Ukwelusa Umhlambi KaNkulunkulu Ngothando
“Yalusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ophakathi kwenu.”—1 PETRU 5:2.
1, 2. Iyiphi imfanelo kaJehova evelele, futhi ibonakala kanjani?
KUYO yonke imiBhalo Engcwele, kwenziwe kwacaca ukuthi uthando luyimfanelo kaNkulunkulu evelele. “UNkulunkulu uluthando,” kusho eyoku-1 Johane 4:8. Njengoba uthando lwakhe luboniswa ngesenzo, eyoku-1 Petru 5:7 ithi uNkulunkulu “uyanikhathalela.” EBhayibhelini, indlela uJehova anakekela ngayo abantu bakhe ifaniswa nendlela umalusi onothando anakekela ngayo ngomusa izimvu zakhe: ‘Bhekani, iNkosi uJehova iyakwalusa umhlambi wayo, ibuthe amawundlu ngemikhono yayo, iwagone esifubeni sayo, ihole kahle izindlezane.’ (Isaya 40:10, 11) Yeka indlela uDavide ayeduduzeke ngayo ukuba akwazi ukuthi: “UJehova ungumalusi wami, angiyikuswela”!—IHubo 23:1.
2 Kuyafaneleka ukuthi iBhayibheli lifanisa abantu uNkulunkulu abathandayo nezimvu, ngoba izimvu zinokuthula, ziyazithoba, ziyamlalela umalusi wazo okhathalelayo. NjengoMalusi onothando, uJehova ubanakekela ngokujulile abantu bakhe abanjengezimvu. Ukubonisa ngokubondla ngokwenyama nangokomoya nangokubaqondisa phakathi ‘nalezizinsuku zokugcina’ ezinzima zalelizwe elibi baze bayongena ezweni lakhe elisha lokulunga elizayo.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13; Mathewu 6:31-34; 10:28-31; 2 Petru 3:13.
3. Umhubi wayichaza kanjani indlela uJehova akhathalela ngayo izimvu zakhe?
3 Phawula ukukhathalela kukaJehova kothando ngezimvu zakhe: “Amehlo kaJehova akubo abalungileyo; izindlebe zakhe zikukho ukukhala kwabo. . . . Labo bayakhala, uJehova uyezwa; uyabakhulula kuzo zonke izinhlupheko zabo. UJehova useduze nabo abanenhliziyo eyaphukileyo; uyabasindisa abanomoya odabukileyo. Ziningi izinhlupheko zolungileyo, kepha uJehova uyamkhulula kuzo zonke.” (IHubo 34:15-19) Yeka induduzo enkulu uMalusi Wendawo Yonke ayinikeza abantu bakhe abanjengezimvu!
Isibonelo SikaMalusi Omuhle
4. Iyini indima kaJesu ekunakekeleni umhlambi kaNkulunkulu?
4 INdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu, yafunda kahle kuYise, ngoba iBhayibheli libiza uJesu ngokuthi “umalusi omuhle.” (Johane 10:11-16) Inkonzo yakhe ebalulekile emhlambini kaNkulunkulu iphawulwe kusAmbulo isahluko 7. Evesini 9, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zosuku lwethu zibizwa ngokuthi “isixuku esikhulu . . . [e]sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi.” Khona-ke ivesi 17 lithi: “IWundlu [uJesu] . . . liyakubelusa, libaholele emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila; noNkulunkulu uyakwesula izinyembezi zonke emehlweni abo.” UJesu uholela izimvu zikaNkulunkulu emanzini eqiniso aholela ekuphileni okuphakade. (Johane 17:3) Phawula ukuthi uJesu ubizwa ngokuthi “iWundlu,” okubonisa izimfanelo zakhe siqu zokuba njengemvu, njengoba eyisibonelo esiyinhloko sokuzithoba kuNkulunkulu.
5. UJesu wazizwa kanjani ngabantu?
5 Emhlabeni uJesu wahamba phakathi kwabantu futhi wasibona isimo sabo esidabukisayo. Wasabela kanjani osizini lwabo? “Waba-nesihe ngazo, ngokuba zazikhathazekile, zihlakazekile njengezimvu ezingenamalusi.” (Mathewu 9:36) Izimvu ezingenamalusi zihlupheka kakhulu ezandleni zabahlaseli, njengoba kunjalo ngezimvu ezinabelusi abangakhathaleli. Kodwa uJesu wayekhathalela kakhulu, ngoba wathi: “Zanini kimi nina nonke enikhatheleyo nenisindwayo, mina ngizakuniphumuza. Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu, nifunde kimi, ngokuba ngimnene, ngithobile ngenhliziyo; khona imiphefumulo yenu iyakufumana impumuzo. Ngokuba ijoka lami lihle, nomthwalo wami ulula.”—Mathewu 11:28-30.
