1. Kumele simkhonze njani uJehova njalo kuyini okumele sikwenze?

UJESU wathi: ‘Abakhonzi beqiniso bazamkhonza uBaba ngomoya langeqiniso, ngoba yibo abakhonzi abanjalo uBaba abadingayo.’ (UJohane 4:23; 6:44) Kumele sihlale sisenza “okuthokozisa iNkosi.” (Kwabase-Efesu 5:10) Lokhu akulula ngoba uSathane ufuna senze okungamthokozisiyo uJehova.​—ISambulo 12:9.

2. Kwahamba njani ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli eseduze leNtaba iSinayi?

² USathane uyasiphica sicine singasenelisi ukwehlukanisa okuhle kokubi. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli eseduze leNtaba iSinayi. UMosi wayesentabeni njalo abantu babemlindele ukuthi aphenduke. Kodwa bacina bedinwa basebesithi u-Aroni abenzele unkulunkulu. Yikho wabenzela ithole legolide. Ngemva kwalokho benza umkhosi, bagida begombolozele ithole lelo njalo belikhothamela. Babecabanga ukuthi ukukhonza ithole lelo kufanana lokukhonza uJehova. Lanxa babesithi lo ‘ngumkhosi kaJehova’ akutsho ukuthi uJehova wayekwamukela lokho ababekwenza. Emehlweni akhe  lokho ababekwenza kwakuyikukhonza izithombe futhi abanengi babo bafa ngenxa yalokho. (U-Eksodusi 32:1-6, 10, 28) Sifundani endabeni le? Sifunda ukuthi singavumi ukuqilwa. Akumelanga ‘sithinte ulutho olungcolileyo’ kodwa kumele sivumele uJehova ukuthi asifundise umehluko phakathi kokuhle lokubi.​—U-Isaya 52:11; UHezekheli 44:23; KwabaseGalathiya 5:9.

3, 4. Ukuhlola ukuthi imikhosi edumileyo namuhla yaqalisa njani kuzasisiza ngani?

³ Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni wafundisa abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi babe yisibonelo ekukhonzeni kweqiniso. Basala befundisa abanye abafundi izimiso zikaJehova ngesikhathi uJesu esevusiwe. Kodwa ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, kulabantu abaqalisa ukufundisa amanga ebandleni njalo bakhuthaza abafundi ukuthi bananze imikhosi yabahedeni. Baze bantshintsha lamabizo emikhosi leyo ukuze ikhanye angani ngeyesiKhristu. (2 KwabaseThesalonika 2:7, 10; 2 UJohane 6, 7) Imikhosi leyo ilokhu isidla ubhedu lanamuhla. Ikhuthaza abantu ukuthi benze izinto zesidimoni lokuthi bakholwe amanga. *​—ISambulo 18:2-4, 23.

⁴ Namuhla abantu bakuthathela phezulu ukunanza imikhosi kanye lamaholideyi. Kodwa ukufunda ngalokho uJehova akutshoyo ngemikhosi enjalo kuzakusiza ukuthi wenze okumthokozisayo. Lokhu akulula kodwa uJehova uzakusiza. Ake sibone ukuthi eminye  imikhosi edumileyo yaqalisa njani. Lokho kuzasisiza sibone ukuthi uJehova uyayithanda yini imikhosi leyo.

5. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJesu kazalwanga mhlaka 25 December?

⁵ Mhlaka 25 December abantu bananza iKhisimusi ngoba bacabanga ukuthi yilo ilanga uJesu azalwa ngalo. IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi uJesu wazalwa ngaliphi ilanga kodwa liyasinceda sizwisise ukuthi wazalwa ngasiphi isikhathi somnyaka. ULukha usitshela ukuthi ngesikhathi uJesu ezalwa ‘abelusi babehlala emlageni.’ (ULukha 2:8-11) NgoDecember, eBhethilehema kuyabe kuqanda, izulu lisina njalo kulongqoqwane, yikho akuvumi ukuthi abelusi baye emlageni ngesikhathi leso. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uJesu kazalwanga ngoDecember kodwa wazalwa ngesikhathi sokutshisa. Lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili labezembali kutshengisa ukuthi wazalwa ngoSeptember kumbe ngo-October.

6, 7. (a) IKhisimusi yaqalisa njani? (b) Yisiphi isizatho esenza sihlale siphana izipho?

⁶ Pho iKhisimusi yaqalisa njani? Yavela emkhosini owawusenziwa ngabahedeni abangamaRoma. Umkhosi lo owawusenziwa ngoDecember kwakuthiwa yiSaturnalia njalo wawusenzelwa unkulunkulu wezokulima okwakuthiwa nguSaturn. Ibhuku okuthiwa yi-Encyclopedia Americana lithi izinto ezinengi ezazisenziwa emkhosini weSaturnalia yizo ezenziwa ngeKhisimusi. Izinto lezi zigoqela ukwenza amadili lokuphana izipho. Okunye okwakusenziwa mhlaka  25 December yikunanza ilanga lokuzalwa kukankulunkulu wasePersia okwakuthiwa nguMithra.

