“IZwi LikaNkulunkulu Liphilile, Linamandla”
1, 2. (a) Yini ebangela izinguquko ekuphileni kwalabo ababa amaKristu? (b) IBhayibheli lingamthonya ngokujule kangakanani umuntu?
MAPHAKATHI nekhulu lokuqala leminyaka C.E., umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu aseRoma incwadi. Kuyona waqokomisa imfuneko yokuba amaKristu eqiniso enze izinguquko ezithile. Wathi: “Ningalingisi lelizwe, kodwa niguqulwe isimo ngokwenziwa ibentsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nibe-nokuhlolisisa okuyintando kaNkulunkulu, okuhle, nokuthandekayo, nokupheleleyo.” (Roma 12:2) Yini eguqula abalandeli bakaJesu, ebashintsha yona kanye indlela yabo yokucabanga? Ngokuyisisekelo, amandla eZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli.
2 UPawulu wabonisa indlela iBhayibheli elingasithonya ngokujule ngayo lapho ebhala: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu liphilile, linamandla, libukhali kunezinkemba zonke ezisika-nhlangothi zombili, lihlaba kuze kwahlukaniswe umphefumulo nomoya, amalungu nomkantsha, lahlulela imicabango nezizindlo zenhliziyo.” (Heberu 4:12) Ngempela, amandla angaphezu kwavamile eBhayibheli abangela izinguquko ezinjalo kubantu awubufakazi obukholisayo bokuthi alilona nje izwi lomuntu.
3, 4. Ubuntu bamaKristu bushintshwa ngezinga elingakanani?
3 Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “niguqulwe” kumaRoma 12:2 livela kwelithi me·ta·mor·phoʹo. Libonisa ushintsho oluphelele, njengokuguquka kwesibungu sibe uvemvane. Luphelele kangangokuthi iBhayibheli likhuluma ngalo njengoshintsho lobuntu. Kwelinye ivesi leBhayibheli, siyafunda: “Nikhumulé umuntu omdala kanye nezenzo zakhe, nembethe omusha, owenziwa-musha abe-nokwazi ngokomfanekiso walowo owamdalayo.”—Kolose 3:9, 10.
4 Ebhalela ibandla laseKorinte, uPawulu wabonisa izinga lezinguquko zobuntu ezenzeka ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka. Wathi: “Nazifebe, nabakhonza isithombe, naziphingi, nazihlobongi, nabesilisa abalalanayo, namasela, nabahahayo, nazidakwa, nazithuki, nabaphangi abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu. Babenjalo abanye kini, kepha senahlanzwa.” (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Yebo, abantu ababeziphethe kabi nababenochuku, amasela nezidakwa, babeguqulwe isimo baba amaKristu ayisibonelo.
Izinguquko Zobuntu Namuhla
5, 6. Amandla eBhayibheli abushintsha kanjani ngokuphelele ubuntu benye insizwa?
5 Izinguquko ezifanayo zobuntu ziyabonakala nanamuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, umfanyana waseNingizimu Melika waba yintandane eneminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye ubudala. Wakhula ngaphandle kokulawula kobuzali futhi waba nezinkinga ezinkulu zobuntu. Uyalandisa: “Ngenkathi ngineminyaka engu-18, ngase ngiwumlutha wezidakamizwa ngokuphelele futhi kakade ngase ngiye ngabhadla ejele ngenxa yokweba ukuze ngiqhubeke nalomkhuba.” Nokho, ubabekazi wakhe wayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, futhi ekugcineni wakwazi ukumsiza.
6 Lensizwa iyachaza: “Ubabekazi waqala ukutadisha nami iBhayibheli, futhi ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisikhombisa ngakwazi ukugqashula kulomkhuba wezidakamizwa.” Futhi yakwazi nokuhlukana nabangane bayo bakuqala yathola abangane abasha phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova. Iyaqhubeka: “Labangane abasha, kanye nesifundo sami seBhayibheli sasikhathi sonke, kwangenza ngakwazi ukuthuthuka futhi ekugcineni nginikezele ukuphila kwami ukuba ngikhonze uNkulunkulu.” Yebo, lona owayengumlutha wezidakamizwa nesela manje ungumKristu okhuthele, ophila ukuphila okuhlanzekile. Lwenzeka kanjani ushintsho lobuntu olukhulu kangaka? Ngamandla eBhayibheli.
