“Yibani Ngcwele Nani Kuyo Yonke Ihambo Yenu”

“Ngokuvumelana naLowo uNgcwele wanibizayo, kanjalo yibani ngcwele nani kuyo yonke ihambo yenu, ngenxa yokuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa: ‘Nimele nibe ngcwele, ngenxa yokuba mna ndingcwele.’”—1 PETROS 1:15, 16.

1. Kwakutheni ukuze uPetros akhuthaze amaKristu ukuba abe ngcwele?

KWAKUTHENI ukuze umpostile uPetros anikele isiluleko esingasentla? Kungenxa yokuba wabona ukuba umKristu ngamnye ufanele azilinde iingcinga nezenzo zakhe ukuze zihlale zivisisana nobungcwele bukaYehova. Ngenxa yoko, amazwi angasentla wawatshayelela ngokuthi: “Iingqondo zenu ziqiniseleni umsebenzi, gcinani iingqiqo zenu ngokupheleleyo . . . Njengabantwana abathobekileyo, yekani ukumilisa ngokweminqweno enaninayo ngaphambili ekungazini kwenu.”—1 Petros 1:13, 14.

2. Sasiyintoni isizathu sokuba sibe neminqweno engendawo ngaphambi kokufunda inyaniso?

² Iminqweno yethu yangaphambili yayingendawo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba inkoliso yethu yayiphila ngeendlela zehlabathi ngaphambi kokwamkela inyaniso njengamaKristu. UPetros wayekwazi oku xa wabhala ngokuphandle esithi: “Lanele ixesha elidluleyo lokuba nisebenze ukuthanda kweentlanga xa naniqhubeka nezenzo zehambo evakalala, ezinkanukweni, ekuzinkcinkceni ngewayini, kwiziyunguma, ezindywaleni, nakunqulo-zithixo olungekho mthethweni.” Kakade ke, uPetros akazange azikhankanye izenzo ezingendawo ezikhoyo kumhla wethu, kuba zazingaziwa ngoko.—1 Petros 4:3, 4.

3, 4. (a) Sinokuyoyisa njani iminqweno emibi? (b) Ngaba amaKristu afanele angabi nazimvakalelo? Cacisa.

³ Ngaba uphawulile ukuba le minqweno ityekele kwinyama, izivamvo neemvakalelo? Xa siyivumela ukuba isilawule, kunokuba lula ukuba sicinge yaye senze izinto ezingendawo. Oku kubonisa indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba izenzo zethu zilawulwe ngamandla engqiqo. UPawulos wakubeka ngolu hlobo oku: “Ngenxa yoko ndiyanibongoza ngeemfesane zikaThixo, bazalwana, ukuba niyinikele imizimba yenu ibe yimibingelelo ephilayo, engcwele, eyamkelekileyo kuThixo, inkonzo ke leyo engcwele ngokwamandla enu engqiqo.”—Roma 12:1, 2.

⁴ Ukuze sinikele imibingelelo engcwele kuThixo, simele silawulwe ngamandla engqiqo, kungekhona aweemvakalelo. Bangaphi abaye bawela ekuziphatheni okubi ngenxa yokuvumela iimvakalelo zabo zilawule ihambo yabo! Oko akuthethi ukuba simele sizicinezele iimvakalelo zethu; ukuba besinokwenjenjalo, besinokuyivuyela njani inkonzo kaYehova? Noko ke, ukuba sifuna ukuvelisa isiqhamo somoya kunokuvelisa imisebenzi yenyama, ngoko simele sivisisanise iingqondo zethu nendlela kaKristu yokucinga.—Galati 5:22, 23; Filipi 2:5.

Ubomi Obungcwele, Ixabiso Elingcwele

5. Sasiyintoni isizathu sokuba uPetros ayiphaphele imfuneko yobungcwele?

⁵ Sasiyintoni isizathu sokuba uPetros abuphaphele kangaka ubungcwele bamaKristu? Kungenxa yokuba wayelazi kakuhle ixabiso elingcwele elalihlawulwe ukuhlangula uluntu oluthobelayo. Wabhala: “Niyazi ukuba kwakungekhona ngezinto ezinokonakala, ngesilivere okanye igolide, enathi nahlangulwa kuhlobo lwehambo yenu engenasiqhamo enayifumana ngokwesithethe kookhokho benu. Kodwa kwakungegazi elixabisekileyo, njengelo lemvana engenasiphako nengenabala, elikaKristu kanye.” (1 Petros 1:18, 19) Ewe, uMthombo wobungcwele, uYehova uThixo, wathumela uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, “Lowo uNgcwele,” emhlabeni ukuze abe yintlawulelo eyayiza kwenza abantu babe nolwalamano oluhle noThixo.—Yohane 3:16; 6:69; Eksodus 28:36; Mateyu 20:28.

