“Waluseni Umhlambi KaThixo Eniwunyamekelayo”

“Waluseni umhlambi kaThixo eniwunyamekelayo, kungengakunyanzelwa, kodwa ngokuzithandela.”—1 PET. 5:2.

1. Ziziphi iimeko awayejongene nazo amaKristu xa uPetros wayebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala?

 NGAXA lithile ngaphambi kokuba uNero aqalise ukutshutshisa amaKristu eRoma, umpostile uPetros wabhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala. Wayefuna ukomeleza amanye amaKristu. UMtyholi ‘wayehambahamba,’ efuna ukuwaqwenga. Ukuze akwazi ukulwa naye, kwakufuneka ‘ahlale ethe qwa’ aze ‘azithobe phantsi kwesandla esinamandla sikaThixo.’ (1 Pet. 5:6, 8) Kwakhona kwakufuneka ahlale emanyene. Elo yayingeloxesha ‘lakugrenyana nakuqwengana,’ kuba loo nto yayiya kuwenza ‘atshabalalisane.’—Gal. 5:15.

2, 3. Ngubani esifanele silwe naye, kwaye yintoni esiza kuyixubusha kweli nqaku nakwelilandelayo?

² Nathi namhlanje sikwimeko efanayo. UMtyholi ukhangela amathuba okusiqwenga. (ISityhi. 12:12) Ibe kungekudala kuza kufika “imbandezelo enkulu ekungazange kubekho injengayo ukususela ekuqaleni kwehlabathi.” (Mat. 24:21) Kanye njengokuba amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala kwaye kwafuneka alumkele ukuxambulisana, nathi simele sikulumkele. Maxa wambi ukuze senjenjalo, kufuneka sincedwe ngamadoda amakhulu afanelekayo.

³ Makhe sixubushe ngendlela abadala abanokuliqonda baze balixabise ngayo ilungelo lokwalusa ‘umhlambi kaThixo abawunyamekelayo.’ (1 Pet. 5:2) Emva koko, siza kuthetha ngendlela efanelekileyo yokwenza umsebenzi wokwalusa. Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kuxubusha ngendlela ibandla ‘elinokubahlonela ngayo abo basebenza nzima nabongamela’ umhlambi. (1 Tes. 5:12) Ukuxubusha ngale miba kuya kusinceda silwe noTshaba lwethu olukhulu, sisazi ukuba lulo esizamazamana nalo.—Efe. 6:12.

Waluseni Umhlambi KaThixo

4, 5. Amadoda amakhulu afanele awujonge njani umhlambi? Zekelisa.

⁴ UPetros wakhuthaza amadoda amakhulu awayephakathi kwamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ukuba awujonge ngendlela uThixo awujonga ngayo umhlambi awuphathisiweyo. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:1, 2.) Nangona wayejongwa njengentsika ebandleni, uPetros akazange aziphakamise xa ethetha nabadala. Kunoko, wababongoza naye ezigqala njengomnye wabo. (Gal. 2:9) Ngomoya ofanayo nokaPetros, namhlanje iQumrhu Elilawulayo libongoza abadala bamabandla ukuba bazame ukufeza imbopheleleko yabo enzima yokwalusa umhlambi kaThixo.

⁵ Lo mpostile wabhala esithi amadoda amakhulu ayefanele ‘aluse umhlambi kaThixo awunyamekelayo.’ Kwakubaluleke kakhulu ukuba ayiqonde into yokuba umhlambi ngokaYehova noYesu Kristu. Abadala babeza kuphendula ngendlela ababezigcina ngayo izimvu zikaThixo. Masithi umhlobo wakho osenyongweni uyakucela ukuba umjongele abantwana bakhe xa engekho. Ngaba ubungayi kubanyamekela kakuhle uze ubaphe ukutya? Xa omnye egula, ngaba ubungayi kuqiniseka ukuba ufumana unyango? Ngendlela efanayo ke, abadala bebandla bamele ‘balaluse ibandla likaThixo, elo walithenga ngegazi lowakhe uNyana.’ (IZe. 20:28) Basoloko beyikhumbula into yokuba imvu nganye yathengwa ngegazi elixabisekileyo likaKristu Yesu. Ekubeni abadala beza kuphendula, bayawondla,  bawukhusele baze bawunyamekele umhlambi.

