“Yilendlela UNkulunkulu Asithanda Ngayo”
“Uma kuyilendlela uNkulunkulu asithanda ngayo, khona-ke nathi ngokwethu singaphansi kwesibopho sokuthandana.”—1 JOHANE 4:11.
1. Ngo-March 23 ngemva kokushona kwelanga, kungani izigidi zabantu ziyobe zihlangana emaHholo OMbuso nakwezinye izindawo zokuhlangana emhlabeni wonke?
NGESONTO, ngo-March 23, 1997, ngemva kokushona kwelanga, akungabazeki ukuthi kuyoba nabantu abangaphezu kuka-13 000 000 emhlabeni wonke abayobuthana emaHholo OMbuso nakwezinye izindawo zokuhlangana ezisetshenziswa oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngani? Ngoba izinhliziyo zabo ziye zathintwa ukubonakaliswa okukhulu kunakho konke kothando lukaNkulunkulu ngesintu. UJesu Kristu wagxilisa ukunakekela kulobo bufakazi obuhle kakhulu bothando lukaNkulunkulu, ethi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kakhulu kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhujiswa kodwa abe nokuphila okumi phakade.”—Johane 3:16.
2. Yimiphi imibuzo okungaba yinzuzo ukuba sonke sizibuze yona ngokuqondene nokusabela kwethu othandweni lukaNkulunkulu?
2 Njengoba sicabangela uthando oluye lwaboniswa uNkulunkulu, senza kahle ngokuzibuza, ‘Ingabe ngikwazisa ngempela lokho uNkulunkulu akwenzile? Ingabe indlela engisebenzisa ngayo ukuphila kwami inikeza ubufakazi balokho kwazisa?’
“UNkulunkulu Uluthando”
3. (a) Kungani ukubonisa uthando kungeyona into engavamile kuNkulunkulu? (b) Amandla nokuhlakanipha kubonakala kanjani emisebenzini yakhe yendalo?
3 Ukubonisa uthando ngokwako akuyona into evelele kuNkulunkulu ngoba “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Uthando luyimfanelo yakhe eyinhloko. Lapho elungiselela umhlaba ukuba abantu bahlale kuwo, ukuveza kwakhe izintaba nokuqoqela kwakhe amanzi emachibini nasezilwandle kwakuwukubonakaliswa kwamandla okukhexisa umlomo. (Genesise 1:9, 10) Lapho uNkulunkulu enza ukuba umjikelezo wamanzi nomoya-mpilo usebenze, lapho eklama inqwaba yezinto ezincane eziphilayo nezitshalo ezihlukahlukene ukuze amakhemikhali omhlaba aguquke abe ukudla abantu abangakusebenzisa ukuze basekele ukuphila kwabo, lapho efaka isimiso sokubala isikhathi emizimbeni yethu esivumelanisa nobude bezinsuku nezinyanga kuleplanethi ewuMhlaba, lokhu kwabonisa ukuhlakanipha okukhulu. (IHubo 104:24; Jeremiya 10:12) Nokho, okuvelele ngisho nakakhulu endalweni ebonakalayo ubufakazi bothando lukaNkulunkulu.
4. Endalweni ebonakalayo, yibuphi ubufakazi bothando lukaNkulunkulu sonke okufanele sibubone futhi sibazise?
4 Ulwanga lwethu lusitshela ngothando lukaNkulunkulu lapho siluma isithelo esiconsisa amathe nesivuthiwe ngokusobala esingenzelwanga ukusondla nje kuphela kodwa nokusijabulisa. Amehlo ethu abona ubufakazi balo obusobala ekushoneni kwelanga okukhexisa umlomo, esibhakabhakeni esigcwele izinkanyezi ngobusuku obucwathile, ezinhlotsheni ezihlukahlukene nemibala egqamile yezimbali, emigilingwaneni yamazinyane, nasekumamathekeni kothando kwabangane. Amakhala ethu asenza siluqaphele lapho sihogela iphunga elimnandi lezimbali zasentwasahlobo. Izindlebe zethu ziyaluzwa njengoba silalela ukuhaza kwempophoma, imiculo yezinyoni, namazwi alabo esibathandayo. Siyaluzwa lapho esimthandayo esanga ngokufudumele. Izilwane ezithile zinikezwe amakhono okubona, ukuzwa, noma ukuhogela izinto abantu ezibahlulayo. Kodwa abantu, njengoba benziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, banekhono lokuzwa uthando lukaNkulunkulu ngendlela okungekho silwane esingaluzwa ngayo.—Genesise 1:27.
