Uthando NgoNkulunkulu—Amandla Okuziphatha Okuhle

ABANTU abanengqondo bazovuma ngokushesha ukuthi ukuziphatha okubi kudinga ukuvinjelwa. Njengoba umfundisi weUnited Church yaseCanada akubeka: “Imiphumela, lapho abantu kanye nomphakathi bengawunaki umthetho wokuziphatha, iyethusa; izimpi, ukwehla kwamandla emali, umonakalo onjengowaseWatergate, kanye nesiphithiphithi.” Njengoba kuboniswe esihlokweni esandulelayo, izinkolo ezinkulu zalomhlaba ziye zangazibonakalisa zingamandla amakhulu okuziphatha okuhle. Ngakho uma thina ngabanye sifuna ukuphila ukuphila kokuziphatha okuhle, kumelwe sibheke kwelinye igunya elizolungiselela amandla anjalo khona-ke sizimisele ukunamathela kulelogunya.

Ithonya legunya elinjalo elikhulu laba sobala esenzakalweni esithile ekuphileni kukaJosefa, umphathi ongumHeberu wenkantolo yaseGibithe. Lapho inkosikazi yenkosi imnxenxa ukuba abe nobuhlobo bobulili nayo, uJosefa wenqaba, ethi: “Ngingenza kanjani lobobubi obungaka, ngone kuNkulunkulu, na?” (Genesise 39:7-9) Ukuqaphela igunya likaNkulunkulu nokufisa ukumthokozisa kwanika uJosefa amandla okuziphatha okwenqaba ukuyenga kwayo.

Eminyakeni engamakhulu amabili kamuva, isizwe sakwaIsrayeli, uzalo lukayise kaJosefa, uJakobe, semukela iMiyalo Eyishumi njengengxenye yoMthetho owanikezwa ngoMose. Njengoba ukungalaleli kwakubangela intukuthelo kaJehova uNkulunkulu, ukulalela loMthetho kwakuletha izibusiso zaphezulu. Ngakho lemiyalo yasebenza njengesiqondiso sokuziphatha esizweni.

IMiyalo Eyishumi—Amandla Okuhle

IMiyalo Eyishumi yayingamandla amakhulu kangakanani? Ithonya layo lisezwakala ngisho nakulelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka. Ngo-1962 undunankulu wangalesosikhathi waseNew Zealand wathi: “Ngibona sengathi abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi iMiyalo Eyishumi iphelelwe yisikhathi. Kodwa kungase kungabi okungabalulekile ukuthi ukuba sonke besiyigcina ngokwethembeka namuhla, umthetho wezwe ovamile ubungaba yize.”

Nokho, engxoxweni yakhe nombusi wamaJuda osemncane, uJesu Kristu wabonisa ukuthi kwakudingeka okuthile okungaphezu kokugcina iMiyalo Eyishumi. Insizwa yayibuzile: “Ngiyakwenza-ntoni enhle ukuba ngibe-nokuphila okuphakade na?” Lapho uJesu ethi kumelwe ‘agcine imiyalo,’ ebala eminye yeyiShumi, umbusi waphendula: “Konke lokho ngikugcinile; ngisasilalelweni na?” UJesu waphendula: “Hamba uthengise ngempahla yakho, uphe abampofu, khona uzakuba-negugu ezulwini; uze ungilandele.” Indaba iyaqhubeka: “Yathi insizwa ukuba izwe lelizwi, yamuka idabukile, ngokuba yayinengcebo enkulu.”—Mathewu 19:16-22.

Ukuqhathanisa lendaba nefana nayo ekuLuka 10:25-28 kusisiza ukuba sibone inkinga eyisisekelo yombusi osemncane. Siyafunda: “Kwase kusukuma isazimthetho esithile, samlinga [uJesu] sathi: Mfundisi, ngizakwenzani ukuba ngidle ifa lokuphila okuphakade na?” UJesu wasisiza ukuba sicabange ngendaba, futhi umphumela waba ukuthi lendoda yakwazi ukuphendula umbuzo wayo siqu, ithi: ‘Thanda uJehova uNkulunkulu ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, umphefumulo, amandla, nengqondo, nomakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’ Khona-ke uJesu waphetha: “Yenza lokho, uzakuphila.”

Uyayibona yini manje inkinga yombusi omncane ophawulwe ngaphambili? Uthando lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu nomakhelwane lwalufiphazwa uthando lwakhe lwezinto ezibonakalayo. Yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo! Naphezu kokuzama kwakhe ukugcina iMiyalo Eyishumi, wayesengozini yokulahlekelwa ukuphila okuphakade.

Lusho Ukuthini Uthando NgoNkulunkulu?

Siphila esikhathini lapho uthando ngoNkulunkulu nangomakhelwane luye lwathathelwa indawo ukuzithanda thina, izinto ezibonakalayo, nobulili. Phela, ngisho nokukholelwa kuNkulunkulu njengoMdali kubantu abaningi kuye kwathathelwa indawo ukukholelwa olwazini lokucatshangelwa olungenabufakazi lokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Iyini imbangela yakho konke lokhu?

