UKuphila Ngokuvisisana Nokuzahlulela Kwethu “Imihla Ngemihla”

“Ukuba ubani uthanda ukundilandela, makazincame, awuthwale [“umthi wakhe wentuthumbo,” NW] imihla ngemihla, andilandele.”—LUKA 9:23.

1. Yiyiphi enye indlela yokulinganisa impumelelo yethu njengamaKristu?

“NGABA besingamadoda azinikeleyo ngokwenene?” Ngokutsho kukaJohn F. Kennedy, uMongameli wama-35 waseUnited States, impendulo kulo mbuzo ibalulekile ukuze kuqondwe impumelelo yabo bakwizikhundla zaseburhulumenteni. Lo mbuzo unokubaluleka ngakumbi ekuhlolisiseni impumelelo yethu njengabalungiseleli abangamaKristu.

2. Isichazi-magama silichaza njani igama elithi “ukuzinikela”?

² Noko ke, kuyintoni ukuzinikela? IWebster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary ikuchaza ngokuthi “sisenzo okanye isithethe sokuzinikela kumntu ongokobuthixo okanye kwinjongo engcwele,” “ukunikela okanye ukubekela bucala ukwenzela injongo ethile,” “ukuzinikela ngokuzincama.” Kubonakala ngathi uJohn F. Kennedy walisebenzisa eli gama ethetha “ukuzinikela ngokuzincama.” KumKristu ukuzahlulela kuthetha okuninzi ngakumbi.

3. Kuyintoni ukuzahlulela komKristu?

³ UYesu Kristu wabaxelela oku abafundi bakhe: “Ukuba kukho othanda ukundilandela, makazincame ngokwakhe, awuthwale [“umthi wakhe wentuthumbo,” NW], andilandele.” (Mateyu 16:24) Ukuzahlulela ukuba usetyenziswe nguThixo akubandakanyi kuphela ukunqula ngeCawa okanye xa utyelele indawo ethile yonqulo. Kubandakanya indlela kabani yokuphila iphela. Ukuba ngumKristu kuthetha ukuzincama okanye ukuzibandeza ngoxa ukhonza uThixo owayekhonzwa nguYesu Kristu, uYehova. Ukongezelela, umKristu uthwala “umthi wakhe wentuthumbo” ngokunyamezela phantsi kwako nakuphi na ukubandezeleka anokukufumana ngenxa yokuba engumlandeli kaKristu.

Umzekelo Ofezekileyo

4. Ubhaptizo lukaYesu lwalufuzisela ntoni?

⁴ Ngoxa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu wabonisa oko kubandakanywa kukuzahlulela kuYehova. Wayenale mbono: “Akuthandanga mbingelelo, namnikelo wakudla, ke undilungisele umzimba.” Wandula ke wongezelela: “Yabona, ndiyeza (encwadini esongwayo kubhalwe ngam), ndiza kwenza ukuthanda kwakho, Thixo.” (Hebhere 10:5-7) Njengelungu lohlanga oluzahluleleyo, wayahlulelwe kuYehova ekuzalweni. Sekunjalo, ekuqaleni kobulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni, wazinikela ukuba abhaptizwe ukufuzisela ukuzinikela kwakhe ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaYehova, okwakuya kuquka ukunikela ngobomi bakhe njengedini lentlawulelo. Ngaloo ndlela wamisela amaKristu umzekelo wokwenza nantoni na uYehova ayithandayo.

