UNkulunkulu Ukubheka Kanjani Ukukhulekela KweLobukholwa?

“AKUWONA wonke umuntu othi kimi, ‘Nkosi, Nkosi,’ oyongena embusweni wamazulu,” kusho uJesu Kristu, “kodwa lowo owenza intando kaBaba osemazulwini nguye oyongena. Abaningi bayothi kimi ngalolosuku, ‘Nkosi, Nkosi, asiprofethanga yini . . . senza imisebenzi eminingi yamandla egameni lakho?’ Kodwa nokho ngiyovuma kubo ngalesosikhathi: Angizange nginazi! Sukani kimi, nina zisebenzi zokungabi namthetho.”—Mathewu 7:21-23.

NgeZwi lakhe elingcwele, iBhayibheli Elingcwele, uNkulunkulu uye wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi iyini intando yakhe. Ingabe amasonto eLobukholwa ayayenza intando kaNkulunkulu? Noma ingabe ayilokho uJesu akubiza ngokuthi ‘izisebenzi zokungabi namthetho’?

Ukuchitha Igazi

Ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kweNkosi yakhe, uPetru wacishe waqala impi nebutho lamasosha elalithunywe ukuzobopha uJesu. (Johane 18:3, 10) Kodwa uJesu wabuyisela ukuthula futhi waxwayisa uPetru: “Bonke labo abaphatha inkemba bayobhubha ngenkemba.” (Mathewu 26:52) Lesi sixwayiso esicacile siphindiwe kusAmbulo 13:10. Ingabe amasonto eLobukholwa aye asilalela? Noma ingabe nawo anecala ngezimpi eziqhubekayo ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba?

Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu baseSerbia nabaseCroatia abulawa egameni lenkolo. “ECroatia,” kubika i-New Encyclopædia Britannica, “umbuso wendabuko wobu-fascist waqala isimiso ‘sokukhucululwa kohlanga,’ esazidlula kude ngisho nezenzo zamaNazi. . . . Kwathiwa ingxenye yesithathu yabantu baseSerbia yayizodingiswa, enye iguqulelwe enkolweni yamaRoma Katolika, kuthi enye iqothulwe. . . . Ukuba nesandla kwabefundisi bamaKatolika kulezi zenzo kwalimaza ubuhlobo besonto nombuso ngokungathi sína ngemva kwempi.” Abantu abaningi baphoqwa ukuba baguqukele enkolweni yamaKatolika uma kungenjalo bafe; izinkulungwane zabanye azinikwanga ngisho nethuba lokukhetha. Abantu bonke emadolobhaneni—amadoda, abesifazane, nezingane—bayiswa ngempoqo emasontweni abo obu-Orthodox babe sebebulawa. Kuthiwani ngamabutho aphikisayo amaKhomanisi? Ingabe inkolo yawasekela nawo?

“Abanye abapristi bahlanganyela empini baba ngasohlangothini lwamabutho avukelayo,” kubika incwadi ethi History of Yugoslavia. “Amabutho abaShokobezi ahlanganisa ngisho nabapristi besonto lobu-Orthodox baseSerbia nelamaRoma Katolika,” kusho incwadi ethi Yugoslavia and the New Communism. Ukungaboni ngaso linye okungokwenkolo kuyaqhubeka kubhebhethekisa impi emazweni aseBalkan.

Kuthiwani ngeRwanda? Unobhala-jikelele we-Catholic Institute for International Relations, u-Ian Linden, wavuma ngalamazwi alandelayo ephephabhukwini i-Month: “Uphenyo lwe-African Rights eLondon lunikeza isibonelo esisodwa noma ezimbili zabaholi bamasonto amaKatolika, aseSheshi, nawaseBaptist akuleyo ndawo behileleka ekubulaleni kwamabutho ngenxa yokudebesela noma ngenxa yokugunyaza. . . . Akungabazeki nakancane ukuthi inani elikhulu lamaKristu avelele asezifundeni zabefundisi lalihilelekile ekubulaleni.” Ngokudabukisayo, ukulwa phakathi kwalabo okuthiwa bangamaKristu kuyaqhubeka kuhlupha i-Afrika emaphakathi.

Ubufebe Nokuphinga

NgokweZwi likaNkulunkulu, iyodwa kuphela indawo ehloniphekile yobulili, ingaphakathi kwesibopho somshado. “Umshado mawudunyiswe phakathi kwabo bonke,” kusho iBhayibheli, “nombhede womshado ungabi nakungcola, ngoba uNkulunkulu uyokwahlulela izifebe neziphingi.” (Heberu 13:4) Ingabe abaholi bamasonto bayayisekela lemfundiso kaNkulunkulu?

Ngo-1989 iSonto LaseSheshi e-Australia lakhipha incwadi engokomthetho ephathelene nobulili eyayisikisela ukuthi ubulili ngaphambi komshado abuyona into engalungile uma umbhangqwana uzinikele ngokuphelele komunye nomunye. Muva nje, umholi weSonto LaseSheshi eScotland wathi: “ISonto akufanele lisole ukushendeza njengokuyisono nokungalungile. ISonto kumelwe likwamukele ukuthi ukuphinga kubangelwa izakhi zethu zofuzo.”