5. UJehova walubonisa kanjani uthando olukhulu ku-Adamu no-Eva?
5 Lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu edala abantu bokuqala, u-Adamu no-Eva, wababiyela ngobufakazi bothando lwakhe. Wayetshale insimu, ipharadesi, futhi wabangela izinhlobonhlobo zemithi ukuba zikhule kuyo. Wayelungiselele umfula ukuba uyinisele futhi wayigcwalisa ngezinyoni nezilwane ezikhangayo. Konke lokhu wakunika u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba kube yikhaya labo. (Genesise 2:8-10, 19) UJehova wasebenzelana nabo njengezingane zakhe, ingxenye yomkhaya wakhe wendawo yonke. (Luka 3:38) Njengoba ayeselungiselele i-Edene njengesibonelo, uYise wasezulwini walaba bantu ababili bokuqala wabanikeza isabelo esanelisayo sokunweba iPharadesi lihlanganise imbulunga yonke. Wonke umhlaba kwakumelwe ugcwale inzalo yabo.—Genesise 1:28.
6. (a) Uzizwa kanjani ngenkambo yokuhlubuka eyathathwa u-Adamu no-Eva? (b) Yini engase ibonise ukuthi siye safunda kulokho okwenzeka e-Edene nokuthi siye sazuza kulolo lwazi?
6 Nokho, kungakabiphi, u-Adamu no-Eva babhekana novivinyo lokulalela, uvivinyo lokwethembeka. Ngokulandelana kwabo bahluleka ukubonisa ukwazisa ngothando ababelubonisiwe. Abakwenza kwakushaqisa. Kwakungathetheleleki! Ngenxa yalokho, balahlekelwa ubuhlobo babo noNkulunkulu, baxoshwa emkhayeni wakhe, futhi bakhishwa e-Edene. Namuhla sisezwa imiphumela yesono sabo. (Genesise 2:16, 17; 3:1-6, 16-19, 24; Roma 5:12) Kodwa siye safunda yini kulokho okwenzeka? Thina sisabela kanjani othandweni lukaNkulunkulu? Ingabe izinqumo esizenzayo usuku ngalunye zibonisa ukuthi siyalwazisa uthando lwakhe?—1 Johane 5:3.
7. Naphezu kwalokho okwenziwa u-Adamu no-Eva, uJehova walubonisa kanjani uthando ngenzalo yabo?
7 Ngisho nokuntula ukwazisa okuphelele abazali bethu bokuqala abangabantu abakubonisa ngakho konke uNkulunkulu ayebenzele kona akuzange kuluqede uthando lukaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yesihawu ngabantu ababengakazalwa ngaleso sikhathi—kuhlanganise nathi esiphilayo namuhla—uNkulunkulu wavumela u-Adamu no-Eva ukuba babe nomkhaya ngaphambi kokuba bafe. (Genesise 5:1-5; Mathewu 5:44, 45) Ukube akakwenzanga lokho, sasingeke sizalwe. Ngokwambula intando yakhe ngokuqhubekayo, uJehova wanikeza nesisekelo sethemba ngayo yonke inzalo ka-Adamu eyayiyobonisa ukholo. (Genesise 3:15; 22:18; Isaya 9:6, 7) Ilungiselelo lakhe lahlanganisa nendlela abantu bazo zonke izizwe ababengabuye bathole ngayo lokho okwakulahlekele u-Adamu, okungukuthi, ukuphila okuphelele njengamalungu amukelekayo omkhaya kaNkulunkulu wendawo yonke. Lokhu wakwenza ngokulungiselela isihlengo.
Kungani Kwakudingeka Isihlengo?
8. Kungani uNkulunkulu ayengenakumane anqume ukuthi nakuba u-Adamu no-Eva kwakumelwe bafe, akekho enzalweni yabo elalelayo okwakuyodingeka afe?
