Ubunye Bobukristu Bukhazimulisa UNkulunkulu

‘Zamani ngenkuthalo ukugcina ubunye bomoya.’—EFE. 4:3.

1. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala e-Efesu amkhazimulisa kanjani uNkulunkulu?

UBUNYE bebandla lobuKristu e-Efesu yasendulo bakhazimulisa uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova. Kuleso sikhungo sezentengiselwano esasichuma, kubonakala sengathi amanye amaKristu ayecebile futhi enezigqila kanti amanye ayeyizigqila futhi kungenzeka ayempofu kakhulu. (Efe. 6:5, 9) Amanye ayengamaJuda athola iqiniso phakathi nezinyanga ezintathu umphostoli uPawulu ayeshumayela ngazo esinagogeni lakhona. Amanye ngaphambili ayekhulekela u-Arthemisi futhi enza imilingo. (IzE. 19:8, 19, 26) Kusobala ukuthi ubuKristu beqiniso badonsela ndawonye abantu abanezizinda ezahlukahlukene. UPawulu waqaphela ukuthi ubunye bebandla buyamkhazimulisa uJehova. Lo mphostoli wabhala: “Kuye makube yinkazimulo ngebandla.”—Efe. 3:21.

2. Yini eyayisongela ubunye bamaKristu e-Efesu?

² Nokho, ubunye obumangalisayo bebandla lase-Efesu babusongelwa. UPawulu waxwayisa abadala: “Naphakathi kwenu ngokwenu kuzovela amadoda, akhulume izinto ezisontekile ukuze amonyule abafundi ukuba bawalandele.” (IzE. 20:30) Futhi, abanye abazalwane babengakawulahli ngokuphelele umoya ohlukanisayo, lowo uPawulu axwayisa ngawo ukuthi ‘usebenza emadodaneni okungalaleli.’—Efe. 2:2; 4:22.

Incwadi Egcizelela Ubunye

3, 4. Incwadi uPawulu ayibhalela abase-Efesu ibugcizelela kanjani ubunye?

³ UPawulu waqaphela ukuthi ukuze amaKristu aqhubeke ebambisana, kumelwe ngamanye azikhandle ekuthuthukiseni ubunye. UNkulunkulu waphefumulela uPawulu ukuba alobele abase-Efesu incwadi eyayigcizelela ubunye. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu wabhala ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu ‘yokubuthela ndawonye zonke izinto kuKristu.’ (Efe. 1:10) Waphinde wafanisa amaKristu namatshe ahlukahlukene akha isakhiwo. Wathi: “Sonke isakhiwo, njengoba sihlanganiswa ndawonye ngokuvumelanayo, sikhulela ekubeni ithempeli elingcwele likaJehova.” (Efe. 2:20, 21) Ngaphezu kwalokho, wagcizelela ubunye bamaKristu angamaJuda nawabeZizwe, wabuye wakhumbuza abazalwane ukuthi banemvelaphi eyodwa. Wabhekisela kuJehova ngokuthi “uBaba, eqanjwe ngaye yonke imindeni yasezulwini neyasemhlabeni.”—Efe. 3:5, 6, 14, 15.

⁴ Njengoba sihlola isahluko 4 sencwadi yabase-Efesu, sizobona ukuthi kungani kudingeka umzamo ukuze sibe nobunye, ukuthi uJehova usisiza kanjani ukuba sibe nobunye nokuthi iziphi izimfanelo eziyosisiza ukuba sihlale sinobunye. Kunganjani usifunde sonke lesi sahluko ukuze uzuze ngokwengeziwe kulesi sifundo?

Okwenza Ubunye Budinge Umzamo Oqotho

5. Kungani izingelosi zikaNkulunkulu zikwazi ukumkhonza ngobunye, kodwa kungani kungase kube inselele kithi ukuba nobunye?

⁵ UPawulu wanxusa abafowabo base-Efesu ukuba ‘bazame ngenkuthalo ukugcina ubunye bomoya.’ (Efe. 4:3) Ukuze siqonde ukuthi ubunye budinga ukuzikhandla, masicabange ngezingelosi zikaNkulunkulu. Azikho izinto ezimbili eziphilayo emhlabeni ezifana ncamashí, ngakho singaphetha ngokufanele ngokuthi uJehova uye wabusisa ngayinye yezingelosi zakhe eziyizigidi ngokuba ehlukile. (Dan. 7:10) Noma kunjalo, ziyakwazi ukukhonza uJehova ngobunye ngoba zonke ziyamlalela futhi zenza intando yakhe. (Funda iHubo 103:20, 21.) Izingelosi ezithembekile zinezimfanelo ezihlukahlukene, kuyilapho amaKristu wona enanobuthaka obuhlukahlukene. Lokhu kungenza kube nzima ngokwengeziwe ukuba nobunye.

