1. UJehova usondeza abantu abanjani kuye njalo kungani kumele sihlale sinanzelela lokho okufunwa nguNkulunkulu?

UJESU wathi, ‘Abakhonzi beqiniso bazamkhonza uBaba ngomoya langeqiniso, ngoba yibo abakhonzi abanjalo uBaba abadingayo.’ (UJohane 4:23) Lapho uJehova ethola abantu abanjalo njengoba lawe wakuthola, uyabasondeza kuye laseNdodaneni yakhe. (UJohane 6:44) Leso yisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu! Kodwa abathanda iqiniso leBhayibhili kumele ‘badinge okuthokozisa iNkosi,’ ngoba uSathane uyingcitshi yokuqila.​—Kwabase-Efesu 5:10; ISambulo 12:9.

2. Chasisa ukuthi uJehova ubabona njani labo abahlanganisa inkolo yeqiniso leyamanga.

² Cabanga ngokwenzakala eNtabeni iSinayi lapho ama-Israyeli ecela u-Aroni ukuthi abenzele unkulunkulu. U-Aroni wavuma njalo wenza ithole legolide kodwa wathi lalimela uJehova. Wathi: “Kusasa kuzakuba lomkhosi kaJehova.” UJehova wayengelandaba yini ukuthi bahlanganisa inkolo yeqiniso leyamanga? Hatshi. Wenza ukuthi kubulawe abantu abayizinkulungwane ezintathu ababekhonze isithombe. (U-Eksodusi 32:1-6, 10, 28) Sifundani kulokhu? Nxa sifuna ukuzigcina sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kumele ‘singathinti lutho olungcolileyo’ njalo sivikele iqiniso ukuze lingonakaliswa yiloba yini.​—U-Isaya 52:11; UHezekheli 44:23; KwabaseGalathiya 5:9.

3, 4. Kungani kumele siqakathekise izimiso zeBhayibhili nxa sihlola imikhuba lemikhosi ejayelekileyo?

³ Okudanisayo yikuthi ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, okuyibo ababesenza ukuthi amaKhristu angalandeli izimfundiso zamanga, abantu ababezithi bangamaKhristu ababengalithandi iqiniso baqalisa ukulandela imikhuba lemikhosi yabahedeni kanye  lokugcina amalanga ayebonwa ngabahedeni “njengangcwele” besithi ngokwesiKhristu. (2 KwabaseThesalonika 2:7, 10) Njengoba sizabe sixoxa ngeminye yemikhosi le, nanzelela ukuthi itshengisa njani umoya womhlaba hatshi okaNkulunkulu. Izikhathi ezinengi, imikhosi yomhlaba ilokuthile efanana ngakho: Ikhanga izinkanuko zomzimba njalo ikhuthaza okukholelwa yinkolo yamanga kanye lokusebenzelana lemimoya, konke lokhu okuzimpawu ‘zeBhabhiloni eNkulu.’ * (ISambulo 18:2-4, 23) Khumbula ukuthi uJehova wabona ngawakhe ukwenyanyeka kwemikhuba yabahedeni okuvela khona yonke imikhuba ejayelekileyo. Lalamuhla, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi imikhosi enjalo iyenyanyeka kuJehova. Lathi kumele siyibone ngendlela efananayo imikhosi le.​—2 UJohane 6, 7.

⁴ Njengoba singamaKhristu eqiniso, siyakwazi ukuthi imikhosi ethile kayimthokozisi uJehova. Ngakho kumele sizimisele ngenhliziyo yonke ukungahlanganyeli emikhosini enjalo. Ukuhlola kafitshane izizathu ezenza uJehova angathokozi ngemikhosi enjalo kuzaqinisa ukuzimisela kwethu ukuthi sibalekele loba yini engenza singahlali sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu.