8 Ingabe kwakudingeka ngempela ukuba kukhokhwe inani lesihlengo eliwukuphila komuntu? Ingabe uNkulunkulu wayengenakumane nje anqume ukuthi nakuba u-Adamu no-Eva kwakumelwe bafe ngenxa yokuhlubuka kwabo, yonke inzalo yabo eyayiyolalela uNkulunkulu yayingaphila phakade? Ngokombono womuntu omfushane, kungase kuzwakale kunengqondo lokho. Nokho, uJehova “uthanda ukulunga [nobulungisa, NW].” (IHubo 33:5) U-Adamu no-Eva bazala izingane ngemva kokuba bebe izoni; ngakho ayikho kulezo zingane eyazalwa iphelele. (IHubo 51:5) Zonke zazithole isono njengefa, futhi isijeziso sesono ukufa. Ukuba uJehova wayekushaye indiva lokhu, kwakuyowabekela siphi isibonelo amalungu omkhaya wakhe wendawo yonke? Wayengenakuzishaya indiva izindinganiso zakhe zokulunga. Wazihlonipha izimfuneko zobulungisa. Akekho owayengayigxeka ngokufanele indlela uNkulunkulu asingatha ngayo izimpikiswano ezazihilelekile.—Roma 3:21-23.
9. Ngokwendinganiso yaphezulu yobulungisa, luhlobo luni lwesihlengo olwaludingeka?
9 Khona-ke, sasinganikezwa kanjani isisekelo esifanelekayo sokukhulula abenzalo ka-Adamu ababeyomlalela ngothando uJehova? Uma umuntu ophelele ayeyokufa ukufa komhlatshelo, ubulungisa babuyovumela ukuba inani lalokho kuphila okuphelele limboze izono zalabo ababeyokwamukela isihlengo ngokholo. Njengoba isono somuntu oyedwa, u-Adamu, sabangela ukuba wonke umkhaya wesintu ube yizoni, igazi elichithekileyo lomunye umuntu ophelele, eliyinani elihambelanayo, lalingalinganisa isikalo sobulungisa. (1 Thimothewu 2:5, 6) Kodwa wayengatholakalaphi umuntu onjalo?
Kwasho Ukulahlekelwa Okungakanani?
10. Kungani inzalo ka-Adamu ingakwazanga ukuletha isihlengo esasidingeka?
10 Enzalweni yesoni u-Adamu, wayengekho owayengakhipha lokho okwakudingeka ukuze abuyise amathemba okuphila u-Adamu awalahla. “Umuntu angemhlenge umfowabo, angemnike uNkulunkulu ihlawulo ngaye. Ngokuba ukuhlengwa komphefumulo wabo kubiza kakhulu; akunakuphela nanini ukuba aphile njalo, angaboni ukubola.” (IHubo 49:7-9) Kunokuba asishiye dengwane isintu, ngesihe uJehova ngokwakhe wenza ilungiselelo.
11. UJehova wakulungiselela ngayiphi indlela ukuphila kobuntu okuphelele okwakudingeka ukuze kube nesihlengo esifanelekayo?
11 UJehova akazange athumele ingelosi emhlabeni ukuba yenze sengathi iyafa ngokubeka phansi umzimba onjengowomuntu kuyilapho yona iphila njengomoya. Kunalokho, ngokwenza isimangaliso okunguNkulunkulu, uMdali kuphela owayengasenza, wadlulisela amandla okuphila nesimo sobuntu sendodana yasezulwini esibelethweni sowesifazane, uMariya indodakazi kaHeli, wesizwe sakwaJuda. Amandla kaNkulunkulu asebenzayo, umoya wakhe ongcwele, wanakekela ukukhula kwengane esibelethweni sikanina, futhi yazalwa ingumuntu ophelele. (Luka 1:35; 1 Petru 2:22) Lona wabe eseba nenani elidingekayo ukuze kwenziwe isihlengo esasiyozanelisa ngokugcwele izimfuneko zobulungisa baphezulu.—Heberu 10:5.
12. (a) UJesu ‘uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa’ ngamuphi umqondo? (b) Ukuthuma kukaNkulunkulu iNdodana ukuba ibe yisihlengo kulugcizelela kanjani uthando lwaKhe ngathi?