7, 8. Chaza indlela inkinga enzima yobuntu eyaxazululwa ngayo ngosizo lweBhayibheli.
7 Esinye isibonelo sivela eningizimu yeYurophu. Lapho, insizwa ethile yakhula inenkinga enzima yobuntu: yokuba nolaka olunobudlova. Yayihileleka ezimpini njalo. Phakathi nenye ingxabano yomkhaya, yashaya ngisho noyise, yamqumba phansi! Nokho, ekugcineni yatadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova futhi yaphawula umyalo kaNkulunkulu osencwadini yabaseRoma: “Ningaphindiseli-muntu okubi ngokubi; . . . uma kungenzeka, ngokwenu hlalisanani ngokuthula nabantu bonke; ningaziphindiseli nina-bathandwa, kodwa dedelani ulaka.”—Roma 12:17-19.
8 Lawomazwi ayisiza ukuba iqaphele ukuthi babububi kangakanani ubuthakathaka bayo. Ulwazi olukhulayo lweBhayibheli lwahlanza unembeza wayo, okwayisiza ukuba inqobe ukuba kwayo isififane. Ngesinye isikhathi, ngemva kokuba seyithuthukile ezifundweni zayo, umuntu engamazi wayichapha ngenhlamba. Lensizwa yezwa igcwala intukuthelo evamile. Yabe isiba nomunye umuzwa: umuzwa wamahloni; futhi lokhu kwayivimbela ukuba inqotshwe ulaka lwayo. Yayisinokuzithiba, isithelo somoya esibalulekile. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Ubuntu bayo base buhlukile, ngosizo lwamandla eZwi likaNkulunkulu.
9 .NgokukaPawulu, ubuntu bethu bushintshwa ngasiphi isici?
9 Nokho, iBhayibheli liba kanjani nethonya elinamandla kangako? UPawulu, kweyabaseKolose 3:10, wathi ubuntu bethu buguqulwa ulwazi oluqondile, okuwulwazi olutholakala eBhayibhelini. Kodwa ulwazi lubashintsha kanjani abantu?
Indima Yolwazi Oluqondile
10, 11. (a) Lapho sitadisha iBhayibheli, yini esiyifundayo ngezici zobuntu ezithandekayo nezingathandeki? (b) Yini edingekayo ngaphezu kolwazi ukuze kube noshintsho ebuntwini bethu?
10 Okokuqala, iBhayibheli libonisa izici zobuntu ezingathandeki okumelwe zilahlwe. Lezi zihlanganisa izinto ‘ezinjengamehlo azidlayo, ulimi lwamanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingenacala, inhliziyo eceba imicabango emibi, nezinyawo ezishesha ukugijimela ebubini, nofakazi wamanga ophafuza inkohliso, obanga ukuxabana phakathi kwabazalwane.’ (IzAga 6:16-19) Okwesibili, iBhayibheli lichaza izici ezithandekayo okufanele sizihlakulele, ezihlanganisa “uthando, nokujabula, nokuthula, nokubekezela, nobubele, nobuvi, nokukholeka, nobumnene nokuzithiba.”—Galathiya 5:22, 23.
11 Ulwazi olunjalo oluqondile lusiza umuntu oqotho ukuba azihlole futhi abone ukuthi yiziphi izimfanelo zobuntu adinga ukuzihlakulela nalezo okumelwe asebenzele ukuziqeda. (Jakobe 1:25) Nokho, lokho kumane nje kuyisiqalo. Ngaphezu kolwazi, kudingeka amandla ashukumisayo, okuthile okuzomshukumisela ekubeni afune ukwenza ushintsho. Nalapha, udinga ulwazi oluqondile oluvela eBhayibhelini.
Ukushukunyiselwa Ukuba Ngolungile
12. Ulwazi ngobuntu bukaNkulunkulu lungasisiza kanjani ukuba sishintshe?
12 UPawulu wathi ubuntu obusha obuthandekayo bulolongwa “ngokomfanekiso walowo owa[bu]dalayo.” (Kolose 3:10) Ngakho ubuntu bobuKristu kumelwe bufuze ubuntu bukaNkulunkulu ngokwakhe. (Efesu 5:1) NgeBhayibheli, sembulelwa ubuntu bukaNkulunkulu. Sibona ukusebenzelana kwakhe nesintu futhi siphawula izimfanelo zakhe ezinhle, ezinjengothando lwakhe, ubuvi, ubuhle, umusa, nokulunga. Ulwazi olunjalo lushukumisela umuntu onenhliziyo eqotho ukuba athande uNkulunkulu futhi afune ukuba uhlobo lomuntu olwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 22:37) Njengabantwana abanothando, sifuna ukujabulisa uBaba wethu wasezulwini, ngakho sizama ukulingisa ubuntu bakhe ngokusemandleni ethu sisesimweni sethu esibuthakathaka, esingaphelele.—Efesu 5:1.
