1. Ngubani owadala konke okuphilayo?

UMPHROFETHI uJeremiya wathi: “UJehova unguNkulunkulu oqotho; unguNkulunkulu ophilayo.” (UJeremiya 10:10) UJehova unguMdali wakho konke okuphilayo. Izidalwa ezisezulwini zathi kuye: “Wena wadala izinto zonke, njalo zadalwa ngentando yakho njalo zilabo ubukhona bazo.” (ISambulo 4:11) INkosi uDavida yahlabela ingoma yokudumisa uNkulunkulu isithi: “Kuwe kulomthombo wokuphila.” (IHubo 36:9) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi ukuphila kuyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu.

2. UNkulunkulu usinika ziphi izinto ezenza siqhubeke siphila?

² Okunye uJehova akwenzayo yikusinika izinto ezenza siqhubeke siphila. (ImiSebenzi 17:28) Nguye osinika ukudla esikudlayo, amanzi esiwanathayo, umoya esiwuphefumulayo kanye lendawo esihlala kuyo. (Bala imiSebenzi 14:15-17.) UJehova wenze lokhu ngendlela enza sijabule ekuphileni kwethu. Kodwa kumele sifunde imithetho kaNkulunkulu njalo siyilalele nxa sifuna ukujabula.​—U-Isaya 48:17, 18.

3. UJehova wathini ngokubulawa kuka-Abela?

³ UNkulunkulu ufuna sihloniphe ukuphila kwethu lokwabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi u-Adamu lo-Eva besaphila, indodana yabo uKhayini yamzondela kakhulu umfowabo u-Abela. UJehova wamxwayisa uKhayini emtshela ukuthi  ukuzonda kwakhe kwakungacina kumenzise isono esikhulu. UKhayini kalalelanga. ‘Wamhlasela umfowabo u-Abela wambulala.’ (UGenesisi 4:3-8) UJehova wamjezisa uKhayini ngenxa yokubulala kwakhe umfowabo.​—UGenesisi 4:9-11.

4. EMthethweni kaMosi, uNkulunkulu wawugcizelela njani umbono oqondileyo mayelana lokuphila?

⁴ Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-2 400, uJehova wanika abantu bako-Israyeli imithetho eyayizabanceda ukuthi bamkhonze ngendlela ayamukelayo. Imithetho le iyake ibizwe ngokuthi uMthetho kaMosi ngoba yanikwa umphrofethi uMosi ukuthi ayitshele abantu. Okunye okwakusemthethweni kaMosi yilokhu: “Ungabulali.” (UDutheronomi 5:17) Lokhu kwakutshengisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakuqakathekisa ukuphila komuntu njalo kwakubatshengisa ukuthi kumele baqakathekise ukuphila kwabanye.

5. Kumele sikubone njani ukukhipha isisu?

⁵ Kodwa kuthiwani ngokuphila komntwana ongakazalwa? EMthethweni kaMosi, ukubangela ukufa komntwana ongakazalwa kwakuyinto embi. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi ukuphila komntwana ongakazalwa kuligugu kuJehova. (Bala u-Eksodusi 21:22, 23; Hubo 127:3.) Ngakho ukukhipha isisu kuyinto embi.

6. Kungani kungamelanga sizonde abanye?

⁶ Ukuhlonipha impilo kugoqela ukuba lombono oqondileyo ngabanye abantu. IBhayibhili lithi: “Lowo ozonda umzalwane wakhe ungumbulali, njalo liyakwazi ukuthi akulambulali olokuphila okungapheliyo kuye.” (1 UJohane 3:15) Nxa sifuna ukuphila okungapheliyo kumele sikhiphe ezinhliziyweni zethu yonke inzondo esilayo ngabanye abantu, ngenxa yokuthi izikhathi ezinengi inzondo ibangela udlakela. (1 UJohane 3:11, 12) Kuqakathekile ukuthi sifunde ukuthandana.

