1. Yisiphi iseluleko umphostoli uPhetro asinika amaKhristu futhi kungani kungakhanya kunzima ukusilalela?

KUNGELANI lokuthi silethemba lokuphila ezulwini kumbe lapha emhlabeni sonke singancedakala ngokuhlola iseluleko umphostoli uPhetro asinika amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ngesikhathi sabaphostoli. Wabhala wathi: “Libe ngcwele kukho konke ukuziphatha kwenu, njengaye oNgcwele owalibizayo, ngoba kubhaliwe ukuthi: ‘Kumele libe ngcwele ngoba lami ngingcwele.’” (1 Phet. 1:15, 16) Amazwi la asifundisa ukuthi lanxa uJehova engcwele ukwedlula loba ngubani, singenelisa ukumlingisela. Kumele sibe ngcwele kukho konke ukuziphatha kwethu futhi singakwenza lokho, lanxa kungakhanya angathi ngeke kwenzeke ngenxa yesono esilaso. UPhetro laye wayewenza amaphutha kodwa isibonelo sakhe sitshengisa ukuthi ‘singaba ngcwele.’

2. Yiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula esihlokweni lesi?

² Esihlokweni lesi sizaphendula imibuzo elandelayo: Kutshoni ukuba ngcwele? IBhayibhili lisifundisani ngobungcwele bukaJehova? Singenzani ukuze sibe ngcwele ekuziphatheni kwethu? Ukuba ngcwele kuhambelana njani lokuba ngabangane bakaJehova?

3. Abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi umuntu ongcwele unjani kodwa kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sithole ulwazi oluqondileyo ngendaba le?

³ Kwezinye indawo abantu bacabanga ukuthi ukuba ngcwele kutsho ukuba ngumuntu ongathokoziyo, ohlala egqoke izigqoko zetshetshi futhi ongahlekiyo. Lokhu akusilo qiniso. Phela uJehova ungcwele kodwa iBhayibhili lithi ‘unguNkulunkulu othokozayo.’ (1 Tim. 1:11) Liphinda lithi labo abamkhonzayo “bayathokoza.” (Hubo. 144:15, NWT) Kanti njalo uJesu wasola labo ababegqoka izigqoko ezitshiyene lezabanye futhi besenza okulungileyo phambi kwabantu befuna ukubukwa. (Mat. 6:1; Mak. 12:38) Thina amaKhristu eqiniso  siyakwazi ukuthi kutshoni ukuba ngcwele ngenxa yalokho esikufundileyo eBhayibhilini. Siyakwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele futhi osithandayo ngeke asinike umlayo akwaziyo ukuthi ngeke senelise ukuwulalela. Yikho nxa uJehova esithi ‘kumele sibe ngcwele,’ asithandabuzi ukuthi singakwenza lokho. Kodwa kumele siqale sizwisise ukuthi kutshoni ukuba ngcwele ukuze senelise ukuba ngcwele ekuziphatheni kwethu.

4. Ibala elithi “ngcwele” loba elithi “ubungcwele” litshoni?

⁴ Kutshoni ukuba ngcwele? EBhayibhilini ibala elithi “ngcwele” loba elithi “ubungcwele” litsho ukuhlanzeka kumbe ukuba msulwa ekuziphatheni lasekukhonzeni. Amabala la aphinde atsho ukwehlukaniselwa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Yikho kungathiwa singcwele nxa simsulwa endleleni esiziphatha ngayo, sikhonza uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo futhi singabangane bakhe abaseduze. Kuyasimangalisa ukuthi lanxa silesono, uJehova ufuna sibe ngabangane bakhe abaseduze yena engcwele ngokupheleleyo.

