Lolani “Mtendere wa Mulungu” Uchinjirize Mtima Wanu

‘Yehova akweze nkhope yake pa iwe, nakupatse mtendere.’ ​—NUMERI 6:26.

1. Imfa yake itakhala pafupi, kodi nchiyani chimene Paulo analembera Timoteo, chikumavumbula chiyani?

M’CHAKA cha 65 C.E., mtumwi Paulo anali wandende m’Roma. Chinkana kuti adali pafupi kuphedwa mwachiwawa ndi onyonga Achiroma, Paulo adali pamtendere. Ichi chikuwonekera m’mawu amene analembera bwenzi lake lachichepere Timoteo, pamene anati: ‘Ndalimbana nako kulimbana kwabwino, ndatsiriza njirayo, ndasunga chikhulupiriro: chotsalira wandiikira ine korona wa chilungamo, amene Ambuye, woweruza wolungama, adzandipatsa ine tsiku lijalo.’​—2 Timoteo 4:7, 8.

2. Kodi nchiyani chimene chinachinjiriza mtima wa Paulo kupyola m’zochitika za moyo wake, kufikira imfa yake?

² Kodi Paulo anali bwanji wabata chotero poyang’anizana ndi imfa? Chinali chifukwa chakuti ‘mtendere wa Mulungu wakupambana chidziŵitso chonse’ unkachinjiriza mtima wake. (Afilipi 4:7) Mtendere umodzimodziwu unamtetezera m’zaka zonsezo zodzala ndi ntchito chiyambire kutembenuzidwira kwake ku Chikristu koyambirira. Unamchilikiza poukiridwa ndi chipwirikiti, kuikidwa m’ndende, kukwapulidwa, ndi kuponyedwa miyala. Unamlimbikitsa pamene ankamenyera kulimbana ndi zisonkhezero zampatuko ndi Chiyuda. Ndipo unamthandiza kulimbana ndi makamu osawoneka a ziŵanda. Mwachiwonekere, unamlimbikitsa mpaka kumapeto.​—2 Akorinto 10:4, 5; 11:21-27; Aefeso 6:11, 12.

3. Kodi ndimafunso otani amene akudzutsidwa ponena za mtendere wa Mulungu?

³ Ha, Paulo anauwona mtendere umenewu kukhala magwero amphamvu chotani nanga! Kodi ife lerolino tingauphunzire kuti ndiwotani? Kodi udzatithandiza kuchinjiriza mitima yathu ndikutilimbitsa ‘kulimbana nayo nkhondo yabwino ya chikhulupiriro’ ‘m’nthaŵi zowawitsa,’ zovuta zino?​—1 Timoteo 6:12; 2 Timoteo 3:1.

Mtendere ndi Mulungu​—Mmene Unataidwira

4. Kodi ndi ati omwe ali matanthauzo ena a liwu lakuti “mtendere” m’Baibulo?

⁴ M’Baibulo liwu lakuti “mtendere” liri ndi matanthauzo ambiri. Nawa ena, monga momwe andandalitsidwira mu The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology: “M’Chipangano Chakale chonse, [sha·lohmʹ] (mtendere) limatanthauza kwakukulukulu umoyo wabwino (Ower. 19:20); kukhupuka (Sal. 73:3), ngakhale kwa osapembedza; umoyo wakuthupi (Yes. 57:18[, 19]; Sal. 38:3); kukwaniritsidwa . . . (Gen. 15:15 ndi zina zotero); unansi wabwino pakati pa maboma ndi anthu ( . . . Ower. 4:17; 1 Mbiri 12:17, 18); chipulumutso ( . . . Yer. 29:11; yerekezerani ndi Yer. 14:13).” Wofunika kwambiri ndiunansi wamtendere ndi Yehova, popanda uwu, mtendere uliwonse umakhala wapakanthaŵi kochepa ndi wosakhalitsa.​—2 Akorinto 13:11.

