Sihlanzelwe Imisebenzi Emihle
Sihlanzelwe Imisebenzi Emihle
“Masizihlanzeni kukho konke ukungcola kwenyama nokomoya, siphelelisa ubungcwele ekwesabeni uNkulunkulu.”—2 KORINTE 7:1.
1. UJehova ufuna babe njani labo abamkhulekelayo?
“NGUBANI oyakukhuphukela entabeni kaJehova, ngubani oyakuma endaweni yakhe engcwele na?” INkosi uDavide yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo yabuza lo mbuzo oshukumisa ingqondo ngokukhulekela okwamukelekayo kuJehova. Yabe isiwuphendula: “Yilowo onezandla ezingenacala nenhliziyo ehlanzekileyo, ongaphenduleli umphefumulo wakhe emangeni nongafungi ngenkohliso.” (IHubo 24:3, 4) Ukuze umuntu amukeleke kuJehova, owubungcwele, kumelwe ahlanzeke futhi abe ngcwele. Ngaphambili, uJehova wayekhumbuze ibandla lama-Israyeli: “Zingcweliseni, nibe ngcwele, ngokuba mina ngingcwele.”—Levitikusi 11:44, 45; 19:2.
2. UPawulu noJakobe bakugcizelela kanjani ukubaluleka kokuhlanzeka ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso?
2 Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu ayekanye nawo emzini waseKorinte owawukhohlakele: “Njengoba sinalezizithembiso, bathandekayo, masizihlanzeni kukho konke ukungcola kwenyama nokomoya, siphelelisa ubungcwele ekwesabeni uNkulunkulu.” (2 Korinte 7:1) Nalokhu kusagcizelela iphuzu lokuthi ukuze umuntu abe nobuhlobo noNkulunkulu futhi athole izibusiso azithembisile, kumelwe ahlanzeke ngokwenyama nangokomoya futhi angabi nankohlakalo. Umfundi uJakobe naye wabhala ngokukhulekela okwamukelwa uNkulunkulu: “Indlela yokukhulekela ehlanzekile nengangcolile ngokombono kaNkulunkulu noBaba wethu yile: ukunakekela izintandane nabafelokazi osizini lwabo, nokuba umuntu azigcine engenalo ibala elivela ezweni.”—Jakobe 1:27.
3. Ukuze ukukhulekela kwethu kwamukeleke kuNkulunkulu, yini okumelwe sizihluphe ngayo?
3 Njengoba ukuhlanzeka nobungcwele kuyizici ezibaluleke kangaka ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso, noma ubani ofisa ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu kufanele azihluphe ngokufinyelela lezi zimfuneko. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi abantu namuhla banezindinganiso nemibono ehlukene kakhulu ngokuhlanzeka, kudingeka siqonde lokho uJehova akubheka njengokuhlanzekile nokwamukelekayo futhi sizivumelanise nako. Kudingeka sithole ukuthi yini uNkulunkulu ayifunayo kubakhulekeli bakhe kulokhu nokuthi yini ayenzile ukuze abasize babe abahlanzekile nabamukelekayo kuye futhi baqhubeke benjalo.—IHubo 119:9; Daniyeli 12:10.
Babehlanzekile Ngenxa Yokukhulekela Kweqiniso
4. Chaza ukuhlanzeka ngomqondo weBhayibheli.
4 Kubantu abaningi ukuhlanzeka kumane kusho ukungangcoli. Kodwa eBhayibhelini umqondo wokuhlanzeka uvezwa ngamagama amaningana esiHeberu nesiGreki angachazi nje ukuhlanzeka ngomqondo ongokwenyama, kodwa ngokuvamile ngomqondo wokuziphatha nongokomoya. Yingakho enye i-encyclopedia yeBhayibheli ithi: “Amagama athi ‘ukuhlanzeka’ nelithi ‘ukungahlanzeki’ awavamile ukubhekisela kwezempilo, kodwa ngokuyinhloko anomqondo ongokwenkolo. Ngakho isimiso ‘sokuhlanzeka’ sithinta cishe zonke izici zokuphila.”