5. Izingilosi ezithembekileyo zisifundisani ngoJehova?

⁵ UJehova uhlanzekile futhi umsulwa kukho konke. Lokhu kukhanya emazwini atshiwo ngamanye amaserafi loba izingilosi eziseduze kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova. Athi: “Ungcwele, ungcwele, ungcwele uJehova uSomandla.” (Isaya. 6:3) Izingilosi lezi ziseduze loNkulunkulu wazo ongcwele ngenxa yokuthi lazo zingcwele. Lokhu yikho okwakusenza indawo lapho ingilosi eyayifika ikhulume khona amazwi avela kuNkulunkulu ibe ngcwele. Ngokwesibonelo, lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi uMosi ebona isixuku esasibhebha.—Eks. 3:2-5; Josh. 5:15.

6-7. (a) Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-Eksodusi 15:1, 11, uMosi wabugcizelela njani ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu? (b) Kuyini okwakukhumbuza ama-Israyeli ukuthi uNkulunkulu ungcwele? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁶ Ngemva kokukhokhela ama-Israyeli echapha uLwandle Olubomvu, uMosi wagcizelela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wawo uJehova ungcwele. (Bala u-Eksodusi 15:1, 11.) Abantu beGibhithe ababekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga babengangcwele ngitsho. LabaseKhenani ababekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga babezifananela labeGibhithe. Ukukhonza kwabo kwakugoqela ukunikela ngabantwana lezenzo ezenyanyekayo zemacansini. (Levi. 18:3, 4, 21-24; Dute. 18:9, 10) Kodwa uJehova yena kafanani labonkulunkulu labo bamanga. Kasoze atshele labo abamkhonzayo ukuthi benze izinto ezingcolileyo ngoba yena ungcwele ngokupheleleyo. Lokhu kwakucaciswa ngokwakubhalwe ecenceni legolide elalibotshelwe eqhiyeni yomphristi omkhulu. Ecenceni lelo kwakubhalwe amazwi athi: “Ubungcwele abube kuJehova.”—Eks. 28:36-38.

⁷ Okwakubhalwe ecenceni kwakuqinisekisa loba ngubani owayekubona ukuthi uJehova ungcwele sibili. Kodwa kuthiwani ngom-Israyeli owayengeke alibone icence ngenxa yokuthi wayengenelisi ukusondela kumphristi omkhulu? Wayengenelisa yini ukwazi ukuthi uJehova ungcwele? Ye wayengenelisa. Wonke ama-Israyeli ayewezwa amazwi lawo nxa kwakubalwa uMthetho phambi kwamadoda, abafazi labantwana. (Dute. 31:9-12) Aluba wawukhona lapho wawuzakuzwa amazwi athi: ‘NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, kungakho yibani ngcwele, ngoba mina ngingcwele.’ “Kumele libe ngcwele kimi ngokuba mina uJehova ngingcwele.”—Levi. 11:44, 45; 20:7, 26.

8. Sifundani kuLevi 19:2 laku-1 Phetro 1:14-16?

 ⁸ Asixoxeni ngamanye amazwi ayebalelwa abantu bonke atholakala kuLevi 19:2. UJehova wathi kuMosi: “Tshela lonke ibandla lika-Israyeli uthi kulo: ‘Yibani ngcwele ngokuba mina uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngingcwele.’” Kumele ukuthi uPhetro wayephinda amazwi la ngesikhathi ekhuthaza amaKhristu ukuthi ‘abe ngcwele.’ (Bala u-1 Phetro 1:14-16.) Asisekho ngaphansi koMthetho kaMosi. Kodwa lokho okwabhalwa nguPhetro kuyavumelana lalokho esikufunda kuLevi 19:2 ukuthi uJehova ungcwele lokuthi labo abamthandayo kumele bazimisele ukuba ngcwele. Sonke kumele sibe ngcwele kungelani lokuthi silethemba lokuphila ezulwini kumbe emhlabeni olipharadayisi.—1 Phet. 1:4; 2 Phet. 3:13.