6. (a) Kutheni kungekho lula ukuba nehambo engcwele? (b) Yintoni enokusinceda sigcine ihambo yethu ingcwele?

⁶ Noko ke, kufuneka siqonde ukuba akukho lula ukuphila ubomi obungcwele ngoxa siphila kwihlabathi likaSathana elonakeleyo. Uwabekela imigibe amaKristu okwenyaniso, aphila kwinkqubo yakhe yezinto. (Efese 6:12; 1 Timoti 6:9, 10) Iingcinezelo zomsebenzi wempangelo, ukuchaswa yintsapho, ukugculelwa esikolweni nengcinezelo yoontanga zifuna ukuba ubani omelele ngokomoya ukuze ahlale engcwele. Oko kubalaselisa ukubaluleka kofundisiso lwethu lobuqu nokuya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. UPawulos waluleka uTimoti: “Hlala ubambe isizekelo samazwi aphilileyo owaweva kum ngokholo nothando olunxibelelene noKristu Yesu.” (2 Timoti 1:13) Loo mazwi aphilisayo siweva kwiHolo yethu yoBukumkani kwanakwizifundo zethu zamakhaya zeBhayibhile. Anokusinceda sibe ngcwele kwihambo yethu yemihla ngemihla kwiinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobomi.

Ihambo Engcwele Entsatsheni

7. Ubungcwele bufanele bubuchaphazele njani ubomi bethu bentsapho?

⁷ Xa uPetros wayecaphula iLevitikus 11:44, wasebenzisa igama lesiGrike elithi haʹgi·os, elithetha “ukwahlukana nesono yaye ngaloo ndlela ukungcwaliselwa uThixo, ukuba ngcwele.” (An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, W. E. Vine) Kufanele kusichaphazele njani oku kubomi bethu bentsapho njengamaKristu? Ngokuqinisekileyo kumele ukuba kuthetha ukuba ubomi bentsapho bufanele busekelwe eluthandweni, kuba “uThixo uluthando.” (1 Yohane 4:8) Uthando lokuzincama lufana neoli phakathi kolwalamano lwamaqabane atshatileyo naphakathi kwabazali nabantwana.—1 Korinte 13:4-8; Efese 5:28, 29, 33; 6:4; Kolose 3:18, 21.

8, 9. (a) Yiyiphi imeko eye ibekho kwikhaya lamaKristu maxa wambi? (b) Sisiphi isiluleko esiphilileyo esinikelwa yiBhayibhile kulo mbandela?

⁸ Sisenokucinga ukuba ukubonakalisa uthando olunjalo bekuya kuba yinto elula kwintsapho yamaKristu. Sekunjalo, kumele kuvunywe ukuba kwamanye amakhaya amaKristu, uthando alusoloko lulawula ngomlinganiselo obelufanele lulawule ngawo. Lusenokubonakala ngathi lukho eHolweni yoBukumkani, kodwa hayi indlela obusenokufiphala lula ngayo ubugcwele bethu xa sisemakhaya. Sisenokukhawuleza silibale ukuba umfazi usengudade wethu ongumKristu okanye silibale ukuba indoda isekwangulaa mzalwana (yaye mhlawumbi isicaka solungiselelo okanye umdala) ebesisenza ngathi siyamhlonela eHolweni yoBukumkani. Siye siphelelwe ngumonde, size siqalise ukuxambulisana. Sisenokude siqalise ukuphila ubomi obumbaxa. Ulwalamano luye luyeke ukuba lolwendoda nomfazi abaxelisa uKristu lube lolwendoda nomfazi abangavisisaniyo. Bayalibala ukuba kufanele kubekho imeko-bume yobungcwele ekhaya. Banokude baqalise ukuthetha njengabantu behlabathi. Hayi indlela ekunokuba lula ngayo ukuba omnye athethe amazwi ahlabayo naphoxayo!—IMizekeliso 12:18; thelekisa IZenzo 15:37-39.

⁹ Noko ke, uPawulos ululeka ngelithi: “Makungaphumi lizwi libolileyo [ngesiGrike, loʹgos sa·prosʹ, “intetho engcolileyo,” ngoko ke engendawo] emlonyeni wenu, kodwa mayibe lilo naliphi na ilizwi elilungele ukwakha njengoko kusenokuba yimfuneko, ukuze libanike oko kukholekileyo abevayo.” Yaye oko kubhekisela kubo bonke abevayo abasekhaya, kuquka abantwana.—Efese 4:29; Yakobi 3:8-10.

