Ubani Oyosihlukanisa Nothando LukaNkulunkulu?
Ubani Oyosihlukanisa Nothando LukaNkulunkulu?
“Kepha thina, sinothando, ngoba yena wasithanda kuqala.”—1 JOHANE 4:19.
1, 2. (a) Kungani kubalulekile kithi ukwazi ukuthi siyathandwa? (b) Olukabani uthando esiludinga kakhulu?
KUBALULEKE kangakanani kuwe ukwazi ukuthi uyathandwa? Kusukela beyizinsana baze babe badala, abantu bayachuma lapho bethandwa. Wake wambuka umntwana egonwe unina ngothando? Ngokuvamile, noma ngabe kwenzekani lapho bekhona, umntwana ugqolozela unina njengoba emamatheka, ukhululekile, uzolile ezandleni zikanina omthandayo. Noma usakhumbula ukuthi wawunjani ngezikhathi zakho zobusha, kokunye ezaziba nokuphazamiseka? (1 Thesalonika 2:7) Kungenzeka ngezinye izikhathi wawungazi nokuthi ufunani noma ngisho ukuthi uzizwa kanjani, kodwa yeka indlela okwakubaluleke ngayo ukwazi ukuthi uyihlo nonyoko bayakuthanda! Kwakungakusizi yini ukwazi ukuthi ungaxoxa nabo nganoma iyiphi inkinga noma umbuzo? Ngempela, kukho konke ukuphila, esinye sezidingo zethu ezinkulu ukuthandwa. Uthando olunjalo luyasiqinisekisa ukuthi sibalulekile.
2 Ngokuqinisekile, ukuhlala komuntu ethandwa abazali bakhe kunengxenye ekukhuleni kahle nokulinganisela. Nokho, ukuqiniseka ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova, uyasithanda kubaluleke nakakhulu enhlalakahleni yethu engokomoya nengokomzwelo. Abanye abafundi balo magazini kungenzeka ababanga nabazali ababebanakekela ngempela. Uma kwakunjalo kuwe, qina idolo. Ngisho noma uthando lwabazali lwalungekho noma lwaphela, uthando oluqotho lukaNkulunkulu luyangenela.
3. UJehova uye wabaqinisekisa kanjani abantu bakhe ukuthi uyabathanda?
3 Ngomprofethi wakhe u-Isaya, uJehova waphawula ukuthi umama ‘angalukhohlwa’ usana lwakhe olusancela, kodwa Yena wayengeke abakhohlwe abantu baKhe. (Isaya 49:15) Ngokufanayo, uDavide washo ngokuqiniseka: “Ngokuba ubaba nomame bangishiyile, kodwa uJehova uzakungamukela.” (IHubo 27:10) Yeka indlela okuqinisekisa ngayo! Kungakhathaliseki izimo zakho, uma uye wakha ubuhlobo noJehova uNkulunkulu ngokuzinikezela kuye, kufanele ukhumbule njalo ukuthi izinga akuthanda ngalo lilidlulela kude noma yimuphi umuntu akuthanda ngalo!
Zigcine Usothandweni LukaNkulunkulu
4. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala aqinisekiswa kanjani ngothando lukaNkulunkulu?
4 Wazi nini ngothando lukaJehova? Cishe okwenzeka kuwe kuthi akufane nokwenzeka kumaKristu ekhulu lokuqala. Isahluko sesihlanu sencwadi kaPawulu eya kwabaseRoma siyichaza kahle indlela izoni, ezazikade ziqhelelene noNkulunkulu, ezalwazi ngayo uthando lukaJehova. Evesini 5, siyafunda: “Uthando lukaNkulunkulu luthululelwe ezinhliziyweni zethu ngomoya ongcwele, esawuphiwa.” Evesini 8, uPawulu uyanezela: “UNkulunkulu utusa uthando lwakhe siqu kithi ngoba, ngesikhathi siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.”
5. Kwénzeka kanjani ukuba uqonde izinga lothando lukaNkulunkulu?
5 Ngokufanayo, lapho uthola iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi uqala ukubonisa ukholo, umoya ongcwele kaJehova waqala ukusebenza enhliziyweni yakho. Ngale ndlela waqala ukuqonda ubukhulu balokho uJehova akwenza ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo ukuba izokufela. Kanjalo, uJehova wakusiza ukuba uqonde ukuthi usithanda kangakanani ngempela isintu. Inhliziyo yakho ayithintekanga yini lapho uqaphela ukuthi nakuba wawuzalwe uyisoni esikude naye, uJehova wayevulele abantu indlela yokuba kuthiwe balungile babe nethemba lokuphila okungenasiphelo? Awuzizwanga yini umthanda uJehova?—Roma 5:10.
6. Kungani singase sizizwe singasondelene kangako noJehova ngezinye izikhathi?
6 Njengoba wawudonswe uthando lukaYihlo osezulwini, walungisa nokuphila kwakho ukuze wamukeleke kuye, wanikezela ukuphila kwakho kuNkulunkulu. Manje ujabulela ukuthula noNkulunkulu. Nokho, ingabe ngezinye izikhathi uzizwa ungasondelene kangako noJehova? Lokho kungenzeka kunoma ubani kithi. Kodwa khumbula njalo ukuthi uNkulunkulu akashintshi. Uthando lwakhe aluguquguquki, lunjengelanga lona elingayeki ukukhiphela imisebe yalo yokukhanya efudumele emhlabeni. (Malaki 3:6; Jakobe 1:17) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, thina singashintsha—ngisho noma kungaba okwesikhashana. Njengoba umhlaba uphenduka, enye ingxenye yale planethi imbozwa ubumnyama. Ngokufanayo, uma simfulathela uNkulunkulu, ngisho nangezinga elincane, singase sizwe amakhaza ebuhlotsheni bethu naye. Yini esingayenza ukuze silungise leso simo?
7. Ukuzihlola kungasisiza kanjani ukuba sihlale othandweni lukaNkulunkulu?
7 Uma sizizwa sesiqhelaqhelile othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kufanele sizibuze: ‘Ingabe ngiye ngaluthatha kalula uthando lukaNkulunkulu? Ingabe ngiye ngamfulathela kancane kancane ngezinga elithile uNkulunkulu ophilayo nonothando, ngabonisa ukuba nokholo olubuthaka ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene? Ingabe ngiye ngagxilisa ingqondo yami “ezintweni zenyama,” ‘kunasezintweni zomoya’?’ (Roma 8:5-8; Heberu 3:12) Uma siye saqhela kuJehova, singathatha izinyathelo zokulungisa isimo, sibuyele ebuhlotsheni obuseduze nobufudumele naye. UJakobe uyasinxusa: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, naye uyosondela kini.” (Jakobe 4:8) Lalela amazwi kaJude: “Bathandekayo, ngokuzakha okholweni lwenu olungcwele kakhulu, nangokuthandaza ngomoya ongcwele, zigcineni othandweni lukaNkulunkulu.”—Jude 20, 21.
Ukushintsha Kwezimo Akuluthinti Uthando LukaNkulunkulu
8. Yiziphi izinguquko ezingenzeka ngokuzumayo ekuphileni kwethu?
8 Ukuphila kwethu kulesi simiso sezinto kungashintshwa yizinto eziningi. INkosi uSolomoni yaphawula ukuthi ‘sonke sihlangabezana nesikhathi nethuba.’ (UmShumayeli 9:11) Ngokuphazima kweso, ukuphila kwethu kungashintsha ngokuphelele. Namuhla siphile kahle, kusasa kungenzeka sigule sibangwe nezibi. Namuhla umsebenzi wethu wokuziphilisa ubonakala uzinzile, kusasa sesidiliziwe. Ngaphandle kwesixwayiso, ukufa kungasiphuca othandekayo. Ezweni elithile amaKristu angase abe nezimo ezinokuthula isikhathi esithile, bese kuqubuka ushushiso olukhulu kungazelelwe. Mhlawumbe simangalelwa ngamanga, futhi ngenxa yalokho, sihlupheke ngokungafanele. Yebo, ukuphila akuzinzile, akuqinisekile ngokuphelele.—Jakobe 4:13-15.
9. Kungani kungakuhle ukuhlola ingxenye yamaRoma isahluko 8?
9 Lapho sehlelwa yizinto ezidabukisayo, singaqala ukuzizwa silahliwe, size sicabange nokuthi uthando lukaNkulunkulu ngathi selunciphile. Njengoba izinto ezinjalo zingenzeka kithi sonke, kuhle sihlolisise amazwi aduduza kakhulu omphostoli uPawulu akumaRoma isahluko 8. Lawo mazwi ayebhekiswe kumaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya. Nokho, isimiso sawo siyasebenza nakulabo bezinye izimvu, abaye babizwa ngabalungile njengabangane bakaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwakunjalo nango-Abrahama ngezikhathi zangaphambi kobuKristu.—Roma 4:20-22; Jakobe 2:21-23.
10, 11. (a) Izitha zibamangalela ngani abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngezinye izikhathi? (b) Kungani lokho kumangalela kungasho lutho ngempela kumaKristu?
10 Funda amaRoma 8:31-34. UPawulu uyabuza: “Uma uNkulunkulu engakithi, ubani oyomelana nathi?” Yiqiniso, uSathane nezwe lakhe elibi bamelene nathi. Izitha zingase zisimangalele ngamanga, ngisho nasezinkantolo. Abanye abazali abangamaKristu baye bamangalelwa ngokuthi bayazizonda izingane zabo ngoba bengazivumeli ukuba zamukele izinqubo zokwelapha eziphula umthetho kaNkulunkulu noma bengazivumeli ukuba zihlanganyele emikhosini yobuqaba. (IzEnzo 15:28, 29; 2 Korinte 6:14-16) Amanye amaKristu athembekile aye amangalelwa ngamanga ngokuthi avukela umbuso ngoba engavumi ukuyobulala abanye abantu empini noma ukungena kwezombangazwe. (Johane 17:16) Abanye abaphikisi baye basakaza amanga anyundelayo emithonjeni yezindaba, baze ngisho bamangalela oFakazi BakaJehova ngamanga ngokuthi bayihlelo eliyingozi.
11 Kodwa ungakhohlwa ukuthi ngesikhathi sabaphostoli, kwathiwa: “Ngokuqondene nalelihlelo siyazi ukuthi kukhulunywa ngokumelene nalo kuyo yonke indawo.” (IzEnzo 28:22) Kuyini nje ngempela ukumangalelwa ngamanga? NguNkulunkulu obiza amaKristu eqiniso ngokuthi alungile, ngokusekelwe okholweni lwawo emhlatshelweni kaKristu. Angayekelani uJehova ukubathanda abakhulekeli bakhe ngemva kokuba ebaphe isipho esiyigugu kunazo zonke ayengabapha zona—iNdodana yakhe uqobo ethandekayo? (1 Johane 4:10) Manje njengoba uKristu esavuswa kwabafileyo wabekwa kwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, uwamelela ngentshiseko amaKristu. Ubani ongaphika kufanele ukuthi uKristu uyabavikela abalandeli bakhe noma ongasibekela inselele ngokuphumelelayo isahlulelo esihle sikaNkulunkulu kwabathembekile bakhe? Akekho noyedwa!—Isaya 50:8, 9; Heberu 4:15, 16.
12, 13. (a) Yiziphi izimo ezingenakusihlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu? (b) Uyini umgomo kaDeveli wokusidalela izinkinga? (c) Kungani amaKristu egcina enqobe ngokuphelele?
12 Funda amaRoma 8:35-37. Ngaphandle kwethu uqobo, ukhona yini othile noma okuthile okungasihlukanisa nothando lukaJehova neNdodana yakhe, uKristu Jesu? USathane angase asebenzise amanxusa akhe asemhlabeni ukuze adalele amaKristu izinkinga ezinkulu. Kuleli khulu leminyaka elidlule, abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi abangamaKristu baye bashushiswa kanzima emazweni amaningi. Kwezinye izindawo namuhla, abafowethu babhekana nezingcindezi zezomnotho nsuku zonke. Abanye babhekana nobuhlungu bendlala noma ukuntula izambatho ezanele. Uyini umgomo kaDeveli wokubangela lezi zimo ezinzima? Okungenani ngokwengxenye, injongo yakhe iwukudodobalisa ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova kweqiniso. USathane ufuna ukusenza sikholelwe ukuthi uthando lukaNkulunkulu selupholile. Nokho, ingabe kunjalo?
