Kukhona Yini Okungakwehlukanisa Nothando LukaNkulunkulu?

“Ngikholwa ukuthi nakufa, nakuphila, nababusi, nakho okukhona, nakho okuzayo, namandla, nakuphakama, nakujula, nanto enye edaliweyo akuyikubanamandla okusahlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu olukuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.”—ROMA 8:38, 39.

1. Kungaziphi izindlela uthando lukaNkulunkulu olubonakaliswa ngazo nsuku zonke?

UNKULUNKULU uluthando. Lokhu sikuboniswa nsuku zonke ngezindlela ezisekela ukuphila. Umoya esiwuphefumulayo, amanzi esiwaphuzayo, ukudla esikudlayo—konke sikuthola njengezibonakaliso zothando lukaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kutholwa abalungile nabangalungile ngokufanayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bayakwazisa noma cha. UJesu wakufakazela lokhu lapho ethi ngoYise wasezulwini: “Uphumisa ilanga lakhe phezu kwababi nabahle, anise imvula phezu kwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” (Mathewu 5:45) Zonke izidalwa eziphilayo emhlabeni kumelwe zimbonge uNkulunkulu ngokuphila kwazo.—IHubo 145:15, 16.

2. Lwaboniswa kanjani uthando lukaJehova olukhulu, futhi uJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukwazisa ngalokho uNkulunkulu ayekuthanda?

² Uthando lukaNkulunkulu ngezidalwa ezingabantu lwenza okungaphezu kokusekela nje lokhu kuphila kwamanje okuvuthuluka njengembali futhi kubune njengotshani. (1 Petru 1:24) Wenza ilungiselelo lokuba isintu siphile phakade: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Bobabili uYise neNdodana bazidela kakhulu lapho benza lelilungiselelo. EGetsemane ngobusuku obungaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu waguqa futhi wathandaza esosizini olukhulu kangangokuba “izithukuthuku zakhe zabanjengamathonsi egazi, aconsela emhlabathini.” Kulesikhathi sokucindezeleka, uJesu wayesiqaphela isihlamba esasibekwe egameni likaNkulunkulu, waze wacela ngisho nokuthi isitsha sisuswe kuye. Kodwa wanezela: “Kepha kungabi-njengokuba ngithanda mina, kodwa njengokuba uthanda wena.” (Luka 22:44; Marku 14:36) Nakuba uJesu ayesosizini olukhulu kakhulu, okuthandwa uJehova kwakuza kuqala. Ngisho nokuhlushwa ayekulindele nokufa kancane kancane ngokubethelwa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa kwakungeke kumehlukanise nothando lukaNkulunkulu.

3. Yimaphi amazwi kaPawulu oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla abawananelayo njengokungathi ashiwo yibo, futhi kube namiphi imiphumela kubo?

³ Lokho okuthandwa uJehova kuza kuqala nakoFakazi BakaJehova labo namuhla abahamba ezinyathelweni zikaJesu. Benanela amazwi kamphostoli uPawulu, bathi: “Uma uNkulunkulu emi ngakithi, ngubani ongamelana nathi na? Ngubani ozakusehlukanisa nothando lukaKristu na? Noma ukuhlupheka, noma ukubandezeka, noma ukuzingelwa, noma indlala, noma ukuhamba-ze, noma ingozi, noma inkemba, na? Kepha kukho konke lokho siyanqoba nokunqoba ngowasithandayo.” (Roma 8:31, 35, 37) Phakathi nalelikhulu leminyaka oFakazi BakaJehova baye bahlaselwa yizixuku, bashaywa, bathelwa ngetiyela futhi bafakwa izimpaphe, bakhutshazwa ngokomzimba, badlwengulwa, bancishwa ukudla, babulawa ngamaphoyisa adubulayo, futhi babenqunywa ngisho namakhanda emakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi—ngenxa nje yokwenqaba kwabo ukuzehlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu.