5. Kungani singaba leqiniso lokuthi uJesu kazalwanga mhlaka 25 December?

⁵ IBhayibhili kalikhulumi ngokunanzwa kwelanga likaJesu lokuzalwa. Iqiniso yikuthi vele ilanga lakhe lokuzalwa kalaziwa. Kodwa sileqiniso lokuthi kazalwanga mhlaka 25 December okuyinyanga elomqando kuleyondawo azalelwa kuyo. * Isizathu  esenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi uJesu kazalwanga ngalelolanga ngesokuthi uLukha wabhala esithi ‘abelusi babehlala emlageni’ belinda imihlambi yabo yezimvu ebusuku ngesikhathi uJesu azalwa ngaso. (ULukha 2:8-11) Ngabe kwakungumkhuba wabo ukuhlala “emlageni” umnyaka wonke, lokho kwakungasoze kuqanjwe. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi eBhethilehema kubalezulu kanye longqwaqwane, imihlambi yayingeke igcinwe egangeni njalo abelusi babengasoze ‘babesemlageni.’ Okunye yikuthi uJosefa loMariya baya eBhethilehema ngoba uKhesari Agastu wayelaye ukuthi kube lokubalwa kwabantu. (ULukha 2:1-7) Kwakungeke kwenzeke ukuthi uKhesari alaye abantu ababengawuthandi umbuso wamaRoma ukuthi baye emadolobheni azalelwa okhokho babo khona kuyisikhathi somqando.

6, 7. (a) Imikhuba eminengi yeKhisimusi yasukela ngaphi? (b) Yiwuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kokupha kwamaKhristu lokupha ngesikhathi seKhisimusi?

⁶ IKhisimusi kakukhulunywa ngayo eMibhalweni kodwa isukela emikhosini yabahedeni yasendulo enjengo-Saturnalia waseRoma, umkhosi owawungoka-Saturn unkulunkulu wezokulima. Ngendlela efananayo, ibhuku okuthiwa yi-New Catholic Encyclopedia lithi abakhonza unkulunkulu u-Mithra babesenza umkhosi “wosuku lokuzalwa kwelanga elinganqobekiyo” mhlaka 25 December. “IKhisimusi yaqalisa ngesikhathi ukukhonzwa kwelanga kusenziwa kakhulu eRoma,” ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-300 uJesu efile.

⁷ Ngezikhathi zemikhosi le, abahedeni babenikana izipho njalo besidla, okuyizinto ezenziwa ngesikhathi seKhisimusi lamuhla. Kodwa njengoba kusenzakala lamuhla, ukunikana izipho ngeKhisimusi okwakusenziwa ngezikhathi zamaRoma kwakungahambisani lalokho okubhalwe ku-2 KwabaseKhorinte 9:7, ethi: “Umuntu ngamunye kanike lokho amise enhliziyweni yakhe ukukunikela, kungabi luhonono loba ngokubanjwa ngamandla ngoba uNkulunkulu uthanda onikela ngokuthokoza.” AmaKhristu eqiniso apha ngoba ethanda abanye, kawaphi ngelanga elithile kuphela njalo kawakhangeleli ukuthi nxa engapha  lawo aphiwe. (ULukha 14:12-14; bala imiSebenzi 20:35.) Okunye yikuthi bayabonga ukungahlanganiswa kusiphithiphithi sesikhathi seKhisimusi lobunzima bokubhadala izikwelede ezenziwa ngabantu abanengi ngalesisikhathi somnyaka.​—UMathewu 11:28-30; UJohane 8:32.

8. Izazi zezinkayenzi zapha uJesu izipho zelanga lakhe lokuzalwa yini? Chasisa.

⁸ Kodwa abanye bangahle, babuze ‘izazi zezinkanyezi zona kazimphanga yini uJesu izipho zelanga lakhe lokuzalwa?’ Hatshi. Ukupha kwabo kwakuyindlela yokutshengisa ukuthi bahlonipha uJesu ngoba engumuntu oqakatheke kakhulu. Lokhu kwakujayele ukwenziwa ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili. (1 AmaKhosi 10:1, 2, 10, 13; UMathewu 2:2, 11) Iqiniso yikuthi kabazange babuye ngelanga uJesu azalwa ngalo. Kabafikanga uJesu eseselusane esitebeleni kodwa bafika eselezinyanga ezinengi ezelwe njalo esehlala endlini.

