‘Luhlobo Luni Lwebantfu Lokufanele Nibe Ngilo!’
‘Njengobe-ke tonkhe letintfo titawubhidlitwa, luhlobo luni lwebantfu lokufanele nibe ngilo etentweni tekutiphatsa letingcwele nasetentweni tekumesaba Nkulunkulu!’—2 PHET. 3:11 NW.
1. Kungani incwadzi yesibili yaPhetro yayifike ngesikhatsi lesifanele kumaKristu angesikhatsi sakhe?
NGALESIKHATSI umphostoli Phetro abhala incwadzi yakhe yesibili, libandla lebuKhristu lalibeketelele kushishiswa lokukhulu. Loko akutange kulente lehlise emandla nobe kwente intfutfuko yalo ihambe kancane. Ngako-ke, Develi wenta lelinye lichinga, futsi lelo chinga likhonile kuphumelela tikhatsi letinyenti. Njengobe Phetro akuveta, Sathane wetama kudukisa bantfu baNkulunkulu ngekusebentisa bafundzisi bemanga ‘labanemehlo lagcwele buphingi’ futsi ‘labanetinhlitiyo letitayele bukhali.’ (2 Phet. 2:1-3, 14; Juda 4) Incwadzi yesibili yaPhetro isincenga kutsi setsembele kuNkulunkulu.
2. Imumetseni incwadzi ya-2 Phetro sehluko 3, futsi ngumiphi imibuto lokufanele sitibute yona?
2 Phetro wabhala: “Ngikubona kufanele, yingci ngisekhona kulomtimba, kwekutsi nginivusetele ngekunikhumbuta; ngobe ngiyati kutsi masinyane ngitawushiya lomhlaba . . . Kepha ngitakwetama kwenta lisu lekutsi nisale nitikhumbula letintfo ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi, nome ngingasekho.” (2 Phet. 1:13-15) Phetro bekati kamhlophe kutsi kufa kwakhe kwase kusondzela, kodvwa bekanesifiso sekutsi tikhumbuto takhe tisale tisebenta. Ngako-ke, taba yincenye yeliBhayibheli futsi ngisho nalamuhla siyatifundza. Sehluko 3 sencwadzi yesibili yaPhetro, singasijabulela kakhulu ngobe sikhuluma “ngemalanga ekugcina” kulelive lelibuswa nguSathane. Siphindze sikhulume ngekubhujiswa kwemazulu nemhlaba lokungumfanekiso. (2 Phet. 3:3, 7, 10) Ngusiphi seluleko Phetro lasiphatsele sona? Kusebentisa leseluleko sakhe kusisita ngayiphi indlela kutsi semukelwe nguJehova?
3, 4. (a) Nguyiphi inkhulumo lenemandla leyashiwo nguPhetro, futsi ngusiphi secwayiso lasikhipha? (b) Ngumaphi emaphuzu lamatsatfu lesitawucoca ngawo?
3 Ngemuva kwekuba asakhulume ngekubhujiswa kwemhlaba, Phetro watsi: ‘Luhlobo luni lwebantfu lokufanele nibe ngilo etentweni tekutiphatsa letingcwele nasetentweni tekumesaba Nkulunkulu!’ (2 Phet. 3:11, 12 NW.) Nobe lomBhalo uvakala shengatsi ungumbuto, Phetro abengaphakamisi umbuto kodvwa inkhulumo yakhe beyisibabato. Phetro bekati kutsi ngulabo labenta intsandvo yaJehova kuphela nalabo labenta imikhuba lemihle labatawulondvolotwa ‘ngelilanga lakhe lekuphindzisela.’ (Isa. 61:2) Lomphostoli wachubeka watsi: “Kodvwa nine, batsandzekako, seniyakwati loku. Ngako-ke, caphelani, kuze ningadukiswa ngemaphutsa alabangenamtsetfo, bese niyawa ekucineni kwenu.”—2 Phet. 3:17.
