Karama Muhimu za Kiroho

Kuna msemo unaosema hivi, "Iwapo anafanana na bata, na anatembea kama bata, na anadanganya kama bata, basi ni bata." Wimbo huu wa hoja ni mbali na mpya. Yesu alisema, "Mtawatambua kwa matunda yao." Na tena katika Mathayo 12:35-37: “Mtu mwema katika hazina njema ya moyo wake hutoa yaliyo mema; na kwa maneno yako utahukumiwa.” Ona hapa kwamba Bwana anasema, “wewe” kwa kuwa anazungumza nasi kila mmoja bila kumhukumu mtu ye yote. Neno la Bwana ili kuzuia ushawishi (chachu) mbaya kutoka kwa maisha yetu, na muhimu vile vile, kutoka kwa wale wote wanaojitahidi kufanya mapenzi ya Mungu.

There is an adage that goes something like this, "If it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck." This rea-soning is far from new. Jesus said, "You shall know them by their fruit." And again in Matthew 12:35-37: “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things…For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned." Note here that the Lord says, "you" in that He is speaking to us individually not judging anybody. Yet the thought clearly is that we should be discerning, and use the wisdom contained in the Lord’s Word to keep harmful influences (leaven) out of our lives, and just as important, from all those striving to do God’s will.

Kwa hivyo ni muhimu kwamba tutofautishe kati ya kuhukumu matunda na kuhukumu, kutafuta makosa na kuhukumu moyo na nia ya mtu mwingine. Bwana alitupa mifano mingi na maagizo kuhusu jinsi tunavyopaswa kuenenda kwa Roho...na hitaji ni kuwa na moyo mnyenyekevu usiolaani au kubinafsisha tabia mbaya. Roho hii imetiwa ndani katika usemi huo wa kale, “Ichukie dhambi, si mtenda-dhambi.” Wakati huo huo kama ilivyoonyeshwa hapo juu, Mungu anatupa Neno lake kwamba tunapaswa kupambanua kati ya lililo jema na lililo baya (Waebrania 5:14), au kinyume na mapenzi yake.

So it is necessary that we distinguish between judging fruitage and judg-ing, finding fault and condemning another’s heart and motives. The Lord gave us many examples and instruction concerning how we are to walk after the Spirit...and needful is having a humble heart that does not condemn or personalize bad behavior. This spirit is embodied in that old expression, “Hate the sin, not the sinner.” At the same time as noted above, God gives us His Word that we should discern between that which is good and that which is evil (Hebrew 5:14), or contrary to His will.

Tafadhali soma mfano ambao Yesu alitoa wa mwenye dhambi, kama kila mmoja wetu (Warumi 3:9-10), ambaye kwa unyenyekevu aliomba msamaha na kwenda zake na kuhesabiwa haki, dhambi zake hazikuhesabiwa kwake, na mtu mwingine ambaye pia ni mwenye dhambi, ambaye alijiona kuwa mwenye haki, hakuhesabiwa haki. Mfano huu wa Farisayo na Publi-can walioomba katika Luka 18:10 unazingatia umuhimu wa karama ya kiroho ya unyenyekevu (Wagalatia 5:22-23) kama hali pekee ambayo kwayo tunaweza kupokea neema ya Mungu tunapomkaribia. kupitia Mwanawe, kwa kuwa “Mungu huwapinga wajikuzao, bali huwapa neema wanyenyekevu” (1 Petro 5:5).

Please read the parable that Jesus gave of a sinner, like every one of us (Romans 3:9-10), who humbly sought forgiveness and went away justified, his sins not imputed to him, while another man, also a sinner, who saw him-self as righteous, was not justified. This parable of the Pharisee and Publi-can who prayed given in Luke 18:10 is centered on the importance of the spiritual gift of humility (Galatians 5:22-23) as the only condition by which we can receive God's grace when approaching Him through His Son, since "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5).

Kama yule mtoza ushuru katika mfano huo aliyejinyenyekeza mbele za Mungu, ndivyo walivyofanya wanawake walioosha miguu ya Yesu kwa nywele na machozi yake. Yesu hakupinga kwamba alikuwa mwenye dhambi, lakini alimwambia Simoni, Mfarisayo, katika Luka 7:47: “Dhambi zake ambazo ni nyingi zimesamehewa; kwa maana alipenda sana; bali aliyesamehewa kidogo, huyo hupenda kidogo.” Hili ni tamko la kutilia maanani, kwa kuwa linaeleza uwiano mzuri kati ya kusamehe na kusamehewa. Kama Mtoza ushuru, mwanamke huyu alijua kwamba alikuwa mwenye dhambi, na alionyesha upendo wake kwa Bwana ambaye alikuja “si kuharibu,” kama alivyowaambia Yakobo na Yohana, “bali kuokoa” ( Luka 9:56 ) “Mungu ni upendo." Na hapa Yesu alionyesha mfano wake kwa Baba yetu wa Mbinguni kwa kuwaonyesha huruma kila wakati wale wanaotafuta rehema kama ilivyo katika mifano hii miwili , Baba yenu wa mbinguni atawasamehe ninyi pia.” Katika jambo linalohusiana na hilo katika Mathayo 6:14 tunasoma, “Kisha Petro akamwendea, akasema, Bwana, ndugu yangu anikose mara ngapi nami nimsamehe hata mara saba? Jibu ambalo Yesu alitoa katika mstari unaofuata ni la kushangaza na linaonyesha jinsi Mungu anavyotupenda sana, kama vile wenye dhambi Yesu alivyosema, “Sisemi hata mara saba, bali hata mara sabini mara saba. Hapa Bwana anatuagiza tuonyeshe rehema siku zote na bila kukoma, kama vile Yeye anavyo rehema….. kumsamehe mkosaji anayerudia na kutubu tena na tena na tena na tena msamaha kwa makosa yale yale?” Kutokana na jibu lililo wazi, tukumbuke kile anachoonya katika Mathayo 18:21, “Bali msipowasamehe watu makosa yao, wala Baba yenu wa mbinguni hatawasamehe ninyi makosa yenu.” Kwa wazi upendo unapita hukumu, na unyenyekevu hutuwezesha kuwaweka wengine juu yetu wenyewe kwa ajili ya thawabu kubwa zaidi inayotokana na utii (Yohana 6:15).

