Abelusi ‘Abayizibonelo Emhlambini’

“Yalusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu eniwuphathisiwe . . . ngokuzithandela . . . , ngokulangazela . . . ngokuba yizibonelo emhlambini.”—1 PETRU 5:2, 3.

1, 2. (a) Iliphi ilungelo uJesu aliphathisa umphostoli uPetru, futhi kungani uJesu engenzanga iphutha ngokumethemba? (b) UJehova uzizwa kanjani ngabelusi abamisiwe?

KWAKUNGAPHAMBI kwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., uPetru nabanye abafundi abayisithupha besogwini loLwandle LwaseGalile bedla ukudla kwasekuseni uJesu ayebenzele kona. Kwakungelona ihlandla lokuqala uPetru ebona uJesu ovusiwe futhi ngokungangabazeki wayejabule ukwazi ukuthi uJesu uyaphila. Kodwa kungenzeka ukuthi uPetru wayenanexhala. Phela ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambili wayephike phambi kwabantu ukuthi uyamazi uJesu. (Luka 22:55-60; 24:34; Johane 18:25-27; 21:1-14) Ingabe uJesu wamsola uPetru owayesephendukile ngokuntula kwakhe ukholo? Cha. Kunalokho, wamphathisa ilungelo lokondla nokwalusa “amawundlu” akhe. (Johane 21:15-17) Njengoba ukulandisa kweBhayibheli komlando webandla lamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala kubonisa, uJesu akenzanga phutha ngokwethemba uPetru. Yena nabanye abaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema, baqhubeka belusa ibandla lamaKristu phakathi nenkathi yovivinyo olunzima nokwanda okukhulu.—IzEnzo 1:15-26; 2:14; 15:6-9.

² Namuhla, uJehova ngoJesu Kristu umise amadoda afanelekayo ukuba abe abelusi abangokomoya abazohola izimvu zaKhe phakathi nalezi zikhathi ezibucayi kakhulu emlandweni wabantu. (Efesu 4:11, 12; 2 Thimothewu 3:1) Ingabe wenzé iphutha ngokubethemba? Ukuthula kwabazalwane abangamaKristu okukhona emhlabeni wonke kubonisa ukuthi akalenzanga. Yiqiniso, laba belusi bangabantu abanamaphutha njengoba kwakunjalo nangoPetru. (Galathiya 2:11-14; Jakobe 3:2) Noma kunjalo, uJehova uyabethemba ukuthi angabaphathisa izimvu zakhe ‘azithenge ngegazi leNdodana yakhe.’ (IzEnzo 20:28) UJehova akeve ewathanda la madoda, uwabheka “njengafanelwe udumo oluphindiwe.”—1 Thimothewu 5:17.

3. Abelusi abangokomoya bawulondoloza kanjani umoya wokwalusa ngokuzithandela nangokulangazela?

³ Abelusi abangokomoya bawulondoloza kanjani umoya wokwalusa ngokuzithandela nangokulangazela, ngaleyo ndlela babe izibonelo emhlambini? NjengoPetru nabanye abelusi bekhulu lokuqala, bancika emoyeni ongcwele kaNkulunkulu obanika amandla abawadingayo ukuze bathwale umthwalo wabo wemfanelo. (2 Korinte 4:7) Umoya ongcwele uveza nezithelo zomoya kubo—uthando, injabulo, ukuthula, ukubekezela, umusa, ubuhle, ukholo, ubumnene nokuzithiba. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Ake sicabangele izindlela ezimbalwa eziqondile abelusi abangabeka ngazo isibonelo sokubonisa lezi zithelo njengoba belusa umhlambi kaNkulunkulu abawuphathisiwe.

Thanda Umhlambi Nemvu Ngayinye

4, 5. (a) UJehova noJesu balubonisa kanjani uthando ngomhlambi? (b) Iziphi ezinye izindlela abelusi abangokomoya ababonisa ngazo uthando ngomhlambi?

⁴ Imfanelo evelele evezwa umoya kaNkulunkulu  uthando. UJehova ubonisa ukuthi uyawuthanda umhlambi uwonke ngokuwunikeza inala yokudla okungokomoya. (Isaya 65:13, 14; Mathewu 24:45-47) Nokho, wenza okungaphezu kokumane nje ondle umhlambi. Uthanda imvu ngayinye. (1 Petru 5:6, 7) NoJesu uyawuthanda umhlambi. Wanikela ngomphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yawo, futhi wazi imvu ngayinye, ‘ngegama.’—Johane 10:3, 14-16.

