Gcina ‘Ithemba Lakho Losindiso’ Liqaqambile!

“Sinxibe . . . nesigcina-ntloko esilithemba losindiso.”—1 TESALONIKA 5:8.

1. “Ithemba losindiso” lisinceda njani ukuba sinyamezele?

ITHEMBA losindiso linokumnceda ubani abambelele kwanaphantsi kwezona meko zinzima. Umntu owaphukelwe yinqanawa aze akhwele kwisihlenga unako ukunyamezela kangangexesha elidana xa esazi ukuba kukho uncedo oluzayo. Ngendlela efanayo, sele kungamawaka eminyaka ithemba ‘losindiso lukaYehova’ lilondoloza amadoda namabhinqa okholo ebudeni bamaxesha eengxaki, kwaye eli themba alikhange liwadanise. (Eksodus 14:13; INdumiso 3:8; Roma 5:5; 9:33) Umpostile uPawulos wafanisa “ithemba losindiso” “nesigcina-ntloko” sesikrweqe sokomoya samaKristu. (1 Tesalonika 5:8; Efese 6:17) Ewe, ukuba nentembelo kwethu ekubeni uThixo uya kusisindisa kukhusela iingqondo zethu, kuyasinceda sigcine iingqiqo zethu kwanaphantsi kobunzima, intshutshiso nezilingo.

2. Kungaziphi iindlela elithi “ithemba losindiso” libe ngundoqo kunqulo lokwenyaniso?

² IThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ithi: “Ithemba eliphathelele ikamva lalingeyonto ibalaseleyo kubahedeni,” abantu ababengqonge amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala. (Efese 2:12; 1 Tesalonika 4:13) Ukanti, “ithemba losindiso” lingundoqo kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Njani? Okokuqala, usindiso lwabakhonzi bakaYehova lunxibelelene negama lakhe. Umdumisi uAsafu wathandaza esithi: “Sincede, Thixo wosindiso lwethu, ngenxa yozuko lwegama lakho; usihlangule uzigubungele izono zethu ngenxa yegama lakho.” (INdumiso 79:9; Hezekile 20:9) Ngaphezu koko, kubalulekile ukuba nentembelo kwiintsikelelo ezithenjiswe nguYehova ukuze sibe nolwalamano olulungileyo naye. UPawulos wayichaza ngolu hlobo le nto: “Ngaphandle kokholo akunakwenzeka ukumkholisa kakuhle, kuba lowo uzayo kuThixo umele akholwe ukuba ukho nokuba ungumvuzi wabo bamfuna ngenyameko.” (Hebhere 11:6) Ukongezelela, uPawulos wachaza ukuba ukusindiswa kwabantu abaguqukayo kwakusesona sizathu siphambili sokuza kukaYesu emhlabeni. Wavakalisa oku: “Lithembekile yaye lifanelwe kukwamkelwa ngokupheleleyo ilizwi elithi uKristu Yesu weza ehlabathini ukuze asindise aboni.” (1 Timoti 1:15) Kwaye umpostile uPetros wabhekisela kusindiso ‘njengesiphelo [okanye umphumo] wokholo lwethu.’ (1 Petros 1:9) Kucacile ukuba kuyinto efanelekileyo ukuba nethemba lokusindiswa. Kodwa luyintoni kanye kanye usindiso? Kwaye yintoni efunekayo ukuze ubani alufumane?

Luyintoni Usindiso?

3. Hlobo luni losindiso olwafunyanwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova bamandulo?

³ KwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, igama elithi “usindiso” lidla ngokuthetha ukuncedwa okanye ukuhlangulwa kwingcinezelo okanye ekubulaweni ngendlela enogonyamelo nangaphambi kwexesha. Ngokomzekelo, ebiza uYehova ngokuthi ‘nguMsindisi,’ uDavide wathi: “UThixo wam liliwa lam. . . . Nendawo endisabela kuyo, uMsindisi wam; undisindisa kugonyamelo. Ndiya kubiza kuLowo ungowokudunyiswa, uYehova, yaye ndiya kusindiswa kwiintshaba zam.” (2 Samuweli 22:2-4) UDavide wayesazi ukuba uYehova uyaphulaphula xa abakhonzi Bakhe abathembekileyo bekhalela uncedo.—INdumiso 31:22, 23; 145:19.

