1. Kuyini okungenza ukuthi imuli ithokoze?

UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU ufuna imuli ithokoze. ILizwi lakhe iBhayibhili lisinika izimiso ezingasetshenziswa yibo bonke emulini ezicacisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna umuntu munye ngamunye enzeni. Nxa umuntu wonke emulini angalandela iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu, kuba lempumela emihle. UJesu wathi: “Ababusisiweyo yilabo abalizwayo ilizwi likaNkulunkulu balilalele.”​—ULukha 11:28.

2. Kuyini okumele sikuqaphele nxa sifuna ukuthi imuli yethu ithokoze?

² Nxa sifuna ukuthi imuli yethu ithokoze, kumele siqaphele ukuthi yavela kuJehova. UJesu wambiza ngokuthi ‘nguBaba Wethu.’ (UMathewu 6:9) Izimuli zonke ezisemhlabeni zikhona ngenxa kaBaba wethu osezulwini njalo uyakwazi ukuthi kuyini okwenza izimuli zithokoze. (Kwabase-Efesu 3:14, 15) Kodwa iBhayibhili lifundisani ngokumele kwenziwe ngumuntu munye ngamunye emulini?

3. IBhayibhili lithi imuli yaqalisa njani, futhi sikwazi njani ukuthi elikutshoyo kuliqiniso?

³ UJehova wadala abantu bokuqala, u-Adamu lo-Eva, wasebahlanganisa  ukuthi babe yindoda lomfazi. Wabafaka emhlabeni omuhle olipharadayisi obizwa ngokuthi yisivande sase-Edeni, wasebatshela ukuthi babe labantwana. UJehova wathi: “Zalani lande ngobunengi; wugcwaliseni umhlaba, liwubuse.” (UGenesisi 1:26-28; 2:18, 21-24) Le ayisiyo ndaba yokuzibumbela kumbe inganekwane ngoba uJesu watshengisa ukuthi okukhulunywa kuGenesisi mayelana lesiqalo semuli kuliqiniso. (UMathewu 19:4, 5) Silezinhlupho ezinengi njalo uNkulunkulu wayengajonganga ukuthi siphile nzima. Kodwa ake sibone ukuthi kungenzakala njani ukuthi izimuli zethu zithokoze.

4. (a) Umuntu ngamunye emulini angenzani ukuze imuli ithokoze? (b) Kungani kuqakatheke kakhulu ukufunda ngoJesu nxa sifuna ukuthokoza ezimulini zethu?

⁴ Umuntu munye ngamunye emulini angancedisa ukuthi imuli ithokoze nxa elingisela uNkulunkulu ekutshengiseni uthando. (Kwabase-Efesu 5:1, 2) Kodwa singamlingisela njani uNkulunkulu, thina singamboni? Singayifunda indlela kaNkulunkulu yokwenza izinto ngoba wathuma iNdodana yakhe elizibulo eyayisezulwini ukuthi ize emhlabeni. (UJohane 1:14, 18, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) INdodana le, uJesu Khristu, isesemhlabeni yayilingisela uYise osezulwini okokuthi ukubona uJesu lokumlalela kwakufanana lokubona uJehova lokumlalela. (UJohane 14:9) Ngakho umuntu munye ngamunye uzancedisa ekwenzeni ukuthi imuli ithokoze nxa angafunda ngothando olwatshengiswa nguJesu njalo alandele isibonelo sakhe.

5, 6. (a) Amadoda afundani endleleni uJesu aphatha ngayo ibandla? (b) Kuyini okumele kwenziwe ukuze izono zethu zithethelelwe?

⁵ IBhayibhili lithi amadoda kumele aphathe omkawo ngendlela uJesu aphatha ngayo abafundi bakhe. Umlayo oseBhayibhilini uthi: ‘Madoda, thandani omkenu, njengoKhristu owathanda ibandla wazinikela ngenxa yalo. Ngayonale indlela, amadoda kumele athande omkawo njengemizimba yawo. Lowo othanda umfazi wakhe uyazithanda. Belo, kakho owake wazonda umzimba wakhe kodwa uwunika  ukudla awulondoloze, njengokwenziwa nguKhristu ebandleni.’​—Kwabase-Efesu 5:23, 25-29.

