“Kwabathobekileyo Kukhona Ukuhlakanipha”

“UJehova ufunani kuwe, . . . kungabi [ukuhamba] noNkulunkulu wakho ngokuthobeka, na?”—MIKA 6:8.

1, 2. Kuyini ukuthobeka, futhi kuhluke kanjani ekugabadeleni?

UMPHOSTOLI ovelele uyenqaba ukuziqhakambisa. Umahluleli wakwa-Israyeli onesibindi uzibiza ngokuthi ungomncane endlini kayise. Umuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke owake waphila uyavuma ukuthi igunya lakhe lilinganiselwe. Ngayinye yala madoda ibonisa ukuthobeka.

² Ukuthobeka kuphambene nokugabadela. Umuntu othobekile akawacabangeli ngokweqisa amakhono akhe nokubaluleka kwakhe futhi akazidli noma aziqhenye. Kunokuba aziqhenye, aqhoshe noma afune isikhundla esithile, umuntu othobekile uhlale ekuqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwakhe. Ngakho, uyayihlonipha futhi ayicabangele imizwa nemibono yabanye.

3. Kungayiphi indlela “kukhona” ukuhlakanipha “kwabathobekileyo”?

³ Ngesizathu esihle, iBhayibheli lithi: “Kwabathobekileyo kukhona ukuhlakanipha.” (IzAga 11:2) Umuntu othobekile uhlakaniphile ngoba ulandela inkambo evunyelwa uNkulunkulu, futhi uyawugwema umoya wokugabadela oholela ehlazweni. (IzAga 8:13; 1 Petru 5:5) Ukuhlakanipha kokuthobeka kuqinisekiswa inkambo yokuphila kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziningana. Ake sicabangele ezintathu ezikhulunyelwe esigabeni sokuqala.

UPawulu—‘Ongaphansi Nomphathi’

4. Yimaphi amalungelo angavamile ajatshulelwa uPawulu?

⁴ UPawulu wayengumuntu ovelele kumaKristu akuqala, futhi kube kufanele. Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe, wahamba amakhilomitha amaningi olwandle nasezweni, futhi wamisa amabandla amaningi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova wabusisa uPawulu ngemibono nesipho sokukhuluma ngezinye izilimi. (1 Korinte 14:18; 2 Korinte 12:1-5) Wabuye waphefumulela uPawulu ukuba alobe izincwadi ezingu-14 manje eziyingxenye yemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. Ngokusobala kungashiwo ukuthi imisebenzi kaPawulu yayingaphezu kweyabanye abaphostoli.—1 Korinte 15:10.

5. UPawulu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayethobekile?

⁵ Njengoba uPawulu ayephambili emsebenzini wamaKristu, abanye bangase balindele ukumthola ewunontanda-kubukwa, ebukisa ngisho nangegunya lakhe. Nokho, akunjalo ngoba uPawulu wayethobekile. Wazibiza ngokuthi ‘ungomncinyane kunabo bonke abaphostoli,’  enezela: “Angifaneleki ukubizwa ngomphostoli, ngenxa yokuthi ngashushisa ibandla likaNkulunkulu.” (1 Korinte 15:9) Njengomshushisi wamaKristu wesikhathi esingaphambili, uPawulu wayengakaze alibale ukuthi umusa ongafanelwe kuphela owamenza wakwazi ukuba nobuhlobo noNkulunkulu, ingasaphathwa eyokuba namalungelo akhethekile enkonzo. (Johane 6:44; Efesu 2:8) Ngakho, uPawulu akazange abe nomuzwa wokuthi okuhle kakhulu ayekufezile enkonzweni kwakumenza aphakame kunabanye.—1 Korinte 9:16.

6. UPawulu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabaseKorinte?

⁶ Ukuthobeka kukaPawulu kwabonakala ikakhulu ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabaseKorinte. Ngokusobala, abanye babo babehlatshwa umxhwele yilabo ababecabanga ukuthi bangababonisi abavelele, kuhlanganise u-Apholo, uKhefase noPawulu uqobo. (1 Korinte 1:11-15) Kodwa uPawulu akazange azicelele ukutuswa ngabaseKorinte noma asizakale ngokumthanda kwabo. Lapho ebavakashele, ‘akafikanga nokubukisa ngenkulumo noma ngokuhlakanipha.’ Kunalokho, ngokuphathelene naye nabangane bakhe, uPawulu wathi: “Umuntu makasahlulele njengabangaphansi kukaKristu nabaphathi bezimfihlo ezingcwele zikaNkulunkulu.” *—1 Korinte 2:1-5; 4:1.