10. Isiluleko sokuba ngcwele sisebenza njani ebantwaneni?

¹⁰ Olu khokelo lobungcwele lusebenza ngendlela efanayo kubantwana bentsapho yamaKristu. Hayi indlela ekunokuba lula ngayo ukuba bafike ekhaya besuka esikolweni baze baqalise ukuthetha ngokunemvukelo nangendelelo njengoontanga babo behlabathi! Bantwana, musani ukuxelisa izimo zengqondo zamakhwenkwe angenasimilo awathuka umprofeti kaYehova nafana nawanamhlanje akrwada nangabanyelisi. (2 Kumkani 2:23, 24) Intetho yenu ayifanele idyojwe yintetho ebolileyo yasesitratweni esetyenziswa ngabantu abakonqenayo okanye abangakukhathalelanga ukusebenzisa intetho enesidima. NjengamaKristu, intetho yethu ifanele ibe ngcwele, ibe mnandi, ibe yeyakhayo, eyobubele yaye ‘inongwe ngetyuwa.’ Ifanele isenze sahluke kwabanye abantu.—Kolose 3:8-10; 4:6.

Ubungcwele Namalungu Angakholwayo Eentsapho Zethu

11. Kutheni ukuba ngcwele kungathethi ukuzenza abalunge ngokugqith’ emgceni?

¹¹ Ngoxa sikuphaphele ukuqhelisela ubungcwele, asifanele sizenze abantu abaphakamileyo nabalunge ngokugqith’ emgceni, ngokukodwa xa siqhubana namalungu entsapho angakholwayo. Ihambo yethu elungileyo yamaKristu ifanele iwancede aqonde ukuba sahlukile ngendlela eyingenelo, kwanokuba siyakwazi ukubonakalisa uthando nemfesane, kanye njengoko wenzayo umSamariya olungileyo womzekeliso kaYesu.—Luka 10:30-37.

12. AmaKristu atshatileyo anokuyenza njani ibe nomtsalane ngakumbi inyaniso kumaqabane awo?

¹² UPetros wabethelela ukubaluleka kwesimo sengqondo esifanelekileyo kumalungu angakholwayo eentsapho zethu xa wayebhalela abafazi abangamaKristu: “Ngohlobo olufanayo, nina bafazi, wathobeleni amadoda enu, ukuze, ukuba nawaphi na akalithobeli ilizwi, azuzeke ngaphandle kwelizwi ngehambo yabafazi bawo, ngenxa yokuba eye angamangqina okuzibonela ehambo yenu enyulu ndawonye nentlonelo enzulu.” Umfazi ongumKristu (okanye kwanendoda) unokuyenza ibe nomtsalane ngakumbi inyaniso kwiqabane elingakholwayo ukuba ihambo yakhe inyulu, unolwazelelelo yaye unentlonelo. Oku kuthetha ukuba ucwangciso lwakhe lobuthixo lufanele lube bhetyebhetye ukuze iqabane elingakholwayo lingaziva lityeshelwe okanye lingakhathalelwanga.a—1 Petros 3:1, 2.

13. Maxa wambi abadala nezicaka zolungiselelo banokuwanceda njani amadoda angakholwayo ayiqonde inyaniso?

¹³ Maxa wambi abadala nezicaka zolungiselelo banokuba luncedo ngokuzama ukuqhelana neqabane elingakholwayo. Ngale ndlela lisenokubona ukuba amaNgqina angabantu abaqhelekileyo, abanesidima nabanomdla kwizinto ezininzi ezahlukahlukeneyo, kwanakwimibandela engekho Bhayibhileni. Ngokomzekelo, omnye umdala wabonakalisa umdla kwenye indoda eyayikuthanda ukuloba iintlanzi. Oko kwanela ukuqalisa ubuhlobo. Ekugqibeleni loo ndoda yaba ngumzalwana obhaptiziweyo. Ukanti, enye indoda engakholwayo yayinomdla kwimilonji. Abadala abazange baxakwe koko. Omnye wabo wafundisisa ngezo ntaka ukuze xa ephinda edibana naloo ndoda, akwazi ukuncokola nayo ngezo ntaka izithandayo! Ngoko ke, ukuba ngcwele akuthethi ukuba ngqongqo okanye ukungabi nengqondo ephangaleleyo.—1 Korinte 9:20-23.

Sinokuba Ngcwele Njani Ebandleni?