Emakhulwini eminyaka, abefundisi beLobukholwa basebenzisa imfundiso engekho eBhayibhelini yesihogo somlilo esesabekayo emzamweni wokuqondisa ukuziphatha kwabantu. IEncyclopedia International iyaphawula: “Ngokungangabazeki amandla amakhulu kakhulu okuhle ngabantu abavamile phakathi neNkathi Yobumnyama kwakuwukwesaba isihogo, okwenza ngisho namaKhosi noNdunankulu bathobela iSonto, futhi cishe kwakuwukuphela komngcele ezifisweni zabo ezingalawuleki.” Lemfundiso yesihogo somlilo yakha umbono wokuthi uNkulunkulu wayengenaluthando, engenabubele, futhi enamagqubu. Ngisho nakuba lemfundiso kungenzeka yaba umngcele kwabanye abantu, abanye abaningi yabahlubula kuNkulunkulu, ibashiya beyizisulu zezimfundiso ezingekho ngokombhalo kanye nolwazi lokucatshangelwa, njengalolo lokuziphendukela kwemvelo.

Nokho, iBhayibheli alifundisi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uhlupha imiphefumulo esihogweni somlilo. Kunalokho, umphostoli uJohane uyasitshela: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” “Ulungile ukuba asithethelele izono.” UMose wabhala: “NguJehova! NguNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe, onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela, novamé ubumnene neqiniso.” (1 Johane 4:8; 1:9; Eksodusi 34:6) Lezi ezimbalwa nje zezimfanelo ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu. Zisisondeza kuye. Lezimfanelo, ikakhulukazi uthando lwakhe, ziyilokho okusenza sifune ukumthanda. “Thina siyathanda, ngokuba yena wasithanda kuqala.” (1 Johane 4:19) Yiloluthando ngoNkulunkulu olungamandla amakhulu kakhulu okuziphatha okuhle; lungaholela ekuphileni okuphakade!

Uthando lwangempela ngoNkulunkulu aluyona nje imfanelo ecatshangelwayo. Lushukumisela umuntu ukuba enze ngokwenzuzo yomunye. Umphostoli uPawulu wabala izindlela eziningi loluthando olungaboniswa ngazo. Ukuphawula ezimbalwa nje: “Uthando luyabekezela, uthando lumnene, alunamhawu, uthando aluzigabisi, aluzikhukhumezi; aluziphathi ngokungafanele, aluzifuneli okwalo, alucunuki.” (1 Korinte 13:4, 5) Ukubonakalisa kwethu loluthando kuwumzamo wokulingisa uBaba wethu wasezulwini. UJesu wathi: “Kuleyomiyalo emibili [ukuthanda uNkulunkulu nomakhelwane] kubambelela umthetho wonke nabaprofethi.” (Mathewu 22:40) Ngamanye amazwi, uma sibonisa loluthando, ngeke simebele umakhelwane wethu noma simbulale noma siphinge nomkakhe. Umphostoli uJohane wavuma, ethi: “Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yilokhu ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe.”—1 Johane 5:3.

Uthando NgoNkulunkulu Amandla Okuhle

Phawula umphumela uthando ngoNkulunkulu olwaba nawo emaKristwini okuqala, njengoba kuboniswe uTertullian, wekhulu lesibili leminyaka. Wabekela abaphikisi bakhe inselele yokuba bakhombe umKristu oyedwa phakathi kwezigebengu zabo. Lapho behluleka, wanezela: “Ngakho-ke, yithina kuphela esingenabo ubugebengu.” Incwadi iThe Old Roman World iyawusekela lombono, ithi: “Sinobufakazi ngokuphila kwawo okungasoleki, nokuziphatha kwawo okungenasihlamba.” Futhi iChristianity Today icaphuna isazi-mlando sesonto uRoland Bainton: “Kusukela ekupheleni kwenkathi yeTestamente Elisha kuya eshumini leminyaka lika-170-180 abukho nobuncane ubufakazi bamaKristu esempini.” Uthando ngoNkulunkulu lwawashukumisela ekumlaleleni ngokuphila ukuphila kokuziphatha okuhle. Nokho, ungase uzibuze, ‘Ingabe bukhona namuhla ubufakazi balamandla azuzisayo okuziphatha?’

Ngempela bukhona! Umhleli wephephandaba uMike McManus wabhala kuyiHerald & Review ukuthi akakaze ayizwe inkulumo emelene nobulili ngaphambi komshado. Ngemva kwenyanga kamuva wabika ukuthi phakathi kwezincwadi eziphendulayo ezamukelwa kwakunenye eyayivela koneminyaka eyi-14, omunye woFakazi BakaJehova, owabhala: “Ukucabanga nje ngokuthola lezifo kumelwe kube ngokwanele ukuvimbela abantu abaningi [ebulilini ngaphambi komshado]. Kodwa isizathu sokuba oFakazi bakugweme ukuthi uJehova usiyala ukuba sibalekele ubufebe.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Ephawula ngalencwadi, uMcManus wabuza: “Bangaki ebandleni lakho abaneminyaka eyi-14 abangacaphuna uSt. Paul ngokucace kangaka (1 Kor. 6:18)?”

