Bahlonipheni Labo Abanikwe Igunya Phezu Kwenu

“Dumisani abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo, yibani nothando ngayo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu, mesabeni uNkulunkulu, bonisani udumo ngenkosi.”—1 PETRU 2:17.

1, 2. Abantu balibheka kanjani igunya namuhla? Ngani?

“IZINGANE yizona ezinawo wonke amalungelo. Abazali abahlonishwa,” kubalisa umama othile. “Libekele Inselele Igunya” kusho umbhalo onanyatheliswe emotweni. Lezi kumane kuyizingcaphuno ezimbili nje ezibonisa isimo esikhona namuhla, njengoba kumelwe ukuba uyazi. Ukungahlonishwa kwabazali, othisha, abaqashi nezikhulu zikahulumeni kuvamile emhlabeni wonke.

² Abanye bangase bamane bachaye izandla bathi, ‘Kwabona labo abasezikhundleni zegunya abakufanelekeli ukuba ngibahloniphe.’ Ngezinye izikhathi, kungaba nzima ukukuphika lokho. Ezindabeni sizwa njalo ngezikhulu zikahulumeni ezikhohlakele, abaqashi abanobugovu, othisha abangagculisi nabazali abaxhaphaza izingane. Ngokujabulisayo, ambalwa amaKristu abheka labo abasezikhundleni zegunya ebandleni ngendlela efanayo.—Mathewu 24:45-47.

3, 4. Kungani amaKristu kufanele abonise inhlonipho ngalabo abasezikhundleni zegunya?

³ NjengamaKristu, ‘sinesizathu esicindezelayo’ sokubahlonipha labo abanegunya ezweni. Umphostoli uPawulu wayala amaKristu ukuba ‘azithobe emagunyeni aphakeme, ngoba akukho gunya elikhona kungengoNkulunkulu; amagunya akhona ami ezikhundleni zawo ezilinganiselwe ebekwe uNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 13:1, 2, 5; 1 Petru 2:13-15) UPawulu wabonisa nesizathu esizwakalayo sokulalela amagunya emkhayeni: “Nina bafazi, zithobeni kubayeni benu, njengoba kufaneleka eNkosini. Nina bantwana, lalelani abazali benu kukho konke, ngoba lokhu kuyajabulisa kakhulu eNkosini.” (Kolose 3:18, 20) Abadala bebandla bayakufanelekela ukuba sibahloniphe ngoba ‘umoya ongcwele ubamise ukuba babe ababonisi, ukuze beluse ibandla likaNkulunkulu.’ (IzEnzo 20:28) Amagunya abantu siwahlonipha ngoba sihlonipha uJehova. Njengokulindelekile, ukuhlonipha igunya likaJehova kuhlale kuza kuqala ekuphileni kwethu.—IzEnzo 5:29.

⁴ Sisacabanga ngegunya likaJehova eliphakeme kunawo wonke, ake sihlole izibonelo zabathile abangabahloniphanga labo ababesezikhundleni zegunya nezibonelo zabanye ababahlonipha.

Ukungahloniphi Kudala Ukungamukeleki

5. UMikhali wamedelela kanjani uDavide, futhi lokho kwaholelaphi?

⁵ Emlandweni weNkosi uDavide, singabona ukuthi uJehova ubabheka kanjani labo abeya igunya elinikezwe nguNkulunkulu. Lapho uDavide eletha umphongolo wesivumelwano eJerusalema, umkakhe uMikhali “wabona inkosi uDavide itshekula, isina phambi kukaJehova; wayidelela enhliziyweni yakhe.” UMikhali kwakufanele aqaphele ukuthi ngaphezu kokuba yinhloko yomkhaya, uDavide wayeyinkosi yezwe. Nokho, waveza imizwa yakhe ngokubhuqa: “Yeka  udumo lwenkosi ka-Israyeli namuhla, ezambulile namuhla emehlweni ezincekukazi zezinceku zakhe njengomunye wamayiyane, ezambula nokuzambula.” Lokhu kwaphumela ekubeni uMikhali angabi nabantwana.—2 Samuweli 6:14-23.