4. Liliphi ithemba ababenalo abakhonzi bakaYehova ababephila ngaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu?

⁴ Abakhonzi bakaYehova ababephila ngaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu babenalo nabo ithemba lobomi bexesha elizayo. (Yobhi 14:13-15; Isaya 25:8; Daniyeli 12:13) Enyanisweni, uninzi lwezithembiso zokuhlangulwa ezifumaneka kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere zaziprofeta ngosindiso olubalasele nangakumbi—usindiso olukhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade. (Isaya 49:6, 8; IZenzo 13:47; 2 Korinte 6:2) Ngomhla kaYesu, amaYuda amaninzi ayenethemba lobomi obungunaphakade, kodwa awazange avume ukwamkela uYesu njengondoqo ekuzalisekisweni kwethemba lawo. UYesu wazixelela oku iinkokeli zonqulo zexesha lakhe: “Niyaziphengulula iZibhalo, ngenxa yokuba nicinga ukuba ngazo niya kuba nobomi obungunaphakade; yaye zona zizo kanye ezinikela ubungqina ngam.”—Yohane 5:39.

5. Ngokusisiseko luthetha ntoni usindiso?

⁵ Esebenzisa uYesu, uThixo wayityhila yonke intsingiselo yosindiso. Iquka ukukhululwa ekulawulweni sisono, kumakhamandela onqulo lobuxoki, kwihlabathi elilawulwa nguSathana, ekoyikeni abantu nasekoyikeni ukufa. (Yohane 17:16; Roma 8:2; Kolose 1:13; ISityhilelo 18:2, 4) Ngokusisiseko, kubakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo, usindiso lukaThixo aluthethi kuhlangulwa kwingcinezelo nakubunzima kuphela kodwa lukwathetha ithuba lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 6:40; 17:3) UYesu wafundisa ukuba ‘kumhlambi omncinane,’ usindiso luthetha ukuvuselwa kubomi basezulwini ukuze ube nesabelo kulawulo loBukumkani kunye noKristu. (Luka 12:32) Kwinxalenye eseleyo yabantu, usindiso luthetha ukubuyiselwa kubomi obufezekileyo nakulwalamano kunye noThixo awayenalo uAdam noEva kumyezo wase-Eden ngaphambi kokuba bone. (IZenzo 3:21; Efese 1:10) Ubomi obungunaphakade phantsi kweemeko ezibuparadesi babuyinjongo kaThixo yantlandlolo ngoluntu. (Genesis 1:28; Marko 10:30) Noko ke, kunokwenzeka njani ukuba iimeko ezinjalo ziphinde zibuyiselwe?

Undoqo Wosindiso—Intlawulelo

6, 7. Iyintoni indima kaYesu kusindiso lwethu?

⁶ Usindiso olungunaphakade lunokufumaneka kuphela ngedini lentlawulelo likaKristu. Njani? IBhayibhile iyachaza ukuba xa uAdam wonayo, ‘wazithengisa’ esonweni yena kunye nayo yonke inzala eyayiza kuvela ngaye, kuquka nathi—ngenxa yoko kwafuneka intlawulelo ukuze uluntu lukwazi ukufumana naliphi na ithemba elibambekayo. (Roma 5:14, 15; 7:14) Isibakala sokuba uThixo wayeza kulungiselela intlawulelo yoluntu lonke safuziselwa ngamadini ezilwanyana awayesenziwa phantsi koMthetho kaMoses. (Hebhere 10:1-10; 1 Yohane 2:2) Lidini likaYesu elazalisekisa loo mifuziselo yesiprofeto. Ingelosi kaYehova yavakalisa oku ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu: “Uya kusindisa abantu bakowabo ezonweni zabo.”—Mateyu 1:21; Hebhere 2:10.

⁷ UYesu wazalwa yintombi enyulu uMariya ngendlela engummangaliso, kwaye njengoNyana kaThixo, akazange asizuze njengelifa isono sika-Adam. Esi sibakala kunye nekhondo lakhe lokuthembeka okugqibeleleyo lenza ubomi bakhe banexabiso elifunekayo ukuze uluntu luthengwe kwakhona esonweni nasekufeni. (Yohane 8:36; 1 Korinte 15:22) Ngokwahlukileyo kubo bonke abanye abantu, uYesu wayengagwetyelwanga ukufa ngenxa yesono. Weza emhlabeni ukuze “anikele ngomphefumlo wakhe ube yintlawulelo ngenxa yabaninzi.” (Mateyu 20:28) Ekubeni eye wenjenjalo, ngoku uYesu ovusiweyo waza wabekwa etroneni unokukwazi ukusindisa bonke abafanelekayo kuThixo.—ISityhilelo 12:10.