5. Kodi mtendere wa chilengedwe cha Mulungu unaswedwa motani poyamba?

⁵ Pachiyambi, zolengedwa zonse zinali pamtendere wotheratu ndi Yehova. Mulungu anali ndi chifukwa chabwino pamene analengeza kuti ntchito zake zonse zachilengedwe zinali zabwino kwambiri. Ndithudi, angelo akumwamba anafuula mokondwera pamene anaziwona. (Genesis 1:31; Yobu 38:4-7) Komabe, mwachisoni, mtendere wachilengedwe chonse umenewo sunakhalitse. Unaswedwa pamene cholengedwa chauzimu chomwe tsopano chikudziŵika kukhala Satana chinanyenga cholengedwa chatsopano kwambiri pa zolengedwa zaluntha za Mulungu, Hava, kusamvera Mulungu. Mwamuna wa Hava, Adamu, anamtsanzira, ndipo pokhala ndi opanduka atatu, munakhala kusagwirizana m’chilengedwe.​—Genesis 3:1-6.

6. Kodi kutaikiridwa mtendere ndi Mulungu kunatulukapo chiyani kwa anthu?

⁶ Kutaidwa kwa mtendere ndi Mulungu kunali kwangozi kwa Adamu ndi Hava, omwe tsopano thupi lawo linayamba kufooka pang’onopang’ono kufikira mapeto awo anali imfa. Mmalo mosangalala ndi mtendere m’Paradaiso, Adamu anafunikira kulimbana ndi nthaka yosalimidwa kunja kwa Edene kuti apezere chakudya banja lake lomakula. Mmalo mobala fuko langwiro la anthu mokhutiritsidwa, Hava anabala mbadwa zopanda ungwiro m’kuwawa ndi kuvutika. Kutaidwa kwa mtendere ndi Mulungu kunatsogolera kukaduka ndi chiwawa pakati pa anthu. Kaini anapha mbale wake Abele, ndipo podzafika nthaŵi ya Chigumula, dziko lonse lapansi linadzazidwa ndi chiwawa. (Genesis 3:7–4:16; 5:5; 6:11, 12) Pamene makolo athu oyamba anamwalira, iwo sanaikidwedi m’manda awo ali okwaniritsidwa, “m’mtendere,” monga momwe anachitira Abrahamu zaka mazana ambirimbiri pambuyo pake.​—Genesis 15:15.

7. (a) Kodi ndiulosi wotani umene Mulungu anaunena umene unasonya ku kubwezeretsedwa kwa mtendere wotheratu? (b) Kodi Satana mdani wa Mulungu anakhala wokopa chotani?

⁷ Pambuyo pa kutaikiridwa mtendere kwa Adamu ndi Hava, mpomwe tikupeza kutchulidwa koyamba kwa udani m’Baibulo. Mulungu analankhula kwa Satana nati: ‘Ndidzaika udani pakati pa iwe ndi mkaziyo, ndi pakati pa mbewu yako ndi mbewu yake; ndipo idzalalira mutu wako, ndipo iwe udzalalira chitende chake.’ (Genesis 3:15) Pamene nthaŵi inapita, chisonkhezero cha Satana chinakula nkufika pamfundo yoti mtumwi Yohane anakhoza kunena kuti: “Dziko lonse lapansi ligona mwa woipayo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) Motsimikizirika dziko lokhala pansi pa Satana siliri pamtendere ndi Mulungu. Pamenepo, moyenerera, wophunzira Yakobo anaŵachenjeza Akristu kuti: “Kodi simudziwa kuti ubwenzi wa dziko lapansi uli udani ndi Mulungu?”​—Yakobo 4:4.

Pamtendere m’Dziko Lachidani

8, 9. Pambuyo pa kuchimwa kwa Adamu, kodi anthu akakhala motani pamtendere ndi Mulungu?

⁸ Kumbuyoko m’Edene, pamene Mulungu anatchula liwu lakuti “udani” kwanthaŵi yoyamba, iye ananeneratunso mmene mtendere wokwanira ukabwezeretsedwera m’chilengedwe. Mbewu yolonjezedwa ya mkazi wa Mulungu ikalalira mutu wa wakuswa mtendere woyambirira uja. Kuchokera pa Edene kunka kutsogolo, anthu omwe anasonyeza chikhulupiriro m’lonjezo limenelo anasangalala ndi unansi wamtendere ndi Mulungu. Kwa Abrahamu, ichi chinakula kukhala ubwenzi.​—2 Mbiri 20:7; Yakobo 2:23.