13. Yiluphi ulwazi olusifundisa ukuba ‘sithande ukulunga futhi sizonde ububi’?
13 Amandla asishukumisayo aqiniswa ulwazi olunikezwa iBhayibheli ngokuqondene nokuthi izimfanelo ezinhle zobuntu kanye nezimbi ziholelaphi. (IHubo 14:1-5; 15:1-5; 18:20, 24) Sifunda ukuthi uDavide wabusiswa ngenxa yokuzinikela kwakhe kokwesaba uNkulunkulu nothando lwakhe ngokulunga kodwa wahlupheka lapho elahlekelwa ukuzithiba. Sibona umphumela odabukisayo lapho izimfanelo ezinhle zikaSolomoni zonakaliswa lapho esemdala. Izibusiso ezatholwa ngenxa yobuqotho bukaJosiya nobukaHezekiya ziphambene nemiphumela eyinhlekelele eyabangelwa ubuthakathaka buka-Ahabi nokuhlubuka ngenkani kukaManase. (Galathiya 6:7) Kanjalo sifunda ‘ukuthanda ukulunga nokuzonda ububi.’—Heberu 1:9; IHubo 45:7; 97:10.
14. Ziyini izinjongo zikaJehova ngezwe nangabantu abakulo?
14 Lamandla ashukumisayo aqiniswa nangaphezulu ulwazi oluqondile lwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Ulwazi olunjalo lusiza ekushintsheni wona kanye ‘amandla ashukumisayo ezingqondo zethu,’ umoya oshukumisa imicabango yethu nezenzo. (Efesu 4:23, 24) Lapho sitadisha iBhayibheli, sifunda ukuthi uJehova akayikububekezelela phakade ububi. Ngokushesha, uzolibhubhisa lelizwe elingenakho ukulunga futhi alethe ‘amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha okuyoba khona kuwo ukulunga.’ (2 Petru 3:8-10, 13) Obani abayohlala kulelizwe elisha? “Abaqotho bayakuhlala ezweni, abapheleleyo basale kulo. Kepha ababi bayakunqunywa ezweni, nabambuluzayo bayakusishulwa kulo.”—IzAga 2:21, 22.
15. Uma sikukholelwa ngempela lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngezinjongo zikaJehova, lokhu kuyosithinta kanjani thina njengabantu?
15 Uma sisikholelwa ngempela lesithembiso, yonke indlela yethu yokucabanga iyothinteka. Umphostoli uPetru, ngemva kokuprofetha ngokubhujiswa kobubi, uthi: “Njengokuba konke kuyakubhidlika kanjalo, kumelwe ukuba nibe-ngabantu abanjani ekuhambeni okungcwele nasekumesabeni uNkulunkulu, nibheka nilangazelela ukufika kosuku lukaNkulunkulu.” (2 Petru 3:11, 12) Ubuntu bethu kufanele bulolongwe yisifiso sethu esinamandla sokuba phakathi kwabantu abaqotho abayoshiywa lapho ababi bebhujiswa.
16. Yiziphi izinhlobo zobuntu ezingayikuba nandawo ezweni elisha, futhi lolulwazi kufanele lusithinte kanjani?
16 Incwadi yesAmbulo ithembisa abaqotho ukuthi, ngemva kokuphela kwalelizwe, “[uNkulunkulu] azesule izinyembezi zonke emehlweni abo; ukufa akusayikuba-khona; nokudabuka, nokukhala, nobuhlungu akusayikuba-khona; ngokuba okokuqala kudlulile.” Kodwa futhi ixwayisa ngokuthi “amagwala, nabangakholwayo, nabanengekayo, nababulali, nezifebe, nabathakathi, nabakhonza izithombe, nabo bonke abaqamba amanga” bazolahlwa. (IsAmbulo 21:4, 8) Yeka ukuthi kuwukuhlakanipha kangakanani ukugwema izimfanelo ezingathandeki uNkulunkulu angeke azivumele ezweni elisha!