⁵ Abelusi abangokomoya balingisa uJehova noJesu. Babonisa uthando ngomhlambi kaNkulunkulu usuwonke ‘ngokuzimisela ekufundiseni’ ibandla. Izinkulumo zabo ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini zisiza ekondleni nasekuvikeleni umhlambi, futhi ukuzikhandla kwabo kulesi sici kubonwa abantu bonke. (1 Thimothewu 4:13, 16) Okungase kungabonwa abantu isikhathi abasichitha benakekela amarekhodi nezincwadi abazibhalelwe, benza izimiso futhi benakekela nezinye izinto eziningi ukuze baqinisekise ukuthi imihlangano yebandla neminye imisebenzi yenzeka “ngokufaneleyo nangohlelo.” (1 Korinte 14:40) Omningi walo msebenzi wenziwa ekusithekeni futhi ungase ungaqashelwa kangako. Ngempela kuwumsebenzi wothando.—Galathiya 5:13.

6, 7. (a) Iyiphi enye indlela abelusi abajwayelana ngayo kangcono nezimvu? (b) Kungani ngezinye izikhathi kuzuzisa ukuxoxa ngemizwa yethu nomdala?

⁶ Abelusi abangamaKristu abanothando bazama ukubonisa isithakazelo emvwini ngayinye ebandleni. (Filipi 2:4) Enye indlela abelusi abajwayelana ngayo kangcono nemvu ngayinye ukusebenza nazo emsebenzini wasobala wokushumayela. Ngokuvamile uJesu wayehamba nabalandeli bakhe emsebenzini wokushumayela futhi wasebenzisa lezo zikhathi ukuze abakhuthaze. (Luka 8:1) Omunye umalusi ongumKristu onokuhlangenwe nakho uthi: “Ngiphawule ukuthi enye yezindlela ezinhle kakhulu zokwazi umzalwane noma udade futhi umkhuthaze iwukusebenza naye enkonzweni yasensimini.” Uma ungazange uthole ithuba muva nje lokusebenza nomunye wabadala enkonzweni yasensimini,  kungani ungahleli ukukwenza lokhu ngokushesha?

⁷ Uthando lwashukumisa uJesu ukuba ajabule futhi azwelane nabalandeli bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho abafundi bakhe abangu-70 bebuya bejabule emsebenzini wabo wokushumayela, uJesu ‘wachichima injabulo.’ (Luka 10:17-21) Nokho, lapho ebona indlela ukufa kukaLazaru okwakumthinte ngayo uMariya kanye namanye amalungu omkhaya nabangane, “uJesu wakhala izinyembezi.” (Johane 11:33-35) Ngendlela efanayo, abelusi abakhathalelayo namuhla bayazwelana nezimvu. Uthando lubashukumisela ukuba ‘bajabule nabantu abajabulayo’ baphinde futhi ‘bakhale nabantu abakhalayo.’ (Roma 12:15) Uma ujabule noma udabukile, zizwe ukhululekile ukutshela abelusi abangamaKristu. Kuyobakhuthaza ukuzwa ngalokho okukujabulisile. (Roma 1:11, 12) Ukuzwa ngobunzima bakho kuyobanika ithuba lokukuqinisa nokukududuza.—1 Thesalonika 1:6; 3:1-3.

8, 9. (a) Umdala othile walubonisa kanjani uthando kumkakhe? (b) Kubaluleke ngani ukuba umalusi abonise uthando emkhayeni wakhe?

