Khulekela UNkulunkulu “Ngomoya”

“Niyakumfanisa uNkulunkulu nobani, nimlinganise namuphi umfanekiso, na?”—ISAYA 40:18, “IBHAYIBHELI LESIZULU ELIVAMILE”

MHLAWUMBE ngobuqotho ucabanga ukuthi ukusebenzisa imifanekiso ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu kuyamukeleka. Ungase ube nomuzwa wokuthi lokhu kukusondeza kakhudlwana kuMuzwi wemithandazo ongabonakali, ongase abonakale engeyena umuntu ongokoqobo noqondakalayo.

Kodwa ingabe sikhululeke ngokuphelele ukuzikhethela indlela yethu yokukhulekela uNkulunkulu? Akufanele yini kube nguNkulunkulu ngokwakhe onqumayo ukuthi yini eyamukelekayo nengamukeleki? UJesu wachaza indlela uNkulunkulu ayibheka ngayo le ndaba lapho ethi: “Mina ngiyindlela‚ neqiniso‚ nokuphila; akakho oza kuBaba ngaphandle kwami.” (Johane 14:6) * Lawo mazwi ewodwa ayakwenqabela ukusetshenziswa kwemifanekiso nanoma yini enye engcwele.

Yebo, kunohlobo oluthile lokukhulekela uJehova uNkulunkulu alwamukelayo. Yiluphi? Ngesinye isikhathi, uJesu wachaza: “Isikhathi siyeza‚ sesikhona namanje‚ lapho abakhulekayo abaqinisileyo beyakukhuleka kuBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso; ngokuba uBaba ufuna abakhuleka kuye abanjalo. UNkulunkulu unguMoya; abakhuleka kuye bafanele ukukhuleka ngomoya nangeqiniso.”—Johane 4:23, 24.

Ingabe uNkulunkulu, ‘onguMoya,’ angamelelwa ngesithombe esibonakalayo? Cha. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umfanekiso uhlaba umxhwele kangakanani, awusoze walingana noNkulunkulu ngenkazimulo. Ngakho umfanekiso kaNkulunkulu awunakummelela ngokunembile. (Roma 1:22, 23) Ingabe umuntu  ‘umkhulekela ngeqiniso’ yini uNkulunkulu uma esebenzisa imifanekiso eyenziwe abantu?

Imfundiso Ecacile YeBhayibheli

UMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawukwenqabela ukwenza izithombe ngenjongo yokuzikhulekela. Umyalo wesibili eMiyalweni Eyishumi wathi: “Ungazenzeli izithombe ezibaziweyo, namfanekiso wokusezulwini ngaphezulu, nowokusemhlabeni phansi, nowokusemanzini phansi komhlaba; ungazikhothameli, ungazikhonzi.” (Eksodusi 20:4, 5) ImiBhalo YamaKristu ephefumulelwe nayo ithi: “Kubalekeleni ukukhonza izithombe.”—1 Korinte 10:14.

Yiqiniso, abaningi bagomela ngokuthi ukusebenzisa kwabo izithombe akukhona ukuzikhulekela. Ngokwesibonelo, amaKristu obu-Orthodox avame ukuphika ukuthi empeleni ayayikhulekela imifanekiso lapho ekhothamisa amakhanda, eguqa futhi ethandaza phambi kwayo. Umpristi wobu-Orthodox wabhala: “Siyihlonipha ngoba ingcwele, nangoba sihlonipha lokho ekumelelayo le Mifanekiso.”

Noma kunjalo, umbuzo usalokhu uwukuthi: Ingabe uNkulunkulu uyakuvumela ukusetshenziswa kwemifanekiso ngenjongo yalokho okuthiwa ukuyihlonipha kungaqondiwe? Akukho lapho iBhayibheli ligunyaza khona umkhuba onjalo. Lapho ama-Israyeli akha isithombe sethole, ethi asenzela ukuhlonipha uJehova, waveza ukuthi wayengakwamukeli neze lokho, wathi ayehlubukile.—Eksodusi 32:4-7.

Ingozi Ecashile

Ukusebenzisa izinto eziphathekayo ekukhulekeleni kuwumkhuba oyingozi. Kungabalinga kalula  abantu ukuba bakhulekele leyo nto, kunokuba bakhulekele uNkulunkulu okuthiwa iyammelela. Ngamanye amazwi, kugxilwa emfanekisweni, ukhulekelwe.

Lokho kwenzeka ezintweni eziningi ngezikhathi zama-Israyeli. Ngokwesibonelo, uMose wenza inyoka yethusi ofudukweni lokuphuma eGibithe. Ekuqaleni, umfanekiso wenyoka eyayisesibondeni wawenzelwe ukuphulukisa. Labo ababejeziswe ngokulunywa izinyoka babengabheka inyoka yethusi bese bethola usizo lukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngemva kokuba abantu bezinzile eZweni Lesithembiso, kubonakala sengathi benza lesi sibonda saba isithixo, njengokungathi inyoka yethusi ngokwayo yayinamandla okuphulukisa. Bayishisela impepho, baze bayiqamba negama, elithi Nehushitani.—Numeri 21:8, 9; 2 AmaKhosi 18:4.

