Unaso Yini ‘Isimo Sengqondo Sokulinda’?
“Yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, nilindele futhi nikukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova!”—2 PETRU 3:11, 12.
1, 2. Singakufanekisa kanjani ukuba ‘nesimo sengqondo sokulinda’ mayelana nosuku lukaJehova?
AKE ubone ngeso lengqondo umkhaya olindele izivakashi ekudleni kwakusihlwa. Isikhathi esibekiwe sokufika kwazo sisondela ngokushesha. Umama uselungisa izinto ezincane etafuleni elidekiwe. Ubaba nezingane bayasiza ukuze konke kuhlale ngononina. Kujatshulwe. Yebo, wonke umkhaya ukubheke ngabomvu ukufika kwezivakashi futhi ulangazelela lesi sidlo esehl’ esiphundu nobudlelwane obumnandi.
2 NjengamaKristu, silindele okuthile okubaluleke nakakhulu. Ini? Phela, sonke silindele ‘usuku lukaJehova’! Uma nje lungakafiki, kudingeka sibe njengomprofethi uMika, owathi: “Ngizohlala ngibheke uJehova. Ngizobonisa isimo sengqondo sokumlinda uNkulunkulu wensindiso yami.” (Mika 7:7) Ingabe lokho kusho ukuhlala dekle singenzi lutho? Cha. Mningi umsebenzi odinga ukwenziwa.
3. Ngokweyesi-2 Petru 3:11, 12, isiphi isimo sengqondo amaKristu okufanele abe naso?
3 Umphostoli uPetru usisiza ukuba sibe nesimo sengqondo esifanele njengoba silindile. Uthi: “Yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, nilindele futhi nikukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova!” (2 Petru 3:11, 12) Phawula ukuthi yisibabazo lesi. UPetru wayengabuzi umbuzo. Ezincwadini zakhe ezimbili eziphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu, waluchaza uhlobo lwabantu amaKristu okufanele abe yilo. Wawayala nokuba aqhubeke enza ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.’ Nakuba kwase kudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-30 uJesu Kristu anikeza isibonakaliso “sesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,” amaKristu kwakungamelwe ayeke ukuqapha. (Mathewu 24:3) Kwakufanele ‘alindele futhi akukhumbule njalo’ ukufika kosuku lukaJehova.
4. Yini ehilelekile ‘ekukukhumbuleni njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova’?
4 Ngokwezwi nezwi, igama lesiGreki lapha elihunyushwe ngokuthi “nikukhumbula njalo” lisho “ukusheshisa.” Yebo, ‘asinakulusheshisa’ ngokoqobo usuku lukaJehova. Empeleni, ‘asilwazi usuku noma ihora’ uJesu Kristu ayofika ngalo ezobhubhisa izitha zikaYise. (Mathewu 24:36; 25:13) Enye incwadi yezikhombo ithi isenzo esiwumsuka wegama elithi “ukusheshisa” lapha sisho “‘ukuphuthuma’ futhi ngenxa yalokho sihlobene kakhulu ‘nokushiseka, ukukhuthala, ukukhathalela okuthile.’” Ngakho uPetru wayenxusa ayekholwa nabo ukuba bakufise ngentshiseko ukufika kosuku lukaJehova. Lokhu babengakwenza ngokuhlala belukhumbula njalo. (2 Petru 3:12) Njengoba ‘usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo’ seluseduze kangaka, kufanele sibe nesimo sengqondo esifanayo.—Joweli 2:31.
Linda ‘Ngezenzo Zokuziphatha Ezingcwele’
5. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sifisa ngentshiseko ukubona ‘usuku lukaJehova’?
5 Uma sifisa ngentshiseko ukusinda osukwini lukaJehova, siyokwenza kubonakale lokho ‘ngezenzo zethu zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.’ Inkulumo ethi ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele’ ingase isikhumbuze isiyalo sikaPetru: “Njengabantwana abalalelayo, yekani ukulolongwa ngokuvumelana nezifiso enaninazo ngaphambili ekungazini kwenu, kodwa, ngokuvumelana noNgcwele owanibiza, nani yibani ngcwele ngokwenu kukho konke ukuziphatha kwenu, ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Kumelwe nibe ngcwele, ngoba mina ngingcwele.’”—1 Petru 1:14-16.
6. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sibe ngcwele?
6 Ukuze sibe ngcwele, kumelwe sizigcine sihlanzekile emzimbeni, engqondweni, ekuziphatheni kanye nangokomoya. Ingabe siyalulungiselela ‘usuku lukaJehova’ ngokuzigcina singcwele njengabantu ababizwa ngegama likaJehova? Namuhla akulula ukulondoloza ubumsulwa obunjalo ngoba izindinganiso zokuziphatha zezwe ziyawohloka. (1 Korinte 7:31; 2 Thimothewu 3:13) Ingabe sithola ukuthi liya likhula igebe phakathi kwezindinganiso zokuziphatha zethu nezezwe? Uma kungenjalo, kufanele sikhathazeke. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi izindinganiso zethu, nakuba ziphakeme kunezezwe, nazo ziyawohloka? Uma kunjalo, kudingeka sithathe izinyathelo eziqondile zokulungisa isimo ukuze sijabulise uNkulunkulu.
7, 8. (a) Ungasilahlekela kanjani umbono wokubaluleka kokwenza ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele’? (b) Iziphi izinyathelo zokulungisa isimo ezingase zidingeke?
7 Njengoba sekwaba khona izithombe ezingcolile zobulili ezikuyi-Internet nangenxa yokuthi zingatholakala umuntu esekusithekeni, abanye ababengenandlela yokuthola izinto ezinjalo ezinokuziphatha okubi sebethola “uthelawayeka wamathuba obulili,” kusho udokotela othile. Uma besingahamba sizifuna izingosi ezinjalo ezingcolile ze-Internet, besiyobe asiwushayi mkhuba umyalo weBhayibheli wokuba ‘singathinti lutho olungcolile.’ (Isaya 52:11) Ingabe besiyobe ‘sikukhumbula njalo’ ngempela “ukufika kosuku lukaJehova”? Noma ingabe besiyobe siyaluhlehlisa ezingqondweni zethu lolo suku, sizitshela ukuthi ngisho noma singcolisa izingqondo zethu ngezinto ezixathukayo, sisenaso isikhathi sokuzihlanza? Uma siye saba nenkinga kulokhu, yeka indlela okungaphuthuma ngayo ukunxusa uJehova ukuba ‘enze amehlo ethu adlule angakuboni okungenanzuzo futhi asilonde ngendlela yakhe’!—IHubo 119:37.
8 Iningi loFakazi BakaJehova abancane nabadala linamathele ezindinganisweni zokuziphatha zikaNkulunkulu eziphakeme, lizigwema izingibe zaleli zwe zokuziphatha okubi. Njengoba bekuqaphela ukuphuthuma kwezikhathi zethu nesixwayiso sikaPetru esithi “usuku lukaJehova luyofika njengesela,” bayaqhubeka benza ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele.’ (2 Petru 3:10) Izenzo zabo zifakazela ukuthi ‘balindele futhi bakukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova.’a
Linda ‘Ngezenzo Zokuzinikela Kokuhlonipha UNkulunkulu’
9. Ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba senzeni?
9 ‘Izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’ nazo zibalulekile uma sifuna ukulukhumbula njalo usuku lukaJehova. “Ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu” kuhilela inhlonipho ngoNkulunkulu esishukumisela ukuba senze lokho okumjabulisayo. Ukunamathela kuJehova ngobuqotho yikhona okusishukumisela ezenzweni ezinjalo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Kuyintando yakhe ukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.” (1 Thimothewu 2:4) UNkulunkulu “akafisi ukuba kubhubhe namunye kodwa ufisa ukuba bonke baphenduke.” (2 Petru 3:9) Ngakho-ke, akufanele yini ukuzinikela kwethu kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kusishukumisele ukuba siqinise imizamo yethu yokusiza abantu bafunde ngoJehova futhi bamlingise?—Efesu 5:1.
