhayeni wamaKristu eZambia. Wakhubazeka eneminyaka emibili ubudala. Uthi: “Ngangizinyeza ngicabanga ukuthi abantu babeyoshaqeka uma bengibona. Kodwa abafowethu abangokomoya bangisiza ukuba ngibheke izinto ngendlela ehlukile. Ngenxa yalokho, ngakunqoba ukuzinyeza kwami, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngabhapathizwa.”
16 Nakuba uNamangolwa enesihlalo sabakhubazekile, ngokuvamile ugaqa ngamadolo lapho ehamba emgwaqweni owubhuqu onesihlabathi. Noma kunjalo, ukhonza njengephayona elisizayo okungenani izinyanga ezimbili unyaka ngamunye. Omunye umninikhaya wakhala mí lapho uNamangolwa emshumayeza. Ngani? Ngoba wathintwa ukholo nesibindi salo dadewethu. Okufakazela ukuthi uJehova umbusisa ngokucebile ukuthi abantu abahlanu kulabo abafundela iBhayibheli babhapathiziwe, futhi omunye ukhonza njengomdala ebandleni. UNamangolwa uthi: “Ngokuvamile imilenze yami iyafutha impela, kodwa angikuvumeli lokho ukuba kungiyekise.” Lo dade ungomunye nje woFakazi abaningi emhlabeni wonke abantekenteke emzimbeni kodwa abanamandla ngokomoya ngenxa yothando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu nangomakhelwane. Yeka ukuthi bafiseleka kanjani bonke labo emehlweni kaJehova!—Hagayi 2:7.
17, 18. Yini esiza abaningi ukuba bakhuthazelele ukugula nolunye uvivinyo? Nikeza izibonelo ezimbalwa zangakini.
17 Ukugula okungamahlalakhona nakho kungamenza umuntu adangale, mhlawumbe aze acindezeleke. Umdala othile webandla uthi: “Esifundweni seqembu engikuso, sinodade ohlushwa isifo sikashukela nezinso, omunye unomdlavuza, ababili bahlushwa isifo sokuqaqamba kwamalunga amathambo (arthritis) esesisibi kakhulu, omunye une-lupus ne-fibromyalgia. Ngezinye izikhathi bazizwa bephansi. Noma kunjalo, abaphuthi emihlanganweni ngaphandle kwalapho begula kakhulu noma besesibhedlela. Bonke bahlanganyela njalo enkonzweni yasensimini. Bangikhumbuza uPawulu, owathi: ‘Lapho ngibuthakathaka, kulapho-ke nginamandla.’ Ngiyalwazisa uthando nesibindi sabo. Mhlawumbe isimo sabo sibenza babubone kahle ubunjalo bokuphila babone nokuthi ikuphi okubaluleke ngempela.”—2 Korinte 12:10.
18 Uma uhlushwa ubuthakathaka obuthile emzimbeni, ukugula noma enye inkinga, ‘thandaza ungaphezi’ ucele usizo ukuze ungagajwa ukudangala. (1 Thesalonika 5:14, 17) Yebo, cishe ziyoba khona izikhathi lapho uyozizwa uphansi khona, kodwa zama ukugxila ezintweni ezakhayo, ezingokomoya, ikakhulukazi ethembeni lethu loMbuso eliyigugu. Omunye udade wathi: “Mina, insimu iyangelapha.” Ukuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle nabanye kumsiza ukuba alondoloze umbono oqondile.
Uthando Lusiza Abenzi Bobubi Ukuba Babuyele KuJehova
19, 20. (a) Yini engase isize labo abawele esonweni ukuba baqunge isibindi sokubuyela kuJehova? (b) Yini ezodingidwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
19 Abaningi abaye baba buthaka ngokomoya noma abaye banqotshwa isono bakuthola kungelula ukubuyela kuJehova. Kodwa uma labo bantu bephenduka ngempela futhi bevuselela uthando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu bangathola isibindi abasidingayo. Cabanga ngoMario, * ohlala e-United States. UMario washiya ibandla lobuKristu, waba umlutha wotshwala nezidakamizwa, futhi ngemva kweminyaka engu-20 wazithola esejele. UMario uthi: “Ngaqala ukucabanga ngokujulile ngekusasa lami ngaqala nokufunda iBhayibheli futhi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngaqala ukuzazisa izimfanelo zikaJehova, ikakhulukazi isihe sakhe, engangivame ukusithandazela. Ngemva kokuba sengikhululiwe ejele, ngabagwema abangane bami abadala, ngaya emihlanganweni yobuKristu futhi ngagcina sengibuyiselwe ekuhlanganyeleni. Emzimbeni wami ngivuna lokho engakutshala, kodwa akusafani ngoba manje senginethemba elihle. Angazi ngingambonga ngani uJehova ngobubele nangentethelelo yakhe.”—IHubo 103:9-13; 130:3, 4; Galathiya 6:7, 8.
20 Yiqiniso, labo abasesimweni esifana nesikaMario kuye kudingeke basebenze kanzima ukuze babuyele kuJehova. Kodwa uthando lwabo oluvuselelwe—besizwa isifundo seBhayibheli, umthandazo nokuzindla—luyobanika isibindi nokuzimisela abakudingayo. UMario waqiniswa nayithemba loMbuso. Yebo, ithemba lingaba isisusa esinamandla sokwenza okuhle ekuphileni kwethu uma lihambisana nothando, ukholo nokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoke sithi ukusibhekisisa lesi sipho esingokomoya esiyigugu.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
^ par. 19 Igama lishintshiwe.
Ingabe Ungaphendula?
• Uthando lwamsiza kanjani uJesu ukuba abonise isibindi esingavamile?
• Uthando ngabafowabo lwabanika kanjani isibindi esivelele oPawulu noBarnaba?
• USathane usebenzisa ziphi izindlela ukuze azame ukuqeda uthando lwethu lobuKristu?
• Ukuthanda uJehova kungasinika isibindi sokukhuthazelela luphi uvivinyo?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Uthando lukaPawulu ngabantu lwamnika isibindi sokukhuthazela
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Kudinga isibindi ukumelela izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
UNamangolwa Sututu