6. Iziphi izimfanelo eziyosisiza ukuba sibambisane nabafowethu abanobuthaka obungefani nobethu?

⁶ Lapho abantu abangaphelele bezama ukwenza izinto ndawonye, kulula ukuba babe nezinkinga. Ngokwesibonelo, ake sithi umzalwane onomoya omnene ovame ukufika sekwephuzile ukhonza uJehova kanye nomunye umzalwane ogcina isikhathi kodwa oyisififane. Ngamunye wabo angaba nomuzwa wokuthi omunye kudingeka alungise kodwa akhohlwe ukuthi kwayena kunezici okudingeka azilungise. Laba bazalwane ababili bangakhonza kanjani ndawonye ngobunye? Phawula indlela izimfanelo ezakhuthazwa uPawulu emazwini alandelayo ezingabasiza ngayo. Yibe usucabanga ngendlela esingathuthukisa ngayo ubunye ngokuhlakulela lezi zimfanelo. UPawulu wabhala: “Ngiyanincenga ukuba nihambe ngokufanele . . . ngokuthobeka kwengqondo okuphelele nobumnene, ngokubekezela, nibekezelelana ngothando, nizama ngenkuthalo ukugcina ubunye bomoya esibophweni esihlanganisayo sokuthula.”—Efe. 4:1-3.

7. Kungani kubalulekile ukulwela ukuba nobunye namanye amaKristu angaphelele?

⁷ Ukufunda ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngobunye nabanye abantu abangaphelele kubalulekile ngoba abakhulekeli beqiniso bakha umzimba owodwa kuphela. “Kukhona umzimba owodwa, nomoya owodwa, njengoba nje nabizelwa kuleli themba elilodwa enabizelwa kulo; iNkosi eyodwa, ukholo olulodwa, ubhapathizo olulodwa; uNkulunkulu oyedwa futhi onguYise wabo bonke abantu.” (Efe. 4:4-6) Yinye kuphela inhlangano yabazalwane esetshenziswa uNkulunkulu enomoya wakhe futhi ayibusisayo. Ngisho noma othile ebandleni esicasula, singayaphi? Ayikho enye indawo esingathola kuyo amazwi okuphila okuphakade.—Joh. 6:68.

‘Izipho Ezingabantu’ Zithuthukisa Ubunye

8. UKristu usebenzisani ukuze asiqinise ekulweni namathonya ahlukanisayo?

⁸ UPawulu wasebenzisa umkhuba owawuvamile emabuthweni asendulo ukuze acacise indlela uJesu aye walungiselela ngayo ‘izipho ezingabantu’ ezizosiza ibandla libe nobunye. Ibutho elinqobile lingase libuye nesithunjwa sakwesinye isizwe emzini walo ukuze sizoba isigqila, sisize umkalo ngemisebenzi yasekhaya. (IHu. 68:1, 12, 18) Ngokufanayo, ukunqoba kukaJesu izwe kumenze wathola izigqila eziningi zokuzithandela. (Funda eyabase-Efesu 4:7, 8.) UJesu uzisebenzisa kanjani lezo zithunjwa ezingokomfanekiso? “Waphana ngabanye njengabaphostoli, abanye njengabaprofethi, abanye njengabavangeli, abanye njengabelusi nanjengabafundisi, enombono wokulungiswa kwabangcwele, ngenjongo yomsebenzi wokukhonza, ngenjongo yokwakhiwa komzimba kaKristu, kuze kube yilapho sonke sesifinyelele ubunye okholweni.”—Efe. 4:11-13.

9. (a) ‘Izipho ezingabantu’ zisisiza kanjani ukuba silondoloze ubunye bethu? (b) Kungani wonke amalungu ebandla kufanele abe nesandla ebunyeni balo?

⁹ Njengabelusi abanothando, lezi “zipho ezingabantu” zisisiza ukuba silondoloze ubunye. Ngokwesibonelo, uma umdala ephawula ukuthi abazalwane ababili ‘babhebhezela ukuncintisana,’ angaba neqhaza elikhulu ebunyeni bebandla ngokubanikeza iseluleko ngasese ukuze ‘abalungise ngomoya wobumnene.’ (Gal. 5:26–6:1) Njengabafundisi, lezi “zipho ezingabantu” zisisiza ukuba sakhe ukholo oluqinile olusekelwe ezimfundisweni zeBhayibheli. Ngakho, zithuthukisa ubunye futhi zisisiza ukuba sikhulele ekuvuthweni kobuKristu. UPawulu wabhala ukuthi lokhu kwenzelwa ukuba “singabe sisaba yizingane sijikijeleka ngapha nangapha sengathi sijikijelwa amagagasi futhi siyiswa lé nalé yiyo yonke imimoya yemfundiso ngokukhohlisa kwabantu, ekuklameni isiphambeko ngobuqili.” (Efe. 4:13, 14) Wonke amaKristu kufanele abe nesandla ebunyeni bobuzalwane, njengoba nje wonke amalungu omzimba wethu akhana ukuze awunikeze lokho okudingayo.—Funda eyabase-Efesu 4:15, 16.