12 Phakathi kwezigidigidi zamadodana akhe asezulwini uJehova wasinikeza bani lesi sabelo? Wasinika leyo echazwe emiBhalweni ngokuthi “iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa.” (1 Johane 4:9) Lenkulumo ayichazi lokho eyaba yikho lapho izalwa njengomuntu, kodwa lokho eyayiyikho ngaphambi kwalokho emazulwini. Yiyo kuphela uJehova ayidala ngokuqondile engabambisene namuntu. IyiZibulo layo yonke indalo. Yiyo eyasetshenziswa uNkulunkulu ekwenzeni ukuba zonke ezinye izidalwa zibe khona. Izingelosi zingamadodana kaNkulunkulu, njengoba no-Adamu ayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa uJesu uchazwe ‘njengonenkazimulo enjengeyendodana ezelwe yodwa kuyise.’ Kuthiwa uhlala “esifubeni kuBaba.” (Johane 1:14, 18) Unobuhlobo obuseduze, bokuthululelana izifuba nobothando noYise. Unothando olunjengolukaYise ngesintu. IzAga 8:30, 31 zichaza indlela uYise azizwa ngayo ngaleNdodana nendlela iNdodana ezizwa ngayo ngesintu: “Ngiyintokozo yakhe [uJehova] imihla ngemihla, ngijabula phambi kwakhe isikhathi sonke, . . . intokozo yami [uJesu, iNgcweti kaJehova yoMsebenzi, ukwenziwa samuntu kokuhlakanipha] ikanye namadodana abantu.” YileNdodana eyigugu kakhulu uNkulunkulu ayithumela emhlabeni ukuba izoba yisihlengo. Ngakho-ke, yeka ukuthi anengqondo kangakanani amazwi kaJesu: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kakhulu kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa”!—Johane 3:16.
13, 14. Umlando weBhayibheli wokuzama kuka-Abrahama ukunikela ngo-Isaka kufanele usisize siqapheleni ngalokho uJehova akwenza? (1 Johane 4:10)
13 Ukuze sikwazi ukukuqonda ngezinga elithile okushiwo yilokho, esikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni, eminyakeni engaba ngu-3 890 edlule, uNkulunkulu wayala u-Abrahama: “Thatha manje indodana yakho eyodwa oyithandayo, uIsaka, uye ezweni laseMoriya, unikele khona ngaye abe-ngumnikelo wokushiswa entabeni ethile engizakukutshela yona.” (Genesise 22:1, 2) Ngokholo, u-Abrahama walalela. Ake uzibeke esimweni sika-Abrahama. Ubungathini uma leyo kwakuyindodana yakho, indodana yakho okuwukuphela kwayo noyithanda kakhulu? Ubungazizwa kanjani njengoba ucanda izinkuni zomnikelo wokushiswa, uthatha uhambo lwezinsuku eziningana uya ezweni laseMoriya, futhi ubeka indodana yakho e-altare?
14 Kungani umzali onesihawu enemizwa enjalo? UGenesise 1:27 uthi uNkulunkulu wadala umuntu ngomfanekiso waKhe. Imizwa yethu yothando nesihawu ibonisa ngezinga elincane kakhulu uthando nesihawu sikaJehova. Endabeni ka-Abrahama, uNkulunkulu wangenela, okwenza ukuba u-Isaka angenziwa ngempela umhlatshelo. (Genesise 22:12, 13; Heberu 11:17-19) Nokho, ngokuqondene naye, uJehova akazange ayeke ngomzuzu wokugcina ukulungiselela isihlengo, nakuba kwasho ukulahlekelwa okukhulu kuye ngokwakhe naseNdodaneni yakhe. Okwenziwa kwakungeve kungenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu wayebophekile, kodwa kunalokho, kwakuwukubonakaliswa komusa ongafanelwe ngokungavamile. Ingabe siwazisa ngokugcwele?—Heberu 2:9.
Esikwenza Kube Nokwenzeka
15. Isihlengo siye sakuthinta kanjani ukuphila kwabantu ngisho nakulesi simiso samanje sezinto?
15 Lelo lungiselelo lothando elenziwa uNkulunkulu linomphumela ojulile ekuphileni kwalabo abalamukela ngokholo. Ekuqaleni babehlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu ngenxa yesono. Njengoba iZwi lakhe lisho, ‘babeyizitha ngoba izingqondo zabo zazisemisebenzini eyayimibi.’ (Kolose 1:21-23) Kodwa baye ‘babuyisana noNkulunkulu ngokufa kweNdodana yakhe.’ (Roma 5:8-10) Njengoba beye bashintsha inkambo yabo yokuphila futhi bamukela ukuthethelelwa uNkulunkulu akwenza kube nokwenzeka kulabo ababonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaKristu, baboniswa umusa ngokunikezwa unembeza ohlanzekile.—Heberu 9:14; 1 Petru 3:21.
