“Nathengwa Ngexabiso”
“Nathengwa Ngexabiso”
“Nathengwa ngexabiso. Ngandlela zonke, mzukiseni uThixo.”—1 KORINTE 6:20.
1, 2. (a) NgokoMthetho kaMoses, ayefanele aphathwe njani amakhoboka angamaSirayeli? (b) Luluphi ukhetho olwalunokwenziwa likhoboka eliyithandayo inkosi yalo?
“MANDULO ubukhoboka babuxhaphakile yaye busamkelwa luluntu,” itsho njalo iHolman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Yalek’ umsundulu ithi: “Uqoqosho lwaseYiputa, olwaseGrisi nolwaseRoma lwalusekelwe kwinkqubo yokusetyenziswa kwamakhoboka. Ngexesha lamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, umntu omnye kwabathathu eItali nomnye kwabahlanu kwamanye amazwe wayelikhoboka.”
2 Nakuba ubukhoboka babukho kuSirayeli wamandulo, uMthetho kaMoses wawuqinisekisa ukuba amakhoboka angamaHebhere ayakhuselwa. Ngokomzekelo, uMthetho wawungakuvumeli ukuba umSirayeli abe likhoboka ixesha elingaphezu kweminyaka emithandathu. Kunyaka wesixhenxe, ‘wayekhululwa ngaphandle kwentlawulelo.’ Noko ke, imithetho yokuphathwa kwamakhoboka yayinolwazelelelo novelwano kangangokuba kuMthetho kaMoses kwakukho ilungiselelo elithi: “Ukuba ikhoboka elo liyazingisa lisithi, ‘Ndiyithanda ngokwenene inkosi yam, umfazi wam noonyana bam; andifuni kuphuma ndikhululekile,’ imele inkosi yalo ilisondeze kuThixo oyinyaniso ize ilizise ngaselucangweni okanye emgubasini; yaye inkosi yalo imele iligqobhoze indlebe ngenyatyhoba, liyikhonze kuse kwixesha elingenammiselo.”—Eksodus 21:2-6; Levitikus 25:42, 43; Duteronomi 15:12-18.
3. (a) Luluphi uhlobo lobukhoboka angena kulo amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala? (b) Yintoni ebangela ukuba sikhonze uThixo?
3 Eli lungiselelo lobukhoboka bokuzithandela lalifuzisela uhlobo lobukhoboka akulo amaKristu okwenyaniso. Ngokomzekelo, ababhali beBhayibhile uPawulos, uYakobi, uPetros noYude bazibiza ngokuba ngamakhoboka kaThixo nakaKristu. (Tito 1:1; Yakobi 1:1; 2 Petros 1:1; Yude 1) UPawulos wakhumbuza amaKristu aseTesalonika ukuba ‘ayezilahlile izithixo zawo aguqukela kuThixo, ukuze abe ngamakhoboka oThixo ophilayo noyinyaniso.’ (1 Tesalonika 1:9) Yintoni eyabangela ukuba loo maKristu azenze amakhoboka kaThixo? Kanene, yintoni eyayibangela ukuba ikhoboka lomSirayeli lincame inkululeko yalo? Kaloku lalibangelwa kukuthanda inkosi yalo. Ubukhoboka bobuKristu bubangelwa kukuthanda uThixo. Xa sithe samazi yaye samthanda uThixo oyinyaniso nophilayo, oko kusenza sifune ukumkhonza ‘ngentliziyo yethu yonke nangomphefumlo wethu wonke.’ (Duteronomi 10:12, 13) Noko ke, yintoni ebandakanyekileyo xa sisiba ngamakhoboka kaThixo noKristu? Oku kuyichaphazela njani indlela esiphila ngayo?
“Zonke Izinto Zenzeleni Uzuko LukaThixo”
4. Siba ngawo njani amakhoboka kaThixo noKristu?
4 Ikhoboka lichazwa “njengomntu oyimpahla esemthethweni yomnye umntu okanye abanye yaye linyanzelekile ukuba lithobele ngokupheleleyo.” Nathi siba yimpahla esemthethweni kaYehova xa sizahlulela kuye size sibhaptizwe. Umpostile uPawulos ukucacisa athi oku: “Aningobenu, kuba nathengwa ngexabiso.” (1 Korinte 6:19, 20) Kakade ke, elo xabiso lidini lentlawulelo likaYesu Kristu kuba ngenxa yalo uThixo usamkela njengabakhonzi bakhe, enoba singamaKristu athanjisiweyo okanye singamaqabane awo anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. (Efese 1:7; 2:13; ISityhilelo 5:9) Ngoko, kususela ekubhaptizweni kwethu, “singabakaYehova.” (Roma 14:8) Ekubeni sithengwe ngegazi elixabisekileyo likaYesu Kristu, singamakhoboka akhe yaye sinyanzelekile ukuba sithobele imiyalelo yakhe.—1 Petros 1:18, 19.
