Yibani Nokuzithiba Futhi Kuvame
Yibani Nokuzithiba Futhi Kuvame
‘Nelekele okholweni ukuzithiba.’—2 PETRU 1:5, 6.
1. Kukusiphi isimo esingajwayelekile umKristu angase anikeze kuso ubufakazi?
UJESU wathi: “Niyakuyiswa nangaphambi kwababusi namakhosi ngenxa yami, kube-ngubufakazi kubo.” (Mathewu 10:18) Ukuba ubungabizelwa phambi kombusi, umahluleli, noma undunankulu, ubungakhuluma ngani? Mhlawumbe ubungaqala ngokuthi kungani ulapho, icala obekwe lona. Umoya kaNkulunkulu ubungakusiza ukuba wenze kanjalo. (Luka 12:11, 12) Kodwa ubungazicabanga yini ukhuluma ngokuzithiba? Ingabe ukubheka njengengxenye ebalulekile yesigijimi sethu sobuKristu?
2, 3. (a) Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uPawulu afakaze kuFeliksi noDrusila? (b) Kungani ukuzithiba kwakuyisihloko esifanele ukuba uPawulu akhulume ngaso kulesosimo?
2 Cabangela isibonelo sento eyenzeka ngokoqobo. Omunye wofakazi bakaJehova waboshwa futhi waquliswa icala. Lapho enikezwa ithuba lokukhuluma, wafuna ukuchaza izinkolelo zakhe njengomKristu, njengofakazi. Ungazihlolela umbhalo ogciniwe futhi uzothola ukuthi wanikeza ubufakazi obusemthethweni obuphathelene ‘nokulunga, ukuzithiba, nokwahlulela okuzayo.’ Sikhuluma ngokuhlangenwe nakho komphostoli uPawulu eKesariya. Kwaba khona ukuqulwa kwecala kokuqala. “Emva kwezinsuku ezithile wafika uFeliksi noDrusila umkakhe owayengumJudakazi, wabiza uPawulu, wamuzwa ngokukholwa nguKristu Jesu.” (IzEnzo 24:24) Umlando ubika ukuthi uFeliksi “wayenza zonke izinhlobo zonya nokonakala, esebenzisa amandla obukhosi enesimo sengqondo sokugqilaza.” Wayeseshade kabili ngaphambi kokuba enze uDrusila ukuba ahlukanise nomyeni wakhe (ephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu) futhi abe umkakhe wesithathu. Mhlawumbe kwakuwuDrusila owayefuna ukuzwa ngalenkolo entsha, ubuKristu.
3 UPawulu waqhubeka ekhuluma “ngokulunga, nangokuzithiba, nangokwahlulela okuzayo.” (IzEnzo 24:25) Lokhu kwakuyowenza ube sobala umehluko phakathi kwezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga nonya nokungabi nabulungisa uFeliksi noDrusila ababeyingxenye yakho. Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayenethemba lokuthi wayengenza uFeliksi abonise ubulungisa kulelicala. Kodwa kungani akhuluma ‘ngokuzithiba, nangokwahlulela okuzayo’? Lombhangqwana owawuziphathe kabi wawufuna ukwazi ukuthi ‘ukukholwa nguKristu Jesu’ kwakuhlanganisani. Ngakho kwakudingeka wazi ukuthi ukumlandela kudinga ukuba umuntu athibe imicabango, ukukhuluma, nezenzo zakhe okuyilokho kanye okushiwo ukuzithiba. Bonke abantu bayolandisa kuNkulunkulu ngalokho abakucabangayo, abakukhulumayo, nabakwenzayo. Ngakho, okwakubaluleke ngaphezu kwanoma yisiphi isahlulelo esivela kuFeliksi ecaleni likaPawulu kwakuyisahlulelo lombusi nomkakhe ababebhekene naso phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 17:30, 31; Roma 14:10-12) Ngokuqondakalayo, lapho ezwa isigijimi sikaPawulu, “uFeliksi washaywa luvalo.”