14. (a) Yiyiphi enye yeendlela uSathana alihlasela ngayo ibandla? (b) Sinokuyiphepha njani imigibe kaSathana?

¹⁴ USathana uMtyholi ngumhlebi, kuba igama lesiGrike elithi uMtyholi, di·aʹbo·los, lithetha “ummangaleli” okanye “umhlebi.” Intlebendwane yenye yezinto abalasele ngazo, yaye uyazama ukuyisebenzisa nasebandleni. Eyona ndlela ayithandayo lulwimi. Ngaba siyazivumela ukuba sibe zizixhobo zakhe kule hambo ingendawo? Kunokwenzeka njani oko? Ngokuluqalisa, ngokuluphinda-phinda, okanye ngokuluphulaphula. Umzekeliso wobulumko uthi: “Indoda ephambukayo ingenisa ingxabano; nentlebi yahlula amakholwane.” (IMizekeliso 16:28) Yintoni enokuluthintela ulwimi nentlebendwane? Sifanele siqiniseke ukuba intetho yethu isoloko iyeyakhayo yaye isekelwe eluthandweni. Ukuba sikhangela iimpawu ezintle kuneempawu ezimbi ekuthiwa banazo abazalwana bethu, iincoko zethu ziya kuhlala zimnandi yaye zizezokomoya. Khumbula ukuba kulula ukuhlaba amadlala. Yaye umntu okudizela amahlebo abanye usenokuhleba nangawe kwabanye!—1 Timoti 5:13; Tito 2:3.

15. Ziziphi iimpawu zikaKristu eziya kwenza bonke abasebandleni bahlale bengcwele?

¹⁵ Ukuze ibandla lihlale lingcwele, sonke sifanele sibe nengqondo kaKristu, yaye sazi ukuba olona phawu lwakhe lubalaseleyo luthando. Ngaloo ndlela, uPawulos waluleka abaseKolose ukuba babe nomsa njengoKristu esithi: “Ngako oko, njengabanyulwa bakaThixo, abangcwele nabathandwayo, yambathani umsa onofefe wemfesane, ububele, ukuthobeka kwengqondo, ubulali, nokuzeka kade umsindo . . . , nixolelane ngesisa . . . Ngaphandle kwazo zonke ezo zinto, yambathani uthando, kuba lungumxokelelwane ogqibeleleyo womanyano.” Emva koko wongezelela: “Kanjalo, uxolo lukaKristu malulawule ezintliziyweni zenu.” Ngokuqinisekileyo xa sinalo moya wokuxolela, sinokululondoloza umanyano nobungcwele bebandla.—Kolose 3:12-15.

Ngaba Ubungcwele Bethu Buyabonakala Elumelwaneni?

16. Kutheni unqulo lwethu olungcwele lufanele lube lunqulo olonwabisayo?

¹⁶ Kuthekani ngabamelwane bethu? Basijonga njani? Ngaba sibonakalisa ukuba inyaniso iyavuyisa, okanye ngaba siyenza ibonakale njengomthwalo? Ukuba singcwele kanye njengoko uYehova engcwele, oko kufanele kubonakale kwindlela esithetha ngayo nakwihambo yethu. Kufanele kucace ukuba unqulo lwethu olungcwele lunqulo olonwabisayo. Ngasiphi isizathu? Ngenxa yokuba uYehova uThixo wethu nguThixo owonwabileyo, ofuna abanquli bakhe bavuye. Ngenxa yoko, umdumisi wayenokuthi ngabantu bakaYehova bamandulo: “Hayi, uyolo lwabantu abaThixo unguYehova!” Ngaba thina siyalubonakalisa olo yolo? Ngaba nabantwana bethu babonakalisa ukwaneliseka ngokuba phakathi kwabantu bakaYehova eHolweni yoBukumkani nasezindibanweni?—INdumiso 89:15, 16; 144:15b.

17. Yintoni esifanele siyenze ukubonakalisa ukuba ubungcwele bethu bulungelelene?

¹⁷ Kwakhona sinokukubonakalisa ukuba ubungcwele bethu bulungelelene ngokuba nentsebenziswano nangokuba nobuhlobo. Maxa wambi kuye kufuneke ukuba abamelwane basebenze kunye, mhlawumbi becoca indawo yabo okanye, njengoko kunjalo kwamanye amazwe, bancedise ekuphuculeni iindlela ezincinane nezinkulu. Kwakhona, ubungcwele bethu bunokubonakala nakwindlela esizinyamekela ngayo izitiya, amabala, okanye ezinye izinto zethu. Ukuba sishiya inkunkuma ithe saa okanye ukuba ibala lendlu yethu alibukeki, mhlawumbi lineenqwelo-mafutha ezindala, ngaba sinokuthi siyabahlonela abamelwane bethu?—ISityhilelo 11:18.

