1. UPetros wawacebisa wathini amanye amaKristu? Kutheni kunokubonakala kunzima ukulithobela icebiso lakhe?

NOKUBA siza kuba sezulwini okanye apha emhlabeni, kunokusinceda ukujonga icebiso umpostile uPetros awalinika amaKristu athanjisiweyo ngexesha lakhe. Wabhala wathi: “Yibani ngcwele kuyo yonke into eniyenzayo njengaLowo Ungcwele wanibizayo, kuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa: ‘Nimele nibe ngcwele, kuba nam ndingcwele.’” (1 Pet. 1:15, 16) La mazwi asifundisa ukuba nathi sinokuba ngcwele njengoYehova. Kufuneka sibe ngcwele kuyo yonke into esiyenzayo. Kuba sinesono, sinokucinga ukuba soze sikwazi ukuba ngcwele. NoPetros wayezenza iimpazamo, kodwa indlela awayezenza ngayo izinto ibonisa ukuba nathi ‘sinokuba ngcwele.’

2. Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula kweli nqaku?

² Kweli nqaku siza kuphendula le mibuzo: Kuthetha ukuthini ukuba ngcwele? IBhayibhile isifundisa ntoni ngokuba ngcwele kukaYehova? Ziintoni esimele sizenze ukuze sibe ngcwele? Ukuba ngcwele kudibana njani nobuhlobo bethu noYehova?

3. Abantu abaninzi baba nombono wantoni xa becinga ngomntu ongcwele? Yintoni enokusinceda sazi ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuba ngcwele?

³ Xa abantu becinga ngomntu ongcwele, baba nombono wendoda enxibe iimpahla zabefundisi, engancumi noncuma. Kodwa umntu ongcwele akekho njalo. UYehova ongcwele kuthiwa ‘nguThixo owonwabileyo.’ (1 Tim. 1:11) Abantu abamkhonzayo “bonwabile.” (INdu. 144:15) UYesu wabagxeka abantu ababenxiba iimpahla ezingafaniyo  nezabanye, besenza izinto ezintle kuba befuna ukubonwa. (Mat. 6:1; Marko 12:38) Kodwa amaKristu okwenene ayifundayo iBhayibhile ayakwazi ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuba ngcwele. Siyayazi nokuba uThixo uyasithanda soze athi masenze into esingenakukwazi ukuyenza. Ngoko xa esithi ‘Masibe ngcwele,’ siqinisekile singakwazi ukuyenza loo nto. Kodwa ke ngaphambi kokuba siziphathe ngendlela engcwele, kufuneka sazi ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuba ngcwele.

4. Igama elithi “ngcwele” nelithi “ukuba ngcwele” athetha ukuthini?

⁴ Kuthetha ukuthini ukuba ngcwele? EBhayibhileni, igama elithi “ngcwele” okanye “ukuba ngcwele” athetha ukuziphatha nokukhonza uYehova ngendlela ecocekileyo okanye engenasiphako. La magama anokuthetha nokukhethwa ukuze wenze ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ngamanye amazwi sakuba singcwele xa siziphatha ngendlela ecocekileyo, sikhonze uThixo ngendlela ayifunayo sibe ngabahlobo bakhe abathandayo. Isenza simthande kakhulu uYehova into yokuba athi engcwele, thina singafezekanga, afune sibe ngabahlobo bakhe abathandayo.

5. Iingelosi ezithembekileyo zisifundisa ntoni ngoYehova?

⁵ UYehova ungcwele ngazo zonke iindlela. Le nto yathethwa ziiserafi okanye iingelosi ezikufutshane netrone yakhe. Ezinye zazo zade zathi: “Ungcwele, ungcwele, ungcwele uYehova wemikhosi.” (Isa. 6:3) Ezi ngelosi ngabahlobo bakaThixo ongcwele kuba nazo zingcwele. Yiloo nto kanye eyabangela ukuba iindawo awayezithuma kuzo uYehova emhlabeni kuthiwe zingcwele. Xa uMoses wasondela ngakwityholo elivuthayo, loo ndawo yaba ngcwele.​—Eks. 3:2-5; Yosh. 5:15.

6-7. (a) Ngokwe-Eksodus 15:1, 11, uMoses wabonisa njani ukuba uThixo ungcwele? (b) Yintoni eyayisenza amaSirayeli angalibali ukuba uThixo ungcwele? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁶ Emva kokuba uMoses ekhokele amaSirayeli xa ayewela uLwandle Olubomvu wawaxelela ukuba uYehova uThixo wawo ungcwele. (Funda iEksodus 15:1, 11.) AmaYiputa awayekhonza oothixo baseYiputa ayengekho ngcwele. NamaKanan awayekhonza oothixo bobuxoki ayengekho ngcwele. Ayenikela ngabantwana emlilweni futhi eziphethe kakubi ngokwesondo. (Lev. 18:3, 4, 21-24; Dut. 18:9, 10) Kodwa uYehova wayengafani nabo thixo. Wayengasoze axelele abakhonzi bakhe ukuba benze izinto ezimdaka ngolo hlobo. UYehova ungcwele ngokupheleleyo. Ukuze amaSirayeli angayilibali loo nto, iqhiya eyayithwalwa ngumbingeleli omkhulu yayinepleyiti enombhalo wegolide. Lo mbhalo wawusithi: “BobukaYehova ubungcwele.”​—Eks. 28:36-38.

