1. Kuyini uJesu akugcizelela ngobusuku bakhe bokucina engumuntu emhlabeni?

NGOBUSUKU bakhe bokucina engumuntu emhlabeni, uJesu watshengisa ukukhathazeka okukhulu ngenhlalakahle yakusasa yabalandeli bakhe. Wathandaza ngodaba lolu kuYise wathi: “Umthandazo wami kawusikho ukuthi ubasuse emhlabeni kodwa ukuthi ubavikele komubi. Kabasibo bomhlaba, njengoba lami ngingasiwawo.” (UJohane 17:15, 16) Emthandazweni lo ovela enhliziyweni uJesu watshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda kakhulu abalandeli bakhe, watshengisa lokuqakatheka kwamazwi ayewakhulume ngalobo busuku athi: “Kalisibo abomhlaba.” (UJohane 15:19) Kuyacaca ukuthi kwakuqakathekile kuJesu ukuthi abalandeli bakhe bahlale behlukene lomhlaba!

2. Uyini ‘umhlaba’ uJesu ayekhuluma ngawo?

² ‘Umhlaba’ uJesu ayekhuluma ngawo utsho bonke abantu abehlukene loNkulunkulu, ababuswa nguSathane futhi abayizigqila zobuhwaba lokuzikhukhumeza okuvela kuye. (UJohane 14:30; Kwabase-Efesu 2:2; 1 UJohane 5:19) Kuliqiniso ukuthi “ubungane lomhlaba [lowo] kuyikuzonda uNkulunkulu.” (UJakhobe 4:4) Kodwa kungenzakala njani ukuthi labo abafuna ukuhlala besethandweni lukaNkulunkulu bahlale emhlabeni kodwa baphile behlukene lawo? Sizakhuluma ngezindlela ezinhlanu: ukuhlala sithembekile eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu osezandleni zikaKhristu, ukungahlanganyeli kwezombangazwe, ukulwisana lomoya womhlaba, ukugqoka  lokuzilungisa ngendlela enhle lefaneleyo, ukugcina ukuphila kwethu kulula, kanye lokufaka isihlangu sethu sokholo.

3. (a) Yiwuphi umbono uJesu ayelawo ngezombangazwe zesikhathi ayephila kuso? (b) Kungani kuthiwa abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiweyo bangabameli? (Hlanganisa lamabala angaphansi.)

³ Kulokuthi ahlanganyele kwezombangazwe zesikhathi ayephila kuso, uJesu wagxila emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uhulumende wesikhathi esizayo wasezulwini ayezakuba yiNkosi yawo. (UDanyeli 7:13, 14; ULukha 4:43; 17:20, 21) Yikho lapho emiswe phambi kukaGavuna waseRoma, uPhontiyu Philathu, uJesu wathi: “Umbuso wami kayisiwo walo umhlaba.” (UJohane 18:36) Abalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo balandela isibonelo sakhe ngokuzithoba kuKhristu loMbuso wakhe langokutshela abantu ngalowoMbuso. (UMathewu 24:14) Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: ‘Ngakho-ke singabameli bakaKhristu, siyalincenga simele uKhristu sithi: Buyisanani loNkulunkulu.’ *​—2 KwabaseKhorinte 5:20.

4. Wonke amaKhristu eqiniso abonise njani ukuthi athembekile eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu? (Bona ibhokisi elithi “ AmaKhristu Okuqala Ayengahlanganyeli Kwezombangazwe“.)