⁹ M’masiku a Mose, Yehova anapanga ana a Israyeli, mdzukulu wa Abrahamu, kukhala mtundu. Iye anaika mtendere wake pamtunduwu, monga momwe zikuwonedwera m’madalitso amene Aroni, mkulu wansembe, anawalengeza pa iwo kuti: ‘Yehova akudalitse iwe, nakusunge; Yehova awalitse nkhope yake pa iwe, nakuchitire chisomo; Yehova akweze nkhope yake pa iwe, nakupatse mtendere.’ (Numeri 6:24-26) Mtendere wa Yehova ukabweretsa mfupo zolemera, koma unaperekedwa ndi malamulo.

10, 11. Kwa Israyeli, kodi mtendere ndi Mulungu unafunikira kusunga malamulo otani, ndipo kodi ukatulukapo chiyani?

¹⁰ Yehova anauza mtunduwo nati: ‘Mukamayenda m’malemba anga, ndi kusunga malamulo anga, ndi kuwachita; ndidzakupatsani mvula m’nyengo zake, ndi dziko lidzapereka zipatso zake, ndi mitengo ya m’minda idzabala zipatso zake. Ndipo ndidzapatsa mtendere m’dzikomo, kuti mudzagone pansi, wopanda wina wakukuopsani; ndidzaletsanso zilombo zisakhale m’dzikomo, lupanga lomwe silidzapita m’dziko mwanu. Ndipo ndidzayendayenda pakati pa inu, ndi kukhala Mulungu wanu ndi inu mudzakhala anthu anga.’ (Levitiko 26:3, 4, 6, 12) Israyeli akanakhoza kusangalala ndi mtendere chifukwa chakuti anali wosungika kwa adani ake, anali ndi chuma chakuthupi chamwana alirenji, ndiunansi wathithithi ndi Yehova. Koma izi zikadalira pa kumamatira kwake ku Chilamulo cha Yehova.​—Salmo 119:165.

¹¹ M’mbiri yonse ya mtunduwo, Aisrayeli omwe anayesa kusunga malamulo a Yehova mokhulupirika anasangalala ndi mtendere ndi iye, ndipo chimenecho kaŵirikaŵiri chinabweretsa madalitso ena ambiri. M’zaka zoyambirira za kulamulira kwa Mfumu Solomo, kukhala ndi mtendere ndi Mulungu kunabweretsa kukhupuka kwa kuthupi limodzinso ndi kumasuka kunkhondo zomenyedwa ndi anansi a Israyeli. Pofotokoza nthaŵiyo, Baibulo limati: ‘Ayuda ndi Aisrayeli anakhala mosatekeseka, munthu yense patsinde pa mpesa wake ndi mkuyu wake, kuyambira ku Dani mpaka ku Beeriseba, masiku onse a Solomo.’ (1 Mafumu 4:25) Ngakhale pamene chidani chinabuka ndi maiko oyandikana nawo, Aisrayeli okhulupirika adakhalabe ndi mtendere wowona, mtendere ndi Mulungu. Chotero, Mfumu Davide, wankhondo wotchuka, analemba kuti: ‘Ndi mtendere ndidzagona pansi, pomwepo ndidzagona tulo; chifukwa inu, Yehova, mundikhalitsa ine, ndikhale bwino.’​—Salmo 4:8.