5. UYesu wayibonisa njani imbono engumzekelo ngezinto eziphathekayo?

⁵ Emva kokubhaptizwa kwakhe uYesu walandela ikhondo lobomi ekugqibeleni elakhokelela ekufeni okulidini. Wayengenamdla ekufuneni ubutyebi okanye ekuphileni ubomi obutofotofo. Kunoko, ubulungiseleli bakhe babuyeyona nto ibaluleke gqitha ebomini bakhe. Wakhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuba ‘bafune tanci ubukumkani nobulungisa bakhe,’ ibe yena waphila ngokuvisisana naloo mazwi. (Mateyu 6:33) Kaloku, ngesinye isihlandlo wada wathi: “Iimpungutye zinemingxuma, neentaka zezulu zineendawo zokuhlala; yena uNyana woMntu akanandawo apho angalalisa khona intloko.” (Mateyu 8:20) Wayenokuzijika iimfundiso zakhe ukuze aphange imali kubafundi bakhe ngobuqhetseba. Ekubeni wayengumchweli wayenokukhe aphumle kubulungiseleli bakhe ukuze enze ifanitshala entle ayithengise ukwenzela ukuba afumane iingqekembe ezimbalwa zesilivere. Kodwa akazange asebenzise ubuchule bakhe ekufuneni ubutyebi bezinto eziphathekayo. Njengabakhonzi bakaThixo abazahluleleyo, ngaba sixelisa uYesu ngokuba nembono efanelekileyo ngezinto eziphathekayo?—Mateyu 6:24-34.

6. Sinokumxelisa njani uYesu ngokuba ngabakhonzi bakaThixo abazincamayo nabazahluleleyo?

⁶ Ngokubeka inkonzo yakhe kuThixo kwindawo yokuqala, uYesu wayengafuni izilangazelelo zakhe. Ebudeni beminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha yobulungiseleli bakhe basekuhleni wayephila ubomi bokuzincama. Ngesinye isihlandlo ekupheleni kosuku awayexakekile ngalo, engafumananga nexesha lokutya, uYesu wayekulungele ukufundisa abantu ‘ababechithakele ngokwezimvu ezingenamalusi.’ (Mateyu 9:36; Marko 6:31-34) Nangona ‘wayebulalekile kukuhamba,’ nguye owaqalisa ukuthetha nomSamariyakazi owayeze kumthombo kaYakobi eSikare. (Yohane 4:6, 7, 13-15) Wayesoloko ebeka impilo-ntle yabanye ngaphambi kweyakhe. (Yohane 11:5-15) Sinokuxelisa uYesu ngokuncama ngobubele izilangazelelo zethu ukuze sikhonze uThixo nabanye. (Yohane 6:38) Ukuba sicinga ngendlela esinokumkholisa ngokwenene ngayo uThixo kunokuba senze okuncinane okufunekayo, siya kuba siphila ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kwethu.

7. Sinokumxelisa njani uYesu ngokusoloko sinikela uzuko kuYehova?

⁷ UYesu wayengazami kutsalela ingqalelo kuye ngokunceda abantu. Wayezahlulele kuThixo ukuba enze ukuthanda Kwakhe. Ngoko wayesoloko eqinisekisa ukuba nguYehova, uYise, owayefumana lonke uzuko ngayo nantoni na eyayiphunyezwa. Xa omnye umlawuli wambiza ngokuthi “Mfundisi ulungileyo,” esebenzisa igama elithi “ulungileyo” njengesibizo, uYesu wamlungisa ngokuthi: “Akukho ulungileyo, mnye kwaphela, nguThixo.” (Luka 18:18, 19; Yohane 5:19, 30) Ngaba nathi, njengoYesu, siyakhawuleza ukubhekisa uzuko kuYehova kungekhona kwiziqu zethu?

8. (a) Njengomntu ozahluleleyo, uYesu wazigcina njani ahlukile ehlabathini? (b) Thina sifanele simxelise njani?

