1-3. (a) Kukhanya njani ukuthi amaKhristu ayakuqakathekisa ukungena imihlangano? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

NGESIKHATHI enye intombazana okuthiwa nguCorinna ileminyaka engu-17, unina wabotshwa wahanjiswa enkambeni yeSoviet lapho okwakugqilazwa khona abantu. Ngokuya kwesikhathi uCorinna laye wathunjwa wahanjiswa eSiberia indawo eyayikhatshana kakhulu langakibo. Kwakunzima kuleyondawo ngoba babesetshenziswa phandle kugodola kakhulu bengelazo impahla ezikhudumalayo. Lanxa izinto zazinzima uCorinna lomunye udade abazange balove emihlanganweni.

² UCorinna uthi: “Sasuka emsebenzini ntambama sahamba umango ongamakhilomitha angu-25 sisiya lapho okugadelwa khona isitimela. Isitimela sasuka ngo-2 ebusuku njalo sathatha amahora ayisithupha ukuthi siyefika lapho esehlela khona. Sesehlile sakhasabula amanye amakhilomitha angu-10 sisiya lapho okungenelwa khona imihlangano.” Uhambo lolu lwabanceda yini? UCorinna uthi: “Sesifikile emhlanganweni safunda iNqabayokulinda sahlabela lezingoma zoMbuso. Umhlangano lo wasikhuthaza kakhulu futhi wasiqinisa  ukholo.” Lanxa odadewethu laba baphenduka emsebenzini ngemva kwamalanga amathathu, ufolomani wepulazi kazange akunanzelele ngitsho ukuthi babengekho.

³ Kusukela kudala abantu bakaJehova bebekuqakathekisa ukungena imihlangano. Kusanda nje kusungulwa ibandla lobuKhristu abalandeli bakaJesu baqalisa ‘ukukhuthalela ukuhlangana.’ (ImiSeb. 2:42, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lawe lamuhla ukukhuthalele ukuya emihlanganweni njengabo. Lanxa kunjalo zikhona izinto ezisiphambanisayo. Ngokwesibonelo umsebenzi, ukubambeka ngezinye izinto loba ukudinwa kungenza kube nzima ukuthi siye emihlanganweni. Manje singazinqoba njani izinto lezi ukuze sihlale siyingena zikhathi zonke imihlangano? ^[1] Singabasiza njani esifunda labo iBhayibhili kanye labanye ukuthi labo bakuqakathekise ukungena imihlangano? Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngezizatho ezingu-8 ezenza singene imihlangano. Izizatho lezi zingaphansi kwezihlokwana ezilandelayo: (1) Kusinceda ngani ukungena imihlangano? (2) Ukuba khona emihlanganweni kubanceda njani abanye? (3) UJehova uzwa njani nxa esibona singena imihlangano? ^[2]

4. Ukungena imihlangano kusinceda njani ukuthi sifunde ngoJehova?

⁴ Imihlangano iyasifundisa. Yonke imihlangano yebandla iyasisiza ukuthi sifunde ngoJehova uNkulunkulu wethu. Ngokwesibonelo eminyakeni emibili edlulileyo besifunda ibhuku elithi Sondela kuJehova eSifundweni SeBhayibhili Sebandla. Ukufunda ngoJehova kanye lokuzwa abafowethu labodadewethu betshaya izimpendulo ezimnandi akukwenzanga wamthanda kakhulu yini uBaba wethu osezulwini? Kanti njalo ukulalelisisa izinkulumo, iziboniso kanye lokubalwa kweBhayibhili kwenza silizwisise kakhulu iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. (Neh. 8:8) Akucabange langamagugu avela eMibhalweni esiwathola nxa silungiselela ukubalwa kweBhayibhili okwenziwa maviki wonke lalapho sisizwa imicijo yabanye abazalwane.

5. Imihlangano ikuncede njani ukuthi usebenzise izimiso zeBhayibhili lokuthi uthuthukise indlela otshumayela ngayo?

⁵ Imihlangano iyasinceda lokuthi sisebenzise izimiso zeBhayibhili kukho konke esikwenzayo empilweni. (1 Thes. 4:9,10) Ngokwesibonelo iNqabayokulinda efundwayo yenzelwe ukufundisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Sikhona yini isihloko owake wasifunda ku-Nqabayokulinda esakwenza wahlela kutsha ofuna ukukwenza empilweni, kumbe esakwenza wathethelela omunye umzalwane owayekuphambanisile loba wenza imithandazo yakho yaba ngeyohlonzi? Imihlangano engenwa phakathi kweviki iyasiqeqetsha ukuthi sibe zingcitshi enkonzweni. Siyafundiswa izindlela zokutshumayela kanye lokusebenzisa iMibhalo ngendlela ephumelelayo.—Mat. 28:19, 20.