Kubalulekile Kodwa Akulula
4. Kungani ukuzithiba kuyingxenye ebalulekile yobuKristu beqiniso?
4 Umphostoli uPawulu wayebheka ukuzithiba njengengxenye ebalulekile yobuKristu. Umphostoli uPetru, omunye wabangane bakaJesu abaseduze, wakuqinisekisa lokhu. Lapho ebhalela labo ‘ababezoba abahlanganyela esimweni sobuNkulunkulu’ ezulwini, uPetru wabanxusa ukuba babonise izimfanelo ezithile ezibalulekile, ezinjengokholo, uthando, nokuzithiba. Ngakho, ukuzithiba kwakuhlanganisiwe kulesiqinisekiso: “Uma lezozinto zikhona kini zivama, ziyanenza ningabi-ngabavilaphayo nabangenazithelo ekwazini iNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.”—2 Petru 1:1, 4-8.
5. Kungani kufanele sikhathazeke ngokukhethekile ngokuzithiba?
5 Nokho, uyazi ukuthi kulula kakhulu ukusho ukuthi kufanele sibonise ukuzithiba kunokukubonisa ngokoqobo ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke. Esinye isizathu siwukuthi ukuzithiba kuyivela kancane. Kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5 uPawulu wachaza izimo zengqondo ezaziyovama esikhathini sethu, “ezinsukwini zokugcina.” Esinye isici esasiyophawula inkathi yethu ukuthi abaningi babeyoba ‘abangazithibi.’ Siyakubona lokhu kwenzeka kuyo yonke indawo, akunjalo?
6. Ukuntuleka kokuzithiba kubonakaliswa kanjani namuhla?
6 Abantu abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi ngokuyisisekelo kunempilo “ukuveza imizwa yakho ngaphandle kokuzibamba” noma “ukuveza imizwelo enamandla noma intukuthelo ngendlela enamandla.” Umbono wabo uqiniswa abantu abavelele emphakathini ababonakala bekushaya indiva ukuzithiba kwanoma yiluphi uhlobo, abamane nje badedele imizwa yabo. Ngokwesibonelo: Abantu abaningi abathanda imidlalo edlalwa abadlali abakhokhelwayo sebekujwayele ukuboniswa kwemizwelo okungalawuleki, ngisho nentukuthelo yobudlova. Ingabe awuzikhumbuli yini, okungenani ufunda ngazo ephepheni, izenzakalo zokulwa ngonya noma ukubonakaliswa kwentukuthelo yeqembu lezichwensi okwaqubuka emidlalweni? Nokho, iphuzu lethu alikhona ukuba sichithe isikhathi esiningi sibukeza izibonelo zokuntula ukuzithiba. Ungase ubale izindawo eziningi okudingeka sibonise kuzo ukuzithiba—ukudla kwethu ukudla nokuphuza iziphuzo, ukuziphatha kwethu lapho sinowobulili obuhlukile, kanye nesikhathi nemali okuchithwa kwezokuzijabulisa. Kodwa kunokuba sizikhe phezulu izimo ezinjalo, ake sihlole isimo esisodwa esiyinhloko okumelwe sibonise kuso ukuzithiba.
Ukuzithiba Ngokuphathelene Nemizwelo Yethu
7. Yisiphi isici sokuzithiba okufanele sinakwe ngokukhethekile?
7 Iningi lethu liye laphumelela ngokusesilinganisweni ukulawula noma ukuthiba izenzo zethu. Asintshontshi, asehlulwa ukuziphatha okubi, noma sibulale; siyazi ukuthi umthetho kaNkulunkulu uthini mayelana nezinto ezinjalo ezingalungile. Nokho, siphumelela kangakanani ekulawuleni imizwelo yethu? Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, labo abahlulekayo ukuhlakulela ukuzithiba okungokomzwelo ngokuvamile ababe besakwazi ukuthiba izenzo zabo. Ngakho ake sigxile emizweleni yethu.