⁸ Ukutyhubela ikhondo lakhe lobomi bokuzahlulela emhlabeni, uYesu wabonisa ukuba wayezinikele kwinkonzo kaThixo. Wazigcina enyulu ukuze akwazi ukuzinikela ‘njengemvana engenasiphako nengenabala’ ukuba abe lidini lentlawulelo. (1 Petros 1:19; Hebhere 7:26) Wayithobela yonke imiyalelo yoMthetho kaMoses, ngaloo ndlela ezalisekisa loo Mthetho. (Mateyu 5:17; 2 Korinte 1:20) Wayephila ngokuvisisana nemfundiso yakhe engokuziphatha. (Mateyu 5:27, 28) Akukho bani wayenokumtyhola ngokufanelekileyo ngeentshukumisa ezimbi. Eneneni, ‘wayekuthiyile ukuchasa umthetho.’ (Hebhere 1:9, NW) Njengamakhoboka kaThixo, masixelise uYesu ekugcineni ubomi bethu kwaneentshukumisa zethu zinyulu emehlweni kaYehova.

Imizekelo Elumkisayo

9. UPawulos wabhekisela kuwuphi umzekelo osisilumkiso, yaye kutheni sifanele siwuhlolisise lo mzekelo?

⁹ Ngokwahlukileyo kumzekelo kaYesu, sinomzekelo osisilumkiso wamaSirayeli. Kwanasemva kokuvakalisa ukuba ayeya kukwenza konke oko uYehova wayewaxelele ukuba akwenze, asilela ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe. (Daniyeli 9:11) Umpostile uPawulos wakhuthaza amaKristu ukuba afunde koko kwenzeka kumaSirayeli. Makhe sihlolisise ezinye iziganeko uPawulos awabhekisela kuzo kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte size sibone iimpazamo ezimele ziphetshwe ngabakhonzi baThixo abazahluleleyo kwixesha lethu.—1 Korinte 10:1-6, 11.

10. (a) AmaSirayeli ‘azikhanuka njani izinto ezimbi’? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze amaSirayeli agqalwe enetyala ngakumbi kwisihlandlo sesibini ekhalazela ukudla, yaye sinokufunda ntoni kulo mzekelo osisilumkiso?

¹⁰ Okokuqala, uPawulos wasilumkisa ukuba “singabi ngabakhanuki bezinto ezimbi.” (1 Korinte 10:6) Oko kusenokukukhumbuza ngesihlandlo amaSirayeli awakhalazela ukutya imana kuphela. UYehova wawathumelela izagwityi. Kwakwenzeke into efanayo kunyaka ngaphambili kwintlango yaseSin, kanye ngaphambi kokuba amaSirayeli avakalise uzahlulelo lwawo kuYehova. (Eksodus 16:1-3, 12, 13) Kodwa iimeko zazingafani ncam. Xa uYehova wawanika izagwityi kwisihlandlo sokuqala, akazange awagqale enetyala amaSirayeli ngokukhalaza kwawo. Noko ke, ngesi sihlandlo, izinto zaziguqukile. “Yathi inyama leyo isesemazinyweni abo, ingekahlafunwa, wavutha umsindo kaYehova kubo abantu, wababetha uYehova abantu ngesibetho esikhulu kunene.” (Numeri 11:4-6, 31-34) Yintoni eyayiguqukile? Njengohlanga oluzahluleleyo, ngoku agqalwa enetyala. Ukungabi naluxabiso ngamalungiselelo kaYehova kwawakhokelela ekukhalazeleni uYehova, phezu kwako nje ukuthembisa kwawo ukwenza konke oko uYehova akuthethileyo! Kuyafana nokukhalazela isithebe sikaYehova namhlanje. Bambi bayasilela ukuxabisa amalungiselelo okomoya kaYehova avela ‘kumkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Noko ke, khumbula ukuba ukuzahlulela kwethu kufuna ukuba ngombulelo sikhumbule oko uYehova asenzele kona size samkele ukudla kokomoya uYehova akunikelayo.

11. (a) AmaSirayeli alungcolisa njani unqulo lwawo lukaYehova ngonqulo-zithixo? (b) Sinokuchatshazelwa njani luhlobo oluthile lokunqula izithixo?