6. Yayiyintoni imbopheleleko yabalusi bamandulo?

⁶ Khawucinge ngeembopheleleko ababenazo abalusi bokoqobo ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Kwakufuneka banyamezele ingqatsini yelanga emini nengqele eqhaqhazelisa amazinyo ebusuku ukuze banyamekele umhlambi. (Gen. 31:40) Babede babeke ubomi babo emngciphekweni ngenxa yezimvu. Inkwenkwana eyayingumalusi uDavide yahlangula umhlambi wayo kumarhamncwa asendle, aquka ingonyama nebhere. Ethetha ngerhamncwa ngalinye, uDavide wathi ‘walibamba ngodevu lwalo waza walibetha walibulala.’ (1 Sam. 17:34, 35) Obunjani bona ubugorha! Umele ukuba wayekufutshane ngokwenene nomlomo weli rhamncwa! Sekunjalo akazange ayeke ukuhlangula izimvu.

7. Abadala banokuzixhwila njani ngelifuziselayo izimvu emlonyeni kaSathana?

⁷ Namhlanje kufuneka abadala baphaphele iintlaselo zikaMtyholi ezifana nezengonyama? Oku kusenokuquka ukuba nenkalipho yokuxhwila izimvu emlonyeni kaMtyholi. Abadala banako ukuhlangula imvu, ngokungathi kunjalo, ngokulibamba ngodevu elo rhamncwa lasendle. Banokuqiqa nabazalwana abahendwa yimigibe kaSathana bengaqondi. (Funda uYude 22, 23.) Kakade ke, abadala abakwazi kuyiphumeza le mbopheleleko ngaphandle koncedo lukaYehova. Bayayithantamisa imvu eyonzakeleyo, bayibophe amanxeba baze bayithambise ngeoli ethomalalisa iintlungu eliLizwi likaThixo.

8. Abadala bawukhokelela phi umhlambi, yaye njani?

⁸ Enye imbopheleleko yomalusi wokoqobo yayikukuqhuba umhlambi awuse edlelweni nakwindawo yokusela efanelekileyo. Ngendlela efanayo, abadala balathisela umhlambi ebandleni, bewukhuthaza ukuba uye rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zebandla ukuze wondleke kwaye ufumane ‘ukutya kwawo ngexesha elifanelekileyo.’ (Mat. 24:45) Kusenokufuneka ukuba abadala bachithe ixesha elongezelelekileyo benceda abo bagulayo ngokomoya ukuba bamkele ukutya okuvela kwiLizwi likaThixo. Imvu elahlekileyo isenokuzama ukubuyela  emhlambini. Kunokuba bamqokobhise umzalwana wabo, abadala bayamthantamisa xa bemcacisela ngemigaqo efumaneka kwiZibhalo baze bambonise indlela anokuyisebenzisa ngayo kubomi bakhe.

9, 10. Abadala banokubanyamekela njani abantu abagulayo ngokomoya?

⁹ Xa ugula, uye ukhethe ukunyangwa ngugqirha onjani? Ngaba uye ukhethe ugqirha ongakuniki xesha lakuthetha kodwa okhawuleza akunike iyeza ukuze akwazi ukuxilonga umguli olandelayo? Okanye ngaba ukhetha ugqirha okuphulaphulayo kuqala, akuchazele into ekuphetheyo, aze akuxelele izinto ezinokuyinyanga?

¹⁰ Ngendlela efanayo, abadala banokumphulaphula umntu ogulayo ngokomoya baze bamncede aphile, kube ngathi ‘bamthambisa ngeoli egameni likaYehova.’ (Funda uYakobi 5:14, 15.) Njengebhalsam yaseGiliyadi, iLizwi likaThixo linokuthomalalisa iintlungu kogulayo. (Yer. 8:22; Hez. 34:16) Xa onxaxhayo esebenzisa imigaqo yeBhayibhile, inokumnceda aphinde enze izigqibo eziya kumenza akhonze uYehova ngokupheleleyo. Ewe, abadala banokuba luncedo kakhulu ukuba bayaziphulaphula izinto ezixhalabisa imvu egulayo baze bathandaze kunye nayo.

Kungengakunyanzelwa Kodwa Ngokuzithandela

11. Yintoni eshukumisela abadala ukuba baluse umhlambi kaThixo ngokuzithandela?

¹¹ Emva koko uPetros wakhumbuza amadoda amakhulu ngezinto afanele azenze namele aziphephe xa esenza umsebenzi wokwalusa. Abadala bafanele baluse umhlambi kaThixo, “kungengakunyanzelwa, kodwa ngokuzithandela.” Yintoni eshukumisela abadala ukuba bakhonze abazalwana babo ngokuzithandela? Kanti yintoni eyayishukumisele uPetros ukuba aluse aze ondle izimvu zikaYesu? Eyona nto yayiyintloko luthando nomsa awayenawo ngeNkosi. (Yoh. 21:15-17) Ngenxa yothando, abadala ‘abasaziphileli, kodwa baphilela yena lowo wabafelayo.’ (2 Kor. 5:14, 15) Olu thando, xa ludibene nokuthanda kwabo uThixo nabazalwana babo, luyabanyanzela abadala ukuba bakhonze umhlambi, bezibhokoxa, besebenzisa izinto abanazo nexesha labo. (Mat. 22:37-39) Bayazinikela, kungekhona ngokukrokra, kodwa ngokuzithandela.