8. Yini uJehova ayilindele kithi ngokuphathelene nemizwelo yethu?
8 UJehova uNkulunkulu akalindele ukuba sibe imishini, ngomqondo wokuthi singabi namizwelo futhi singayivezi. Ethuneni likaLazaru, uJesu “wabubula emoyeni, wakhathazeka.” Kamuva “uJesu wakhala izinyembezi.” (Johane 11:32-38) Wabonisa umzwelo ohluke ngokuphelele lapho exosha ababeshintshelana imali ethempelini, ezilawula ngokuphelele izenzo zakhe. (Mathewu 21:12, 13; Johane 2:14-17) Abafundi bakhe abathembekile nabo babonisa imizwelo ejulile. (Luka 10:17; 24:41; Johane 16:20-22; IzEnzo 11:23; 12:12-14; 20:36-38; 3 Johane 4) Nokho, babesiqaphela isidingo sokuzithiba ukuze imizwelo yabo ingaholeli esonweni. Eyabase-Efesu 4:26 ikwenza kucace lokhu: “Thukuthelani ningoni; ilanga malingashoni nisathukuthele.”
9. Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukulawula imizwelo yethu?
9 Kunengozi yokuba umKristu abonakale sengathi ubonisa ukuzithiba kuyilapho, eqinisweni, engayilawuli imizwelo yakhe. Khumbula indlela asabela ngayo lapho uNkulunkulu amukela umhlatshelo ka-Abela: “Wayesethukuthela kakhulu uKayini, ubuso bakhe banyukumala. UJehova wathi kuKayini: Uthukuthelelani na? Ubuso bakho bunyukumeleleni na? Angithi uma wenza kahle, uyamukeleka na? Uma ungenzi kahle, isono sihlezi ngasemnyango; ukunxanela kwaso kukuwe.” (Genesise 4:5-7) UKayini wahluleka ukulawula imizwelo yakhe, okwamholela ekutheni abulale u-Abela. Imizwelo engalawuliwe yaholela esenzweni esingalawuliwe.
10. Yini oyifundayo esibonelweni sikaHamani?
10 Cabangela futhi isibonelo sangezinsuku zikaMoridekayi no-Esteri. Isikhulu esinguHamani sathukutheliswa ukuthi uMoridekayi akasikhothamelanga. Kamuva uHamani wenza iphutha lokucabanga ukuthi wayeyothola umusa. “UHamani waphuma khona ngalolosuku; ethokoza enenhliziyo enhle, kepha lapho uHamani embona uMoridekayi esangweni lenkosi ukuthi akasukumanga, kanyakazanga ngaye, uHamani wagcwala ulaka ngoMoridekayi. Kepha uHamani wazibamba, waya ekhaya.” (Esteri 5:9, 10) Washesha ukuzwa imizwelo yentokozo. Kodwa futhi washesha ukuthukuthela ngokubona nje lowo ayembambele igqubu. Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi lapho iBhayibheli lithi uHamani “wazibamba” lisho ukuthi wayeyisibonelo ekuboniseni ukuzithiba? Phinde. Okwesikhashana, uHamani wazilawula izenzo zakhe nanoma yikuphi ukuboniswa komzwelo, kodwa wahluleka ukulawula intukuthelo yakhe yomona. Imizwelo yakhe yamholela ekubeni acebe ukubulala.
