Hlala Useduze Nenhlangano KaJehova

UMFUNDI uJakobe wabhala: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, naye uyosondela kini.” (Jak. 4:8) Yebo, uJehova akaphakeme kakhulu futhi akakude kakhulu ukuba angasizwa lapho sikhuluma naye, yize singaphelele. (IzE. 17:27) Singasondela kanjani kuNkulunkulu? Ngokuzakhela ubuhlobo obuseduze naye, obuhlanganisa nokuthandaza ngobuqotho. (IHu. 39:12) Ukusondelana noNkulunkulu singakuhlakulela nangokutadisha njalo iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli. Ngokwenza kanjalo, sibe sesimazi uJehova uNkulunkulu, izinjongo zakhe nentando yakhe ngathi. (2 Thim. 3:16, 17) Ngenxa yalokho sifunda ukumthanda futhi sesabe ukumdumaza.—IHu. 25:14.

² Nokho, ukusondelana noJehova kwenzeka kuphela ngeNdodana yakhe, uJesu. (Joh. 17:3; Roma 5:10) Akukho muntu owayengasenza siwuqonde kangcono umqondo kaJehova kunoJesu. Wayesondelene kakhulu noYise kangangokuba wayengathi: “Ukuthi iNdodana ingubani akekho owaziyo ngaphandle kukaBaba; nokuthi uBaba ungubani, akekho owaziyo ngaphandle kweNdodana, nalowo iNdodana ethanda ukumambula kuye.” (Luka 10:22) Ngakho lapho sitadisha amaVangeli ukuze sifunde indlela uJesu ayecabanga nayezizwa ngayo, empeleni sisuke sifunda indlela uJehova acabanga ngayo nazizwa ngayo. Ulwazi olunjalo lusenza sikwazi ukusondela kuNkulunkulu wethu.

³ Ngaphansi kobunhloko beNdodana kaNkulunkulu, sihlakulela ukusondelana noJehova ngokuhlala siseduze nomzila obonakalayo osisiza sifunde indlela yokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba kwabikezelwa kuMathewu 24:45-47, iNkosi, uJesu Kristu, imise “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” ukuba iphe abendlu yokholo ‘ukudla ngesikhathi esifanele.’ Namuhla, le nceku ethembekile isinika insada yokudla okungokomoya. Ngalo mzila, uJehova useluleka ukuba sifunde iZwi lakhe nsuku zonke, siye emihlanganweni yethu yobuKristu njalo futhi sihlanganyele ngendlela enenjongo ekushumayeleni ‘izindaba ezinhle zombuso.’ (Math. 24:14; 28:19, 20; Josh. 1:8; IHu. 1:1-3) Asisoze safuna ukuba nombono ongokwenyama ngenceku ethembekile. Kufanele sizame ukuhlala siseduze nengxenye ebonakalayo yenhlangano kaJehova futhi silandele isiqondiso sayo. Lokhu kuyosisondeza eduze noNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova, futhi kuyosiqinisa, kusivikele naphezu kwezilingo.

ISIZATHU SOKWANDA KWEZILINGO

⁴ Mhlawumbe usuneminyaka eminingi useqinisweni. Uma kunjalo, ngokuqinisekile uyazi ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukukhuthazelela ukuvivinywa kobuqotho. Kodwa ngisho noma usanda kumazi uJehova futhi usanda kuzihlanganisa nabantu bakhe, uyazi ukuthi uSathane uDeveli uphikisa noma ubani ozithoba ebukhosini bukaJehova. (2 Thim. 3:12) Ngakho kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uye wakhuthazelela okuncane noma okukhulu, asikho isizathu sokwesaba noma sokudikibala. UJehova uthembisa ukuthi uzokusekela futhi akuvuze ngokukukhulula nangokukunika ukuphila esikhathini esizayo.—Heb. 13:5, 6; IsAm. 2:10.