⁴ Ngenxa yokuthi abameli bamela ilizwe kumbe umbuso welinye ilizwe, kabahlanganyeli ezindabeni zelizwe abasebenza bekulo njalo kababi leqembu abalisekelayo. Kodwa abameli basekela uhulumende welizwe abalimelayo. Kunjalo langabalandeli bakaKhristu abagcotshiweyo ‘ikibo loba ikhaya labo lisezulwini.’ (KwabaseFiliphi 3:20) Ngenxa yokutshisekela kwabo umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso, sebencede izigidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaKhristu ‘ukuthi zibuyisane loNkulunkulu.’ (UJohane 10:16; UMathewu 25:31-40) Ezinye izimvu zisebenza  njengezithunywa zikaKhristu, zincedisa abafowabo bakaJesu abagcotshiweyo. Njengomhlambi owodwa omemezela uMbuso kaMesiya, wonke amaqembu la kawahlanganyeli ngitsho ezindabeni zombangazwe zomhlaba lo.​—Bala u-Isaya 2:2-4.

5. Ibandla lobuKhristu lehlukene njani lo-Israyeli wasendulo, njalo amaKhristu awutshengisa njani umahluko lo?

 ⁵ Ukuthembeka kuKhristu kayisiso sodwa isizathu esenza amaKhristu eqiniso angahlanganyeli kwezombangazwe. Ngokungafanani lama-Israyeli asendulo ayelelizwe ayelinikwe nguNkulunkulu, thina siyingxenye yobuzalwane bomhlaba wonke. (UMathewu 28:19; 1 UPhetro 2:9) Ngakho nxa singasekela amaqembu ezombangazwe asemhlabeni, ngeke sikhululeke ukukhuluma ngomlayezo woMbuso njalo lokumanyana kwethu njengamaKhristu kungaba sengozini enkulu kakhulu. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 1:10) Okunye yikuthi ngesikhathi sempi siyabe sesisilwa labafowethu esikhonza labo, esilaywa ukuthi sibathande. (UJohane 13:34, 35; 1 UJohane 3:10-12) Ngakho-ke, kulesizathu esihle esenza ukuthi uJesu atshele abafundi bakhe ukuthi bengasalwi. Wabatshela lokuthi bathande izitha zabo.​—UMathewu 5:44; 26:52; bona ibhokisi elithi “ Angihlanganyeli Yini Kwezombangazwe?”.

6. Ukuzinikela kwakho kuNkulunkulu kwenza ubudlelwano bakho loKhesari bubenjani?

⁶ NjengamaKhristu eqiniso, sinikele ukuphila kwethu kuNkulunkulu hatshi emuntwini, ezinhlanganisweni zabantu kumbe elizweni. U-1 KwabaseKhorinte 6:19, 20 uthi: “Kalisibo benu, lathengwa ngentengo.” Ngakho-ke, lanxa benika “uKhesari” okungokwakhe, okunjengenhlonipho, ukuzithoba ngendlela efaneleyo kanye lemithelo, abalandeli bakaJesu banika ‘uNkulunkulu okungokukaNkulunkulu.’ (UMakho 12:17; KwabaseRoma 13:1-7) Lokho kuhlanganisa ukukhonza kwabo, uthando lwabo lomphefumulo wonke lokulalela kwabo ngokuthembeka. Nxa kudingeka bayazimisela ukufela uNkulunkulu.​—ULukha 4:8; 10:27; bala imiSebenzi 5:29; uRoma 14:8.

7, 8. Uyini “umoya womhlaba” njalo ‘usebenza’ njani ebantwini abangalaleliyo?

⁷ Enye indlela amaKhristu ahlala ngayo ehlukene lomhlaba  yikulwisana lomoya wawo. UPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Kasamukelanga umoya wasemhlabeni kodwa umoya ovela kuNkulunkulu.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 2:12) Kwabase-Efesu wathi: “Elaliphila kuzo lapho lalilandela izindlela zalo umhlaba lezombusi wombuso wasemoyeni, umoya osebenzayo lakhathesi kulabo abangalaleliyo.”​—Kwabase-Efesu 2:2, 3.