Like the Publican in the above parable who humbled himself before God, so did the women who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair and tears. Jesus didn’t dispute that she was a sinner, but told Simon, the Pharisee, in Luke 7:47: “Her sins which are many are forgiven; for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” This is a statement to take to heart, for it states a positive correlation between forgiving, and being for-given. Like the Publican, this woman knew she was a sinner, and demon-strated her love for the Lord who came “not to destroy," as He told James and John, “but to save” (Luke 9:56). “God is Love.” And here Jesus demon-strated His likeness to our Heavenly Father by always showing mercy to the humble; all those seeking mercy as in these two examples. Also remember what Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:14, “For if we forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” In a related matter in Matthew 18:21 we read, “Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” The an-swer Jesus gave in the verse that follows is amazing and demonstrates how GREATLY God loves us, even as sinners. Jesus said, “I say not to you until seven times, but until seventy times seven.” Here the Lord is instructing us to always and continually show mercy, just as He is merciful…..to forgive the repeating and repenting offender over and over again. Now I ask, “How of-ten do we go to the Lord to ask forgiveness for the same offenses?” Given the obvious answer, let us remember what He warns in Matthew 6:15, “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Fa-ther forgive your trespasses.” Clearly love transcends judgment, and humili-ty enables us to put others above ourselves for that greater reward that comes from obedience (John 14:23).

Sasa jiulize swali, “Je, tunapaswa kujiamini zaidi na kujiamini zaidi kadri ujuzi na uelewa wetu unavyokua?” Naamini jibu ni “HAPANA”; kwamba kinyume chake ni kweli. Maarifa na ufahamu mwingi zaidi unapaswa kutufanya tuwe wanyenyekevu zaidi, kama vile Yesu Mwenyewe alivyokuwa mnyenyekevu, kwani tunapokua katika kuthamini Utukufu wa Mungu, umuhimu wetu wenyewe unapaswa kupungua sana dhidi ya ufahamu huo. Na kama Maandiko yanavyofundisha, kadiri tunavyojifunza zaidi na kadiri ufahamu wetu unavyokuwa mkubwa zaidi, ndivyo inavyohitajika zaidi kwetu (Luka 12:48). Kwa njia za Mungu sikuzote ni kuu zaidi kuliko zetu (Isaya 55:8-9), tunapaswa kuwa wanyenyekevu kikweli, tukimtazamia Bwana kila mara kwa ajili ya ufahamu mkuu, mchakato usioisha, hata wa milele. Pia tunapaswa kukumbuka kila wakati kwamba wale tunaoshirikiana nao ni watoto wa Bwana, na kutupatia haki ya kuingilia kati kwa kuwahukumu. Kwa bwana wake mwenyewe atasimama au kuanguka (Warumi 14:4).

Now ask yourself the question, “Should we become more self-confident and sure of ourselves as our knowledge and understanding grow?” I believe the answer is “NO”; that the opposite is actually true. Greater knowledge and understanding should make us much more humble, even as Jesus Him-self was humble, for as we grow in appreciation of the Glory of God, our own significance should greatly diminish against that understanding. And as the Scriptures teach, the more we learn and the greater our understanding, the more will be required of us (Luke 12:48). With God's ways always far great-er than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), we should be truly humble, looking always to the Lord for greater understanding, an unending, even eternal process. We should also always keep in mind that those we interact with are the Lord's children, giving us no right to interfere by judging them. To his own master he will stand or fall (Romans 14:4).

Lakini tofauti na bata iliyotolewa katika msemo wa ufunguzi ambao umewekwa katika mwendo wake wa kimwili, mwanadamu, aliyeumbwa kwa mfano wa Mungu (Mwanzo 1:27), anaweza kuupita mwili na kuenenda kwa Roho, ikiwa nia ya moyo wake ni kutembea na Mungu. Mungu. Hata hivyo, kwanza lazima anyenyekee chini ya mkono wa Mungu ulio hodari, na aonyeshe upendo wake kwa Mungu kwa kushika amri Zake. Ndipo karama za kiroho zitang’aa (Wagalatia 5:22-23). Njoo; twende pamoja katika Roho wa upendo wa Mungu!

But unlike the duck given in the opening adage that is set in his fleshly course, man, created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), can transcend the flesh and walk after the Spirit, if his heart’s desire is to walk with God. How-ever, first he must humble himself under the mighty hand of God, and demonstrate his love for God by keeping His commandments. Then spiritual gifts will shine forth (Galatians 5:22-23). Come; let us walk together in the Spirit of God’s love!