1. Yini uJehova ayifunayo kithi?

 ZIMBALWA izenzakalo ezijabulisa abantu abashadile ukwedlula ukuzalwa komntwana wabo owumqemane. Nokho, nakuba abazali beluthanda usana lwabo oluyigugu, abafuni luhlale luwusana unomphela. Empeleni, bangakhathazeka kakhulu uma lungakhuli. Ngendlela efanayo, uJehova uyajabula lapho siqala ukuthatha izinyathelo zokuba abalandeli bakaJesu, kodwa akafuni sihlale siyizinsana ngokomoya. (1 Kor. 3:1) Kunalokho, usicela ukuba sibe amaKristu “akhule ngokugcwele.”—1 Kor. 14:20.

2. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

² Kusho ukuthini ukuba umKristu okhule ngokugcwele? Sikhula kanjani sibe amaKristu avuthiwe? Ukudla okuqinile okungokomoya, kudlala yiphi indima ekukhuleni kwethu? Kungani kufanele sigweme ukuzethemba ngokweqile? Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngezimpendulo zale mibuzo.

KUSHO UKUTHINI UKUBA UMKRISTU OVUTHIWE?

3. Kusho ukuthini ukuba umKristu okhule ngokugcwele?

³ EBhayibhelini, inkulumo yesiGreki ehunyushwe ngokuthi ‘ukukhula ngokugcwele’ ingasho nokuthi “ukuvuthwa,” “ukungabi nasici,” “nokuphelela.” a (1 Kor. 2:6) Siba amaKristu akhule ngokugcwele noma avuthiwe lapho siyeka ukuba izinsana ngokomoya sibe amadoda noma abesifazane abangokomoya. Yiqiniso, ngisho noma sesiwufinyelele lowo mgomo, akufanele siyeke ukukhula ngokomoya. (1 Thim. 4:15) Sonke, kuhlanganise nalabo abasebasha, singakwazi ukuba amaKristu avuthiwe. Kodwa umKristu ubonakala kanjani ukuthi usevuthiwe?

4. Ubonakala kanjani umKristu ovuthiwe?

 ⁴ UmKristu ovuthiwe umuntu ophila ngokuvumelana nakho konke okufunwa uNkulunkulu, ongakhethi ukwenza lokho okufunwa nguye kuphela. Yiqiniso ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi unesono, uzowenza amaphutha. Noma kunjalo, ubonisa ngezinto azenza usuku nosuku ukuthi ucabanga futhi enze ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu. Ugqoke ubuntu obusha futhi uhlale elwela ukwenza ukucabanga kwakhe kuvumelane nokucabanga kukaNkulunkulu. (Efe. 4:​22-24) Uziqeqeshile ukuze akwazi ukwenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile ezisekelwe emithethweni kaJehova nasezimisweni zakhe, ngakho akadingi uhlu olude lwemithetho oluzoqondisa indlela enza ngayo. Lapho enza isinqumo, usebenza kanzima ukuze akwenze lokho akunqumile.—1 Kor. 9:​26, 27.

5. Yiziphi izingozi abhekana nazo umKristu ongavuthiwe? (Efesu 4:​14, 15)

⁵ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umKristu oqhubeka engavuthiwe angadukiswa kalula ‘ukukhohlisa’ ‘namanga aklanyiwe,’ abanjwe amanga ashiwo abezindaba nayizihlubuki. b (Funda eyabase-Efesu 4:​14, 15.) Angase abe nomona, adale izingxabano, athukuthele kalula noma enze okungalungile lapho elingwa.—1 Kor. 3:3.