9. Kuyini okwenzakala ngesikhathi kunanzwa amalanga okuzalwa amabili okukhulunywa ngawo eBhayibhilini.

⁹ Lanxa ukuzalwa komntwana kuyinto ethokozisayo izikhathi ezinengi, iBhayibhili kalikhulumi ngokunanzwa kosuku lokuzalwa lwaloba yiphi inceku kaNkulunkulu. (IHubo 127:3) Lokhu kwakuliphutha yini? Hatshi, ngoba kukhulunywa ngokunanzwa kwamalanga amabili okuzalwa, elikaFaro waseGibhithe lelikaHerodi Antiphasi. (Bala uGenesisi 40:20-22; UMakho 6:21-29.) Kodwa zombili izenzakalo lezo kakukhulunywa ngazo kuhle ikakhulu esikaHerodi esenza uJohane uMbhaphathizi waqunywa ikhanda.

10, 11. AmaKhristu akuqala ayekubona njani ukunanzwa kwamalanga okuzalwa njalo kungani kwakunjalo?

¹⁰ Ibhuku okuthiwa yi-The World Book Encyclopedia lithi,  “AmaKhristu akuqala ayebona ukunanzwa kwelanga lokuzalwa likaloba ngubani njengomkhuba wabahedeni.” Ngokwesibonelo, amaGiriki asendulo ayekholwa ukuthi kulomoya obakhona ekuzalweni komuntu ngamunye njalo umoya lowo uyamvikela okwempilo yakhe yonke. Ibhuku elithi The Lore of Birthdays lithi: “Umoya lo wawusebenza ngendlela eyimfihlo lonkulunkulu obakhona nxa umuntu ezalwa.” Amalanga okuzalwa futhi alesikhathi eside ehlanganiswa lokufundwa kwezinkanyezi.

¹¹ Okunye okwakusenza izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo zingalandeli imikhuba yamalanga okuzalwa yikuthi yasukela kubahedeni lasezintweni zobudimoni. Kodwa esinye isizathu esasisenza benze njalo yikuthi babelezimiso. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Laba kwakungabantu abathobekileyo ababengaboni ukuzalwa kwabo njengokuqakatheke kakhulu okokuthi kumele bakunanze. * (UMikha 6:8; ULukha 9:48) Kulokuthi benze njalo, babedumisa uJehova njalo bembonga ngesipho sokuphila esiligugu. *​—AmaHubo 8:3, 4; 36:9; ISambulo 4:11.

12. Kungenzakala njani ukuthi ilanga lethu lokufa libe ngcono kulelanga lethu lokuzalwa?

¹² Bonke abafa bethembekile kuNkulunkulu basenkumbulweni yakhe njalo impilo yabo yakusasa ivikelekile. (UJobe 14:14, 15) UmTshumayeli 7:1 uthi: “Ibizo elihle lingcono kulamakha amnandi, lelanga lokufa lingcono kulelanga lokuzalwa.” “Ibizo” lethu yibuhlobo obuhle loNkulunkulu esibuthole ngokumkhonza ngokuthembeka. Kuqakathekile ukuthi sinanzelele ukuthi isenzakalo okwathiwa amaKhristu asikhumbule siphathelane lokufa hatshi ukuzalwa kukaJesu, “ibizo” lakhe elihle kakhulu liqakathekile ukuze sisindiswe.​—KumaHebheru 1:3, 4; ULukha 22:17-20.

13, 14. Imikhuba eminengi eye-Easter edume kakhulu isukela ngaphi?