7. UPawulu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka nalapho enikeza iseluleko?

⁷ UPawulu wabonisa ukuthobeka ngisho nalapho kudingeka anikeze iseluleko esiqinile nesiqondiso. Wancenga amaKristu ayekanye nawo “ngobubele bukaNkulunkulu” ‘nangesisekelo sothando’ kunangegunya lakhe lobuphostoli. (Roma 12:1, 2; Filemoni 8, 9) Kungani uPawulu enza kanjena? Kungoba ngempela wayezibheka ‘njengoyisisebenzi’ kanye nabafowabo, hhayi ‘njengenkosi yokholo lwabo.’ (2 Korinte 1:24) Akungabazeki ukuthi kwakuwukuthobeka kukaPawulu okwamsiza kwamakhela ugazi kakhulu emabandleni obuKristu ekhulu lokuqala.—IzEnzo 20:36-38.

 Umbono Olinganiselayo Ngamalungelo Esinawo

8, 9. (a) Kungani kufanele sibe nombono olinganiselayo ngathi? (b) Labo abanemithwalo yemfanelo ethé xaxa bangakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka?

⁸ UPawulu wawabekela isibonelo esihle amaKristu namuhla. Noma ngabe yimiphi imithwalo yemfanelo esiphathiswe yona, akukho muntu okufanele azizwe emkhulu kunabanye. “Uma noma ubani ecabanga ukuthi uwutho ebe engelutho,” kubhala uPawulu, “ukhohlisa ingqondo yakhe siqu.” (Galathiya 6:3) Ngani? Ngoba ‘sonke sonile futhi siyasilela enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 3:23; 5:12) Yebo, akufanele neze sikhohlwe ukuthi sonke sizuze isono nokufa ku-Adamu. Amalungelo akhethekile awasisusi esimweni sethu esiphansi sokuba nesono. (UmShumayeli 9:2) Njengoba kwakunjalo ngoPawulu, umusa ongafanelwe kuphela owenza abantu babe nobuhlobo noNkulunkulu, ingasaphathwa eyokumkhonza sinamalungelo athile akhethekile.—Roma 3:12, 24.

⁹ Ekuqaphela lokhu, umuntu othobekile akazikhukhumezi ngamalungelo anawo noma aqhoshe ngakufezile. (1 Korinte 4:7) Lapho enikeza iseluleko noma isiqondiso, usinikeza njengesisebenzi esikanye nalabo abanikezayo—hhayi njengenkosi yabo. Kuyoba iphutha impela ngomuntu owenza kahle kakhulu emisebenzini ethile ukuba azicelele ukunconywa noma asizakale ngokunconywa okuvela kwakholwa nabo. (IzAga 25:27; Mathewu 6:2-4) Okuwukuphela kokunconywa okunesisindo yiloko okuvela kwabanye—futhi akufanele kucelwe. Uma sinconywa, akufanele sibe sesizicabangela ngaphezu kwalokho okudingekile.—IzAga 27:2; Roma 12:3.

10. Chaza ukuthi kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi abanye abangase babonakale bephansi babe “abacebile okholweni.”

¹⁰ Uma siphathiswe umthwalo wemfanelo othé xaxa, ukuthobeka kuyosisiza sigweme ukuziqhakambisa ngokungafanele, sinikeze umbono wokuthi ibandla lichuma ngenxa yemizamo yethu namakhono ethu kuphela. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka ukuthi sinesiphiwo esihle sokufundisa. (Efesu 4:11, 12) Nokho, uma sithobekile kumelwe siqaphele ukuthi ezinye zezifundo ezinkulu ezifundwa esifundweni akuzona ezinikezwa endaweni yesikhulumi. Ngokwesibonelo, awukhuthazeki yini lapho ubona umzali ongayedwa ofika njalo eHholo LoMbuso elandelwa izingane zakhe? Noma umphefumulo ocindezelekile oza esifundweni ngokwethembeka naphezu kwemizwa ebeleselayo yokungabi-nto yalutho? Noma osemusha othuthuka kancane kancane naphezu kwamathonya amabi esikoleni nakwezinye izindawo? (IHubo 84:10) Kungenzeka laba bantu abavelele. Abanye bangase bangalwazi uvivinyo lobuqotho ababhekene nalo. Noma kunjalo kungenzeka ukuthi “bacebile okholweni” ngendlela efanayo nalabo abavelele. (Jakobe 2:5) Ekugcineni, ukukholeka yikona okwenza umuntu athole umusa kaJehova.—Mathewu 10:22; 1 Korinte 4:2.