6. Ifaniswe nani inqubo yokukhula ube umuntu ovuthiwe? (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁶ Njengoba kushiwo ekuqaleni, imiBhalo iqhathanisa inqubo yokukhula ube umuntu ovuthiwe ngokomoya nenqubo yokukhula ube umuntu omdala. Ingane ayinakho ukuqonda, ngakho idinga umuntu omdala ozoyivikela ayiqaphe. Ngokwesibonelo, umama angase atshele indodakazi yakhe esencane ukuba ibambe isandla sakhe njengoba bewela umgwaqo. Njengoba le ntombazane ikhula, umama angase ayivumele ukuba iwele umgwaqo ihamba yodwa, kodwa uzoqhubeka eyikhumbuza ukuba iqalaze izimoto nhlangothi zombili. Lapho le ngane iba umuntu omdala, iyokwazi ukuzigwemela ngokwayo izingozi ezifana nezingozi zomgwaqo. Njengoba nje izingane zidinga usizo lwabantu abadala ukuze zigweme izingozi, ngokuvamile amaKristu angavuthiwe adinga usizo lwamaKristu avuthiwe ukuze agweme noma yini engalimaza ubuhlobo bawo noJehova enze nezinqumo ezihlakaniphile.  Ngakolunye uhlangothi, lapho amaKristu avuthiwe kudingeka enze isinqumo, acabanga ngezimiso zeBhayibheli ukuze athole ukuthi yini uJehova ayicabangayo ngaleyo ndaba bese enza ngokuvumelana nalokho.

7. AmaKristu avuthiwe ayaludinga yini usizo lwabanye?

⁷ Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi umKristu ovuthiwe akalokothi aludinge usizo lwabanye? Cha. Abantu abavuthiwe nabo kuyadingeka bacele usizo ngezinye izikhathi. Kodwa umuntu ongavuthiwe angase alindele ukuba abanye bamtshele ukuthi enzeni noma bamenzele isinqumo okufanele ngabe uzenzela sona. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umKristu ovuthiwe, uyozuza ekuhlakanipheni kwabanye nasezintweni abadlule kuzo ebe eqaphela ukuthi uJehova ulindele ukuba ‘azithwalele owakhe umthwalo.’—Gal. 6:5.

8. Abantu abavuthiwe behluke kanjani komunye nomunye?

⁸ Njengoba nje abantu abadala behluka endleleni ababukeka ngayo, amaKristu avuthiwe nawo ayehluka ezimfanelweni ezingokomoya ezinjengokuhlakanipha, isibindi, ukupha nozwela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho amaKristu avuthiwe amabili ebhekana nesimo esifanayo, angase afinyelele iziphetho ezingafani kodwa zombili ezihambisana nezimiso zeBhayibheli. Lokhu kuyiqiniso nakakhulu ezindabeni ezihilela unembeza. Eqaphela lokhu, ayakugwema ukwahlulelana uma enza izinqumo ezingafani. Kunalokho, agxila ekuhlaleni enobunye.—Roma 14:10; 1 Kor. 1:10.

SIKHULA KANJANI SIBE AMAKRISTU AVUTHIWE?

9. Ingabe sikhula sibe amaKristu avuthiwe ngokuzenzakalelayo? Chaza.

⁹ Njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka singakhula sibe abantu abadala ngokuzenzakalelayo, kodwa akuzenzakaleli ukuba umuntu akhule abe umKristu ovuthiwe. Ngokwesibonelo, abazalwane nodade baseKorinte bamukela izindaba ezinhle, babhapathizwa, bamukela umoya ongcwele, bazuza kulokho ababekufundiswa umphostoli uPawulu. (IzE. 18:​8-11) Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka ethile bebhapathiziwe, abaningi babengakavuthwa. (1 Kor. 3:2) Singakugwema kanjani ukuhudula izinyawo ekukhuleni kwethu ngokomoya?

10. Yini okumele siyenze ukuze sibe amaKristu avuthiwe? (Jude 20)

¹⁰ Ukuze sivuthwe, kumele siqale sibe nesifiso sokuvuthwa. Labo ‘abathanda ukungabi nalwazi,’ abakhetha ukuhlala beyizinsana ngokomoya, ngeke bathuthuke. (IzAga 1:22) Asifuni ukufana nalabo abakhule ngokugcwele emzimbeni kodwa baqhubeke bencike kubazali babo ukuba babenzele izinqumo. Kunalokho, sifuna ukuzimela ukuze sikhule ngokomoya. (Funda uJude 20.) Uma usazama ukuba umKristu ovuthiwe, thandazela ukuba uJehova akunike “isifiso sokwenza namandla okwenza.”—Fil. 2:13.