⁸ “Umoya” womhlaba ngamandla angabonakaliyo abangela ukuthi abantu bangalaleli uNkulunkulu njalo akhuthaza ‘izinkanuko zabantu lokulangazela kwamehlo.’ (1 UJohane 2:16; 1 UThimothi 6:9, 10) “Umoya” lo ubusa umhlaba ngokukhanga inyama elesono, ukuyenga ngezindlela ezicatshileyo, ukuphikelela kwawo kanye lokugcwala kwawo yonke indawo njengomoya ovunguzayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “usebenza” ebantwini abangalaleliyo ngokubenza ukuthi kancane kancane babe lobuntu obungathokozisi uNkulunkulu obunjengokuzigqaja, ubuhwaba obutshengisa ukungasuthiseki, ukuzenzela umathanda ezindabeni zokuziphatha kanye lokuhlamuka. * Ngamazwi alula nje, umoya womhlaba wenza ukuthi kancane kancane izimpawu zobuntu obubi bukaDeveli ziqalise ukukhula ezinhliziyweni zabantu.​—UJohane 8:44; ImiSebenzi 13:10; 1 UJohane 3:8, 10.

9. Umoya womhlaba ungangena njani engqodweni lasezinhliziyweni zethu?

⁹ Umoya womhlaba ungabakhona yini enhliziyweni lasengqondweni yakho? Ye ungabakhona, kuphela nxa ungekela ukulimuka. (Bala iZaga 4:23.) Ukubusa kwawo kuqalisa ngendlela ecatshileyo, ikakhulu ngokuzihlanganisa labantu ababonakala belungile kodwa eqinisweni bengamthandi uJehova. (IZaga 13:20; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:33) Okunye okungakwenza ube lalowo moya yikubala amabhuku angalunganga, ukubuka amawebhusayithi alemifanekiso yezemacansini (iphonogirafi) kanye lezinhlelo zezihlubuki, ukuzilibazisa okungakhiyo, kanye lemidlalo yokuncintisana elodlakela lokuxokozela. Iqiniso yikuthi ungawuthola kuloba ngubani kumbe  kuloba yini etshengisa ukucabanga kukaSathane kumbe okomhlaba wakhe.

10. Singalwisana njani lomoya womhlaba?

¹⁰ Singalwisana njani lomoya womhlaba oyingozi futhi sizigcine sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu? Lokhu singakwenza kuphela ngokusebenzisa kuhle ukudla okungokomoya okuvela kuJehova langokuthandazela umoya ongcwele zikhathi zonke. UJehova mkhulu kakhulu kuloDeveli kanye  lomhlaba omubi obuswa nguSathane. (1 UJohane 4:4) Ngakho-ke, kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi sihlale siseduze loJehova ngokuthandaza!

11. Umoya womhlaba wenze indlela abantu abagqoka ngayo yabanjani?

¹¹ Okutshengisa ukuthi umuntu ufuqwa ngumoya onjani yindlela agqoka ngayo, azilungisa ngayo kanye lokuhlanzeka kwakhe. Emazweni amanengi lamuhla, indlela abantu abagqoka ngayo isimbi kakhulu okokuthi enye intathelizindaba ye-TV yaze yathi, masinyane kuyabe kungasela mahluko phakathi kwamantombazana lezifebe. Lamantombazana asakhulayo aphakathi kweminyaka engu-12 kusiya ku-19 lawo asesenza okufananayo. Elinye iphephandaba lathi, “asegqoka okungelasithunzi, okutshiya umzimba phandle.” Okunye yikugqoka ngendlela etshengisa ukungabi landaba, indlela etshengisa ukuhlamuka lokungabi lasithunzi kanye lokungazihloniphi.

12, 13. Yiziphi izimiso okumele zisiqondise endabeni yokugqoka lokuzilungisa?