4 Kuba semkhatsini walabo ‘labanelwati lolunyenti,’ wakubona Phetro kutsi kutakwenta emaKhristu kutsi atigadze emalangeni ekugcina kute agcine bucotfo. Ngemva kwaloko, umphostoli Johane wakucacisa kutsi kungani kubalulekile kwenta njalo. Waphrofetha kutsi Sathane utawucoshwa ezulwini ‘anentfukutselo lenkhulu . . . kulabo labagcina imiyalo yaNkulunkulu nalabanebufakazi baJesu.’ (Semb. 12:9, 12, 17) Tikhonti taNkulunkulu letigcotjwe ngemoya letetsembekile kanye nebangani bato ‘baletinye timvu’ batamehlula Sathane. (Joh. 10:16) Kodvwa kutsiwani ngamunye ngamunye wetfu? Sitawukhona yini kuhlala sicotfo? Sitawusitwa kute sente njalo nangabe sifaka umfutfo (1) ekuhlakuleleni timfanelo taNkulunkulu, (2) ekutigcineni sihlobile ekutiphatseni, nasemoyeni futsi sihlale singasoleki (3) siphindze sibe nembono longuwo ngetilingo. Nyalo, ase sicoce ngalamaphuzu lamatsatfu.
Hlakulela Timfanelo TaNkulunkulu
5, 6. Ngutiphi timfanelo lokufanele sifake umfutfo kute sitihlakulele, futsi kungani loku kudzinga ‘sikhutsale’?
5 Ekucaleni kwencwadzi yakhe yesibili, Phetro wabhala: “Khutsalelani kwenta bucotfo ekukholweni, nakubo bucotfo nengete lwati, nasekwatini nengete kutitsiba, nasekutitsibeni nengete kukhutsatela, nasekukhutsateleni nengete kumesaba Nkulunkulu, nasekumesabeni Nkulunkulu nengete kutsandza bazalwane, nasekutsandzeni bazalwane nengete lutsandvo. Nangabe letintfo tikini, tivama, titawunenta nikhutsale, nitsele titselo ekuyatini ngalokugcwele iNkhosi yetfu Jesu Khristu.”—2 Phet. 1:5-8.
6 Kuliciniso kutsi kudzingeka ‘sikhutsale’ kute sibe mdzibimunye emsebentini losita labanye kute bakwati kuhlakulela timfanelo taNkulunkulu. Nasi sibonelo: Kudzinga kukhutsala kute sibe khona kuyo yonkhe imihlangano yebuKhristu, kute sifundze liBhayibheli onkhe malanga kanye nekunamatsela eluhlelweni lwakho lwekutichubela sifundvo. Kudzingeka ufake umfutfo kuhlanganise nekuhlela lokuhle kute ube neKukhonta kweMndeni kwakusihlwa lokuchubekako nalokucabulako emndenini wakho. Nasesicalile kukwenta umkhuba loko, kuba lukhuni kukuyekela—ikakhulukati nangabe sitibona tinzuzo tako.
7, 8. (a) Labanye batsini ngeKukhonta kweMndeni kwakusihlwa? (b) Yini wena loyizuzako ekukhonteni kwemndeni?
7 Mayelana nekukhonta kwemndeni, lomunye dzadze wabhala: “Kusisita kutsi sifundze tintfo letinyenti.” Lomunye make yena watsi: “Nangikhuluma liciniso, bengingafuni kutsi sifundvo sencwadzi siphele. Bekungumhlangano lebengiwutsandza kakhulu. Kodvwa nyalo njengobe sekuneKukhonta kweMndeni kwakusihlwa, ngiyacaphela kutsi Jehova uyakwati lesikudzingako futsi wati nesikhatsi lesikudzinga ngaso.” Inhloko yemndeni yona itsi: “Kukhonta kwemndeni kusisite kakhulu. Kuba nemhlangano lonamatsela nama etidzingweni tetfu, kusijabulisa kakhulu. Sobabili mine nemfati wami, sitfole kutsi siyatfutfuka ekukhombiseni titselo temoya longcwele, futsi sitfola injabulo lenkhulu nasemsebentini wekushumayela lesingakaze siyitfole esikhatsini lesendlulile.” Lenye inhloko yemndeni itsi: “Bantfwana betfu batentela lwabo lucwaningo futsi kunyenti labakufundzako—bayakujabulela loko. Loluhlelo lusenta sibe nelitsemba lekutsi Jehova ukwati kahle loko lokusihluphako futsi nemithandazo yetfu uyayiphendvula.” Indlela lotiva ngayo ngaloluhlelo lweKukhonta kweMndeni, iyafanana yini naleyo lamaKhristu lesicoce ngawo lapha ngenhla lativa ngayo?