9. Kuzasinceda njani ukuhlola uLevi isahluko 19?

⁹ Sifuna ukuthokozisa uNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele, yikho sizimisele ukufunda ukuthi singenzani ukuze sibe ngcwele. UJehova uyasitshela ukuthi singakwenza njani lokho. ULevi isahluko 19 ulamacebo angasinceda. Isikhwicamfundo sesiHebheru esithiwa nguMarcus Kalisch sabhala sathi: “Lesi kungabe kuyisahluko esiqakatheke kulazo zonke ebhukwini likaLevi lasemabhukwini okuqala amahlanu eBhayibhili.” Khumbula ukuthi kuLevi isahluko 19 uJehova uqala ngokutshela ama-Israyeli ukuthi ‘abe ngcwele.’ Khathesi sizaxoxa ngamavesi asesahlukweni lesi asifundisa okumele sikwenze ukuze sibe ngcwele nsuku zonke.

10-11. ULevi 19:3 uthi kumele senzeni futhi kungani lokho kuqakathekile?

¹⁰ Ngemva kokutshela ama-Israyeli ukuthi kumele abe ngcwele, uJehova wathi: ‘Ngulowo lalowo kini kahloniphe unina loyise. Mina nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.’—Levi. 19:2, 3.

¹¹ Kuyazicacela ukuthi kumele silalele umthetho kaNkulunkulu wokuthi sihloniphe abazali bethu. Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wathini kwenye indoda eyambuza yathi: “Kuyini okuhle okumele ngikwenze ukuze ngizuze ukuphila okungapheliyo?” Okunye uJesu akutshoyo ngesikhathi eyiphendula yikuthi kwakumele ihloniphe uyise lonina. (Mat. 19:16-19) Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu wasola abaFarisi lababhali ngenxa yokuthi  babesenza konke abangakwenza ukuthi banganakekeli abazali babo. Ngokwenza njalo, babesenza ‘ilizwi likaNkulunkulu libe yinto engelancedo.’ (Mat. 15:3-6) “Ilizwi likaNkulunkulu” laligoqela umlayo wesihlanu eMilayweni Elitshumi lalokho okukuLevi 19:3. (Eks. 20:12) Kanti njalo khumbula ukuthi umlayo okuLevi 19:3 owokuhlonipha abazali ulandela amazwi athi, “Yibani ngcwele ngokuba mina uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngingcwele.”

12. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyawulalela umthetho okuLevi 19:3?

¹² Nxa sicabanga ngomlayo uNkulunkulu asinika wona owokuthi sihloniphe abazali bethu singazibuza ukuthi, ‘Mina ngenza njani endabeni le?’ Nxa ungananzelela ukuthi ubungenzi konke obungakwenza, ungakhetha ukwenza okungcono khathesi. Awungeke ukutshintshe okwenzakala kudala, kodwa ungazimisela khathesi ukuba lesikhathi esinengi labazali bakho lokubancedisa kakhulu kulakuqala. Mhlawumbe ungabancedisa ukuthi bahlale beseduze loJehova njalo baqhubeke bemkhonza kumbe ngokubancedisa ukuthi bathole izinto abazidingayo. Kanti njalo ungabakhuthaza futhi ubaduduze. Nxa ungenza konke lokhu, uyabe ulalela umthetho okuLevi 19:3.

13. (a) Yiwuphi omunye umthetho esiwuthola kuLevi 19:3? (b) Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuLukha 4:16-18, singamlingisela njani uJesu?

