Ukuzuza Ukuthula NoNkulunkulu Ngokuzinikezela Nobhapathizo

“UJehova wahti kuyo: . . . Ningasondeli kodwa kumuntu okukuye uphawu.”—HEZEKELI 9:4, 6.

1, 2. (a) Kungani abantu bengenakho ukuthula noNkulunkulu? (b) Kungani kubalulekile ngathi Bonke ukuba sizuze lokho kuthula?

UKUZUZA ukuthula noNkulunkulu? Kodwa kungani? Abantu abambalwa bazibheka njengabanobutha noNkulunkulu. Nokho, ingabe kungenzeka ukuba yisitha esikhulu sikaNkulunkulu kodwa ungakuqapheli? Umphostoli uPawulu wachazela amaKristu ekhulwini lokuqala: ‘Sasikade sihamba . . . sonke ezinkanukweni zenyama yethu, senza intando yenyama neyengqondo; ngemvelo sasingabantwana bolaka njengabo abanye.’—Efesu 2:3.

² Ngokufanayo namuhla, nakuba ungase uthande ukuthokozisa uNkulunkulu, isono esizuzwe njengefa kuAdamu siphazamisa umbono wakho futhi singakubangela ukuba uphishekele “intando yenyama.” Ngisho noma ungumuntu otadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova noma ungomusha ongabhapathiziwe onabazali abangoFakazi, isimo sengqondo sobugovu sokwenza engikuthandayo singathonya ingxenye enkulu yokuphila kwakho futhi siqhubeke sikuhlukanisa noNkulunkulu. Umuntu olandelela inkambo enjalo “uzibekelela ulaka.” (Roma 2:5; Kolose 1:21; 3:5-8) UNkulunkulu uyoluveza ngokuphelele ulaka lwakhe phakathi ‘nosuku lolaka nolokwambulwa kokwahlulela okulungileyo’ olusondela ngokushesha. (Roma 1:28–2:6) Ungakuzuza kanjani ukuthula noNkulunkulu futhi usinde ‘kulolusuku lolaka’?

Isisekelo Sokuthula

3. UNkulunkulu wasinikeza kanjani isisekelo sokubuyisana?

³ UJehova wasithatha kuqala isinyathelo sokusiza. “Wasithanda thina, wathuma iNdodana yakhe ibeyinhlawulo ngezono zethu.” (1 Johane 4:10) Ukufa kukaJesu okuwumhlatshelo kuyahlawulela, okungukuthi, kuyanxusa noma kwanelisa ukwahlulela ngokulunga kukaJehova. Lokhu kunikeza isisekelo esingokomthetho sokuthethelelwa izono futhi, ekugcineni, sokususwa ngokuphelele kobutha phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nomuntu. Yebo, kungenzeka “ukubuyisana noNkulunkulu ngokufa kweNdodana yakhe,” njengoba umphostoli uPawulu aloba.—Roma 5:8-10.

4. Yimuphi umbono owanikezwa uHezekeli, futhi kungani ubalulekile kithi?

⁴ Kodwa ukuze sizuze ngokomuntu siqu emhlatshelweni kaKristu, kumelwe sithathe izinyathelo ezithile. Lezi zivezwe embonweni osadrama owanikezwa umprofethi uHezekeli, umbono ogcwaliseka phakathi nesikhathi sethu lapho “usuku lolaka” lukaNkulunkulu luseduze. Kulowombono amabutho kaNkulunkulu okwahlulela afanekiswe ngamadoda ayisithupha ahlomile. Ngaphambi kokuba lawa akhiphe ulaka lukaNkulunkulu, indoda yesikhombisa, ephethe uphondo lukayinki womlobi, iyatshelwa: “Dabula emzini, . . . ubeke uphawu emabunzini abantu ababubula bekhala ngazo zonke izinengiso ezenziwa phakathi kwalo. Kwamanye [amadoda ayisithupha ahlomile] washo ezindlebeni zami, wathi: Dabulani emzini emva kwayo, nibulale, . . . ningasondeli kodwa kumuntu okukuye uphawu.”—Hezekeli 9:1-6.

