1, 2. (a) Chaza ukuthi kungani ukubhaphathizwa kulinyathelo eliqakathekileyo. (b) Kuyini okumele umuntu abe leqiniso ngakho engakabhaphathizwa, futhi ngani?

UNGOSAKHULAYO osefuna ukubhaphathizwa yini? Nxa kunjalo, ufisa into enhle kakhulu ezakwenza uthole izibusiso. Kodwa isihloko esidlulileyo sikwenze kwacaca ukuthi ukubhaphathizwa linyathelo eliqakathekileyo okungamelanga lithathwe lula. Phela yikho okutshengisa ukuthi usuzinikele kuJehova, okutsho ukuthi usumthembise ukuthi uzamkhonza kuze kube nini lanini lokuthi uzaqakathekisa yena ukwedlula loba yini. Ngakho umuntu kumele abhaphathizwe kuphela nxa esesenelisa ukuzenzela isinqumo sokubhaphathizwa, elesifiso esisuka enhliziyweni sokukwenza lokhu, futhi esezwisisa ukuthi kutshoni ukuzinikela.

² Kodwa ungenzani nxa kuyikuthi awulaqiniso lokuthi usukulungele ukubhaphathizwa? Kumbe nxa kuyikuthi abazali bakho bakutshela ukuthi linda uze ubhaphathizwe nxa usukuzwisisa kuhle ukuthi kutshoni ukuba ngumKhristu? Nxa kunjalo ungakhalali kodwa sebenzisa  ithuba lelo ukuthi ukhule ekukhonzeni futhi masinyane uzabe usukulungele ukubhaphathizwa. Nanku okunye ongahlela ukukwenza khathesi ukuze uphumelele. Okwakuqala yikuqiniseka ngalokho okukholwayo, okwesibili yindlela ophila ngayo, okwesithathu yikutshengisa ukuthi uyabonga.

3, 4. Isibonelo sikaThimothi singabafundisani abasakhulayo?

³ Cabanga ngendlela obungaphendula ngayo imibuzo elandelayo: Kungani ngikholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona? Kuyini okwenza ngivume ukuthi iBhayibhili liLizwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelweyo? Kungani ngicabanga ukuthi ukulandela imithetho kaNkulunkulu endleleni engiziphatha ngayo kungcono kulokulandela okwenziwa emhlabeni lo? Imibuzo le kayenzelwanga ukuthi ikwenze uqalise ukuthandabuza. Kodwa ingakunceda ukuthi ulandele isixwayiso sikaPhawuli esithi: “Lapho-ke lizakwenelisa ukuhlola lokwamukela lokho okuyintando kaNkulunkulu—intando yakhe elungileyo, ethokozisayo lepheleleyo.” (Rom. 12:2) Kodwa kungani amaKhristu aseRoma kwakumele ahlole lokho ayevele esekwamukele?

⁴ Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaThimothi esiseBhayibhilini. Wayeyazi engayiphumputhi iMibhalo. Wayefundiswe ngunina logogo wakhe “kusukela ebuntwaneni.” Lanxa kunjalo uPhawuli wakhuthaza uThimothi wathi: “Mana kulokho okufundileyo lowaqiniseka kukho.” (2 Tim. 3:14, 15, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi uThimothi wayeqiniseka ngalokho ayekufundile, okutsho ukuthi wayekukholwa njalo engathandabuzi ukuthi kuliqiniso. UThimothi wayeselamukele iqiniso walenza laba ngelakhe. Kazange akwenze lokhu ngenxa yokuthi unina logogo wakhe bamtshela ukuthi akwenze kodwa wayekuhlolisisile ayekukholwa waqiniseka ngakho.—Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:21.

5, 6. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi uqalise khathesi “ukuhlola” lokho okukholwayo?

⁵ Wena ke? Mhlawumbe usulesikhathi eside ulazi iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini. Nxa kunjalo kungani ungaziniki isikhathi sokuthi uhlolisise izizatho zalokho okukholwayo? Lokhu kuzakwenza uqiniseke kakhulu njalo kuzakunceda ukuthi ungahugwa zimfundiso zamanga ezigcwele emhlabeni lo futhi ungahugwa ngontanga yakho kumbe imizwa yakho.

