Thokoza Ngokulunga KukaJehova

“Olandela ukulunga nomusa uyafumana ukuphila, nokulunga, nodumo.”—IZAGA 21:21.

1. Yiziphi izinto abantu abazenzayo namuhla eziye zaholela emonakalweni?

“KUKHONA indlela eqondile phambi komuntu, kepha ukuphela kwayo kuyizindlela zokufa.” (IzAga 16:25) Yeka indlela lesi saga seBhayibheli esizichaza ngokunembe ngayo izindlela zabantu abaningi namuhla! Abantu baye bakhathalele ukwenza okuthandwa yibo kuphela, bangazinaki ngisho nezidingo eziyisisekelo zabanye. (IzAga 21:2) Imithetho nezindinganiso zezwe bazigcina ngomlomo nje, bebe befuna izindledlana zokuzibalekela noma nini uma kuvela ithuba. Lokhu kuye kwakha umphakathi ohlukene phakathi, odidekile, nokhungathekile.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5.

2. Yini isintu esiyidinga ngokuphuthumayo ukuze sisizakale?

² Ukuze sisizakale—futhi umkhaya wesintu ube nokuthula nokulondeka—siwudinga ngokuphuthumayo umthetho noma indinganiso enobulungisa nelungile, bonke abantu abazimisele ukuyamukela nokuyithobela. Kusobala ukuthi akukho mthetho noma indinganiso emiswe umuntu engahlangabezana naleso sidingo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lowo muntu uhlakaniphe noma uqotho kangakanani. (Jeremiya 10:23; Roma 3:10, 23) Uma ikhona indinganiso enjalo, itholakalaphi futhi injani? Mhlawumbe umbuzo obaluleke nakakhulu yilo, Uma indinganiso enjalo ikhona, ungayithokozela yini futhi uphile ngayo?

Ukuthola Indinganiso Yokulunga

3. Ubani okufanelekela kakhulu ukunika bonke abantu indinganiso eyamukelekayo nezuzisayo, futhi ngani?

³ Ukuze sithole indinganiso eyamukelekayo nezuzisa wonke umuntu, kudingeka siyifune kumuntu ongavinjwa neze imingcele yobuhlanga, yamasiko neyezombusazwe futhi ongathiywa neze umbono olinganiselwe nobuthaka babantu. Ngaphandle kokungabaza, okunguye yedwa ofanelekayo nguMdali onguMninimandla onke, uJehova uNkulunkulu, othi: “[Njengoba] amazulu ephakeme kunomhlaba,  kanjalo izindlela zami ziphakeme kunezindlela zenu, nemicabango yami kunemicabango yenu.” (Isaya 55:9) Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli lithi uJehova “unguNkulunkulu wokuthembeka ongenakonakala; ulungile, uqotho yena.” (Duteronomi 32:4) Inkulumo ethi “uJehova ulungile” siyithola kulo lonke iBhayibheli. (Eksodusi 9:27; 2 IziKronike 12:6; IHubo 11:7; 129:4; IsiLilo 1:18; IsAmbulo 19:2, umbhalo waphansi we-NW) Yebo, singabheka kuJehova ukuze sithole indinganiso ephakeme kunazo zonke ngoba uthembekile, unobulungisa futhi ulungile.

4. Lingase lisho ukuthini igama elithi “okulungile”?

⁴ Iningi labantu alibanambithisisi abantu abacabanga ukuthi balungile noma bangcwele kunabanye, mhlawumbe lize libacanukele imbala. Nokho, igama elithi “okulungile” lingase lisho okunobulungisa, okuqotho, okuhle; okungenacala, okungenasono; okuvumelana nezimiso nomthetho waphezulu noma izindinganiso ezamukelwayo zokuziphatha. Ubungeke yini uthokoze ngomthetho noma indinganiso enazo zonke lezo zici ezinhle?