Ama-Israyeli azama nokusebenzisa umphongolo wesivumelwano njengentelezi ezitheni zawo, kwaphumela enhlekeleleni. (1 Samuweli 4:3, 4; 5:11) Ngosuku lukaJeremiya, izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema zazikhathalela kakhulu ithempeli kunoNkulunkulu owayekhulekelwa kulo.—Jeremiya 7:12-15.

Umkhuba wokukhulekela izinto esikhundleni sikaNkulunkulu usathandwa. Umcwaningi uVitalij Ivanovich Petrenko wathi: “Umfanekiso . . . uba yiyona nto ekhulekelwayo, ube sengozini yokuba isithixo . . . Kumelwe kuvunywe ukuthi ngokuyisisekelo lona umqondo wobuqaba owafakwa izinkolelo ezithandwayo ekukhulekelweni kwemifanekiso.” Ngokufanayo, encwadini yakhe ethi Understanding the Greek Orthodox Church, umpristi weSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox uDemetrios Constantelos uthi: “Kungenzeka ukuba umKristu enze umfanekiso kube yiyona nto ayikhulekelayo.”

Ukuthi imifanekiso imane iyasiza ekukhulekeleni kungabazeka  kakhulu. Ngani? Akulona yini iqiniso ukuthi imifanekiso ethile kaMariya noma “yosanta” ingase ibhekwe njengefanelwe ukuzinikela okukhulu newusizo kakhulu kuneminye imifanekiso emelela yena lowo muntu osashona kudala? Ngokwesibonelo, umfanekiso othile omelela uMariya oseTínos, eGreece, unabalandeli bawo bama-Orthodox abazinikele, abahlukile kubalandeli abazinikele ngokufanayo bomfanekiso omelela uMariya oseSoumela, enyakatho yeGreece. Womabili la maqembu akholelwa ukuthi owawo umfanekiso ungcono, wenza izimangaliso ezinkulu kunezomunye, yize yomibili imelela umuntu oyedwa osashona kudala. Ngakho, empeleni abantu babheka imifanekiso ethile njengenamandla angempela futhi bayikhulekele.

Kuthandazwa ‘KoSanta’ Noma KuMariya?

Kodwa kuthiwani ngokuhlonishwa kwabantu abathile, njengoMariya noma “osanta”? Lapho ephendula uSathane owayemlinga, uJesu wabhekisela kuDuteronomi 6:13 wathi: “Wokhuleka eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho‚ umkhonze yena yedwa.” (Mathewu 4:10) Kamuva wathi abakhulekeli beqiniso babeyokhulekela “uBaba,” hhayi omunye umuntu. (Johane 4:23) Ikwazi lokhu, ingelosi yamkhuza umphostoli uJohane lapho ezama ukuyikhulekela, yathi: “Musa . . . khuleka kuNkulunkulu.”—IsAmbulo 22:9.

Kuyafaneleka yini ukuthandaza kunina kaJesu wasemhlabeni, uMariya, noma ‘kusanta’ othile, simcele asinxusele kuNkulunkulu? Impendulo yeBhayibheli eqondile ithi: “Ngokuba munye uNkulunkulu‚ munye nomlamuleli phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu‚ umuntu uKristu Jesu.”—1 Thimothewu 2:5.

Londoloza Ubuhlobo Bakho NoNkulunkulu

Ukusebenzisa imifanekiso ekukhulekeleni njengoba kuphambene nemfundiso ecacile yeBhayibheli, akukwazi ukusiza abantu bamukelwe uNkulunkulu, bathole nensindiso. Ngokuphambene, uJesu wathi ukuphila okuphakade kuxhomeke ekungeniseni kwethu ulwazi ngowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, sazi ubuntu bakhe obungenakuqhathaniswa kanye nezinjongo zakhe nendlela abaphatha ngayo abantu. (Johane 17:3) Imifanekiso engaboni, engezwa nengakhulumi ayimsizi umuntu ukuba azi uNkulunkulu futhi amkhulekele ngokwamukelekayo. (IHubo 115:4-8) Leyo mfundo ebaluleke kakhulu itholakala kuphela ngokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli.