¹³ I-Easter yaziwa ngokuthi yikunanzwa kokufa kukaKhristu kodwa iqiniso yikuthi isukela enkolweni yamanga. Ibizo elithi Easter lihlanganiswa le-Eostre, kumbe i-Ostara, unkulunkulukazi we-Anglo-Saxon wokukhanya lowokulima. Kwenzakala njani ukuthi amaqanda lomvundla kusetshenziswe ngesikhathi se-Easter? Ibhuku okuthiwa yi-Encyclopædia Britannica lithi amaqanda “ayedumile njengezimpawu zempilo entsha kanye lovuko,” besekusithi umvundla usulesikhathi eside usetshenziswa njengophawu lwenzalo. Ngakho iqiniso yikuthi i-Easter ngumkhosi odumisa inzalo okwathiwa ngowokuzalwa kukaJesu. *

¹⁴ UJehova angavuma yini ukuthi umkhuba ongcolileyo wenzalo ukhunjulwe njengokuvuswa kweNdodana yakhe? Hatshi! (2 KwabaseKhorinte 6:17, 18) Iqiniso yikuthi iMibhalo kayikhuthazi futhi kayilayi ukuthi kukhunjulwe ukuvuswa kukaJesu. Ngakho-ke ukunanza ukuvuswa kukaJesu kusetshenziswa ibizo lokuthi Easter kuyikungathembeki okukhulu kakhulu.

15. Kungani kungamelanga izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zinanze umkhosi woMnyaka Omutsha?

¹⁵ Umkhosi wokunanzwa koMnyaka Omutsha usukela emasikweni abahedeni. Imikhuba lelanga lokunanza uMnyaka Omutsha kuyatshiyana iLizwe ngeLizwe. Isichazamazwi okuthiwa yi-Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend sithi: “Amazwe amanengi aseYurophu laweMelika ananza  ukudlula komnyaka omdala lokufika komnyaka omutsha ngamadili amakhulu, ngokunatha langokugida ngendlela engelasimilo.” Isichazamazwi leso siphinde sithi lakwamanye amazwe “babona ukuphela komnyaka kanye lokuqalisa komunye njengesikhathi sokukholisa.” Kodwa uRoma 13:13 uyaxwayisa: “Kasiziphatheni kuhle, njengasemini, hatshi emadilini okuminza lokudakwa, hatshi ekuxhwaleni kokufeba lentokozo yobugangi, hatshi ngokuxabana langomona.”​—1 UPhetro 4:3, 4; KwabaseGalathiya 5:19-21.

16, 17. (a) Kungani abafuna ukutshada kumele basebenzise izimiso zeBhayibhili ukuze bahlole imikhuba ethile eyenziwa emitshadweni? (b) Kuyini okumele amaKhristu acabange ngakho endabeni yemikhuba enjengeyokuhaza irayisi kumbe okunye?

¹⁶ Masinyane “ilizwi lomyeni lelomlobokazi kalisoze lizwakale kuwe [Bhabhiloni eNkulu] futhi.” (ISambulo 18:23) Kungani? Esinye sezizathu ngesokusebenzelana kweBhabhiloni Enkulu lemimoya. Lokhu kungenza umtshado ungcole kusukela ngelanga lomtshado.​—UMakho 10:6-9.

¹⁷ Imikhuba iyatshiyana indawo ngendawo. Eminye imikhuba engakhanya angani kayilimazi ingaba ngesukela emikhubeni yeBhabhiloni ekhangelelwe ukuthi ilethe ‘inhlanhla’ kwabatshadayo kumbe kwabaze emtshadweni. (U-Isaya 65:11) Eminye imikhuba le igoqela ukuhaza irayisi kumbe okunye. Umkhuba lo ungabe wasukela ekukholweni ukuthi ukudla lokho okuhazwayo kuthokozisa imimoya emibi ukuze ingalimazi labo abatshadayo. Okunye yikuthi sekulesikhathi eside irayisi kuthiwa inika ngendlela eyisimangaliso inzalo, intokozo kanye lempilo ende. Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi bonke abafuna ukuhlala besethandweni lukaNkulunkulu kumele bangalandeli yonke imikhuba engcolileyo.​—Bala u-2 Khorinte 6:14-18.

