1-3. (a) Kungani kumele simbonge uJehova? (b) UMkhululi wethu olothando ufuna senzeni?

AKE uzibone ungasenelisi ukuphuma emkhunjini osucwila emanzini. Ngesikhathi usucabanga ukuthi akuselathemba, kufika umuntu othile akuhambise endaweni ephephileyo. Ukwesaba konke kuyaphela njengoba umuntu lo ekukhipha engozini abesesithi: “Usuphephile khathesi”! Kawusoze uzizwe ufuna ukumbonga yini umuntu lowo? Ngeqiniso ubungazizwa ulomlandu wokuthi umbonge okwempilo yakho yonke okokuthi uyabe usuphilela yena.

² Ngamanye amazwi, lokhu kutshengisa esikwenzelwe nguJehova ngakho kumele simbonge kakhulu. Phela usilungiselele inhlawulo, futhi wenze senelisa ukukhululeka emandleni esono lokufa. Kuyasiduduza ukwazi ukuthi nxa sikholwa enhlawulweni leyo eligugu, izono zethu ziyathethelelwa kanti lekusasa lethu liba ngeliphephileyo. (1 UJohane 1:7; 4:9) Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 14, uJehova utshengise ukuthi uyasithanda kakhulu ngokusipha inhlawulo. Kumele senzeni ngalokho?

³ Ukucabanga ngalokho uMkhululi wethu olothando afuna sikwenze kungasinceda. Esebenzisa umphrofethi uMikha, uJehova uthi: “Ukutshengisile wena muntu okuhle. UJehova ufunani kuwe na? Ukwenza okulungileyo lokuthanda umusa kanye lokuhamba ngokuzithoba loNkulunkulu wakho.” (UMikha 6:8) Nanzelela ukuthi enye yezinto uJehova afuna siyenze ‘yikwenza okulungileyo.’ Singakwenza njani lokho?

4. Sazi njani ukuthi uJehova ufuna siphile ngezimiso zakhe ezilungileyo?

⁴ UJehova ufuna siphile ngezimiso zakhe ezisitshela ukuthi  yikuphi okulungileyo lokungalunganga. Njengoba izimiso zakhe zilungile, senza okulungileyo kumbe sahlulela kuhle nxa sizilandela. U-Isaya 1:17 uthi: “Fundani ukwenza okulungileyo. Funani ukwahlulela okuhle.” ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘sidinge ukulunga.’ (UZefaniya 2:3) Lisikhuthaza lokuthi ‘sifake ubumina obutsha obadalelwa ukuba njengoNkulunkulu ekulungeni okuqotho lokungcwele.’ (Kwabase-Efesu 4:24) Ukulunga okuqotho kumbe ukwahlulela kuhle akugoqeli udlakela, ukungcola kanye lokungaziphathi kuhle kwezemacansini, ngenxa yokuthi zonke izinto lezi ziyakungcolisa okungcwele.​—IHubo 11:5; Kwabase-Efesu 5:3-5.

5, 6. (a) Kungani kungekho nzima ukuthi silandele izimiso zikaJehova? (b) IBhayibhili litshengisa njani ukuthi ukufuna ukulunga yinto esiqhubeka siyenza?

⁵ Kunzima yini ukuthi silandele izimiso zikaJehova zokulunga? Hatshi. Inhliziyo ethanda uJehova kayikutholi kunzima ukulandela izimiso zakhe. Sifuna ukuphila ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda futhi sithanda lendlela ayiyo yona. (1 UJohane 5:3) Khumbula ukuthi uJehova “uthanda ukwahlulela kuhle.” (IHubo 11:7) Nxa sifuna ukulingisela ukwahlulela kuhle kukaNkulunkulu, kumbe ukulunga kwakhe, kumele sithande lokho akuthandayo besesizonda lokho akuzondayo.​—IHubo 97:10.