11. Yiluphi usizo esilutholayo ukuze sithuthuke sibe abantu abavuthiwe? (Efesu 4:​11-13)

¹¹ UJehova akalindele ukuba singasizwa muntu njengoba sikhula siba abantu abavuthiwe. Labo abangabelusi nabafundisi ebandleni lobuKristu bakulungele ukusisiza ukuba ‘sikhule ngokugcwele’ ngomqondo ongokomoya, “esilinganisweni sobukhulu esingesokugcwala kukaKristu.” (Funda eyabase-Efesu 4:​11-13.) UJehova usinika nomoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze usisize sibe ‘nomqondo kaKristu.’ (1 Kor. 2:​14-16) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba kubhalwe amaVangeli amane ukuze asibonise indlela uJesu ayecabanga ngayo, ekhuluma ngayo nayenza ngayo phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni. Ngokulingisa indlela uJesu ayenza ngayo nayecabanga ngayo, ungakwazi ukufinyelela umgomo wakho wokuba umKristu ovuthiwe.

 INDIMA YOKUDLA OKUQINILE OKUNGOKOMOYA

12. Iyini ‘imfundiso yokuqala ephathelene noKristu’?

¹² Ukuze sithuthuke sibe abantu abavuthiwe, kumele sidlulele nangale ‘kwemfundiso yokuqala ephathelene noKristu,’ okuwukuthi, izimfundiso zobuKristu eziyisisekelo. Izibonelo zalezo zimfundiso eziyisisekelo zihlanganisa ukuphenduka, ukholo, ubhapathizo novuko. (Heb. 6:​1, 2) Izimfundiso ezifana nalezi ziyisisekelo sobuKristu. Ngenxa yalokho, umphostoli uPetru wakhuluma ngazo lapho eshumayeza isixuku ngePhentekoste. (IzE. 2:​32-35, 38) Kumele sizamukele lezi zimfundiso eziyisisekelo ukuze sibe abafundi bakaKristu. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu waxwayisa ngokuthi noma ubani ophikisa imfundiso yovuko wenqaba lonke ukholo lobuKristu. (1 Kor. 15:​12-14) Nokho, akumele saneliswe ulwazi lweqiniso oluyisisekelo nje kuphela.

13. Yini okumele siyenze ukuze sizuze ekudleni okuqinile okungokomoya okukhulunywe ngakho kweyamaHebheru 5:14? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹³ Ngokuphambene nemfundiso yokuqala, ukudla okuqinile okungokomoya akuhlanganisi nje kuphela imithetho kaJehova, kodwa kuhlanganisa nezimiso zakhe ezisisiza siqonde indlela acabanga ngayo. Ukuze sizuze kulokhu kudla, kumele sitadishe iZwi likaNkulunkulu, sizindle ngalo, senze konke okusemandleni ukuze senze lokho elisifundisa kona. Njengoba senza kanjalo, siziqeqesha ukuba senze izinqumo ezijabulisa uJehova. c—Funda eyamaHebheru 5:14.

14. UPawulu wabasiza kanjani abaseKorinte ukuba bakhule babe abantu abavuthiwe?

¹⁴ AmaKristu angavuthiwe avame ukuthwala kanzima lapho ebhekene nezimo ezidinga ukuba acabangisise ngezimiso zeBhayibheli futhi azisebenzise. Uma ungekho umthetho oseBhayibhelini, abanye bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi bangenza noma yini abayithandayo. Abanye bangase bafune umthetho lapho ungekho umthetho odingekayo. Ngokwesibonelo, kubonakala sengathi amaKristu aseKorinte acela uPawulu ukuba awabekele umthetho ngokuphathelene nokuthi eyengakudla yini ukudla okwakunikelelwe izithixo. Kunokuba awatshele ukuthi enzeni, uPawulu  wayeyiqaphela indima kanembeza neqiniso lokuthi umuntu ngamunye ‘unelungelo lokukhetha.’ Wakhuluma nabo ngezimiso ezaziyokwenza umuntu ngamunye abe nonembeza omsulwa kuyilapho engakhubi abanye. (1 Kor. 8:​4, 7-9) Ngaleyo ndlela, uPawulu wayesiza abaseKorinte ukuba bakhule ngokomoya ukuze bakwazi ukusebenzisa amandla abo okuqonda kunokuba bancike komunye umuntu noma bamane bafune imithetho.