⁶ Nxa ungaqalisa khathesi “ukuhlola” okukholwayo kuzakuba lula ukuthi ubaphendule kuhle ontanga yakho nxa bekubuza imibuzo enjengokuthi: ‘Ukwazi njani ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona sibili? Kungani uNkulunkulu olothando evumela ukuthi izinto ezimbi zenzeke? Kungani ukholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayevele ekhona?’ Nxa ungahlala ulungiselele, ukholo lwakho kalusoze luxege nxa abanye sebekubuza imibuzo le kodwa uzazizwa uledlabuzane lokufuna ukufunda okunengi ngoNkulunkulu.

7-9. Chaza ukuthi izihloko ezitshiyeneyo ezikuwebhusayithi yethu ezingaphansi kwengxenye ethi “What Does the Bible Really Teach?” zingakunceda njani ukuthi uqiniseke ngalokho okukholwayo.

⁷ Ukukhuthalela ukutaditsha uwedwa kungakunceda ukuthi uphendule loba yiphi imibuzo, uqede ukuthandabuza ongabe ulakho njalo uqiniseke ngalokho okukholwayo. (ImiSeb. 17:11) Kunengi esikuphiwa yinhlanganiso yethu okungakunceda ukuthi ukwenze lokhu. Abanengi bancedwe libhukwana elithi The Origin of Life—Five Questions Worth Asking (Ukuphila Kwavela Ngaphi—Imibuzo Emihlanu Okumele Ibuzwe) kanye lebhuku elithi Is There a Creator Who Cares About You? (Ukhona Yini uMdali Olendaba Lawe?) Kanti njalo abanengi abasakhulayo bancedwe yingxenye ekuwebhusayithi yethu elesihloko esithi “What Does the Bible Really Teach?” (IBhayibhili Lifundisani?) Ingxenye le ejayele ukuba lezihloko ezitshiyeneyo itholakala ku-jw.org ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi: BIBLE TEACHINGS. Isihloko ngasinye esisengxenyeni  le senzelwe ukukunceda ukuthi uqiniseke ngalokho iBhayibhili elikutshoyo ngaleyo ndaba.

⁸ Kungenzakala ukuthi usulijayele iBhayibhili ngakho kungaba lula ukuthi uyiphendule eminye imibuzo ebuzwa engxenyeni leyo. Kodwa kuyini okukwenza uqiniseke ngezimpendulo zakho? Izihloko lezi zilemibhalo ethile ongacabangisisa ngayo ubusubhala phansi lokho okucabangayo ngendaba yakhona. Zingakunceda lokuthi uhlele ukuthi uzabaphendula njani abanye nxa bekubuza ngalokho okukholwayo. Ingxenye le ekuwebhusayithi yethu iyabanceda sibili abanengi abasakhulayo ukuthi baqiniseke ngalokho abakukholwayo. Ngakho zama ukuyisebenzisa ekufundeni kwakho nxa kuyikuthi uyenelisa ukungena kuwebhusayithi.

⁹ Ukubaleqiniso ngalokho okukholwayo kuqakathekile nxa ufuna ukubhaphathizwa. Omunye udadewethu osakhulayo uthi: “Ngingakenzi isinqumo sokubhaphathizwa ngaqala ngafunda iBhayibhili ngabona ukuthi le yinkolo yeqiniso. Njalo nsuku zonke ngiqhubeka ngiqiniseka ukuthi lokho engikukholwayo kuliqiniso.”

10. Kungani kulengqondo ukukhangelela ukuthi umKhristu obhaphathiziweyo aphile ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi ulokholo?

¹⁰ IBhayibhili lithi: “Ukukholwa nje kuphela, uma kungelamisebenzi kufile.” (Jak. 2:17) Ngakho-ke indlela ophila ngayo yiyo ezatshengisa ukuthi uyaqiniseka ngalokho okukholwayo. Kumele uphile njani? IBhayibhili lithi ‘kumele uphile impilo engcwele leyokumesaba uNkulukulu.’—Bala u-2 Phetro 3:11.