6. Ikuphi ukucabangela uJesu akubonisa abacindezelwe?
6 Isiprofetho seBhayibheli sabikezela ukuthi uJesu wayeyosebenzelana ngothando nabantu: “UJehova ungigcobile . . . ukubopha abanhliziyo ezaphukileyo, . . . ngiduduze bonke abalilayo.” (Isaya 61:1, 2; Luka 4:17-21) UJesu akazange neze ababhekele phansi abampofu nabaswele. Kunalokho, wagcwalisa u-Isaya 42:3: “Umhlanga ofecekileyo akayikuwaphula, umongo othunqayo akayikuwucima.” (Qhathanisa noMathewu 12:17-21.) Abahluphekileyo babenjengomhlanga ofecekileyo, benjengentambo yesibani esizocima ngenxa yokuntuleka kwamafutha. Eqaphela isimo sabo esidabukisayo, uJesu wababonisa isihawu futhi wabanika amandla nethemba, ebaphulukisa ngokomoya nangokomzimba.—Mathewu 4:23.
7. UJesu wabaqondisaphi abantu ababesabela kuye?
7 Abantu abanjengezimvu basabela kuJesu ngobuningi. Ukufundisa kwakhe kwakukhanga kangangokuba izikhulu zempi ezazithunywe ukuba ziyombopha zabika: “Akuzange kukhulume-muntu njengokuba kukhuluma lowomuntu.” (Johane 7:46) Phela, abaholi benkolo abanobuzenzisi bakhononda: “Izwe lonke liyamlandela”! (Johane 12:19) Kodwa uJesu akazange azifunele inhlonipho noma udumo. Waqondisa abantu kuYise. Wabafundisa ukukhonza uJehova beshukunyiswa uthando ngezimfanelo zaKhe ezibabazekayo: “Woyithanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangawo onke amandla akho, nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho.”—Luka 10:27, 28.
8. Ukulalela abantu bakaNkulunkulu abamnikeza khona kuhluke kanjani kulokho abanye abakunikeza ababusi bezwe?
8 UJehova uyakhazinyuliswa ngokuthi ubukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke busekelwa abantu bakhe abanjengezimvu, lokhu bekwenza ngenxa yothando lwabo ngaye. Bakhetha ukumkhonza ngokuzithandela ngenxa yolwazi lwabo ngezimfanelo zakhe ezithandekayo. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuhluke kanjani kubaholi balelizwe izikhonzi zabo ezibalalela kuphela ngenxa yokwesaba, noma ngokukhononda, noma ngenxa yokuthi zinezisusa ezingafanele! Ngeke neze kushiwo ngoJehova noma ngoJesu lokho okwashiwo ngopapa weSonto LamaRoma Katolika: “Wayehlonishwa abaningi, esatshwa yibo bonke, engathandwa muntu.”—Vicars of Christ—The Dark Side of the Papacy, kaPeter De Rosa.
Abelusi Abanonya Kwa-Israyeli
9, 10. Chaza abaholi bakwa-Israyeli wasendulo nabangekhulu lokuqala.
9 Ngokungafani noJesu, abaholi benkolo bakwa-Israyeli osukwini lwakhe babengenalo uthando ngezimvu. Babefana nababusi bakwa-Israyeli bangaphambili uJehova ayethé ngabo: “Wo kubelusi bakwaIsrayeli abazibonelela bona! Abelusi bebengayikuzalusa izimvu na? . . . Ezibuthakathaka aniziqinisanga, negulayo aniyiphilisanga, neyaphukileyo aniyibophanga, nexoshiweyo aniyibuyisanga, nelahlekileyo aniyifunanga, kepha nizibusile ngamandla alukhuni.”—Hezekeli 34:2-4.
10 Njengalabobelusi bezombangazwe, abaholi benkolo bamaJuda bekhulu lokuqala babenezinhliziyo ezilukhuni. (Luka 11:47-52) Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wakhuluma ngomJuda owayephangiwe, washaywa, futhi washiywa umndondo eceleni komgwaqo. Kweza umpristi ongumIsrayeli, kodwa lapho ebona lomJuda, wagega wahambela ngakolunye uhlangothi lomgwaqo. UmLevi wenza okufanayo. Khona-ke umuntu ongeyena umIsrayeli, umSamariya odelelekile, weza futhi wasihawukela lesisisulu. Wasibopha amanxeba, wasikhwelisa esilwaneni wasiyisa endlini yezihambi, wayesesinakekela. Wakhokhela umgcinindlu yezihambi futhi wathi uzobuya azokhokhela ezinye izindleko.—Luka 10:30-37.