4. Ukwenqaba kwenye insizwa ukuzehlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu kukuthinta kanjani?

⁴ Eminyakeni engamashumi amane nane edlule, enye insizwa, engomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, yabhalela abazali bayo isekamu lokuhlushwa lamaNazi, ithi, ngokwengxenye:

“Sekuyihora lesi-9 losuku lokukhishwa kwesigwebo sami, kodwa kumelwe ngilinde kuze kube ngo-11:30. Ngibhala lencwadi ngisesitokisini sami ngedwa senkantolo yamacala ezempi. Nginokuthula okukhulu, okungakholeki ngempela; kodwa futhi konke ngiye ngakubeka eNkosini, ngakho ngingalindela lelihora ngokungesabi futhi ngisezibophweni ezingathukululwa. Banitshela ukuthi ngeke ngiboshwe ngamaketanga. Amanga lawo! Ngiboshwa ubusuku nemini: ngithukululwa kuphela ukuba ngigqoke futhi ngikhumule nalapho ngihlanza isitokisi . . .

“Sekungu-12:35. Konke sekuphelile manje. Ngenxa yokwenqaba kwami [ekuphoqelelweni kwakhe ukuba ayeke ukukhulekela kwakhe uJehova uNkulunkulu], ngithole isigwebo sentambo. Ngalalela, khona-ke ngemva kokuba sengikhulume amazwi athi ‘Thembeka kuze kube sekufeni’ namanye amazwi ambalwa eNkosi yethu, kwabe sekuphelile. Kodwa kunganikhathazi lokho manje. Nginokuthula okukhulu, ukungakhathazeki okukhulu, okungenakwenzeka ukuba nikucabange. . . . Lokhu kuthula, lenjabulo eyangifikela khona enkantolo, izwe elingeke liyiqonde, yagcwala kimi futhi yangihaqa njengoba ngangiphindela esitokisini sami . . . Ningakhali. . . . Lokhu kungokungcono kakhulu enginganinika khona, nabo bonke abazalwane abathandekayo namuhla, okuyiSonto lokugcina ngaphambi kokubulawa kwami (ukunqunywa ikhanda), usuku engikhululwe ngalo emaketangeni.”a

‘Uyakuniqinisa, Aninike Amandla’

5, 6. Yiziphi iziqinisekiso ezanikezwa uPawulu noPetru eziduduzayo kulabo abaphathwa kabuhlungu ngenxa yokunamathela othandweni lukaNkulunkulu?

⁵ Lensizwa yehlukaniswa nokuphila kodwa hhayi nothando lukaNkulunkulu. Ubudlova obufanayo buye benziwa koFakazi BakaJehova kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka. Amandla ezinceku zikaNkulunkulu okubekezelela ukushushiswa okunjalo, kuze kube sekufeni, awaveli kuzo kodwa kuNkulunkulu. UPawulu uyasiqinisekisa, “uNkulunkulu uthembekile, ongayikuvuma ukuba nilingwe ngokungaphezu kwamandla enu, kepha oyakuthi kanye nokulingwa anenzele indlela yokuphepha, nize nibe-namandla okukuthwala.” (1 Korinte 10:13) Lapho bengaphansi kokuvivinywa, ofakazi bakaJehova abathembekile namuhla baye bakwazi ukusho njengoPawulu lapho eboshiwe: “INkosi yangimela, yangipha amandla.”—2 Thimothewu 4:17.

⁶ Umphostoli uPetru, ngemva kokusixwayisa ukuba simelane noDeveli, ozingelayo njengebhubesi elibhodlayo elifuna ukusigwinya, unikeza lesiqinisekiso: “Senihluphekile isikhashana, yena uqobo uyakuniphelelisa, aniqinise, aninike amandla.” (1 Petru 5:8-10) Ekucabangeleni konke lokhu kusekelwa kwaphezulu, kunento eyodwa eba sobala: Uthando lukaNkulunkulu alwehluleki; noma yikuphi ukwehlukaniswa nalo kuyobe kungenxa yephutha lethu, hhayi elakhe.