8 Ungavumeli tintfo letingasho lutfo tiphatamise kukhonta kwemndeni. Labanye labashadile batsi: “Emavikini lamane landlulile njalo ngaboLesine, kukhona lebekwenteka emndenini wetfu lokucishe kwabangela kutsi sime sifundvo setfu, kodvwa asikakuvumeli kutsi kusiphatamise.” Kuliciniso kutsi ngalesinye sikhatsi kungadzingeka kutsi ulungise luhlelo lwakho ndzawana tsite. Nobe kunjalo, ungacali ukuyekele Kukhonta kweMndeni kwakusihlwa—ngisho neliviki linye nje vo.
9. Jehova abemnakekela njani Jeremiya, futsi yini lesingayifundza esibonelweni saJeremiya?
9 Umphrofethi Jeremiya usibonelo lesihle kitsi lamuhla. Abekudzinga lokudla kwakamoya labekutfola kuJehova futsi akujabulela. Kondliwa ngaleyo ndlela kwamenta washumayela ngekubeketela kubantfu labebangafuni kumlalela. Watsi: “Livi laSimakadze [Jehova] . . . lishisa njengemlilo lovalelwe ematsanjeni ami.” (Jer. 20:8, 9) Livi laJehova laphindze lamsita kutsi abeketelele tikhatsi letimatima lebetifaka ekhatsi kubhujiswa kweliJerusalema. Kodvwa tsine lamuhla sineliVi laNkulunkulu leliphelele, liBhayibheli. Nangabe silifundza ngekutimisela, sitawucabanga ngendlela Nkulunkulu lacabanga ngayo. NjengaJeremiya, natsi sitawukwati kubeketela emsebentini wetfu wekushumayela ngekujabula. Sitawukwati kuhlala setsembekile ngisho nalapho sibhekene nebumatima futsi siphindze sihlale sihlantekile ngakamoya nangekutiphatsa.—Jak. 5:10.
Hlalani “Ningenasici Ningenabala”
10, 11. Kungani kufanele sente konkhe lokusemandleni etfu kutsi sihlale ‘singenasici futsi singenabala,’ futsi loko kudzinga kutsi senteni?
10 NjengemaKhristu, siyati kutsi siphila emalangeni ekugcina. Ngako-ke, akusimangalisi kutsi umhlaba ugcwele tintfo Jehova latitondzako letifaka ekhatsi bugovu, kutiphatsa lokubi ngekwemacansi kanye nebudlova. Indlela Sathane ladukisa ngayo ingachazwa ngalendlela: ‘Nangabe tinceku taNkulunkulu ngingeke ngikhone kutesabisa, mhlawumbe ngingatenta titiphatse kabi.’ (Semb. 2:13, 14) Nobe kunjalo, kufanele sisebentise secwayiso saPhetro lesitsi: “Yentani konkhe lokusemandleni enu, kutsi [Nkulunkulu] anikhandze ninekuthula, ningenasici ningenabala.”—2 Phet. 3:14.
11 Emavi latsi “yentani konkhe lokusemandleni enu” afanana nesikhutsato saPhetro lesifundze ngaso ekucaleni kwalesehluko lesitsi ‘kufanele sikhutsale.’ Kuyacaca kutsi Jehova—loyo lowaphefumulela Phetro kutsi abhale lawo magama—uyati kutsi kudzingeka sitimisele kute sihlale ‘singenasici futsi singenabala,’ futsi simsulwa kulomhlaba lobuswa nguSathane. Kutimisela kwetfu kufaka ekhatsi kulondvolota tinhlitiyo tetfu kutsi tingahungwa tinkhanuko letimbi. (Fundza Taga 4:23; Jakobe 1:14, 15.) Kutimisela kuphindze kufake ekhatsi kumelana nalabo labasishushisako kanye nalabo ‘labasetfukako.’—1 Phet. 4:4.
12. Ngukuphi kucinisekiswa lesikutfola kuLukha 11:13?
12 Ngesizatfu sekutsi sinesono, akusimelula kwenta lokulungile. (Rom. 7:21-25) Singakwati kwenta lokulungile nangabe setsembela kuJehova, lobanika umoya longcwele labo labawucela ngesihle. (Luk. 11:13) Lomoya longcwele utawusenta kutsi sibe netimfanelo letinhle letemukelwa nguNkulunkulu. Uphindze usisite kutsi sikwati kubeketelela kulingwa kanye netimo letimatima letandzako njengobe lusuku lwaJehova lusondzela.