11, 12. (a) Ububi babaholi benkolo bafinyelela kanjani ezingeni eliphakeme osukwini lukaJesu? (b) Yini amaRoma ayenza ekugcineni kubaholi benkolo?
11 Abaholi benkolo bosuku lukaJesu babonakele kangangokuba lapho uJesu evusa uLazaru kwabafileyo, abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi bahlanganisela ndawonye iSanhedrin futhi bathi: “Siyakwenze-njani na? Lomuntu [uJesu] wenza izibonakaliso eziningi; uma simyeka njalo, bazakukholwa nguye bonke; amaRoma ayakufika, asamuke indawo nesizwe.” (Johane 11:47, 48) Babengenandaba nokuhle uJesu ayekwenzele umuntu ofile. Babekhathazeke ngezikhundla zabo. Ngakho “kusukela kulolosuku baceba ukuba bambulale [uJesu].”—Johane 11:53.
12 Benezela ebubini babo, abapristi abakhulu base “benza icebo lokuba babulale noLazaru, ngokuba ngenxa yakhe abaningi babaJuda bamuka bakholwa nguJesu.” (Johane 12:10, 11) Imizamo yabo yobugovu yokuvikela izikhundla zabo yayingenalusizo, ngoba uJesu wayebatshelile: “Indlu yenu isisala nani.” (Mathewu 23:38) Ekugcwalisekeni kwalawomazwi kulesosizukulwane, amaRoma afika futhi abemuka ‘indawo yabo nesizwe,’ kanye nokuphila kwabo.
Abelusi Abanothando Ebandleni LobuKristu
13. Ubani uJehova athembisa ukumthumela ukuba aluse umhlambi wakhe?
13 Esikhundleni sabelusi abanonya, abanobugovu, uJehova wayeyovusa uMelusi Omuhle, uJesu, ukuze anakekele umhlambi waKhe. Futhi wathembisa ukuvusa abelusi abangaphansi abanothando ukuze banakekele izimvu: “Ngiyakumisa phezu kwayo abelusi abayakuyalusa; ayisayikwesaba.” (Jeremiya 23:4) Ngakho namuhla, njengasemabandleni obuKristu ekhulu lokuqala, ‘kumiswa amadoda amadala emizini ngemizi.’ (Thithu 1:5, NW) Lamadoda amadala ngokomoya ahlangabezana nezimfanelo ezivezwe emiBhalweni kumelwe ‘eluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu.’—1 Petru 5:2; 1 Thimothewu 3:1-7; Thithu 1:7-9.
14, 15. (a) Isiphi isimo sengqondo abafundi abakuthola kunzima ukusihlakulela? (b) Yini uJesu ayenza ukuze ababonise ukuthi abadala kufanele babe izinceku ezithobekile?
14 Ekunakekeleni izimvu, abadala kumelwe “kunakho konke” babe ‘nothando olunganqamukiyo’ ngazo. (1 Petru 4:8) Kodwa abafundi bakaJesu, bekhathalela kakhulu ukuvelela nesikhundla, kwadingeka bakufunde lokhu. Ngakho lapho unina wabafundi ababili ethi kuJesu: “Yisho ukuba lawamadodana ami amabili ahlale, enye ngakwesokunene sakho, enye ngakwesokhohlo sakho embusweni wakho,” abanye abafundi bathukuthela. UJesu wathi kubo: “Ababusi bezizwe bazenza amakhosi phezu kwazo, nezikhulu zazo ziphethe amandla phezu kwazo. Akunjalo phakathi kwenu, kodwa yilowo nalowo ofuna ukuba-mkhulu phakathi kwenu makabe-yisikhonzi senu; nalowo ofuna ukuba-ngowokuqala phakathi kwenu makabe-yinceku yenu.”—Mathewu 20:20-28.
