Siyini Isihluthulelo SobuKristu Beqiniso?
NAMUHLA, baningi abantu abathi bangabenkolo yobuKristu kunabathi bangabanoma yiliphi elinye iqembu lenkolo. Kodwa izinkolelo zalabantu abazibiza ngamaKristu ziyaphikisana, azinabo ubunye, futhi ngezinye izikhathi baze babulalane bodwa. Ngokusobala, abaningi abawona amaKristu eqiniso. UJesu wathi osukwini lwethu, abaningi babeyothi kuye, “Nkosi, Nkosi,” ngamanye amazwi, bezisholo ukuthi bangamaKristu, kodwa uyothi kubo: “Angizange nginazi; sukani kimi nina-benzi bokubi.” (Mathewu 7:21, 23) Ngokuqinisekile, akekho kithi obengafuna ukuba phakathi kwalaba! Ngakho singazi kanjani ukuthi singamaKristu eqiniso?
Iqiniso liwukuthi, kudingeka izinto eziningi ukuze umuntu abe umKristu weqiniso. UmKristu weqiniso kumelwe abe nokholo oluqinile ngoba “ngaphandle kokukholwa akwenzeki ukumthokozisa [uNkulunkulu].” (Heberu 11:6) Lolo kholo oluqinile kumelwe luhambisane nezenzo ezilungile. Umfundi uJakobe waxwayisa ngokuthi ‘ukukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kufile.’ (Jakobe 2:26) Ngaphezu kwalokho, umKristu kumelwe aqaphele igunya ‘lenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47) Kodwa isihluthulelo sobuKristu beqiniso singokuthile okuhlukile kulezinto.
Siyini lesihluthulelo? Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza encwadini yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte: “Noma ngikhuluma ngezilimi zabantu nezezingelosi, kepha ngingenalo uthando, ngiyithusi elikhencezayo nensimbi encencethayo. Noma nginokuprofetha, ngiqonda izimfihlakalo zonke nokwazi konke, noma nginokukholwa konke ngangokuba ngingagudluza izintaba, kepha ngingenalo uthando, angiyinto yalutho. Noma ngabela abampofu konke enginakho, noma nginikela umzimba wami ukuba ushiswe, kepha ngingenalo uthando, akungisizi ngalutho.”—1 Korinte 13:1-3.
Ngakho uthando luyisihluthulelo sobuKristu beqiniso. Ukholo, imisebenzi, nabangane abafanele kubalulekile, akunakushiywa ngemuva. Kodwa ngaphandle kothando, ukubaluleka kwako akubonakali. Kungani kunjalo?
Ngokuyisisekelo, kungenxa yohlobo lukaNkulunkulu esimkhulekelayo. Umphostoli uJohane wamchaza ngalamazwi uJehova, uNkulunkulu wobuKristu beqiniso: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) UJehova uNkulunkulu unezinye izimfanelo eziningi, ezinjengamandla, ukwahlulela ngokulunga, nokuhlakanipha, kodwa njengoba ngokuvelele enguNkulunkulu wothando, luhlobo luni lwabantu ayeyofuna ukuba abakhulekeli bakhe babe yilo? Ngokuqinisekile, abantu abamlingisayo nabahlakulela uthando.—Mathewu 5:44, 45; 22:37-39.
Isisusa Esifanele
Yebo, uthando lubangela amaKristu ukuba abe njengoNkulunkulu amkhulekelayo. Kusho ukuthi izisusa zawo ziyefana nezisusa zikaNkulunkulu. Yisiphi isisusa esizidlula zonke esashukumisela uJehova uNkulunkulu ukuba athumele uJesu emhlabeni ukuba azosinikeza ithuba lokuzuza ukuphila okuphakade? Uthando. “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Khona-ke, kufanele sibe yini isisusa sethu ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu. Nalapha futhi, uthando. “Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yilokhu ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe.”—1 Johane 5:3.
Ingabe kungenzeka ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngesisusa esingafanele? Yebo. UPawulu wakhuluma ngabanye osukwini lwakhe ababekhonza ngomhawu nangokubanga. (Filipi 1:15-17) Lokho kungenzeka nakithi. Lelizwe ligcwele ukuncintisana kakhulu, futhi lowomoya ungasithinta. Singase siqhoshe sicabange ukuthi siyizikhulumi ezingcono noma ukuthi sikwazi ukuhambisa izincwadi eziningi kunabanye. Singase siqhathanise amalungelo ethu enkonzo nalawo ajatshulelwa othile bese siyazikhukhumeza—noma sibe nomhawu. Umdala angase abe nomona ngesikhundla sakhe segunya, kuze kube naseqophelweni lokuvimbela owesilisa osemusha onekhono ekubeni athuthuke. Isifiso sokuzizuzisa ngokwethu singase sisishukumisele ukuba sihlakulele ubungane namaKristu acebile kuyilapho singawanaki ampofu.