⁵ Kungenzeka sonke sisazolingwa kulezi zinsuku ezisele zesimiso sikaSathane. Kusukela kwamiswa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngo-1914, uSathane ubengavunyelwe ukungena emazulwini kaJehova. Waphonswa phansi emhlabeni lapho yena nezingelosi zakhe ezimbi bekhona. Ukwanda komaye emhlabeni, kuhlanganise nokushushiswa okushubile kwezinceku zikaJehova ezizinikezele, kuwumphumela wentukuthelo kaSathane futhi kuwubufakazi bokuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina zokubusa kwakhe okubi phezu kwesintu.—IsAm. 12:1-12.

⁶ Ethukutheliswe isimo sakhe sokuhlaziswa, uSathane uyazi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe sifushane. Elekelelwa amademoni akhe, wenza yonke imizamo yokuphazamisa umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokuqeda ubunye bezinceku zikaJehova. Lokhu kusenza sibe sempini engokomoya echazwe kanje: “Asibambene negazi nenyama kodwa sibambene nawohulumeni, namagunya, nababusi bezwe balobu bumnyama, nebandla lomoya ababi ezindaweni zasezulwini.” Ukuze sinqobe ohlangothini lukaJehova, kumelwe singayeki ukulwa, kunalokho sigcine izikhali zethu ezingokomoya zibukhali. Kumelwe ‘simelane ngokuqinile namaqhinga’ kaDeveli. (Efe. 6:10-17) Lokhu kudinga ukuba sikhuthazele.

UKUHLAKULELA UKUKHUTHAZELA

⁷ Ukukhuthazela kusho ukuba “namandla okumelana nobunzima noma ukuhlupheka.” Ngomqondo ongokomoya, ukukhuthazela kubhekisela emfanelweni yokuqina ekwenzeni okulungile lapho sibhekene nobunzima, ukuphikiswa, ukushushiswa noma ezinye izinto eziklanyelwe ukusichezukisa enkambweni yethu yokuba qotho kuNkulunkulu. Ukukhuthazela kobuKristu kumelwe kuhlakulelwe. Kuthatha isikhathi ukukuhlakulela. Amandla ethu okukhuthazela ayakhula njengoba sithuthuka ngokomoya. Ngokukhuthazelela ukuvivinywa okuncane kokholo lwethu esikuthola lapho siqala inkambo yethu yobuKristu, siba namandla, sikwazi ukukhuthazelela izilingo ezinzima nakakhulu esisazobhekana nazo. (Luka 16:10) Akufanele silinde kuze kube yilapho kufika izilingo ezinkulu ngaphambi kokunquma ukuthi sizoma siqine okholweni. Isinqumo esiqinile kumelwe sisenze ngaphambi kokufika kovivinyo. Lapho umphostoli uPetru ebonisa ukuthi ukukhuthazela kudingeka kuhlakulelwe kanye nezinye izimfanelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, wabhala: “Ngokunikela ngawo wonke umzamo wenkuthalo, nezelani okholweni lwenu ubuhle, ebuhleni benu ulwazi, olwazini lwenu ukuzithiba, ekuzithibeni kwenu ukukhuthazela, ekukhuthazeleni kwenu ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ekuzinikeleni kwenu kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu uthando lobuzalwane, othandweni lwenu lobuzalwane uthando.”—2 Pet. 1:5-7; 1 Thim. 6:11.

⁸ Ukubaluleka kokuhlakulela ukukhuthazela kuqokonyiswa uJakobe encwadini yakhe: “Kubhekeni njengenjabulo yodwa, bazalwane, lapho nihlangabezana nokulingwa okuhlukahlukene, njengoba nazi ukuthi lesi simo esivivinyiwe sokholo lwenu siveza ukukhuthazela. Kodwa vumelani ukukhuthazela kuphelelise umsebenzi wako, ukuze nibe abaphelele nabaphilile ezicini zonke, abangantuli lutho.” (Jak. 1:2-4) UJakobe uthi amaKristu kufanele azamukele izilingo futhi azijabulele ngoba ziyasisiza siveze ukukhuthazela. Uke wazibheka izinto ngaleyo ndlela? UJakobe ube esebonisa ukuthi ukukhuthazela kunomsebenzi okuwenzayo ekupheleliseni ubuntu bethu bobuKristu nokusenza samukeleke ngokugcwele kuNkulunkulu. Yebo, ukukhuthazela kwethu kwakheka usuku nosuku lapho sibhekana nezilingo futhi sizinqoba. Uma sekukhona, kube sekuveza ezinye izimfanelo ezifiselekayo esizidingayo.

