Siza Abantu ‘Baphaphame Ebuthongweni’
“Niyayazi inkathi, ukuthi kakade sekuyihora lokuba niphaphame ebuthongweni.”—ROMA 13:11.
UNGACHAZA?
Kungani kubalulekile ukuba amaKristu ahlale ephapheme ngokomoya?
Kungani izikhonzi eziphapheme kufanele zilalele futhi ziqaphelisise?
Iyiphi indima efezwa umusa nesineke enkonzweni yethu?
1, 2. Abantu abaningi kudingeka baphaphame ngamuphi umqondo?
MINYAKA yonke, izinkulungwane zabantu ziyafa ngenxa yokozela noma ngisho nokulala lapho zishayela imoto. Abanye baphelelwa imisebenzi ngoba beselwa nangenxa yokulala emsebenzini. Kodwa ukozela okungokomoya kungaba nemiphumela emibi nakakhulu. Yingalo mqondo obalulekile iBhayibheli lithi: “Uyajabula ohlala ephapheme.”—IsAm. 16:14-16.
2 Njengoba usuku olukhulu lukaJehova lusondela, isintu silele ngomqondo ongokomoya. Ngisho nabanye abaholi beLobukholwa baye babhekisela emihlambini yabo ngokuthi ‘izihuqa buthongo.’ Kuyini ukulala okungokomoya? Kungani kubalulekile ukuba amaKristu eqiniso ahlale ephapheme? Singabasiza kanjani abanye ukuba baphaphame ebuthongweni obunjalo?
KUYINI UKULALA OKUNGOKOMOYA?
3. Ungamchaza kanjani umuntu olele ngokomoya?
3 Abantu abalele ngokuvamile abenzi lutho. Ngokuphambene, labo abalele ngokomoya bangase babe matasa kakhulu—kodwa hhayi ngezinto ezingokomoya. Bangase babe matasa kakhulu ngenxa yezinkathazo zokuphila kwansuku zonke noma ngokufuna injabulo, udumo noma ingcebo. Ukuphishekela konke lokhu kwenza bangabi nandaba kangako nezidingo zabo ezingokomoya. Nokho, abantu abaphapheme ngokomoya bayaqaphela ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina,” ngakho bamatasa kakhulu ngangokunokwenzeka ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu.—2 Pet. 3:3, 4; Luka 21:34-36.
4. Uyini umqondo weseluleko esithi: “Masingalali njengoba kwenza bonke abanye”?
4 Funda eyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:4-8. Lapha umphostoli uPawulu unxusa amaKristu akanye nawo ukuba ‘angalali njengoba kwenza bonke abanye.’ Wayesho ukuthini? Enye indlela ‘esingalala’ ngayo iwukuzishaya indiva izindinganiso zikaJehova zokuziphatha. Enye indlela ‘esingalala’ ngayo ukungalinaki iqiniso lokuthi isikhathi sikaJehova sokubhubhisa abantu abangamhloniphi sesisondele. Kumelwe siqiniseke ukuthi labo bantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu abasithonyi ukuba samukele izindlela nezimo zabo zengqondo.
5. Iziphi izimo zengqondo ezibonakalisa abantu abalele ngokomoya?
5 Abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi akekho uNkulunkulu oyobenza balandise. (IHu. 53:1) Abanye bacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanandaba nathi njengabantu, ngakho abasiboni isidingo sokuba sibe nesithakazelo kuye. Kanti abanye banomuzwa wokuthi ukuba ilungu lesonto kuyobenza babe abangane bakaNkulunkulu. Bonke laba bantu balele ngokomoya. Kudingeka baphaphame. Singabasiza kanjani?