⁷ Abantu abanengi abananza iKhisimusi abakwazi ukuthi yasukela emikhosini yabahedeni. Bona abacabanga ngakho yikuthi iKhisimusi ibanika ithuba lokuba lezihlobo zabo, badle ukudla okumnandi njalo baphane izipho. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi siyazithanda izihlobo zethu kanye labangane futhi uJehova ufuna  ukuthi izikhonzi zakhe zibe ngabantu abaphanayo. U-2 KwabaseKhorinte 9:7 uthi uNkulunkulu uthanda umuntu opha “ngokuthokoza.” UJehova ufuna sihlale siphana hatshi ukuthi simelele isikhathi esithile ukuze senze njalo. Abantu bakaJehova bahlala bephana izipho. Lokhu abakwenzi ngenxa yomkhosi othile kodwa bakwenza ngenxa yokuthi bayathandana.​—ULukha 14:12-14.

8. Izipho ezalethwa ngamadoda amathathu uJesu esanda kuzalwa zazingezokunanza usuku lokuzalwa yini? Chasisa.

⁸ Abanye bathi ukuphana izipho ngeKhisimusi kuqondile ngoba kulamadoda amathathu aphathela uJesu izipho ngesikhathi esanda kuzalwa. Kuliqiniso ukuthi kulamadoda aphathela uJesu izipho. Phela kwakujayelekile endulo ukuthi umuntu oqakathekileyo aphathelwe izipho. (1 AmaKhosi 10:1, 2, 10, 13) Kodwa ubukwazi yini ukuthi amadoda avakatshela uJesu ayeyizazi zenkanyezi, engamkhonzi uJehova njalo esenza amasalamusi? Kanti njalo amadoda la kawazange aye kuJesu ngesikhathi esesitebeleni kodwa aya kuye ngemva kwesikhathi esehlala endlini.​—UMathewu 2:1, 2, 11.

9. Yiwaphi amadili okunanza izinsuku zokuzalwa okukhulunywa ngawo eBhayibhilini?

⁹ Usuku lokuzalwa komntwana luyathokozisa kakhulu. (IHubo 127:3) Kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi sokumele sinanze izinsuku zokuzalwa. IBhayibhili likhuluma ngabantu ababili abananza izinsuku zokuzalwa kwabo. Kwakuyinkosi yaseGibhithe uFaro kanye  leNkosi uHerodi Antiphasi. (Bala uGenesisi 40:20-22 loMakho 6:21-29.) Bobabili babengamkhonzi uJehova. Akulandawo eBhayibhilini lapho okukhulunywa khona ngezikhonzi zikaJehova zinanza izinsuku zokuzalwa.

10. Kungani amaKhristu akuqala ayengananzi izinsuku zokuzalwa?

¹⁰ Ibhuku okuthiwa yi-World Book Encyclopedia lithi amaKhristu okuqala ayengananzi izinsuku zokuzalwa ngoba ayekwazi ukuthi lokhu kwaqaliswa ngabahedeni. Ngokwesibonelo amaGrikhi ayekholwa ukuthi ilanga lokuzalwa komuntu liqondana lelokuzalwa kukankulunkulu othile. Okunye ababekukholwa yikuthi kulomoya owawusibakhona ngelanga lokuzalwa komuntu njalo umoya lowo wawumvikela.

11. Abantu abanengi bacabangani ngokunanza izinsuku zokuzalwa futhi uJehova uthini?

¹¹ Abantu abanengi bacabanga ukuthi umuntu kumele aqakathekiswe kakhulu ngelanga lokunanza usuku lwakhe lokuzalwa. Lokho akuqondanga ngoba kumele sithandane ngaso sonke isikhathi. UJehova ufuna sibe lomusa zikhathi zonke. (Bala imiSebenzi 20:35.) Kanti njalo kumele sihlale simbonga ngesipho sokuphila kulokuthi simbonge ngelanga esazalwa ngalo kuphela.​—IHubo 8:3, 4; 36:9.

12. Ilanga lokufa lingcono kulelokuzalwa ngayiphi indlela?

¹² UmTshumayeli 7:1 uthi: “Ibizo elihle lingcono kulamakha amnandi, lelanga lokufa lingcono kulelanga lokuzalwa.” Kungani iBhayibhili lisithi ilanga lokufa lingcono kulelokuzalwa? Ngoba ngesikhathi umuntu ezalwa kuyabe kungelalutho ayabe eselwenzile empilweni. Nxa umuntu angakhonza  uJehova njalo enzele abanye okuhle uyabe ezenzela “ibizo elihle.” UJehova uyabe ezahlala ezikhumbula izenzo lezo lanxa umuntu lowo angaze afe. (UJobe 14:14, 15) Izikhonzi zikaJehova kazinanzi izinsuku zokuzalwa. LolukaJesu kazilunanzi ngoba wazilaya ukuthi zisale zinanza iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe kuphela.​—ULukha 22:17-20; KumaHebheru 1:3, 4.