¹¹ Ngokulandelayo, uPawulos walumkisa: “Kanjalo musani ukuba ngababusi bezithixo, njengenxenye yabo.” (1 Korinte 10:7) Ngokucacileyo apha lo mpostile wayethetha ngonqulo lwethole olwenzeka kanye emva kokuba amaSirayeli enze umnqophiso noYehova kwiNtaba yeSinayi. Usenokuthi, ‘Njengomkhonzi kaYehova ozahluleleyo, andisoze ndibandakanyeke kunqulo-zithixo.’ Noko ke, phawula ukuba ngokwembono yamaSirayeli, akazange ayeke ukunqula uYehova; ukanti, aqalisa unqulo lwethole—nto leyo eyayilizothe kuThixo. Olu hlobo lonqulo lwalubandakanya ntoni? Abantu benza amadini phambi kwethole, bandula ke “bahlala phantsi abantu, badla basela, besuka bema, badlala.” (Eksodus 32:4-6) Namhlanje, bambi basenokuzibanga benqula uYehova. Kodwa basenokuba ubomi babo ababunikelanga ekunquleni uYehova, kodwa babunikele ekunandipheni izinto zeli hlabathi, baze ke bazame ukufaka inkonzo yabo kuYehova phakathi kwezi zinto. Liyinyaniso elokuba oku asikokugabadela njengokuqubuda kwithole legolide, kodwa ngokomgaqo akwahlukanga kangako. Ukwenza iminqweno kabani uthixo kukude lee nokuphila ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kwakhe kuYehova.—Filipi 3:19.

12. Kumava amaSirayeli noBhahali-pehore, sifunda ntoni ngokuzincama?

¹² Kwakhona uhlobo oluthile lokuzonwabisa lwalubandakanyekile kumzekelo olumkisayo olandelayo owakhankanywa nguPawulos. “Kanjalo masingenzi mbulo, njengokuba inxenye yabo yenza umbulo, kwawa ngamininye amawaka amashumi mabini anamathathu.” (1 Korinte 10:8) AmaSirayeli, elukuhlwe ngokuziyolisa ngokuziphatha kakubi neentombi zakwaMowabhi, akhokelelwa ekunquleni uBhahali-pehore eShitim. (Numeri 25:1-3, 9) Ukuzincama ukuze senze ukuthanda kukaYehova kuquka ukwamkela imilinganiselo yakhe ngoko kucocekileyo ngokokuziphatha. (Mateyu 5:27-30) Kwesi sizukulwana sinemilinganiselo ewohlokayo, sikhunjuzwa ngemfuneko yokuhlala sinyulu kuzo zonke iintlobo zehambo yokuziphatha okubi, sizithobe kwigunya likaYehova lokugqiba ngoko kulungileyo noko kubi.—1 Korinte 6:9-11.

13. Umzekelo kaPinehasi usinceda njani siqonde oko kuqukwa kukuzahlulela kuYehova?

¹³ Nangona abaninzi babanjiswa ngumgibe wokuhenyuza eShitim, bambi baphila ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kohlanga kuYehova. Phakathi kwabo, uPinehasi wayebalasele ngenzondelelo. Xa wabona isikhulu sakwaSirayeli sisiza nomMowabhikazi ententeni yaso, uPinehasi ngoko nangoko wathabatha umkhonto wabahlaba. UYehova wamxelela oku uMoses: “UPinehasi . . . ububuyisile ubushushu bam koonyana bakaSirayeli, ekukhweleteni kwakhe njengekhwele lam phakathi kwabo, ukuze ndingabagqibi oonyana bakaSirayeli ngekhwele lam.” (Numeri 25:11) Ukungakunyamezeli nakuphi na ukukhweletiswa kukaYehova—kuthetha oko ukuzahlulela. Asinakuvumela nantoni na ithabathe indawo yokuzahlulela kuYehova ezintliziyweni zethu. Kwakhona inzondelelo yethu ngoYehova isishukumisela ukuba sigcine ibandla licocekile ngokuxela ukuziphatha okubi okunzulu kubadala, singakunyamezeli.