¹³ ULevi 19:3 usifundisa okunye esingakwenza ukuze sibe ngcwele. Ukhuluma ngokugcinwa kweSabatha. Asisekho ngaphansi koMthetho kaMosi, yikho akukhangelelwanga ukuthi siligcine. Lanxa kunjalo, kunengi esingakufunda endleleni ama-Israyeli ayegcina ngayo iSabatha layencedakala ngayo nxa eligcina. ISabatha lalinika abantu ithuba lokuphumula emisebenzini yansuku zonke lelokwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. * Yikho ngelanga leSabatha uJesu wayesiya esinagogeni yakibo eNazaretha afike abale iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. (Eks. 31:12-15; bala uLukha 4:16-18.) Umthetho kaNkulunkulu okuLevi 19:3 othi “kumele ligcine amaSabatha ami” kufanele usikhuthaze ukuthi sizinike isikhathi sokwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza uNkulunkulu nsuku zonke. Ubona angani kukhona yini okumele ukulungisise endabeni le? Nxa ungahlala uzinika isikhathi sokwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza uzakuba ngumngane kaJehova oseduze kakhulu. Lokhu kuzakunceda ukuthi ube ngcwele.

14. Yiwaphi amazwi aqakathekileyo aphindwa kanengi kuLevi isahluko 19?

¹⁴ KuLevi isahluko 19 kulamazwi aqakathekileyo aphindwa kanengi asinceda ukuthi sihlale singcwele. Uvesi 4 uphetha ngamazwi athi: “Yimi uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.” Umutsho lo kumbe amazwi ahambelana lawo, atholakala izikhathi ezingu-16 esahlukweni lesi. Lokhu kusikhumbuza umlayo wokuqala othi: ‘NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho. Ungabi labanye onkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami.’ (Eks. 20:2, 3) UmKhristu ofuna ukuba ngcwele kumele abe leqiniso lokuthi akulamuntu kumbe ulutho aluqakathekisa ukwedlula ubungane bakhe loNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo singoFakazi bakaJehova yikho sizimisele ukungenzi loba yini engangcolisa ibizo lakhe elingcwele.—Levi. 19:12; Isaya. 57:15.

15. Amavesi akuLevi isahluko 19 amayelana lemihlatshelo asikhuthaza ukuthi senzeni?

¹⁵ Ama-Israyeli ayetshengisa ukuthi uJehova nguye uNkulunkulu wawo ngokulalela  imithetho yakhe. ULevi 18:4 uthi: “Lalelani imithetho yami linanzelele lilandele izimiso zami. Mina nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.” Kusahluko 19 kulezinye “izimiso” okwakumele zilandelwe ngama-Israyeli. Ngokwesibonelo, kuvesi 5 kusiya ku-8, lakuvesi 21 lo-22 kukhulunywa ngemihlatshelo yezinyamazana. Ama-Israyeli kwakumele enze imihlatshelo le ngendlela eyayingasoze ‘ingcolise lokho okungcwele kuJehova.’ Ukubala amavesi la kumele kusenze sizimisele ukuthokozisa uJehova lokwenza okutshiwo kuHebheru 13:15 osikhuthaza ukuthi sinikele kuye imihlatshelo yokudumisa ayamukelayo.

16. Kuyini okungasikhumbuza umehluko okhona phakathi kwabantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu labangamkhonziyo?

¹⁶ Ukuze sibe ngcwele kumele sizimisele ukungafanani labantu abangamkhonziyo uNkulunkulu. Kodwa akulula lokho. Kwezinye izikhathi esifunda labo, esisebenza labo kumbe izihlobo ezingasiboFakazi labanye abantu bangazama ukusibamba ngamandla ukuthi senze izinto ezingasiphambanisa ekukhonzeni. Nxa sekunjalo, kuyabe sekumele sikhethe ukuthi sizakwenzani. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sikhethe kuhle? Cabanga ngesimiso esikuLevi 19:19. Amanye amazwi asevesini le athi: “Lingavunuli izigqoko ezenziwe ngemihlobo yamalembu amabili atshiyeneyo.” Umthetho lo wawunceda ama-Israyeli ukuthi angafanani lezizwe ezazingomakhelwane. Lamuhla asisekho ngaphansi koMthetho kaMosi yikho akukubi ukuthi umKhristu agqoke izigqoko ezenziwe ngezinto ezitshiyeneyo njengewulu ehlanganiswe le-cotton, kumbe i-nylon ehlanganiswe le-polyester. Kodwa asifuni ukufanana labantu abakholwa kumbe abenza izinto ezingavumelani lalokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili lanxa kuyizihlobo kumbe abantu esitshona labo esikolo loba emsebenzini. Siyazithanda izihlobo zethu labomakhelwane kodwa indlela esikhetha ukuphila ngayo kumele itshengise ukuthi silalela uJehova lanxa lokhu kusenza singafanani labanye abantu. Lokhu kuqakathekile ngoba nxa sifuna ukuba ngcwele kumele sibe ngabakaJehova kuphela.—2 Khor. 6:14-16; 1 Phet. 4:3, 4.

