Ngaba Wena Usifumene Isikhokelo?

KUTHENI uthando lubaluleke kangaka nje kumaKristu? Kungenxa yohlobo loThixo amnqulayo. Umpostile uYohane wamchaza ngala mazwi athi: “UThixo uluthando.” (1 Yohane 4:8) Kanye njengokuba abazali abaninzi bebengalindela abantwana babo ukuba balandele kumanyathelo abo, ngoko noYehova ufuna ukuba amaKristu azame ukufana naye. Ngaloo ndlela, umpostile uPawulos wabongoza ngelithi: “Yibani ngabaxelisa uThixo, ngokwabantwana abaziintanda; nihambe eluthandweni.”—Efese 5:1, 2.

Uthando lukwagubungela ezinye iimpawu zomKristu. Ngemihla kaYesu, amaYuda—ngokukodwa iinkokeli zawo—ayengabafundi beBhayibhile abanenzondelelo. Kodwa qwalasela okwathethwa nguYesu kuwo: “Niyaziphengulula izibhalo, ngokuba nina niba ninobomi obungunaphakade kuzo; . . . Ndiyanazi nina, ukuba uthando lukaThixo aninalo ngaphakathi kwenu.” (Yohane 5:39, 42; Luka 11:42) Ukuba ayenothando yaye enolwazi, ngewamgqala uYesu njengoMesiya. Njengoko kwabanjalo, uninzi lwawo lwalahlekelwa lilungelo lokuba phakathi kwamalungu okuqala ebandla lamaKristu.

Kwakhona, khumbula ngaboyisi bamaRoma Katolika abathwalela unqulo lwabo kwilizwe lasentshona. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba babenokholo olomeleleyo nenzondelelo evuthayo yokufeza oko babekwenzile. Kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo kwakungashukunyiswa luthando. Ukuba kwakungenjalo, ngebabengazange babaphange, babathuthumbise, babadlwengule baze bababulale abemi bomthonyama bamazwekazi aseMerika.

Ngaloo ndlela, uthando luluphawu lobuKristu olukhokelayo. Lunokubonakaliswa kubani olu thando? UYesu usixelela oku: “Uze uyithande iNkosi uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela, nangomphefumlo wakho uphela, nangengqondo yakho iphela. Nguwo lowo owokuqala nomkhulu umthetho. Owesibini ke ufana nawo: Uze umthande ummelwane wakho ngoko uzithanda ngako.”—Mateyu 22:37-39.

Enyanisweni, uthando lomKristu alupheleli apho. UYesu wakwathetha la mazwi: “Zithandeni iintshaba zenu, basikeleleni abo baniqalekisayo, benzeleni okulungileyo abo banithiyayo, nibathandazele abo banigxekayo banitshutshise; ukuze nibe ngabantwana boYihlo osemazulwini; ngokuba ilanga lakhe elenza liphume phezu kwabakhohlakeleyo nabalungileyo; nemvula eyinisa phezu kwabalungisayo nabangalungisiyo.” (Mateyu 5:44, 45) Ngamanye amazwi, uthando lomKristu luquka ukuthanda wonk’ ubani! Kodwa oku kuthetha ntoni ngezenzo?

Ukuba Simthanda Ngokwenene UThixo

Phakathi kwezinye izinto, ukuba sifuna ukumthanda ngokwenene uThixo, kuya kufuneka simazi ngakumbi. UThixo ngokunokwakhe wenze oko kwaba nokwenzeka ngokusilungiselela iBhayibhile, efana neleta evela kuye isiza kuthi. Xa sifumana ileta evela kothandekayo, inkoliso yethu iyifunda nje zisuka kungakhathaliseki indlela esixakeke ngayo. Ngaba kufanele kubekho umahluko ngokufunda iBhayibhile? Kakade ke akunakuba njalo. Kuyinyaniso ukuba, kwabaninzi namhlanje ubomi buzele ziziphazamiso, yaye uninzi lubonakala lukhetha ukubukela umabonwakude kunokufunda ngezinto ezinzulu. Kodwa amaKristu okwenene awakuvumeli oko kuwanqumamise ekufundeni iLizwi likaThixo. Ngaloo ndlela, afana nomdumisi owabhala wathi: “Umphefumlo wam uyazigcina izingqiniso zakho [ezo namhlanje zifumaneka eBhayibhileni], Ndizithanda kunene.”—INdumiso 119:167.