KUMELWE NATHI NGOKWETHU SIHLALE SIPHAPHEME
6. Kungani amaKristu kumelwe alwele ukuhlale ephapheme ngokomoya?
6 Ukuze sikwazi ukuvusa abanye, nathi ngokwethu kumelwe sihlale siphapheme. Kuhilelani lokho? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lihlobanisa ukulala okungokomfanekiso ‘nemisebenzi yobumnyama’—imibuthano exokozelayo, izikhathi zokudakwa, ubuhlobo bobulili obungemthetho, ukuziphatha okubi, ukuxabana nomhawu. (Funda amaRoma 13:11-14.) Ukugwema ukuziphatha okunjalo kungaba inselele. Ukuqapha kubalulekile. Umshayeli wemoto oyithatha kalula ingozi yokulala eshayela angase abeke ukuphila kwakhe engozini. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ngomKristu ukuba aqaphele ukuthi ukulala ngokomoya kungabulala!
7. Ukuba nombono oyiphutha ngabantu kungasithinta kanjani?
7 Ngokwesibonelo, umKristu angase acabange ukuthi bonke abantu ensimini yakhe ngeke bazamukele izindaba ezinhle. (IzAga 6:10, 11) Angase acabange, ‘Uma kungekho muntu oyosabela, kungani kufanele ngizikhandle ekuzameni ukubafinyelela noma ukubasiza?’ Yiqiniso, kungenzeka ukuthi manje abaningi balele ngokomoya, kodwa izimo zabo zengqondo nezimo zabo ekuphileni zingashintsha. Abanye bayaphaphama futhi basabele. Singakwazi ukubasiza uma thina ngokwethu sihlale siphapheme, ngokuzama ukusebenzisa izindlela ezintsha zokunikeza isigijimi soMbuso ngendlela ekhangayo. Enye indlela esingahlala ngayo siphapheme iwukuba sikhumbule ukubaluleka kwenkonzo yethu.
YINI EYENZA INKONZO YETHU IBALULEKE?
8. Kungani inkonzo yethu yobuKristu ibaluleke kangaka?
8 Khumbula ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu basabela kanjani manje, ukushumayela kwethu kudumisa uJehova futhi kunendima ekufezekeni kwenjongo yakhe. Maduze, labo abangazilaleli izindaba ezinhle bazothola isijeziso. Bazokwahlulelwa ngokwendlela abasabela ngayo ekushumayeleni kwethu. (2 Thes. 1:8, 9) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kungaba iphutha ngomKristu ukucabanga ukuthi akudingeki ashumayele ngentshiseko ngoba vele “kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.” (IzE. 24:15) Siyazi ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi labo abayokwahlulelwa ‘njengezimbuzi’ bayoya “ekunqunyweni kwaphakade.” Ukushumayela kwethu kubonisa isihe sikaNkulunkulu, kuvulele abantu ithuba lokushintsha bathole ‘ukuphila okuphakade.’ (Math. 25:32, 41, 46; Roma 10:13-15) Ukube besingashumayeli, abantu bebeyolithola kanjani ithuba lokuzwa isigijimi esingabenza bathole ukuphila?
9. Ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle kukuzuzise kanjani wena nabanye?
9 Siyazuza nathi ngokushumayela izindaba ezinhle. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 4:16.) Ukukhuluma ngoJehova nangethemba loMbuso akuluqinisi yini ukholo lwakho futhi kujulise nothando lwakho ngaye? Akukusizanga yini ukuba uhlakulele izimfanelo zobuKristu? Ukuzwakalisa ukuzinikela kwakho kuNkulunkulu ngokuhlanganyela enkonzweni akukwenzi yini ujabule? Abaningi abaye baba nelungelo lokufundisa abanye iqiniso baye bajabulela ukubona umoya kaNkulunkulu usiza labo bantu ukuba bathuthukise ukuphila kwabo.
QAPHELISISA
10, 11. (a) UJesu noPawulu bazibonisa kanjani bephapheme futhi beqaphelisisa? (b) Bonisa indlela ukuphaphama nokuqaphelisisa okungayithuthukisa ngayo inkonzo yethu.