18. Yiziphi izimiso zeBhayibhili okumele ziqondise labo abatshadayo kanye lalabo abaze emtshadweni?

¹⁸ Ngendlela efananayo, izinceku zikaJehova ziyayibalekela imikhuba yomhlaba enjalo engenza imitshado kanye  lokwenzelwa khona imitshado kungabi lesithunzi kumbe kulimaze umzwangedwa wabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, babalekela ukukhuluma ngezemacansini, ukuphoxa okucaphulayo lokudlala ngezinto ezingenza abatshadayo kanye labanye babelenhloni. (IZaga 26:18, 19; ULukha 6:31; 10:27) Babalekela lezindawo zokutshadela ezimangalisayo kakhulu ezingatshengisi ukuthobeka kodwa ezitshengisa ‘ukuzigqaja ngezimpahla.’ (1 UJohane 2:16) Nxa uhlela umtshado, khumbula ukuthi uJehova ufuna lelolanga lakho eliqakathekileyo libe yinto ongasoze uzisole ngayo kodwa kube yinto ozathokoza ngayo. *

19, 20. Elinye ibhuku lithi umkhuba wokutshayanisa amagilasi wavelangaphi, futhi kungani umkhuba lo ungamukelwa kumaKhristu?

¹⁹ Omunye umkhuba ojayelekileyo emitshadweni lakweminye imibuthano yikutshayanisa amagilasi. Ibhukwana okuthiwa yi-International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture ka-1995 lithi: “Ukutshayanisa amagilasi . . . ngumkhuba walezinsuku owasukela emihlatshelweni yasendulo lapho okunathwayo okungcwele okwakunikelwa kubonkulunkulu . . . ukuze umuntu athole ayekufisa, umthandazo ofinqwe ngamazwi athi ‘mpilo ende!’ kumbe ‘kumpilakahle yakho!’”

²⁰ Kuliqiniso ukuthi abantu abanengi babona ukutshayaniswa kwamagilasi kungayisiwo mkhuba wenkolo. Kodwa umkhuba wokuphakamisa amagilasi ungahle ubonwe njengokucela isibusiso samandla angaphezu kwajayelekileyo “ezulwini” ngendlela engahambisani leMibhalo.​—UJohane 14:6; 16:23. *

21. Lanxa eminye imikhosi edumileyo ingasukeli enkolweni, kungani amaKhristu kumele angahlanganyeli kuyo futhi kungani kumele enze njalo?

²¹ Umkhuba okhuthazwa yiBhabhiloni eNkulu ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo utshengisa ukuwohloka kwezimiso zomhlaba walamuhla, ngoba minyaka yonke amanye amazwe abhadalela ukuthi kwenziwe imidlalo elokugida okungelabuntu futhi kujatshulelwa lempilo yezitabane. Kungaba kuhle yini ukuthi abantu abathanda uJehova bahlanganyele emidlalweni le kumbe ukuthi bayibukele? Ukwenza njalo kutshengisa yini ukuthi bayakuzonda okubi ngenhliziyo yonke? (AmaHubo 1:1, 2; 97:10) Ngakho-ke, kungcono kakhulu ukulingisela umbono womhubi owakhuleka esithi: “Phendula amehlo ami asuke ezintweni ezingesulutho”!​—IHubo 119:37.

22. Kunini lapho umKhristu angasebenzisa khona umzwangedwa wakhe ukuze akhethe ukuthi uzahlanganyela yini emkhosini othile loba hatshi?