7. Yiphi eminye imikhuba etshengisa ukungahloniphi impilo?

⁷ Ukuphila kwethu kumele sikuhloniphe yini? Izikhathi ezinengi abantu kabakufuni ukufa kodwa bajayele ukufaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ngenxa yokukholisa nje.  Ngokwesibonelo, abanengi babhema igwayi kumbe imbanje njalo abanye bazilibazisa ngezidakamizwa. Izinto ezinjalo zingcolisa umzimba njalo zijayele ukubulala abazisebenzisayo. Umuntu ozijayeza ukusebenzisa lezizinto kalambono wokuthi ukuphila kungcwele. Imikhuba enjalo ingcolile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (Bala uRoma 6:19; 12:1; 2 Khorinte 7:1.) Kumele sitshiyane lemikhuba enjalo nxa sifuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo. Lanxa kungabanzima ukuyitshiya, uJehova angasinika uncedo esiludingayo. Uyathokoza nxa sizama ukubona ukuphila kwethu njengesipho esiligugu esisinikwe nguye.

8. Kungani kumele sihlale siqaphela izingozi ezingabakhona?

⁸ Nxa sihlonipha ukuphila sizahlala siqaphela izingozi ezingabakhona. Asisoze sibe ngabantu abangelandaba lokuzivikela njalo asisoze sizifake engozini ngenxa nje yokufuna ukuzilibazisa lokukholisa. Okunye esingasoze sikwenze yikutshayela butshapha kanye lokudlala imidlalo elodlakela leyingozi. (IHubo 11:5) UNkulunkulu wanika ama-Israyeli asendulo uMthetho owawusithi: “Nxa usakha indlu entsha, uzakwakha umduli oluthango ephahleni lwayo ukuze kungabi lomuntu owayo ephahleni lwendlu yakho ube lecala lokuchitha igazi.” (UDutheronomi 22:8) Kumele silandele isimiso somthetho lo ngokwenza ukuthi izitebhisi ezisezindlini zethu zihlale zisesimweni esihle, ukuze kungabi lomuntu owayo abeselimala kabuhlungu. Nxa ulemota, qiniseka ukuthi akusiyongozi ukuyitshayela. Ungayekeli indlu yakho kumbe imota yakho kusiba yingozi kuwe lakwabanye.

9. Nxa sihlonipha ukuphila, kumele siziphathe njani izinyamazana?

⁹ Kuthiwani ngokuphila kwezinyamazana? Lakho futhi kungcwele kuMdali. UNkulunkulu uyasivumela ukuthi sibulale izinyamazana ukuze sithole ukudla, izambatho kumbe ukuze sizivikele ezingozini. (UGenesisi 3:21; 9:3; U-Eksodusi 21:28) Kodwa ukuzilibazisa ngokubulala izinyamazana lokuba lesihluku kuzo akulunganga njalo kutshengisa ukuthi asibuqakathekisi ubungcwele bokuphila.​—IZaga 12:10.

10. UNkulunkulu ukutshengise njani ukuthi ukuphila kanye legazi kuyahambelana?

¹⁰ UKhayini esebulele umfowabo u-Abela, uJehova wamtshela wathi: “Igazi lomfowenu liyakhala kimi lisuka emhlabathini.” (UGenesisi 4:10) Lapho uNkulunkulu ekhuluma ngegazi lika-Abela wayesitsho ukuphila kuka-Abela. UKhayini wayebulele u-Abela ngakho kwakumele ajeziswe. Kwakungani igazi lika-Abela kumbe ukuphila kwakhe kwakukhalela ukuthi uJehova alungise indaba le. Ukuhambelana okukhona phakathi kokuphila kanye legazi kwatshengiswa futhi ngemva kukaZamcolo owenzakala ngesikhathi sikaNowa. Kungakabi loZamcolo, abantu babesidla izithelo, imibhida, amabele lamazambane. UZamcolo esephelile, uJehova watshela uNowa lamadodana akhe ukuthi: “Yonke into ephilayo lenyakazayo izakuba yikudla kuwe.” Lanxa kunjalo, kulento eyodwa abatshela ukuthi bangayidli: “Kodwa lingadli inyama ilegazi lokuphila kwayo phakathi.” (UGenesisi 1:29; 9:3, 4) Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi ukuphila kanye legazi kuyahambelana kakhulu kuJehova.