⁶ Indlela uJesu ayethanda ngayo ibandla lakhe labafundi iyisibonelo esipheleleyo samadoda. UJesu ‘wabatshengisa ukujula kothando lwakhe’ ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe lanxa babengabantu abalesono. (UJohane 13:1; 15:13) Lamuhla amadoda akhuthazwa ukuthi aqhubeke ‘ethanda omkawo njalo angabi lesihluku kubo.’ (KwabaseKholose 3:19) Kuyini okuzanceda indoda ukuthi isebenzise lesi seluleko, ikakhulu nxa umkayo kwezinye izikhathi esenza izinto ezingatshengisi ukuhlakanipha? Akumelanga ikhohlwe ukuthi layo iyaphambanisa lokuthi kulokunye okumele ikwenze ukuze ithethelelwe nguNkulunkulu. Kumele yenzeni? Kumele ithethelele abayonelayo kugoqele lomkayo. Inkosikazi layo kumele yenze njalo. (Bala uMathewu 6:12, 14, 15.) Uyakubona yini ukuthi kungani abanye besithi umtshado ophumelelayo ubunjwa ngabantu ababili abathethelelanayo?

7. UJesu wayenanzelelani, njalo amadoda afundani kulokho?

⁷ Amadoda kumele ananzelele ukuthi uJesu wayekhathalela abafundi bakhe zikhathi zonke. Wayenanzelela ukuthi kuyini abenelisa ukukwenza kanye lezidingo zabo. Ngokwesibonelo, bathi sebediniwe wathi kubo: “Ngilandeleni lodwa siye endaweni ethuleyo ukuze liphumule.” (UMakho 6:30-32) Abafazi labo kumele bakhathalelwe. IBhayibhili lithi ‘babuthakathaka’ ngakho amadoda alaywa ukuthi abaphathe “ngenhlonipho.” Ngani? Ngoba bonke amadoda labafazi bathola ‘isipho sokuphila esomusa.’ (1 UPhetro 3:7) Amadoda akumelanga akhohlwe ukuthi okwenza umuntu abe ligugu kuNkulunkulu yikuthembeka, hatshi ukuthi uyindoda kumbe ungumfazi.​—IHubo 101:6.

8. (a) Kutshoni ukuthi indoda ‘ethanda umfazi wayo iyazithanda’? (b) Kutshoni ukuthi indoda lomfazi “sebemunye”?

⁸ IBhayibhili lithi indoda ‘ethanda umfazi wayo iyazithanda.’ Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi indoda lomkayo “kabasebabili, kodwa sebemunye” njengoba uJesu watsho. (UMathewu 19:6) Yikho-ke akumelanga baye emacansini lomunye  umuntu. (IZaga 5:15-21; KumaHebheru 13:4) Bangaphumelela ukwenza lokhu nxa beqakathekisa imizwa yomunye lomunye emtshadweni. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 7:3-5) Okumele bakukhumbule yikuthi: “Kakho owake wazonda umzimba wakhe, kodwa uwunika ukudla awulondoloze.” Amadoda kumele athande omkawo ngendlela azithanda ngayo, ekhumbula ukuthi alomlandu kuJesu Khristu, inhloko yawo.​—Kwabase-Efesu 5:29; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 11:3.

9. UFiliphi 1:8 usifundisani ngoJesu, njalo kungani amadoda kumele amlingisele?

⁹ Umphostoli uPhawuli wakhuluma ‘ngothando lukaKhristu uJesu.’ (KwabaseFiliphi 1:8) Uthando lukaJesu olukhulu lwalududuza, njalo lwalukhanga abesifazane ababa ngabafundi bakhe. (UJohane 20:1, 11-13, 16) Abafazi bafuna ukuthandwa kakhulu ngomkabo.