Yintoni Efunekayo Ukuze Ubani Afumane Usindiso?

8, 9. (a) UYesu wawuphendula njani umbuzo owawuphathelele usindiso womlawuli oselula owayesisityebi? (b) UYesu wasisebenzisa njani esi sihlandlo ukuze afundise abafundi bakhe?

⁸ Ngenye imini, umlawuli wakwaSirayeli oselula nowayesisityebi wabuza uYesu oku: “Ndenze ntoni na ukuze ndibudle ilifa ubomi obungunaphakade?” (Marko 10:17) Umbuzo wakhe usenokuba wawubonisa indlela yokucinga yamaYuda elo xesha—eyokuba uThixo ufuna kwenziwe imisebenzi ethile emihle yaye xa ubani eyenza ngokwaneleyo loo misebenzi, unokuluzuza usindiso kuThixo. Kodwa olo hlobo lozinikelo lokudlulisa nje usana kunina lunokuqhutywa kukuzingca. Loo misebenzi yayinganiki ithemba eliqinisekileyo losindiso, kuba kaloku akukho mntu ungafezekanga unokuyifikelela ngokwenene imilinganiselo kaThixo.

⁹ Ephendula umbuzo wale ndoda, uYesu wayikhumbuza nje ukuba ifanele ithobele imithetho kaThixo. Lo mlawuli uselula wamqinisekisa ngokukhawuleza uYesu ukuba wayeyigcine ukususela ebutsheni bakhe. Intsabelo yakhe yabangela ukuba uYesu amthande. UYesu wathi kuye: “Kukho nto inye uyiphosayo: Hamba, uye kuthengisa izinto onazo, unike amahlwempu, yaye uya kuba nobuncwane ezulwini, uze ube ngumlandeli wam.” Noko ke, lo mfana wahamba ebuhlungu, “kuba wayenezinto ezininzi.” Emva koko uYesu wayibethelela kubafundi bakhe into yokuba ukuziphosa nofele kwizinto zeli hlabathi kuba ngumqobo wokufumana usindiso. Wongezelela esithi akukho namnye unokufumana usindiso ngeendlela zakhe. Kodwa ke uYesu wahlabela mgama ebaqinisekisa ngelithi: “Kubantu akunakwenzeka, kodwa akunjalo kuThixo, kuba zonke izinto zinokwenzeka kuThixo.” (Marko 10:18-27; Luka 18:18-23) Lunokufumaneka njani usindiso?

10. Ziziphi iinkalo esimele sihlangabezane nazo ukuze sifumane usindiso?

¹⁰ Usindiso lusisipho esivela kuThixo, kodwa aluzenzekeli nje. (Roma 6:23) Kukho izinto ezithile umntu ngamnye afanele ahlangabezane nazo ukuze afanelekele eso sipho. UYesu wathi: “UThixo walithanda kakhulu ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.” Kwaye umpostile uYohane wongezelela esithi: “Lowo ubonisa ukholo kuNyana unobomi obungunaphakade; lowo ungamthobeliyo uNyana akayi kububona ubomi.” (Yohane 3:16, 36) Kuyacaca ukuba uThixo ufuna ukholo nentobelo kumntu ngamnye onethemba lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade. Ngamnye umele enze isigqibo sokwamkela intlawulelo aze alandele amanyathelo kaYesu.

11. Umntu ongafezekanga unokumkholisa njani uYehova?

¹¹ Ekubeni singafezekanga, ukuthobela akulotyekelo lwethu lwemvelo yaye asinakukwazi ukuthobela ngokugqibeleleyo. Kungoko uYehova esilungiselele intlawulelo ukuze igubungele izono zethu. Noko ke, simele siqhubeke sizabalazela ukuphila ngokuvisisana neendlela zikaThixo. Njengoko uYesu wamxelelayo umlawuli oselula osisityebi, simele sigcine imithetho kaThixo. Ukwenjenjalo akwaneli kumkholisa nje kuphela uThixo kodwa kukwazisa uvuyo olukhulu, kuba “ayinzima imiyalelo yakhe”; ‘iyahlaziya.’ (1 Yohane 5:3; IMizekeliso 3:1, 8) Sekunjalo, akusoloko kulula ukubambelela kwithemba losindiso.