Ubungcwele Emsebenzini Nasesikolweni

18. (a) Yintoni eyingxaki kumaKristu anamhlanje? (b) Sinokwahluka njani ehlabathini?

¹⁸ Umpostile uPawulos wabhalela amaKristu awayehlala kwisixeko esingendawo saseKorinte: “Ndanibhalela eleteni yam ukuba niyeke ukuxubana kunye nabahenyuzi, ndingathethi ngokupheleleyo ngabahenyuzi beli hlabathi okanye abantu ababawayo nabaphangi okanye abanquli-zithixo. Kungenjalo, okunene bekuya kufuneka niphume ehlabathini.” (1 Korinte 5:9, 10) Le yingxaki kumaKristu, ekufuneka axubane nabantu abaziphethe kakubi okanye abangayinanzanga imilinganiselo yokuziphatha mihla le. Kuluvavanyo lwengqibelelo olunzima, ngokukodwa kwiindawo apho ukukhathazwa kwabesini esahlukileyo, ukunganyaniseki, kukhuthazwa okanye kuthethelelwa. Kwindawo enjalo asinako ukuyehlisa imilinganiselo yethu ukuze “samkeleke” kwabo basingqongileyo. Kunoko, ihambo yethu yamaKristu elungileyo kodwa eyahlukileyo ifanele isenze sibonakale sahlukile kubantu abaqiqayo, kwabo bayiphapheleyo intswelo yabo yokomoya nabafuna okuthile okubhetele.—Mateyu 5:3; 1 Petros 3:16, 17.

19. (a) Bantwana, ziziphi iimvavanyo enijamelana nazo esikolweni? (b) Yintoni abanokuyenza abazali ukuxhasa abantwana babo nehambo yabo engcwele?

¹⁹ Ngokufanayo, abantwana bethu bajamelana neemvavanyo ezininzi esikolweni. Bazali, ngaba nikhe niye kwizikolo abafunda kuzo abantwana benu? Ngaba niyazi ukuba baphila kwimeko-bume enjani? Ngaba lukho unxibelelwano phakathi kwenu nabafundisi-ntsapho? Kutheni ibalulekile nje le mibuzo? Kungenxa yokuba kwiindawo zasezidolophini ezininzi, izikolo ziye zaba ziindawo zogonyamelo, iziyobisi nesini. Abantwana bakho banokuyigcina njani ingqibelelo nehambo yabo ingcwele ukuba abayifumani ngokupheleleyo inkxaso enothando kubazali babo? Ngokufanelekileyo uPawulos waluleka abazali: “Nina boyise, musani ukubacaphukisa abantwana benu, khon’ ukuze bangafi intliziyo.” (Kolose 3:21) Enye indlela yokubacaphukisa abantwana kungokungaziqondi iingxaki neemvavanyo zabo zamihla le. Ukuzilungiselela izilingo zasesikolweni kuqalisa kwimeko-bume yokomoya yekhaya lamaKristu.—Duteronomi 6:6-9; IMizekeliso 22:6.

20. Kutheni bubalulekile nje ubungcwele kuthi sonke?

²⁰ Ekuqukumbeleni, kutheni bubalulekile kuthi sonke ubungcwele? Kungenxa yokuba buyasikhusela kwimpembelelo yehlabathi likaSathana nakwindlela yalo yokucinga. Buyintsikelelo ngoku yaye buya kuba yiyo nakwixesha elizayo. Busenza sibe nesiqinisekiso sokufumana ubomi obuya kuba bubomi bokwenene kwihlabathi elitsha lobulungisa. Busenza silungelelane, kube lula ukuthetha nathi, sibe ngamaKristu akwaziyo ukuncokola—singabi nenzondelelo yempambano. Ngamafutshane, busenza sifane noKristu.—1 Timoti 6:19.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Uyakhumbula Na?

◻ Kwakutheni ukuze uPetros akubone kuyimfuneko ukululeka amaKristu ngobungcwele?

◻ Kutheni kungekho lula ukuphila ubomi obungcwele?

◻ Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuphucula ubungcwele entsatsheni?

◻ Ukuze ibandla lihlale lingcwele, yiyiphi ihambo engendawo esifanele siyiphephe?

◻ Sinokuhlala njani singcwele emsebenzini nasesikolweni?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16, 17]

NjengamaNgqina kaYehova, sifanele sikuvuyele ukukhonza uThixo naxa sisenza ezinye izinto