13, 14. Ukunanza i-Easter kwaqalisa njani?

¹³ Abantu abanengi bacabanga ukuthi nxa benanza i-Easter bayabe bekhumbula ukuvuswa kukaJesu. Kodwa kukhanya i-Easter yaqalisela emkhosini owawusenzelwa u-Eostre unkulunkulukazi wentwasa lokusa. Esinye isichazamazwi sithi u-Eostre wayengunkulunkulukazi wenzalo. Okunye okwenziwa nge-Easter kuhambelana lalokho okwakusenzelwa unkulunkulukazi lo. Ngokwesibonelo i-Encyclopædia Britannica ithi ‘amaqanda amela impilo kanye lokuvuka kwabafileyo.’ Kanti njalo abahedeni bakholwa ukuthi umvundla umela inzalo. Konke lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi i-Easter kayihambelani lokuvuswa kukaJesu.

¹⁴ UJehova kathokozi nxa ebona abantu behlanganisa imikhuba yabahedeni lokuvuswa kweNdodana yakhe. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 6:17, 18) Kazange asitshele ukuthi sinanze ukuvuswa kukaJesu.

15. Kungani amaKhristu engahlanganyeli emikhutsheni eyenziwa nxa kungafiwa?

¹⁵ AmaKhristu ayayixwaya imikhuba eyenziwa nxa kungafiwa. Imikhuba le igoqela okwenziwa nxa kungcwatshwa umuntu, ukuzila, ukugeza ngemithi nxa kuvelwa emangcwabeni lokufaka impahla zikamufi engcwabeni. Kanti njalo abanye balemikhuba abayenza ngemva kwesikhathi esithile umuntu ebekiwe. Imikhuba yonke le iveza ukuthi bakholwa ukuthi abantu abafileyo bangabalimaza. Thina asiyenzi imikhuba leyo ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi “abafileyo kabazi lutho.”​—UmTshumayeli 9:5, 10.

16, 17. Kuyini okumele ucabange ngakho nxa uhlela ukutshada?

¹⁶ Ilanga lomtshado liyathokozisa kakhulu. Amadili emitshado enziwa ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo emhlabeni jikelele. Abantu abanengi abakwazi ukuthi eminye imikhuba eyenziwa emitshadweni yaqaliswa ngabahedeni. Kodwa amaKhristu ahlela ukutshada kumele abe leqiniso lokuthi okwenziwa edilini lomtshado kuzathokozisa uJehova. Kumele badingisise ukuthi imikhuba eyenziwa emadilini emitshado yasukela ngaphi ukuze benze okuthokozisa uJehova.​—UMakho 10:6-9.

¹⁷ Eminye imikhuba eyenziwayo kuyabe kukholwa ukuthi izakwenza abatshadayo babe ‘lenhlanhla.’ (U-Isaya 65:11) Ngokwesibonelo kwezinye indawo abantu bahaza abatshadayo ngerayisi ngenxa yokuthi bayabe bekholwa ukuthi lokhu kuzabenza babe labantwana, bathokoze, baphile impilo ende njalo bavikeleke kokubi. Kodwa amaKhristu kumele ayixwaye imikhuba yenkolo yamanga.​—Bala u-2 Khorinte 6:14-18.

18. Yiziphi ezinye izinto okungamelanga zenziwe ngelanga lomtshado?

¹⁸ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi labo abahlela ukutshada bafuna umtshado wabo ube lesithunzi futhi ube ngothokozisayo. Abayabe bephiwe ithuba lokukhuluma emtshadweni akumelanga bakhulume izinto eziphathelane lezemacansini kumbe ezizatshiya abatshadayo beyangekile. (IZaga 26:18, 19; ULukha 6:31; 10:27) Abatshadayo kumele baxwaye ‘ukuzigqaja ngezimpahla’ abalazo. (1 UJohane 2:16) Nxa uhlela ukutshada  kumele ube leqiniso lokuthi awusoze uzisole ngalokho okwenzakala edilini lomtshado wakho.​—Khangela Amabala Asekucineni 28.

19, 20. Ngobani abaqalisa umkhuba wokutshayanisa amagilazi?

¹⁹ Omunye umkhuba ojayele ukwenziwa kwamanye amazwe nxa kulomtshado kumbe eminye imibuthano ngowokutshayanisa amagilazi ewayini. Kodwa bengakawatshayanisi baqala bawaphakamisele phezulu nxa omunye esakhuluma loba esafisela othile okuhle. Nxa angaqeda bayawatshayanisa besebenatha okuphakathi kwawo. Kodwa amaKhristu kumele akwenze yini lokhu?