11. Chaza ukuthi kutshoni ‘ukuphila impilo engcwele.’

¹¹ ‘Ukuphila impilo engcwele’ kutsho ukuziphatha ngendlela ehlanzekileyo. Wena uziphatha njani? Ngokwesibonelo cabanga ngalokho okwenzileyo okwezinyanga eziyisithupha ezisanda kwedlula. Kuyini okwenzileyo okutshengisa ukuthi ‘sewazifundisa’ ukwehlukanisa okuhle kokubi? (Heb. 5:14) Zikhona yini izikhathi ozikhumbulayo lapho owanqoba khona isilingo esithile kumbe ongazange uvume khona ukuyengwa ngontanga yakho? Indlela oziphatha ngayo nxa usesikolo iyatshengisa yini ukuthi ulokholo? Ulesibindi sokulumela yini ukholo lwakho kumbe uyazifihla lokho oyikho usesaba ukuhlekwa ngabanye ofunda labo? (1 Phet. 4:3, 4) Kuliqiniso ukuthi sonke siyaphambanisa ngoba silesono. Lalabo asebelesikhathi eside bekhonza uJehova bangazizwa besesaba ukutshela abanye lokho abakukholwayo. Kodwa-ke umuntu ozinikele kuJehova kasoze ayangeke ngokuthi ubizwa ngebizo likaNkulunkulu njalo uzakutshengisa lokhu ngendlela aziphatha ngayo.

12. Kugoqelani ‘ukuphila impilo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu,’ njalo wena kumele uzizwe njani ngakho?

¹² Kugoqelani ‘ukuphila impilo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu’? Kugoqela lokho okwenzayo ebandleni, njengokungena imihlangano kanye lokutshumayela. Okunye kwakhona yikuthandaza lokutaditsha okwenza uwedwa. Umuntu ozinikele kuJehova kasoze abone imisebenzi le ingumthwalo onzima. Kodwa uzazizwa njengoDavida owathi: “Ngiyakunxwanela ukwenza intando yakho, O Nkulunkulu wami; umthetho wakho usenhliziyweni yami.”—Hubo. 40:8.

13, 14. Kuyini okungakunceda ukuthi ‘uphile impilo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu,’ njalo abanye abasakhulayo kubancede njani?

¹³ Ebhukwini elithi Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Volume 2, kuletshathi lemibuzo elitholakala ekhasini 308 lo-309 elingakunceda ukuthi ubhale phansi ofisa ukukwenza. Itshathi leli lilendawo lapho okumele uphendule khona imibuzo enjengokuthi, “Uyakhekheleza yini nxa uthandaza, lokuthi imithandazo yakho iyatshengisa yini ukuthi uyamthanda uJehova?” “Kuyini ojayele ukukufunda nxa utaditsha uwedwa?” “Uyahamba yini ekutshumayeleni lanxa abazali bakho bengahambi?” Itshathi leli lilenye futhi indawo ongabhala khona indlela ofuna ukuthuthukisa ngayo imithandazo yakho, indlela  otaditsha ngayo kanye lendlela otshumayela ngayo.

¹⁴ Itshathi leli libancedile sibili abasakhulayo abanengi abafisa ukubhaphathizwa. Omunye udadewethu osakhulayo okuthiwa nguTilda wathi: “Ngalisebenzisa itshathi leli ukuthi ngihlele engangifuna ukukwenza. Ngakufinyelela konke engangikubhale phansi ngokulandelana kwakho njalo ngemva komnyaka ngasengikulungele ukubhaphathizwa.” Omunye umzalwane osakhulayo okuthiwa nguPatrick laye lamnceda ngendlela efananayo itshathi leli. Uthi: “Ngangikwazi engangifuna ukukwenza, kodwa ukukubhala phansi kwangenza ngasebenza nzima ukuze ngikufeze.”

15. Chaza ukuthi kungani ukubhaphathizwa kumele kube yisinqumo sakho.

¹⁵ Kulombuzo osetshathini leli oqakatheke kakhulu okumele ucabange ngawo, othi: “Uzaqhubeka umkhonza yini uJehova lanxa abazali bakho kumbe abangane bakho bengasamkhonzi?” Khumbula ukuthi nxa usungumKhristu ozinikeleyo futhi wabhaphathizwa, nguwe ozazilandisela phambi kukaJehova. Ngakho akumelanga ukhonze ngenxa yabanye abantu, ngitsho lanxa bengabazali bakho. Nxa ungaphila impilo engcwele leyokwesaba uNkulunkulu uyabe utshengisa ukuthi usuwenze iqiniso laba ngelakho lokuthi usukulungele sibili ukubhaphathizwa.

16, 17. (a) Kuyini okumele kufuqe umuntu ukuthi abe ngumKhristu? (b) Yiwuphi umzekeliso ocacisa kuhle indlela okumele siqakathekise ngayo inhlawulo?