11. Iyiphi inkinga eyaphakama ebandleni laseFilipi, futhi yini okungenzeka yaholela kuyo?
11 Ngokufanayo, ukuntuleka kokulawula imizwelo namuhla kungawalimaza kakhulu amaKristu. Abanye bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi, ‘Oh, ngeke kube inkinga lokho ebandleni.’ Kodwa kuye kwenzeka. AmaKristu amabili agcotshiwe eFilipi ayenokungezwani okungathi sína, iBhayibheli elingakuchazi. Ake ucabange ngalokhu njengento okungenzeka ukuthi yenzeka: U-Evodiya wamemela abazalwane nodade abathile esidlweni noma embuthanweni ojabulisayo. USintike wayengamenyiwe, futhi waphatheka kabi. Mhlawumbe wasabela ngokuba naye angammemi u-Evodiya esikhathini esalandela. Khona-ke bobabili baqala ukufuna amaphutha omunye; ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ababange besakhulumisana. Esimweni esinjengaleso, ingabe inkinga eyinhloko ingaba ukungamenyelwa esidlweni? Cha. Lokho bekuyoba inhlansi nje. Lapho labodade ababili abagcotshiwe behluleka ukulawula imizwelo yabo, inhlansi yaba umlilo wequbula. Lenkinga yaqhubeka futhi yakhula kwaze kwaba yilapho umphostoli kudingeka angenele.—Filipi 4:2, 3.
Imizwelo Yakho Nabafowenu
12. Kungani uNkulunkulu esinikeza iseluleko esitholakala kumShumayeli 7:9?
12 Kuyavunywa, akulula ukulawula imizwelo lapho unomuzwa wokuthi udeleliwe, uphathwe kabi, noma ubandlululiwe. UJehova uyakwazi lokho, ngoba uye wabheka ubudlelwane babantu kusukela ekuqaleni kokuphila komuntu. UNkulunkulu uyaseluleka: “Ungasheshi ukuthukuthela emoyeni wakho, ngokuba ulaka luhlala ezifubeni zeziwula.” (UmShumayeli 7:9) Phawula ukuthi uNkulunkulu unaka kuqala imizwelo hhayi izenzo. (IzAga 14:17; 16:32; Jakobe 1:19) Zibuze, ‘Ingabe kufanele ngikuqaphele ngokwengeziwe ukulawula imizwelo yami?’
13, 14. (a) Ezweni, yini ngokuvamile eba khona ngenxa yokwehluleka ukulawula imizwelo? (b) Yiziphi izinto ezingaholela amaKristu ekubeni abambe amagqubu?
13 Abantu abaningi ezweni abahlulwa ukulawula imizwelo yabo baqalisa udweshu—izingxabano ezimbi, ngisho neziwubudlova ngenxa yesenzo esibi esenzeke ngokoqobo noma esicatshangelwayo esenziwe kubo noma esihlotsheni. Uma nje imizwelo ingasalawuleki, ingaba nethonya layo elilimazayo elihlala isikhathi eside. (Qhathanisa noGenesise 34:1-7, 25-27; 49:5-7; 2 Samuweli 2:17-23; 3:23-30; IzAga 26:24-26.) Ngokuqinisekile amaKristu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi avela kusiphi isizinda sobuzwe noma amasiko, kufanele abheke ubutha obunenzondo obunjalo namagqubu njengokungalungile, okubi, okufanelwe kugwenywe. (Levitikusi 19:17) Ingabe ukugwema amagqubu ukubheka njengokuyingxenye yokuzithiba kwakho ngokuphathelene nemizwelo?
14 Njengasendabeni ka-Evodiya noSintike, ukwehluleka ukulawula imizwelo kungaholela ezinkingeni manje. Udade angase azizwe edeleliwe ngokungamenywa edilini lomshado. Noma mhlawumbe kwakuyingane yakhe noma umzala wakhe owayengamenyiwe. Noma mhlawumbe umzalwane wathenga imoto eyisekeni kumKristu akholwa naye, futhi ngemva kwesikhashana nje yaphuka. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isizathu siyini, lokhu kwabangela imizwa ebuhlungu, imizwelo ayizange ilawulwe, futhi labo abahilelekile bawotha ubomvu. Khona-ke yini eyalandela?
15. (a) Yimiphi imiphumela edabukisayo eye yabangelwa ukubambelana kwamaKristu amagqubu? (b) Yisiphi iseluleko seBhayibheli esikhuluma ngokuthambekela kokubamba amagqubu?