5. UMthetho KaMose wawukulawula ngezinga elingakanani ukuhlanzeka ekuphileni kwama-Israyeli?
5 Yebo, uMthetho KaMose wawunemithetho nezimiso ezazithinta cishe zonke izici zokuphila kwama-Israyeli, zibalula lokho okwakuhlanzekile nokwakwamukeleka nokwakungenjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, ezahlukweni 11 kuya ku-15 zikaLevitikusi, kuneziyalezo eziningiliziwe ngokuhlanzeka nokungahlanzeki. Kunezilwane ezazingcolile okwakungamelwe ama-Israyeli azidle. Ukubeletha kwakwenza owesifazane abe ongcolile isikhathi esithile esinqunyiwe. Izifo ezithile zesikhumba, ikakhulu uchoko, nokuphuma esithweni sobulili sowesilisa nakwesowesifazane nako kwakwenza umuntu abe ongcolile. UMthetho wawuchaza nalokho okwakufanele kwenziwe kumuntu ongcolile. Ngokwesibonelo, kuNumeri 5:2, siyafunda: “Yala abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukuba bakhiphe ekamu bonke abanochoko, nabo bonke abacucuzayo, nabo bonke abangcoliswe ngabafileyo.”
6. Yayiyini injongo yemithetho yokuhlanzeka?
6 Akungabazeki ukuthi le mithetho neminye eyayivela kuJehova yayiqukethe imibono yezokwelapha neyokusebenza kwezitho zomuntu okwakusekude kakhulu yaziwe ochwepheshe, futhi abantu babesizakala ngokuyigcina. Noma kunjalo, le mithetho yayingesona nje isimiso sezempilo noma iziqondiso zezokwelapha. Yayiyingxenye yokukhulekela kweqiniso. Ukuthinta kwayo ukuphila kwabantu kwansuku zonke—ukudla, ukubeletha, ukuphathana kwabashadile, njalonjalo—kwakumane kugcizelela ukuthi njengoNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova wayenelungelo lokubanqumela lokho okufanele nokungafanele kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwabo okwakunikezelwe kuJehova kuphela.—Duteronomi 7:6; IHubo 135:4.
7. Isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasiyothola siphi isibusiso ngokugcina uMthetho?
7 Isivumelwano soMthetho sasivikela ama-Israyeli nasemikhubeni engcolisayo yezizwe ezaziwazungezile. Ngokuwugcina ngokwethembeka uMthetho, kanye nazo zonke izimfuneko zokuhlala ehlanzekile phambi kukaJehova, ama-Israyeli ayeyokufanelekela ukukhonza uNkulunkulu wawo nokuthola isibusiso sakhe. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, uJehova watshela lesi sizwe: “Uma nilalela nokulalela izwi lami, nigcine isivumelwano sami, niyakuba yigugu kimi kunazo zonke izizwe, ngokuba umhlaba wonke ungowami, nibe ngumbuso wabapristi kimi, nesizwe esingcwele.”—Eksodusi 19:5, 6; Duteronomi 26:19.
8. Kungani amaKristu namuhla kufanele akunake lokho okushiwo uMthetho ngokuhlanzeka?
8 Njengoba uJehova afaka imininingwane enjalo eMthethweni ukuze afundise ama-Israyeli indlela yokuhlanzeka, yokuba ngcwele neyokwamukeleka kuye, akufanelekile yini namuhla ukuba amaKristu ahlolisise ukuthi angazifinyelela kanjani lezi zimfuneko? Nakuba amaKristu engaboshiwe uMthetho, kumelwe akhumbule ukuthi, njengoba uPawulu achaza, zonke izinto ezalotshwa eMthethweni “ziyisithunzi sezinto ezizayo, kodwa okungokoqobo kungokukaKristu.” (Kolose 2:17; Heberu 10:1) Uma uJehova uNkulunkulu othi “angiguquki,” ayebheka ukuhlanzeka njengesici esibaluleke kangaka ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso ngaleso sikhathi, nathi namuhla kumelwe sikubheke njengokubalulekile ukuhlanzeka ngokwenyama, ngokuziphatha nangokomoya uma sifuna asamukele futhi asibusise.—Malaki 3:6; Roma 15:4; 1 Korinte 10:11, 31.
Ukuhlanzeka Ngokwenyama Kusenza Sibhekwe Kahle
9, 10. (a) Kungani ukuhlanzeka ngokwenyama kubalulekile kumKristu? (b) Abantu baye bathini ngemihlangano yoFakazi BakaJehova?