⁹ Ukukhuthazela kwethu kuyamjabulisa uJehova; kuyomshukumisela ukuba asinike umvuzo wokuphila okuphakade. UJakobe waqhubeka wathi: “Uyajabula umuntu oqhubeka ekhuthazelela ukulingwa, ngoba lapho amukeleka uyokwamukela umqhele wokuphila uJehova awuthembisa labo abaqhubeka bemthanda.” (Jak. 1:12) Yebo, umbono esinawo ngokuphila kwesikhathi esizayo yiwo osenza sikhuthazele. Ngaphandle kokukhuthazela ngeke sihlale eqinisweni. Uma sihlulwa izingcindezi zezwe, nakanjani siyobuyela kulo. Ngaphandle kokukhuthazela ngeke siqhubeke sinomoya kaJehova futhi ngenxa yalokho ngeke sikwazi ukuveza izithelo zawo ekuphileni kwethu.

¹⁰ Ukuze siqhubeke sikhuthazela kulezi zikhathi ezinzima, kudingeka sibe nombono ofanele ngokuhlupheka njengamaKristu. Khumbula ukuthi uJakobe wabhala: “Kubhekeni njengenjabulo yodwa.” Kungase kungabi lula ukwenza lokho ngoba kungenzeka kuhileleke ukuhlupheka ngokwenyama noma ukukhathazeka kwengqondo. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi kuhileleke ukuphila kwesikhathi esizayo. Okwenzeka kubaphostoli kuyasisiza sibone ukuthi singajabula kanjani lapho sihlupheka. Ukulandisa kwencwadi yezEnzo kuthi: “Bababiza abaphostoli, bababhambabula, futhi babayala ukuba bayeke ukukhuluma ngesisekelo segama likaJesu, base bebadedela. Ngakho-ke, laba basuka phambi kweSanhedrini bejabula, ngoba bebalwe njengabakufanelekele ukuhlaziswa ngenxa yegama lakhe.” (IzE. 5:40, 41) Baqonda ukuthi ukuhlupheka kwabo kwakuwubufakazi bokuthi babewulalele umyalo kaJesu nokuthi uJehova wayebamukele. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, lapho ebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala ephefumulelwe, uPetru wakhuluma ngokubaluleka kokuhlupheka okunjalo ngenxa yokulunga.—1 Pet. 4:12-16.

¹¹ Okunye okwenzeka kuthinta uPawulu noSila. Lapho benza umsebenzi wabo wezithunywa zevangeli eFilipi, baboshwa base bebekwa icala lokuphazamisa umuzi nokumemezela amasiko angekho emthethweni. Ngenxa yalokho, bashaywa kabuhlungu base bephonswa etilongweni. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kusitshela ukuthi ngesikhathi besesejele nemivimbo yabo ingathotshiwe, “cishe phakathi kobusuku uPawulu noSila babethandaza futhi bedumisa uNkulunkulu ngengoma; yebo, iziboshwa zazibezwa.” (IzE. 16:16-25) UPawulu nomngane wakhe babenombono ofanele ngokuhlupheka kwabo ngenxa kaKristu. Abakubhekanga nje kuphela njengokuwubufakazi bobuqotho babo kuNkulunkulu nakubantu, kodwa bakubheka nanjengendlela yokunikeza ubufakazi obengeziwe kulabo ababengase bathambekele ekulaleleni izindaba ezinhle. Kwakuhileleke nokuphila kwabanye. Ngabo lobo busuku umgcini wejele nabendlu yakhe balalela, baba abafundi. (lzE. 16:26-34) UPawulu noSila bathembela kuJehova, emandleni akhe nasekuzimiseleni kwakhe ukubasekela ekuhluphekeni kwabo. Abazange badumale.