12. Umpostile uPawulos wazinikela ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo?

¹² Abadala bafanele bazinikele ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo? Xa benyamekela izimvu, baxelisa umpostile uPawulos, ekubeni naye wayexelisa uYesu. (1 Kor. 11:1) Ekubeni uPawulos namaqabane akhe babenomsa ngabazalwana baseTesalonika, babekuvuyela ukubanika ‘kungekuphela nje iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo, kodwa kwanemiphefumlo yabo.’ Oko babekwenza ngokuthantamisa “njengaxa umama oncancisayo ebaphatha ngononophelo abakhe abantwana.” (1 Tes. 2:7, 8) UPawulos wayeyiqonda indlela umama oncancisayo avakalelwa ngayo ngabantwana bakhe. Wayenokubenzela nantoni na, kuquka ukuvuka ezinzulwini zobusuku ukuze abatyise.

13. Luluphi ulungelelwano ekufuneka balugcine abadala?

¹³ Abadala bafanele balungelelane xa bephumeza iimbopheleleko zabo zokwalusa nezokunyamekela iintsapho zabo. (1 Tim. 5:8) Ixesha abalichitha nebandla lixesha elixabisekileyo abebenokulichitha neentsapho zabo. Ukuze bakwazi ukuziphumeza zombini ezi mbopheleleko, ngezinye izihlandlo banokumema abanye ngengokuhlwa yoNqulo Lwentsapho yabo. Ukutyhubela iminyaka, uMasanao, umdala waseJapan, ebemema abantu abangatshatanga neentsapho ezingenatata kwisifundo sentsapho yakhe. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, abanye awabancedayo baye baba ngabadala baza nabo baxelisa umzekelo omhle kaMasanao.

Yiphephe Inzuzo Yokunganyaniseki—Yalusa Umhlambi Ngentumekelelo

14, 15. Kutheni abadala befanele balumkele ‘ukuthanda inzuzo yokunganyaniseki,’ yaye banokumxelisa njani uPawulos kule nkalo?

¹⁴ Kwakhona, uPetros wakhuthaza abadala  ukuba baluse umhlambi, “kungekhona ngokuthanda inzuzo yokunganyaniseki, kodwa ngentumekelelo.” Umsebenzi wabadala utya ixesha elininzi, kodwa ke abalindelanga kubuyekezwa ngemali xa bewenza. UPetros wabona kuyimfuneko ukulumkisa amanye amadoda amakhulu ngengozi yokwalusa umhlambi ngenxa ‘yokuthanda inzuzo yokunganyaniseki.’ Loo ngozi ibonakala kwindlela iinkokeli zonqulo ‘lweBhabhiloni Enkulu’ eziphila tofotofo ngayo ngoxa abantu abaninzi beziimpula zikaLujaca. (ISityhi. 18:2, 3) Namhlanje abadala banezizathu ezihle zokulumkela utyekelo olunjalo.

¹⁵ UPawulos wabamisela umzekelo omhle abadala abangamaKristu. Nangona njengompostile ngewayebe “luxanduva oluziindleko” kumaKristu aseTesalonika, akazange ‘atye ukutya okuvela nakubani na ngesisa.’ Kunoko, ‘wasebenza ebulaleka ubusuku nemini.’ (2 Tes. 3:8) Kule mihla abadala abaninzi, abaquka abo benza umsebenzi wokuhambahamba, bamisela umzekelo omhle kule nkalo. Nangona bezamkela izinwe abazenzelwa ngamanye amakholwa, ‘ababi luxanduva oluziindleko’ kuye nabani na.—1 Tes. 2:9.

16. Kuthetha ukuthini ukwalusa umhlambi “ngentumekelelo”?

¹⁶ Abadala balusa umhlambi “ngentumekelelo.” Intumekelelo abanayo ibonakala kwisimo sengqondo sokuzincama ababa naso xa benceda umhlambi. Noko ke, loo nto ayithethi kuthi bayawunyanzela umhlambi ukuba ukhonze uYehova; kananjalo abadala abanothando abakhuthazi abantu ukuba bakhonze uThixo ngomoya wokhuphiswano. (Gal. 5:26) Abadala bayaqonda ukuba imvu nganye yahlukile. Banomdla wokunceda abazalwana babo ukuba bakhonze uYehova bevuya.