5. Chaza imfanelo yokulunga ngendlela evezwe ngayo eBhayibhelini.

⁵ I-Encyclopaedia Judaica ithi ngemfanelo yokulunga: “Igama elithi ukulunga aliwona umqondo ogcina ngokuba sengqondweni kodwa lihilela ukwenza into ewubulungisa nefanele kubo bonke abantu.” Ngokwesibonelo, ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu akuyona nje imfanelo engaphakathi kuye, njengobungcwele nobumsulwa bakhe. Kunalokho, kuveza ubunjalo bakhe ngezindlela ezilungile nezinobulungisa. Kungashiwo ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ungcwele futhi umsulwa, konke akwenzayo nakho konke okuvela kuye kulungile. Njengoba iBhayibheli lisho, “UJehova ulungile ezindleleni zakhe zonke, unomusa emisebenzini yakhe yonke.”—IHubo 145:17.

6. UPawulu wathini ngamaJuda athile ayengakholwa ngosuku lwakhe, futhi ngani?

⁶ Umphostoli uPawulu waligcizelela lelo phuzu encwadini ayibhalela amaKristu eRoma. Ekhuluma ngamaJuda athile ayengakholwa, wabhala: ‘Ngenxa yokungakwazi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kodwa efuna ukumisa okwawo siqu, awazithobanga ekulungeni kukaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 10:3) Kungani uPawulu athi lawo maJuda ‘ayengakwazi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu’? Ayengafundisiwe yini uMthetho, izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga? Ayefundisiwe. Kodwa, iningi lawo lalibheka ukulunga njengokumane kuyimfanelo enhle umuntu angayithola ngokugcina imicikilisho nemidanti yemithetho yenkolo, hhayi njengendinganiso yokuwaqondisa endleleni aphatha ngayo abanye. Njengabaholi benkolo bosuku lukaJesu, ayengakuqondi neze lokho okushiwo ubulungisa nokulunga.—Mathewu 23:23-28.

7. UJehova ukubonisa kanjani ukulunga kwakhe?

⁷ Ngokuhluke kakhulu, ukulunga kukaJehova kubonakala ngokucacile kukho konke akwenzayo. Nakuba engazishalazeli izono zabona ngamabomu ngoba elungile, lokho akumenzi abe uNkulunkulu ongenamizwa, olukhuni, okufanele esatshwe futhi kungasondelwa kuye. Kunalokho, izenzo zakhe zokulunga ziye zanikeza isisekelo sokuba abantu baye kuye futhi basindiswe emiphumeleni emibi yesono. Ngakho, kufaneleka ngokugcwele ukuba uJehova achazwe ngokuthi “uNkulunkulu olungileyo noMsindisi.”—Isaya 45:21.

Ukulunga Nensindiso

8, 9. UMthetho wakuveza kanjani ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu?

⁸ Ukuze siqonde ukuhlobana kokulunga kukaNkulunkulu nesenzo sakhe sothando sokusindisa, cabanga ngoMthetho awunika isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngoMose. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lo Mthetho wawulungile. Emazwini akhe okuvalelisa, uMose wakhumbuza ama-Israyeli: “Yisiphi isizwe esikhulu esinezimiso nezahlulelo ezilungile njengawo wonke lo mthetho engiwubeka phambi kwenu namuhla na?” (Duteronomi 4:8) Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, iNkosi yakwa-Israyeli uDavide yathi: “Imithetho kaJehova  iyiqiniso, ilungile yonke.”—IHubo 19:9.

⁹ Esebenzisa uMthetho, uJehova wazenza zacaca izindinganiso zakhe eziphelele zokulungile nokungalungile. UMthetho wayiveza ngokuningiliziwe indlela ama-Israyeli okwakumelwe aziphathe ngayo, hhayi ezindabeni zenkolo kuphela, kodwa nakwezebhizinisi, emshadweni, kwezokudla nenhlanzeko, nasezinqumweni zokwahlulela. UMthetho wawunanezijeziso eziqatha kwabawuphulayo, ngisho nesigwebo sokufa ezimweni ezithile. * Kodwa ingabe izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga ezaziseMthethweni zaziwumthwalo okhandlayo nosindayo kubantu, zibaphuca inkululeko nenjabulo, njengoba besho kanjalo abantu abaningi namuhla?