⁷ Lo mbhalo wawusenza nabani na owubonayo aqiniseke ukuba uYehova ungcwele nyhani. Masithi ke umSirayeli akawuboni lo mbhalo kuba engakwazi ukusondela kumbingeleli omkhulu. Ngaba wayeza kuphoswa ngulo mbhalo ubaluleke kangaka? Hayi! Onke amaSirayeli ayesiva ngalo mbhalo xa kufundwa uMthetho phambi kwamadoda, abafazi nabantwana. (Dut. 31:9-12) Ukuba nawe wawukhona xa kwakufundwa lo Mthetho, wawuza kuweva amazwi athi: “NdinguYehova uThixo wenu, yaye nimele nihlale ningcwele, kuba ndingcwele mna.” “Nize nibe ngcwele kum, kuba mna Yehova ndingcwele.”​—Lev. 11:44, 45; 20:7, 26.

8. Sifunda ntoni kwiLevitikus 19:2 naku-1 Petros 1:14-16?

 ⁸ Ngoku siza kuthetha ngamazwi uYehova awathi mawafundelwe onke amaSirayeli. AkwiLevitikus 19:2. UYehova wathi kuMoses: “Thetha kwibandla lamaSirayeli, uthi kuwo, ‘Nifanele nibe ngcwele kuba mna Yehova Thixo wenu ndingcwele.’” Mhlawumbi uPetros wayewathatha kule vesi amazwi awawathetha kumaKristu esithi, “yibani ngcwele.” (Funda u-1 Petros 1:14-16.) Namhlanje akunyanzelekanga ukuba sithobele lo Mthetho wabhalwa nguMoses. Kodwa into eyabhalwa nguPetros ibonisa ukuba inyanisile incwadi yeLevitikus 19:2, xa isithi, uYehova ungcwele, nabo bamthandayo bafanele bazimisele ukuba ngcwele. Nokuba siza kuphila ezulwini okanye emhlabeni, sifanele sibe ngcwele.​—1 Pet. 1:4; 2 Pet. 3:13.

9. Siza kufunda ntoni kwincwadi yeLevitikus 19?

⁹ Kuba sifuna ukuvuyisa uThixo, sizimisele ukwazi ukuba sinokwenza njani ukuze sibe ngcwele. UYehova usibonisile kwiLevitikus 19 ukuba sinokwenza njani. Omnye umphandi ongumHebhere uMarcus Kalisch wathi: “Kusenokwenzeka ukuba esi sahluko sesona sibalulekileyo kwincwadi yeLevitikus nakwiincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibhile ezintlanu.” Ngoku makhe sithethe ngeevesi zaso ezisifundisa izinto ezibalulekileyo kubomi bethu. Ungalibali ke ukuba iLevitikus 19 iqala ngamazwi athi “Yibani ngcwele.” Siza kuthetha ngeevesi zesi sahluko ezinokusifundisa iindlela zokuba ngcwele.

10-11. ILevitikus 19:3 ithi sifanele senze ntoni? Kutheni kufuneka siyenze nje loo nto?

¹⁰ Emva kokuba ethe amaSirayeli mawabe ngcwele uYehova waphinda wathi: “Ngamnye kuni ufanele amhloniphe umama wakhe notata wakhe . . . NdinguYehova uThixo wenu.”​—Lev. 19:2, 3.

¹¹ Kucacile ukuba kufuneka simthobele uThixo xa esithi masihloniphe abazali. Khumbula into eyathethwa nguYesu xa enye indoda yambuza yathi: “Ndifanele ndenze ntoni ukuze ndifumane ubomi obungunaphakade?” Enye yezinto awazithethayo uYesu kule ndoda kukuba ihloniphe  abazali bayo. (Mat. 19:16-19) UYesu wade wabagxeka ababhali nabaFarisi kuba babengafuni ukubakhathalela abazali babo. Ngale ndlela ‘balenza layinto engenamsebenzi ilizwi likaThixo.’ (Mat. 15:3-6) ‘Kweli lizwi likaThixo’ kwakukho umthetho wesihlanu kunye namazwi akwiLevitikus 19:3. (Eks. 20:12) Kwakhona uzukhumbule ukuba umthetho okwiLevitikus 19:3 othi, masihloniphe abazali, ulandela emva kwamazwi athi: “Nifanele nibe ngcwele kuba mna Yehova Thixo wenu ndingcwele.”