15 Kwesinye isenzakalo, ngemva kokuba abafundi “bekhulumisene . . . ngokuthi ngubani omkhulu,” uJesu wathi kubo: “Uma umuntu ethanda ukuba-ngowokuqala, makabe-ngowokugcina kubo bonke nesikhonzi sabo bonke.” (Marku 9:34, 35) Ukuthobeka nokuzimisela ukukhonza kwakufanele kube ingxenye yobuntu babo. Kodwa abafundi baqhubeka benobunzima ngaleyomibono, ngoba ngabo kanye ubusuku bangaphambi kokufa kukaJesu, esidlweni sakhe sokugcina sakusihlwa, kwavela “nokuphikisana” phakathi kwabo kokuthi ubani owayemkhulu! Lokho kwenzeka naphezu kokuba uJesu ayebabonisile ukuthi umdala kumelwe awukhonze kanjani umhlambi; wayezithobile futhi wageza izinyawo zabo. Wathi: “Uma-ke mina, iNkosi noMfundisi, ngigezé izinyawo zenu, nani-ke nifanele ukugezana izinyawo. Ngokuba ngininikile isibonelo ukuba nenze nani njengokuba ngenzile kini.”—Luka 22:24; Johane 13:14, 15.
16. Ngo-1899 ikuphi ukukhulumela okwenziwa i-Watch Tower ngemfanelo ebaluleke kakhulu yabadala?
16 Ngaso sonke isikhathi oFakazi BakaJehova baye bafundisa ukuthi abadala kumelwe babe njena. Cishe eminyakeni eyikhulu edlule, i-Watch Tower ka-April 1, 1899, yaphawula amazwi kaPawulu akweyoku-1 Korinte 13:1-8 yase ithi: “UmPhostoli ukuveza ngokucacile ukuthi ulwazi nekhono lokukhuluma kahle akuzona izici ezinqumayo ezibaluleke kunazo zonke, kodwa uthando olusuka ekujuleni kwenhliziyo futhi lwanuleke kuyo yonke inkambo yokuphila, lushukumise futhi luqondise imizimba yethu efayo, yisona sici esinqumayo sangempela—ubufakazi bangempela bobuhlobo bethu baphezulu. . . . Okokuqala, imfanelo eholayo okufanele ibhekwe kubo bonke abamukelwa njengezinceku zebandla, ezikhonza ezintweni ezingcwele, umoya wothando.” Yaphawula ukuthi amadoda angenakukwazi ngokuthobeka ukukhonza eshukunyiswa uthando “angabafundisi abangalondekile, futhi cishe ayokwenza umonakalo omkhulu kuphela.”—1 Korinte 8:1.
17. IBhayibheli lizigcizelela kanjani izimfanelo abadala okumelwe babe nazo?
17 Ngakho, amadoda amadala akumelwe ‘azenze amakhosi phezu’ kwezimvu. (1 Petru 5:3) Kunalokho, kumelwe ahole ekubeni ‘aphathana ngobumnene, ahawukelane.’ (Efesu 4:32) UPawulu wagcizelela: “Yembathani ububele benhliziyo, nesisa, nokuzithoba, nobumnene, nokubhekakade. . . . Kepha phezu kwakho konke lokho yembathani uthando oluyisibopho sokuphelela.”—Kolose 3:12-14.
18. (a) Isiphi isibonelo esihle esabekwa uPawulu ekusebenzelaneni nezimvu? (b) Kungani kungamelwe ukuba abadala bazishaye indiva izidingo zezimvu?
18 UPawulu wafunda ukwenza lokhu, ethi: “Saba-mnene phakathi kwenu njengokuba umdlezane ondla abantwana bakhe. Ngokunjalo lokhu besinilangazelele, sasifuna ukuninika kungesilo ivangeli likaNkulunkulu kuphela kepha nokuphila kwethu uqobo, ngokuba nase ningabathandekayo kithina.” (1 Thesalonika 2:7, 8) Ngokuvumelana nalokho, wathi: “Nithokozise abadanileyo, nisekele ababuthakathaka, nibabekezelele bonke.” (1 Thesalonika 5:14) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi hlobo luni lwenkinga izimvu ezingayiletha kubo, abadala kufanele bakhumbule izAga 21:13: “Ovala indlebe yakhe ngokukhala kompofu naye uyakukhala angaphendulwa.”
19. Kungani abadala abanothando beyisibusiso, futhi izimvu zisabela kanjani othandweni olunjalo?
19 Amadoda amadala alusa umhlambi ngothando ayisibusiso ezimvwini. U-Isaya 32:2 wabikezela: “Umuntu uyakuba-yindawo yokucashela umoya nesivikelo esivunguvungwini njengemifula yamanzi endaweni eyomileyo, njengomthunzi wedwala ezweni eliyethileyo.” Siyajabula ukwazi ukuthi abaningi babadala bethu namuhla benza ngokuvumelana naleyoncazelo yokuba abaqabulayo. Baye bafunda ukusebenzisa isimiso esilandelayo: “Thandanani ngenhliziyo ngothando lobuzalwane; ekwazisaneni nandulelane.” (Roma 12:10) Lapho abadala bebonisa loluhlobo lothando nokuthobeka, izimvu zisabela ‘ngokubazisa kakhulu othandweni ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo.’—1 Thesalonika 5:12, 13.