10. Abafazi bafundani kuJesu?

¹⁰ Imuli liqembu labantu abasebenza ndawonye, ngakho ukuze isebenze kuhle kumele ibe lenhloko. UJesu uleNhloko azehlisa kuyo. ‘Inhloko kaKhristu nguNkulunkulu,’ njengoba nje ‘inhloko yowesifazana iyindoda.’ (1 KwabaseKhorinte 11:3) Ukuzehlisa kukaJesu ebunhlokweni bukaNkulunkulu kuyisibonelo esihle ngoba sonke silenhloko okumele sizehlise kuyo.

11. Umfazi kumele amphathe njani umkakhe, njalo kungaba layiphi impumela emihle?

¹¹ Amadoda ayaphambanisa ngenxa yokuthi alesono njalo izikhathi ezinengi kenelisi ukuba zinhloko zemuli ezingelasici. Ngakho umfazi kumele enzeni? Akumelanga alulaze okwenziwa ngumkakhe kumbe azenze inhloko. Umfazi kumele akhumbule ukuthi umoya omnene lothuleyo uligugu elikhulu phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (1 UPhetro 3:4) Angaba lomoya onjalo, kuzaba lula kuye ukuthi azehlise ngendlela efunwa nguNkulunkulu lanxa kunzima. IBhayibhili ligcizelela ukuthi: ‘Umfazi kumele ahloniphe indoda yakhe.’ (Kwabase-Efesu 5:33) Kodwa umfazi angenzani nxa umkakhe engazehlisi ebunhlokweni  bukaKhristu? IBhayibhili likhuthaza abafazi ukuthi ‘bazehlise kubomkabo, ukuze kuthi uma abanye babo bengalikholwa ilizwi, bahugeke ngokuziphatha kwabomkabo kungekho kukhuluma, lapho bebona ukuhlanzeka lenhlonipho yokuphila kwabo.’​—1 UPhetro 3:1, 2.

12. Kungani kuyinto eyamukelekayo ukuthi umfazi aveze umbono wakhe ngenhlonipho?

¹² Nxa umfazi eveza umbono otshiyene lowomkakhe ngendlela enhle kakutsho ukuthi kamhloniphi, kungelani lokuthi umkakhe uyakhonza kumbe kakhonzi. Umbono wakhe ungabe uqondile, njalo indoda ingamlalela kunganceda imuli yonke. U-Abhrahama kazange avumelane loSara lapho uSara emtshela ngohlupho ababelalo emulini yabo, kodwa uNkulunkulu wamtshela wathi: “Lalela konke uSara akutshela khona.” (Bala uGenesisi 21:9-12.) Loba kunjalo, nxa indoda isikhethe ukwenza isinqumo esingaphikisani lomthetho kaNkulunkulu endabeni ethile, umkayo kumele azehlise ngokusisekela.​—ImiSebenzi 5:29; Kwabase-Efesu 5:24.

13. (a) UThithusi 2:4, 5 ukhuthaza abesifazana abatshadileyo ukuthi benzeni? (b) IBhayibhili lithini ngokwehlukana okwesikhathi esithile kanye lokuchitha umtshado?

¹³ Umlandu womfazi ugoqela ukuthi enze okunengi ukuze anakekele imuli yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi abesifazana abatshadileyo kumele ‘bathande omkabo labantwana babo, ukuba bazikhuze njalo bahlambuluke, lokuba bakhuthale emakhaya, lokuba lomusa, lokuba bazehlisele ngaphansi kwabomkabo.’ (KuThithusi 2:4, 5) Umfazi olabantwana oziphatha ngaleyondlela uzahlala ethandwa yimuli yakhe njalo izamhlonipha. (Bala iZaga 31:10, 28.) Umtshado ubunjwa ngabantu ababili abalesono, ngakho kungaba lezimo ezinzima kakhulu ezingenza abatshadileyo behlukane okwesikhathi esithile kumbe bachithe umtshado. IBhayibhili liyakuvumela ukuthi ezimeni ezithile, abantu bangehlukana okwesikhathi esithile. Lanxa kunjalo, ukwehlukana okwesikhathi esithile akumelanga sikuthathe lula, ngoba iBhayibhili liyasilaya: ‘Umfazi akumelanga ehlukane lendoda yakhe, lendoda akumelanga  imlahle umkayo.’ (1 KwabaseKhorinte 7:10, 11) IMibhalo ithi abatshadileyo bangachitha umtshado kuphela nxa omunye wabo efebile.​—UMathewu 19:9.