12. Singawathobela njani amazwi akwiLevitikus 19:3?

¹² Xa sicinga ngomthetho esiwunikwe nguYehova wokuba sihloniphe abazali, sifanele sizibuze lo mbuzo, ‘Ngaba ndibahoyile abam abazali?’ Ukuba ubona ngathi ubufanele ubancede ngaphezu kokuba usenza, lixesha lokuba uyilungise loo nto. Awunakukwazi ukuzitshintsha izinto ezidlulileyo, kodwa unokuzimisela ukuba nexesha elininzi kunye nabazali bakho, ubancede. Ngaba ke ikhona into onokuyenza ukuze ube kunye nabo ixesha elininzi? Mhlawumbi unokubancedisa bathenge izinto abazidingayo, ubancede babe nokholo oluqinileyo. Unokude ubakhuthaze, uze ubathuthuzele. Xa uyenza le nto, uza kuba uthobela amazwi akwiLevitikus 19:3.

13. (a) Ngowuphi omnye umyalelo esiwufumanayo kwiLevitikus 19:3? (b) Yeyiphi indlela esinokumlinganisa ngayo uYesu echazwe kuLuka 4:16-18?

¹³ ILevitikus 19:3 isifundisa enye into ngokuba ngcwele. Ithetha ngokugcina iSabatha. AmaKristu akunyanzelekanga ukuba awuthobele lo Mthetho. Kodwa ikhona into esinokuyifunda kumaSirayeli ngokugcina iSabatha nendlela awancedakala ngayo ngokuyigcina. Eli yayilixesha lawo lokuphumla emsebenzini aze akhonze uThixo. * Yile nto kanye eyayisenza uYesu aye kwindlu awayekhonzela kuyo amaYuda eyayikwidolophu yakowabo ngosuku lweSabatha, ukuze afunde iLizwi LikaThixo. (Eks. 31:12-15; funda uLuka 4:16-18.) Umyalelo kaThixo okwiLevitikus 19:3 othi, ‘makugcinwe iisabatha [zakhe]’ ufanele usenze siziphe ixesha lokumkhonza. Ngaba ikhona into onokuyenza ukuze uthobele lo myalelo? Ukuba uzibekela ixesha lokumkhonza, uza kuba ngumhlobo wakhe amthandayo. Loo nto ke iza kukunceda ube ngcwele.

14. Yintoni ephindaphindwa kwincwadi yeLevitikus 19?

¹⁴ ILevitikus 19 iphinda ithethe ngento ebalulekileyo enokusinceda sihlale singcwele. Ivesi 4 inamazwi athi: “NdinguYehova uThixo wenu.” La mazwi namanye afana nawo, afumaneka kayi-16 kwesi sahluko. Le nto isenza sikhumbule umthetho wokuqala othi: “NdinguYehova uThixo wakho . . . Uze ungabi nabanye oothixo ngaphandle kwam.” (Eks. 20:2, 3) Nabani na ofuna ukuba ngcwele umele aqiniseke ukuba akho kwanto ephazamisa ubuhlobo anabo noThixo. Kuba singamaNgqina KaYehova, sizimisele ukulumkela nantoni na enokungcolisa igama likaThixo elingcwele.​—Lev. 19:12; Isa. 57:15.

15. Ukufunda iivesi ezikwiLevitikus 19 ezithetha ngokunikela kufanele kusenze sizimisele ukwenza ntoni?

¹⁵ AmaSirayeli abonisa ukuba ayavuma ukuba uYehova nguThixo wawo ngokuthobela imithetho yakhe. ILevitikus  18:4 ithi: “Nize niyenze imimiselo yam, niyigcine nemithetho yam, nihambe ngayo. NdinguYehova uThixo wenu.” Isahluko 19 sineminye yaloo ‘mithetho’ yayisiya kumaSirayeli. Ngokomzekelo, ivesi 5-8, 21, 22 ithetha ngezilwanyana ekwakunikelwa ngazo. AmaSirayeli kwakufuneka anikele ngendlela ‘engazukungcolisa into engcwele kaYehova.’ Ukufunda ezi vesi kufanele kusenze sifune ukumvuyisa uYehova size sinikele umbingelelo wokumdumisa njengokuba amaHebhere 13:15 ekhuthaza ukuba senze loo nto.