⁸ Uthando umalusi analo ngomhlambi lubonakala ikakhulu endleleni aphatha ngayo umkhaya wakhe. (1 Thimothewu 3:1, 4) Uma eshadile, uthando nenhlonipho akubonisa umkakhe kubekela amanye amadoda isibonelo. (Efesu 5:25; 1 Petru 3:7) Cabanga ngamazwi ashiwo uLinda, owesifazane ongumKristu. Umyeni wakhe wayesekhonze njengombonisi iminyaka engaphezu kuka-20 ngaphambi kokuba ashone. Uthi: “Umyeni wami wayehlale ematasa enakekela ibandla. Kodwa wayengenza ngibe nomuzwa wokuthi sibambisene. Wayevame ukusho amazwi okwazisa ngokumsekela kwami futhi uma enesikhathi wayesichitha nami. Ngenxa yalokho, ngangizizwa ngithandwa futhi ngangingabi nesikhwele lapho kudingeka achithe isikhathi ekhonza ibandla.”

⁹ Uma umalusi ongumKristu enezingane, indlela aziyala ngayo ngothando futhi azincoma ngayo njalo iba isibonelo kwabanye abazali. (Efesu 6:4) Eqinisweni, uthando alubonisa umkhaya wakhe lukufakazela njalo ukuthi uyakufanelekela ukuthwala umthwalo awuphathiswa lapho emiswa ngomoya ongcwele.—1 Thimothewu 3:4, 5.

Yenza Kube Nenjabulo Nokuthula Ngokukhulumisana Nabanye

10. (a) Yini engase iphazamise injabulo nokuthula kwebandla? (b) Iyiphi impikiswano eyasongela ukuthula kwebandla lekhulu lokuqala, futhi leyo mpikiswano yaxazululwa kanjani?

¹⁰ Umoya ongcwele ungaveza injabulo nokuthula enhliziyweni yomKristu ngamunye, phakathi kwendikimba yabadala nasebandleni lilonke. Nokho, ukuntuleka kokukhulumisana ngokukhululekile kungayiphazamisa le njabulo nokuthula. USolomoni wasendulo waphawula: “Amacebo ayashafa lapho kungekho khona inkulumo eyisifuba.” (IzAga 15:22) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukukhulumisana ngenhlonipho nangokukhululekile kwenza kube nenjabulo nokuthula. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho impikiswano yokusoka isongela ukuthula kwebandla lekhulu lokuqala, indikimba ebusayo eJerusalema yafuna isiqondiso somoya ongcwele. Yaveza imibono yayo ehlukahlukene ngale ndaba. Ngemva kokuxoxa ngayo ngokukhululekile, yafinyelela isinqumo. Lapho idlulisela emabandleni isinqumo eyayivumelene ngaso ngazwi linye, abazalwane ‘bajabula ngaleso sikhuthazo.’ (IzEnzo 15:6-23, 25, 31; 16:4, 5) Kwaba nenjabulo nokuthula.

11. Abadala bangenza kanjani ukuze kube nenjabulo nokuthula ebandleni?

¹¹ Nanamuhla, abelusi benza kube nenjabulo nokuthula ebandleni ngokukhulumisana kahle. Lapho kunezinkinga ezisongela ukuthula kwebandla, bayahlangana baveze imizwa yabo ngokukhululekile. Babalalela ngenhlonipho ozakwabo lapho bekhuluma. (IzAga 13:10; 18:13) Ngemva kokuthandazela umoya ongcwele, basekela izinqumo zabo ezimisweni zeBhayibheli naseziqondisweni ezikhishwe “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.” (Mathewu 24:45-47; 1 Korinte 4:6) Lapho indikimba yabadala seyenze isinqumo esinengqondo esisekelwe emiBhalweni, umdala ngamunye uyazithoba esiqondisweni somoya ongcwele ngokusekela  leso sinqumo ngisho noma umbono wakhe ungazange wamukeleke eningini. Isizotha esinjalo senza kube nenjabulo nokuthula futhi sibekela izimvu isibonelo sendlela yokuhamba noNkulunkulu. (Mika 6:8) Uyabambisana yini ngesizotha nezinqumo ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ezenziwa abelusi ebandleni?