5. Yini eholela ekuphendukeni?

⁵ Laba ababebekwe “uphawu” oluyisivikelo babekhathazekile ngoba abantu ababezisholo ukuthi bakhulekela uNkulunkulu weqiniso ‘babegcwalise izwe ngobudlova’ futhi behlanganyela ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili, ekukhulekeleni izithombe, nakuzo zonke izinhlobo zokunye ukuziphatha okubi. (Hezekeli 8:5-18; Jeremiya 7:9) Ngokufanayo namuhla, labo abazobekwa “uphawu” kumelwe baqale bafunde, ngesifundo seBhayibheli, ukuthatha izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu njengezibalulekile futhi bakhathazeke enhliziyweni, yebo, ‘babubule bakhale,’ ngezimfundiso nemikhuba emenyelisayo. Mhlawumbe ngenxa yokungazi abanye bahlanganyela ekwenzeni okubi noma bavumelana nakho ngokukusekela. Nokho, manje sebeqala ukubheka imisebenzi enjalo njengoba uNkulunkulu eyibheka—ngokunengwa! (Roma 1:24-32; Isaya 2:4; IsAmbulo 18:4; Johane 15:19) Lokhu kwazisa okwandisiwe kuholela kwesinye sezinyathelo zokuqala zokuzuza ukuthula noNkulunkulu: ukuphenduka. Umphostoli uPetru wakhuthaza: “Ngalokhu phendukani, niguquke ukuba kuhlangulwe izono zenu, ukuze kufike izikhathi zokuhlunyelelwa [kunezolaka] ezivela ebusweni beNkosi [uJehova].” (IzEnzo 3:19, 20) Yeka indlela ukuthethelelwa okunjalo okuhlumelela ngayo!

Ukuthola “Uphawu”

6. Kungaziphi izizathu abanye abantu babekwa uphawu phakathi nezikhathi zasendulo?

⁶ Ukuze basinde olakeni lukaNkulunkulu, labo ‘ababubula bekhala’ kwadingeka ukuba babekwe uphawu ebunzini labo. (Hezekeli 9:4) Ezikhathini zasendulo ngokuvamile izinceku zazibekwa uphawu ebunzini ukuze zibonakale kalula. Izimpawu ezihlukanisayo ebunzini nakwenye indawo zazingabonisa futhi ukuthi umuntu wayekhulekela unkulunkulu othile.a (Qhathanisa noIsaya 44:5.) Ngakho, osukwini lwethu, luyini uphawu oluhlukanisayo, olusindisa ukuphila olubonisa kalula abanalo njengabakhulekeli beqiniso nezinceku zikaJehova?

7. Luyini uphawu olungokomfanekiso?

⁷ Uphawu olungokomfanekiso luwubufakazi, njengokungathi bubekwe ebunzini lakho, (1) bokuthi ungumfundi kaJesu Kristu ozinikezele, wabhapathizwa nokuthi (2) wembethe ubuntu obusha obunjengobukaKristu. (Efesu 4:20-24) Njengoba labo ababekwe “uphawu” ngaleyondlela kumelwe baqale bazinikezele, sidinga ukwazi ukuthi lokhu kuhilelani. UJesu uyachaza: “Uma umuntu ethanda ukuza emva kwami, makazidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe, angilandele.”—Marku 8:34.

8, 9. (a) Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuzidela’? (b) Kungaboniswa kanjani lokho ukuzinikezela okukudingayo?