16. Yiziphi izibusiso ezinikezwa umhlambi omncane ngenxa yokholo lwawo esihlengweni?
16 UJehova uye wanikeza inani elincane lalaba, umhlambi omncane, umusa ongafanelwe wokuba kanye neNdodana yakhe eMbusweni wasezulwini, ngombono wokufeza injongo kaNkulunkulu yokuqala ngomhlaba. (Luka 12:32) Laba baye bathathwa “kuzo zonke izizwana nezilimi nabantu nezizwe . . . ukuba babe umbuso nabapristi kuNkulunkulu wethu, futhi bazobusa njengamakhosi phezu komhlaba.” (IsAmbulo 5:9, 10) Umphostoli uPawulu wababhalela: “Namukela umoya wokutholwa njengamadodana, umoya esikhamuluka ngawo sithi: ‘Abha, Baba!’ Umoya ngokwawo ufakazelana nomoya wethu ukuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, uma singabantwana, siyizindlalifa futhi: ngempela izindlalifa zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu.” (Roma 8:15-17) Ekutholweni kwabo uNkulunkulu njengamadodana akhe, banikwa ubuhlobo obuyigugu obalahlekela u-Adamu; kodwa lamadodana ayonikwa amalungelo engeziwe enkonzo yasezulwini—okuthile u-Adamu angazange abe nakho. Akumangalisi ukuthi umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Bonani ukuthi luhlobo luni lothando uBaba asinike lona, ukuze sibizwe ngokuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu”! (1 Johane 3:1) Kwabanjalo uNkulunkulu akabonisi nje uthando olunezimiso kuphela (a·gaʹpe) kodwa nothando lwesisa (phi·liʹa), oluyisibopho esiphakathi kwabangane beqiniso.—Johane 16:27.
17. (a) Bonke labo ababonisa ukholo esihlengweni, banikezwa liphi ithuba? (b) ‘Inkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu’ iyosho ukuthini kubo?
17 Nakwabanye—bonke ababonisa ukholo elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu lomusa lokuphila ngoJesu Kristu—uJehova uvula ithuba lokuba nobuhlobo obuyigugu obalahlekela u-Adamu. Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza: “Ukulangazela kwendalo [indalo engabantu eyinzalo ka-Adamu] kulindele ukwambulwa kwamadodana kaNkulunkulu [okungukuthi, ilindele isikhathi lapho kuba sobala ukuthi amadodana kaNkulunkulu ayizindlalifa zoMbuso wasezulwini kanye noKristu athatha isinyathelo esiqondile ngenxa yesintu]. Ngoba indalo yabekwa ngaphansi kobuze [yazalelwa esonweni inethemba lokufa, futhi yayingekho indlela engazikhulula ngayo], hhayi ngentando yayo siqu kodwa ngalowo owayibeka ngaphansi kwabo, ngesisekelo sethemba [elinikezwe uNkulunkulu] lokuthi indalo ngokwayo nayo iyokhululwa ekugqilazweni ukonakala futhi ibe nenkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” (Roma 8:19-21) Iyosho ukuthini leyo nkululeko? Ukuthi iye yakhululwa ebugqilini besono nokufa. Iyophelela engqondweni nasemzimbeni, ibe nePharadesi njengekhaya layo, nokuphila okungunaphakade eyojabulela kukho ukuphelela kwayo futhi ibonise ukwazisa kwayo kuJehova, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Futhi konke lokhu kwenziwa kanjani kwaba nokwenzeka? Ngomhlatshelo wesihlengo weNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa.
18. Ngo-March 23 ngemva kokushona kwelanga, siyobe senzani, futhi ngani?
18 Ngo-Nisan 14, 33 C.E., ekamelweni eliphezulu eJerusalema, uJesu wasungula iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe. Isikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe saminyaka yonke siye saba isenzakalo esibalulekile ekuphileni kwawo wonke amaKristu eqiniso. UJesu ngokwakhe wayala: “Qhubekani nikwenza lokhu ningikhumbula.” (Luka 22:19) Ngo-1997 iSikhumbuzo siyoqhutshwa ngemva kokushona kwelanga ngo-March 23 (okuyisikhathi sokuqala kuka-Nisan 14). Ngalolo suku, ayikho into eyobaluleka ngaphezu kokuba khona kulomkhosi weSikhumbuzo.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ UNkulunkulu uye walubonisa ngaziphi izindlela uthando olukhulu ngesintu?
◻ Kungani kwakudingeka ukuphila komuntu ophelele ukuze kuhlengwe inzalo ka-Adamu?
◻ Ukulungiselela isihlengo kwasho ukulahlekelwa okukhulu kangakanani kuJehova?
◻ Yini isihlengo esiyenza ibe nokwenzeka?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
UNkulunkulu wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa