Ekuqaleni, uNkulunkulu wamisa umkhaya njengesiqalo somphakathi-indawo yokwakha nokukhulisa isimilo, imikhuba, kanye namagugu. “Uhlelo lwemfundo olwasekelwa eEdeni bekuyindawo yangaphakathi yomndeni.” 1. Icebo elingcwele lamukelwa yisizwe soluntu emva kokuwa. Imfundo yeqiniso ingumsebenzi wokuhlenga nokubuyisela umuntu, ukukhulisa umzimba, ingqondo namandla esimoya ngokulandela isimilo sikaKristu. Akulinganiselwanga ekutholeni ulwazi, kodwa ukufuna ukulungisa umuntu ngamunye ukuphila ngokusebenza kulomhlaba kanye nokuphila okuphakade. Isisekelo sawo siseZwini likaNkulunkulu nokuhola kukaMoya Ongcwele. UKristu njengofanekisa uBaba, umxhumanisi phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu, unguThishela omkhulu woluntu, futhi uhlela ukuthi abesilisa nabesifazane babe ngabafanekisa Yena. Umkhaya bewuyisikole, abazali bangothishela. Isimiso sasigcinwa ngokuthembeka ekuphileni kweNkosi uJesu emhlabeni.

“UJesu waphila ekhayeni elimpofu, futhi ngokuthembeka nangenjabulo wenza eYakhe inxenye ukuthwala imithwalo yasekhaya. Ubeyisikhulu sasezulwini, nezingelosi zazithokozela ukuphelelisa izwi Lakhe; manje uyinceku ezinikelayo, indodana ethandekayo, nelalelayo. Wafunda ukuthengisa, futhi ngezandla Zakhe esebenza esitolo sombazi noJosefa. Ngesambatho esilula sesisebenzi esivamile wayehamba ezitaladini zemizi emincane, ehamba ebuyela emsebenzini Wakhe othobekile. Akazange asebenzise amandla Akhe angcwele ukunciphisa imithwalo yakhe noma enze ubelula umsebenzi Wakhe.” 2 Ikhaya Lakhe bekuyisikolo esikhulu, lapho uMariya noJosefa, beholwa izimiso ezingcwele, badlala indima enkulu yokumkhulisa waze wafinyelela ebudodeni. Imvelo yamasiko neyomndeni lapho akhulela khona, ezungezwe imvelo nendlela elula, waphinde wabumba isimilo Sakhe waqinisa ukuxhumana Kwakhe noNkulunkulu nezidingo zabantu.

“Ezinsukwini zikaKristu amaJuda ayenaka kakhulu imfundo yabantwana babo. Izikolo zabo zazihlanganiswe namasinagoge, noma izindawo zokukhonzela, futhi othishela babebizwa orabbi, amadoda okufanele ngabe babefunde kakhulu.

“UJesu akazange afunde kulezikolo, ngoba zazifundisa izinto eziningi ezingamanga. Esikhundleni seZwi likaNkulunkulu, izisho zabantu zazifundiswa, futhi kaningi zaziphambene nalezzo uNkulunkulu akufundisa ngabaprofethi Bakhe.

“UNkulunkulu uqobo ngoMoya Ongcwele watshela uMariya ukuthi angakhulisa kanjani iNdodana Yakhe. UMariya wafundisa uJesu okuvela iMibhalo Engcwele, futhi wafunda ukuzifundela ngoKwakhe.”

Ngokwahlukile kunemfundo uJesu ayithola ekhaya, izikolo zaworabbi esikhathini Sakhe zalahlekelwa umbono weqiniso wemfundo futhi zazigxile kumasiko, kanjalo endaweni yalokho okwenziwa ngokomthetho. Umphumela walemfundo engakhulisi umuntu ukuba axhumane noNkulunkulu noma akhulise isimilo esisekelwe kwizimiso ezingcwele zeqiniso. Ingabe lokhu akufani neqiniso lesikhathi esiphila kuso namuhla-na?

“Imibono yethu maqondana nemfundo mincane kakhulu futhi isezingeni eliphansi. Sikhona isidingo sohlelo olubanzi, inhloso ephakeme. Imfundo yeqiniso isho okukhulu kunokuphokophela indlela ethize yokufunda. Kusho okukhulu kunokulungiselela ukuphila okukhona manje. Kufanele kuhlanganyele umzimba wonke, ngesikhathi sonke sobukhona bomuntu uma kwenzeka. Ukukhala ngokuvumelana komzimba, ingqondo, namandla esimoya. Ilungisele umfundi injabulo yokusebenza kulomhlaba nenjabulo ephakeme yomsebenzi obanzi emhlabeni ozayo. .” 4 Ngeshwa, ezikolweni eziphakeme zalomhlaba, isimilo nobugugu kubalulekile ekuphileni komuntu nokulungiselela iZulu akunakwa. Ngokuqonda amaphutha esikhathi esidlule, singa thola futhi inhlso yangempela yemfundo engcwele.

Imfundo yeqiniso ivela kuNkulunkulu futhi inhloso yayo ingukubuyisela umfanekiso ongcwele kumuntu. Imfundo yeqiniso ayilinganiselwe inzuzo yolwazi lwezikolo eziphakeme, kodwa iqukatha isimoya, isimilo, nokwakha ilingaphakathi lomzimba womuntu. Ngakho-ke ngumsebenzi ongcwele nozothile. Emibhalweni engcwele sibona indlela uNkulunkulu agcizelela ngayo kubazali mayelana nemfundo yabantwana babo. Eqondisa kuAbrahama, iNkosi ithi: “Ngokuba ngiyazi, uyakuyala abantwana bakhe nendlu yakhe emva kwakhe ukugcina indlela kaJehova nokusebenza ukulunga” (Genesis 18:19). Ngenxa yokusondelana kwakhe noNkulunkulu, uAbrahama wafundisa abantwana bakhe izindlela zikaJehova. Ukwenza lokhu kuqiniseke emakhayeni ethu nathi ngokufanayo kumele sikhulise imikhuba yokukhonza ngothando uMsindisi wemiphefumulo yethu, ukufundisa abantwana bethu ukuthi ngomkhuleko banoMhlobo ozolalela wonke amaphupho abo nosizi lwabo. Ukuthi ngokufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke bazoqonda imvelo kaNkulunkulu nokuthi Yena ngothando Lwakhe olunozwelo usiphatha kanjani. Kanjalo bazofunda ukuphatha abanye ngenhlonipho uthando nokubekezela. Bazofunda ukuba nesihawu nobumnene, njengoBaba osezulwini enesihawu nobumnene kwisizwe soluntu asidala ngesisa. Ukuqonda imfundo yeqiniso kusiholela ukuba sibone ukuthi umgomo wokugcina waloluhlelo ungukwakha isimilo, ngoba yiyona ngcebo kuphela esizohamba nayo ukuya eZulwini.

Ukwakhiwa kwesimilo uhlelo oluvamile noluqhubekela phambili lokuphila; isimilo yiyona ingcebo esizohamba nayo eZulwini futhi lokhu kwakhiwa emakhaya. “Isimiso esakhiwa ngokufana okungcwele yiyona ngcebo esingayithatha kulomhlaba ukuya nayo emhlabeni ozayo. Labo abangaphansi kwesiluleko sikaKristu kulomhlaba bazothatha yonke inzuzo engcwele bangene nayo ezigodlweni zezulu. Futhi ezulwini sizolokhu siqhubekela phambili ukuzithuthukisa. Kwakubaluleke kanjani, ngaphambili, ukukhulisa isimilo kulokhu kuphila.” 5 Umsebenzi ongcwele wabazali wokufundisa nokuqondisa abantwana babo ukwesaba nokulalela uNkulunkulu ukuthi ngosizo loMoya Ongcwele bangakhulise isimilo esifana nesika-Baba wethu oseZulwini. INkosi ithi, “Lawamazwi engikuyala ngawo namuhla ayakuba-senhliziyweni yakho, ubafundise impela wona abantwana bakho, uwakhulume lapho uhlezi endlini yakho, nalapho uhamba endleleni, nalapho ulala, nalapho uvuka” (Duteronomi 6:6, 7).

Uma abazali benganaki imfundo yokuqondisa okunikwe nguNkulunkulu nezibopho ezizothile zibekelwa eceleni, abantwana babo bafundiswa isitha semiphefumulo. Indaba kaEli umpristi kufanele idonse ukunaka kwethu. KuSamuweli 1 isahluko 2:12 sitshelwa ukuthi: “Amadodana kaEli ayengabantu ababi, ayengamazi uNkulunkulu.” Abantwana badinga ukunakekelwa nokululekwa ukudlula isikhathi esiphambili, ngoba uSathane ulwela ukulawula izingqondo zabo nezinhliziyo futhi akhiphele ngaphandle uMoya kaNkulunkulu.

“Isimo esisabekayo sabasha namuhla sisekela izimpawu ezinamandla zokuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina, kodwa umonakalo wabaningi ungafunwa futhi ngokuqondile utholakal kwimpatho ephambukile yabazali. Umoya wokukhononda uma besolwa uthe wajula futhi wathela izithelo zokungathobeli abantu abadala. Lapho abazali bengathokoziswa izimilo abantwana babo abazikhulisayo, bayehluleka ukubona amaphutha abenze babe yilokhu abayikho.

Abazali kufanele baqonde ukuthi imfundo yobuKrestu akufanele iqondiswe kulabo abahlakaniphile kuphela, kodwa ekukhuliseni isimilo, ukwakhiwa kokuziphatha, nokubalungiselela ukuphila okuphakade. Angeke bakwazi kahle ukuphelelisa ukuziphendulela kwabo ngaphandle kokuthi bamukele iZwi likaNkulunkulu njengombusi wokuphila kwabo. Kufanele baqonde ukuthi kumele bafundise futhi babumbe isimilo sengcebo yonke yomuntu eyigugu esinikelwe unakekelo lwabo, ekugcineni babone izimiso zemfundo yeqiniso nokubaluleka kokukhulisa isimilo njengohlelo lokuqondisa izinto ezinguphakade. Osukwini lwethu, kumele siqaphele ubungane abantwana bethu ababakhayo. Abalingana nabo ababakhethayo njengabangane abazobasiza ukuba babonise umfanekiso kaBaba wabo oseZulwini noma umfutho wabo uzobonisa inkosana yalomhlaba? Ingabe lokhu okuqukethwe izindaba abakubonayo kuyangcwelisa noma noma kuzokwehlisa ubugugu babo futhi konakalise imikhuba yabo yesimoya? Kubaholele endleleni encane, isibonelo semikhaya sizobaluleka kakhulu.

Imfundo yobuKrestu iqala esikhathini sobuncane ngesibonelo sothishela babo bokuqala, abazali. Yingakho sinxuswa ukuthi amakhaya ethu kumele abeyizulu elincane, ukuze abantwana bafunde ngesibonelo sabazali babo. Kwabase-Galathiya 5:22, 23 izithelo zesimoya zichazwa njengothando, ukujabula, ukuthula, nokubekezela, nobubele, nobuvi, nokukholeka, nobumnene, nokuzithiba-lezimpawu zakha isimilo esiqinile somKrestu. INkosi uSolomoni iyasikhumbuza, “Khulisa umntwana ngendlela eyakuba ngeyakhe; kuyakuthi lapho esekhulile, angasuki kuyo” (Izaga 22:6). Umpostoli uPawule naye uyasincenga ukuba yenziwe kabusha ingqondo nesimilo ngokuya ngentando kaNkulunkulu (Roma 12:2). KuMathewu 5:48 uJesu ngoKwakhe uyasibiza ukuthi siphelele njengoYihlo osezulwini ephelele, okusho ukuthi ukukhula kancane ekufaneni noKristu. Ukukhuliswa kwesimilo uhlelo oluqhubekela phambili lwenguquko edinga ukungenelela koMoya Ongcwele nokuzinikela komuntu ngamunye. Inhloso yokuqala yemfundo yoMkrestu futhi ukuphila kusho ukukhuliswa kwesimilo. “Wonke umuntu, odalwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, wembathiswe amandla afana noMdali wakhe-umuntu ngamunye, labo abangabaholi kwezamabhizinisi, futhi abanesimilo esinomfutho. Ngumsebenzi wemfundo yeqiniso ukukhulisa lamandla, ukufundisa abasha ukuba babe ngabantu abacabangayo, bangabi ngabafanekisa imicabango yabanye abantu. Endaweni yokuminyanisa ukufunda lokhu okushiwo ngabantu noma abakubhalile, vumela abafundi baqondise imisuka yeqiniso, kumasimu abanzi avulelwe ukuhlolwa kwemvelo nesambulo. Vumela ukuba bazindle imicijo emikhulu yomsebenzi nesiphelo, ingqondo izokhula futhi ibenamandla. Endaweni yemfundo ebuthakathaka, izikolo zemfundo zingathumela phambili abantu abanamandla okucabanga nokwenza, abantu abangongqongqoshe kungesizo izigqila zezimeko, abantu abanomqondo obanzi, ukukhanya komqondo, nethemba lokulahlwa yicala.

“Imfundo enjalo isinikeza okukhulu kunemfundo yengqondo; isinikeza okukhulu kunemfundo yomzimba. Iqinisa isimilo, ukuze iqiniso nobuqotho kunganikelwa kwizifiso zikamina noma izifiso zokulangazela izinto ezinkulu. Iqinisa ingqondo ukumelana nobubi. Endaweni yenkanuko yobukhulu nokuba namandla okubhubhisa, konke okuqondiwe nesifiso kuzolethwa ekuvumelaneni nezimiso ezinkulu zobuhle. Njengoba ukuphelela kwesimilo Sakhe kugxiliswa phezu kwaso, ingqondo yenziwa busha, umphefumulo wakhiwa kabusha kumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu.” 7

Abazali kufanele bakhulise indawo ephilile yabantwana babo ngokubagcina-babenze baqaphele-amandla emifutho engalungile nokuthi uhlobo lwalemfutho lungathandela isimilo ekugcineni ubasusele kude noNkulunkulu. “Izenzo, kaningi uma ziphinda-phindwa, zakha imikhuba, imikhuba yakha isimilo. Ngokubekezela yenza imisebenzi emincane yokuphila. Njengoba ubukela phansi ukubaluleka kokwethembeka ezintweni ezincane zokusebenza, ukwakhiwa kwesimilo sakho angeke kwaneliseka. Phambi kwalowo Onamandla-Onke, wonke umsebenzi ubalulekile. INkosi ithi, ‘Othembekile kokuncinyane uthembekile nakokukhulu; ongalungile kokuncinyane kalungile nakokukhulu.’ Ekuphileni koMkrestu weqiniso akukho okudelelekile.” 8

1. Ukuncika kuNkulunkulu: Funa uNkulunkulu imihla yonke ngomkhuleko nangokuhlola iBhayibheli (Filiphu 4:13).

2. Umyalo nokuzibamba: Ukulawula imicabango, amazwi, nezenzo (Izaga 16:32.

3. Ukusebenzela abanye: Ukukhulisa isimilo esihle ngokuthanda nokusiza abanye (Mathewu 25:40).

4. Imiyalo esekelwe kwizimiso ezingcwele kusukela ebuntwaneni: (Izaga 22:6; 2 Thimothi 3:15).

5. Ukuphikelela ekuguqukeni: Ukukhulisa isimilo kunguhlelo oluqhubekele phambili luze lufinyelele lapho umphefumulo ubonakalisa isimilo sikaJesu ngokuphelele (2 Korinte 3:18; Early Writings, p. 71).

Uthishela wabantwana ufakaza ngalokhu iNkosi ekumisile kwicebo elingcwele lwemfundo. Abantwana bafunda kangcono uma behlanganisa ulwazi lomfutho olubazungezile ngokuwusebenzisa imihla yonke yokuphila kwabo. “Kusukela ebuntwaneni kufanele bafunde ukusiza noma umsebenzi wezandla leyo eyenza kubelula ukukhulisa amakhono azoba yisisekelo sokugcina izimpawu ezifana nokuziphendulela, uqeqesho, ukuqinisela, ukubekezela.” Ukwengeza lapho, iyabavumela ukuba baguqule imfundo yokuba namava anomqondo onothisayo obasiza ukuba bangaphumeleli ekuhlolweni kwabo kuphela, kodwa ukubhekana nokuphila ngempumelelo egcwele izinselelo. Konke lokhu kufanele kusekelwe kwiMibhalo Engcwele.

Kusukela ekuqaleni, uNkulunkulu wamisa imfundo njengohlelo oludingekayo. Ku Genesis 1:27 siyatshelwa ukuthi umuntu wadalwa ngofuzo nangomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ulwazi olungcwele kufanele lube yisisekelo semfundiso yonke. Izaga 9:10 uthi: “Ukuqala kokuhlakanipha kungukumesaba uJehova: nokumazi Ongcwele kungukuqonda,” kugcizelela ukuthi imfundo yeqiniso iqala njengesisekelo esiqinile sesimoya okumele sivumelane nesisekelo sesimiso: Umsebenzi wemfundo nomsebenzi wokuhlenga yinto eyodwa,” 9 zigcizelela ukuthi imfundiso kufanele isiholele ekuguqukeni kwesimoya.

1. UKrestu-ungumyombo: UNkulunkulu kufanele abengunyombo wezimfundiso zonke (Kolose 2:3).

2. Okuhlanganisayo: Kufanele kuzungeze umzimba, ukukhuliswa kwengqondo nesimoya (Luka 2:52).

3. Okusebenzayo futhi kuyasebenza: Kungabi ngomcabango kuphela, kodwa kuqondiswe ekuphileni kwemihla ngemihla nomsebenzi kwabanye (Mathewu 25:40).

4. Ukwakheka kwesimilo. Imfundo kufanele ibumbe isimilo esibonakalisa umfanekiso kaKristu. “Ukungazicabangeli kwengamela konke ukukhula kweqiniso. Ngomsebenzi wokungazicabangeli sizuza ukukhula okuphakeme kwamandla onke. Kancane kancane ngokuphelele siba ngabahlanganyeli bemvelo yobungcwele. Silungela izulu, ngoba samukela izulu ezinhliziyweni zethu.” 10

5. Ukuqondisa ethembeni nasekuhlengeni: Lokuqondisa kufanele kulungiselele abantu ukuphila kwanamuhla nokwaphakade. “Umsebenzi wokuphila esikezwe wona owokuba silungiselele ukuphila okuphakade, futhi siphelelelisa lomsebenzi njengoba uNkulunkulu awuhlelile ukuba siwenze, isilingo ngasinye sizosebenzela intuthuko yethu; ngoba uma simelana nesiyengo salo, siyathuthuka ukuya ekuphileni okungcwele. Phakathi kwempi evuthayo, lapho sihlanganyela ngobuqotho empini yesimoya, izithunywa ezingabonwa zisohlangothini lwethu, zithunyelwe yizulu ukusisiza kumshikashika wethu, futhi engozini, amandla nokuqina nokucophelela anikezwa thina, futhi sinokuningi kunamandla omuntu.” 11

Imfundo yobuKrestu ayilinganiselwanga ekhaya noma esikolweni, kodwa ingenisa ibandla njengensika eyisisekelo sokukhulisa isimoya. Ngebandla, abasha bathola iseluleko, ukusekelwa nezibonelo zokukholwa ezizobasiza ukukhulisa ubudlelwano babo noNkulunkulu futhi baqiniselwe isikhathi esizayo.

“Abavela kuwe bayakwakha izincithakalo ezindala: ubuye wakhe izisekelo zezzukulwane ezidlulileyo; ubizwe ngokuthi uMvalisikhala noMlungisi wemikhondo ukuba kuhlalwe khona” (Isaya 58:12). Lobizo olunesizotha luhlanganisa imfundiso.

“USathane uthe wasebenzisa indlela ehlakaniphile yokuthandela amacebo akhe nezimiso kuhlelo lwezemfundo, kanjalo uthola ukubambelela ngamandla ezingqondweni zabantwana nabasha. Ngumsebenzi kathishela weqiniso ukuvimbela amacebo akhe. Singaphansi kwesivulelwano esizothile, esingcwele kuNkulunkulu ukukhulisela abantwana bethu Kuye singabakhuliseli umhlaba; sibafundise ukuthi bangafaki izandla zabo ezandleni zomhlaba, kodwa bamuthande futhi bamesabe uNkulunkulu, futhi bagcine imiyalo Yakhe. Kufanele bathokoziswe umcabango wokuthi bakha umfanekiso woMdali wabo nokuthi uKristu uyisibonelo okufanele basilingise. Ukunaka okukhulu kufanele kunikezwe imfundo ezokwabelana ngolwazi lwensindiso, futhi izoguqula ukuphila nesimilo kubungcwele obufanayo. Uthando lukaNkulunkulu, ukuhlanzeka komphefumulo olukelwe ekuphileni kungathi izintambo zegolide, ezifaneleke ngokweqiniso. Ukuphakama umuntu angafinyelela kukho akukaqondwa ngokuphelele.

“Ukupheleliswa lomsebenzi kuyisisekelo esibanzi okufanele simiswe. Inhloso entsha kufanele ingeniswe futhi ithole indawo, nabafundi kufanele basizwe ukuba basebenzise izimiso zeBhayibheli kukho konke abakwenzayo. Konke okungaqondile, noma yikuphi okuguquliwe emzileni olungile, kufanele kuqondiswe ngokusobala futhi kugwenywe; ngoba ububi abufanele buqhubekele phambili. Kubalulekile ukuthi wonke uthishela kumele athande futhi athokozele izimiso eziphelele nemfundiso, ngoba lokhu ukukhanya okumele kubonakale endleleni yabo bonke abafundi.” 12

“Kepha wena khuluma lokhu okufanele isifundiso esiphilileyo” (Thithu 2:1).

Ukuze senze lomsebenzi kufanele sixhasane omunye nomunye futhi simise uhlu lokuxhumana ukuze lenhloso ipheleliswe. Okwamanje lapha eColombia, ngenxa yeOded Educational Foundation, sikhulisa indlela yokufunda ehlanganisa umuntu wonke. Siphokophele ukuthi sibuyisele umfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ebantwaneni bethu nakubasha, okwakuyicebo lokuqala likaNkulunkulu alimisa ukuze kubuyiselwe uhlelo lwemfundo. Abazali banomthwalo ukunikeza ukuxhumana okubalulekile noNkulunkulu-banikeze ngamava lawo avumela abantwana ukwabelana ngalokhu abakufundile emhlabeni uqobo. Nokho, akuwona umsebenzi wabazali; ibandla liba isisekelo sokusiza ukuba kugcwaliseke lomsebenzi omkhulu.

UNkulunkulu usibizela ukuthi siphile ngokukholwa, kodwa akusho kuphela ukuya enkonzweni noma ukulandela amasiko athize, kodwa ngokuvumela uKristu ukuba akhe izinhliziyo zethu nezimilo zethu. Lenguquko kufanele ibonakale endleleni yethu yokucabanga nokwenza.

Umsebenzi wethu wokuba ukukhanya emhlabeni kuqala ngemfundo yabantwana, abasha, nabadala ukuba bashumayele ivangeli. Kwangathi ukuhlakanipha kweNkosi kungaba isisekelo sethu, ukuze asinike ukuqonda nokusifundisa indlela okumele sihambe ngayo! (Izaga 1:7; Amahubo 32:8.)