14. UJesu wabaphatha njani abantwana, njalo abantwana badingani kubazali babo?

¹⁴ Indlela uJesu aphatha ngayo abantwana iyisibonelo esipheleleyo kubazali. Abanye bazama ukwalisa abantwana ukuthi bangayi kuJesu, kodwa yena wathi: “Yekelani abantwana abancane beze kimi, lingabavaleli.” IBhayibhili lithi ngemva kwalokho ‘wathatha abantwana ebaphatha, wababeka izandla wababusisa.’ (UMakho 10:13-16) Njengoba uJesu wazinika isikhathi sokuba labantwana abancane, akumelanga yini lani lenze njalo kumadodana lamadodakazi enu? Abantwana bayakudinga ukuthi babe lesikhathi esinengi labazali babo hatshi isikhathi esincane nje. Kumele libe lesikhathi sokubafundisa, ngoba uJehova ulaya abazali ukuthi benze njalo.​—Bala uDutheronomi 6:4-9.

15. Abazali bangabavikela njani abantwababo?

¹⁵ Njengoba ububi bulokhu busanda emhlabeni lo, abantwana badinga ukuthi abazali babavikele ebantwini abafuna  ukubalimaza, abanjengabantu abahlukuluza abantwana emacansini. Ake sibone ukuthi uJesu wabavikela njani abalandeli bakhe, ayebabiza ngendlela etshengisa uthando esithi “bantwabami.” Esebotshiwe njalo esezabulawa, uJesu wathola indlela yokuthi abafundi bakhe baphunyuke. (UJohane 13:33; 18:7-9) Njengomzali, kumele uqaphele amacebo kaSathane okuzama ukulimaza abantwabakho. Kumele ubaxwayise bengakehlelwa yingozi. * (1 UPhetro 5:8) Kulezinsuku sekulokunengi okungalimaza abantwana, lokungabaphambanisa ekukhonzeni lasekuziphatheni kwabo.

16. Okwenziwa nguJesu ngesikhathi abafundi bakhe bephambanisa kubafundisani abazali?

 ¹⁶ Ngobusuku uJesu afa ngabo, abafundi bakhe baphikisana ngokuthi ngubani owayemkhulu phakathi kwabo. Kulokuthi uJesu abazondele, waqhubeka ebancenga ngamazwi alothando njalo ebabekela isibonelo esihle. (ULukha 22:24-27; UJohane 13:3-8) Nxa ungumzali, uyakubona yini ukuthi ungamlingisela njani uJesu nxa uqondisa abantwabakho? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kumele ubaqondise, kodwa lokhu kumele ukwenze ‘ngokufaneleyo’ hatshi uzondile. Awungeke ufune ukukhuluma amazwi ungacabanganga, ‘anjengokugwaza kwenkemba.’ (UJeremiya 30:11; IZaga 12:18) Kumele uqondise umntwana ngendlela ezakwenza ukuthi ngemva kwesikhathi abone ukuthi ukumqondisa kwakho kumncedile.​—Kwabase-Efesu 6:4; KumaHebheru 12:9-11.

17. UJesu waba yisibonelo esipheleleyo ebantwaneni ngayiphi indlela?

¹⁷ Abantwana bangafunda kuJesu yini? Ye, bangafunda! UJesu watshengisa ukuthi abantwana kumele balalele njani abazali babo ngesibonelo sakhe. Wathi: “Ngikhuluma kuphela lokho uBaba angifundise khona.” Waphinda wathi: “Ngihlezi ngisenza lokho okumthokozisayo.” (UJohane 8:28, 29) UJesu wayemlalela uYise osezulwini, njalo iBhayibhili litshela abantwana ukuthi balalele abazali babo. (Bala u-Efesu 6:1-3.) Lanxa uJesu wayengumntwana ongelasono, walalela uJosefa loMariya, abazali bakhe abasemhlabeni ababelesono. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi bonke abemuli kaJesu bathokoze kakhulu!​—ULukha 2:4, 5, 51, 52.