⁸ Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “makazidele” lisho “ukukhohlwa ngokuphelele” noma “ukwenqaba.” Ngakho-ke, ‘ukuzidela’ kusho okungaphezu kokuzamuka injabulo ethile noma ukuzitika ngezikhathi ezithile. Kunalokho, kusho ukuzimisela ukuzikhuza lapho kuziwa ekuvumeleni ukuphila kwakho kubuswe izinkanuko zakho zomuntu siqu nezifiso. Sisizwa ukuba sibone ukusebenza kwamazwi kaJesu ngokuphawula indlela lomqondo ohunyushwe ngayo ezilimini ezihlukahlukene: “Ukuyeka ukwenza lokho inhliziyo yomuntu ekufunayo” (Tzeltal, Mexico), “ukungabe usaba owakho” (K’anjobal, Guatemala), futhi “ukuzifulathela komuntu” (Javanese, Indonesia). Yebo, lokhu kusho ukuzinikezela okukhethekile, hhayi nje ukuzihilela okungenziwa ezintweni eziningi.

⁹ UmKristu othiwa uSusan, owayekade ezibusa ngokuphelele ngaphambili, uchaza lokho ukuzinikezela okwakusho kuye: “Konke ukuphila kwami ngangikunika omunye umuntu. Manje uJehova unquma inkambo yami, ungitshela okumelwe ngikwenze, futhi ungibekela okuza kuqala.” Ingabe uzimisele ukwenza ukuzinikezela okufanayo okukhethekile ekwenzeni intando kaJehova? Khumbula, uphawu olungokomfanekiso lukuhlukanisa ‘njengokaNkulunkulu,’ njengenceku ejabulayo yeNkosi yayo.—Qhathanisa noEksodusi 21:5, 6; Roma 14:8.

10. Yiziphi izindaba umuntu okumelwe azicabangele ngaphambi kokuzinikezela?

¹⁰ UJesu wabuza: “Ngumuphi kini othi efuna ukwakha umbhoshongo, angaqali ahlale phansi, abale izindleko ukuthi unakho okokuwuqeda na?” (Luka 14:28) Ngakho ingabe uzimisele: Ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu? (Heberu 10:25) Ukulondoloza indinganiso ephakeme yokuziphatha uNkulunkulu ayibekele izinceku zakhe? (1 Thesalonika 4:3, 4, 7) Ukuba nengxenye egcwele ngangokunokwenzeka emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso? Ukubeka intando kaNkulunkulu kuqala lapho ukhetha umsebenzi noma ubeka imigomo ekuphileni? (Mathewu 6:33; UmShumayeli 12:1) Ukunakekela izibopho zomkhaya wakho? (Efesu 5:22–6:4; 1 Thimothewu 5:8) Uma usukwenzile ukuzinikezela komuntu siqu ngomthandazo, isinyathelo esilandelayo senza abanye bakwazi lokhu.

Ubhapathizo—Lungolobani?

11. Lubonisani ubhapathizo, futhi lufezani?

¹¹ UJesu wayala ukuba abalandeli bakhe babhapathizwe. (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Kwakumelwe bacwiliswe ngokuphelele emanzini futhi bakhushulwe baphume kuwo. Njengokungcwatshwa nokuvuswa, lokhu kufanekisela kahle ukufa komuntu endleleni yakhe yokuphila yobugovu nokwenziwa aphile ukuze enze intando kaNkulunkulu. Ngokubhapathizwa uzibonakalisa njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova ozihlanganise nebandla likaNkulunkulu lomhlaba wonke.b Ubhapathizo luqinisekisa isivumelwano esingathi sína esenziwa noNkulunkulu. (Qhathanisa noEksodusi 19:3-8.) Ukuphila kwakho kumelwe kube sekuvumelaneni nemithetho yakhe. (IHubo 15; 1 Korinte 6:9-11) Ubhapathizo, olukumisa njengesikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu, lubonisa futhi “ukucela kuNkulunkulu unembeza omuhle” ngoba uyazi ukuthi unokuthula noNkulunkulu.—1 Petru 3:21.

12. Kunini lapho abantwana bevikelwa “uphawu” lomzali wabo?

¹² Ingabe ngisho nabasha kumelwe bacabangele ukubhapathizwa? Nokho, khumbula ukuthi uJehova watshela amadoda ayisithupha ahlomile ayesembonweni: “Nibulale nichithe amaxhegu, nezinsizwa, nezintombi, nezingane, nabesifazane, ningasondeli kodwa kumuntu okukuye uphawu.” (Hezekeli 9:6) Yebo, abantwana abancane kakhulu ukuba bazinikezele bangavikelwa “uphawu” lomzali uma lowomzali ezama ukukhulisa abantwana ukuba bathande uJehova futhi uma belalela. (1 Korinte 7:14) Nokho, uma umntwana ehlakaniphe ngokwanele ukuba enze isinqumo somuntu siqu futhi esefinyelele izinga lapho ‘azi ukwenza okuhle,’ ungathathi ngokuthi uzoqhubeka njalo engaphansi komusa ‘wophawu’ lomzali wakhe.—Jakobe 4:17.

13. Yiziphi ezinye zezinto ezicatshangelwayo ekunqumeni ukulungela komuntu omusha ubhapathizo?

¹³ Ngaphambi kokuzinikezela, umuntu omusha kumelwe abe nolwazi olwanele lokuqonda okuhilelekile futhi kumelwe afune ubuhlobo bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu. Kumelwe aqonde futhi anamathele ezimisweni zeBhayibheli, azi ukuthi uzolandisa nganoma ikuphi ukwephula lezozimiso. Kumelwe futhi abe nokuhlangenwe nakho okwanele kokuhlanganyela ukholo lwakhe nabanye futhi azi ukuthi lena ingxenye ebalulekile yokukhulekela kweqiniso; kumelwe afune ngempela ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ngokwemvelo, akanakulindeleka ukuba abonise ukuvuthwa komuntu omdala, kodwa ukuthuthuka kwakhe ngokomoya kumelwe kuthuthuke ngokunengqondo.

14. Kungani omunye osemusha abheka ukubhapathizwa kwakhe njengesivikelo?

¹⁴ Uma umuntu ‘esebale izindleko,’ akukho lutho olubi ngokuzinikezela njengomuntu omusha. Ngawo wonke amaKristu amasha, ngemva kokubhapathizwa ukwazisa kuyajula. “Ukubhapathizwa njengomuntu omusha kwakuyisivikelo kimi,” kuchaza uDavid. “Njengoba ngangikhula, ngaphawula indlela enye intsha engabhapathiziwe ebandleni eyayizizwa ikhululeke ngayo egunyeni labadala futhi ngenxa yalokho yakhukhulekela ekuziphatheni okubi. Kodwa ngangikhumbula njalo ukuthi nganginikele ukuphila kwami kuNkulunkulu. Ukuphila kwami kwase kuthathiwe kakade, ngakho ngangingenakuyilandela leyontsha. ”

15. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi kungenzeka ngabasha ukulondoloza umbono ovuthiwe ngokukhulekela kweqiniso? (b) Abazali bangasiza kanjani kangcono kakhulu?