10. Labo ababemthanda uJehova babezizwa kanjani ngemithetho yakhe?

¹⁰ Labo ababemthanda uJehova babeyithokozela kakhulu imithetho nemiyalo yakhe yokulunga. Ngokwesibonelo, iNkosi uDavide ayigcinanga ngokuvuma ukuthi izinqumo zokwahlulela zikaJehova ziyiqiniso futhi zilungile, njengoba sibonile, kodwa futhi yayizithanda, izazisa ngenhliziyo yonke. Ngokuphathelene nezinqumo zokwahlulela nemithetho kaJehova, yabhala: “Inxanelekile kunegolide, kunegolide elihlanzekileyo eliningi; imnandi kunezinyosi, kunoju lwamakhekheba. Nenceku yakho iyayalwa ngayo; oyigcinayo uyakuba nomvuzo omkhulu.”—IHubo 19:7, 10, 11.

11. UMthetho waba kanjani ‘umfundisi oholela kuKristu’?

¹¹ Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, uPawulu waphawula inzuzo enkulu nakakhulu yoMthetho. Encwadini ayibhalela abaseGalathiya, wathi: “UMthetho uye waba umfundisi wethu oholela kuKristu, ukuze kuthiwe silungile ngenxa yokholo.” (Galathiya 3:24) Ngosuku lukaPawulu, umfundisi (tutor) wayeyinceku noma isigqila emkhayeni omkhulu. Kwakuwumsebenzi wakhe ukuvikela izingane nokuziphelezela aziyise esikoleni. Ngokufanayo, uMthetho wawuvikela ama-Israyeli emikhubeni eyonakele yokuziphatha nengokwenkolo yezizwe ezaziwazungezile. (Duteronomi 18:9-13; Galathiya 3:23) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMthetho wenza ama-Israyeli azibona ukuthi anesono nokuthi adinga intethelelo nensindiso. (Galathiya 3:19) Amalungiselelo emihlatshelo áveza isidingo somhlatshelo wesihlengo anikeza nophawu olungokwesiprofetho ayezobonakala ngalo uMesiya weqiniso. (Heberu 10:1, 11, 12) Ngakho, njengoba uJehova abonisa ukulunga kwakhe ngoMthetho, wakwenza ecabangela inhlalakahle nensindiso yabantu yaphakade.

Labo UNkulunkulu Ábabheka Njengabalungile

12. Ukugcina uMthetho ngokucophelela kwakuyowazuzelani ama-Israyeli?

¹² Njengoba uMthetho owawunikezwe nguJehova wawulunge ngokuphelele, ukuwulalela kwama-Israyeli kwakungawazuzela ukuma kokulunga phambi kukaNkulunkulu. UMose wakhumbuza ama-Israyeli lapho esezongena eZweni Lesithembiso: “Kuyakuba ngukulunga  kithi, uma sigcina ukwenza yonke le miyalo phambi kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, njengalokho esiyalile.” (Duteronomi 6:25) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova wayethembisile: “Anogcina izimiso zami nezahlulelo zami; uma umuntu ezenza, uyakuphila ngazo; nginguJehova.”—Levitikusi 18:5; Roma 10:5.

13. Ingabe uJehova wayebonisa ukungabi nabulungisa uma efuna abantu bakhe bagcine uMthetho wokulunga? Chaza.

¹³ Ngokudabukisayo, njengesizwe, ama-Israyeli ehluleka “ukwenza yonke le miyalo phambi kukaJehova” ayeselahlekelwa izibusiso ezazithenjisiwe. Ehluleka ukuyigcina yonke imiyalo kaNkulunkulu ngoba uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawuphelele kodwa wona engaphelele. Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanabo ubulungisa noma ukulunga? Phinde. UPawulu wabhala: “Khona-ke sizothini? Ingabe kukhona ukungabi nabulungisa kuNkulunkulu? Kwangathi kungelokothe kube njalo lokho!” (Roma 9:14) Empeleni, ngaphambi nangemva kokunikezwa koMthetho, uNkulunkulu wayebabheka abantu njengabalungile yize bengaphelele futhi benesono. Abanye balabo bantu ababesaba uNkulunkulu kwakunguNowa, u-Abrahama, uJobe, uRahabi noDaniyeli. (Genesise 7:1; 15:6; Jobe 1:1; Hezekeli 14:14; Jakobe 2:25) Nanku-ke umbuzo: UNkulunkulu wabheka laba bantu njengabalungile ngasiphi isisekelo?