5. Njengamakhoboka kaYehova, yiyiphi eyona nto simele siyenze, yaye sinokuyenza njani?
5 Amakhoboka amele ayithobele inkosi yawo. Sizenze amakhoboka ngokuzithandela kuba siyithanda iNkosi yethu. Eyoku-1 kaYohane 5:3 ithi, “ukumthanda uThixo kuko ukuthi, siyigcine imiyalelo yakhe; kwaye ayinzima imiyalelo yakhe.” Ngoko ke, ukuyithobela kwethu kungqina ukuba siyayithanda. Oko kubonakala kuyo yonk’ into esiyenzayo. UPawulos wathi: “Enoba niyatya okanye niyasela okanye nenza nantoni na eyenye, zonke izinto zenzeleni uzuko lukaThixo.” (1 Korinte 10:31) Kwizinto esizenza mihla le, nkqu nezincinane simele sibonise ukuba ‘singamakhoboka kaYehova.’—Roma 12:11.
6. Ukuba ngamakhoboka kaThixo kuzichaphazela njani izigqibo esizenzayo ebomini? Senzele umzekelo woku.
6 Ngokomzekelo, xa sisenza izigqibo simele sicingisise nzulu ngokuthanda kweNkosi yethu yasezulwini, uYehova. (Malaki 1:6) Ukwenza izigqibo ezinzima kunokuvavanya enoba siyamthobela na uThixo. Ngaba siza kuphulaphula icebiso lakhe kunotyekelo lwentliziyo yethu ‘enenkohliso netyhudisayo’? UMelisa umKristu ongatshatanga uthi, wayesandul’ ukubhaptizwa xa umfana othile waba nomdla kuye. Wayebonakala ezinzile, yaye efundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova. Noko ke, omnye umdala waxubusha noMelisa ngobulumko bokuthobela umyalelo kaYehova wokutshata “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Korinte 7:39; 2 Korinte 6:14) UMelisa uyavuma: “Kwakungekho lula ukuthobela elo cebiso. Kodwa ndaqonda ukuba ekubeni ndizahlulele kuThixo ukuze ndenze ukuthanda kwakhe, ndimele ndiyithobele imiyalelo yakhe ecacileyo.” Ecinga ngoko kwenzekayo, uthi: “Ndivuyiswa gqitha yinto yokuba ndalithobelayo elo cebiso. Kungekudala loo mfana wayeka ukufundisisa. Ukuba ndandiqhubekile nolo lwalamano, ngenditshate nendoda engakholwayo ngoku.”
7, 8. (a) Kutheni singamele sikuxhalabele gqitha ukukholisa abantu? (b) Yenza umzekelo woko unokukwenza ukuze uyeke ukoyika abantu.
7 Njengamakhoboka kaThixo, asimele sibe ngamakhoboka abantu. (1 Korinte 7:23) Yinyaniso ukuba akukho namnye kuthi ofuna ukungathandwa ngabantu, kodwa simele sikhumbule ukuba amaKristu anemilinganiselo eyahlukileyo kuleyo yehlabathi. UPawulos wabuza: “Ndifuna ukukholisa abantu kusini na?” Waphetha ngelithi: “Ukuba bendisakholisa abantu, bendiya kuba andililo ikhoboka likaKristu.” (Galati 1:10) Asinakukwazi kwaphela ukuyekelela kwingcinezelo yoontanga size sikholise abantu. Yintoni ke esimele siyenze ukuze singanikezeli kwiingcinezelo?
8 Khawucinge ngalo mzekelo kaElena, umKristu oselula waseSpeyin. Wayefunda nabantwana abaninzi ababenikela ngegazi. Babesazi ukuba njengeNgqina likaYehova, uElena akanakunikela ngegazi okanye avume ukutofelwa igazi. UElena, wathi akufumana ithuba lokucacisela yonke iklasi ngokuma kwakhe walixhakamfula. UElena uthi: “Inyaniso kukuba, amadolo aba nengevane. Noko ke, ndandilungiselele kakuhle, ibe imiphumo yayimangalisa gqitha. Ndatsho ndahlonelwa ngabanye abafundi, yaye omnye utitshala wathi ukothulel’ umnqwazi oko ndikwenzayo. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba, ndeva kuthe ngco ngaphakathi kuba kaloku ndalithethelela igama likaYehova ndakucacisa kakuhle nokuma kwam okusekelwe eZibhalweni.” (Genesis 9:3, 4; IZenzo 15:28, 29) Ewe, njengamakhoboka kaThixo noKristu, sahlukile. Ukanti, kwiinkalo ezininzi abantu bayasihlonela xa simela iinkolelo zethu ngendlela ebonisa intlonipho.—1 Petros 3:15.