¹⁵ Abanye abazali bayazibuza, ‘Kuthiwanike uma indodana noma indodakazi yami ibhapathizwa isencane bese iphola?’ Ngokuqinisekile, umuntu omusha akumelwe abhapathizwe ukuze nje athokozise umzali noma ngenxa yokuthi abanye abangane bayabhapathizwa. Nokho lapho besebasha, uJosefa, uSamuweli, iNkosi uJosiya, noJesu bonke babenombono ovuthiwe ngokukhulekela kukaNkulunkulu futhi banamathela kukho. (Genesise 37:2; 39:1-3; 1 Samuweli 1:24-28; 2:18-21; 2 IziKronike 34:3; Luka 2:42-49) Ezikhathini zanamuhla, umKristu othiwa nguJean wabhapathizwa eneminyaka eyishumi kuphela. Lapho ebuzwa eminyakeni ethile kamuva ukuthi wayesiqonda ngempela yini isinyathelo, uJean waphendula: “Ngangazi ukuthi ngangimthanda uJehova, ngangikwazisa lokho uJesu asenzela khona, futhi ngangifuna ukukhonza uJehova.” Cishe useneminyaka engama-40 ekhonza ngokwethembeka kusukela ekubhapathizweni kwakhe. Omusha ngamunye ungumuntu; akekho ongabeka ubudala obuthile njengomngcele. Abazali kumelwe balwele ukufinyelela inhliziyo yomntanabo, bamsize abe nokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu.c Akumelwe babeke phambi kwabantwana babo ilungelo lokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kuphela kodwa futhi babaqinise ukuba babe abakhulekeli abaqotho.

Ukunqoba Izihibe

16. Kungani kudingeka okwengeziwe kunolwazi olugcwaliswe ekhanda nje?

¹⁶ Nakuba ulwazi lweBhayibheli lubalulekile, “uphawu” luhilela okungaphezu kolwazi olugcwaliswe ekhanda. Ngokwesibonelo, embonweni owanikezwa uHezekeli, kungenzeka ukuthi abadala ababulawelwa ukushisela onkulunkulu bamanga impepho babe nolwazi oluhle lweZwi likaJehova elilotshiwe. Kodwa ukuziphatha kwabo ngasese kwabonisa ukuthi babengebona abakhulekeli beqiniso. (Hezekeli 8:7-12; 9:6) Ngakho, ‘ukuphawulelwa’ ukusinda kudinga ukwembatha “umuntu omusha owadalwa ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.”—Efesu 4:22-24.

17. (a) Yisiphi isihibe esenza abanye bangafuni ukubhapathizwa? (b) Iseluleko sikaJakobe 4:8 singasetshenziswa kanjani?

¹⁷ Isihibe esisabekayo siyithonya lenyama yakho enesono. (Roma 8:7, 8) Abanye baze bangafuni ukubhapathizwa ngenxa yokungabulawuli ubuthaka obuthile benyama obungathi sína noma ngenxa yokufuna ukuzitika ezinjabulweni zezwe ezingemthetho. (Jakobe 4:1, 4) Abanjalo baphuthelwa ubuhlobo obuyigugu. IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyayala: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, khona uyakusondela kinina. Hlanzani izandla nina-zoni, nihlambulule izinhliziyo nina-bonhliziyombili.” (Jakobe 4:8) Kudingeka isinyathelo esiqondile. Ngokwesibonelo, enye indoda eyaqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli yayisineminyaka eyi-16 iyixhwele lotshwala nemilaliso futhi lokhu kwase kuyigulisa kabi. Ngokuzimisela yayinqoba lemikhuba emibi. “Kodwa njengoba ngangithuthukela ekuzinikezeleni, owesifazane waqala ukungincenga ukuba ngilale naye. Kwakuyisilingo sangempela,” ivuma. “Nakuba lona wesifazane acabanga ukuthi ngangisangana, ngamtshela: ‘Ngitadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova, futhi ngeke ngikwenze.’” Yini eyashukumisa ukusabela kwakhe? “Ngangikubonile lokho uJehova ayekwenzele ukuphila kwami ngokungisiza ngikhululeke otshwaleni. Wangisiza futhi nangezinye izindlela. Lokhu kwaqhubeka kungisondeza eduze naye. Ngangingenakumdumaza.” Lendoda yayisondelene eduze noNkulunkulu.