ENingizimu Afrika abefundisi abaningana baye bakhuluma ngokungagwegwesi bevuna ubungqingili. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1990 umagazini waseNingizimu Afrika i-You wacaphuna umfundisi odumile waseSheshi ethi: “UmBhalo awubophi njalo. . . . Ngikholelwa ukuthi kuzoba nezinguquko esimweni sengqondo nasesimisweni sesonto ngakubantu abangongqingili.”—Qhathanisa neyabaseRoma 1:26, 27.

Ngokwe-1994 Britannica Book of the Year, ubulili buye baba udaba oluvelele emasontweni aseMelika, ikakhulukazi izindaba ‘ezinjengokugcotshwa kongqingili abaziwayo besilisa nabesifazane enkonzweni, ukuqonda kwenkolo amalungelo ongqingili, ukubusiswa “komshado wongqingili,” nokugunyazwa okungokomthetho noma ukunqatshelwa kwezindlela zokuphila ezihlangene nobungqingili.’ Amahlelo amaningi amasonto amakhulu abekezelela abefundisi abakhankasela inkululeko engokobulili enkudlwana. Ngokwe-1995 Britannica Book of the Year, ababhishobhi abangu-55 base-Episcopal basayina isimemezelo “esiqinisekisa ukwamukelwa kokugcotshwa nokusebenza kongqingili.”

Abanye abefundisi bavuna ubungqingili, bethi uJesu akazange abusole. Kodwa ingabe kunjalo ngempela? UJesu Kristu wathi iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyiqiniso. (Johane 17:17) Lokho kusho ukuthi wayewamukela umbono kaNkulunkulu ngobungqingili njengoba uchazwe kuLevitikusi 18:22, ofundeka kanje: “Ungalali nowesilisa njenganowesifazane; kuyisinengiso.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu wabala ubufebe nokuphinga phakathi ‘kwezinto ezimbi eziphuma ngaphakathi futhi zimngcolise umuntu.’ (Marku 7:21-23) Igama lesiGreki elisho ubufebe libanzi kunelisho ukuphinga. Lichaza zonke izinhlobo zobuhlobo bobulili bangaphandle komshado osemthethweni, kuhlanganise nobungqingili. (Jude 7) UJesu Kristu waxwayisa nabalandeli bakhe ukuba bangabekezeleli noma imuphi umuntu othi ungumfundisi ongumKristu olulaza ukungathi sína kobufebe.—IsAmbulo 1:1; 2:14, 20.

Lapho abaholi benkolo bekhankasela ukugcotshwa kongqingili besilisa nabesifazane, lokhu kuba naliphi ithonya emalungwini amasonto abo, ikakhulukazi intsha? Akubayengeli yini ekubeni balinge ubulili ngaphandle komshado? Ngokuphambene, iZwi likaNkulunkulu linxusa amaKristu ukuba ‘abalekele ubufebe.’ (1 Korinte 6:18) Uma esikholwa naye ewela esonweni esinjalo, kunikezwa usizo olunothando ngenhloso yokubuyisela lowo muntu emuseni kaNkulunkulu. (Jakobe 5:16, 19, 20) Kuthiwani uma lolu sizo lwenqatshwa? IBhayibheli lithi ngaphandle kokuba abantu abanjalo baphenduke, “ngeke bawuzuze njengefa umbuso kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.

‘Ukwenqabela Ukushada’

Ngenxa “yokuvama kobufebe,” iBhayibheli lithi “kungcono ukushada kunokushiswa inkanuko.” (1 Korinte 7:2, 9) Naphezu kwalesi seluleko esihlakaniphile, abefundisi abaningi kufuneka bahlale beyizimpohlo, okungukuthi, bengashadile. “Isifungo sobumpohlo sisuke singaphuliwe,” kuchaza uNino Lo Bello encwadini yakhe ethi The Vatican Papers, “uma umpristi, indela noma indelakazi beba nobuhlobo bobulili. . . . Intethelelo ngenxa yokuba nobuhlobo bobulili ingatholakala ngokukusho ngokwethembeka endaweni yokuvuma izono, kuyilapho ukushada kwanoma imuphi umpristi kuyomane kungaqashelwa yiSonto.” Ingabe lemfundiso iye yaveza izithelo ezinhle noma ezimbi?—Mathewu 7:15-19.