15. UPawulu wawasiza kanjani amaKristu angamaHebheru ukuba athuthuke ngokomoya?

¹⁵ Sifunda isifundo esibalulekile kulokho uPawulu akubhalela amaKristu angamaHebheru. Amanye ayengaqhubeki ekhula ngokomoya; empeleni ‘abuyela emuva ekudingeni ubisi, hhayi ukudla okuqinile [okungokomoya].’ (Heb. 5:12) Ahluleka ukuhambisana neqiniso elalembulwa kancane kancane ngebandla. (IzAga 4:18) Ngokwesibonelo, amakholwa amaningi angamaJuda ayesaphoqelela uMthetho KaMose ngisho noma kwase kudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-30 lowo Mthetho uthathelwe indawo isisekelo somhlatshelo kaKristu. (Roma 10:4; Thithu 1:10) Ngokuqinisekile iminyaka engu-30 yayiyisikhathi eside ngokwanele sokuba amaKristu angamaJuda alungise ukucabanga kwawo! Noma ubani oke wafunda incwadi kaPawulu ephefumulelwe ayibhalela amaHebheru angavuma ukuthi le ncwadi inokudla okuqinile okungokomoya. Iyilokho kanye okwakudingwa yilawo maKristu ukuze aqinise ukholo lwawo elungiselelweni eliphakeme lobuKristu lokukhonza uNkulunkulu, iwanike nesibindi sokuqhubeka eshumayela naphezu kokuphikiswa amaJuda.—Heb. 10:​19-23.

GWEMA UKUZETHEMBA NGOKWEQILE

16. Ngaphandle kokuthuthuka sibe abantu abavuthiwe, yini enye okumele siyenze?

¹⁶ Akumele sigcine ngokuzikhandla ukuba sibe abantu abavuthiwe, kodwa kumele sihlale singabantu abavuthiwe. Lokhu kudinga ukuba sigweme ukuzethemba ngokweqile. (1 Kor. 10:12) Kufanele ‘siqhubeke sizihlola’ ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi siyaqhubeka sithuthuka.—2 Kor. 13:5.

17. Incwadi kaPawulu eya kwabaseKolose isibonisa kanjani isidingo sokuqhubeka singabantu abavuthiwe?

¹⁷ Encwadini yakhe ayibhalela abaseKolose, uPawulu uphinde agcizelele isidingo sokuqhubeka singabantu abavuthiwe. Nakuba base bengamaKristu akhule ngokugcwele, uPawulu  wabaxwayisa ukuba bangabanjwa ugibe lokucabanga kwezwe. (Kol. 2:​6-10) Kusobala ukuthi u-Ephafra, owayebazi kahle labo abasebandleni, wayethandaza njalo ethandazela ukuthi kwangathi ‘ekugcineni bangama baphelele,’ noma bavuthwe. (Kol. 4:12) Liyini iphuzu? Bobabili uPawulu no-Ephafra babeqonda ukuthi ukuhlala uvuthiwe kudinga ukuzikhandla nosizo lukaNkulunkulu. Babefuna ukuba abaseKolose baqhubeke bevuthiwe noma bengamaKristu akhule ngokugcwele naphezu kwanoma yiziphi izinkinga ababebhekene nazo.

18. Yini engase yenzeke kumKristu ovuthiwe? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁸ UPawulu waxwayisa amaHebheru ukuthi umKristu ovuthiwe angalahlekelwa ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu unomphela. Inhliziyo yomKristu ingaba lukhuni kangangokuba angabe esakwazi ukuphenduka amukele intethelelo kaNkulunkulu. Okujabulisayo ukuthi amaHebheru ayengakafiki kulelo zinga. (Heb. 6:​4-9) Kodwa kuthiwani ngalabo namuhla abapholayo noma abasuswayo kodwa kamuva baphenduke? Ukuzithoba kwabo baphenduke kubonisa ukuthi bahlukile kulabo uPawulu abhala ngabo. Nokho, lapho bebuyela kuJehova, badinga usizo lwakhe. (Hez. 34:​15, 16) Abadala bangase bahlele ukuba uFakazi ongumakad’ ebona abasize baphinde babe nobuhlobo obuqinile noJehova.

19. Yimuphi umgomo okufanele sibe nawo?

¹⁹ Uma ulwela ukuba umKristu ovuthiwe, ungakwazi ukuwufinyelela lowo mgomo! Qhubeka uzondla ngokudla okuqinile okungokomoya wenze ukucabanga kwakho kusondelane kakhulu nokukaJehova. Uma kuwukuthi usungumKristu ovuthiwe kakade, qhubeka umi uqinile njengomKristu okhule ngokugcwele.