10 Isithakazelo sabantu ezindabeni ezinhle singavuswa ngezindlela ezahlukahlukene. Ngakho, izikhonzi ezingamaKristu kumelwe ziqaphelisise futhi ziphaphame. UJesu uyisibonelo sethu. Njengoba ayephelele, wakwazi ukubona intukuthelo umFarisi othile ayenayo ngaphakathi, ukuphenduka okuqotho kowesifazane oyisoni nomoya wokuzidela womfelokazi. (Luka 7:37-50; 21:1-4) UJesu wayekwazi ukusabela ezidingweni ezingokomoya zomuntu ngamunye. Nokho, inceku kaNkulunkulu akudingeki ukuba iphelele ukuze ibe umuntu oqaphelisisayo. Umphostoli uPawulu uyisibonelo salokho. Wayeshintshashintsha isigijimi sakhe ukuze sikhange amaqembu ahlukahlukene nabantu abanezimo zengqondo ezahlukahlukene.—IzE. 17:22, 23, 34; 1 Kor. 9:19-23.
11 Ngokulwela ukuphaphama nokuqaphelisisa njengoJesu noPawulu, singayithola indlela engcono kakhulu yokuvusa isithakazelo salabo esihlangana nabo. Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba uya kubantu, bheka izinto ezibonisa amasiko abo, izinto abazithandayo noma isimo somkhaya wabo. Mhlawumbe ungaphawula lokho abakwenzayo ngaleso sikhathi futhi ngenhlonipho usho okuthile ngakho njengoba uqala ingxoxo.
12. Kungani kufanele siqaphe ingxoxo yethu lapho sisenkonzweni?
12 Umuntu oqaphelisisayo nophapheme uyazama ukugwema iziphazamiso. Lapho sisenkonzweni, ingxoxo esiba nayo nesihamba naye ingaba eyakhayo. Noma kunjalo, sifuna ukukhumbula ukuthi injongo yethu yokuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini iwukushumayela kwabanye. (UmSh. 3:1, 7) Ngakho, kufanele siqaphe ukuthi ingxoxo yethu lapho sisuka kwenye indlu siya kwenye ayiyiphazamisi inkonzo yethu. Ukuxoxa ngamaphuzu esingathanda ukuwahlanganyela nabathakazelayo kuyindlela enhle yokugcina izingqondo zethu zigxile emgomweni wethu. Nakuba ngezinye izikhathi umakhalekhukhwini ungasisiza ukuba sifeze inkonzo yethu ngempumelelo, kufanele sithathe izinyathelo zokuqinisekisa ukuthi awuphazamisi ingxoxo yethu nomninikhaya.
BONISA ISITHAKAZELO SOMUNTU SIQU
13, 14. (a) Singakubona kanjani okuthakazelisa umuntu? (b) Yini engase ivuse isithakazelo sabantu ngezinto ezingokomoya?
13 Izikhonzi eziphapheme neziqaphile ziyabalalelisisa labo ezihlangana nabo. Imiphi imibuzo ongayiphakamisa ukuze wenze umuntu ensimini aveze imizwa yakhe? Ingabe ukhathazekile ngobuningi bezinkolo, ubudlova obusendaweni noma ngokwehluleka kohulumeni? Ingabe ungavusa isithakazelo somuntu ezintweni ezingokomoya ngokukhuluma ngendlela izinto eziphilayo eziklanywe ngayo ngokumangalisayo noma ngokumbonisa indlela iseluleko seBhayibheli esiwusizo ngayo? Cishe bonke abantu ngisho nabanye abangakholelwa kuNkulunkulu banesithakazelo sokwazi ngomthandazo. Abaningi bayazibuza ukuthi ukhona yini oyizwayo imithandazo. Abanye bangase bathakazeliswe yile mibuzo: Ingabe uNkulunkulu uyizwa yonke imithandazo? Uma kungenjalo, yini okufanele siyenze ukuze uNkulunkulu asizwe?