¹² Njengoba siyizinceku zikaJehova, akukubi ukuthi sifune ukubukeka kuhle, okutsho ukuthi sigqoke okuhlanzekileyo, okulesithunzi njalo okuhambelana lesenzakalo esiyabe sikuso. Ngazozonke izikhathi kumele ukubukeka kwethu kube ‘ngokuhle njalo okuchumileyo,’ okuhambisana “lemisebenzi emihle” okufanele loba ngubani oyindoda kumbe owesifazana ‘othi uyamkhonza uNkulunkulu.’ Injongo yethu kayisiyo yokuthi sibonwe ngabantu kodwa sifuna ‘ukuzigcina sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu.’ (1 KuThimothi 2:9, 10; UJuda 21) Sifuna ubuhle bethu obedlula bonke bube ‘ngobangaphakathi kwethu, obuligugu elikhulu emehlweni kaNkulunkulu.’​—1 UPhetro 3:3, 4.

¹³ Kumele futhi sikhumbule ukuthi ukugqoka lokuzilungisa kwethu kungantshintsha indlela abanye ababona  ngayo ukukhonza kweqiniso. Ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi ‘okuchumileyo,’ nxa lisetshenziswa ezindabeni zokuziphatha liba lomqondo wenhlonipho ejulileyo, ukwesaba lokuhlonipha imizwa kumbe imibono yabanye. Ngakho-ke, indlela esigqoka ngayo kumele itshengise ukuthi siqakathekisa umzwangedwa wabanye ukwedlula amalungelo esingacabanga ukuthi silawo endabeni yokugqoka. Okuqakatheke ukwedlula konke yikuthi sifuna ukuthi udumo luye kuJehova lasebantwini bakhe njalo sizethula siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu futhi ‘senzela zonke izinto udumo lukaNkulunkulu.’​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 4:9; 10:31; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 6:3, 4; 7:1.

14. Yiphi imibuzo okumele sizibuze yona ngokuphathelane lokubukeka kwethu kanye lenhlanzeko?

¹⁴ Ukugqoka lokuzilungisa kwethu kanye lokuhlanzeka kuqakatheke kakhulu nxa sisekutshumayeleni kumbe sisemhlanganweni wobuKhristu. Zibuze: ‘Ukubukeka kwami lokuhlanzeka kwami kungidonsela amehlo abantu yini? Kwenza abanye bayangeke yini? Ngibona amalungelo ami ezindabeni lezi eqakatheke ukwedlula ukufanela izibusiso zemisebenzi ethile ebandleni?’​—IHubo 68:6; KwabaseFiliphi 4:5; 1 UPhetro 5:6.

15. Kungani iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lingasibaliseli imithetho eminengi ekhuluma ngokugqoka, ukuzilungisa kanye lenhlanzeko?

¹⁵ IBhayibhili kaliniki amaKhristu uluhlu lwemithetho ephathelane lokugqoka, ukuzilungisa kanye lokuhlanzeka.  UJehova kafuni ukusithathela inkululeko yethu yokukhetha kumbe amakhono ethu okucabanga. Kulokuthi enze njalo, ufuna ukuthi sibe ngabantu abakhulileyo abasebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibhili njalo ufuna amandla ethu okucabanga aqeqetshwe ngokuwasebenzisa. (KumaHebheru 5:14) Okuqakatheke ukwedlula konke yikuthi ufuna siqondiswe luthando, ukuthanda uNkulunkulu lomakhelwane. (Bala uMakho 12:30, 31.) Sisebenzisa esikufundileyo, singenelisa ukuthola okokugqoka okutshiyeneyo njalo senelise lokuzilungisa ngendlela ezitshiyeneyo. Ubufakazi balokhu sibubona ezindleleni ezinhle ezitshiyeneyo ixuku labantu bakaJehova elithokozayo eligqoka ngayo loba kungaphi eliyabe libuthane khona.