14. Lisuke lisho ukuthini iBhayibheli uma lithi umuntu “ulungile”?

¹⁴ Lapho iBhayibheli lithi umuntu “ulungile,” alisho ukuthi akanasono noma uphelele. Kunalokho, lisuke lisho ukuthi uyazifeza izibopho zakhe kuNkulunkulu nakubantu. Ngokwesibonelo, uNowa wabizwa ngokuthi “indoda [“elungile,” NW], engenacala esizukulwaneni sakhe” ngoba “wenze njalo; njengalokho uNkulunkulu emyalile wakwenza.” (Genesise 6:9, 22; Malaki 3:18) UZakariya no-Elisabethe, abazali bakaJohane uMbhapathizi, “babelungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuhamba ngokungasoleki ngokuvumelana nayo yonke imiyalo nezimfuneko ezingokomthetho zikaJehova.” (Luka 1:6) UKorneliyu, isikhulu sebutho sase-Italiya esasingeyena umIsrayeli, naye wabizwa ngokuthi “indoda elungileyo neyesaba uNkulunkulu.”—IzEnzo 10:22.

15. Yini ehlobene eduze nokulunga?

¹⁵ Ngaphezu kwalokho, kubantu ukulunga akuhlobene nje kuphela nokwenza lokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo, kodwa kuhlobene eduze nalokho okusenhliziyweni yomuntu—ukholo lwakhe, ukwazisa nokuthanda uJehova nezithembiso zakhe. ImiBhalo ithi u-Abrahama “wakholwa nguJehova; wambalela lokho kwaba ngukulunga.” (Genesise 15:6) U-Abrahama wayengakholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu  ukhona nje kuphela kodwa wayenokholo nasesithembisweni sakhe ‘senzalo.’ (Genesise 3:15; 12:2; 15:5; 22:18) Ngesisekelo salolo kholo nemisebenzi evumelana nalo, uJehova wayengasebenzelana no-Abrahama nabanye abathembekile futhi ababusise yize babengaphelele.—IHubo 36:10; Roma 4:20-22.

16. Yini efezwe ukuba nokholo esihlengweni?

¹⁶ Ngokuyinhloko, kubantu ukulunga kuxhomeke ekubeni nokholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo sikaJesu Kristu. UPawulu wabhala ngamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala, wathi: “Kunjengesipho samahhala ukuthi ngomusa [kaNkulunkulu] ongafanelwe kuthiwa balungile ngokukhululwa ngesihlengo esakhokhwa uKristu Jesu.” (Roma 3:24) Lapho, uPawulu wayekhuluma ngalabo ababekhethwe ukuba babe izindlalifa noKristu eMbusweni wasezulwini. Kodwa umhlatshelo wesihlengo sikaJesu wavulela nezigidi zabanye ithuba lokuzuza ukuma kokulunga phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Embonweni, umphostoli uJohane wabona “isixuku esikhulu okungekho muntu owakwazi ukusibala, . . . simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu, sigqoke izivatho ezimhlophe.” Izivatho ezimhlophe zifanekisela ukuhlanzeka nokulunga kwaso phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngoba ‘sigeze izivatho zaso sazenza zaba mhlophe egazini leWundlu.’—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14.