Maziko Abwinopo a Mtendere

12. Kodi Israyeli pomalizira pake anaukana motani mtendere ndi Mulungu?

¹² Pomalizira pake, Mbewu yomwe idafunikira kubwezeretsa mtendere wotheratu inabwera monga munthu Yesu, ndipo pakubadwa pake angelo anayimba motere: ‘Ulemerero ukhale kwa Mulungu kumwambamwamba, ndi mtendere pansi pano mwa anthu amene akondwera nawo.’ (Luka 2:14) Yesu anawonekera mu Israyeli, koma mosasamala kanthu ndikukhala pansi pa pangano la Mulungu, mtundu wonsewo unamkana iye ndikumpereka kwa Aroma kuti aphedwe. Imfa yake itakhala pafupi, Yesu anaulirira mzinda wa Yerusalemu, nati: “Ukadazindikira tsiku ili, inde iwetu zinthu za mtendere! koma tsopano zibisika pamaso pako.” (Luka 19:42; Yohane 1:11) Chifukwa cha kumkana Yesu, Israyeli anataikiridwa kotheratu mtendere wake ndi Mulungu.

13. Kodi ndinjira yatsopano iti imene Yehova anakhazikitsira munthu kuti apeze mtendere ndi Iye?

¹³ Komabe, zifuno za Mulungu sizinaletsedwe. Yesu anaukitsidwa kwa akufa, ndipo anapereka kwa Yehova mtengo wa moyo wake wangwiro monga dipo la anthu owongoka mtima. (Ahebri 9:11-14) Nsembe ya Yesu inakhala njira yatsopano ndi yabwinopo kwa anthu​—ponse paŵiri kwa Aisrayeli akuthupi ndi Akunja​—yopezera mtendere ndi Mulungu. Paulo m’kalata yake yonka kwa Akristu okhala m’Roma anati: ‘Pakuti ngati, pokhala ife adani ake, tinayanjanitsidwa ndi Mulungu mwa imfa ya Mwana wake.’ (Aroma 5:10) M’zaka za zana loyamba, anthu omwe anapanga mtendere mwanjirayi anadzozedwa ndi mzimu woyera ndikutengedwa kukhala ana a Mulungu ndi ziŵalo za mtundu watsopano wauzimu wotchedwa “Israyeli wa Mulungu.”​—Agalatiya 6:16; Yohane 1:12, 13; 2 Akorinto 1:21, 22; 1 Petro 2:9.

14, 15. Fotokozani mtendere wa Mulungu, ndipo longosolani mmene umatetezera Akristu ngakhale pamene akhala chandamali cha udani wa Satana.

¹⁴ Aisrayeli auzimu atsopanowa ndiwo akakhala chandamali cha chidani chochokera kwa Satana ndi dziko lake. (Yohane 17:14) Komabe, iwo akakhala ndi “mtendere za kwa Mulungu Atate ndi Kristu Yesu Ambuye wathu.” (2 Timoteo 1:2) Yesu anawauza kuti: ‘Zinthu izi ndalankhula ndi inu, kuti mwa ine mukakhale nawo mtendere. M’dziko lapansi mudzakhala nacho chivuto, koma limbikani mtima; ndalilaka dziko lapansi ine.’​—Yohane 16:33.

¹⁵ Uwu ndiwo mtendere umene unathandiza Paulo ndi Akristu anzake kupirira mosasamala kanthu za zovuta zonse zomwe anayang’anizana nazo. Uwo umaunikira unansi wabata, wogwirizana ndi Mulungu womwe unatheketsedwa ndi nsembe ya Yesu. Umapatsa wokhala nawoyo mtendere wa phee wa maganizo pamene azindikira kuti akulingaliridwa ndi Yehova. Mwana wofungatidwa m’manja achikondi a bambo amaumva mtendere wofananawo, chitsimikizo chosakaikirika chakuti akuyang’aniridwa ndi munthu amene akumsamalira. Paulo analimbikitsa Afilipi kuti: ‘Musadere nkhaŵa konse; komatu m’zonse ndi pemphero, ndi pembedzero, pamodzi ndi chiyamiko, zopempha zanu zidziŵike kwa Mulungu. Ndipo mtendere wa Mulungu wakupambana chidziŵitso chonse, udzasunga mitima yanu ndi maganizo anu mwa Kristu Yesu.’​—Afilipi 4:6, 7.