6. UJehova wakubheka kanjani ukwedelela kukaKora abagcotshiweyo baKhe?

⁶ Isibonelo esibi kakhulu sokungamhloniphi umuntu obekwe nguNkulunkulu ngendlela engokwasezulwini ukuba ahole kwakungesikaKora. NjengomKohati, yeka ilungelo ayenalo lokukhonza uJehova etabernakele! Noma kunjalo, wagxeka uMose no-Aroni, abaholi bama-Israyeli ababegcotshwe nguNkulunkulu. UKora wazibandakanya nezinye izikhulu zakwa-Israyeli futhi ngendelelo bathi kuMose no-Aroni: “Inhlangano yonke ingcwele, bonke bayo, noJehova ekubo; niziphakamiselani, pho, phezu kwebandla likaJehova na?” UJehova wasibheka kanjani isimo sengqondo sikaKora nabasekeli bakhe? UNkulunkulu wabheka isenzo sabo njengokwedelela Yena uqobo. Ngemva kokubona bonke ababesohlangothini lwabo begwinywa umhlaba, uKora nezikhulu ezingu-250 baqothulwa umlilo ovela kuJehova.—Numeri 16:1-3, 28-35.

7. Ingabe ‘abaphostoli abahle kakhulu’ babenaso isizathu sokugxeka igunya likaPawulu?

⁷ Ebandleni lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala, kwakunabathile ababengalishayi mkhuba igunya elimiswe ngokwaphezulu. ‘Abaphostoli abahle kakhulu’ basebandleni laseKorinte babemdelela uPawulu. Bagxeka ikhono lakhe lokukhuluma, bathi: “Ukuba khona kwakhe ngesiqu kubuthakathaka nokukhuluma kwakhe kudelelekile.” (2 Korinte 10:10; 11:5) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uPawulu wayeyisikhulumi esihle noma cha, kwakufanele ukuba ahlonishwe njengomphostoli. Kodwa ingabe ukukhuluma kukaPawulu kwakudelelekile ngempela? Izinkulumo zakhe zasobala eziseBhayibhelini zinikeza ubufakazi bokuthi wayeyisikhulumi esikholisayo. Phela, lapho esexoxe kafushane noHerode Agripha II, ‘owayeyisazi sazo zonke izimpikiswano phakathi kwamaJuda,’ uPawulu wenza le nkosi ukuba ithi: “Ngesikhathi esifushane ubuyongithonya ukuba ngibe umKristu”! (IzEnzo 13:15-43; 17:22-34; 26:1-28) Kodwa abaphostoli abahle kakhulu baseKorinte bammangalela ngokuthi udelelekile lapho ekhuluma! UJehova wasibheka kanjani isimo sabo sengqondo? Emyalezweni oya kubabonisi basebandleni lase-Efesu, uJesu Kristu wakhuluma kahle ngabathile ababenqabile ukuchezukiswa yilabo ‘ababethi bangabaphostoli, kodwa bengebona.’—IsAmbulo 2:2.

Bahloniphe Yize Bengaphelele

8. UDavide wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayelihlonipha igunya uJehova ayelinike uSawule?

⁸ EBhayibhelini kunezibonelo eziningi zalabo abahlonipha abantu abasegunyeni, ngisho nalapho babelisebenzisa kabi igunya labo. UDavide wayengesinye sezibonelo ezinjalo ezinhle. INkosi uSawule, ayekhonza ngaphansi kwayo, yaba nomhawu ngezinto uDavide ayezifinyelela futhi yafuna ukumbulala. (1 Samuweli 18:8-12; 19:9-11; 23:26) Noma kunjalo, nakuba ayenawo amathuba okubulala uSawule, uDavide wathi: “UJehova makenqabe ukuba ngelulele isandla sami kogcotshiweyo kaJehova”! (1 Samuweli 24:3-6; 26:7-13) UDavide wayazi ukuthi uSawule wayenephutha, kodwa washiyela kuJehova ukuba amahlulele. (1 Samuweli 24:12, 15; 26:22-24) Akamchaphanga uSawule.

9. (a) UDavide wayezizwa kanjani lapho ehlushwa nguSawule? (b) Sibona kanjani ukuthi inhlonipho uDavide ayenayo ngoSawule yayiqotho?

⁹ Ingabe uDavide wayekhathazekile lapho ephathwa kabi? “Izidlova zifuna umphefumulo wami,” esho ekhala kuJehova. (IHubo 54:3) Wathululela inhliziyo yakhe kuJehova: “Ngikhulule ezitheni zami, Nkulunkulu wami, . . . iziqhwaga ziyangihlanganyela, kungekho siphambeko, kungekho sono kimi, Jehova. Ziyagijima, zizilungisele, kungekho cala kimi; vuka, ungihlangabeze,  ubone.” (IHubo 59:1-4) Ingabe wake wazizwa ngendlela efanayo—ungenzanga lutho kumuntu othile osegunyeni kodwa elokhu ekubangela izinkinga? UDavide akayekanga ukumhlonipha uSawule. Lapho uSawule efa, kunokuba ajabule, uDavide waqamba ingoma yokulila: “OSawule noJonathani babethandeka, bemnandi; ekuphileni . . . Babenejubane kunezinkozi, babenamandla kunezingonyama. Nina madodakazi akwa-Israyeli, mkhaleleni uSawule.” (2 Samuweli 1:23, 24) Yeka isibonelo esihle sokumhlonipha ngobuqotho ogcotshiwe kaJehova, yize uSawule ayemonile uDavide!