Vumela Tilingo Tikucinise
13. Nangabe sivelelwa tilingo ekuphileni kwetfu, yini lengasisita kutsi sitibeketelele?
13 Nangabe nje sisaphila kulamalanga ekugcina, sitawubhekana netinkinga letehlukahlukene. Kodvwa esikhundleni sekutsi tisicedze emandla, kungani singatitsatsi njengendlela yekukhombisa lutsandvo lesinalo ngaNkulunkulu futsi sikhulise kukholwa kwetfu kuye kanye naseVini lakhe? Umfundzi Jakobe wabhala: “Bazalwane bami, nanehlelwa tinhlobonhlobo tetilingo, nibokutsatsa ngekutsi yinjabulo yodvwa, nati kutsi kuvivinywa kwekukholwa kwenu kuveta kuciniseka.” (Jak. 1:2-4) Khumbula kutsi ‘Jehova uyakwati kubakhulula ekulingweni labo labamesabako.’—2 Phet. 2:9.
14. Sibonelo saJosefa sikukhutsata njani?
14 Ase ucabanga ngesibonelo sendvodzana yaJakobe, Josefa, leyatsengiswa bomnakabo kute iyoba sigcila. (Gen. 37:23-28; 42:21) Kukholwa kwaJosefa kwaphela yini ngesizatfu saloko lokwentiwa bomnakabo? Wamtfukutselela yini Nkulunkulu ngesizatfu sekuvumela kutsi intfo lembi kangaka yenteke kuye? LiVi laNkulunkulu likubeka ngalokucacile kutsi Josefa akentanga njalo. Ngetulu kwaloko, kulingwa kwaJosefa akuzange kugcine lapho. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, wanindvwa ngemanga kwatsiwa udlwengulile wate wajikijelwa ejele. Nobe kunjalo, akazange ayekele kweseba Jehova. (Gen. 39:9-21) Esikhundleni saloko, wavumela letilingo kutsi timcinise futsi ngekwenta njalo, wabusiswa kakhulu.
15. Sifundzani endzabeni yaNawomi?
15 Kuliciniso kutsi tilingo tingasivisa buhlungu nobe tisicindzetele. Kungenteka kutsi Josefa weva buhlungu emahlandla lamanyenti. Tikhonti taNkulunkulu letinyenti tativa ngaleyo ndlela esikhatsini lesendlulile. Lomunye wato nguNawomi lowafelwa yindvodza yakhe nemadvodzana akhe lamabili. Waze watsi: “Hhayi, ningasangibiti ngekutsi nginguNawomi, sale nitsi nginguMara [lokusho kuva “buhlungu”] ngobe Nkulunkulu Somandla ungihlanekele.” (Rut. 1:20, 21) Bekufanele Nawomi ative ngalendlela. Kodvwa naye walingisa Josefa, ngobe akayekelanga kukhonta Nkulunkulu nobe aphule bucotfo bakhe kuye. Ngaleso sizatfu, Jehova wambusisa lona lomsikati lobekaligugu. (Rut. 4:13-17, 22) Lokusijabulisa kakhulu kutsi emhlabeni lotawuba liPharadisi, Nkulunkulu utawucedza tinkinga letibangwe nguSathane kuwo. Encwadzini ya-Isaya, liBhayibheli litsi: “Tintfo takadzeni tingeke tikhunjulwe, futsi tingeke tisabuya nasengcondvweni.”—Isa. 65:17.
16. Kufanele sithandaze njani, futsi leni?
16 Lutsandvo lwaNkulunkulu luhlala lunatsi ngisho nangalesikhatsi silingwa. (Fundza Roma 8:35-39.) Sathane uyachubeka asidvumata, kodvwa angehluleka nangabe sihlala ‘sitibambile’ futsi ‘sikwati kukhuleka.’ (1 Phet. 4:7) Jesu waze watsi: ‘Lindzani nithandaze nincenge onkhe emalanga, khona nitawuba nemandla ekuphunyula kuletintfo letitakwenteka nitekwati kuma embikweNdvodzana yeMuntfu.’ (Luk. 21:36, NW.) Jesu wasebentisa ligama lelitsi ‘nincenge,’ lokuyindlela yekuthandaza lebonisa inhlonipho. Ngekusho loko, Jesu bekagcizelela kutsi kufanele sikhulume neYise ngenhlonipho ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi, hhayi ngekunganaki. Ngulabo kuphela labakhonta Nkulunkulu ngendlela lejabulisako, labayawusindza ngelilanga lakhe lekwehlulela.