16. Umoya womhlaba uphikisana njani lokwafundiswa nguJesu, njalo kumele sizibuze yiphi imibuzo?

¹⁶ Umoya womhlaba uyaqila njalo wenza izigidi zabantu zidinge  imali lezinto zomhlaba ukuze zithole intokozo. Kodwa uJesu wathi: “Isiqokoqela sempilo yomuntu kasikho ebunengini benotho yakhe.” (ULukha 12:15) UJesu wayengakhuthazi ukuthi umuntu azincitshe izinto eziqakathekileyo empilweni. Wafundisa ukuthi impilo lentokozo yeqiniso itholwa yilabo “abaqaphela isidingo sabo sangokomoya” njalo abahlala bephila impilo ‘elungileyo’ kumbe elula beqakathekisa ubuhlobo babo loJehova. (UMathewu 5:3, NW; 6:22, 23) Zibuze: ‘Ngiyakukholwa yini lokho okwafundiswa nguJesu kumbe ngilandela ‘uyise wamanga’? (UJohane 8:44) Amazwi ami, izinjongo zami, engikufaka kuqala empilweni lendlela engiphila ngayo kutshengisani?’​—ULukha 6:45; 21:34-36; 2 UJohane 6.

17. Qamba izibusiso ezitholwa yilabo abaphila impilo elula.

¹⁷ UJesu wathi: “Ukuhlakanipha kuyaziveza ukuqonda kwakho ngezenzo zakho.” (UMathewu 11:19) Cabanga ngezinye izibusiso ezitholwa yilabo abaphila impilo elula. Bathola intokozo yeqiniso enkonzweni yoMbuso. (UMathewu 11:29, 30) Babalekela ukukhathazeka okungadingakaliyo, futhi ukwenza njalo kwenza bangabi lobuhlungu benhliziyo. (Bala u-1 Thimothi 6:9, 10.) Basuthiseka ngokuba lezidingo zempilo, baba lesikhathi esinengi lemuli zabo kanye lamanye amaKhristu. Bangalala ubuthongo obumnandi ngenxa yalokho. (UmTshumayeli 5:12) Baba lentokozo enkulu yokupha, besipha nganoma yini abalayo. (ImiSebenzi 20:35) ‘Balentokozo enkulu’ njalo balokuthula lokusuthiseka. (KwabaseRoma 15:13; UMathewu 6:31, 32) Izibusiso lezi ziqakatheke kakhulu!

18. IBhayibhili lisichaza njani isitha sethu, amacebo aso, kanye lendlela esilwa laso ngayo?

¹⁸ Okunye njalo okutholwa yilabo abazigcina besethandweni lukaNkulunkulu yisivikelo emizamweni kaSathane yokubaphambanisa ekukhonzeni kwabo uNkulunkulu. USathane ufuna ukwenza amaKhristu angathokozi futhi angatholi ukuphila okungapheliyo. (1 UPhetro 5:8) UPhawuli wathi: “Kasilwi lenyama legazi, kodwa silwa lababusi, lemibuso  kanye lamandla omhlaba lo ogcwele ubumnyama, silwe njalo lamabutho emimoya emibi emibusweni yasemazulwini.” (Kwabase-Efesu 6:12) Ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi ‘ukulwa’ litsho “ukubindana,” okutshengisa ukuthi kasilwi sicatshile sikhatshana lakhatshana lesitha sethu kodwa kutshengisa ukuthi silwa laso ngezandla. Futhi amabala athi ‘ababusi,’ ‘imibuso,’ kanye “lamandla omhlaba,” atshengisa ukuthi ukuhlasela kwamabutho emimoya emibi kuhlelwe ngendlela ephezulu futhi ngenjongo ethile.

19. Chaza isihlangu somKhristu esingokomoya.

¹⁹ Singenelisa ukunqoba lanxa silobuthakathaka njalo silokusilela. Njani? Ngokufaka “isihlangu esipheleleyo sikaNkulunkulu.” (Kwabase-Efesu 6:13) Ichasisa isihlangu lesi, incwadi yabase-Efesu 6:14-18 ithi: “Ngakho manini liqine, ibhanti leqiniso libotshelwe ngensimbi ekhalweni lwenu, lesihlangu sasesifubeni esokulunga sisendaweni yaso, lezinyawo zenu zigqokiswe zalungiselelwa ngokuvela evangelini lokuthula. Phezu kwakho konke lokhu, thathani ihawu lokukholwa elizacitsha ngalo yonke imitshoko evuthayo yomubi. Thathani ingowane [kumbe ithemba, NW] yokusindiswa lenkemba kamoya, eyilizwi likaNkulunkulu. Khulekani ngomoya ezikhathini zonke ngezinhlobo zonke zemikhuleko lezicelo.”