18. Kuyini okwenza uJesu walalela uYise osezulwini zikhathi zonke, njalo ngubani othokozayo nxa abantwana belalela abazali babo lamuhla?

¹⁸ Abantwana bayakubona yini ukuthi bangamlingisela njani uJesu, bathokozise abazali babo? Kuliqiniso ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi abasakhulayo bangakubona kunzima ukulalela abazali babo, kodwa uNkulunkulu ufuna benze njalo. (IZaga  1:8; 6:20) UJesu wayehlala elalela uYise osezulwini lanxa kwakunzima kwezinye izikhathi. Ngelinye ilanga, uJesu kwakumele enze into enzima kakhulu eyayifunwa nguNkulunkulu, wasesithi: “Susa inkomitshi le kimi.” Inkomitsho le ngokuthile okwakumele akwenze. Lanxa kunjalo, uJesu wenza lokho uNkulunkulu ayethe akwenze ngoba wananzelela ukuthi uYise wayekwazi ngcono. (ULukha 22:42) Uma abantwana befunda ukulalela, bazathokozisa abazali babo kanye loYise osezulwini. *​—IZaga 23:22-25.

19. (a) USathane ubalinga njani abantwana? (b) Abazali bezwa njani nxa abantwababo beziphatha kubi?

¹⁹ Siyakwazi ukuthi uSathane angalinga abasakhulayo ukuthi benze izinto ezingaqondanga ngoba walinga uJesu. (UMathewu 4:1-10) USathane uDeveli angasebenzisa ontanga babo ukuthi babayenge njalo lokhu kunzima ukulwisana lakho. Kuqakathekile-ke ukuthi abantwana bangadlali labantu abenza okubi! (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:33) UDina, indodakazi kaJakhobe yaba lobungane labantu ababengakhonzi uJehova njalo lokhu kwabangela uhlupho olukhulu. (UGenesisi 34:1, 2) Cabanga ngobuhlungu obungazwiwa ngabanye emulini nxa omunye wabo engaziphatha kubi kwezemacansini!​—IZaga 17:21, 25.

20. Umuntu munye ngamunye emulini kumele enzeni ukuze imuli ithokoze?

²⁰ Nxa singasebenzisa iseluleko seBhayibhili, kuba lula ukulwisana lezinhlupho zemuli. Ukuze imuli ithokoze, kuqakathekile ukuthi isebenzise iseluleko salo. Yikho-ke, madoda thandani omkenu, libaphathe ngendlela uJesu aphatha ngayo ibandla. Bafazi, zehliseni ebunhlokweni bamadoda enu, njalo lilandele isibonelo somfazi olesimilo ochazwa kuZaga 31:10-31. Bazali, fundisani abantwabenu. (IZaga 22:6) Bobaba, ‘phathani kuhle imizi yenu.’ (1 KuThimothi 3:4, 5; 5:8) Bantwana, lalelani abazali benu. (KwabaseKholose 3:20) Emulini akulamuntu ongelasono, ngoba bonke bayaphambanisa. Ngakho kumele lithobeke, njalo lithethelelane.

21. Silindele ziphi izibusiso ezimangalisayo, njalo kuyini okungenza sithokoze ezimulini zethu lamuhla?

²¹ Kuliqiniso ukuthi iBhayibhili lilamacebo lemilayo okunengi okulusizo okuphathelane lemuli. Phezu kwalokho, lisifundisa ngomhlaba omutsha kaNkulunkulu kanye lepharadayisi emhlabeni lapho okuzabe kugcwele abantu abathokozayo, abakhonza uJehova. (ISambulo 21:3, 4) Silindele izibusiso ezimangalisayo! Kodwa lamuhla singathokoza ezimulini zethu nxa silalela imilayo kaNkulunkulu eseLizwini lakhe iBhayibhili.