⁶ Kakulula ukuthi abantu abalesono benze okulungileyo. Kumele sihlubule uqobo lwethu oludala kanye lemikhuba ebangelwa yisono futhi sigqoke olutsha. IBhayibhili lithi uqobo lwethu olutsha ‘lwenziwa lube lutsha’ ngolwazi lweqiniso. (KwabaseKholose 3:9, 10) Amabala athi ‘lwenziwa lube lutsha’ atshengisa ukuthi ukugqoka uqobo olutsha yinto esiqhubeka siyenza, futhi yinto edinga umzamo omkhulu kakhulu. Lanxa singazama kangakanani ukwenza okulungileyo, ngezinye izikhathi siyake sicabange okubi, sikhulume kubi kumbe senze okubi ngenxa yokuthi silesono.​—KwabaseRoma 7:14-20; UJakhobe 3:2.

7. Kumele sizizwe njani nxa ngezinye izikhathi sisehluleka ukwenza okulungileyo?

 ⁷ Kumele sizizwe njani nxa ngezinye izikhathi sisehluleka ukwenza okulungileyo? Iqiniso yikuthi kasifuni ukuthatha lula ububi besono. Kodwa kakumelanga silahle ithemba, sicabange ukuthi amaphutha ethu enza singafaneli ukukhonza uJehova. UNkulunkulu wethu olesihawu uhlele ukuthi izoni eziphenduka ngenhliziyo yonke ziphinde zibe lobuhlobo obuhle laye. Cabanga ngamazwi omphostoli uJohane aduduzayo athi: “Ngililobela incwadi le ukuze lingenzi izono.” Waphinda wathi: “Kodwa uma umuntu enze isono [ngenxa yesono esizalwa silaso], silaye osikhulumelayo kuBaba esivikela​—uJesu Khristu.” (1 UJohane 2:1) UJehova usilungiselele inhlawulo kaJesu ukuze simkhonze ngendlela ayamukelayo lanxa silesono. Lokhu akusenzi yini ukuthi sizame ngazo zonke izindlela ukuthokozisa uJehova?

8, 9. Ukutshunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle kutshengisa njani ukulunga kukaJehova?

⁸ Ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu singakulingisela ngokutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso wakhe ngazo zonke izikhathi. Yikuphi ukuhambelana okukhona phakathi kokulunga kukaJehova lezindaba ezinhle?

⁹ UJehova kasoze abhubhise umhlaba lo omubi engaqalanga waxwayisa abantu. Esiphrofethweni sakhe esimayelana lokwakuzakwenzakala ngesikhathi sokucina, uJesu wathi: “Ivangeli kufanele liqale litshunyayelwe ezizweni zonke.” (UMakho 13:10; UMathewu 24:3) Ukusetshenziswa kwebala elithi “liqale” kutsho ukuthi kulezinye izinto ezizakwenzakala ngemva komsebenzi lo wokutshumayela. Izenzakalo lezo zigoqela ukuhlupheka okukhulu okuzayo, okuzakutsho ukubhujiswa kwabantu ababi besekusenza ukuthi kube lomhlaba omutsha. (UMathewu 24:14, 21, 22) Kuliqiniso ukuthi kakulamuntu ongasola esithi uJehova ubahlulele kubi abantu ababi. Ngokubaxwayisa, ubanika ithuba lokuntshintsha izindlela zabo ukuze bangabhujiswa.​—UJona 3:1-10.

10, 11. Ukutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle kutshengisa njani ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu?

 ¹⁰ Ukutshumayela kwethu izindaba ezinhle kutshengisa njani ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu? Okokuqala, kuqondile ukuzama ngamandla wonke ukunceda abanye ukuthi basindiswe. Cabanga futhi ngomzekeliso wokukhululwa emkhunjini osucwila. Nxa ususesikepeni sokuhlenga abantu, ungafuna ukunceda abasesemanzini. Ngokufananayo, lathi kumele sibancede labo abalokhu “besemanzini” omhlaba lo omubi. Kuliqiniso ukuthi abanengi abawulaleli umlayezo wethu. Kodwa nxa uJehova elokhu esababekezelela, thina silomlandu wokubanika ithuba ‘lokuphenduka’ besebesindiswa.​—2 UPhetro 3:9.