7. Yimaphi amaqhinga uSathane awasebenzisa kuJesu, futhi uJesu wamnqoba kanjani?

⁷ USathane akahlaseli njengebhubesi elibhodlayo ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ezikhathini eziningi uza ‘njengenyoka enobuqili’ ngisho ‘nanjengengelosi yokukhanya’ eyisihlubuki. Ucebe okubi ngathi, futhi kumelwe siqaphe ukuze angasehluli. Kumelwe sihlome zonke izikhali zikaNkulunkulu ‘ukuze sibe-namandla okumelana namaqhinga kaSathane.’ (Genesise 3:1; 2 Korinte 2:11; 11:13-15; Efesu 6:11, umbhalo waphansi weRef Bi.) Ekuqaleni kwenkonzo kaJesu, uSathane weza kuye ecaphuna imibhalo, eyisebenzisa ngokungeyikho emzamweni wokuyengela uJesu ekwenzeni okubi. Walinga uJesu izikhathi ezintathu futhi wehluleka izikhathi ezintathu. UJesu wakugwema ukuphendukezela umBhalo kukaSathane ngezingcaphuno zemibhalo ezisetshenziswe kahle. Khona-ke uJesu watshela uSathane ukuba asuke kuye. Kodwa uSathane wamane nje “wasuka ukuze athole elinye ithuba elihle.”—Luka 4:13, NW; Mathewu 4:3-11.

8, 9. Kungaziphi izindlela ezikhohlisayo uSathane abuyela ngazo ukuyohlasela uJesu, futhi yini uPawulu asikhuthaza ukuba siyenze ukuze sivikeleke?

⁸ USathane uyaphikelela. Uqhubeka ebuya ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Wabuyela kuJesu ngokusebenzisa abefundisi benkolo bangalesosikhathi. UJesu wakuqonda lokhu futhi wabatshela ngokungagunciyo ukuthi: “Nina ningabakayihlo uSathane.” Abanye abantu bangase benze ngisho nezinhloso zikaSathane bengaqondile. Umphostoli uPetru wakwenza lokhu lapho, nakuba ayenenhloso enhle, ekhuza uJesu, ethi: “Musa, Nkosi, lokho akusoze kwenziwa kuwe.” UJesu kwadingeka ukuba amkhuze ngokunamandla uPetru: “Buyela emva kwami, Sathane; uyisikhubekiso kimi.” (Johane 8:44; Mathewu 16:22, 23) Ngokufanayo, izinjongo zikaSathane zingase zifezwe ngokunganakekile umqashi, esebenza naye, efunda naye, umngane, isihlobo, umzali, noma umngane womshado. Kumelwe siqaphele njalo futhi singavumeli lutho ukuba lwenze buthakathaka ubuhlobo bethu noJehova.

⁹ Ngakho kubalulekile ukuba ‘sihlome izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu, ukuze sibenamandla okumelana namaqhinga kaSathane; ngokuba asibambene negazi nenyama, kodwa . . . nabawomoya bobubi emkhathini.’—Efesu 6:11, 12.

Ukunamathela Kwesono Enyameni Enesono

10. Igama elithi “isono“ lisho ukuthini, futhi yiziphi izenzo eziyosehlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ USathane ugadla lapho sibuthakathaka khona. Ngakho wenza ukuthambekela kwenyama yethu esonweni kube isisulu sakhe asithandayo. (IHubo 51:5) Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi isono elithi ha·mar·tiʹa. Isenzo uha·mar·taʹno, ngokuyisisekelo okusho “ukugeja uphawu.” (Roma 3:9, umbhalo waphansi weRef Bi.) Lapho siqhubeka sigeja uphawu futhi sihluleka ukugcina imithetho kaNkulunkulu, kulapho sideda othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, ngoba “ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yilokhu ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe.” (1 Johane 5:3) Ukuphinga, ubufebe, ubulili obuphendukezelwe, ukudakwa, imibuthano engalawuleki, ukubuswa izinkanuko zenyama, umona, intukuthelo, ukuhahela izinto ezibonakalayo—konke lokho kuyasehlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu, futhi “abenza okunje abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu.”—Galathiya 5:19-21.

11. Isono singanamathela kanjani kithi ngokuqhubekayo, kube namiphi imiphumela ekugcineni?

¹¹ Amabhayisikobho, izincwadi, imidlalo, izinhlelo zeTV—okunongwe ngokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, ukuzazisa, ezentengiselwano ezikhangisa ngobulili—kuhlakulela ukuphishekelwa kwenjabulo engenakuzithiba nengenamingcele. Isono sokuqala senza esesibili sibe lula, kulandele esesithathu nesesine, futhi ngokushesha ukucwila ezindleleni zezwe. Ekugcineni, labo “abathanda injabulo kunokuthanda uNkulunkulu” bacabanga ‘ngokunakekela inyama kuvuswe inkanuko’ kuphela. (2 Thimothewu 3:4; Roma 13:14) Kokubili abadala nabancane bakhukhulelwa emgodini wesono, futhi onembeza babo basha ngokuphelele. “Abathi bebuthuntu bazinikela emanyaleni, ukuze basebenze ukungcola konke nokuhuheka.”—Efesu 4:19; 1 Thimothewu 4:2.