Usizo Oluvela Ngaphandle
17. Luhlobo luni losizo iBhayibheli eliseluleka ukuba silifune?
17 Nokho, abantu babuthakathaka, futhi ngokuvamile badinga okuthile okungaphezu kokwaziswa namandla ashukumisayo ukuze benze izinguquko. Badinga usizo oluvela komunye umuntu, futhi iBhayibheli liyasibonisa ukuthi singalutholaphi lolusizo. Ngokwesibonelo, lithi: “Ohamba nabahlakaniphileyo uyakuhlakanipha, kepha umngane weziwula uyakushoshozelwa yizo.” (IzAga 13:20) Ngokufanayo, uma sizihlanganisa nalabo ababonakalisa izimfanelo esifuna ukuzihlakulela, siyosizakala kakhulu ukuba sifane nabo.—Genesise 6:9; IzAga 2:20; 1 Korinte 15:33.
18, 19. Yini okudingeka siyenze ukuze sivulele izingqondo zethu nezinhliziyo emoyeni kaNkulunkulu?
18 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova ngokwakhe unikeza usizo ngomoya ongcwele—wona kanye lowomoya awusebenzisa ekwenzeni izimangaliso ezikhathini zakudala. Ngempela, izimfanelo ezithandeka kakhulu ‘eziwuthando, ukujabula, ukuthula, ukubekezela, ububele, ubuvi, ukukholeka, ubumnene, nokuzithiba’ zibizwa ngokuthi ‘izithelo zomoya.’ (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Singaluthola kanjani usizo lomoya ongcwele? Njengoba iBhayibheli laphefumlelwa ngomoya ongcwele, lapho silifunda noma sikhuluma ngalo nabanye, sivulele izingqondo nezinhliziyo zethu emandleni ashukumisayo alowomoya. (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Ngempela, uJesu wathembisa ukuthi lapho sikhuluma nabanye ngethemba lethu, singase sikubone ngokoqobo ukusebenza kwalowomoya.—Mathewu 10:18-20.
19 Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli liyayala: “Ekukhulekeni niqinisele njalo.” (Roma 12:12) Ngomthandazo sikhuluma noJehova, siyamdumisa, siyambonga, futhi sicela usizo lwakhe. Uma sicela usizo lokunqoba izici zobuntu ezingathandeki, njengofifane, inkani, ukungabekezeli, noma ukuqhosha, umoya kaNkulunkulu uyosekela noma imiphi imizamo esiyenzayo evumelana nalowomthandazo.—Johane 14:13, 14; Jakobe 1:5; 1 Johane 5:14.
20. Kungani amaKristu kudingeka aqhubeke esebenzela ukwembatha ubuntu obusha?
20 Lapho uPawulu ebhala: “Niguqulwe isimo ngokwenziwa ibentsha ingqondo yenu,” wayebhalela ibandla lamaKristu abhapathiziwe, agcotshiwe. (Roma 1:7; 12:2) Futhi esiGrekini sakuqala, wasebenzisa isimo sesenzo esisikisela isenzo esiqhubekayo. Lokhu kusikisela ukuthi ukuguqulwa kwesimo kithi okubangelwa ulwazi oluqondile oluvela eBhayibheli kuyaqhubeka. Nathi namuhla—njengamaKristu asosukwini lukaPawulu—sizungezwe yizwe eligcwele amathonya onakalisayo. Futhi nathi—njengawo—asiphelele, sithambekele ekwenzeni okungalungile. (Genesise 8:21) Ngakho, kumelwe siqhubeke sisebenzela ukunqoba ubuntu obudala, obunobugovu futhi sembathe obusha, njengoba nawo enza. AmaKristu okuqala aphumelela kangangokuthi ahluka ngokuphelele ezweni elaliwazungezile. AmaKristu namuhla enza okufanayo.
Abantu “Abafundiswe NguJehova”
21. Yiziphi ezinye zeziprofetho ezigcwaliseka kubantu bakaNkulunkulu kulezinsuku zokugcina?
21 Ngempela, umoya kaNkulunkulu namuhla awusebenzi kubantu ngabanye kuphela kodwa nakuyo yonke inhlangano yamaKristu, abalelwa ezigidini. Amazwi angokwesiprofetho kaIsaya agcwaliseka kulenhlangano: “Abantu abaningi bayakuhamba, bathi: Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova endlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe; uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe, sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.” (Isaya 2:3) Esinye isiprofetho sikaIsaya siye sagcwaliseka futhi kubo: “Bonke abantwana bakho bayakuba-ngabafundi bakaJehova, nokuthula kwabantwana bakho kuyakuba-kukhulu.” (Isaya 54:13) Obani laba abajabulela ukuthula ngenxa yokufundiswa uJehova?