10. Yisiphi isibonelo esihle esabekwa uPawulu ngokuhlonipha igunya lendikimba ebusayo elinikezwe nguNkulunkulu, futhi lokho kwaholelaphi?

¹⁰ Nasesikhathini samaKristu sithola izibonelo ezinhle kakhulu zabathile abahlonipha amagunya anikezwe nguNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngoPawulu. Wahlonipha izinqumo zendikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala yebandla lamaKristu. Ekuhambeleni kwakhe kokugcina eJerusalema, indikimba ebusayo yameluleka ukuba azihlanze ngokwesiko ukuze abonise abanye ukuthi wayengenanxa noMthetho KaMose. UPawulu wayengase acabange: ‘Laba bazalwane ngaphambili bangiyala ukuba ngiphume eJerusalema lapho ukuphila kwami kusengozini. Manje bafuna ngibonise obala ukuthi ngiyawuhlonipha uMthetho KaMose. Kakade sengibhalele abaseGalathiya ngabeluleka ukuba bayeke ukuwugcina uMthetho. Uma ngiya ethempelini, abanye bangase basiqonde kabi isenzo sami, bacabange ukuthi ngichema nabasokile.’ Nokho, ngokusobala uPawulu akazange acabange ngaleyo ndlela. Njengoba kwakungekho kwephulwa kwezimiso zobuKristu okwakuhilelekile, wasihlonipha iseluleko sendikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala futhi wenza ngokuvumelana naso. Ngenxa yalokho kwadingeka ukuba uPawulu ahlengwe esixukwini samaJuda ngokushesha, futhi ngemva kwalokho wahlala iminyaka emibili ejele. Ekugcineni, yenzeka intando kaNkulunkulu. UPawulu wafakaza phambi kwezikhulu eziphakeme eKesariya wayeseyiswa eRoma ngezindleko zikahulumeni ukuba ayonikeza ubufakazi phambi kukaKesari uqobo.—IzEnzo 9:26-30; 21:20-26; 23:11; 24:27; Galathiya 2:12; 4:9, 10.

Uyayibonisa Yini Inhlonipho?

11. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyazihlonipha iziphathimandla zezwe?

¹¹ Ingabe uyayibonisa inhlonipho efanele ngalabo abasegunyeni? AmaKristu ayalwa ukuba ‘anikeze bonke okubafaneleyo, lowo ofuna udumo, udumo olunjalo.’ Ngempela, ukuzithoba kwethu “emagunyeni aphakeme” akuhlanganisi nje kuphela ukukhokha izintela kodwa futhi nokuhlonipha iziphathimandla ngokuziphatha nangokukhuluma kwethu. (Roma 13:1-7) Sisabela kanjani lapho sibhekene nezikhulu zikahulumeni okungenzeka zinokhahlo? EChiapas State, eMexico, iziphathimandla kwenye indawo zazithathe amapulazi emikhaya engu-57 yoFakazi BakaJehova ngoba la maKristu ayengahlanganyeli emikhosini ethile engokwenkolo. Emihlanganweni eyayibanjelwa ukuxazulula lolu daba, oFakazi, ababehlanzekile futhi begqoke ngokuhloniphekile, babekhuluma ngesizotha nangenhlonipho ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngemva kwesikhathi esingaphezu konyaka, kwakhishwa isinqumo esibavunayo. Isimo sabo sengqondo sabenza bahlonishwa abanye balabo ababebukele kangangokuthi nabo bafuna ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova!

12. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba ‘nenhlonipho ejulile’ ngomyeni ongakholwa?

¹² Ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyalihlonipha igunya elinikezwe nguNkulunkulu emkhayeni? Ngemva kokuxoxa ngesibonelo sokuhlupheka kukaJesu, umphostoli uPetru wathi: “Ngendlela efanayo, nani bafazi, zithobeni kubayeni benu siqu, ukuze kuthi, uma bekhona abangalilaleli izwi, bazuzwe ngaphandle kwezwi ngokuziphatha kwabafazi babo, ngoba beye baba ofakazi bokuzibonela bokuziphatha kwenu okumsulwa kanye nenhlonipho ejulile.” (1 Petru 3:1, 2; Efesu 5:22-24) UPetru lapha wagcizelela ukubaluleka kokuzithoba kwenkosikazi kumyeni wayo ‘ngenhlonipho ejulile,’ yize abanye abayeni kungenzeka abenzi lutho olutheni olubenza bafanelekelwe yinhlonipho enjalo. Ukuhlonipha kwenkosikazi kungase kuzuze inhliziyo yomyeni wayo ongakholwa.