“Nilulwele Nzima Ukholo”

12. Ithemba losindiso limomeleza njani umKristu ukuze axhathise izihendo zokuziphatha okubi?

¹² Umfundi uYude wayefuna ukubhalela amaKristu okuqala ‘ngosindiso awayesabelana nawo ngalo.’ Noko ke, ukuziphatha okubi okwakwesamele kwamshukumisela ekubeni aluleke abazalwana bakhe ukuba ‘balulwele nzima ukholo.’ Ewe, ukuze ubani afumane usindiso, akwanelanga ukuba nokholo, ukunamathela kukholo lokwenene lwamaKristu, nokuthobela xa izinto zonke zihamba kakuhle. Uzinikelo lwethu kuYehova lumele lomelele ngokwaneleyo ukuze lusincede sixhathise izihendo neempembelelo zokuziphatha okubi. Noko ke, ukuzifica ngokugqithisileyo nenkanuko egqwethekileyo yesini, ukungahloneli igunya, iiyantlukwano kunye namathandabuzo zazesamele kumoya webandla lenkulungwane yokuqala. Ukuze alincede lilwe notyekelo olunjalo, uYude wabongoza amanye amaKristu ukuba ayigcine ithe thaa ezingqondweni zawo eyona njongo yawo: “Zintanda, ngokuzakha kolwenu ukholo olulolona lungcwele, nokuthandaza ninomoya oyingcwele, zigcineni kuthando lukaThixo, ngoxa nilindele inceba yeNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu nikhangele kubomi obungunaphakade.” (Yude 3, 4, 8, 19-21) Ithemba lokufumana usindiso lalinokuwomeleza kumlo wawo wokuhlala ecocekile ngokokuziphatha.

13. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba asiyiphosi injongo yobubele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo?

¹³ UYehova uThixo ulindele ukuba abo aza kubanika usindiso baziphathe ngendlela engumzekelo. (1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Noko ke, ukubambelela kwimilinganiselo kaThixo yokuziphatha akuthethi ukuba masigwebe abanye. Ayisithi abafanele bagqibe ngekamva elingunaphakade labanye abantu. Kunoko, nguThixo oza kwenjenjalo, njengoko uPawulos waxelela amaGrike aseAthene esithi: “Umise imini anenjongo ngayo yokuba agwebe umhlaba omiweyo ngobulungisa ngendoda ayimiseleyo”—uYesu Kristu. (IZenzo 17:31; Yohane 5:22) Ukuba siphila ngokuba nokholo kwintlawulelo kaYesu, akuyomfuneko ukuba soyike imini ezayo yomgwebo. (Hebhere 10:38, 39) Into ebalulekileyo kukuba singaze ‘samkele ububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo [ukuxolelaniswa kwethu naye ngentlawulelo] size siyiphose injongo yabo’ ngokuzivumela ukuba sihendelwe kwiingcamango nakwihambo ephosakeleyo. (2 Korinte 6:1) Ukongezelela koko, xa sinceda abanye ukuba bafumane usindiso, sibonisa ukuba asiyiphosi injongo yenceba kaThixo. Sinokubanceda njani?

Ukwabelana Nabanye Ngethemba Losindiso

14, 15. UYesu wasinika bani isabelo sokusasaza iindaba ezilungileyo zosindiso?

¹⁴ Ecaphula amazwi kamprofeti uYoweli, uPawulos wabhala: “Wonk’ ubani obiza egameni likaYehova uya kusindiswa.” Waphinda wongezelela esithi: “Noko ke, baya kubiza njani na kulowo bangakholwanga kuye? Baya kukholwa njani na kulowo bangevanga ngaye? Baya kuva njani na kungekho bani ushumayelayo?” Kwiindinyana ezimbalwa ezilandelayo, uPawulos uthi ukholo aluzenzekeli nje, kunoko, “lulandela oko kuviweyo,” ngamany’ amazwi, ‘ilizwi elingoKristu.’—Roma 10:13, 14, 17; Yoweli 2:32.