Bekezela Futhi Ube Nomusa

12. Kungani uJesu kwadingeka ukuba abekezele futhi abe nomusa lapho esebenzelana nabaphostoli?

¹² UJesu wayebekezela futhi enomusa endleleni ayephatha ngayo abaphostoli naphezu kokushiyeka kwabo okuphindaphindiwe. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wazama ngokuphindaphindiwe ukugcizelela kubo isidingo sokuthobeka. (Mathewu 18:1-4; 20:25-27) Noma kunjalo, ngobusuku bokugcina bokuphila kukaJesu emhlabeni, ngemva nje kokuba ebanikeze isifundo sokuthobeka ngokubageza izinyawo, “kwavela futhi impikiswano evuthayo phakathi kwabo ngokuthi ubani kubo owayebonakala emkhulu kunabo bonke.” (Luka 22:24; Johane 13:1-5) Ingabe uJesu wabathethisa abaphostoli? Cha, wabonisana nabo ngomusa, ethi: “Yimuphi omkhulu, yilowo ohlezi etafuleni noma yilowo okhonzayo? Ingabe akuyena ohlezi etafuleni? Kodwa mina ngiphakathi kwenu njengalowo okhonzayo.” (Luka 22:27) Ukubekezela nomusa kaJesu—kanye nesibonelo sakhe esihle—kwagcina kuzithintile izinhliziyo zabaphostoli.

13, 14. Kunini ngokukhethekile lapho abelusi kumelwe babe khona nomusa?

¹³ Ngokufanayo, umalusi ongokomoya kungase kudingeke ukuba anikeze umuntu othile iseluleko ngokuphindaphindiwe ngokuphathelene nokushiyeka okuthile. Umalusi angase amcasukele lowo muntu. Kodwa uma ehlala njalo ekhumbula ukushiyeka kwakhe siqu lapho ‘eyala abangahlelekile,’ uyakwazi ukumbekezelela futhi abe nomusa kumzalwane wakhe. Ngaleyo ndlela ulingisa uJesu noJehova, ababonisa lezi zimfanelo kuwo wonke amaKristu—kuhlanganise nabelusi.—1 Thesalonika 5:14; Jakobe 2:13.

¹⁴ Ngezinye izikhathi, kungase kudingeke abelusi banikeze umuntu owenze isono esingathí sina iseluleko esiqinile. Uma lowo muntu engaphenduki, abelusi kumelwe bamsuse ekuhlanganyeleni lowo ophambukayo. (1 Korinte 5:11-13) Ngisho nasesimweni esinjalo, indlela abasebenzelana ngayo nalowo muntu iyabonisa ukuthi bazonda isono esenziwe, hhayi isoni. (Jude 23) Ukuba nomusa kwabelusi kungenza kube lula ngemvu edukayo ukuba igcine ibuyele emhlambini.—Luka 15:11-24.

Izenzo Ezinhle Zishukunyiswa Ukholo

15. Iyiphi enye indlela abelusi abalingisa ngayo ubuhle bukaJehova, futhi yini ebashukumisa ukuba benze kanjalo?

¹⁵ “UJehova muhle kubo bonke,” ngisho nakulabo abangenakho ukwazisa ngalokho abenzela kona. (IHubo 145:9; Mathewu 5:45) Ubuhle bukaJehova bubonakala ngokukhethekile ngokuthi uthumela abantu bakhe ukuba bayoshumayela ‘izindaba ezinhle zombuso.’ (Mathewu 24:14) Abelusi babonisa ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu ngokuhola kulo msebenzi wokushumayela. Yini ebenza bazikhandle bangakhathali? Ukholo oluqinile kuJehova nasezithembisweni zakhe.—Roma 10:10, 13, 14.

16. Abelusi ‘bangakwenza’ kanjani “okuhle” ezimvwini?

 ¹⁶ Ngaphezu kokwenza “okuhle kubo bonke” ngokushumayela, abelusi banomthwalo wemfanelo wokwenza okuhle “ikakhulukazi kulabo abahlobene [nabo] okholweni.” (Galathiya 6:10) Enye indlela abenza lokhu ngayo iwukwenza ukuhambela kokwalusa okukhuthazayo. Omunye umdala uthi: “Ngiyakujabulela ukwenza ukuhambela kokwalusa. Kunginika ithuba lokuncoma abafowethu nodadewethu ngemizamo yabo nokubasiza baqaphele ukuthi ukusebenza kwabo ngokuzikhandla kuyaziswa.” Ngezinye izikhathi, abelusi bangasikisela izindlela umuntu ngamunye angathuthukisa ngazo inkonzo yakhe kuJehova. Lapho benza kanjalo, abelusi abahlakaniphile balingisa umphostoli uPawulu. Cabanga ngendlela anxusa ngayo abazalwane eThesalonika: “Sinokuqiniseka eNkosini ngani, kokuthi niyazenza futhi niyoqhubeka nizenza izinto esiniyala ngazo.” (2 Thesalonika 3:4) Izinkulumo ezinjalo ezibonisa ukuzethemba izimvu zizithinta emanonini, zikhuthale ngokwengeziwe, futhi zenza kube lula ngazo ‘ukulalela abaholayo.’ (Hebheru 13:17) Uma abadala befika kwakho bezokwenza ukuhambela kokwalusa okukhuthazayo, uyaqaphela yini ukuthi kumelwe ubonge ngalokhu?