13 NjengoPawulu, owacaphuna iHubo 44:22, siye satadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe. Siyaqonda ukuthi lezi zinto zisehlela ngenxa yegama likaNkulunkulu thina “zimvu” zakhe. Kuhileleke ukungcweliswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu nokulwelwa kobukhosi bakhe bendawo yonke. UNkulunkulu uye wavumela ukulingwa ngenxa yezimpikiswano ezinkulu ezinjengalezi, hhayi ngoba engasasithandi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siyini leso simo esicindezelayo, siyaqinisekiswa ukuthi uthando uNkulunkulu analo ngabantu bakhe, kuhlanganise nomuntu ngamunye kithi, alushintshile. Noma yikuphi okubonakala kuwukunqotshwa esingase sibhekane nakho kuyoba ukunqoba uma sigcina ubuqotho bethu. Isiqinisekiso sothando lukaNkulunkulu olungenakunqamuka siyasiqinisa futhi sisisekele.
14. Kungani uPawulu ayeqiniseka ngothando lukaNkulunkulu naphezu kwezinkinga amaKristu angase abhekane nazo?
14 Funda amaRoma 8:38, 39. Yini eyaqinisekisa uPawulu ukuthi akukho lutho olungahlukanisa amaKristu nothando lukaNkulunkulu? Ngokungangabazeki, izenzakalo ezehlela uPawulu lapho esenkonzweni zamqinisekisa ukuthi izinkinga azinakuludambisa uthando uNkulunkulu analo ngathi. (2 Korinte 11:23-27; Filipi 4:13) Futhi, uPawulu wayeyazi injongo kaJehova yaphakade nendlela ayebaphathe ngayo abantu baKhe esikhathini esidlule. Ingabe ukufa imbala kungalunqoba uthando uNkulunkulu analo ngalabo abaye bamkhonza ngobuqotho? Lutho neze! Abathembekile abanjalo abafayo bayoqhubeka bephila enkumbulweni kaNkulunkulu ephelele, futhi uyobavusa ngesikhathi esifanele.—Luka 20:37, 38; 1 Korinte 15:22-26.
15, 16. Bala ezinye zezinto ezingasoze zamenza uNkulunkulu ayeke ukuthanda izinceku zakhe ezithembekile.
15 Kungakhathaliseki izehlo ezingase zisivelele ekuphileni namuhla—kungaba yingozi ekhubazayo, isifo esibulalayo, noma inhlekelele engokwezimali—akukho lutho olungonakalisa uthando uNkulunkulu analo ngabantu bakhe. Izingelosi ezinamandla, njengengelosi engalaleli eyaba nguSathane, azinakumthonya uJehova ukuba ayeke ukuthanda izinceku zakhe ezizinikele. (Jobe 2:3) Ohulumeni bangazivimbela, bazibophe, bazihlukumeze izinceku zikaNkulunkulu futhi bazibize “ngabantu abangafuneki.” (1 Korinte 4:13) Lokho kuzondwa yizizwe ngokungafanele kungase kucindezele abantu ukuba basijikele, kodwa akumshintshi uMbusi wendawo yonke kumenze asilahle.
16 NjengamaKristu, akudingeki sibe novalo lokuthi kukhona okunganqamula uthando uNkulunkulu analo ngabantu bakhe kulokho uPawulu akubiza ngokuthi ‘izinto ezikhona manje’—izenzakalo nezimo ezikulesi simiso sezinto samanje—noma ‘ezintweni ezizayo’ esikhathini esizayo. Yize amagunya asemhlabeni nawasezulwini elwa nathi, uthando lukaNkulunkulu oluqotho luyosisekela. “Nakuphakama nakujula” akuluthiyi uthando lukaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwagcizelela uPawulu. Yebo, akukho lutho oluzama ukusidonsela phansi noma ukusithonya ngegunya eliphakeme, olungasihlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu; nanoma yini enye edaliwe ayinakubuphazamisa ubuhlobo uMdali anabo nezinceku zakhe ezithembekile. Uthando lukaNkulunkulu alupheli nanini; luhlala phakade.—1 Korinte 13:8.
Wazise Phakade Umusa KaNkulunkulu Wothando
17. (a) Kungani ukuthandwa nguNkulunkulu ‘kumnandi kunokuphila’? (b) Sibonisa kanjani ukuthi siyawazisa umusa kaNkulunkulu wothando?
17 Lubaluleke kangakanani kuwe uthando lukaNkulunkulu? Ingabe uzizwa njengoDavide, owabhala: “Ngokuba umusa wakho umnandi kunokuphila; izindebe zami ziyakukudumisa. Ngiyakukubonga ngisaphila; ngiyakuphakamisa izandla zami egameni lakho”? (IHubo 63:3, 4) Ngempela nje, ikhona yini into enikezwa ukuphila kwaleli zwe engcono kunokujabulela uthando lukaNkulunkulu nobungane bakhe obuqotho? Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe ukuphishekela umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ochumayo kungcono kunokuba nokuthula kwengqondo nenjabulo ebangelwa ukuba nobuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu? (Luka 12:15) Amanye amaKristu kuye kwadingeka akhethe phakathi kokulahla uJehova nokufa. Lokho kwenzeka koFakazi BakaJehova abaningi emakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi eMpini Yezwe II. Ngaphandle kwabambalwa kakhulu, abafowethu abangamaKristu bakhetha ukuhlala othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, bezimisele ukufa uma kudingekile. Labo abahlala ngobuqotho othandweni lwakhe bangaqiniseka ukuthi bayothola ikusasa laphakade kuNkulunkulu, into izwe elingenakusinika yona. (Marku 3:34-36) Kodwa kuhileleke okungaphezu ngisho kokuphila okuphakade.
18. Kungani ukuphila okuphakade kufiseleka kangaka?
18 Nakuba kungenakwenzeka ukuphila phakade ngaphandle kukaJehova, ake uzame ukucabanga ukuthi bekungaba njani ukuphila okude kakhulu ngaphandle koMdali wethu. Bekuyoba okunganelisi, okungenanjongo yangempela. UJehova uye wanika abantu bakhe umsebenzi owanelisayo ukuba bawenze kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. Ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi lapho uJehova, uMfezi Omkhulu Wezinjongo, enikeza ukuphila okuphakade, kuyogcwala izinto ezithakazelisayo nezinenjongo esingazifunda futhi sizenze. (UmShumayeli 3:11) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siyocwaninga kangakanani ezinkulungwaneni zeminyaka ezizayo, ngeke neze sikuqonde ngokugcwele “ukujula kwengcebo nokuhlakanipha nolwazi lukaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 11:33.
UBaba Uyakuthanda
19. Yisiphi isiqinisekiso sokuvalelisa uJesu Kristu asinika abafundi bakhe?
19 Ngo-Nisan 14, 33 C.E., phakathi nobusuku bakhe bokugcina enabaphostoli bakhe abangu-11 abathembekile, uJesu washo izinto eziningi ukuze abaqinisele okwakuseza. Bonke babenamathele kuJesu ekulingweni kwakhe, futhi babeluzwe mathupha uthando analo ngabo. (Luka 22:28, 30; Johane 1:16; 13:1) UJesu wabe esebaqinisekisa: “UBaba ngokwakhe usondelene nani ngokomzwelo.” (Johane 16:27) Yeka indlela lawo mazwi okumelwe ukuba abasiza ngayo abafundi ukuba baqaphele uthando uYise osezulwini analo ngabo!
20. Yini ozimisele ukuyenza, futhi yini ongaqiniseka ngayo?
20 Abaningi abasaphila manje sebenamashumi eminyaka bekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Ngokungangabazeki, kusenokulingwa okuningi esisazobhekana nakho ngaphambi kokuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi. Ukulingwa noma usizi olunjalo malungalokothi lukwenze ungabaze uthando oluqotho uNkulunkulu analo ngawe. Kumelwe ligcizelelwe ngempela leli qiniso: UJehova uyakuthanda. (Jakobe 5:11) Ngamunye wethu makaqhubeke enza ingxenye yakhe, egcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka. (Johane 15:8-10) Kwangathi singasebenzisa wonke amathuba ukuze sidumise igama lakhe. Kufanele siqinise ukuzimisela kwethu ukuqhubeka sisondela kuJehova ngomthandazo futhi sitadishe iZwi lakhe. Noma ngabe yini eyokwenzeka kusasa, uma senza okusemandleni ethu ukujabulisa uJehova, siyohlala sinokuthula, siqiniseka ngokugcwele ngothando lwakhe olungapheli.—2 Petru 3:14.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Olukabani uthando esiludinga ngokukhethekile ukuze siqhubeke sizinzile ngokomoya nangokomzwelo?
• Yiziphi izinto ezingasoze zamenza uJehova ukuba ayeke ukuthanda izinceku zakhe?
• Kungani ukuzwa uthando lukaJehova ‘kumnandi kunokuphila’?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Izithombe ekhasini 13]
Uma sizizwa siqhelile othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, singasebenzela ukulungisa isimo
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
UPawulu wayeqonda ukuthi kungani ayeshushiswa