14. (a) AmaSirayeli amhenda njani uYehova? (b) Ukuzahlulela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova kusinceda njani ‘singatyhafi’?

¹⁴ UPawulos wabhekisela komnye umzekelo olumkisayo: “Kanjalo masingamhendi [uYehova], njengokuba inxenye yabo yahendayo, yaza yatshabalala ziinyoka.” (1 Korinte 10:9) UPawulos apha wayethetha ngexesha amaSirayeli akhalazela uThixo kuMoses xa ‘ayekhathazekile endleleni.’ (Numeri 21:4) Ngaba ukhe uyenze loo mpazamo? Xa wawuzahlulela kuYehova, ngaba wawucinga ukuba iArmagedon yayikufutshane kakhulu? Ngaba uYehova uye wabonisa umonde ixesha elide kunokuba ubulindele? Khumbula, asizange sizahlulele kuYehova kangangexesha elithile okanye kuphela ukusa kwiArmagedon. Uzahlulelo lwethu lolukanaphakade. Ngoko ke, “ekwenzeni okulungileyo masingethi amandla; kuba sovuna ngexesha elililo, ukuba asityhafi.”—Galati 6:9.

15. (a) AmaSirayeli akhalazela oobani? (b) Ukuzahlulela kwethu kuYehova kusishukumisa njani ukuba sithobele igunya lolawulo lobuthixo?

¹⁵ Okokugqibela, uPawulos walumkisa ‘ngokukhalazela’ abakhonzi bakaYehova abamiselweyo. (1 Korinte 10:10, NW) AmaSirayeli amkhalazela ngamandla uMoses noAron xa iintlola ezili-10 kwezili-12 ezazithunywe ukuya kuhlola ilizwe lakwaKanan zabuya neengxelo ezimbi. Ade athetha nangokushenxisa uMoses angabi yonkokeli yawo nangokubuyela eYiputa. (Numeri 14:1-4) Namhlanje, ngaba siyalwamkela ukhokelo olunikelwa kuthi ngokusebenza komoya oyingcwele kaYehova? Ngokubona isithebe sokomoya esinentabalala esilungiselelwe ludidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo, kucacile ukuba uYesu usebenzisa bani ekunikeleni “ukudla ngexesha elifanelekileyo.” (Mateyu 24:45) Ukuzahlulela ngomphefumlo uphela kuYehova kufuna ukuba sibonise intlonelo ngabakhonzi bakhe abamiselweyo. Kwanga asingefani nabakhalazi abathile banamhlanje abaye ngokufuziselayo baguqukela kwintloko entsha, ukuze ibakhokele ibabuyisele ehlabathini.

Ngaba Ndenza Konke Endinokukwenza?

16. Yiyiphi imibuzo ekusenokufuneka abakhonzi bakaThixo abazahluleleyo bazibuze yona?

¹⁶ AmaSirayeli ayengenakuze awele kwiimpazamo ezinzulu ngolo hlobo ukuba ayekhumbule ukuba ayengazahlulelanga kuYehova phantsi kweemeko ezithile. Ngokwahlukileyo kuloo maSirayeli angenalukholo, uYesu Kristu waphila ngokuvisisana nozahlulelo lwakhe kwada kwasekupheleni. Njengabalandeli bakaKristu, sixelisa umzekelo wakhe wokuzinikela ngomphefumlo uphela, ubomi bethu ‘asibuphileli ezinkanukweni zabantu, sibuphilela ekuthandeni kukaThixo.’ (1 Petros 4:2; thelekisa eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 5:15.) Ukuthanda kukaYehova namhlanje kukuba ‘basindiswe bonke abantu, bafikelele ekuyazini inyaniso.’ (1 Timoti 2:4) Ukuze sifeze oko, sifanele sizishumayele “ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani” ngaphambi kokuba isiphelo sifike. (Mateyu 24:14) Senza umgudu ongakanani kule nkonzo? Kusenokufuneka sizibuze oku, ‘Ngaba ndenza konke endinokukwenza?’ (2 Timoti 2:15) Iimeko zethu azifani. UYehova uyakholiswa kukukhonzwa “ngokoko asukuba enako umntu, kungabi ngokoko angenako.” (2 Korinte 8:12; Luka 21:1-4) Akukho bani ufanele agwebe ubunzulu nokunyaniseka kokuzahlulela komnye. Ngamnye ufanele ngokobuqu ahlolisise uzahlulelo lwakhe kuYehova. (Galati 6:4) Uthando lwethu ngoYehova lufanele lusishukumisele ukuba sibuze, ‘Ndinokumvuyisa njani uYehova?’