¹¹ Nxa sitshumayela izindaba ezinhle kubo bonke abantu esihlangana labo, sitshengisa ukulunga ngenye indlela eqakathekileyo: Sitshengisa ukungakhethi. Khumbula ukuthi “uNkulunkulu kathandi abanye kulabanye abantu kodwa wamukela abantu benhlanga zonke abamesabayo, abenza okulungileyo.” (ImiSebenzi 10:34, 35) Kakumelanga sahlulele abanye abantu nxa sifuna ukulingisela ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa kumele sitshele abantu ngezindaba ezinhle kungelandaba ukuthi bangumhlobo bani, balesikhundla bani emphakathini, kumbe banothile yini. Ngaleyo ndlela, bonke abafuna ukulalela sibanika ithuba lokuzwa izindaba ezinhle besebesenza okuthile ngalokho abakuzwileyo.​—KwabaseRoma 10:11-13.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kungamelanga sahlulele abanye? (b) Sitshoni iseluleko sikaJesu ‘sokungehluleli’ ‘lesokungalahli’ abanye? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

¹² Enye indlela esingatshengisa ngayo ukulunga yikuphatha abanye ngendlela uJehova asiphatha ngayo. Kulula kakhulu ukuthi sahlulele abanye, sikhulume kubi ngamaphutha abo futhi sisole ngitsho lezizathu zabo zokwenza okuthile. Kodwa ngubani kithi ongafuna ukuthi uJehova akhangelisise izizathu ezenza senze izinto ezithile, kanye lamaphutha ethu ngendlela engelazwelo? UJehova kasiphathi njalo. Umhubi wathi:  “Aluba wena, O Jehova, ububhala phansi zonke izono, ngubani ongema na?” (IHubo 130:3) Lokhu kakusenzi sifune ukumbonga yini uNkulunkulu wethu olesihawu futhi olungileyo okhetha ukungagxili emaphutheni ethu? (IHubo 103:8-10) Kodwa-ke kumele sibaphathe njani abanye?

¹³ Nxa sizwisisa isihawu sikaNkulunkulu esitshengisa ukulunga, kasisoze sahlulele abanye ezindabeni ezingelani lathi kumbe ezingaqakathekanga. ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu waxwayisa esithi: “Lingehluleli funa lani lehlulelwe.” (UMathewu 7:1) Ngokwalokho okwabhalwa nguLukha, uJesu wengezelela wathi: “Lingamlahli omunye, yikhona lani lingayikulahlwa.” * (ULukha 6:37) UJesu watshengisa ukuthi uyakwazi ukuthi abantu abalesono balomkhuba wokwahlulela. Nxa wayekhona ezilalelini zakhe owayelomkhuba wokwahlulela abanye kwakumele awutshiye.

14. Yiziphi izizathu okumele zisenze siyekele ‘ukwahlulela’ abanye?

¹⁴ Kungani kumele ‘singahluleli’ abanye? Kungenxa yokuthi kasiphiwanga isikhundla sokwenza njalo. Umfundi uJakhobe usikhumbuza ukuthi: “KuloMenzi wemithetho loMahluleli oyedwa kuphela” futhi lowomuntu nguJehova. Yikho uJakhobe wabuza esithi: “Kodwa lina​—lingobani ukuba lahlulele omakhelwane benu na?” (UJakhobe 4:12; KwabaseRoma 14:1-4) Okunye yikuthi isono esilaso singenza ukuthi sahlulele abanye ngendlela engayisiyo. Zinengi izinto ezingaphambanisa indlela esibona ngayo abanye. Izinto lezo zingagoqela ubandlululo, isikhwili, umhawu, kanye lokuzibona silungile. Silokunye futhi esingenelisi ukukwenza njalo ukucabanga ngalokhu kumele kusenze singaphangisi ukuthola amaphutha kwabanye. Kasingeke sibone okusezinhliziyweni, kumbe sazi konke okwenzakalayo ekuphileni kwabanye. Pho-ke thina singobani ukuthi sithi abafowethu balezinhloso ezimbi  lapho besenza okuthile kumbe seyise imizamo yabo yokukhonza uNkulunkulu? Kungcono kakhulu ukuthi silingisele uJehova ngokubona okuhle kwesikhonza labo kulokugxila emaphutheni abo!

15. Izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu kakumelanga zikhulume amazwi anjani futhi kakumelanga zibaphathe njani abanye, njalo kungani?