UGideyoni—“Omncinyane” Endlini Kayise

11. UGideyoni wakubonisa ngandlelani ukuthobeka lapho ekhuluma nengelosi kaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ UGideyoni, insizwa enamandla yesizwe sakwaManase, wayephila ngesikhathi sezinxushunxushu emlandweni ka-Israyeli. Kwase kuyiminyaka engu-7 abantu bakaNkulunkulu behlushwa ukucindezela kwabakwaMidiyani. Kodwa manje kwase kufike isikhathi sokuba uJehova akhulule abantu bakhe. Ngakho, kwafika ingelosi kuGideyoni, yathi: “UJehova unawe wena qhawe elinamandla.” UGideyoni wayethobekile, ngakho akazange akujabulele lokhu kunconywa ayengakulindele. Kunalokho, ngenhlonipho watshela ingelosi: “O nkosi yami, uma uJehova enathi, konke lokhu kusehlele ngani na?” Ingelosi yacacisa indaba futhi yatshela uGideyoni:  “[Uzomsindisa] u-Israyeli esandleni sakwaMidiyani.” Wasabela kanjani uGideyoni? Esikhundleni sokuthi athi ngibonwa yini, athathe lesi sabelo njengethuba lokuzenza iqhawe lesizwe, uGideyoni waphendula: “O Nkosi, ngiyakumsindisa u-Israyeli ngantoni na? Bheka, umndeni wami umpofu kwaManase, mina ngingomncinyane endlini kababa.” Yeka ukuthobeka!—AbAhluleli 6:11-15.

12. UGideyoni wakubonisa kanjani ukuhlakanipha lapho enza isabelo sakhe?

¹² Ngaphambi kokuthumela uGideyoni empini, uJehova wamvivinya. Kanjani? UGideyoni watshelwa ukuba abhidlize i-altare likayise ayelenzele uBali futhi adilize insika engcwele eyayiseduze kwalo. Lesi sabelo sasizodinga isibindi, kodwa uGideyoni wabonisa ukuthobeka nokuhlakanipha endleleni asenza ngayo. Kunokuba azenze umbukwane, uGideyoni wasebenza ebusuku cishe ngesikhathi ayengeke abonwe muntu ngaso. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uGideyoni wenza isabelo sakhe ngokuqapha. Wahamba nezinceku eziyishumi—mhlawumbe ukuze ezinye zigade, ezinye zimsize ekubhidlizeni i-altare nensika engcwele. * Kunoma yikuphi, ngesibusiso sikaJehova, uGideyoni wasenza isabelo sakhe, futhi ngemva kwesikhathi uNkulunkulu wamsebenzisela ukukhulula u-Israyeli kwabakwaMidiyani.—AbAhluleli 6:25-27.

Ukubonisa Ukuthobeka Nokuhlakanipha

13, 14. (a) Singakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka uma sinikezwa ilungelo lenkonzo? (b) UMfoweth’ u-A. H. Macmillan wasibeka kanjani isibonelo esihle ekuboniseni ukuthobeka?