Hlakulela Izimfanelo Ezintsha

10. Ukuziphatha okubi kungabusongela kanjani ubunye bethu?

¹⁰ Uqaphelile yini ukuthi isahluko sesine sencwadi uPawulu ayibhalela abase-Efesu sibonisa ukuthi ukuba nothando kuyisihluthulelo sobunye kumaKristu avuthiwe? Ube esebonisa ukuthi uthando luhilelani. Ngokwesibonelo, ukulandela indlela yothando kusho ukulahla ubufebe nokuziphatha okubi. UPawulu wanxusa abafowabo ukuba ‘bangabe besaqhubeka behamba njengoba nje izizwe zihamba.’ Lezo zizwe “zazingasenawo nhlobo umuzwa wokuziphatha okuhle,” futhi “zazinikela ekuziphatheni okubi.” (Efe. 4:17-19) Leli zwe eligcwele ukuziphatha okubi esihlala kulo lisongela ubunye bethu. Abantu benza amahlaya ngobufebe, bacula ngabo, bazijabulise ngokububuka nangokubenza ngasese noma obala. Ngisho nokudlala ngothando, okungase kuhilele ukwenza sengathi uthanda othile kodwa ube ungenaso isifiso sokushada naye, kungakuqhelisela kude noJehova nebandla lakhe. Ngani? Ngoba kungakuholela kalula ebufebeni. Ukudlala ngothando okungenza umuntu oshadile aphinge kungahlukanisa izingane nabazali bazo kabuhlungu futhi kuhlukanise abangane bomshado abangenacala kubantu abashade nabo. Ngempela kuyahlukanisa! Yingakho uPawulu athi: “Anifundanga ukuthi uKristu unjalo.”—Efe. 4:20, 21.

11. Iyiphi inguquko iBhayibheli elikhuthaza amaKristu ukuba ayenze?

¹¹ UPawulu wagcizelela ukuthi kufanele silahle izindlela zokucabanga eziphazamisa ubunye, kunalokho sihlakulele izimfanelo ezisenza siphile ngobunye nabanye. Wathi: “Kufanele nilahle ubuntu obudala obuvumelana nenkambo yenu yokuziphatha yangaphambili futhi obonakaliswayo ngokwezifiso [zobuntu obudala] zenkohliso; . . . kufanele nenziwe basha emandleni ashukumisa ingqondo yenu, futhi nigqoke ubuntu obusha obadalwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu ngokulunga kweqiniso nokuthembeka.” (Efe. 4:22-24) ‘Singenziwa kanjani basha emandleni ashukumisa ingqondo yethu’? Uma sizindla ngokwazisa ngalokho esikufunda eZwini likaNkulunkulu nasesibonelweni samaKristu avuthiwe, singabuhlakulela ubuntu obusha “obadalwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu.”

Hlakulela Izindlela Ezintsha Zokukhuluma

12. Ukukhuluma iqiniso kubuthuthukisa kanjani ubunye, futhi kungani kunzima kwabanye ukukhuluma iqiniso?

¹² Ukukhuluma iqiniso kubalulekile emalungwini omkhaya noma ebandla. Inkulumo engagunci, ekhululekile nenomusa ingenza abantu basondelane. (Joh. 15:15) Kodwa kungenzekani uma umuntu eqamba amanga kumfowabo? Lapho umfowabo ekuthola lokho, angaphelelwa ukumethemba. Ungaqonda ukuthi kungani uPawulu abhala: “Yilowo nalowo kini makakhulume iqiniso nomakhelwane wakhe, ngoba singamalungu elinye nelinye.” (Efe. 4:25) Umuntu ojwayele ukuqamba amanga, mhlawumbe owaqala esemncane, angakuthola kunzima ukufunda ukukhuluma iqiniso. Kodwa uJehova uyoyazisa imizamo yakhe yokushintsha futhi uyomsiza.