17-18. Yisiphi isifundo esiqakathekileyo esisithola kuLevi 19:23-25?

¹⁷ Umutsho othi “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu” kwakumele ukhumbuze ama-Israyeli ukuthi kufanele aqakathekise ubungane bawo loJehova ukwedlula loba yini. Ayengakwenza njani lokho? ULevi 19:23-25 usitshela okunye ayengakwenza. (Bala.) Emavesini la, ama-Israyeli alaywa ukuthi  nxa esengene eLizweni Lesithembiso abesehlanyela izihlahla, kwakungamelanga adle izithelo zazo okweminyaka emithathu. Ngomnyaka wesine, izithelo lezo kwakumele zinikelwe endaweni kaNkulunkulu engcwele. Umnikazi wezihlahla wayengaqalisa ukudla izithelo ngomnyaka wesihlanu. Umthetho lo wawunceda ama-Israyeli azwisise ukuthi kwakungafanelanga aqakathekise okufunwa yiwo kodwa kwakumele athembe ukuthi uJehova uzawanakekela njalo aqakathekise ukumkhonza ukwedlula loba yini. Wayezakuba leqiniso lokuthi bayakuthola ukudla okweneleyo. Kanti njalo wawakhuthaza ukuthi anikele ngenhliziyo yonke endaweni yakhe engcwele.

¹⁸ Umthetho okuLevi 19:23-25 usikhumbuza amazwi akhulunywa nguJesu eNtshumayelweni yaseNtabeni. Wathi: ‘Yekelani ukukhathazeka ngokuthi lizakudlani loba lizanathani.’ Waphinda wathi: “UYihlo osezulwini uyakwazi ukuthi liyaziswela zonke izinto lezi.” UNkulunkulu uzasinakekela njengoba nje enakekela izinyoni. (Mat. 6:25, 26, 32) Siyamthemba uJehova yikho asithandabuzi ukuthi uzasinakekela. Siyanika abaswelayo “izipho zesihawu” singenzeli ukubukwa ngabantu. Kanti njalo siyanikela ngenhliziyo yonke ukuze kubhadalwe izindleko zebandla. UJehova uyabona nxa siphana ngalindlela njalo uzasibusisa. (Mat. 6:2-4) Nxa sisenza konke lokhu siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyakuzwisisa esikufunda kuLevi 19:23-25.

19. Kukuncede njani ukuxoxa ngamanye amavesi asebhukwini likaLevi?

¹⁹ Esihlokweni lesi sixoxe ngamavesi amalutshwana akuLevi isahluko 19 asincede sazwisisa ukuthi singenzani ukuze sibe ngcwele njengoNkulunkulu wethu. Nxa simlingisela siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi sizimisele ukuba ‘ngcwele kukho konke ukuziphatha kwethu.’ (1 Phet. 1:15) Abantu abanengi abangamkhonziyo uJehova bayakunanzelela ukuziphatha kwethu okuhle. Lokhu kuze kwenza abanye bamdumisa. (1 Phet. 2:12) Kodwa kulokunye okunengi esingakufunda kuLevi isahluko 19. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngamanye amavesi asesahlukweni lesi azasinceda sizwisise okunye esingakwenza ukuze ‘sibe ngcwele’ njengalokho okwatshiwo nguPhetro.