Ngaphezu kokungasizi ngalutho, ukukhulekela imifanekiso kungaba ingozi ngokomoya. Kanjani? Ngokuyinhloko, kungakha igebe ebuhlotsheni bomuntu noJehova. Ekhuluma ngo-Israyeli, ‘owayemthukuthelise ngezithixo ezinengekayo,’ uNkulunkulu wabikezela: “Ngiyobafihlela ubuso bami.” (Duteronomi 32:16, 20, The New American Bible) Ukuze akhe kabusha ubuhlobo bawo noNkulunkulu kwakufuneka ‘alahle izithombe zawo eziyisono.’—Isaya 31:6, 7.

Ngakho-ke, yeka indlela esifaneleka ngayo lesi seluleko esingokomBhalo: “Bantwanyana‚ zilindeni ezithombeni”!—1 Johane 5:21.

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Basizwa Ukuba Bakhulekele “Ngomoya”

U-Olivera wayeyilungu elizinikele leSonto Lobu-Orthodox e-Albania. Lapho inkolo ivalwa kuleli zwe ngo-1967, u-Olivera waqhubeka nenkolo yakhe ngasese. Wayesebenzisa ingxenye enkulu yempesheni yakhe ewubala ukuze athenge imifanekiso yegolide neyesiliva, impepho namakhandlela. Wayezifihla embhedeni lezi zinto, evame ukulala esihlalweni esiseduze kwazo ngoba esaba ukuthi zingase zibonwe noma zebiwe. Lapho oFakazi BakaJehova bemvakashela ekuqaleni kwawo-1990, u-Olivera walizwa iqiniso leBhayibeli kulokho ababekusho. Wakubona lokho okushiwo iBhayibheli uma lithi ukukhulekela kweqiniso kufanele kwenziwe “ngomoya,” wafunda nendlela uNkulunkulu azizwa ngayo ngokusetshenziswa kwemifanekiso. (Johane 4:24) UFakazi owamfundela iBhayibheli waphawula ukuthi njalo lapho evakashela ekhaya lika-Olivera kwakunezithombe ezimbalwa kunakuqala. Kwagcina kungasekho nesisodwa. Ngemva kokubhapathizwa kwakhe, u-Olivera wathi: “Manje, kunokuba nemifanekiso engasho lutho, nginomoya kaJehova ongcwele. Ngibonga kakhulu ngokuthi umoya wakhe awudingi mifanekiso ukuze ufinyelele kimi.”

U-Athena, wasesiqhingini saseLesbos, eGreece, wayeyilungu elikhuthele kakhulu leSonto Lobu-Orthodox. Wayeyilungu lekwaya futhi elandela amasiko enkolo ngobuqotho, kuhlanganise nokusetshenziswa kwemifanekiso. OFakazi BakaJehova bamsiza u-Athena wabona ukuthi akuyona yonke into ayefundiswe yona evumelana neBhayibheli. Lokhu kwakuhlanganisa nokusetshenziswa kwemifanekiso neziphambano ekukhulekeleni. U-Athena wafuna ukuzihlolela ngokwakhe umsuka walezi zinto ezisetshenziswa enkolweni. Ngemva kokucwaningisisa ezincwadini ezihlukahlukene, waneliseka ukuthi lezi zinto aziqalanga ebuKristwini. Isifiso sakhe sokukhulekela uNkulunkulu “ngomoya” samenza wayilahla imifanekiso yakhe, nakuba yayibiza kakhulu. Kodwa u-Athena wayekujabulela ukulahlekelwa ukuze akhulekele uNkulunkulu ngendlela ehlanzekile ngokomoya neyamukelekayo.—IzEnzo 19:19.

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Ingabe Imifanekiso Iwubuciko?

Eminyakeni yamuva, imifanekiso yobu-Orthodox iye yaqongelelwa emhlabeni kabanzi. Ngokuvamile labo abaqongelela imifanekiso abayibheki njengezinto ezingcwele zenkolo, bayibheka njengemisebenzi yobuciko yesiko laseByzantium. Akuyona into engavamile ukuthola imifanekiso eminingi enjalo yenkolo ihlobise ikhaya noma ihhovisi lothile othi akakholelwa kuNkulunkulu.

Nokho, amaKristu aqotho awayikhohlwa injongo eyinhloko yemifanekiso yenkolo. Yenzelwe ukukhulekela. Nakuba amaKristu engalibekeli inselele ilungelo labanye lokuba nemifanekiso yenkolo, wona awabi nemifanekiso yenkolo, noma ayiqongelele. Lokhu kuvumelana nesimiso esikuDuteronomi 7:26: “Awuyikungenisa isinengiso [izithombe ezisetshenziswa ekukhulekeleni] endlini yakho, ube yinto eqalekisiweyo njengaso; uyakusenyanya nokusenyanya, unengwe nokunengwa yiso, ngokuba kuyinto eqalekisiweyo.”

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UNkulunkulu akakuvumelanga ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe ekukhulekeleni

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Ulwazi lweBhayibheli lusisiza ukuba sikhulekele uNkulunkulu ngomoya