15 Uma umuntu ocasukile engasebenzeli ekulawuleni imizwelo yakhe futhi axolelane nabazalwane bakhe, kungaba khona igqubu. Kuye kwaba khona izehlakalo lapho uFakazi ecela khona ukuba angabelwa eqenjini elithile leSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla ngoba ‘engamthandi’ umKristu othile noma umkhaya othile ohlanganyela lapho. Yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo! IBhayibheli lithi amaKristu ayobe anqotshiwe uma eyisana ezinkantolo zezwe, kodwa bekungeke yini kube ukunqotshwa okufanayo uma sigwema umzalwane ngenxa yesenzo sokudelela noma amazwi ayiziswana awasho kithi noma esihlotsheni esikhathini esidlule? Ingabe imizwelo yethu yembula ukuthi sibeka ubuhlobo begazi ngaphambi kokuthula esinabo nabafowethu nodadewethu? Ingabe sithi sizimisele ukufela udadewethu, kodwa imizwelo yethu isishukumisele ukuba singakhulumi naye manje? (Qhathanisa noJohane 15:13.) UNkulunkulu usitshela ngokuqondile: “Ningaphindiseli-muntu okubi ngokubi; . . . uma kungenzeka, ngokwenu hlalisanani ngokuthula nabantu bonke; ningaziphindiseli nina-bathandwa, kodwa dedelani ulaka.”—Roma 12:17-19; 1 Korinte 6:7.
16. U-Abrahama wabeka siphi isibonelo esihle ekubhekaneni nemizwelo?
16 Isinyathelo esiholela ekubeni siphinde sikwazi ukulawula imizwelo yethu siwukufuna ukuthula noma ukuxazulula imbangela yesikhalazo kunokuyeka ubutha buqhubeke. Khumbula ngesikhathi amadlelo engayeneli imihlambi emikhulu ka-Abrahama nekaLoti, futhi izisebenzi zabo ziqalisa ukulwa. Ingabe u-Abrahama wavumela ukunqotshwa imizwelo yakhe? Noma ingabe wabonisa ukuzithiba? Ngokutusekayo, wasikisela ikhambi elinokuthula lalengxabano; lokuthi ngamunye wabo abe nendawo yakhe. Futhi wanikeza uLoti ithuba lokuba akhethe kuqala. Okufakazela ukuthi u-Abrahama wayengenanzondo futhi engabambile igqubu, ukuthi kamuva wamlwela uLoti.—Genesise 13:5-12; 14:13-16.
17. UPawulu noBarnaba bahluleka kanjani kwesinye isenzakalo, kodwa yini eyalandela ngemva kwalokho?
17 Singafunda futhi ngokuzithiba esehlakalweni esihilela uPawulu noBarnaba. Ngemva kokuba besebenze ndawonye iminyaka eminingi, abavumelananga ngokuthi bahambe naye yini uMarku ohambweni oluthile. “Kwase kuvela ukuphikisana okukhulu, baze bahlukana; uBarnaba wathatha uMarku, wawelela eKhupro ngomkhumbi.” (IzEnzo 15:39) Ukuthi lamadoda avuthiwe ahluleka ukulawula imizwelo yawo kulesosenzakalo kufanele kusinikeze isixwayiso. Uma kwenzeka kuwona, kungenzeka nakithi. Nokho, awazange avumele ukuba kube khona igebe elihlala njalo noma kuqhume udweshu. Umbhalo ogciniwe ufakazela ukuthi labazalwane babuye bakwazi ukulawula imizwelo yabo futhi kamuva basebenza ndawonye ngokuthula.—Kolose 4:10; 2 Thimothewu 4:11.