9 Ingabe ukuhlanzeka ngokwenyama kuseyisici esibalulekile ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso? Nakuba ukuhlanzeka ngokwenyama kukodwa kungamenzi umuntu abe umkhulekeli kaNkulunkulu, kuyafaneleka impela ukuba umkhulekeli weqiniso ahlanzeke ngangokunokwenzeka ngokwenyama. Njengoba namuhla abantu abaningi bengakunaki ukuzigcina behlanzekile bona, izingubo zabo, noma indawo abakuyo, labo abakunakayo baye baqapheleke kwabanye. Lokhu kungaba nemiphumela emihle, njengoba nje uPawulu atshela amaKristu aseKorinte: “Nangayiphi indlela asinikezi sizathu sokukhubeka, ukuze inkonzo yethu ingatholakali inephutha; kodwa ngazo zonke izindlela sizitusa njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu.”—2 Korinte 6:3, 4.
10 Sekukaningi izikhulu zezwe zincoma oFakazi BakaJehova ngokuhlanzeka kwabo, ukuhleleka, ukuziphatha nemikhuba enenhlonipho okubonakala ikakhulu emihlanganweni yabo emikhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho likhuluma ngomhlangano owawusesifundazweni saseSavona, e-Italy, iphephandaba i-Stampa lathi: “Into evele igqame uma uhamba kula magceke ukuhlanzeka nokuhleleka kwabantu abawasebenzisayo.” Ngemva komhlangano woFakazi owawusenkundleni yaseSão Paulo, eBrazil, umphathi wenkundla watshela umqondisi weqembu lakhe elihlanzayo: “Kusukela manje kuqhubeke sifuna le nkundla ihlanzwe ngendlela oFakazi BakaJehova abayihlanze ngayo.” Kuyo le nkundla esinye isikhulu sathi: “Uma oFakazi BakaJehova befuna ukuqasha le nkundla, into esikhathazeka ngayo izinsuku abayidinga ngazo kuphela. Akukho okunye.”
11, 12. (a) Yisiphi isimiso seBhayibheli okufanele sisikhumbule ngokuhlanzeka kwethu? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esingazibuza yona ngemikhuba nokuphila kwethu?
11 Uma ukuhlanzeka nokuhleleka endaweni esikhulekela kuyo kungadumisa uNkulunkulu esimkhonzayo, kumelwe nakanjani ukuba ukubonisa lezi zimfanelo ekuphileni kwethu kubaluleke ngezinga elifanayo. Nokho, uma sisodwa emizini yethu, singase sibe nomuzwa wokuthi sinelungelo lokuzenzela umathanda. Angithi endabeni yokugqoka nokuzilungisa sikhululekile ukuzikhethela lokho okusihlala kahle nesikuthandayo! Kodwa ngezinga elikhulu, le nkululeko inemingcele. Khumbula ukuthi lapho ekhuluma ngalokho umuntu akhetha ukukudla, uPawulu waxwayisa amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Qhubekani niqaphela ukuba ngandlela-thile leligunya lenu lingabi itshe lokukhubekisa kulabo ababuthakathaka.” Wabe esesho isimiso esibalulekile: “Zonke izinto zingokomthetho; kodwa akuzona zonke izinto ezinosizo. Zonke izinto zingokomthetho; kodwa akuzona zonke izinto ezakhayo.” (1 Korinte 8:9; 10:23) Lesi seluleko sikaPawulu sisebenza kanjani kithi endabeni yokuhlanzeka?
12 Kufanele ukuba abantu balindele ukuba isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu sihlanzeke futhi sihleleke ekuphileni kwaso. Ngakho-ke, kufanele siqiniseke ukuthi indlela ebukeka ngayo imizi yethu nendawo esikuyo ayikuthunazi lokho esithi siyikho, izikhonzi zeZwi likaNkulunkulu. Imizi yethu inikeza buphi ubufakazi ngathi nezinkolelo zethu? Iyabonisa yini ukuthi sikulangazelela ngempela ukuphila ezweni elisha lokulunga elihlanzekile nelihlelekile, esibatshela kangaka ngalo abanye? (2 Petru 3:13) Ngokufanayo, nokubukeka kwethu—lapho siziphumulele noma lapho sisenkonzweni—kungenza isigijimi esisishumayelayo sikhange nakakhulu noma kusithune. Ngokwesibonelo, phawula lokhu okwashiwo yintatheli yephephandaba laseMexico: “Ziningi ngempela izingane koFakazi BakaJehova, futhi into ephawulekayo yindlela ezigunde ngayo, ukuhlanzeka kwazo, nendlela ehloniphekile ezigqoke ngayo.” Akuve kujabulisa ukuba nezingane ezinjalo phakathi kwethu!