16. Ngowuphi umgaqo okwiLevitikus 19 osinceda sibone umahluko okhoyo kubantu abakhonza uThixo nabo bangamkhonziyo?

¹⁶ Ukuze sibe ngcwele, kufuneka singafani nabantu abangamkhonziyo uThixo. Kodwa akukho lula ukwenza loo nto. Ngamanye amaxesha abantu esifunda nabo, esisebenza nabo, izizalwana zethu ezingengomaNgqina, nabanye banokusenza singamkhonzi ngendlela ayifunayo uYehova. Xa isenzeka loo nto, kuza kufuneka sikhethe. Yintoni ke eza kusinceda sikhethe kakuhle? Umgaqo okwiLevitikus 19:19, uthi: “Ungayinxibi nempahla eyenziwe ngeentlobo ezimbini zelaphu.” Lo mthetho wawusahlula amaSirayeli kwiintlanga ezazikufutshane nawo. Kuba singalawulwa ngulo Mthetho, akukho nto irongo ngokunxiba iimpahla ezenziwe ngeentlobo ezimbini zelaphu. Ngokomzekelo uboya newulu. Kodwa asifuni ukufana nabantu abangazikholelwayo izinto ezithethwa yiBhayibhile nokuba abo bantu sifunda nabo, sisebenza nabo okanye sizalana nabo. Ewe kona siyabathanda abantu esizalana nabo nabanye abantu. Kodwa izigqibo esizenzayo zifanele zibonise ukuba siza kuthobela uYehova nokuba loo nto ithetha ukuba siza kwahluka kubantu esiphila nabo. Ibalulekile le nto kuba ukuze sibe ngcwele kufuneka sahluke, senze izinto ezifunwa nguThixo.​—2 Kor. 6:14-16; 1 Pet. 4:3, 4.

17-18. Yintoni ebalulekileyo esiyifunda kwiLevitikus 19:23-25?

¹⁷ Amazwi athi “NdinguYehova uThixo wenu” afanele ukuba anceda amaSirayeli aqonda ukuba eyona nto ifanele ibaluleke kuwo kukuvana noYehova. Yayiza kwenzeka njani loo nto? ILevitikus 19:23-25 isixelela enye indlela eyayiza kwenzeka ngayo. (Yifunde.) Ayeza kuthetha ntoni la mazwi kumaSirayeli emva kokuba engene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso? Ukuba indoda ityala umthi weziqhamo,  yayingafanelanga itye kwezo ziqhamo de kudlule iminyaka emithathu. Kunyaka wesine, ezo ziqhamo zazifanele zisetyenziswe kwindawo engcwele kaThixo. Umntu obetyale loo mthi wayenokuzitya kunyaka wesihlanu iziqhamo zawo. Le nto yayifanele incede amaSirayeli aqonde ukuba akafanelanga abe kwindawo yokuqala. UYehova wayefuna azi ukuba afanele aqale amkhonze, aze yena awanike izinto azidingayo. Wayeza kuqiniseka ukuba anayo into yokutya. UThixo wawacela ukuba anikele ngokuzithandela kwindawo akhonzelwa kuyo.

¹⁸ Umthetho okwiLevitikus 19:23-25 usikhumbuza ngamazwi akwiNtshumayelo Yasentabeni kaYesu. Wathi: “Yekani ukuxhalela . . . ukuba niza kutya ntoni, nisele ntoni.” Waqhubeka wathi: “UTata wenu osemazulwini uyazi ukuba niyazidinga zonke ezi zinto.” UThixo uza kusinika izinto esizidingayo njengokuba esenza kwiintaka. (Mat. 6:25, 26, 32) Simthembile uYehova ukuba uza kusikhathalela. Xa ‘sisipha amahlwempu izinto,’ asihambi sibalisela abantu ngaloo nto. Siyakuvuyela nokunikela ngento esinayo ukuze kuncediswe kwizinto ezidingwa ebandleni. UYehova uyayibona indlela esinikela ngayo ibe uza kusibuyekeza. (Mat. 6:2-4) Xa sisenza ngale ndlela sibonisa ukuba siziqonda kakuhle izinto esizifundiswa kwiLevitikus 19:23-25.

19. Ukufunda incwadi yeLevitikus kukuncede njani?

¹⁹ Sifunde nje iivesi ezimbalwa kwiLevitikus 19. Zisincede sabona ukuba sinokwenza njani ukuze sibe ngcwele njengoThixo. Xa simlinganisa, loo nto ibonisa ukuba sizama ukuba ‘ngcwele kuyo yonke into esiyenzayo.’ (1 Pet. 1:15) Abantu abaninzi abangamkhonziyo uThixo baye bazibonela indlela abakhonzi bakhe abaziphethe kakuhle ngayo. Abanye bade bamzukisa ngenxa yaloo nto. (1 Pet. 2:12) Kodwa iseninzi into esinokuyifunda kwiLevitikus 19. Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuthetha ngezinye iivesi zesi sahluko ezinokusinceda siqonde nezinye iindlela ‘zokuba ngcwele’ njengoko uPetros ekhuthaza.