10. Kungani kufanele siqaphele “amandla engcebo okukhohlisa”?
10 Ukuphila kwethu kuyogcwala izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu uma sifuna uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuqala. (Mathewu 6:33) Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukuba sibe nombono olinganiselayo ngezinto ezibonakalayo. UJesu waxwayisa: “Hlalani nivulé amehlo futhi niqaphe yonke inhlobo yokuhaha, ngoba ngisho nalapho umuntu enensada ukuphila kwakhe akuveli ezintweni anazo.” (Luka 12:15) Nakuba kungase kube nzima ukuzicabanga siphuphuthekiswa uthando lwemali, kuhle siphawule ukuthi ‘izinkathazo zalesi simiso sezinto namandla engcebo okukhohlisa kungaliminyanisa izwi’ likaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 13:22) Kungase kungabi lula ukuziphilisa. Ngenxa yalokho, kwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba abaningi bazitshela ukuthi ukuze baphile kangcono, kudingeka bathuthele emazweni acebacebile, mhlawumbe bashiye imikhaya yabo iminyakana ethile. Ngisho nabanye abantu bakaNkulunkulu baye bacabanga ngale ndlela. Ngokuya kwelinye izwe, bangase bakwazi ukutholela imikhaya yabo izinto zesimanje ezenza ukuphila kube lula. Nokho, yini engase yenzeke engokomoyeni labathandekayo babo abasele ekhaya? Njengoba bengenaso isiqondiso esifanele senhloko ekhaya, ingabe bayoba nalo ingokomoya elidingekayo ukuze basinde osukwini lukaJehova?
11. Esinye isisebenzi esihambahambayo sabonisa kanjani ukuthi izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu zibaluleke ngaphezu kwengcebo?
11 Isisebenzi esihambahambayo sasePhilippines sathola iqiniso leBhayibheli koFakazi BakaJehova eJapane. Lapho sizwa ngemithwalo yemfanelo yobunhloko esemiBhalweni, saqaphela ukuthi kudingeka sisize umkhaya waso ukuba ube abakhulekeli bakaJehova. (1 Korinte 11:3) Unkosikazi lé ekhaya waphikisana kakhulu nale nkolo umyeni asanda kuyithola, efuna ukuba aqhubeke ethumela imali kunokuba abuyele ekhaya azofundisa umkhaya wakhe izinkolelo zakhe ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Nokho, eshukunyiswa ukuphuthuma kwezikhathi nokukhathalela abathandekayo bakhe, umyeni waphindela ekhaya. Isineke sakhe ekusebenzelaneni ngothando namalungu omkhaya saba nomvuzo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umkhaya wakhe waba munye ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso, umkakhe wangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.
12. Kungani kufanele senze izithakazelo ezingokomoya zize kuqala ekuphileni?
12 Isimo sethu singase sisifanise nesabantu abasesakhiweni esishayo. Bekungaba ukuhlakanipha yini ukutatazela sehle senyuka sizama ukusindisa izinto ezibonakalayo esakhiweni esivuthayo esesizokuwa? Kunalokho, bekungeke yini kubaluleke kakhulu ukusindisa ukuphila—okwethu, komkhaya wethu, nokwabanye abakuleso sakhiwo? Ukuwa kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi kusondela ngokushesha, futhi ukuphila kwabantu kusengozini. Njengoba sikuqaphela lokhu, nakanjani kufanele senze izithakazelo ezingokomoya zize kuqala futhi sigxile ngentshiseko emsebenzini osindisa ukuphila wokushumayela ngoMbuso.—1 Thimothewu 4:16.
Kudingeka ‘Singabi Nabala’
13. Isiphi isimo okufanele sifune ukuba kuso lapho kufika usuku lukaJehova?
13 Egcizelela ukubaluleka kokulondoloza isimo sengqondo sokulinda, uPetru uthi: “Bathandekayo, njengoba nilindele lezi zinto, yenzani konke okusemandleni enu ukuba ekugcineni [uNkulunkulu] anithole ningenabala, ningenasici futhi nisekuthuleni.” (2 Petru 3:14) Ngaphezu kwesiyalo sakhe sokwenza izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, uPetru ugcizelela ukubaluleka kokuba ekugcineni uJehova asithole singabantu abahlanzwe ngegazi likaJesu eliyigugu. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Lokhu kudinga ukuba umuntu abonise ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu futhi abe inceku kaJehova ezinikezele yabhapathizwa.