9. Sifunda ntoni kwingelosi eyabonakala kumpostile uYohane?
9 Ukukhumbula ukuba singamakhoboka kaThixo kunokusinceda sihlale sithobekile. Ngesinye isihlandlo, umpostile uYohane wachukumiseka gqitha ngumbono ozukileyo weYerusalem yasezulwini kangangokuba wawa phantsi ezinyaweni zengelosi eyayikhonza njengesithethi sikaThixo wafuna ukuyinqula. Le ngelosi yathi kuye: “Lumka! Ungakwenzi oko! Nam ndilikhoboka nje kuphela kunye nawe nabazalwana bakho abangabaprofeti nabo bagcina amazwi alo msongo. Nqula uThixo.” (ISityhilelo 22:8, 9) Onjani ukuba mhle umzekelo owamiselwa yile ngelosi kuwo onke amakhoboka kaThixo! Amanye amaKristu anokuba kwizikhundla ezithile ezikhethekileyo ebandleni. Ukanti, uYesu wathi: “Nabani na ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu makabe ngumlungiseleli wenu, yaye nabani na ofuna ukuba ngowokuqala phakathi kwenu makabe likhoboka lenu.” (Mateyu 20:26, 27) Ekubeni singabalandeli bakaYesu, sonke singamakhoboka.
“Oko Sikwenzileyo Koko Besifanele Sikwenze”
10. Chaza imizekelo eseZibhalweni ebonisa ukuba kwakungasoloko kulula kubakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe.
10 Ukwenza intando kaThixo akusoloko kulula kubantu abangafezekanga. Umprofeti uMoses waba mathidala ukuthobela uYehova xa wayesithi makaye kukhulula oonyana bakaSirayeli kubukhoboka baseYiputa. (Eksodus 3:10, 11; 4:1, 10) Akuthunywa ukuba aye kushumayela umgwebo kubantu baseNinive, uYona “wabaleka phambi koYehova waya eTarshishe.” (Yona 1:2, 3) UBharuki, unobhala womprofeti uYeremiya wakhala ngenxa yokukruquka. (Yeremiya 45:2, 3) Yintoni esimele siyenze xa umnqweno wethu okanye oko sikuthandayo kungqubana nokuthanda kukaThixo? Umzekeliso kaYesu uyasinceda kule nkalo.
11, 12. (a) Yithi gqaba gqaba nje uchaze umzekeliso kaYesu okuLuka 17:7-10. (b) Yiyiphi ingongoma esiyifumana kulo mzekeliso kaYesu?
11 UYesu wabalisa ngekhoboka elalinyamekela umhlambi wenkosi yalo entsimini imini yonke. Ukufika kwalo ekhaya elo khoboka, lidiniwe ngenxa yeeyure ezimalunga ne-12 lisebenza nzima, inkosi yalo ayizange ithi malize kungqendeva nayo badle kunye isidlo sangokuhlwa. Kunoko, inkosi yalo yathi: “Ndilungisele into ukuze ndifumane isidlo sam sangokuhlwa, yaye faka ifaskoti uze undilungiselele ndide ndigqibe ukudla nokusela, ze ke emva koko udle usele nawe.” Eli khoboka laliza kuzinyamekela lona kuphela emva kokuba ligqibile ukunyamekela inkosi yalo. UYesu waqukumbela lo mzekeliso ngokuthi: “Nani ke, xa nenze zonke izinto enizabelweyo, yithini, ‘Singamakhoboka angancedi nganto. Oko sikwenzileyo koko besifanele sikwenze’”—Luka 17:7-10.
12 UYesu wayengenzi lo mzekeliso ngenjongo yokubonisa ukuba uYehova akakukhathalele oko sikwenzayo ekumkhonzeni kwethu. IBhayibhile itsho phandle ukuba: “UThixo akanantswela-bulungisa ukuba angawulibala umsebenzi wenu nothando enalubonisayo ngegama lakhe, ngokuthi nilungiselele abangcwele yaye nisaqhubeka nibalungiselela.” (Hebhere 6:10) Kunoko, ingongoma yalo mzekeliso kaYesu kukuba ikhoboka alinakuzikholisa okanye linikele ingqalelo kwizinto ezithandwa lilo. Xa sasizahlulela kuThixo sakhetha ukuba ngamakhoboka akhe, savuma ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe ngaphambi kokucinga ngokwethu. Simele sifune ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kuqala kunokwethu.