13. Yini esingayenza ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi ukuphila kwethu kwansuku zonke kuhlanzekile futhi kuhlelekile kuzo zonke izici?
13 Yiqiniso, ukukhuluma ngokuzigcina sihlanzekile futhi sihlelekile njalo thina, izinto zethu nemizi yethu kulula kunokukwenza. Asidingi izinto noma imishini eminingi eyinkimbinkimbi nebizayo, kodwa kudingeka ukuhlela kahle nokuqhubeka sizama. Kumelwe sihlele isikhathi sokugeza, siwashe izingubo, sihlanze indlu, imoto, nokunye. Ukuba matasa enkonzweni, sibe khona emihlanganweni, senze nesifundo somuntu siqu—sibe senza nezinye izinto zosuku okumelwe nakanjani sizenze—akusiniki ibhaxa lokungakunaki ukuhlanzeka nokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu nabantu. Isimiso esisijwayele esithi “konke kunesikhathi sakho” sisebenza ngendlela efanayo nakulesi sici sokuphila kwethu.—UmShumayeli 3:1.
Inhliziyo Engangcolile
14. Kungani singase sithi ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha nokungokomoya kubaluleke ngisho nakakhulu kunokungokwenyama?
14 Yize kubalulekile ukunaka ukuhlanzeka okungokwenyama, ukukhathalela ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha nokungokomoya kubaluleke nakakhulu. Okusenza siphethe kanjalo ukukhumbula ukuthi uJehova akasilahlelanga ukungcola okungokwenyama isizwe sama-Israyeli, kodwa wasilahlela ukonakala kokuziphatha nokungokomoya. Ngomprofethi u-Isaya, uJehova wathi kuwo, ngenxa yokuthi ‘ayisizwe esonayo, abantu abasindwe ngububi,’ imihlatshelo yawo, ukugcina kwawo izinsuku zokwethwasa kwenyanga nezesabatha, ngisho nemithandazo yawo kwase kuwumthwalo kuye. Yini okwakufanele ayenze ukuze aphinde azitholele umusa kaNkulunkulu? UJehova wathi: “Gezani, nihlanzeke, nisuse ububi bezenzo zenu phambi kwamehlo ami, niyeke ukwenza okubi.”—Isaya 1:4, 11-16.
15, 16. UJesu wathi yini engcolisa umuntu futhi singazuza kanjani emazwini akhe?
15 Ukuze sikuqonde kakhudlwana ukubaluleka kokuhlanzeka kokuziphatha nokungokomoya, ake sicabange ngalokho uJesu akusho ngenkathi abaFarisi nababhali begomela bethi abafundi bakhe bangcolile ngoba bengazigezanga izandla ngaphambi kokudla. UJesu wabalungisa, wathi: “Akukhona okungena emlonyeni womuntu okumngcolisayo; kodwa yilokho okuphuma emlonyeni wakhe okungcolisa umuntu.” UJesu wabe esechaza: “Izinto eziphuma emlonyeni zivela enhliziyweni, lezo zinto ziyamngcolisa umuntu. Ngokwesibonelo, enhliziyweni kuvela imicabango emibi, ukubulala, ukuphinga, ubufebe, ukweba, ubufakazi obungamanga, ukuhlambalaza. Yilezizinto ezingcolisa umuntu; kodwa ukudla ukudla ngezandla ezingageziwe akumngcolisi umuntu.”—Mathewu 15:11, 18-20.
16 Yini esiyifunda emazwini kaJesu? UJesu wayesho ukuthi izenzo ezimbi, zokuziphatha okubi, nezingcolile zandulelwa ukuthambekela kwenhliziyo okubi, kokuziphatha okubi, nokungcolile. Njengoba umfundi uJakobe asho, “yilowo nalowo ulingwa ngokuhehwa nangokuhungwa isifiso sakhe siqu.” (Jakobe 1:14, 15) Ngakho uma singafuni ukuwela ezonweni ezimbi ezachazwa uJesu, kumelwe sikususe ngokuphelele futhi singakuvumeli kungene enhliziyweni yethu ukuthambekela ezintweni ezinjalo. Lokho kusho ukuthi kumelwe siqaphe esikufundayo, esikubukayo nesikulalelayo. Namuhla, abezokuzijabulisa nabezokukhangisa bakhiqiza inqwaba yomculo nezithombe ezanelisa inyama enesono, ngoba bethi banenkululeko yokukhuluma neyokuqamba. Kufanele sizimisele ukuba singayivumeli imibono enjalo igxile enhliziyweni yethu. Iphuzu eliyinhloko ukuthi ukuze simjabulise uNkulunkulu futhi asamukele, kumelwe sihlale siqaphile ukuze silondoloze inhliziyo ehlanzekile.—IzAga 4:23.