17. Kunxulumene njani ukuzahlulela noxabiso? Zekelisa.

¹⁷ Uzahlulelo lwethu kuYehova luba nzulu njengoko sikhula ekumxabiseni. Inkwenkwana eneminyaka eli-14 ubudala yaseJapan yazahlulela kuYehova yaza yafuzisela oku kuzahlulela ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Kamva, yafuna imfundo ephakamileyo nokuba sisazinzulu. Ayizange icinge ngobulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, kodwa njengomkhonzi ozahluleleyo, yayingafuni kumshiya uYehova nentlangano yakhe ebonakalayo. Ukuze ikwazi ukufikelela umsebenzi owawulusukelo lwayo, yaya eyunivesithi. Apho yabona abaphumelele eyunivesithi benyanzelwa ukuba banikele ngobomi babo buphela kwiinkampani zabo okanye kwizifundo zabo. Yazibuza, ‘Yintoni endiyihlalele apha? Ngaba ngokwenene ndingalandela indlela yabo yobomi ndize ndizinikele emsebenzini wempangelo? Ngaba andizahlulelanga kuYehova?’ Inoxabiso olutsha, yaba nguvulindlela othe ngxi. Ukuqonda kwayo ukuzahlulela kwayo kwaba nzulu kwaza kwayishukumisela ukuba igqibe entliziyweni yayo ukuba iye naphi na apho yayifuneka khona. Yaya kwiSikolo Sokuqeqesha Abalungiseleli yaza yafumana isabelo sokukhonza njengomvangeli wasemazweni kwelinye ilizwe.

18. (a) Kubandakanyeke okungakanani ekuzahluleleni kwethu kuYehova? (b) Nguwuphi umvuzo esinokuwufumana ngokuzahlulela kwethu kuYehova?

¹⁸ Ukuzahlulela kubandakanya ubomi bethu buphela. Simele sizincame size “imihla ngemihla” silandele umzekelo omhle kaYesu. (Luka 9:23) Sakuba sizincamile, asiceli mvume yokuba sekhefini kuYehova. Ubomi bethu buvisisana nemigaqo uYehova ayibekela abakhonzi bakhe. Nakwizinto esinokuzenzela ukhetho lobuqu, kuyingenelo ukubona enoba senza unako nako ukuze siphile ubomi ngokuvisisana nozahlulelo lwethu kuYehova. Njengoko simkhonza imihla ngemihla, sisenza konke esinokukwenza ukuze simkholise, siya kuphumelela njengamaKristu yaye siya kusikelelwa ngokwamkelwa nguYehova, Lowo ufanelwe kukuzinikela kwethu ngomphefumlo uphela.

Ngaba Unokucacisa?

◻ Ukuzahlulela kwakubandakanya ntoni kuYesu Kristu?

◻ Kutheni sifanele sikuphephe ukukhalazela uYehova?

◻ Yiyiphi indlela esinokungaluvumeli ngayo unqulo-zithixo ukuba lungene ngokuchuliweyo ebomini bethu?

◻ Kukukhumbula ntoni okuya kusinceda ‘singatyhafi’ ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]

AmaKristu azahluleleyo ‘akethi mandla ekwenzeni okulungileyo’