Lezizinto zingenzeka ngoba asiphelele. Nokho, uma—njengoJehova—senza uthando lube amandla ethu ashukumisayo ayinhloko, siyolwa nokuthambekela okunjalo. Ubugovu, isifiso sokuzincoma, noma ukuqhosha kokugabadela kungaminyanisa uthando, kuze kusenze ‘singasizwa ngalutho.’—IzAga 11:2; 1 Korinte 13:3.
Uthando Ezweni Elinobugovu
UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe babengeke babe “abezwe.” (Johane 17:14) Singakugwema kanjani ukunqotshwa ithonya lezwe elisizungezile? Uthando luyosisiza. Ngokwesibonelo, namuhla abantu “bathanda injabulo kunokuthanda uNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:4) UJohane wasixwayisa ukuba singabi njalo. Wathi: “Ningathandi izwe nezinto ezisezweni. Uma umuntu ethanda izwe, uthando lukaYise alukho kuye, ngokuba konke okusezweni, inkanuko yenyama, nenkanuko yamehlo, nokuzigabisa ngalokhukuphila, akuveli kuYise, kodwa kuvela ezweni.”—1 Johane 2:15, 16.
Nokho, akulula ukumelana ngokuphelele ‘nenkanuko yenyama’ kanye “nenkanuko yamehlo.” Lezizinto zithandwa kakhulu ngoba ziyayikhanga inyama yethu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunezinjabulo eziningi kakhulu neziyizinhlobonhlobo ezitholakalayo namuhla kunezazikhona osukwini lukaJohane, ngakho uma inkanuko yamehlo yayiyinkinga ngalesosikhathi, iyinkinga nakakhulu namuhla.
Ngokuthakazelisayo, eziningi zezinjabulo zanamuhla izwe elizinikezayo azizimbi zona ngokwazo. Akukho lutho olungalungile ekubeni nendlu enkulu, imoto enhle, ithelevishini, noma umsakazo westereo. Futhi akukho mthetho weBhayibheli okuwuphulayo ukuthatha uhambo olude, noluthakazelisayo futhi ube namaholide ajabulisayo. Sisho ukuthini-ke isixwayiso sikaJohane? Ngokwesibonelo, uma izinto ezinjalo ziba ezibaluleke kakhulu kithi, zisibangela ukuba sibe nomoya wobugovu, ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, nokuqhosha. Futhi umzamo wokuzuza imali yokuba sizithole ungasivimbela enkonzweni yethu esiyenzela uJehova. Ngisho nokujabulela izinto ezinjalo kudinga isikhathi, futhi nakuba ukuphumula okuthile okulinganiselwe kuletha ukuqabuleka, isikhathi sethu silinganiselwe, uma ucabangela isibopho esinaso sokutadisha iBhayibheli, ukuhlangana namaKristu esikanye nawo ngenjongo yokukhulekela, nokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—IHubo 1:1-3; Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Heberu 10:24, 25.
Kulenkathi yokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, kudingeka ukuzimisela ukuze ‘senze uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uze kuqala’ futhi sigweme ‘ukusebenzisa lelizwe ngokugcwele.’ (Mathewu 6:33; 1 Korinte 7:31, qhathanisa neNW.) Ukholo oluqinile luyosisiza. Kodwa ngokuyinhloko, uthando lwangempela ngoJehova nangomakhelwane bethu luyosiqinisa ukuba simelane nezinto eziyengayo, nakuba zingezimbi zona ngokwazo, ezingase zisivimbele ukuba ‘sifeze inkonzo yethu.’ (2 Thimothewu 4:5) Ngaphandle kothando olunjalo, kalula nje inkonzo yethu ingehla igcine isiwumzamo wokugcina icala.
Uthando Ebandleni
UJesu waqokomisa ukubaluleka kothando lapho ethi: “Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma nithandana.” (Johane 13:35) Kungani abadala besebenzisa isikhathi esiningi kangaka belusa futhi besiza amaKristu akanye nabo uma bebengawathandi? Kungani amalungu ebandla ebekezelela ubuthakathaka bamalungu akanye nawo—kuhlanganise nabadala—uma bekungengenxa yothando? Uthando lushukumisela amaKristu ukuba asizane ngendlela engokoqobo lapho ezwa ukuthi amanye ayaswela. (IzEnzo 2:44, 45) Phakathi nezikhathi zoshushiso, amaKristu ayavikelana, aze afelane ngisho nokufelana. Ngani? Ngenxa yothando.—Johane 15:13.