Kudingeka Ukuzithiba Ukuze Ube Mnene

17. Isiphi isifundo uPetru asifunda kuJesu?

¹⁷ UJesu wayemnene, ngisho nalapho ecasulwa. (Mathewu 11:29) Lapho ekhashelwa futhi eboshwa, uJesu wabonisa ubumnene nokuzithiba okukhulu. UPetru ngamawala wahosha inkemba waphindisela. Kodwa uJesu wamkhumbuza: “Ucabanga ukuthi anginakunxusa yini kuBaba ukuba anginike ngalo mzuzwana amalegiyona ezingelosi angaphezu kwayishumi nambili?” (Mathewu 26:51-53; Johane 18:10) UPetru wasamukela leso sifundo futhi kamuva wakhumbuza amaKristu: “NoKristu wahlupheka ngenxa yenu, enishiyela isibonelo sokuba nilandele izinyathelo zakhe eduze. . . . Lapho ethukwa, akaphindiselanga ngokuthuka. Lapho ehlupheka, akasongelanga.”—1 Petru 2:21-23.

18, 19. (a) Kunini ikakhulukazi lapho kumelwe abelusi babonise ubumnene nokuzithiba? (b) Imiphi imibuzo esizoyicabangela ngokulandelayo?

¹⁸ Ngokufanayo, abelusi abaphumelelayo bamnene ngisho nalapho bephathwa kabi. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye kulabo abazama ukubasiza ebandleni bangase bangasabeli ngendlela enhle. Uma umuntu odinga usizo egula noma elimele ngokomoya, angase asabele eselulekweni ‘ngokuphahluka okunjengokuhlaba kwenkemba.’ (IzAga 12:18) Nokho, njengoJesu, abelusi abaphindiseli ngamazwi ahlabayo noma bafune ukukhipha isibhongo. Kunalokho bayazithiba futhi baqhubeke bebonisa uzwela, okungase kumzuzise lowo odinga usizo. (1 Petru 3:8, 9) Uyafunda yini esibonelweni sabadala futhi ubonise ubumnene nokuzithiba lapho wamukela iseluleko?

¹⁹ Ngaphandle kokungabaza, uJehova noJesu bayawazisa umsebenzi wezinkulungwane zabelusi abanakekela umhlambi ngokuzithandela emhlabeni wonke. UJehova neNdodana yakhe bazithanda ngokujulile nezinkulungwane zezinceku ezikhonzayo ezisekela abadala ‘ekukhonzeni abangcwele.’ (Hebheru 6:10) Pho-ke yini engenza abanye abazalwane ababhapathiziwe babe manqikanqika ukufinyelela lo “msebenzi omuhle”? (1 Thimothewu 3:1) UJehova ubaqeqesha kanjani labo abamisa njengabelusi? Sizocabangela le mibuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo.

Ingabe Usakhumbula?

• Iziphi ezinye zezindlela abelusi ababonisa ngazo ukuthi bayawuthanda umhlambi?

• Bonke ebandleni bangenza kanjani ukuze kube nenjabulo nokuthula?

• Kungani abelusi bebekezela futhi bebonisa umusa lapho benikeza iseluleko?

• Abadala bangabubonisa kanjani ubuhle nokholo?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Abadala bashukunyiswa uthando ukuba bakhonze ibandla

[Izithombe ekhasini 18]

Bazinika nanesikhathi sokuba nemikhaya yabo ekuzijabuliseni . . .

. . . nasenkonzweni

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Ukukhulumisana okuhle phakathi kwabadala kwenza kube nenjabulo nokuthula ebandleni