¹⁵ Kumele siwahlulele yini amalungu emuli yethu? Kuyadanisa ukuthi emhlabeni lamuhla izimuli aziselakuthula ngenxa yokuthi seziphathana kabuhlungu. Kwandile ukuzwa ngamadoda ahlukuluza omkawo, abesifazana abahlukuluza omkabo, kumbe abazali “abagweba” amalungu ezimuli zawo ngokuwahlasela ngamazwi abuhlungu kumbe ngokuwatshaya kabuhlungu. Izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu akumelanga zikhulume amazwi ahlabayo, zibhuqe ngendlela ebuhlungu futhi ziphathe kubi abanye. (Kwabase-Efesu 4:29, 31; 5:33; 6:4) Iseluleko sikaJesu ‘sokungahluleli’ ‘lesokungalahli’ abanye siyasebenza  lasemulini. Khumbula ukuthi ukwenza okulungileyo kugoqela ukuphatha abanye ngendlela uJehova abaphatha ngayo. Phela uNkulunkulu wethu kasiphathi ngesihluku. Kulokuthi enze njalo, ‘ulesihawu esikhulu’ kulabo abamthandayo. (UJakhobe 5:11) Lesi yisibonelo esihle kakhulu okumele sisilingisele!

16, 17. (a) Kuyini uJehova akhangelele ukuthi abadala bakwenze? (b) Kuyini okumele kwenziwe nxa isoni sisehluleka ukutshengisa ukuphenduka ngenhliziyo yonke, njalo kungani?

¹⁶ Sonke kumele senze okulungileyo, kodwa abadala abasebandleni lobuKhristu bona balomlandu omkhulu endabeni le. Nanzelela ukuchasisa kwesiphrofetho esabhalwa ngu-Isaya esasiphathelane ‘lababusi,’ kumbe abadala esithi: “Khangelani, inkosi izabusa ngokulunga lababusi bazabusa ngemfanelo.” (U-Isaya 32:1) Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova ukhangelele ukuthi abadala benze okuhambisana lokulunga. Bangakwenza njani lokhu?

¹⁷ Amadoda la afaneleyo ayakunanzelela ukuthi ukwahlulela kuhle kumbe ukulunga kutsho ukugcina ibandla lihlanzekile. Ngezinye izikhathi, abadala balomlandu wokwahlulela izindaba eziphathelane lokona okukhulu. Nxa besenza njalo, bakhumbula ukuthi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kutshengisa isihawu nxa kufanele. Ngakho bazama ukunceda isoni ukuthi siphenduke. Kodwa kuthiwani nxa isoni sisehluleka ukutshengisa ukuphenduka ngenhliziyo yonke lanxa sekwenziwe imizamo eminengi yokusinceda? ILizwi likaJehova elilokwahlulela okuhle lithi kumele kuthathwe inyathelo elithile: “Mxotsheni umuntu omubi phakathi kwenu.” Lokhu kutsho ukumsusa ebandleni. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 5:11-13; 2 UJohane 9-11)Kuyabadanisa abadala ukuthatha inyathelo leli, kodwa bayananzelela ukuthi kuqakathekile ukugcina ibandla lihlanzekile ekuziphatheni lasekukhonzeni. Lanxa kunjalo, bayathemba ukuthi ngelinye ilanga lowo owonileyo uzaphenduka ebandleni.​—ULukha 15:17, 18.

18. Kuyini okumele abadala bakukhumbule nxa benika abanye iseluleko esivela eBhayibhilini?

 ¹⁸ Ukwahlulela okuhle kuphinda kugoqele lokunika iseluleko esivela eBhayibhilini nxa kudingakala. Kuliqiniso ukuthi abadala kabadingi amaphutha kwabanye njalo kabahlali bebakhuza. Kodwa kungenzakala ukuthi othile esikhonza laye ‘ahilelwe yisono esithile.’ Ukukhumbula ukuthi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu kulesihawu futhi akulasihluku kuzakwenza abadala ‘bambuyise kakuhle’ onjalo. (KwabaseGalathiya 6:1) Abadala kabangeke bamhalade umuntu lowo owonileyo kumbe bamthethise ngamazwi abuhlungu. Kodwa iseluleko esinikwa ngothando siyamkhuthaza lowo osamukelayo. Abadala bahlala bekhumbula ukuthi lo abakhonza laye owonileyo uyimvu esemhlambini kaJehova lanxa bemkhuza ngokuveza ngokusegcekeni impumela yokwenza ngendlela etshengisa ukungahlakaniphi. * (ULukha 15:7) Nxa kucaca ukuthi iseluleko kumbe ukukhuza kwenziwa ngenxa yokuthanda lowo owonileyo kuba lempumela emihle.