18. Uma imizwa ilinyaziwe, yini umKristu ovuthiwe angayenza?
18 Singakulindela ukuthi kungenzeka kube khona ukulimala kwemizwa, ngisho namagqubu, phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kwakukhona ngezikhathi zamaHeberu nangezinsuku zabaphostoli. Kuye kwenzeka futhi phakathi kwezinceku zikaJehova esikhathini sethu, ngoba sonke asiphelele. (Jakobe 3:2) UJesu wanxusa abafundi bakhe ukuba basheshe ukuxazulula izinkinga ezinjalo phakathi kwabazalwane. (Mathewu 5:23-25) Kodwa kungcono nakakhulu ukuzigwema kwasekuqaleni ngokuthuthukisa ukuzithiba kwethu. Uma uzizwa udeleliwe noma ucasulwe yinto encane eshiwo noma eyenziwe umfowenu noma udadewenu, kungani ungalawuli imizwelo yakho futhi umane nje ukhohlwe yiyo? Ingabe ngempela kudingekile ukuya kulowomuntu umbuze, njengokungathi ngeke waneliswe kuze kube yilapho evuma ukuthi wonile? Uyilawula kangakanani imizwelo yakho?
Kungenzeka!
19. Kungani kufaneleka ukuthi ingxoxo yethu ibigxilé ekulawuleni imizwelo yethu?
19 Ngokuyinhloko sixoxe ngesici esisodwa sokuzithiba, ukulawula imizwelo yethu. Futhi lokho kuyisici esiyinhloko ngoba ukuhluleka ukulawula imizwelo yethu kungaholela ekuhlulekeni ukulawula ulimi lwethu, imizwa yethu yobulili, imikhuba yethu yokudla, nezinye izici eziningi zokuphila okumelwe sibonise kuzo ukuzithiba. (1 Korinte 7:8, 9; Jakobe 3:5-10) Nokho, yiba nesibindi ngoba ungakwazi ukuthuthuka ekulondolozeni ukuzithiba.
20. Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi singakwazi ukuthuthuka?
20 UJehova uzimisele ukusisiza. Singaqiniseka kanjani? Ukuzithiba kungesinye sezithelo zomoya wakhe. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Ngakho, ngokwezinga esikusebenzela ngalo ukuwufanelekela futhi siwuthole umoya ongcwele ovela kuJehova nokubonisa izithelo zawo, kungalelozinga esingalindela ukuba sizithibe ngalo ngokwengeziwe. Masingalokothi sikhohlwe isiqinisekiso sikaJesu: “UYihlo osezulwini uzakubapha abacela kuye uMoya oNgcwele.”—Luka 11:13; 1 Johane 5:14, 15.
21. Yini onquma ukuyenza esikhathini esizayo mayelana nokuzithiba kanye nemizwelo yakho?
21 Ungacabangi ukuthi kuyoba lula. Futhi kungase kube nzima kakhudlwana kwabanye abakhula behlala nabantu ababeyiveza ngokukhululeka imizwelo yabo engalawuliwe, kulabo abasheshe bacasuke, noma kulabo abangakaze bakuzame nhlobo ukubonisa ukuzithiba. KumKristu onjalo, ukuba nokuzithiba nokukwenza kuvame kungase kube inselele yangempela. Nakuba kunjalo kungenzeka. (1 Korinte 9:24-27) Njengoba siya sisondela eduze ngokwengeziwe nokuphela kwalesimiso sezinto samanje, ukucindezeleka kuzokwanda. Sizodinga ukuzithiba, hhayi okuncane kodwa okukhulu ngokwengeziwe! Zihlole wena ngokuphathelene nokuzithiba kwakho. Uma ubona izindawo odinga ukuthuthukisa kuzo, sebenzela kukho. (IHubo 139:23, 24) Cela uNkulunkulu akuphe umoya wakhe owengeziwe. Uyokuzwa futhi uyokusiza ukuze ube nokuzithiba futhi kuvame.—2 Petru 1:5-8.
Amaphuzu Okucatshangelwa
□ Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukulawula imizwelo yakho?
□ Yini oyifundile ezibonelweni zikaHamani no-Evodiya noSintike?
□ Yini oyozama ngokwethembeka ukuyenza uma kwenzeka kuba nento ekucasulayo?
□ Ukuzithiba kungakusiza kanjani ukuba ugweme ukubamba noma yimaphi amagqubu?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Lapho ephambi kukaFeliksi noDrusila, uPawulu wakhuluma ngokulunga nangokuzithiba