11. Kusukela esikhathini sikaNowa yikuphi ukusetshenziswa kwegazi uNkulunkulu angazange akuvumele?

¹¹ Sitshengisa ukuthi siyalihlonipha igazi ngokungalidli. UJehova wanika ama-Israyeli uMthetho othi: “Loba nguwuphi owako-Israyeli . . . ozingela loba yiphi inyamazana loba edliwayo kavuzise igazi aligqibele ngenhlabathi. . . . Ngithe kwabako-Israyeli, ‘Lingabokudla igazi laloba yisiphi isidalwa.’” (ULevi 17:13, 14) Umthetho kaNkulunkulu owokungadli igazi owanikwa uNowa wawulokhu usebenza lanxa kwasekudlule iminyaka engu-800. Umbono kaJehova wawucacile: Izinceku zakhe zazingadla inyama yenyamazana hatshi igazi. Kwakumele bathululele igazi emhlabathini, ngenye indlela babuyisele ukuphila kwenyamazana kuNkulunkulu.

12. Yiwuphi umthetho omayelana legazi owanikwa ngomoya ongcwele ekhulwini lakuqala njalo osasebenza lamuhla?

¹² Umthetho ofananayo uyasebenza lakumaKhristu. Ekhulwini lokuqala, abaphostoli lamadoda ayekhokhela phakathi  kwabalandeli bakaJesu ahlangana ukuze anqume ukuthi yiphi imithetho okwakumele ilalelwe ngumuntu wonke ebandleni lobuKhristu. Aphetha ngokuthi: ‘Kubonakele kufanele ngomoya ongcwele lakithi ukuthi singalisindisi ngalutho bani ngaphandle kwezimiso ezilandelayo: xwayani ukudla okunikelwe izithombe, [‘igazi,’ The Holy Bible in Ndebele] inyama yenyamazana ekhanyiweyo [ukudla inyama ungathululanga igazi layo] kanye lokuphinga.’ (ImiSebenzi 15:28, 29; 21:25) Yikho-ke, kumele sihlale ‘sixwaya igazi.’ UNkulunkulu ukubona kuqakatheke njengokubalekela izithombe lokuziphatha okubi kwezemacansini.

13. Yiwuphi umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi umthetho wokuxwaya igazi ugoqela lokufakwa igazi?

¹³ Umthetho wokuxwaya igazi uhlanganisa lokufakwa igazi yini? Ye. Singakufanisa lalokhu: Ake sithi udokotela uthe ungasabunathi utshwala. Lokhu kungatsho yini ukuthi njengoba ungasabunathi ungabufaka emzimbeni ngemithambo yakho? Hatshi! Lokhu kutsho ukuthi nxa sixwaya igazi asisoze silifake emizimbeni yethu nganoma yiphi indlela. Ngakho umthetho wokuthi kumele sixwaye igazi utsho ukuthi akumelanga sivumele noma ngubani efaka igazi ngemithambo yethu.

14, 15. UmKhristu kumele enzeni nxa odokotela besithi afakwe igazi, njalo kungani kumele enze njalo?

¹⁴ Kodwa kuthiwani nxa umKhristu elimele kakhulu kumbe kumele ahlinzwe? Ake sithi odokotela bamtshela ukuthi nxa angayekela ukufakwa igazi uzakufa. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi umKhristu lo uyabe engafuni ukufa. Yikho-ke angavuma ukwelatshwa ngezinye izindlela ezingagoqeli ukufakwa igazi ukuze asindise ukuphila kwakhe okuyisipho esiligugu esivela kuNkulunkulu. Angemukela loba kuyini okukhona okungasetshenziswa ekumelapheni ngaphandle kwegazi.

¹⁵ Kuqondile yini ukuthi umKhristu angalaleli umthetho kaNkulunkulu wokuxwaya igazi ngenxa nje yokufuna ukuphila isikhathi eside emhlabeni lo? UJesu wathi: “Lowo ofuna ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe kuzamlahlekela, kodwa lowo olahlekelwa yikuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami uzakuzuza.”  (UMathewu 16:25) Asifuni ukufa. Kodwa nxa singazama ukusindisa ukuphila kwethu esilakho ngokungalaleli umthetho kaNkulunkulu, sizabe sisengozini yokungatholi ukuphila okuphakade. Siyabe sihlakaniphile nxa sithemba ukuthi umthetho kaJehova ulungile, njalo sithemba ukuthi lanxa singafa, uJehova osipha ukuphila uzasikhumbula nxa esevusa abafileyo abesesibuyisela isipho esiligugu esiyikuphila.​—UJohane 5:28, 29; KumaHebheru 11:6.

16. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zizimisele ukwenzani endabeni yegazi?

¹⁶ Lamuhla izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekileyo zizimisele ukulalela umlayo wokuxwaya igazi. Kazilidli noma ngayiphi indlela njalo kazivumi ukwelatshwa ngalo. * Zileqiniso lokuthi uNkulunkulu onguMenzi wegazi uyakwazi okuhle kuzo. Uyakukholwa yini lokhu?

17. UJehova uNkulunkulu wayefuna ama-Israyeli asendulo asebenzise igazi ngayiphi indlela eyodwa eqondileyo?

¹⁷ UMthetho kaMosi wagcizelela indlela eyodwa eqondileyo yokusebenzisa igazi. UJehova walaya ama-Israyeli asendulo ewatshela ngendlela yokumkhonza ayifunayo esithi: “Impilo yesidalwa isegazini, njalo ngiliphile ukuthi lenze ukubuyisana kwenu e-alithareni; kuligazi elenze ukubuyisana empilweni yomuntu.” (ULevi 17:11) Ama-Israyeli ayesithi angenza isono  athethelelwe nxa anganikela ngenyamazana njalo athulule elinye igazi e-alithareni elaliphakathi kwethabanikeli, kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi i-alithare leli laba sethempelini likaNkulunkulu. Imihlatshelo le yiyo okwakuyindlela eyodwa eqondileyo yokusebenzisa igazi.

18. Igazi likaJesu elachithekayo lenza sithole ziphi izibusiso?

¹⁸ AmaKhristu eqiniso kawanikeli ngemihlatshelo yezinyamazana njalo kawathululi igazi lezinyamazana e-alithare ngoba kawasekho ngaphansi koMthetho kaMosi. (KumaHebheru 10:1) Lanxa kunjalo, ukusetshenziswa kwegazi e-alithare ngezikhathi zama-Israyeli asendulo kwakuyisandulelo somhlatshelo oligugu owawuzakubakhona. Umhlatshelo lo wawungoweNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Khristu. ESahlukweni 5 sebhuku leli sifunde ukuthi uJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu, wavumela ukuthi igazi lakhe lichitheke njengomhlatshelo. Ngemva kwalokhu waya ezulwini wasenikela  ngegazi lakhe kuNkulunkulu kanye kuphela. (KumaHebheru 9:11, 12) Lokho kwabeka isisekelo sokuthethelelwa izono zethu njalo kwasinika ithuba lokuthi sithole ukuphila okungapheliyo. (UMathewu 20:28; UJohane 3:16) Ukusetshenziswa kwegazi lelo kusincede kakhulu! (1 UPhetro 1:18, 19) Ukuba lokholo egazini likaJesu elachithekayo yikho kuphela okungenza sisindiswe.

19. Kumele senzeni nxa sifuna ukungabi ‘lecala ngegazi labantu bonke’?

¹⁹ Njengoba uJehova uNkulunkulu esinike isipho sokuphila esitshengisa uthando lwakhe, kumele simbonge kakhulu! Lokhu kumele kusenze sitshele abanye ukuthi ukuba lokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu kusinika ithuba lokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo. Ukuba lendaba lempilo zabanye njengoNkulunkulu kuzakwenza ukuthi sizimisele njalo sikhuthale ukwenza lokhu. (Bala uHezekheli 3:17-21.) Singasebenza ngamandla sizakwenelisa ukutsho amazwi la akhulunywa ngumphostoli uPhawuli athi: “Kangilacala ngegazi labantu bonke. Phela kangithikazanga ukutshumayela kini yonke intando kaNkulunkulu.” (ImiSebenzi 20:26, 27) Ukutshela abantu ngoNkulunkulu kanye lezinjongo zakhe kuyindlela enhle yokutshengisa ukuthi siyakuqakathekisa kakhulu ukuphila kanye legazi.