Chubeka Wenta Umsebenti WaJehova
17. Ungazuza njani kuboFakazi BaJehova basendvulo nangabe indzawo loshumayela kuyo ilufifi?
17 Kwenta umsebenti waNkulunkulu kuyasicabula. Kusicabangisa emavi aPhetro latsi: ‘Luhlobo luni lwebantfu lokufanele nibe ngilo etentweni tekutiphatsa letingcwele nasetentweni tekumesaba Nkulunkulu!’ (2 Phet. 3:11) Umsebenti wekushumayela nguwo lohamba embili kuloko Phetro lakubita ngekutsi tento tekumesaba Nkulunkulu. (Mat. 24:14) Kuletinye tindzawo, umsebenti wekushumayela kulukhuni kuwenta ngetizatfu tekutsi bantfu bakuleto tindzawo bayasiphikisa nobe bamatasatasa ngemisebenti yabo. Leso simo sabehlela boFakazi BaJehova endvulo. Kodvwa, labofakazi baba liphela endlebeni kulabo bantfu ngobe baya kubo “emahlandla lamanyenti” baphetse umlayeto lovela kuNkulunkulu. (Fundza 2 Tikhronike 36:15, 16; Jer. 7:24-26) Basitwa yini laboFakazi kutsi bangapheli emandla? Bebatsatsa umsebenti wabo ngato totimbili bati kutsi uvela kuNkulunkulu. Bakutsatsa njengentfo lebalulekile kuniketa bufakazi ngelibito laNkulunkulu.—Jer. 15:16.
18. Umsebenti wekushumayela utawuba nayiphi indzima ekungcwelisweni kwelibito laNkulunkulu esikhatsini lesitako?
18 Natsi sinelitfuba lelihle lekufundzisa bantfu ngaJehova kanye nangetinhloso takhe. Cabanga nganasi simo: Titsa taNkulunkulu ngeke titishweletele ngekutsi atati lutfo ngaNkulunkulu ngelilanga lekwahlulela lakhe. Sizatfu saloko kutsi tsine sitawube sibashumayele. Kutawufanana ncamashi nalokwenteka kuFaro wasendvulo, kuyawubakhanyela kutsi nguJehova lona lobehlulelako. (Eks. 8:1, 20; 14:25) Kulolunye luhlangotsi, Jehova nakanjani utawutibusisa tinceku takhe letetsembekile ngekukwenta kukhanye bha kutsi tona betibogalajana bakhe.—Fundza Hezekeli 2:5; 33:33.
19. Singakukhombisa njani kutsi siyakutsakasela kubeketela kwaJehova?
19 Ngasemaphetselweni encwadzi yakhe yesibili, Phetro wawabhalela naku emakholwa akubo: “Kubeketela kweNkhosi nibokutsatsa ngekutsi kunentela ematfuba ekusindziswa.” (2 Phet. 3:15) Kudzingeka sichubeke sikutsakasela kubeketela kwaJehova. Kanjani? Ngekuzabalaza kute sibe netimfanelo letitawenta kutsi inhlitiyo yaNkulunkulu ijabule futsi sihlale ‘singenasici futsi singenabala.’ Loko sikwenta ngekutsi sitemukele tinkinga futsi sichubeke simatasatasa emisebentini ledvumisa Nkulunkulu. Nasenta njalo, sitibeka etfubeni lelihle lekwemukela tibusiso letingenamkhawulo letifaka ekhatsi “emazulu lamasha nemhlaba lomuhla.”—2 Phet. 3:13.
Usakhumbula?
• Singatikhombisa njani timfanelo letijabulisa Nkulunkulu?
• Singahlala njani ‘singenasici futsi singenabala’?
• Sifundzani endzabeni yaJosefa naNawomi?
• Kungani kushumayela kulitfuba lelibaluleke kakhulu?
[Sitfombe ekhasini 21]
Yini letakusita kutsi ube netimfanelo letijabulisa Nkulunkulu kanye nemndeni wakho?
[Titfombe ekhasini 23]
Sifundzani endleleni Josefa labhekana ngayo netinkinga?