18. Siyini isihluthulelo sokunqoba izihibe?

¹⁸ Okubalulekile akukhona ukuthi wazi okungakanani kodwa ukuthi ukuthanda kangakanani okwaziyo. IHubo 119:165 lithi: “Abathanda [hhayi abaziyo nje] umthetho wakho banokuthula okukhulu; akukho-sikhubekiso kubo.” Isihluthulelo siwukuthanda umthetho kaNkulunkulu, ukwazisa ngokujulile ukubaluleka kwawo ekuphileni kwakho.—Isaya 48:17, 18.

19, 20. (a) Yiziphi izihibe okumelwe zinqotshwe, futhi isiphi isiqinisekiso esinaso? (b) Ukunqoba ngokuphumelelayo zonke izihibe kuyophumela kuphi?

¹⁹ Yebo, ezinye izihibe nezikhubekiso zingaphakama. “Esasinzima kunazo zonke kimi,” kusho umzalwane okhulunyelwe ngenhla, “kwakuwukwesaba abantu. ‘Nganginabangane’ bezwe engangikade ngiphuza nabo. Kwakuyinto enzima kakhulu ngami ukubatshela ukuthi ngangibunqamula ubungane bami ngoba ngangizonikezela ukuphila kwami kuNkulunkulu.” (IzAga 29:25) Abanye baye babhekana nokukloloda kwamalungu omkhaya. Omunye uFakazi owayesanda kubhapathizwa, owanqoba ukuphikisa kwendoda yakhe, waphawula: “Esikhundleni sokuba kube nesihibe esisodwa esikhulu, kwakunezihibe eziningi ezincane okwadingeka ukuba ngizinqobe ngasinye.” Ukunqoba ngokwethembeka isihibe ngasinye lapho sifika kuyoqinisa inhliziyo yakho. Qiniseka ukuthi asikho isihibe labo abathanda umthetho kaNkulunkulu abangenakusinqoba!—Luka 16:10.

²⁰ Njengoba unqoba isikhubekiso ngasinye, uyozuza ‘ukuthula okukhulu.’ (IHubo 119:165) Yebo, “uyakuhamba indlela yakho ngokulondeka . . . ubuthongo bakho buyakubamnandi. Ungethukwa luvalo oluzumayo nokuchithwa kwababi, lapho kufika, ngokuba uJehova uyakuba-yithemba lakho.”—IzAga 3:23-26.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Amaphuzu Okubukeza

◻ UNkulunkulu usisiza kanjani ukuba sizuze ukuthula naye?

◻ Luyini uphawu olungokomfanekiso olusindisa ukuphila?

◻ Kusho ukuthini ukuzlnikezela nobhapathizo?

◻ Luhlobo luni lwezihibe okumelwe kubhekanwe nazo, futhi lezi zinganqotshwa kanjani?

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 13]

Ukucwiliswa Noma Ukufafazwa?

Indaba yokubhapathizwa kukaJesu ikhuluma ‘ngokukhuphuka kwakhe emanzini.’ (Marku 1:10) Ukuthi uJesu wacwiliswa kuyavumelana nencazelo yegama lesiGreki elihunyushelwe esiNgisini ngokuthi baptism (baʹpti·sma). Leli livela egameni elithi ba·ptiʹzo, elisho “ukufaka ngokuphelele emanzini, ukucwiIisa.” Ngezinye izikhathi lalisetshenziswa ekuchazeni ukucwila komkhumbi. Umlobi wekhulu lesibili uLucian usebenzisa igama elihlangene nalelo ukuze achaze ukumlnzisa komuntu omunye: “Emfaka ngokujule kakhulu [ba·ptiʹzon·ta] kangangokuthi akanakuvuka futhi.” IThe New Intemational Dictionary of New Testament Theology iyaphetha: “Naphezu kokugomela ngokwehlukile, kuyabonakala ukuthi elithi baptizō, kokubili ngokomongo wobuJuda nowubuKristu, ngokuvamile lalisho ‘ukucwilisa’, nokuthi ngisho noma laba Igama elikhethekile elisho ukubhapathizwa, umqondo wokucwiliswa usasele.”