¹⁵ Ngubani oza kusa ‘ilizwi elingoKristu’ ezintlangeni? Eso sabelo uYesu wasinika abafundi bakhe—ababesele befundisiwe ngelo “lizwi.” (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Yohane 17:20) Xa sishumayela ngoBukumkani yaye sisenza abafundi, senza kanye oko umpostile uPawulos wabhala ngako, ngesi sihlandlo ecaphula amazwi kaIsaya athi: “Hayi indlela ezibukeka ngayo iinyawo zabo bavakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo zezinto ezilungileyo!” Kwanokuba abaninzi abazamkeli iindaba ezilungileyo esiza nazo, iinyawo zethu ‘ziyabukeka’ kuYehova.—Roma 10:15; Isaya 52:7.

16, 17. Yiyiphi injongo entlu-mbini ephunyezwa ngumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?

¹⁶ Ukuzalisekisa olu thumo kuphumeza iinjongo ezimbini ezibalulekileyo. Okokuqala, iindaba ezilungileyo zimele zishunyayelwe ukuze igama likaThixo lizukiswe nokuze abo bafuna ukusindiswa bazi ukuba bamele benze ntoni na. UPawulos wayeyiqonda le nkalo yothumo. Wathi: “Enyanisweni, uYehova ubeke umyalelo phezu kwethu wathi, ‘Ndikumisele njengokhanyiselo lweentlanga, ukuze wena ube lusindiso ukusa eziphelweni zomhlaba.’” Ngenxa yoko, njengabafundi bakaKristu, ngamnye wethu umele abe nesabelo ekuseni isigidimi sosindiso ebantwini.—IZenzo 13:47; Isaya 49:6.

¹⁷ Okwesibini, ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo kwakha isiseko somgwebo wobulungisa kaThixo. Ethetha ngaloo mgwebo, uYesu wathi: “Xa uNyana womntu efika esebuqaqawulini bakhe, nazo zonke iingelosi zikunye naye, uya kwandula ke ahlale phantsi kwitrone yakhe yobuqaqawuli. Kwaye zonke iintlanga ziya kuhlanganiselwa phambi kwakhe, abahlule abantu omnye komnye, kanye njengokuba umalusi esahlula izimvu ezibhokhweni.” Nangona ukugweba nokwahlula kuza kwenziwa “xa uNyana womntu efika esebuqaqawulini bakhe,” umsebenzi wokushumayela unika abantu banamhlanje ithuba lokugqala abazalwana bokomoya bakaKristu baze ngaloo ndlela babaxhase ukuze bazifumanele usindiso olungunaphakade.—Mateyu 25:31-46.

Hlala ‘Uqiniseke Ngokupheleleyo Ngethemba’

18. Sinokuligcina njani ‘ithemba lethu losindiso’ liqaqambile?

¹⁸ Ukuwukhuthalela kwethu umsebenzi wokushumayela kukwasinceda nathi sigcine ithemba lethu liqaqambile. UPawulos wabhala: “Sinqwenela ukuba ngamnye wenu akhuthale ngokufanayo khon’ ukuze nibe nokuqiniseka ngokupheleleyo ngethemba lenu kude kuse ekupheleni.” (Hebhere 6:11) Ngoko, ngamana ngamnye wethu anganxiba ‘isigcina-ntloko esilithemba losindiso,’ ngaloo ndlela ekhumbula ukuba “uThixo wasabela, kungekhona ingqumbo, kodwa ukuzuza usindiso ngeNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.” (1 Tesalonika 5:8, 9) Kwakhona masisithobele isibongozo sikaPetros esithi: “Iingqondo zenu ziqiniseleni umsebenzi, hlalani nithe qwa ngokupheleleyo; bekani ithemba lenu kububele obungasifanelanga obuza kuziswa kuni.” (1 Petros 1:13) Bonke abenjenjalo baya kulibona ‘ithemba labo losindiso’ lizalisekiswa ngokupheleleyo!

19. Yintoni esiza kuyiqwalasela kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁹ Okwangoku sifanele silijonge njani ixesha eliseleyo lale nkqubo? Sinokulisebenzisa njani elo xesha ukuze sifumane usindiso thina kunye nabanye? Le mibuzo siza kuyiqwalasela kwinqaku elilandelayo.

Ngaba Unokuchaza?

• Kutheni simele sigcine ‘ithemba lethu losindiso’ liqaqambile?

• Luquka ntoni usindiso?

• Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sifumane isipho sosindiso?

• Yintoni ephunyezwa ngumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela kwinjongo kaThixo?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]

Usindiso luthetha okungakumbi kunokuhlangulwa nje entshabalalweni