16. Kodi mtendere ndi Mulungu unayambukira motani unansi wa Akristu a m’zaka za zana loyambirira kwa wina ndi mnzake?

¹⁶ Chotulukapo chimodzi cha kutaikiridwa mtendere wa Mulungu kwa anthu chinali chidani ndi kusagwirizana. Kwa Akristu a m’zaka za zana loyamba, kupeza mtendere ndi Mulungu kunatulukapo zosiyanako kwenikweni: mtendere ndi umodzi pakati pawo, umene Paulo anautcha ‘chimangiriro cha mtendere.’ (Aefeso 4:3) Iwo ‘anakhala a mtima umodzi, nakhala mumtendere; ndipo Mulungu wa chikondi ndi mtendere anakhala pamodzi nawo.’ Kuwonjezera apa, iwo analalikira “mbiri yabwino ya mtendere,” yomwe kwakukulukulu, inali mbiri yabwino ya chipulumutso kwa ‘mabwenzi a mtendere,’ anthu omwe amavomereza mbiri yabwino.​—2 Akorinto 13:11; Machitidwe 10:36, NW; Luka 10:5, 6, NW.

Pangano la Mtendere

17. Kodi Mulungu wapanganji ndi anthu ake m’tsiku lathu?

¹⁷ Kodi mtendere woterowo ungapezedwe lerolino? Inde, ungapezedwe. Chiyambire kukhazikitsidwa kwa Ufumu wa Mulungu pansi pa Yesu Kristu wolemekezedwa mu 1914, Yehova wasonkhanitsa otsalira a Israyeli wa Mulungu kutuluka m’dzikoli ndikupanga pangano la mtendere ndi iwo. Chotero iye anakwaniritsa lonjezo lake lopangidwa kupyolera mwa mneneri Ezekieli ili: ‘Ndipo ndidzapangana nawo pangano la mtendere, lidzakhala pangano losatha nawo, ndipo ndidzawakhazika, ndi kuwachulukitsa, ndi kuika malo anga opatulika pakati pawo kosatha.’ (Ezekieli 37:26) Yehova anapanga panganoli ndi Akristu odzozedwa amene, mofanana ndi abale awo m’zaka za zana loyamba, asonyeza chikhulupiriro m’nsembe ya Yesu. Pokhala ayeretsedwa ku kuipa kwauzimu, iwo adzipereka okha kwa Atate wawo wa kumwamba ndipo akukalamira kutsatira malamulo ake, kwakukulukulu mwakutsogolera kulalikira kwapadziko lonse kwa mbiri yabwino ya Ufumu wa Mulungu wokhazikitsidwa.​—Mateyu 24:14.

18. Kodi ena pakati pa amitundu avomereza motani pamene azindikira kuti dzina la Mulungu liri pa Israyeli wa Mulungu?

¹⁸ Ulosiwo ukupitiriza motere: ‘Kachisi wanganso adzakhala nawo, ndipo ine ndidzakhala Mulungu wawo, ndi iwo adzakhala anthu anga. Ndipo amitundu adzadziŵa kuti ine ndine Yehova wakupatula Israyeli.’ (Ezekieli 37:27, 28) Mogwirizana ndi ichi, zikwi mazana ambiri, inde, mamiliyoni, ochokera mwa “amitundu” azindikira kuti dzina la Yehova liri pa Israyeli wa Mulungu. (Zekariya 8:23) Kuchokera m’mitundu yonse, iwo athamangira kukatumikira Yehova ndi mtundu wauzimuwo, kupanga ‘khamu lalikulu’ lowonedweratu m’Chibvumbulutso. Popeza ‘anatsuka zovala zawo, naziyeretsa m’mwazi wa Mwanawankhosa,’ iwo adzapulumuka chisautso chachikulu ndikuloŵa m’dziko latsopano lamtendere.​—Chibvumbulutso 7:9, 14.