14. Kuhilelani ‘ukungabi nabala’?
14 UPetru usinxusa ukuba senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba sitholakale ‘singenabala.’ Ingabe izingubo zethu zokuziphatha nobuntu bobuKristu sikugcina kungenabala, kungangcolisiwe izwe? Lapho sibona ibala ezingutsheni zethu, sizama ukulisusa ngokushesha. Uma kuyingubo esiyikhonzile, sicophelela kakhulu lapho siyihlanza. Ingabe sizizwa ngendlela efanayo uma izingubo zethu zobuKristu zithola ibala ngenxa yephutha elithile ebuntwini noma ekuziphatheni kwethu?
15. (a) Kungani ama-Israyeli kwakudingeka enze insephe emiphethweni yezingubo zawo? (b) Kungani kucacile ukuthi izinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla zihlukile?
15 Ama-Israyeli kwakudingeka enze ‘insephe emiphethweni yezingubo zawo’ futhi “afake intambo eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka phezu komphetho wengubo onensephe.” Ngasiphi isizathu? Ukuze akhumbule imiyalo kaJehova, ayilalele, futhi ‘abe ngcwele’ kuNkulunkulu wawo. (Numeri 15:38-40) Njengezinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla, kucacile ukuthi sihlukile ezweni ngoba sigcina imithetho nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, sizigcina sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni, sihlonipha ubungcwele begazi, futhi sigwema zonke izinhlobo zokukhonza izithombe. (IzEnzo 15:28, 29) Abaningi bayasihlonipha ngokuzimisela kwethu okuqinile ukuzigcina sihlanzekile.—Jakobe 1:27.
Kudingeka ‘Singabi Nasici’
16. Yini ehilelekile ekuzigcineni ‘singenasici’?
16 UPetru uthi futhi kufanele sitholakale ‘singenasici.’ Kungenzeka kanjani lokho? Ngokuvamile ibala lingasulwa noma lihlanzwe lisuke, kodwa hhayi isici. Isici sibonisa ukuthi kukhona okungalungile, okonakele ngaphakathi. Umphostoli uPawulu wayala amaKristu ayekanye nawo eFilipi: “Qhubekani nenza zonke izinto ngaphandle kokububula nokuphikisana, ukuze nibe abangasoleki nabamsulwa, abantwana bakaNkulunkulu abangenasici phakathi kwesizukulwane esigwegwile nesisontekile, enikhanya phakathi kwaso njengezinkanyiso ezweni.” (Filipi 2:14, 15) Uma sisilandela leso siyalo, siyogwema ukububula nokuphikisana, sikhonze uNkulunkulu ngesisusa esimsulwa. Siyoshukunyiswa uthando ngoJehova nangomakhelwane bethu njengoba sishumayela “lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso.” (Mathewu 22:35-40; 24:14) Ngaphezu kwalokho, siyoqhubeka simemezela izindaba ezinhle yize iningi labantu lingase lingaqondi ukuthi kungani sinikela ngesikhathi sethu sizama ukusiza abanye bafunde ngoNkulunkulu neZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli.
17. Kufanele sibe yini isisusa sethu lapho sizama ukufinyelela amalungelo ebandleni lobuKristu?
17 Njengoba sifisa ukutholakala ‘singenasici,’ kuhle sihlole izisusa zethu kukho konke esikwenzayo. Sesayiyeka indlela yezwe yokwenza izinto ngezizathu zobugovu, ezinjengokuzama ukuthola ingcebo noma ithonya. Uma sizama ukufinyelela amalungelo ebandleni lobuKristu, kwangathi izisusa zethu zingahlala zimsulwa futhi kwangathi ngaso sonke isikhathi singashukunyiswa uthando ngoJehova nabanye. Kuyaqabula ukubona amadoda angokomoya “ezama ukufinyelela ukuba [ababonisi]” ngenjabulo nangesifiso esinokuthobeka sokukhonza uJehova nalabo akholwa nabo. (1 Thimothewu 3:1; 2 Korinte 1:24) Ngempela, labo abafanelekayo ukukhonza njengabadala ‘balusa umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ngokuzithandela; kungengenxa yothando lwenzuzo yokungathembeki, kodwa ngokulangazela; futhi kungengokuzenza izingqongqo phezu kwalabo abayifa likaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngokuba yizibonelo emhlambini.’—1 Petru 5:1-4.