22. (a) Obani namuhla abafundiswa uJehova? (b) Nikeza izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi abantu bangaphandle bayakuqaphela ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bahlukile.
22 Nokho, phawula lengcaphuno evela encwadini eyabhalelwa iNew Haven Register, iphephandaba laseNyakatho Melika: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uye wacasulwa noma wafifwa [wathukutheliswa], njengami, ukuguqulela kwabo abantu kwenye inkolo, kumelwe ukutuse ukuzinikezela kwabo, inhlanzeko yabo, nesibonelo sabo esivelele sokuziphatha kobuntu nokuphila ukuphila okunempilo.” Lombhali wayekhuluma ngobani? Ngeqembu elifanayo nokwakhulunywa ngalo kuyiHerald yaseBuenos Aires, eArgentina, lapho ithi: “OFakazi BakaJehova baye bazibonakalisa kuyo yonke iminyaka beyizakhamuzi ezisebenza kanzima, ezinengqondo ehluzekile, ezongayo nezesaba uNkulunkulu.” Ngokufanayo, iphephandaba laseItaly iStampa lathi: “Abakubalekeli ukukhokha izintela noma bafune ukubalekela imithetho ecindezelayo ukuze bazizuzise. Imibono yokuziphatha yothando ngomakhelwane, ukwenqaba igunya, ukungabi nabudlova nokuthembeka komuntu siqu . . . ingenela endleleni yabo yokuphila ‘yansuku zonke.’”
23. Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova njengenhlangano behlukile?
23 Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova njengeqembu—njengamaKristu okuqala—behlukile? Ezicini eziningi, bayafana nawo wonke umuntu. Bazalwa benokungapheleli kobuntu okufana nokwabanye, futhi banezinkinga ezifanayo zezomnotho nezidingo eziyisisekelo. Nokho, njengebandla lomhlaba wonke, bavumela iZwi likaNkulunkulu libe namandla ekuphileni kwabo. Ubuzalwane bezwe lonke bamaKristu oqobo obuwumphumela buwubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe.—IHubo 133:1.
IBhayibheli Liphefumlelwe
24. Uyini umthandazo wethu ngabantu abaningi abengeziwe?
24 Kulezihloko ezimbili, sixoxe nje ngezici ezimbili eziwubufakazi bokuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu, akulona elomuntu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bacabangela ukuhlakanipha okungenakuqhathaniswa kweBhayibheli noma amandla alo okushintsha abantu—noma ezinye izinto eziningi eziliphawula njengeliyingqayizivele—abantu abaqotho abasoze bahluleka ukuqaphela ukuthi kumelwe ukuba liphefumlelwe nguNkulunkulu. NjengamaKristu, sithandazela ukuba abaningi abengeziwe baliqaphele leliqiniso. Khona-ke nabo bayokwenanela amazwi ajabulisayo omhubi: “Bheka ukuthi ngithanda kangaka iziyalezo zakho, Jehova; ngiphilise ngokomusa wakho. Amazwi akho onke ayiqiniso; zonke izahlulelo zakho ezilungileyo zimi kuze kube-phakade.”—IHubo 119:159, 160.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Yiliphi ithonya iBhayibheli elinalo kumaKristu eqiniso?
◻ Ulwazi oluqondile lusiza kanjani ekubeni sishintshe?
◻ IBhayibheli lisisiza kanjani ekusishukumiseleni ukuba sihlakulele izimfanelo ezinhle futhi sinqobe ezimbi?
◻ Yiluphi usizo olutholakalayo olungasenza sibe nezimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu?
◻ Yibuphi ubufakazi bokuthi iBhayibheli liphefumlelwe obubonakala phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova?
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Umphumela odabukisayo wokungathembeki kukaSolomoni lapho esekhulile kufanele usishukumisele ukuba sithande ukulunga futhi sizonde ububi
[Isithombe ekhasini 20]
Uma sicela usizo kuJehova, umoya wakhe uyoqinisa noma yimiphi imizamo esiyenzayo ukuze sinqobe izimfanelo ezimbi