Ngezinye izikhathi ubufakazi obukhulu kunabo bonke bothando bubonakala ezintweni ezincane. UmKristu akanye naye angase aye kumdala kakade ocindezelwe umsebenzi onzima, ezophinda isikhalo esibonakala singabalulekile kulowomdala. Ingabe umdala kufanele athukuthele? Esikhundleni sokuvumela lokhu kube imbangela yokwahlukana, uyambekezelela futhi abonise umusa kumfowabo. Baxoxa ngalendaba bobabili, futhi kuqinisa ubungane babo. (Mathewu 5:23, 24; 18:15-17) Esikhundleni sokuba ngamunye wabo agxile emalungelweni akhe, bonke kufanele bazame ukuhlakulela isisa uJesu asitusa, bezimisela ukuthethelela abafowabo “izikhathi ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nesikhombisa.” (Mathewu 18:21, 22, NW) Ngakho, amaKristu azama konke angakwenza ukuze embathe uthando, “oluyisibopho sokuphelela.”—Kolose 3:14.
Ukujulisa Uthando Lwethu Ngomunye Nomunye
Yebo, uthando luyisisusa esifanele sokukhonza uJehova. Uthando luyosiqinisa ukuba sihlale sihlukile ezweni, futhi uthando luyoqinisekisa ukuthi ibandla liqhuba ngendlela yobuKristu ngempela. Nakuba lungakunciphisi ukufaneleka, luyosiza labo abasegunyeni ukuba bangacabangi kakhulu ngokufaneleka baze bakhohlwe ukuba nomusa nobumnene ekusebenzelaneni nabanye. Uthando luyasisiza sonke ukuba ‘silalele abasiholayo, sibathobele.’—Heberu 13:17.
Umphostoli uPetru wasinxusa ukuba ‘sithandane ngokunganqamukiyo’ ngoba “uthando lusibekela inqwaba yezono.” (1 Petru 4:8) Singakwenza kanjani lokhu? Umuntu wadalwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu futhi ngenxa yalokho unekhono elingokwemvelo lokuthanda. Kodwa uhlobo lothando esikhuluma ngalo lapha ludinga okuthile okwengeziwe. Eqinisweni, luyisithelo somoya kaNkulunkulu esiyinhloko. (Galathiya 5:22) Ngakho, ukuze sihlakulele uthando, kumelwe sizenze sitholakalele umoya kaNkulunkulu. Kanjani? Ngokutadisha iBhayibheli, elaphefumlelwa ngomoya kaJehova. (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Ngokuthandazela umoya kaJehova ukuba wakhe uthando lwethu ngoJehova nangabafowethu. Nangokuhlanganyela nebandla lobuKristu, lapho umoya ugeleza khona ngokukhululekile.
Sidinga futhi ukuzihlola ukuze sibone noma yiziphi izenzo noma imicabango yokungabi nothando. Khumbula, uthando luyimfanelo yenhliziyo, futhi “inhliziyo iyakhohlisa ngaphezu kwakho konke, futhi imbi.” (Jeremiya 17:9) Naphezu kwalo lonke usizo uJehova alunikezayo, ngezinye izikhathi siyokwenza ngendlela engenalo uthando. Singase sikhulume ngokhahlo olungadingekile nomKristu esikanye naye, noma singase siswace futhi sithukuthelele okuthile okushiwoyo. Ngakho, senza kahle ngokwenanela umthandazo kaDavide: “Ngih[l]ole, Nkulunkulu, wazi inhliziyo yami; ngilinge, wazi imicabango yami, ubone, uma kukhona indlela yosizi kimi, ungiholele endleleni yaphakade.”—IHubo 139:23, 24.
Njengoba iBhayibheli lisho, “uthando alusoze lwaphela.” (1 Korinte 13:8) Uma sibonisa ukuthandana, ngeke sitholakale siswela ngezikhathi zokuvivinywa. Uthando olukhona phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu lunengxenye enkulu ekwakheni ipharadesi elingokomoya elikhona namuhla. Yilabo kuphela abathandana ngokujulile ngokusuka enhliziyweni abayothola injabulo yokuphila ezweni elisha. Ngakho, lingisa uJehova ekuboniseni uthando olunjalo futhi kanjalo uqinise isibopho sobunye. Hlakulela uthando, futhi ube nesihluthulelo sobuKristu beqiniso.