13, 14. (a) Kuphantsi kwaziphi iimeko ekusenokufuneka silwe notyekelo lwethu? (b) Kutheni simele sivumele ukuthanda kukaThixo kuqala?
13 Kusenokufuneka senze umgudu ukuze silifundisise rhoqo iLizwi likaThixo neempapasho ‘zekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mateyu 24:45) Oku kunokuba nzima ngakumbi ukuba kuhleli kunzima kuthi ukufunda okanye impapasho ixubusha ‘izinto ezinzulu zikaThixo.’ (1 Korinte 2:10) Xa kunjalo, ngaba asimele sizenzele ixesha lofundisiso lobuqu? Kusenokufuneka sizeyise sihlale phantsi sichithe ixesha sifundisisa umbandela lowo. Xa singakwenzi oko, sinokukwazi njani ukulangazelela ‘ukutya okuqinileyo kwabantu abaqolileyo’?—Hebhere 5:14.
14 Kuthekani xa sifika emakhaya sidiniwe emva kokusebenza nzima imini yonke emsebenzini? Kusenokufuneka sizinyanzele ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. Okanye sisenokuba asikuthandi ukushumayela kubantu esingabaziyo. NoPawulos wayeqonda ukuba kukho amaxesha esivakalisa ngawo iindaba ezilungileyo ‘ngokunxamnye nokuthanda kwethu.’ (1 Korinte 9:17) Kodwa, konke oku sikwenza kuba uYehova—oyiNkosi yethu yasezulwini, esiyithandayo—uthi simele sikwenze. Ngaba asidli ngokuziva sanalisekile yaye sihlaziyekile emva kokuba senze umgudu safundisisa, saya kwiintlanganiso saza sashumayela?—INdumiso 1:1, 2; 122:1; 145:10-13.
Musani Ukukhangela “Kwizinto Ezisemva”
15. UYesu wawumisela njani umzekelo wokuzithoba kuThixo?
15 UYesu Kristu wakubonisa ngendlela ebalaseleyo ukuzithoba kwakhe kuYise wasezulwini. UYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe oku: “Ezulwini ndihlele ukuza kwenza, kungekhona ukuthanda kwam, kodwa ukuthanda kwalowo wandithumayo.” (Yohane 6:38) Xa wayesentlungwini kumyezo waseGetsemane wathandaza wathi: “Bawo, ukuba kunokwenzeka, mayidlule le ndebe kum. Kanti, kungekhona ngokuthanda kwam, kodwa ngokuthanda kwakho.”—Mateyu 26:39.
16, 17. (a) Simele sizigqale njani izinto esizishiye ngasemva? (b) Bonisa indlela awayechane ngayo uPawulos xa wabona izinto ezithenjiswa lihlabathi ‘njengenkunkuma eninzi.’
16 UYesu Kristu ufuna sibambelele nkqi kwisigqibo sethu sokuba ngamakhoboka kaThixo. Wathi: “Akukho mntu ubeke isandla sakhe ekhubeni aze akhangele kwizinto ezisemva ubufanelekele kakuhle ubukumkani bukaThixo.” (Luka 9:62) Xa singamakhoboka kaThixo ayinakufaneleka kwaphela into yokuhlala sicinga ngezinto esizishiye ngasemva. Kunoko simele sivuyiswe koko sikuzuzileyo ngenxa yokukhetha ukuba ngamakhoboka kaThixo. Ebhalela abaseFilipi, uPawulos wathi: “Ngako oko, ndikwazigqala zonke izinto ziyilahleko ngenxa yexabiso eligqwesileyo lolwazi olungoKristu Yesu iNkosi yam. Ngenxa yakhe ndiye ndalahlekelwa zizinto zonke yaye ndizigqala njengenkunkuma eninzi, ukuze ndimzuze uKristu”—Filipi 3:8.
17 Khawucinge nje ngazo zonke izinto uPawulos awazigqala njengenkunkuma eninzi waza wazishiya kuba efuna umvuzo wokomoya njengekhoboka likaThixo. Akazange ashiye ubutofotofo behlabathi kuphela kodwa wayeka nethuba lokuba yinkokeli yobuYuda. Ukuba uPawulos wayeqhubeke nobuYuda, wayesenokufikelela kwisikhundla esiphezulu esifana nesikaSimeon, unyana womfundisi kaPawulos, uGamaliyeli. (IZenzo 22:3; Galati 1:14) USimeon waba yinkokeli yabaFarisi yaye wadlala indima ephambili—nakuba wayenamathandabuzo athile—ekuvukelweni kweRoma ngamaYuda ngowama-66-70 C.E. Wafela kolo dushe, mhlawumbi ebulawa ngoophuma-silwe bamaYuda okanye ngumkhosi wamaRoma.