Akungabazeki ukuthi abapristi abaningi baphila ukuphila okumsulwa ngokokuziphatha, kodwa inani elikhulu alenzi kanjalo. Ngokwe-1992 Britannica Book of the Year, “kwabikwa ukuthi iSonto LamaRoma Katolika lakhokha izigidi ezingu-$300 [izigidi ezingu-R1 100] emacaleni okunukubeza kwabefundisi ngokobulili.” Kamuva, uhlelo luka-1994 lwathi: “Ukufa kwabefundisi abaningana ngenxa yengculaza kukuveze obala ukuthi kunabapristi abangongqingili futhi kwaqashelwa ukuthi kube nenani elikhulu . . . longqingili abadonsekela ekubeni abapristi.” Akumangalisi ukuthi iBhayibheli lithi ‘ukwenqabela ukushada’ ‘kuyimfundiso yamademoni.’ (1 Thimothewu 4:1-3) “Ngokubona kwezazi-mlando ezithile,” kubhala uPeter de Rosa encwadini yakhe ethi Vicars of Christ, “kungenzeka ukuthi [ubumpohlo babapristi] buye bonakalisa ukuziphatha ukudlula noma imuphi omunye umkhuba eNtshonalanga, kuhlanganise nobufebe. . . . Ezikhathini eziningi [buye] bangcolisa igama lobuKristu. . . . Ngaso sonke isikhathi ubumpohlo obuphoqelelwe buye babangela ubuzenzisi ezinhlwini zabefundisi. . . . Umpristi angawa kayinkulungwane kodwa umthetho wesonto uyamnqabela ukuba ashade kanye.”

Ngemva kokucabangela umbono kaNkulunkulu ngokukhulekelwa kukaBali, kulula ukuqonda indlela okumelwe ukuba uwabheka ngayo amasonto eLobukholwa ahlukene phakathi. Incwadi yeBhayibheli yokugcina ihlanganisa zonke izinhlobo zokukhulekela kwamanga ngaphansi kwegama elithi “iBabiloni Elikhulu, unina wezifebe nowezinengiso zomhlaba.” “Kulo,” kunezela iBhayibheli, “kwatholakala . . . igazi labaprofethi nelabangcwele nelabo bonke abaye babulawa emhlabeni.”—IsAmbulo 17:5; 18:24.

Ngakho, uNkulunkulu unxusa bonke abafuna ukuba abakhulekeli bakhe beqiniso: “Phumani kulo, bantu bami, uma ningafuni ukuhlanganyela nalo ezonweni zalo, futhi ningafuni ukwamukela ingxenye yezinhlupho zalo. . . . zizofika ngalusuku lunye izinhlupho zalo, ukufa nokulila nendlala, futhi liyoshiswa ngokuphelele ngomlilo, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu, owalahlulela, unamandla.”—IsAmbulo 18:4, 8.

Manje kuphakama lombuzo: Ngemva kokuphuma enkolweni yamanga, umuntu kufanele ayephi? Yiluphi uhlobo lokukhulekela olwamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu?

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Ukukhonza Izithombe

Ukukhulekelwa kukaBali kwakuhilela ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe. Ama-Israyeli azama ukuxuba ukukhulekela kukaJehova nokukaBali. Aze aletha ngisho nezithombe ethempelini likaJehova. Umbono kaNkulunkulu ngokukhulekela izithombe wenziwa wacaca lapho eletha imbubhiso phezu kweJerusalema nethempeli lalo.

Amasonto amaningi eLobukholwa agcwele izithombe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziyisiphambano, imifanekiso engokwenkolo, noma izithombe ezibaziwe zikaMariya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu abasontayo bafundiswa ukuba bakhothame, baguqe, noma benze uphawu lwesiphambano phambi kwalemifanekiso. Ngokuphambene, amaKristu eqiniso ayalwa ukuba ‘abalekele ukukhonza izithombe.’ (1 Korinte 10:14) Awazami ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ngosizo lwezinto eziphathekayo.—Johane 4:24.

[Umthombo]

Musée du Louvre, Paris

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

“Umholi Webandla Kufanele Angabi Nabala”

LAMAZWI avela kuThithu 1:7, kuyi-Today’s English Version. I-King James Version ifundeka kanje: “Umbhishobhi kumelwe abe ongasoleki.” Igama elithi “umbhishobhi” livela egameni lesiGreki elisho “umbonisi.” Ngakho amadoda amiswe ukuba ahole ebandleni lobuKristu leqiniso kumelwe ahlangabezane nezindinganiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo. Uma engenzi njalo, kumelwe agudluzwe ezikhundleni zawo zobubonisi, njengoba engasezona “izibonelo emhlambini.” (1 Petru 5:2, 3) Amasonto eLobukholwa ayithatha ngokungathi sína kangakanani lemfuneko?

Encwadini yakhe ethi I Care About Your Marriage, uDkt. Everett Worthington ubhekisela ekuhlolweni kwabefundisi abayikhulu eVirginia, e-U.S.A. Abangamaphesenti angaphezu kuka-40 bavuma ukuthi babeke bahileleka ohlotsheni oluthile lokuziphatha okuvusa inkanuko nothile ongeyena umngane wabo womshado. Inani elikhulu labo lalike laphinga.

“Phakathi neshumi leminyaka elidlule,” kuphawula i-Christianity Today, “isonto liye lashaqwa ngokuphindaphindiwe ukwambulwa kokuziphatha okubi kwabanye babaholi balo abahlonishwa kakhulu.” Isihloko esithi “Okwenza Abefundisi Abaphingayo Bangakufaneli Ukubuyiselwa” sawubekela inselele umkhuba ovamile weLobukholwa wokusheshe babuyisele abaholi besonto ezikhundleni zabo zangaphambili ngemva kokuba beye “balahlwa ngecala lesono sobulili.”