²⁰ Ibhuku okuthiwa yi-International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture lithi umkhuba lo waqaliswa ngabahedeni. Babenikela okunathwayo kubonkulunkulu babo ngapha bekhuluma besithi ‘mpilo ende’ kumbe ‘mpilo enhle.’ Endulo kulabantu ababecabanga ukuthi ukuphakamisela amankomitsho abo phezulu kuzabenza bathole izibusiso ezivela kubonkulunkulu babo. Kodwa amaKhristu ayakwazi ukuthi akumelanga enze njalo nxa efuna ukubusiswa nguJehova.​—UJohane 14:6; 16:23.

21. Yimikhosi enjani okumele siyixwaye?

²¹ Kumele uqale ucabangisise sibili ungakahlanganyeli ekunanzeni umkhosi othile. Ngokwesibonelo, kweminye imikhosi abantu bayabe begida ngendlela  evusa imizwa, bedakwa njalo beziphatha kubi kwezemacansini. Eminye imikhosi ikhuthaza abantu ukuthi babe yizitabane lokuthi babe lobandlululo. Nxa sizonda lokho uJehova akuzondayo asisoze sihlanganyele emikhosini enjalo.​—IHubo 1:1, 2; 97:10; 119:37.

22. Kuyini okungasiza umKhristu engakenzi isinqumo sokuyahlanganyela emkhosini othile?

²² AmaKhristu kumele axwaye yonke imikhosi engamdumisiyo uNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: “Langabe liyadla kumbe liyanatha, loba kuyikuphi elikwenzayo, kwenzeleni udumo lukaNkulunkulu.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:31; khangela Amabala Asekucineni 29.) Kodwa ayisiyo yonke imikhosi eyephula izimiso eziseBhayibhilini. Yikho umKhristu kuzamele azenzele isinqumo sokuthi uzahlanganyela yini kuyo. Okunye okumele sicabange ngakho yikuthi izinqumo zethu zizabaphatha njani abanye.

23, 24. Ungazichasisela njani izihlobo zakho ezingayisiboFakazi ukuthi kungani ungasahlanganyeli emikhosini ethile?

²³ Mhlawumbe usuyekelile ukuhlanganyela emikhosini engamthokozisiyo uJehova. Kodwa izihlobo zakho ezingayisibo Fakazi zingacabanga ukuthi okwenza ungahlanganyeli lazo ekunanzeni imikhosi leyo yikuthi awusazithandi. Zingabe zicabanga ukuthi imikhosi kanye lamaholideyi yizikhathi zokuthi lihlangane liyimuli. Pho ungazitshela njani ukuthi kuyini okwenza ungasahlanganyeli? Zinengi izindlela ongakwenza  ngazo lokhu, njalo kumele ubaqinisekise ukuthi uyabathanda lokuthi uyabaqakathekisa. (IZaga 11:25; UmTshumayeli 3:12, 13) Okunye ongakwenza yikubanxusa ukuthi bakuvakatshele ngezikhathi ezingayisizo ezamaholideyi.

²⁴ Amabhuku ethu kanye lokunye okutholakala ku-jw.org kungakusiza uchasisele izihlobo zakho ukuthi kungani ungasahlanganyeli emikhosini ethile. Ungababambi ngenkani ukuthi bakholwe lokho okutshoyo njalo ungaphikisani labo. Batshele ukuthi uqale wacabangisisa ungakenzi isinqumo. Ngesikhathi ukhuluma labo khumbula amazwi la: “Ingxoxo yenu kayihlale igcwele umusa, ifakwe itshwayi.”​—KwabaseKholose 4:6.

25, 26. Kungani kumele abazali basize abantwababo ukuthi balandele izimiso zikaJehova?

²⁵ Kumele sizwisise ukuthi kungani singahlanganyeli emikhosini ethile. (KumaHebheru 5:14) Isizatho esiqakatheke kakhulu ngesokuthi sifuna ukuthokozisa uJehova. Abazali kumele bazinike isikhathi sokufundisa abantwababo ukuthi bazwisise izimiso zeBhayibhili. Lokhu kuzasiza abantwababo ukuthi bathokozise uJehova.​—U-Isaya 48:17, 18; 1 UPhetro 3:15.

²⁶ UJehova uyathokoza nxa esibona sizama ukuhlala sithembekile kuye njalo simkhonza ngendlela eqondileyo. (UJohane 4:23) Kodwa abantu abanengi bacabanga ukuthi akulamuntu ongahlala ethembekile emhlabeni lo omubi kangaka. Kuliqiniso yini lokhu? Ake sixoxe ngakho esahlukweni esilandelayo.