²² Ngamalanga emikhosi yomhlaba, umKhristu kumele ananzelele ukuthi kenzi abanye bacabange ukuthi uyahlanganyela emkhosini lowo ngendlela enza ngayo. UPhawuli wabhala wathi, “Ngakho langabe liyadla kumbe liyanatha, loba kuyikuphi elikwenzayo, kwenzeleni udumo lukaNkulunkulu.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:31; bona ibhokisi elithi “ Ukwenza Izinqumo Ezitshengisa Ukuhlakanipha.”) Kodwa nxa umkhuba kumbe umkhosi ungelazici zenkolo yamanga, ungayisiwo ngxenye yezombangazwe njalo ungephuli izimiso zeBhayibhili, umKhristu ngamunye angazikhethela ukuthi uzahlanganyela yini kuwo loba hatshi. Lapho esenza isinqumo, kumele acabange ngokuthi abanye bazizwa njani ukuze angabakhubi.

23, 24. Sinika njani ubufakazi obuhle ngezimiso zikaJehova ezilungileyo?

²³ Abanye babona amalanga emikhosi ethile edumileyo njengamathuba okuba ndawonye kwezimuli labangane. Ngakho nxa omunye umuntu engacabanga ngendlela eyiphutha ukuthi  ukungahlanganyeli kwethu emikhosini ethile ngenxa yezizathu eziseMibhalweni kakutshengisi uthando, singamchasisela ukuthi oFakazi bakaJehova bayakuqakathekisa ukuba ndawonye kwezimuli labangane okwakhayo. (IZaga 11:25; UmTshumayeli 3:12, 13; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 9:7) Kuyasithokozisa ukuba lalabo esibathandayo ngasosonke isikhathi somnyaka, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu siyamthanda kanye lezimiso zakhe ezilungileyo, kasifuni kungcolisa izikhathi lezi ezithokozisayo ngemikhuba engamthokozisiyo.​—Bona ibhokisi elithi “ Ukukhonza Kweqiniso Kuletha Intokozo Enkulu Kakhulu.”

²⁴ Amanye amaKhristu aphumelele kakhulu ekufundeni imicijo esesahlukweni 16 sebhuku elithi IBhayibhili Lifundisani Sibili? * lalabo ababuza befuna sibili ukwazi. Kumele sikhumbule ukuthi esikufunayo yikuthi umuntu akwazi iqiniso hatshi ukuthi sinqobe ukuphikisana. Ngakho-ke kumele ube lenhlonipho, ungazondi njalo ‘ingxoxo yakho ibe lomusa, ifakwe itshwayi.’​—KwabaseKholose 4:6.

25, 26. Abazali bangabanceda njani abantwana babo ukuthi bakhule ekukholweni kanye lasekuthandeni kwabo uJehova?

²⁵ Njengezinceku zikaJehova, sifundiswe izinto ezinengi. Siyakwazi ukuthi kungani sikholwa izinto ezithile, ukuthi kungani sisenza ezinye izinto lokuthi kungani singenzi izinto ezithile. (KumaHebheru 5:14) Ngakho bazali fundisani abantwana benu ukuthi basebenzise izimiso zeBhayibhili. Ngokwenza njalo, liyabe libanceda ukuthi basebenzise iMibhalo lapho bephendula labo abababuza ngabakukholwayo njalo liyabe libenza babeleqiniso lokuthi uJehova uyabathanda.​—U-Isaya 48:17, 18; 1 UPhetro 3:15.

²⁶ Bonke abakhonza uNkulunkulu “ngomoya langeqiniso” kababalekeli kuphela imikhosi engavumelani leBhayibhili kodwa balwela lokuhlala bethembekile ekuphileni kwabo kwansukuzonke. (UJohane 4:23) Lamuhla, abantu abanengi bacabanga ukuthi kakuncedi ukuthi umuntu athembeke. Kodwa njengoba sizabona esahlukweni esilandelayo, izindlela zikaNkulunkulu ziyanceda kakhulu.