Kudingeka ‘Sibe Sekuthuleni’
18. Iziphi izimfanelo oFakazi BakaJehova abaziwa kakhulu ngazo?
18 Ekugcineni, uPetru uthi kufanele sitholakale ‘sisekuthuleni.’ Ukuze sihlangabezane nale mfuneko, kudingeka sibe nokuthula noJehova nomakhelwane bethu. UPetru ugcizelela ukubaluleka kokuba “nothando olukhulu ngomunye nomunye” nokulondoloza ukuthula namaKristu esikanye nawo. (1 Petru 2:17; 3:10, 11; 4:8; 2 Petru 1:5-7) Ukuze silondoloze ukuthula kwethu, kumelwe sibe nothando phakathi kwethu. (Johane 13:34, 35; Efesu 4:1, 2) Uthando nokuthula kwethu kubonakala kakhulu lapho sinemihlangano yezizwe zonke. Emhlanganweni owawuseCosta Rica ngo-1999, umthengisi esikhumulweni sezindiza wacasuka lapho oFakazi bendawo ababamukela izihambeli zomhlangano ezifikayo besitha indawo yakhe yokuthengisa bengaqondile. Nokho, ngosuku lwesibili waphawula uthando nokuthula okwakubonakala endleleni izihambeli ezazamukelwa ngentshiseko ngayo, nakuba oFakazi bendawo babengazani nazo. Ngosuku lokugcina, lo mthengisi naye wajoyina iqembu labamukela izihambeli wacela nesifundo seBhayibheli.
19. Kungani kubalulekile ukuphishekela ukuba nokuthula nesikholwa nabo?
19 Ubuqotho bethu ekuphishekeleni ukuthula nabafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya kungase kuthonye indlela esilulinde ngobuqotho ngayo usuku lukaJehova nezwe lakhe elisha elithenjisiwe. (IHubo 37:11; 2 Petru 3:13) Ake sithi sikuthola kunzima ukulondoloza ukuthula nothile esikholwa naye. Singazibona yini ngeso lengqondo sihlezi naye ngokuthula ePharadesi? Uma umzalwane enenxa nathi, kufanele ‘senze ukuthula naye’ ngokushesha. (Mathewu 5:23, 24) Ukwenza kanjalo kubaluleke kakhulu uma sifuna ukuba nokuthula noJehova.—IHubo 35:27; 1 Johane 4:20.
20. ‘Isimo sengqondo sokulinda’ kufanele sibonakale ngaziphi izindlela?
20 Ingabe thina ngabanye ‘silindele futhi sikukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova’? Ukufisa kwethu ngentshiseko ukubona ububi bungasekho kuboniswa ngokuba sihlale singcwele kuleli zwe eliziphethe kabi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukulangazelela kwethu ngobuqotho ukufika kosuku lukaJehova nokuphila ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso wakhe kubonakaliswa ngezenzo zethu zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Futhi ithemba lethu lokuphila ezweni elisha elinokuthula liboniswa ngokuphishekela kwethu ukuba nokuthula manje nesikholwa nabo. Ngalezi zindlela, sibonisa ukuthi ‘sinesimo sengqondo sokulinda’ futhi ‘sikukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova.’
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ukuze uthole izibonelo, bheka INqabayokulinda ka-January 1, 2000, ikhasi 16 ne-Ncwadi Yonyaka YoFakazi BakaJehova Ka-1997, ikhasi 51.
Uyakhumbula?
• Kusho ukuthini ‘ukukukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova’?
• ‘Isimo sengqondo sokulinda’ siboniswa kanjani ekuziphatheni kwethu?
• Kungani ‘izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’ zibaluleke kakhulu?
• Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze uJehova asithole ‘singenabala, singenasici futhi sisekuthuleni’?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
‘Isimo sengqondo sokulinda’ siboniswa ngezenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele
[Izithombe ekhasini 12]
Umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso usindisa ukuphila
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
Njengoba silinde usuku lukaJehova, masiphishekele ukuba nokuthula nabanye