¹³ Kuningi esingakufunda ekuthobekeni kukaGideyoni. Ngokwesibonelo, sisabela kanjani uma sinikezwa ilungelo lenkonzo? Ingabe siqale sicabange ngokuvelela noma igama esizolithola? Noma ingabe ngokuthobeka nangomthandazo siye sicabange ukuthi singakufeza yini okudingwa yileso  sabelo? UMfoweth’ u-A. H. Macmillan, owaqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-1966, wabeka isibonelo esihle kulokhu. UC. T. Russell, umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Society, wake wacela umbono kaMfoweth’ uMacmillan ngokuthi ubani owayengaphatha izintambo uma engekho. Engxoxweni eyalandela, uMfoweth’ uMacmillan akazange nakancane asikisele ukuba kube uyena, nakuba kwakungafaneleka ukuba asikisele kanjalo. Ekugcineni, uMfoweth’ uRussell wacela uMfoweth’ uMacmillan ukuba acabangele ukwamukela lesi sabelo. “Ngama lapho ngididekile,” kubhala uMfoweth’ uMacmillan ngemva kweminyaka eminingi. “Ngacabanga ngakho, ngacabangisisa, futhi ngathandaza ngakho isikhathi esithile ngaphambi kokuba ngimtshele ukuthi ngingakujabulela ukwenza konke engingakwenza ukuze ngimsize.”

¹⁴ Kungakabiphi ngemva kwalokho, uMfoweth’ uRussell washona, washiya kungekho muntu ongumongameli we-Watch Tower Society. Njengoba kwakunguMfoweth’ uMacmillan owayephethe ngesikhathi sohambo lokugcina lokushumayela lukaMfoweth’ uRussell, umzalwane mumbe wathi kuye: “Mac, makhulu amathuba okuba kube nguwe othatha isikhundla. Uwena obungumbambeli okhethekile kaMfoweth’ uRussell ngesikhathi engekho, futhi wayesitshelile sonke ukuba senze njengoba usho. Uhambile-ke futhi akabange esabuya. Kubonakala sengathi uwena ozothatha izintambo.” UMfoweth’ uMacmillan waphendula: “Mfowethu, akufanele uyibheke kanjalo le ndaba. Ngumsebenzi weNkosi lona futhi okuwukuphela kwesikhundla ositholayo enhlanganweni yeNkosi yileso iNkosi ebona kufanele ukukunika sona; futhi ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi angiwufanele lo msebenzi.” UMfoweth’ uMacmillan wabe esetusa omunye ukuba athathe lesi sikhundla. NjengoGideyoni, wayezithobile—into okufanele siyenze sonke.

15. Yiziphi ezinye zezindlela esingasebenzisa ngazo ukuhlakanipha lapho sishumayeza abanye?

¹⁵ Nathi kufanele sibonise ukuthobeka endleleni esifeza ngayo isabelo sethu. UGideyoni wayehlakaniphile, futhi wazama ukungabacasuli ngokungadingekile ababemphikisa. Ngokufanayo, emsebenzini wethu wokushumayela, kufanele sibonise ukuthobeka nokuhlakanipha endleleni esikhuluma ngayo nabanye. Yiqiniso, sisempini engokomoya yokugumbuqela ‘izinto ezibiyelwe ngokuqinile nemicabango.’ (2 Korinte 10:4, 5) Kodwa akufanele sibabukele phansi abanye noma sibanikeze isizathu sokucasukela isigijimi sethu. Kunalokho, kufanele siyihloniphe imibono yabo, sikhulume ngalokho esivumelana ngakho, bese sigxila ezicini ezinhle zesigijimi sethu.—IzEnzo 22:1-3; 1 Korinte 9:22; IsAmbulo 21:4.

 UJesu—Isibonelo Sokuthobeka Esiphakeme Kunazo Zonke

16. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayethobekile?

¹⁶ Isibonelo sokuthobeka esihle kunazo zonke uJesu Kristu. * Naphezu kobuhlobo obuseduze noYise, uJesu akazange anqikaze ukuvuma ukuthi ezinye izinto zazingaphezu kwegunya lakhe. (Johane 1:14) Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi unina kaJakobe noJohane ecela ukuba amadodana akhe amabili aphahle uJesu embusweni wakhe, uJesu wathi: ‘Ukuhlala phansi ngakwesokunene sami nangakwesobunxele sami akukhona okwami ukuba ngiphane ngakho.’ (Mathewu 20:20-23) Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu wavuma ngaphandle kokuthandabuza: “Mina angikwazi ukwenza ngisho nento eyodwa ngokusuka kimi siqu . . . angifuni intando yami siqu, kodwa intando yalowo ongithumile.”—Johane 5:30; 14:28; Filipi 2:5, 6.

17. UJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukuthobeka ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabanye?

¹⁷ UJesu wayemkhulu ngazo zonke izindlela kubantu abangaphelele, futhi wayenegunya ayelinikwe uYise, uJehova, elingalingani nelamuntu. Noma kunjalo, uJesu wayesebenzelana nabalandeli bakhe ngokuthobeka. Akazange abakhungathekise ngokubagabisela ngolwazi. Wabonisa uzwela nobubele futhi wazicabangela izidingo zabantu. (Mathewu 15:32; 26:40, 41; Marku 6:31) Ngakho, nakuba uJesu ayephelele, wayengalindeli ukuphelela kwabanye. Akazange afune okwengeziwe kunalokho abafundi bakhe ababengakunikeza, engazange futhi abathwalise okungaphezu kwalokho ababengakuthwala. (Johane 16:12) Yingakho abaningi kangaka bamthola eqabula!—Mathewu 11:29.

Lingisa Isibonelo SikaJesu Sokuthobeka

18, 19. Singakulingisa kanjani ukuthobeka kukaJesu (a) endleleni esizibheka ngayo, (b) nasendleleni esiphatha ngayo abanye?

¹⁸ Uma umuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke owake waphila abonisa ukuthobeka, kufanele sikubonise kakhulu kangakanani-ke thina. Abantu abangaphelele ngokuvamile bayanqikaza ukuvuma ukuthi bamane nje abanalo igunya eliphelele. Nokho, amaKristu azama ukuba athobekile, elingisa uJesu. Awaqhoshi ukuba angebanikeze imithwalo yemfanelo labo abayifanelekelayo; futhi awaziphakamisi noma angafuni ukwamukela isiqondiso esivela kwabagunyazwe ukusinikeza. Njengoba ebonisa umoya wokubambisana, avumela zonke izinto ebandleni ukuba zenzeke “ngokufaneleyo nangohlelo.”—1 Korinte 14:40.

¹⁹ Ukuthobeka kuyosishukumisela ukuba sibe ngabalinganiselayo ngesikulindele kwabanye futhi sizicabangele izidingo zabo. (Filipi 4:5) Kungenzeka ukuthi sinamakhono athile noma amandla okwenza okuthile abanye abangenawo. Kodwa uma sithobekile, ngeke sihlale silindele ukuba abanye benze izinto ngendlela thina esifuna bazenze ngayo. Njengoba sazi ukuthi umuntu ngamunye unokulinganiselwa kwakhe, ngokuthobeka siyokwamukela ukushiyeka kwabanye. UPetru wabhala: “Ngaphezu kwako konke, yibani nothando olukhulu ngomunye nomunye, ngoba uthando lumboza izono eziningi.”—1 Petru 4:8.

20. Yini esingayenza ukuze sinqobe ukuthambekela kokungazithobi?

²⁰ Njengoba sifundile, ngempela kwabathobekileyo kukhona ukuhlakanipha. Kuthiwani-ke kodwa uma unokuthambekela kokungazithobi noma ukugabadela? Ungadikibali. Kunalokho, landela isibonelo sikaDavide, owathandaza: “Nqanda inceku yakho nasezenzweni zokugabadela; ungazivumeli ukuba zingibuse.” (IHubo 19:13) Ngokulingisa ukholo lwamadoda anjengoPawulu, uGideyoni—futhi ngaphezu kwabo bonke—uJesu Kristu, siyozibonela ngawethu ukuba yiqiniso kwala mazwi: “Kwabathobekileyo kukhona ukuhlakanipha.”—IzAga 11:2.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ingabe Uyakhumbula

• Kuyini ukuthobeka?

• Singakulingisa kanjani ukuthobeka kukaPawulu?

• Yini esingayifunda ngokuthobeka esibonelweni sikaGideyoni?

• UJesu wasibeka kanjani isibonelo esiphakeme sokuthobeka?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Ukuthobeka kukaPawulu kwamakhela ugazi kumaKristu ayekanye nawo

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

UGideyoni wasebenzisa ukuhlakanipha lapho enza intando kaNkulunkulu

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

UJesu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, ubonisa ukuthobeka kukho konke akwenzayo