18. Yenza umzekelo ubonise indlela ezisa iingenelo ngayo impumelelo yokomoya.
18 Maninzi amaNgqina kaYehova aye axelisa lo mzekelo kaPawulos. UJean uthi: “Kwiminyakana nje embalwa ndigqibile esikolweni, ndafumana umsebenzi wokuba ngunobhala oyintloko wegqwetha elaziwayo laseLondon. Ndandiwuthanda umsebenzi wam yaye ndirhola umvuzo oncomekayo, kodwa ndandivakalelwa ukuba ndinokwenza okungakumbi ekukhonzeni uYehova. Ekugqibeleni, ndabhala ileta ndichaza ukuba ndiyayeka kuloo msebenzi ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela. Ndivuya gqitha kuba ndenza eso sigqibo phantse kwiminyaka engama-20 eyadlulayo! Inkonzo yam yexesha elizeleyo iye yandinceda ndonwaba ebomini ngaphezu kwawo naluphi na ulonwabo olunokubangelwa kukuba ngunobhala. Akukho nto yanelisa njengokubona iLizwi likaYehova liguqula ubomi bomntu. Kuvuyisa gqitha ukuba negalelo xa kusenzeka oko. Kuncinane gqitha esikwenzela uYehova xa sicinga ngoko asenzela kona.”
19. Yintoni esimele sizimisele ukuyenza, futhi ngoba?
19 Iimeko zethu zisenokutshintsha nanini na. Kodwa ukuzahlulela kwethu kuThixo kuhlala kunjalo. Sisengamakhoboka kaYehova yaye uyekela kuthi ukuba sigqibe ngendlela efanelekileyo esifuna ukulisebenzisa ngayo ixesha, amandla, izakhono nezinye izinto esinazo. Ngoko, zizigqibo zethu ezibonisa ukuba simthanda kangakanani uThixo. Zibonisa nomkhamo esikulungele ngawo ukuzincama. (Mateyu 6:33) Enoba zinjani na iimeko zethu, ngaba asimele simenzele okona kulungileyo uYehova? UPawulos wathi: “Ukuba umntu unolangazelelo kuqala, umnikelo wakhe wamkeleka ngakumbi ngokoko anako, kungekhona ngokoko angenako.”—2 Korinte 8:12.
“Nifumana Isiqhamo Senu”
20, 21. (a) Sisiphi isiqhamo esiveliswa ngamakhoboka kaThixo? (b) UYehova ubavuza njani abo benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bamkhonze?
20 Ukuba ngamakhoboka kaThixo akuthethi kuthi sicinezelekile. Kunoko, kusikhulula kubukhoboka obusenza singonwabi. UPawulos wathi: “Ngenxa yokuba nikhululwe esonweni naba ngamakhoboka kaThixo, nifumana isiqhamo senu ngendlela yobungcwele, kwaye isiphelo bubomi obungunaphakade.” (Roma 6:22) Ukuba ngamakhoboka kaThixo kwethu kuvelisa isiqhamo ngendlela yobungcwele ukuze sizuze iingenelo zehambo engcwele, okanye yokuziphatha okucocekileyo. Ukongezelela, kusikhokelela kwikamva lobomi obungunaphakade.
21 UYehova unobubele kumakhoboka akhe. Xa sisenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze simkhonze, usivulela “amasango ezikhukula emazulwini” aze athululele kuthi “intsikelelo kude kungasweleki nto.” (Malaki 3:10) Olunjani lona uvuyo esiya kulufumana xa siqhubeka sikhonza uYehova njengamakhoboka akhe ngonaphakade!
Uyakhumbula Na?
• Kutheni sisiba ngamakhoboka kaThixo nje?
• Sibonisa njani ukuba siyazithoba ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo?
• Kutheni simele sixhalabele ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova ngaphezu kokwethu?
• Kutheni singamele ‘sikhangele kwizinto esizishiye ngasemva’?
[Imibuzo YeSifundo]
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16, 17]
Ilungiselelo lobukhoboka bokuzithandela kwaSirayeli lalifuzisela ubukhoboka akubo amaKristu
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
Siba ngamakhoboka kaThixo xa sibhaptizwa
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 17]
AmaKristu axhalabela ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kuqala
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
UMoses waba madolw’ anzima ukwamkela isabelo sakhe