EBhayibhileni, uThixo usixelela indlela afuna senze ngayo. Njengokuba kanye abazali bebabekela imilinganiselo yokuziphatha abantwana babo, uYehova usibekele imilinganiselo asilindele ukuba siyigcine—imilinganiselo engenakujikwa. Ngokomzekelo, iBhayibhile isixelela oku: “Abenza umbulo, nabakhonzi bezithixo, nabakrexezi, nezifebe, namadoda alalanayo, namasela, namabawa, namanxila, nabatshabhisi, nabaphangi, abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo.” (1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Kuninzi gqitha oko! Kodwa nabani na omthanda ngokwenene uThixo uya kukuvuyela ukuphila ngokuvisisana nako. Ngoba? Kuba kunjengokuba umpostile uYohane waphuhlisayo esithi: “Ukumthanda uThixo kuko ukuthi, siyigcine imithetho yakhe.”—1 Yohane 5:3.

Ngelishwa, ezininzi zezenzo ezigwetywa yiBhayibhile ziya zisamkeleka namhlanje, kwanaphakathi kwabantu “abangamaKristu.” Ingxelo eyakhutshwa yimvaba yamaProtestanti eKhanada yancomela ukuba kuqwalaselwe ukwamkelwa kwamafanasini ekumiselweni njengabefundisi, yavelisa ukuba isini ngaphandle komtshato sinokwamkeleka phantsi kweemeko ezithile, yaye yacebisa ngelithi ukunyaniseka emtshatweni akufuni ukuba lubekelwe bucala ukrexezo. Alithandabuzeki elokuba ababhali baloo ngxelo babefuna ukubonakala bengabanengqondo ephangaleleyo yaye benenyameko. Kodwa ngaba babebonakalisa ukumthanda uThixo okanye ukubathanda abo babebakhuthazela iindlela ezinjalo zokuziphatha kakubi? Kungangenkankulu, ekubeni uPawulos wathi abazenzayo izinto ezinjalo babengayi kubudla ilifa uBukumkani bukaThixo. Hayi indlela ekuluthando ngayo ukubambelela ngokungenaloyiko kwimilinganiselo kaThixo, sinceda ababuthathaka ukuba benze ngolo hlobo, kunokuthi ngokuqhutywa ziimvakalelo sibakhuthaze ukuba balandele ikhondo elilula eliya kuthi ekugqibeleni libakhokelele kwintlekele!

Ukushukunyiselwa Ukwabelana Nabanye

Xa sifunda iBhayibhile, sikwafunda ngezinto ezingummangaliso uThixo azicebele uluntu. Sifunda ukuba “wenjenje uThixo ukulithanda kwakhe ihlabathi, ude wancama uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalali, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” (Yohane 3:16) Sikwafunda ngenjongo kaThixo yokushenxisa ubungendawo emhlabeni, aze abuyisele inkqubo yezinto eyiparadisi nenoxolo ngoBukumkani bakhe obulawulwa ngulo Yesu mnye. (Mateyu 6:9, 10; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Kunjengokuba iBhayibhile ithembisa isithi: “Kusaya kuba mzuzwana, angabikho ongendawo . . . Ke bona abalulamileyo baya kulidla ilifa ilizwe, Baziyolise ngobuninzi boxolo.”—INdumiso 37:10, 11.

Enyanisweni, isigidimi seBhayibhile sikoko kanye uhlanga loluntu lukufunayo. Kungoko kubuhlungu ukufunda ngabavangeli beNgqobhoko abatyekiswa bubuhlwempu nokungekho sikweni abakubona kumazwe ahlwempuzekileyo kangangokuba bade babandakanyeke kwiipolitiki nakwimvukelo. Ukuvukela akusayi kuzicombulula iingxaki zaloo mazwe. Ngaba abavangeli abanjalo bamthanda ngokwenene uThixo? Ukuba kunjalo, bebengayi kuthi na babonakalise ukholo kumadinga akhe baze balathisele imihlambi yabo kuBukumkani bakhe? Abalusi abayithanda ngokwenene imihlambi yabo bebeya kuyibonisa indlela ukuthobela umthetho kaThixo okungayinceda ngayo ngoku, kunokuba bayibandakanye kwiinkqubo zobupolitika ezinokuthi ziphelele kukatyo.

Inyaniso yeyokuba, isigidimi seBhayibhile simangalisa kangangokuba akukho mntu unothando onokuthi akwazi ukusigcina ngaphakathi kuye. Kungenxa yoko le nto uthando lushukumisela amaKristu okwenene ukuba abelane nabanye ngoko akwaziyo. KwiNgqobhoko umsebenzi wokuthetha ngeBhayibhile kwabanye udla ngokushiyelwa kudidi lwabantu abambalwa, abahlawulwayo nabawufundeleyo—abefundisi. Oku kube nemiphumo emibi. Kunjengokuba umfundisi waseLuthere wavumayo kwiphephancwadi elithi Christianity Today: “Namhlanje iCawa ayinamandla kuba iinkokeli zokomoya zisilele ukuqeqesha amarhamente azo ukuba enze uhlobo lomsebenzi eziwenzayo. Okanye ngenxa yokuba amarhamente asilele ukubuqonda aze abamkele ubulungiseleli obulolo hlobo.”