13. Yini ehilelekile ekulahleni inkulumo ehlabayo?

¹³ UJehova usifundisa ukuba sithuthukise inhlonipho nobunye ebandleni nasemkhayeni ngokubeka imithetho eqinile yendlela okufanele sikhulume ngayo. “Makungaphumi lizwi elibolile emilonyeni yenu . . . Makususwe kini konke ukufutheka okubi nentukuthelo nolaka nokuklabalasa nokuhlambalaza kanye nabo bonke ububi.” (Efe. 4:29, 31) Enye indlela yokugwema inkulumo ecasulayo iwukuhlakulela inhlonipho eyengeziwe ngabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, indoda ekhaca umkayo kufanele ilwele ukushintsha isimo sayo sengqondo ngaye, ikakhulu lapho ifunda ukuthi uJehova uyabazisa abesifazane. UNkulunkulu uze agcobe abanye babo ngomoya ongcwele, ebanikeza ilungelo lokubusa njengamakhosi noKristu. (Gal. 3:28; 1 Pet. 3:7) Ngokufanayo, owesifazane onomkhuba wokuklabalasa athethise umyeni wakhe kufanele ashukumiseleke ukuba ashintshe lapho efunda indlela uJesu azibamba ngayo ngesikhathi abanye bemchukuluza.—1 Pet. 2:21-23.

14. Kungani kuyingozi ukubonakalisa intukuthelo?

¹⁴ Okuhlobene eduze nenkulumo ehlabayo ukwehluleka ukulawula intukuthelo. Nalokhu kungahlukanisa abantu abangabandawonye. Intukuthelo injengomlilo. Kalula nje ingase ingalawuleki futhi idale inhlekelele. (IzAga 29:22) Umuntu onesizathu sokuveza ukuphatheka kabi kwakhe kumelwe aqaphele ukuba alawule intukuthelo yakhe ukuze agweme ukulimaza ubuhlobo obuyigugu. AmaKristu kufanele alwele ukuba athethelelayo, angabambi amagqubu, futhi uma ekhetha ukuyiyeka leyo ndaba kufanele angaphinde ayivuse. (IHu. 37:8; 103:8, 9; IzAga 17:9) UPawulu wayala abase-Efesu: “Thukuthelani, kodwa ningoni; ilanga malingashoni nisesimweni sokucasuka, futhi ningamniki uDeveli indawo.” (Efe. 4:26, 27) Ukwehluleka komuntu ukulawula intukuthelo kuyonika uDeveli ithuba lokuhlwanyela ukwahlukana nokudala ingxabano ebandleni.

15. Kungaba namuphi umphumela ukuthatha into okungeyona eyethu?

¹⁵ Ukubonisa inhlonipho ngezinto zabanye kunomthelela ebunyeni bebandla. Kweyabase-Efesu 4:28 sifunda lokhu: “Owebayo makangabe eseba.” Ngokuvamile abantu bakaJehova bayethembana. Uma umKristu engakusebenzisa kabi lokho kwethembana ngokuthatha into okungeyona eyakhe, uyobulimaza lobu bunye obujabulisayo.

Uthando NgoNkulunkulu Lusenza Sibe Nobunye

16. Singayisebenzisa kanjani inkulumo eyakhayo ukuze siqinise ubunye bethu?

¹⁶ Ubunye bebandla lobuKristu bubangelwa ukuthi sonke sishukunyiswa uthando ngoNkulunkulu ukuba siphathe abanye ngothando. Ukwazisa umusa kaJehova kusishukumisela ukuba sizikhandle ekusebenziseni lesi seluleko: “[Khulumani] noma yiliphi izwi elakhayo kuye ngokwesidingo, ukuze lidlulisele okuhle kwabezwayo. . . . Yibani nomusa komunye nomunye, ninobubele besisa, nithethelelane ngokukhululekile njengoba nje noNkulunkulu anithethelela ngokukhululekile ngoKristu.” (Efe. 4:29, 32) UJehova ubathethelela ngomusa abantu abangaphelele njengathi. Akufanele yini nathi sibathethelele abanye lapho sibona ukungapheleli kwabo?

17. Kungani kufanele sikulwele ngobuqotho ukuthuthukisa ubunye?

¹⁷ Ubunye babantu bakaNkulunkulu bukhazimulisa uJehova. Umoya wakhe usishukumisa ngezindlela ezihlukene ukuba sithuthukise ubunye. Ngokuqinisekile asifuni ukumelana nokuhola kwawo. UPawulu wabhala: “Ningawenzi lusizi umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu.” (Efe. 4:30) Ubunye buyigugu okufanele silivikele. Buletha injabulo kubo bonke abanabo futhi bukhazimulisa uJehova. “Ngakho-ke yibani ngabalingisi bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandekayo, futhi niqhubeke nihamba othandweni.”—Efe. 5:1, 2.

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Iziphi izimfanelo ezithuthukisa ubunye kumaKristu?

• Ukuziphatha kwethu kungabuthuthukisa kanjani ubunye ebandleni?

• Inkulumo yethu isisiza kanjani ukuba sisebenzelane kahle nabanye?

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Abantu bezizinda ezihlukahlukene sebenobunye

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Uyaziqonda yini izingozi zokudlala ngothando?