¹² Nanamuhla, uJehova usilungiselele konke esikudingayo ukuze asisekele ngezikhathi zokulingwa. Ufuna sikhuthazele. Usinike iZwi lakhe eliphefumulelwe ukuba lisihlomise ngolwazi olunembile mayelana nenjongo yakhe. Lokhu kwakha ukholo lwethu. Sinethuba lokuhlangana nesikholwa nabo, sitadishe iZwi likaNkulunkulu, senze nenkonzo engcwele. Sinelungelo futhi lokulondoloza ubuhlobo obuseduze noJehova ngomthandazo. Uyawalalela amazwi ethu okudumisa nezicelo zethu eziqotho zosizo lokuba sihlale sihlanzekile phambi kwakhe. (Fil. 4:13) Okungafanele singakunaki futhi amandla atholakala ngokuzindla ngethemba elibekwe phambi kwethu.—Math. 24:13; Heb. 6:18; IsAm. 21:1-4.

UKUKHUTHAZELELA IZILINGO EZIHLUKAHLUKENE

¹³ Izilingo esibhekana nazo namuhla ziyefana nalezo abafundi bokuqala bakaJesu Kristu ababhekana nazo. Ezikhathini zanamuhla, abaphikisi abadukisiwe baye bahlukumeza oFakazi BakaJehova ngamazwi nasemzimbeni. Njengasezinsukwini zabaphostoli, ukuphikisa okuningi kushoshozelwa abashisekeli benkolo abazimfundiso nemikhuba yabo yamanga kudalulwa eZwini likaNkulunkulu. (IzE. 17:5-9, 13) Ngezinye izikhathi abantu bakaJehova baye bathola inkululeko ngokufuna amalungelo angokomthetho aqinisekiswa ohulumeni bezombusazwe. (IzE. 22:25; 25:11) Nokho, ababusi nabo baye bawuvimbela umsebenzi wethu ngokomthetho, bezama ukuqeda inkonzo yethu yobuKristu. (IHu. 2:1-3) Ezimweni ezinjalo, ngesibindi silandela isibonelo sabaphostoli abathembekile, abathi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.”—IzE. 5:29.

¹⁴ Njengoba umoya wobuzwe udlanga emhlabeni wonke, zinkulu izingcindezi ezitholwa abashumayeli bezindaba ezinhle ukuze bashiye inkonzo abayinikwe uNkulunkulu. Zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zisiqonda ngokugcwele isixwayiso esisencwadini yesAmbulo 14:9-12 mayelana nokukhulekela “isilo sasendle nomfanekiso waso.” Siyakuqaphela ukubaluleka kwamazwi kaJohane: “Lapha kulapho kusho khona ukukhuthazela kulabo abangcwele, abagcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu nokholo lukaJesu.”

¹⁵ Izilingo eziba khona ngenxa yezimpi, ukuvukela, ukushushiswa ngokuqondile nokuvinjelwa ngokomthetho kungakwenza ungakwazi ukuqhubeka nokukhulekela kobuKristu obala. Ningase ningakwazi ukuhlangana njengebandla. Ukuxhumana nehhovisi legatsha kungase kunqamuke. Ukuhanjelwa ababonisi besigodi kungase kuphazamiseke. Izincwadi zingase zingafiki. Uma kwenzeka okunye kwalokhu, yini okufanele uyenze?

¹⁶ Impendulo ithi, yenza noma yini ongayenza futhi uyenze ngokusemandleni akho ngaphansi kwalezo zimo. Cishe uyokwazi ukuba nesifundo somuntu siqu. Ngokuvamile amaqembu amancane angahlangana afundele emizini yabanye. Izincwadi esezafundwa neBhayibheli ngokwalo kungasetshenziswa ekuqhubeni imihlangano. Ungethuki noma ukhathazeke. INdikimba Ebusayo cishe iyokwazi ukusheshe ixhumane ngandlela-thile nabazalwane abaholayo.

¹⁷ Ngisho noma uzithola uwedwa uhlukanisiwe nabo bonke abafowenu abangamaKristu, khumbula ukuthi awuhlukanisiwe noJehova neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu. Ithemba lakho lingahlala liqinile. UJehova usengayizwa imithandazo yakho futhi angakuqinisa ngomoya wakhe. Bheka kuye ukuze akuqondise. Khumbula ukuthi uyinceku kaJehova nomfundi kaJesu Kristu. Ngakho-ke wasebenzise kahle amathuba okufakaza avulekayo. UJehova uyoyibusisa imizamo yakho, futhi ngokushesha nabanye bangase bahlanganyele nawe ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso.—IzE. 4:13-31; 5:27-42; Fil. 1:27-30; 4:6, 7; 2 Thim. 4:16-18.

¹⁸ Ngisho noma usongelwa ngokufa imbala, beka ithemba lakho “kuNkulunkulu ovusa abafileyo,” njengoba kwenza abaphostoli nabanye abantu. (2 Kor. 1:8-10) Ukholo lwakho elungiselelweni lakhe lovuko lungakusiza ukhuthazelele ngisho nokuphikiswa okunzima kakhulu. (Luka 21:19) UKristu Jesu wabeka isibonelo; wayazi ukuthi ukuthembeka kwakhe lapho evivinywa kwakuyoqinisa abanye ukuba bakhuthazele. Nawe ungaba umthombo wesikhuthazo kubafowenu ngendlela efanayo.—Joh. 16:33; Heb. 12:2, 3; 1 Pet. 2:21.

¹⁹ Ngaphandle kokushushiswa nokuphikiswa, kunezinye izimo ezinzima okungase kudingeke uzikhuthazelele. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye baye badikibaliswa ukunganaki kwabantu ensimini yabo. Abanye kuye kwadingeka babhekane nokugula emzimbeni noma ngokomzwelo noma bakhuthazelele ukulinganiselwa okubangelwa ubuthakathaka emzimbeni. Umphostoli uPawulu naye kwadingeka akhuthazelele isilingo sohlobo oluthile esasiphazamisa inkonzo yakhe noma esasiyenza ibe nzima ngezinye izikhathi. (2 Kor. 12:7) U-Ephafrodithu, umKristu waseFilipi wangekhulu lokuqala, naye ‘wadangala ngoba [abangane bakhe] bezwa ukuthi wayegula.’ (Fil. 2:25-27) Ukungapheleli kwethu nokwabanye kungase kudale izinkinga okunzima ngokukhethekile ukuzikhuthazelela. Singase sihilizisane namanye amaKristu noma nabantu basekhaya. Kodwa abantu abanamathela eselulekweni seZwi likaJehova bangazikhuthazelela ngokuphumelelayo izithiyo ezinjalo futhi bazinqobe.—Hez. 2:3-5; 1 Kor. 9:27; 13:8; Kol. 3:12-14; 1 Pet. 4:8.

SIZIMISELE UKUHLALA SITHEMBEKILE

²⁰ Kumelwe sibambelele kulowo uJehova ammise njengeNhloko yebandla, uKristu Jesu. (Kol. 2:18, 19) Kudingeka sisebenzelane eduze ‘nenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’ nalabo abamiswe njengababonisi. (Heb. 13:7, 17) Ngokunamathela emalungiselelweni angokwasezulwini nokubambisana nabaholayo, siyohlelelwa ukwenza intando kaJehova. Kudingeka silisebenzise ngokugcwele ilungelo lomthandazo. Khumbula, ngisho nezindonga zasejele noma ukuvalelwa wedwa ngeke kukunqamule ukuxhumana kwethu noBaba wethu wasezulwini onothando noma kuphazamise ubunye esinabo nabanye abakhulekeli.

²¹ Ngokuzimisela nokukhuthazela, masenze konke esingakwenza ukuze sifeze ukuthunywa kwethu kokushumayela, siphikelele emsebenzini uJesu Kristu ovusiwe awubekela abalandeli bakhe: “Ngakho-ke hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho.” (Math. 28:19, 20) NjengoJesu, masikhuthazele. Kwangathi singagcina ithemba loMbuso nelokuphila okuphakade licacile phambi kwethu. (Heb. 12:2) Njengabafundi bakaKristu ababhapathiziwe, sinelungelo lokuhlanganyela ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho sikaJesu esiphathelene ‘nesiphelo sesimiso sezinto.’ Wathi: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.” (Math. 24:3, 14) Uma siwenza ngenhliziyo yonke lowo msebenzi phakathi nalesi sikhathi, siyoba nenjabulo yokuthola ukuphila okuphakade ezweni likaJehova elisha lokulunga!