Thokoza Ngokulunga KukaJehova

17. Yiziphi izinyathelo okumelwe sizithathe ukuze siphishekele ukulunga?

¹⁷ Nakuba ngothando uJehova eye wanikeza iNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, ukuba abantu bathole ngayo ukuma kokulunga phambi kwakhe, lokho kuma akuzenzakaleli. Umuntu kumelwe abonise ukholo esihlengweni, avumelanise ukuphila kwakhe nentando kaNkulunkulu, azinikezele kuJehova abese ekubonisa ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. Ngemva kwalokho, kumelwe aqhubeke ephishekela ukulunga, kanye nezinye izimfanelo ezingokomoya. UThimothewu, umKristu obhapathiziwe owayenobizo lwasezulwini, wakhuthazwa nguPawulu: “Phishekela ukulunga, ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ukholo, uthando, ukukhuthazela, ubumnene bomoya.” (1 Thimothewu 6:11; 2 Thimothewu 2:22) UJesu naye wasigcizelela isidingo sokuzikhandla okuqhubekayo lapho ethi: “Qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe.” Kungenzeka sizikhandla kakhulu sifuna izibusiso zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, kodwa ingabe sizikhandla ngendlela efanayo silandela izindlela zikaJehova zokulunga?—Mathewu 6:33.

18. (a) Kungani kungelula ukuphishekela ukulunga? (b) Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaLoti?

¹⁸ Yiqiniso, ukuphishekela ukulunga akulula. Isizathu siwukuthi sonke asiphelele futhi ngokwemvelo sithambekele ekwenzeni okungalungile. (Isaya 64:6) Ngaphezu kwalokho, sizungezwe abantu abangenandaba nezindlela zikaJehova zokulunga. Sisesimweni esifana kakhulu nesikaLoti owayephila emzini waseSodoma owawunedumela elibi. Umphostoli uPetru wachaza ukuthi kungani uJehova abona kufaneleka ukusindisa uLoti embubhisweni eyayiseduze. UPetru wathi: “Lowomuntu olungileyo ngalokho akubona nakuzwa ngesikhathi esahlala phakathi kwabo usuku nosuku wayehlupha umphefumulo wakhe olungileyo ngenxa yezenzo zabo zokungabi namthetho.” (2 Petru 2:7, 8) Ngakho, kungaba kuhle ngamunye wethu azibuze: ‘Ingabe ngenhliziyo ngiyayivuna imikhuba yokuziphatha okubi esiyibonayo? Ingabe ngimane nje angikuthandi ukuzijabulisa noma imidlalo ekhonziwe enobudlova? Noma ingabe lezi zinto ezingalungile ziyangihlupha njengoba zazihlupha uLoti?’

19. Yiziphi izibusiso esingazithola uma sithokoza ngokulunga kukaNkulunkulu?

 ¹⁹ Kulezi zinsuku eziyingozi nezingaqinisekile, ukuthokoza ngokulunga kukaJehova kuletha ukulondeka nesivikelo. Imibuzo ethi: “Jehova, ngubani oyakuhlala etendeni lakho na? Ngubani oyakwakha entabeni yakho engcwele na?” iNkosi uDavide yayiphendula yathi: “Yilowo ohamba ngobuqotho nowenza ukulunga.” (IHubo 15:1, 2) Ngokuphishekela ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu nokuthokoza ngako, singalondoloza ubuhlobo obuhle naye futhi siqhubeke sijabulela umusa nesibusiso sakhe. Ngakho, ukuphila kwethu kuba nokwaneliseka, ukuzihlonipha nokuthula kwengqondo. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Olandela ukulunga nomusa uyafumana ukuphila, nokulunga, nodumo.” (IzAga 21:21) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma sizama okusemandleni ethu ukwenza lokho okunobulungisa nokulungile kukho konke esikwenzayo siba nobuhlobo obuhle nabanye futhi nokuphila kwethu kuyathuthuka—ngokuziphatha nangokomoya. Umhubi wathi: “Babusisiwe abaqaphela ukwahlulela kwakhe, owenza ukulunga ngezikhathi zonke.”—IHubo 106:3.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungachaza?

• Kuyini ukulunga?

• Insindiso ihlobene kanjani nokulunga kukaNkulunkulu?

• UNkulunkulu ubheka abantu njengabalungile ngasiphi isisekelo?

• Singathokoza kanjani ngokulunga kukaJehova?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Izithombe ekhasini 15]

INkosi uDavide yathi imithetho kaNkulunkulu iyithanda ngenhliziyo yonke

[Izithombe ekhasini 16]

UNkulunkulu wabheka uNowa, u-Abrahama, uZakariya no-Elisabethe, noKorneliyu njengabalungile. Uyazi ukuthi kungani?