20. Isimo sethu sehlukane njani lesesotsha?

²⁰ Isihlangu lesi esingokomoya ngeke sehluleke ukusivikela ngoba sisiphiwe nguNkulunkulu. Kodwa singavikelwa yiso kuphela nxa sihlala sisifakile. Ngokungafanani lamasotsha ahlala eziphumulele nxa kungelampi, amaKhristu alwa impi yokufa lokuphila ezaqhubeka ize ilanyulwe nguNkulunkulu lapho esebhidliza umhlaba kaSathane njalo ejikela izidalwa ezimbi emgodini ongelamkhawulo. (ISambulo 12:17; 20:1-3) Ngakho-ke ungadinwa nxa usilwa lobuthakathaka kumbe lezifiso ezimbi ngoba sonke kumele ‘siwutshaye umzimba wethu’ ukuze sihlale sithembekile kuJehova. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 9:27) Singazibona singasalwi, kumele sikhathazeke ngoba kuyabe sekulokunye okuphambanisekileyo.

21. Yiphi indlela eyodwa esinganqoba ngayo empini yethu engokomoya?

 ²¹ Kodwa-ke asingeke siyinqobe impi le ngawethu amandla. Yikho uPhawuli esikhumbuza ngokuqakatheka kokuthandaza kuJehova “ngomoya ezikhathini zonke.” Ngesikhathi esifananayo, kumele silalele uJehova ngokufunda iLizwi lakhe langokuhlangana lamanye ‘amabutho’ zikhathi zonke ngoba kasisodwa ekulweni lokhu! (KuFilimoni 2; KumaHebheru 10:24, 25) Labo abathembeke kukho konke lokhu bazanqoba futhi bazenelisa ukuvikela ngokuqinileyo ukholo lwabo nxa luphikiswa.

22, 23. (a) Kungani kumele sihlale sikulungele ngazozonke izikhathi ukuvikela ukholo lwethu, njalo yiphi imibuzo okumele sizibuze yona? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esahlukweni esilandelayo?

²² UJesu wathi: ‘Kalisibo abomhlaba, yikho umhlaba ulizonda.’ (UJohane 15:19) Ngakho-ke amaKhristu kumele ahlale ekulungele ukuvikela ukholo lwawo njalo akwenze lokhu ngenhlonipho langobumnene. (Bala u-1 Phetro 3:15.) Zibuze ukuthi, ‘Ngiyakuzwisisa yini ukuthi kungani oFakazi bakaJehova ngezinye izikhathi bengahambisani lemibono ejayelekileyo? Nxa kumele ngingahambisani lemibono ejayelekileyo, ngiyakholwa yini ukuthi lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili kanye lenceku ethembekileyo kuliqiniso? (UMathewu 24:45; UJohane 17:17) Nxa kumele ngenze okulungileyo emehlweni kaJehova, ngizimisele yini ukuba ngongafanani labantu bonke futhi kuyangithokozisa yini ukwenza njalo?’​—IHubo 34:2; UMathewu 10:32, 33.

²³ Kodwa kanengi, isifiso sethu sokuhlala sehlukene lomhlaba silingwa ngezindlela ezicatshileyo. Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba kuke kwakhulunywa, uDeveli uzama ukuyenga izinceku zikaJehova ukuthi zibe yingxenye yomhlaba esebenzisa ukuzilibazisa komhlaba. Singakukhetha njani okokuzilibazisa okwakhayo okuzasitshiya sithokoza njalo silomzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo? Lokhu sizaxoxa ngakho esahlukweni esilandelayo.