Hlonipha Ukusetshenziswa Kwenkululeko Yokuzikhethela
20. Kungani abadala kumelwe bahloniphe inkululeko yokuzikhethela?
20 UJehova wadala abantu benenkululeko yokuzikhethela ukuze bazenzele izinqumo zabo. Nakuba abadala kufanele banikeze iseluleko futhi bayale nokuyala, akufanele balawule ukuphila noma ukholo lomunye. UPawulu wathi: “Kungesikho ukuthi siyabusa phezu kokukholwa kwenu, kodwa siyizisebenzi zokuthokoza kwenu kanye nani, ngokuba nimi ekukholweni.” (2 Korinte 1:24) Yebo, “yilowo nalowo uyakuthwala owakhe umthwalo.” (Galathiya 6:5) UJehova usinikeze inkululeko enkulu ngaphakathi kwemingcele yemithetho nezimiso zakhe. Ngakho abadala kufanele bagweme ukubeka imithetho lapho kungekho zimiso ezingokomBhalo eziphulwayo. Futhi kufanele bagweme noma ikuphi ukuthambekela kokunikeza imibono yabo siqu njengemfundiso engenakuphikiswa noma ukuvumela ukuzethemba ngokweqile kuphazamise uma othile engavumelani nemibono enjalo.—2 Korinte 3:17; 1 Petru 2:16.
21. Yini engafundwa esimweni sengqondo sikaPawulu kuFilemoni?
21 Phawula indlela uPawulu, lapho eboshwe eRoma, asebenzelana ngayo noFilemoni, umninisigqila ongumKristu eKolose e-Asia Minor. Isigqila sikaFilemoni u-Onesimu sabalekela eRoma, saba umKristu, futhi sasisiza uPawulu. UPawulu wabhalela uFilemoni: “Bengifuna ukumbamba ahlale kimi, ukuze angikhonze esikhundleni sakho ngisekuboshweni ngenxa yevangeli; kepha ngaphandle kokubona kwakho ngangingathandi ukwenza-lutho, ukuze umusa wakho ungabi-ngokucindezelwa, kodwa ube [ngenkululeko yokuzikhethela, NW].” (Filemoni 13, 14) UPawulu wambuyisa u-Onesimu, ecela uFilemoni ukuba amphathise okomzalwane ongumKristu. UPawulu wayazi ukuthi umhlambi kwakungewona owakhe; kwakungokaNkulunkulu. Wayengeyona inkosi yawo kodwa wayeyinceku yawo. UPawulu akazange amphoqe uFilemoni; wayihlonipha inkululeko yakhe yokuzikhethela.
22. (a) Yini abadala okufanele bayiqonde ngesikhundla sabo? (b) Hlobo luni lwenhlangano uJehova alwakhayo?
22 Njengoba inhlangano kaNkulunkulu ikhula, kumiswa abadala abengeziwe. Bona, kanye nabadala abanokuhlangenwe nakho okwengeziwe, kumelwe baqonde ukuthi isikhundla sabo esenkonzo yokuthobeka. Ngalendlela, njengoba uNkulunkulu eqhubela inhlangano yakhe ezweni elisha, iyoqhubeka ikhula ngangokufisa kwakhe—ihleleke kahle kodwa ingadeli uthando nesihawu ukuze iphumelele. Ngaleyondlela, inhlangano yakhe iyoqhubeka ikhanga kwabanjengezimvu abayobona kuyo ubufakazi bokuthi “kwabamthandayo uNkulunkulu konke kusebenzelana kube ngokuhle.” Lokho kumelwe kulindelwe enhlanganweni esekelwe othandweni, ngoba “uthando alusoze lwaphela.”—Roma 8:28; 1 Korinte 13:8.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ IBhayibheli likuchaza kanjani ukukhathalela kukaJehova abantu bakhe?
◻ UJesu ufeza yiphi indima ekunakekeleni umhlambi kaNkulunkulu?
◻ Iyiphi imfanelo eyinhloko abadala okumelwe babe nayo?
◻ Kungani abadala kumelwe bacabangele inkululeko yokuzikhethela yezimvu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
UJesu, “umalusi omuhle,” wabonisa isihawu
[Izithombe ekhasini 17]
Abaholi benkolo abonakele bakha uzungu lokubulala uJesu