19. Kodi ndimtendere wotani umene anthu a Mulungu amasangalala nawo lerolino?

¹⁹ Chapamodzi, Israyeli wa Mulungu ndi khamu lalikulu amasangalala ndi mtendere wauzimu wofanana ndi mtendere wosangalalidwa ndi Israyeli pansi pa Mfumu Solomo. Ponena za iwo, Mika analosera kuti: ‘Ndipo iwo adzasula malupanga awo akhale makasu, ndi mikondo yawo ikhale mazenga, mtundu wa anthu sudzasamulira mtundu unzake lupanga, kapena kuphunziranso nkhondo. Koma adzakhala munthu yense patsinde pa mpesa wake, ndi patsinde pa mkuyu wake; ndipo sipadzakhala wakuwawopsa.’ (Mika 4:3, 4; Yesaya 2:2-4) Mogwirizana ndi ichi, iwo samadziloŵetsa m’nkhondo ndi ndewu, mophiphiritsira akumasula malupanga awo kukhala makasu ndi mikondo yawo kukhala mazenga. Chotero, iwo amasangalala ndi ubale wamtendere m’chitaganya chawo chonse cha mitunduyonse, mosasamala kanthu zautundu wawo, chinenero, fuko, kapena chiyambi cha mayanjano. Ndipo amakondwera ndikutsimikizirika kwa kuyang’anira kwa chitetezo cha Yehova. ‘Palibe wakuwawopsa.’ Zowonadi, ‘Yehova wapatsa anthu ake mphamvu, Yehova wadalitsa anthu ake ndi mtendere.’​—Salmo 29:11.

20, 21. (a) Kodi nchifukwa ninji tiyenera kugwirira ntchito pakusungabe mtendere wathu ndi Mulungu? (b) Kodi tinganenenji ponena za zoyesayesa za Satana za kusokoneza mtendere wa anthu a Mulungu?

²⁰ Komabe, mofanana ndi m’zaka za zana loyamba C.E., mtendere wa atumiki a Mulungu waputa chidani cha Satana. Pokhala anaponyedwa pansi kuchokera kumwamba pambuyo pa kukhazikitsidwa kwa Ufumu wa Mulungu mu 1914, Satana wakhala akumenyabe nkhondo ndi ‘otsala a mbewu [ya mkazi].’ (Chibvumbulutso 12:17) Ngakhale m’tsiku lake, Paulo anachenjeza kuti: ‘Chifukwa kuti kulimbana kwathu sitilimbana nawo mwazi ndi thupi, komatu . . . a uzimu a choipa m’zakumwamba.’ (Aefeso 6:12) Popeza kuti tsopano Satana wabindikiritsidwa pafupi ndi dziko lapansi, chenjezo limenelo nlofulumira.

²¹ Satana wagwiritsira ntchito machenjera aliwonse omwe ali nawo m’kuyesayesa kwake kuwononga mtendere wa anthu a Mulungu, koma walephera. Kumbuyoko mu 1919, kunali anthu osakwanira ngakhale 10,000 omwe anakalamira kutumikira Mulungu mokhulupirika. Lerolino, pali oposa mamiliyoni anayi omwe akulaka dziko ndi chikhulupiriro chawo. (1 Yohane 5:4) Kwa awa, mtendere ndi Mulungu ndi mtendere kwa wina ndi mnzake ndiweniweni, ngakhale pamene akupirira chidani cha Satana ndi mbewu yake. Koma polingalira chidanichi, ndi kupanda ungwiro kwathu ndi “nthawi zowawitsa” zomwe tikukhalamo ndi moyo, tiyenera kugwira ntchito mwakhama kuti tisungebe mtendere wathu. (2 Timoteo 3:1) M’nkhani yotsatira, tidzawona chimene ichi chimaphatikiza.

Kodi Mungalongosole?

◻ Kodi nchifukwa ninji munthu anataikiridwa mtendere ndi Mulungu poyamba?

◻ Kwa Israyeli, kodi mtendere ndi Mulungu unafunikira kusunga malamulo otani?

◻ Kodi mtendere ndi Mulungu wazikidwa pachiyani lerolino?

◻ Kodi nchiyani chomwe chiri “mtendere wa Mulungu” womwe umachinjiriza mitima yathu?

◻ Kodi ndimadalitso ena ati omwe timasangalala nawo titakhala ndi mtendere ndi Mulungu?