Isimiso esifanayo sokulalela imiyalo kaJehova, esacashunwa yileyontombazane encane, oFakazi bayasisebenzisa kwezinye izici. Nansi ingqikithi yeminye yemiyalo kaNkulunkulu ebhalwe emiBhalweni: ‘Thembeka ezintweni zonke,’ ‘Gwema izithombe,’ ‘Gwema igazi nobufebe,’ ‘Khuluma iqiniso,’ ‘Qeqesha abantwana bakho ngezindlela zikaNkulunkulu.’ (Heberu 13:18; 1 Johane 5:21; IzEnzo 15:29; Efesu 4:25; 6:4) Ingabe uye wabaphawula oFakazi BakaJehova endaweni yakini noma emsebenzini bezama ukulalela lemiyalo? Ingabe wake wazibuza ukuthi kungani benjalo, kungani benqaba ukumpontshelwa igazi, kungani benqaba ukuya empini, kungani bekuvakashela ekhaya lakho, ngamafuphi, kungani behlukile? Impendulo iwuthando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu.

Uthando Alwehluleki

Befuna ukuthokozisa uNkulunkulu, oFakazi BakaJehova bathatha lesiseluleko ngokungathi sína: “Niguqulwe isimo ngokwenziwa ibentsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nibe-nokuhlolisisa okuyintando kaNkulunkulu, okuhle, nokuthandekayo, nokupheleleyo.” (Roma 12:2) Lapho bethola ukuthi iyini ‘intando kaNkulunkulu’ kubo, bafuna ukuyenza. Uthando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu lungamandla ashukumisa lesisifiso. Ingabe unomuzwa wokuthi lokhu kuyiphupho, akunakwenzeka ngokoqobo esikhathini sethu? Ake ucabange kafushane ngalezindaba ezilandelayo ezingokoqobo.

Emuva ngo-1963, uJosé, waseSão Paulo, eBrazil, waqala ukuhlala noEugênia, owayeseshadile kakade. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, baqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Kulesifundo umbhangqwana wathola ukuthi uNkulunkulu udinga ukuba “ukuganana kuhlonishwe yibo bonke.” (Heberu 13:4) Baqaphela ukuthi kumelwe bashade, kodwa iBrazil yayingenawo umthetho wedivosi owawungakhulula uEugênia ukuba ashade noJosé. Nokho, ngo-1977, lapho umthetho wedivosi uqala ukusebenza, wafaka isicelo sedivosi, futhi ngo-1980 bakwazi ukushada, begcwalisa izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu. Uthando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu lwaba nomvuzo.

UInire wayesezame zonke izinhlobo zemilaliso eNew York. Wayehlala nentombi yakhe, uAnn. Ngenxa yesidingo semali, wayeyiyala ukuba ithumele izithombe zayo kumagazini owaziwayo wabesilisa. Wayenikezwa imali enkulu ngokuma enqunu lapho ethathwa isithombe. Ngalesosikhathi, uInire waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova, futhi kamuva uAnn wahlanganyela kuso. UInire wayeka ukusebenzisa imilaliso. Ngemva kwamasonto amathathu, ngokuzithandela, banquma ukushada. Khona-ke, befundé eBhayibhelini ukuthi umKristu kumelwe agqoke ngesizotha, uAnn wanquma ukuthi ngenxa kanembeza akanakuvuma ukuthathwa izithombe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wayethenjiswa imali engakanani. (1 Thimothewu 2:9) Ucabanga ukuthi yini eyashukumisela ushintsho olunjalo? UAnn uthi lapho eqaphela ukuthi ukuba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova kwakungeyona nje indaba yokuzihlanganisa nenkolo kodwa kwakuhilela ukuphila ukuphila okunikezelwe kuNkulunkulu, wazi ukuthi kwakumelwe enze ushintsho ngokushesha. Ngokuqinisekile, uthando ngoNkulunkulu lungamandla amakhulu okuhle.

Omunye angase acabange, ‘Nokho, lezi izimo ezihlukile.’ Kodwa, akunjalo. Ushintsho olufanayo luye lwenzeka izikhathi eziningi ezindaweni lapho oFakazi BakaJehova besebenza khona. Kungani ungakuhloli kabanzi lokhu? Zibonele ngokwakho ukuthi uthando ngoNkulunkulu njengoba luboniswe enkolweni yeqiniso luseyiwo amandla okuziphatha okuhle.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]

Ngokuphathelene namaKristu akuqala, incwadi “iThe Old Roman World” ithi: “Sinobufakazi ngokuphila kwawo okungasoleki, nokuziphatha kwawo okungenasihlamba.” Ayeyini amandla ayeshukumisa “ukuziphatha kwawo okungenasihlamba”?

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Uthando ngoNkulunkulu lungakusiza ukuba umelane nokulingelwa ukwenza okubi