¹⁶ Enye indoda eyayiyisazi soMthetho yabuza uJesu yathi: “Yiwuphi umlayo omkhulu kulayo yonke eMthethweni?” UJesu wayiphendula wathi: “Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke.” (Mat. 22:35-37) UJesu watshengisa ukuthi ukuthanda uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke yikho okumele kufuqe umKhristu ukuthi enze imisebenzi ethile, okugoqela lokubhaphathizwa. Enye indlela engcono kakhulu engakunceda ukuthi umthande ngamandla uJehova yikucabangisisa ngesipho esikhulu asinike sona, inhlawulo yeNdodana yakhe. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 5:14, 15 lo-1 Johane 4:9, 19.) Ukucabangisisa ngenhlawulo le lokuthi ingakunceda ngani kuzakusiza ukuthi utshengise ukuthi uyabonga kakhulu.

¹⁷ Nanku umzekeliso ongakusiza ukuthi uzwisise ukuqakatheka kwenhlawulo. Ake sithi kulomuntu othile okukhiphe emanzini usugalula. Kambe ubungasuka nje uzihambele endlini ufike uzithawule ukhohlwe ngalokho akwenzele khona? Hatshi! Iqiniso yikuthi ubungazizwa umkweleda kakhulu lowomuntu futhi ubuzambonga ungaqedi ngokuthi ukukhiphe phakathi  kwemihlathi yokufa! Silesikwelede esikhulu kuJehova loJesu ngalokho abasenzele khona. Ngabe kabasinikanga inhlawulo aluba sonke besizagalula esonweni lasekufeni. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi basinika inhlawulo, khathesi sesilethuba elihle kakhulu lokuphila phakade emhlabeni olipharadayisi!

18, 19. (a) Kungani kungamelanga wesabe ukuzinikela kuJehova? (b) Ukukhonza uJehova kwenza njani ukuthi impilo yakho ibe ngcono?

¹⁸ Uyambonga yini uJehova ngalokho akwenzele khona? Nxa kunjalo, kutshengise lokhu ngokuzinikela kuye njalo ubhaphathizwe. Khumbula ukuthi ukuzinikela kuJehova kugoqela ukumthembisa ukuthi usuzakwenza intando yakhe kumnyama kubomvu futhi uzayenza kuze kube nini lanini. Kumele wesabe yini ukwenza isithembiso esinjalo? Hatshi! Ungakhohlwa ukuthi uJehova ukufisela okuhle lokuthi ‘ubanika umvuzo labo abamdinga ngobuqotho.’ (Heb. 11:6) Ukuzinikela kuJehova lokubhaphathizwa akusoze kwenze impilo yakho ibe nzima. Kodwa ukumkhonza kuzakwenza uthokoze kakhulu. Omunye umzalwane oleminyaka engu-24 owabhaphathizwa esesemncane uthi: “Aluba ngabhaphathizwa sengikhulile ngangizabe ngiyizwisisa kuhle indaba le, kodwa ukukhetha ukuzinikela ngisesemncane kwangivikela kakhulu ukuthi ngingathatheki ngezinto zomhlaba lo.”

¹⁹ UJehova utshiyene kakhulu loSathane ngoba ulendaba lawe. Kodwa uSathane yena akufunayo yikukusebenzisa nje kuphela. Akulalutho azakunika lona ngoba kuye kumnyama phambili lemuva. Manje angakuthembisa njani ikusasa yena engelalo? Ungaba kwelakhe icele uzasala uyinhlanzi etshelwe ngamanzi njengaye!—Isam. 20:10.

20. Osakhulayo angenzani ukuze abe lisifiso sokuzinikela lokubhaphathizwa? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Okungakunceda Ukuthi Ukhule Ekukhonzeni.”)

²⁰ Sekukhanya-ke ukuthi ukuzinikela kuJehova yinto enhle kakhulu ongayenza. Usuzimisele yini ukwenza njalo? Nxa kunjalo ungabuyeli emuva. Kodwa-ke nxa kuyikuthi uzizwa ungakakulungeli ukubhaphathizwa, sebenzisa amacebo asesihlokweni lesi ukuthi uqhubeke uthuthuka. UPhawuli wabhalela abaseFiliphi wathi: “Kuphela nje kasiqhubekeni ngalokhu esesikuzuzile.” (Flp. 3:16) Nxa ungasilalela iseluleko lesi, kungakayi ngaphi nje uzabe usulesifiso sokuzinikela kuJehova lokubhaphathizwa.