12. Yimiphi imibhalo ebonisa amandla esono phezu kwethu, futhi yimaphi amazwi okudabuka uPawulu awasho ngalokhu?

¹² Labo abazimisele ukungehlukaniswa nothando lukaNkulunkulu kumelwe babe namandla okumelana nokunamathela kwesono enyameni enesono. Siyisitha esisabekayo, njengoba iBhayibheli ligcizelela ngokuphindaphindiwe: “Yilowo nalowo owenza isono uyisigqila sesono,” “bonke baphansi kwesono,” “bonke bonile,” “makungabusi isono emzimbeni wenu ofayo,” “niyizinceku zakhe enimlalelayo,” “inkokhelo yesono ingukufa,” futhi bonke bavalelwe “ngaphansi kwesono.” (Johane 8:34; Roma 3:9, 23; 6:12, 16, 23; Galathiya 3:22) UPawulu ‘wayethengiswe phansi kwesono,’ ‘ethunjelwe emthethweni wesono,’ okwenza ukuba azikhalele: “Okuhle engikuthandayo angikwenzi, kodwa okubi engingakuthandiyo lokho ngiyakwenza.” (Roma 7:14, 19, 23) Ngakho liyakhala: “Wo mina-muntu wosizi, ngubani oyakungikhulula kulomzimba wokufa na?” Khona-ke impendulo ejabulisayo iyalandela: “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu iNkosi yethu.”—Roma 7:24, 25.

13, 14. (a) Sikhululwa ngani esonweni? (b) Singahlala kanjani sisothandweni lukaKristu?

¹³ Ngaphambi kokuba uKristu Jesu afike, “isono sabusa ngokufa.” (Roma 5:14, 17, 21) Kodwa ngokufa nokuvuswa kukaJesu, inkosi eyisono yasuswa esihlalweni sobukhosi ngenxa yalabo abasabela esiphweni sothando sikaNkulunkulu esiyiNdodana yaKhe. Wasisindisa ezonweni zethu, wazisusa wasihlanza kuzo, wasikhulula kuzo, futhi wasihlangulela zona ngokuphelele. (Mathewu 1:21; IzEnzo 3:19; 22:16; 2 Petru 1:19; 1 Johane 1:7; IsAmbulo 1:5) Ngakho akuyena umphostoli uPawulu kuphela kodwa nabo bonke abanokholo egazini elathululwa likaKristu Jesu kufanele babonge uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu iNkosi yethu ngokuvula indlela yokukhululeka ebugqilini obungokwenyama bosizi lwesono nokufa.

¹⁴ Ngakho kuyadingeka ngempela ukuba singagwemi nje kuphela noma yikuphi ukuzehlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu kodwa futhi sihlale sisothandweni lukaKristu. Indlela yokuhlala siseduze noJesu iyefana naleyo yokusondela eduze noNkulunkulu. UJesu wakuphawula lokhu, ethi: “Njengalokho uBaba engithandile, nami nginithandile; hlalani othandweni lwami. Uma nigcina imiyalo yami, niyakuhlala othandweni lwami, njengalokho mina ngigcinile imiyalo kaBaba ngihlala othandweni lwakhe.”—Johane 15:9, 10.

Ingozi Yokukhukhuleka

15. Asigonyiwe kuphi, futhi yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sigweme ingozi?

¹⁵ Ungalahlekelwa yilokhu kukhululwa ekugqilazweni yisono nokufa ngokuhlehlela emuva noma ngokukhukhuleka. Kungenzeka kancane kangangokuba singabanjwa singaqaphile. Njengoba eyabaseGalathiya 6:1 isho: “Bazalwane, uma umuntu ehlelwa yisiphambeko, nina-bomoya mbuyiseni onjalo ngomoya wobumnene; uzibheke wena, funa uyengwe nawe.” Ngisho nalapho umuntu enikeza omunye iseluleko kumelwe ‘azibheke yena.’ Sonke asigonyiwe! “Kakhulu nga siqaphelisisa esikuzwileyo, funa mhlawumbe sikhukhulwe.”—Heberu 2:1.