19. Yiziphi izinqumo okumele abadala bazenze, futhi kuyini okubaqondisayo ekwenzeni izinqumo ezinjalo?

¹⁹ Izikhathi ezinengi, abadala kumele benze izinqumo eziphathelane lalabo abakhonza labo. Ngokwesibonelo, bayahlangana ngemva kwesikhathi esithile ukuze baxoxe ngokuthi bakhona yini abanye abazalwane ebandleni asebefanele ukuthi babe ngabadala loba izinceku ezikhonzayo. Abadala bayakwazi ukuthi kuqakathekile ukungabandlululi. Kabalandeli imizwa yabo kodwa bavumela ukuthi iziqondiso zikaNkulunkulu eziphathelane lokubekwa okunjalo zibakhokhele ekwenzeni izinqumo. Ngakho ‘kababandlululi, futhi kabenzi lutho ngokukhetha.’​—1 KuThimothi 5:21.

20, 21. (a) Abadala bazama ukuba yini, futhi kungani besenza njalo? (b) Kuyini abadala abangakwenza ukuze bancede “abadanileyo”?

 ²⁰ Abadala balingisela ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu langezinye izindlela. Ngemva kokukhuluma ngokuthi abadala babezakhonza “ngemfanelo,” u-Isaya waqhubeka wathi: “Umuntu ngamunye uzakuba njengesihonqo sokuvikela umoya, lesiphephelo sokucatshela isiphepho, njengomthunzi wedwala elikhulu elizweni elomileyo.” (U-Isaya 32:2) Ngakho abadala bazama ukuba ngumthombo wenduduzo kulabo abakhonza labo.

²¹ Lamuhla abantu abanengi bayakufuna ukukhuthazwa ngenxa yezinhlupho ezidanisayo ababalazo. Badala, kuyini elingakwenza ukuze lincede “abadanileyo”? (1 KwabaseThesalonika 5:14, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Balaleleni ngesineke. (UJakhobe 1:19) Labo abadanileyo bangafuna ukuxoxa lomuntu abamethembayo bemtshela ‘okubakhathazayo’ okusezinhliziyweni  zabo. (IZaga 12:25) Bancedeni babe leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uyabaqakathekisa futhi uyabathanda, lokuthi abafowabo labodadewabo labo bazizwa ngendlela efananayo. (1 UPhetro 1:22; 5:6, 7) Okunye elingakwenza yikukhuleka labo kumbe ukubakhulekela. Ukuzwa umdala ebakhulekela ngokuvela enhliziyweni kungabaduduza kakhulu. (UJakhobe 5:14, 15) Ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu ulokulunga, uyayibona imizamo yakho yokunceda abadanileyo.

22. Yiziphi izindlela esingalingisela ngazo ukulunga kukaJehova, futhi ukwenza njalo kuba layiphi impumela?

²² Ukulingisela uJehova kusenza sisondele kakhulu kuye! Siyabe silingisela ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu nxa silandela izimiso zakhe ezilungileyo, nxa sitshela abanye izindaba ezinhle ezisindisa ukuphila, lanxa sikhetha ukugxila kokuhle okwenziwa ngabanye kulokuthi sidinge amaphutha. Badala, lilingisela ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu nxa lisenza ukuthi ibandla lihlale lihlanzekile, nxa linika iseluleko esakhayo esivela eMibhalweni, nxa lisenza izinqumo ezingelabandlululo, lanxa likhuthaza abadanileyo. Kufanele ukuthi uJehova uyathokoza kakhulu nxa ebona abantu bezama ngawo wonke amandla abo ‘ukwenza okulungileyo’ ekuhambeni loNkulunkulu wabo!