Ningabi Ziinkosi Emhlambini Kodwa Yibani Yimizekelo

17, 18. (a) Kutheni maxa wambi abapostile babekufumanisa kunzima ukuqonda imfundiso kaYesu engokuthobeka? (b) Yiyiphi imeko efanayo esinokujamelana nayo?

¹⁷ Njengoko sele kubonisiwe, abadala bafanele bahlale bekhumbula ukuba balusa umhlambi kaThixo, kungekhona owabo. Bayaqiniseka ukuba ababi “ziinkosi phezu kwabo balilifa likaThixo.” (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:3.) Maxa wambi, abapostile bakaYesu babezama ukufumana amalungelo beqhutywa ziintshukumisa eziphosakeleyo. Babefuna ukuba nezikhundla eziphezulu njengabo babelawula iintlanga.—Funda uMarko 10:42-45.

¹⁸ Namhlanje, abazalwana ‘abazabalazela isigxina sobuveleli’ bamele bazibuze isizathu sokuba basizabalazele. (1 Tim. 3:1) Abo bangabadala ngoku bamele bazibuze ngokunyanisekileyo enoba banqwenela igunya nobukhulu ngendlela ababekhe balinqwenela ngayo abanye abapostile. Ukuba abapostile babekhe banayo le ngxaki, abadala banokuqonda ukuba kufuneka benze konke okusemandleni ukuze baluphephe naluphi na utyekelo lwehlabathi lokuthanda ukuba negunya kwabanye abantu.

19. Yintoni abafanele bayikhumbule abadala xa bekhusela umhlambi?

¹⁹ Kuyavunywa ukuba maxa wambi abadala kuye kufuneke babe ngqongqo, njengaxa bekhusela umhlambi ‘kwiingcuka ezicinezelayo.’ (IZe. 20:28-30) UPawulos waxelela uTito ukuba aqhubeke ‘ebongoza kwaye esohlwaya ngegunya elipheleleyo.’ (Tito 2:15) Ukanti, kwanaxa kufuneka abadala bathathe inyathelo elinjalo, bazama ukubaphatha ngesidima ababandakanyekileyo. Bayaqonda ukuba kunokumgxeka rhabaxa umntu, ukumthantamisa kudla  ngokuyifikelela bhetele intliziyo kuze kumenze abuyele kwikhondo elichanileyo.

20. Abadala banokumxelisa njani uYesu ekumiseleni umzekelo omhle?

²⁰ Umzekelo omhle kaKristu ushukumisela abadala ukuba bawuthande umhlambi. (Yoh. 13:12-15) Iintliziyo zethu ziyachukumiseka xa sifunda ngendlela awayebafundisa ngayo abafundi bakhe umsebenzi wokushumayela nowokwenza abafundi. Umzekelo wakhe wokuthobeka wazichukumisa iintliziyo zabafundi bakhe, waza wabenza balandela ikhondo elibonisa ‘ukuthobeka kwengqondo bebagqala abanye njengabongamileyo kunabo.’ (Fil. 2:3) Nanamhlanje abadala bashukunyiselwa ukuba balandele umzekelo kaYesu, kwaye nabo bafuna ukuba “yimizekelo emhlambini.”

21. Nguwuphi umvuzo abadala abanokukhangela phambili kuwo?

²¹ UPetros waqukumbela isibongozo sakhe esasisiya kubadala ngokuthetha ngesithembiso sexesha elizayo. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:4.) Abaveleli abathanjisiweyo ‘baya kwamkela isithsaba esingambatshiyo sozuko.’ Abalusi abangaphantsi ‘bezinye izimvu’ baya kufumana ilungelo lokwalusa umhlambi kaThixo emhlabeni phantsi kolawulo ‘lomalusi oyintloko.’ (Yoh. 10:16) Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuxubusha ngeendlela amalungu ebandla anokubaxhasa ngazo abo bamiselwe ukuba bakhokele.

Impinda

• Kutheni kwakufanelekile ukuba uPetros abongoze abanye abadala ukuba baluse umhlambi kaThixo abawunyamekelayo?

• Abadala bafanele babaluse njani abagulayo ngokomoya?

• Yintoni eshukumisela abadala ukuba baluse umhlambi kaThixo abawunyamekelayo?

[Imibuzo YeSifundo]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

Njengabalusi bamandulo, namhlanje abadala bamele bakhusele “izimvu” abazinyamekelayo