14 Cishe kuningi esingakufunda ngekhono lokuqala izingxoxo ngokuqaphela indlela abamemezeli abanokuhlangenwe nakho abaziqala ngayo. Phawula indlela abagwema ngayo ukuzwakala sengathi baphenya noma bagubha umninikhaya ngemibuzo. Izwi nesimo sobuso babo sisibonisa kanjani isithakazelo abanaso sokuqonda imibono yomninikhaya?—IzAga 15:13.
UMUSA NEKHONO
15. Kungani kufanele sibonise umusa lapho sishumayela?
15 Ingabe uyathanda ukuvuswa lapho ulele zwi? Abaningi bayacasuka lapho bevuswa kabuhlungu. Ngokuvamile bathanda ukuvuswa kahle. Kungokufanayo nangemizamo yokuvusa abantu ngokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, uma ukufika kwakho kumcasula umninikhaya, ngokuvamile iyiphi indlela engcono kakhulu ongasabela ngayo? Ngomusa, xolisa futhi umbonge ngokuthi angagwegwesi bese umshiya ngokuthula. (IzAga 15:1; 17:14; 2 Thim. 2:24) Umusa wakho ungashukumisela lowo muntu ukuba asabele kahle lapho evakashelwa oFakazi esikhathini esizayo.
16, 17. Singakusebenzisa kanjani ukuqonda enkonzweni yethu?
16 Kwezinye izimo, ungase ukwazi ukukunqoba ukusabela okungekuhle. Umuntu angase athi, “Ngiyabonga. Nginenkolo yami,” noma athi, “Anginasithakazelo” ngoba kubonakala kuyindlela elula yokuvimba ingxoxo. Kodwa ngekhono nangokuphikelela ngomusa, ungase ukwazi ukuphakamisa umbuzo othakazelisayo ongenza umninikhaya abe nesithakazelo ezintweni ezingokomoya.—Funda eyabaseKolose 4:6.
17 Ngezinye izikhathi lapho sihlangana nabantu abanomuzwa wokuthi bamatasa kakhulu ukuba balalele, kungcono ukukwamukela lokho futhi uhambe. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi ungase ubone ukuthi ungasho okuthile okufushane nokuzuzisayo. Abanye abazalwane bayakwazi ukuvula iBhayibheli, bafunde ivesi elishukumisa ingqondo bese beshiya umninikhaya nombuzo—ngesikhathi esingaphansi komzuzu. Intshumayelo yabo emfushane ngezinye izikhathi iye yavusa isithakazelo esikhulu kumninikhaya kangangokuthi angabe esazizwa ematasa ukuba axoxe nabo kafushane. Kungani ungazami ukwenza lokho lapho isimo sivuma?
18. Yini esingayenza ukuze siphumelele ngokwengeziwe ekufakazeni ngokwethukela?
18 Lapho sihlangana nabantu emisebenzini yethu yansuku zonke, ngokuvamile singasivusa isithakazelo kubo ezindabeni ezinhle uma sihlale sikulungele ukufakaza ngokwethukela. Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi baphatha izincwadi emakhukhwini noma ezikhwameni. Bangase babe nevesi leBhayibheli elithile engqondweni abazoxoxa ngalo nabanye uma kuvela ithuba. Ungase ukhulume nombonisi wenkonzo noma amaphayona ebandleni lakini ngendlela ongazilungiselela ngayo ukwenza lokho.
UKUVUSA IZIHLOBO ZETHU NGESINEKE
19. Kungani kungafanele siyeke ukuzama ukusiza izihlobo zethu?
19 Kungokwemvelo ukufuna ukusiza izihlobo zethu ukuba zamukele iqiniso. (Josh. 2:13; IzE. 10:24, 48; 16:31, 32) Uma umzamo wethu wokuqala ungaphumeleli, lokho kungasithena amandla okuba siphinde sizame. Singase sicabange ukuthi kuncane esingakwenza noma esingakusho okuyoshintsha isimo sazo sengqondo. Noma kunjalo, izenzakalo ezithile zingashintsha ukuphila noma umbono wezihlobo zakho. Noma kungenzeka usulithuthukisile ikhono lakho lokuchaza iqiniso, okungenza ukuba manje uthole umphumela ohlukile.
20. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba nesu lokungacunuli lapho sikhuluma nezihlobo?
20 Kufanele sigweme ukungabi nandaba nemizwa yezihlobo zethu. (Roma 2:4) Akufanele yini sikhulume nazo ngomusa njengoba nje sikhuluma nesihlangana nabo emsebenzini wokushumayela? Khuluma ngobumnene nangenhlonipho. Kunokuba uzishumayeze, zibonise ngezenzo ukuthi iqiniso likuthuthukisile ukuphila kwakho. (Efe. 4:23, 24) Yenze icace indlela uJehova akucebise ngayo ukuphila kwakho ‘ngokukufundisa ukuze uzuze.’ (Isaya 48:17) Yenza izihlobo zakho zisibone kuwe isibonelo sokuphila kobuKristu.
21, 22. Landisa okuhlangenwe nakho okubonisa inzuzo yokuphikelela emizamweni yokusiza izihlobo ngokomoya.
21 Nakhu udade othile asanda kukubhala: “Bengilokhu ngizama ukufakaza kubafowethu nodadewethu abangu-13 ngamazwi nangokuziphatha kwami. Unyaka ubungapheli ngingababhalelanga. Noma kunjalo, kwaze kwaphela iminyaka engu-30 kuyimi ngedwa uFakazi ekhaya.”
22 Lo dade waqhubeka: “Ngolunye usuku ngashayela omunye wodadewethu ohlala kude kakhulu ucingo. Wangitshela ukuthi ubecele umfundisi wakhe ukuba amfundele iBhayibheli, kodwa akakwenzanga lokho. Lapho ngithi ngingakujabulela ukumsiza, wathi: ‘Kulungile, kodwa ngikutshela kwamanje: Angisoze ngaba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova.’ Ngemva kokumthumelela ngeposi incwadi ethi Lifundisani Ngempela IBhayibheli?, ngamshayela ucingo njalo ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa. Kodwa wayengakayivuli le ncwadi. Ekugcineni, ngamcela ukuba ayithathe, sachitha imizuzu engu-15 ocingweni siyifunda futhi sixoxa ngeminye yemiBhalo ecashuniwe. Ngemva kokumshayela ucingo izikhathi ezimbalwa, wafuna ukufunda imizuzu engaphezu kwengu-15. Kwaba nguye owayeseshayela mina ucingo ukuze sifunde, ngezinye izikhathi engivusa ekuseni ngisalele futhi ngezinye angishayele kabili ngosuku. Ngonyaka olandelayo, wabhapathizwa kwathi ngowalandela lowo waqala ukuphayona.”
23. Kungani kufanele singakhathali ukuzama ukusiza abantu ukuba baphaphame ebuthongweni obungokomoya?
23 Ukusiza abantu ukuba baphaphame ebuthongweni obungokomoya kuyikhono futhi kudinga ukuphikelela. Nokho, abantu abamnene basasabela emizamweni yethu yokubavusa. Ngokwesilinganiso, inyanga ngayinye kubhapathizwa abantu abangaphezu kuka-20 000 njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngakho, masisithathe ngokungathi sína iseluleko uPawulu asinikeza umfowethu wangekhulu lokuqala u-Arkiphu: “Qhubeka uqaphela inkonzo owayamukela eNkosini, ukuba uyifeze.” (Kol. 4:17) Isihloko esilandelayo sizosisiza sonke ukuba siqonde ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukushumayela ngomuzwa wokuphuthuma.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 13]
INDLELA YOKUZIGCINA UPHAPHEME
▪ Hlale umatasa ngokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu
▪ Gwema imisebenzi yobumnyama
▪ Qaphela ingozi yokozela okungokomoya
▪ Londoloza umbono omuhle ngabantu abasensimini yebandla
▪ Zama izindlela ezintsha zokushumayela kwabanye
▪ Khumbula ukubaluleka kwenkonzo yakho