13. Amakhosikazi angabahlonipha kanjani abayeni bawo?

 ¹³ Emongweni wale mibhalo, uPetru usiqaphelisa isibonelo sikaSara, omyeni wakhe, u-Abrahama, wayeyisibonelo esivelele sokholo. (Roma 4:16, 17; Galathiya 3:6-9; 1 Petru 3:6) Ingabe amakhosikazi anabayeni abakholwayo kufanele abahloniphe kancane abayeni bawo kunamakhosikazi anabayeni abangakholwa? Kuthiwani uma ungavumelani nomyeni wakho endabeni ethile? UJesu wanikeza iseluleko esingase sisetshenziswe ngomqondo obanzi kule ndaba, wathi: “Uma othile osegunyeni ekucindezela ukuba wenze inkonzo imayela elilodwa, hamba naye amamayela amabili.” (Mathewu 5:41) Ingabe uyamhlonipha umyeni wakho ngokuhambisana nezifiso zakhe? Uma lokhu kubonakala kunzima kakhulu, mazise indlela ozizwa ngayo ngendaba. Ungathathi ngokuthi uyazi ukuthi uzizwa kanjani. Kodwa lapho umazisa ngezifiso zakho, kwenze ngendlela enenhlonipho. IBhayibheli liyasiyala: “Amazwi enu ngaso sonke isikhathi mawabe nomusa, ayoliswe ngosawoti, ukuze nazi ukuthi kufanele nimphendule kanjani umuntu ngamunye.”—Kolose 4:6.

14. Yini ehilelekile ekudumiseni abazali?

¹⁴ Kuthiwani ngezingane zakho? IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyayala: “Bantwana, lalelani abazali benu ebunyeni neNkosi, ngoba lokhu kulungile: ‘Dumisa uyihlo nonyoko’; okuwumyalo wokuqala onesithembiso.” (Efesu 6:1-3) Phawula ukuthi ukulalela abazali bakho kubhekwa njengokufanayo ‘nokudumisa uyihlo nonyoko.’ Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “dumisa” linomqondo “wokwazisa” noma “ukubeka inani.” Ngakho, ukulalela kudinga okungaphezu kokuyilalela ngokukhononda imithetho yabazali engase ibonakale yeqisa kuwe. UNkulunkulu ukucela ukuba ubazise kakhulu abazali bakho nesiqondiso sabo.—IzAga 15:5.

15. Izingane zingayilondoloza kanjani inhlonipho ngisho noma zinomuzwa wokuthi abazali bazo benzé iphutha?

¹⁵ Kuthiwani uma abazali bakho benza okuthile okuthunaza izinga obahlonipha ngalo? Zama ukubona izinto ngombono wabo. ‘Abakuzalanga’  yini futhi bakondla? (IzAga 23:22) Ingabe abashukunyiswa ukuthi bayakuthanda? (Heberu 12:7-11) Khuluma ngenhlonipho nabazali bakho, ubachazele ngomoya wobumnene indlela ozizwa ngayo. Ngisho noma besabela ngendlela ongayithandi, ungakhulumi nabo ngendelelo. (IzAga 24:29) Khumbula indlela uDavide aqhubeka emhlonipha ngayo uSawule ngisho nalapho le nkosi iphambuka ekulandeleni iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu. Cela uJehova akusize ukuba ulawule imizwa yakho. UDavide wathi: “Nithulule inhliziyo yenu phambi kwakhe; uNkulunkulu uyisiphephelo sethu.”—IHubo 62:8; IsiLilo 3:25-27.