AmaKristu okwenene ‘ayabuqonda aze abamkele ubulungiseleli obulolo hlobo.’ Awathabatha nzulu la mazwi ompostile uPawulos athi: “Silubambe uvumo lwethu lwethemba, lungabi nakuxengaxenga; kuba uthembekile lowo wabeka ngedinga.” (Hebhere 10:23) Yintoni ewashukumisayo? Koko kanye kwashukumisa iqela lamaKristu kwinkulungwane yokuqala awathi umpostile uPawulos ngokufudumeleyo wawancoma esithi: “Ke aba, benziwa luthando, bamazisa uKristu.”—Filipi 1:17.

Ukuthanda AmaKristu Angoowethu

Ewe, uthando lusisikhokelo esisa kubuKristu bokwenene ngendlela yokuba luchaphazela inkalo nganye yobomi bamaKristu okwenene. Ngaloo ndlela athi ahluke ngokupheleleyo kubantu abawangqongileyo. Kutheni? Umpostile uYohane wathetha oku ngeli hlabathi: “Ihlabathi liphela lilele kongendawo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) Ongendawo nguSathana uMtyholi, yaye ihlabathi libonakalisa imilinganiselo yakhe kwelikwenzayo. Impembelelo kaSathana ibonwa kukunganyaniseki okwesameleyo, ukuziphatha okubi, ukungabikho kokusesikweni, ukujongana kwezizwe ngezikhondo zamehlo, nobunzima obukhoyo namhlanje kwezoqoqosho. UmKristu, onqula uThixo onothando aze amxelise ngokuhlakulela uphawu lothando, umele ahluke!

Ngoku, oku akulula ukuba ukwenze uwedwa. Ngenxa yoko, iBhayibhile ikwasikhuthaza ukuba sifune abo baluxabisa ngokufana nathi uphawu lothando. Ngaloo ndlela, amaKristu anokuncedana. Kungenxa yoko le nto umpostile uPawulos wabhala la mazwi akhuthazayo: “Masinyamekelane, ukuba silolane eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle; singakuhilizeli ukuhlanganisana kwethu, . . . Masivuselelane.”—Hebhere 10:23-25.

Ukuba ubungathanda ukusabela kuloo mazwi akhuthazayo, amaNgqina kaYehova angakuvuyela ukukusa kwiqela labantu abazama nzima ukubonakalisa uthando lobuthixo kubomi babo. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo kwindawo ohlala kuyo kukho iqela labantu abanjalo, yaye umoya kaThixo uphezu kwabo kuba, wona ngokusisiseko, ungumthombo wokwenyaniso wothando lobuKristu. “EsoMoya isiqhamo luthando.” (Galati 5:22) Ukunxulumana nabo kuya kukunceda ukuba uwabekel’ indlebe amazwi akhuthazayo ompostile uPetros athi: “Thandani isizalwana.”—1 Petros 2:17.

Hayi indlela ebekuya kuba lusizi ngayo ukuzifumana kukabani ephakathi kwabo, bathe emva kokuzama nzima ukukhonza uThixo, beve amazwi abuhlungu kaYesu athi: “Andizanga ndinazi; mkani kum, nina nenza okuchasene nomthetho.” (Mateyu 7:23) Ukuba sihlakulela uthando, olusisikhokelo esisa kubuKristu bokwenene, oko akuyi kusehlela. Uthando luya kusishukumisela ukuba sifunde iBhayibhile, siphile ngokwemilinganiselo yayo, sifune amanye amaKristu ukuze sinxulumane nawo, size sithethe nabanye ngezinto ezilungileyo eziseBhayibhileni. Ewe, uthando luya kusishukumisela ukuba senze oko uThixo afuna sikwenze. Yaye, njengokuba uYesu watshoyo, “ngokwenzayo ukuthanda kukaBawo osemazulwini” oya kuwadla ilifa amadinga kaThixo. Umpostile uYohane wongezelela ngelithi: “Ke yena owenza ukuthanda kukaThixo uhleli ngonaphakade.”—Mateyu 7:21; 1 Yohane 2:17.

Ewe, hlakulela uthando. Malukushukumisele ukuba wenze ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ngaloo ndlela, uya kuzingqina wena ungumKristu wokwenene, ekubeni uYesu wathi: “Ngayo le nto baya kwazi bonke, ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba nithe nathandana.” (Yohane 13:35) Ibe uya kunandipha imivuzo ehlal’ ihleli leyo uThixo ayithembise abo bamthandayo.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Hlakulela Uthando