Sihlanzelwe Imisebenzi Emihle
17. UJehova ubahlanzeleni abantu bakhe?
17 Impela kuyisibusiso nesivikelo ukuthi, ngosizo lukaJehova singaba nokuma okuhlanzekile phambi kwakhe. (2 Korinte 6:14-18) Kodwa siyaqonda nokuthi uJehova ubahlanzele injongo ekhethekile abantu bakhe. UPawulu watshela uThithu ukuthi uKristu Jesu “wazinikela ngenxa yethu ukuze asikhulule kuyo yonke inhlobo yokungabi namthetho futhi azihlanzele isizwe okungesakhe siqu kuphela, esishisekela imisebenzi emihle.” (Thithu 2:14) Njengabantu abahlanziwe, yimiphi le misebenzi okumelwe siyishisekele?
18. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyayishisekela imisebenzi emihle?
18 Ngokuyinhloko, kufanele sizikhandle ekumemezeleni obala izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngokwenza kanjalo, sinikeza wonke umuntu kuyo yonke indawo ithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyobe ungasenako nhlobo ukungcola. (2 Petru 3:13) Imisebenzi yethu emihle ihlanganisa nokubonisa izithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke, kanjalo sikhazimulise uBaba wethu osezulwini. (Galathiya 5:22, 23; 1 Petru 2:12) Asibakhohlwa nalabo abangekho eqinisweni okungenzeka bahlukunyezwe izinhlekelele zemvelo nezibangelwa abantu. Sihlale sisikhumbula iseluleko sikaPawulu esithi: “Khona-ke ngempela, uma nje sinesikhathi esihle sakho, masisebenzeni okuhle kubo bonke, kodwa ikakhulukazi kulabo abahlobene nathi okholweni.” (Galathiya 6:10) Yonke le misebenzi emihle, esuka enhliziyweni ehlanzekile nenesisusa esihle, iyamjabulisa uNkulunkulu.—1 Thimothewu 1:5.
19. Yiziphi izibusiso esiyozithola uma siqhubeka silondoloza indinganiso ephakeme yokuhlanzeka—ngokwenyama, ngokuziphatha nangokomoya?
19 Njengezinceku zoPhezukonke, silalela amazwi kaPawulu: “Nginincenga ngobubele bukaNkulunkulu, bafowethu, ukuba nethule imizimba yenu ingumhlatshelo ophilayo, ongcwele, owamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, uyinkonzo engcwele ngamandla enu okucabanga.” (Roma 12:1) Kwangathi singaqhubeka silazisa ilungelo lokuhlanzwa uJehova, senze konke okusemandleni ukuze silondoloze indinganiso ephakeme yokuhlanzeka ngokwenyama, ngokuziphatha nangokomoya. Ukwenza kanjalo ngeke kusenze sizihloniphe futhi saneliseke manje kuphela kodwa kuyosinika nethemba lokubona “izinto zangaphambili” zidlula—isimiso samanje esibi nesingcolile—lapho uNkulunkulu “enza zonke izinto zibe zintsha.”—IsAmbulo 21:4, 5.
Uyakhumbula?
• Kungani ama-Israyeli anikwa imithetho eminingi yenhlanzeko?
• Ukuhlanzeka ngokwenyama kusenza kanjani sikhange isigijimi esisishumayelayo?
• Kungani ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha nokungokomoya kubaluleke nakakhulu kunokungokwenyama?
• Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi singabantu ‘abashisekela imisebenzi emihle’?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Izithombe ekhasini 21]
Ukuhlanzeka ngokwenyama kusenza sikhange nakakhulu isigijimi esisishumayelayo
[Isithombe ekhasini 22]
UJesu waxwayisa ngokuthi imicabango emibi izala izenzo ezimbi
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
Njengabantu abahlanziwe, oFakazi BakaJehova bashisekela imisebenzi emihle