Bazise Abaholayo

16. Singafundani esibonelweni sabafundisi bamanga nezingelosi?

¹⁶ Abadala bebandla bamiswa umoya ongcwele, kodwa basengabantu abangaphelele futhi bayawenza amaphutha. (IHubo 130:3; UmShumayeli 7:20; IzEnzo 20:28; Jakobe 3:2) Ngenxa yalokho, abanye ebandleni bangase bazizwe benganelisekile ngabadala. Kufanele sisabele kanjani lapho sinomuzwa wokuthi okuthile ebandleni akusingathwa ngendlela efanele, noma okungenani kubonakala kanjalo? Phawula umehluko phakathi kwabafundisi bamanga bekhulu lokuqala nezingelosi: “Njengoba [abafundisi bamanga] benamagangangozi, benenkani, ababathuthumeleli abakhazimulayo kodwa bakhuluma ngokuchapha, kanti izingelosi, nakuba zizinkulu ngezikhwepha namandla, aziziletheli icala ngamazwi achaphayo, zenza kanjalo ngenxa yenhlonipho ngoJehova.” (2 Petru 2:10-13) Nakuba abafundisi bamanga babekhuluma ngokuchapha ‘ngabakhazimulayo’—abadala ababenikwe igunya ebandleni lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala—izingelosi azizange zikhulume ngokuchapha ngalabo bafundisi bamanga ababebangela uqhekeko phakathi kwabazalwane. Izingelosi, njengoba zisesimweni esiphakeme futhi zibuqaphela kakhulu kunabantu ubulungisa, zazikwazi okwakwenzeka ebandleni. Nokho, “ngenxa yenhlonipho ngoJehova,” zashiyela ukwahlulela kuNkulunkulu.—Heberu 2:6, 7; Jude 9.

17. Ukholo lwakho lungenela kanjani lapho ubhekene nezinkinga onomuzwa wokuthi abadala basephutheni kuzo?

¹⁷ Ngisho noma into ethile ingasingathiwe ngendlela okufanele isingathwe ngayo, akufanele yini sibe nokholo kuJesu Kristu njengeNhloko ephilayo yebandla lobuKristu? Akakuqapheli yini okwenzekayo ebandleni lakhe emhlabeni wonke? Akufanele yini siyihloniphe indlela yakhe yokusingatha isimo futhi siqaphele ukuthi uyakwazi ukulawula izinto? Ngempela nje, ‘Singobani thina ukuba sahlulele umakhelwane wethu?’ (Jakobe 4:12; 1 Korinte 11:3; Kolose 1:18) Kungani ungathandazi kuJehova ngezinto ezikukhathazayo?

18, 19. Yini ongayenza lapho unomuzwa wokuthi umdala wenzé iphutha?

¹⁸ Ngenxa yokungapheleli kobuntu, izinkinga zingase zibe khona. Kungase kube khona ngisho nezikhathi lapho umdala ona, kubangele ukuba abanye baphazamiseke. Ukwenza kwethu izinto  ngokuxhamazela ezimweni ezinjalo ngeke kusishintshe isimo. Kungavele kuyenze ibe yimbi nakakhulu inkinga. Labo abanokuqonda okungokomoya bayolindela uJehova ukuba alungise izinto futhi anikeze noma yisiphi isiyalo esingase sidingeke ngesikhathi nangendlela yakhe.—2 Thimothewu 3:16; Heberu 12:7-11.

¹⁹ Kuthiwani uma uzizwa ukhathazekile ngendaba ethile? Kunokuba ukhulume nabanye ebandleni, kungani ungayi kubadala ngenhlonipho ukuze uthole usizo? Ngaphandle kokugxeka, chaza indlela oye wathinteka ngayo. Ngaso sonke isikhathi, “zwelana” nabo, futhi ulondoloze inhlonipho njengoba uthulula isifuba sakho kubo. (1 Petru 3:8) Ungabhuqi, kodwa thembela ekuvuthweni kwabo kobuKristu. Yazisa noma yisiphi isikhuthazo esingokomBhalo abangase basinikeze ngomusa. Futhi uma kubonakala ukuthi kudingeka nezinye izinyathelo zokulungisa indaba, qiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyoqondisa abadala ukuba benze okuhle nokulungile.—Galathiya 6:10; 2 Thesalonika 3:13.

20. Yini esizoyihlola esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²⁰ Nokho, kusekhona esinye isici okumelwe sicatshangelwe mayelana nokuhlonipha labo abasegunyeni. Akufanele yini labo ababekwe esikhundleni segunya babahloniphe labo ababaphathisiwe? Ake sikuhlole esihlokweni esilandelayo lokho.

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Yisiphi isizathu esihle esinaso sokuhlonipha abanegunya?

• UJehova noJesu bababheka kanjani abangalihloniphi igunya elinikezwe nguNkulunkulu?

• Yiziphi izibonelo ezinhle esinazo zabathile ababahlonipha labo abanikezwe igunya?

• Singenzani uma onegunya phezu kwethu ebonakala enze iphutha?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

USara wayelihlonipha ngokujulile igunya lika-Abrahama futhi wayejabule

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

UMikhali akazange alihloniphe igunya likaDavide njengenhloko yomkhaya nenkosi

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

“UJehova makenqabe ukuba ngelulele isandla sami kogcotshiweyo kaJehova”!

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Kungani ungathandazi kuJehova ngezinto ezikukhathazayo?