16, 17. Yini ebonisa ingozi yokukhukhuleka ngokomoya, futhi yini oku melwe siyenze ukuze siyigweme?

¹⁶ Ukukhukhuleka akudingi mzamo. Kungakho, ngomqondo ongokomoya, kulula kangaka—futhi kuyingozi kangaka, ungazithola wehlukana nothando lukaNkulunkulu ungazelele. Kufana nemvu edukayo. Ilahleka kanjani? Umalusi uyachaza: ‘Ihamba idla ize ilahleke. Ibona indawo enotshani obuluhlaza eqhele ibangana ngakolunye uhlangothi, bese iyodla khona. Ibone obunye obuqhele ngamamitha angaphezu kwayishumi bese iyodla lapho. Obesithathu bubonakala buheha, futhi imvu iyahamba iyodla kubo. Ngokushesha iba kude nomhlambi. Iye yahamba idla yaze yalahleka.’

¹⁷ Kungokufanayo nangalabo abakhukhuleka ngokomoya. Kungase kuqale kahle ngezinto ezibonakalayo ezimbalwa, noma ukujwayelana nabantu bezwe, noma ukucabangela izincazelo zeminye imibhalo. Kodwa kancane kancane, abanjalo baqhubeka beqhela emhlambini kaNkulunkulu, futhi ngokushesha basuke sebezahlukanisile nebandla kanye nothando lukaNkulunkulu. Abazange balalele ukunxusa kukaPawulu: “Zihloleni nina, nibone ukuba nisekukholweni yini, nizivivinye nina.”—2 Korinte 13:5.

18, 19. Simenza kanjani uDeveli asibalekele, futhi sisondela kanjani eduze noNkulunkulu?

¹⁸ Sitshelwa ukuthi, “nimelane noSathane, khona uyakunibalekela.” Ngokusebenzisa ngobuciko ‘inkemba kaMoya eyizwi likaNkulunkulu.’ singakwazi ukumelana nokuhlasela kobuqili kukaSathane. Yileyondlela uJesu amxosha ngayo uSathane ehlane. Siyatshelwa futhi: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, khona uyakusondela kinina.” (Jakobe 4:7, 8; Efesu 6:17) Njengabalobi bamaHubo, kufanele sihlale siseduze noNkulunkulu ngokunamathela eZwini lakhe: “Isikhumbuzo sikaJehova siqinisile, sihlakaniphisa oyisiwula.” “Ngiyaqaphela izikhumbuzo zakho. Izwi lakho liyisibani ezinyaweni zami, nokukhanya endleleni yami. . . . Ezikhumbuzweni zakho angichezuki.”—IHubo 19:7; 119:95, 105, 157, qhathanisa neNW.

¹⁹ Ngomthandazo, ngokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu, ngokuthanda abazalwane bethu futhi sihlanganyele nabo njalo, ngokutshela abanye ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu—ngazo zonke lezindlela sisondela eduze noNkulunkulu nasothandweni lwakhe njengoba lubonakala kuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.—1 Thesalonika 5:17; Roma 12:2; Heberu 10:24, 25; Luka 9:2.

20. Yikuphi ukuzimisela okwamenyezelwa uPawulu oFakazi Bakajehova abanakho namuhla?

²⁰ Ngesimemezelo esivusa amadlingozi nesinamandla, uPawulu wezwakalisa ukuzimisela kwabo bonke oFakazi abathembekile bakaJehova abasemhlabeni namuhla, ethi: “ngiyakholwa ukuthi nakufa, nakuphila, nazingelosi, nababusi, nakho okukhona, nakho okuzayo, namandla, nakuphakama, nakujula, nanto enye edaliweyo akuyikuba-namandla okusahlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu [olwenziwa lwabonakala, JB] olukuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.”—Roma 8:38, 39.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

◻ Uthando lukaJehova luboniswa kanjani emalungiselelweni akhe ekuphila?

◻ Yiziphi izindlela uSathane aye wazizama, ukuze ahlukanise oFakazi BakaJehova nothando lukaNkulunkulu?

◻ Yimiphi imibhalo ebonisa ukunamathela kwesono kithi, futhi kungahlukanwa kanjani nalokhu kunamathela?

◻ Kungani ukukhukhuleka kuyingozi kangaka, futhi kunganqotshwa kanjani?

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Imvu iduka, kancanekancane ize ilahleke