6. Imihlangano isikhuthaza njani futhi isinceda njani ukuthi siqine?

⁶ Imihlangano iyasikhuthaza. Umhlaba lo esiphila kuwo unganqunda izingqondo lezinhliziyo zethu futhi uphambanise lobuhlobo bethu loJehova. Kodwa imihlangano yebandla yona iyasikhuthaza futhi isiqinise. (Bala imiSebenzi 15:30-32.) Emihlanganweni yethu eminengi sijayele ukuxoxa ngokugcwaliseka kweziphrofetho zeBhayibhili. Lokhu kwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi konke uJehova athembisa ukusenzela khona ngesikhathi esizayo kuzagcwaliseka loba sekutheni. Okunye njalo okusikhuthazayo zinkulumo ezenziwayo lezimpendulo zabafowethu kanye lokuhlabela kwabo ngamaphimbo amnandi. (1 Khor. 14:26) Kanti njalo ukuxoxa labafowethu labodadewethu imihlangano ingakaqalisi lalapho isiphelile kwenza sikhululeke njalo sithokoze.—1 Khor. 16:17, 18.

7. Kungani kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi sibe khona emihlanganweni yebandla?

⁷ Imihlangano isenza siqondiswe ngumoya ongcwele. UJesu wathi: “Lowo olendlebe, kezwe  okutshiwo ngumoya emabandleni.” (Isam. 2:7) Kuyacaca ukuthi uJesu ukhokhela ibandla lobuKhristu esebenzisa umoya ongcwele. Lathi siyawudinga umoya ongcwele ukuze usinike amandla okunqoba izilingo njalo usenze sibe lesibindi. Uyasinceda lokuthi sibe zingcitshi ekutshumayeleni futhi senelise ukwenza kuhle izinqumo. Ngakho-ke kasizimiseleni ukuba khona zikhathi zonke emihlanganweni ukuze siqondiswe ngumoya ongcwele.

8. Ukuba khona kwakho emihlanganweni, ukuphendula kanye lokuhlabela kubasiza njani abanye? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi, “Ngiyabe Sengibethwa Ngumoya.”)

⁸ Ukuba khona emihlanganweni kusinika ithuba lokutshengisa abafowethu ukuthi siyabathanda. Ake wenabise ingqondo yakho ucabange ngezinhlupho ezibekezelelwa ngabanye abazalwane ebandleni okulo. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Kasicabangeni ukuthi singakhuthazana kanjani.” Ngemva kwalokho wachasisa ukuthi lokhu singakwenza ‘ngokungakudeli ukuhlangana.’ (Heb. 10:24, 25) Ukuba khona kwakho emihlanganweni kwenza abazalwane babone ukuthi uyabathanda, ukuthi uyakujabulela ukuba ndawonye labo lokuthi uyafuna ukukhuluma labo uzwe izinto ezibakhathazayo. Kanti njalo okunye okuzabakhuthaza yikuzwa izimpendulo zakho ezakhayo lokukuzwa uhlabela.—Kol. 3:16.

9, 10. (a) Chaza ukuthi amazwi kaJesu akuJohane 10:16 asinceda njani ukuthi sibone ukuqakatheka kokuhlangana labafowethu. (b) Ukungena imihlangano zikhathi zonke kungabanceda njani labo abakhalalwa yizihlobo zabo?

⁹ Imihlangano isenza simanyane labanye. (Bala uJohane 10:16.) UJesu wathi yena ufanana lomalusi, waphinda wafanisa abalandeli bakhe lomhlambi wezimvu. Kodwa ake sithi izimvu ezimbili ziphezu koqaqa, ezinye njalo ezimbili ziseduzane lomfula, ikanti eyodwa isemadlelweni khatshana le. Kambe besingathi izimvu lezi ezinhlanu zingumhlambi yini? Okujayelekileyo yikuthi umhlambi wezimvu uhlala undawonye futhi useduzane lomalusi owukhangelayo. Lathi kasingeke sithi silandela umalusi wethu nxa siphila angathi sikomhlambi kazelusile. Ngakho kumele sihlangane lamanye amaKhristu ukuze sibe ‘ngumhlambi owodwa’ okhokhelwa ‘ngumalusi oyedwa.’

¹⁰ Ukuba khona emihlanganweni kwenza siqinise ukumanyana kwethu. (Hubo. 133:1) Abanye esikhonza labo bakhalalwa ngabazali babo kanye labafowabo. Lanxa kunjalo uJesu wachaza ukuthi bazathola imuli ebandleni ezabathanda futhi ibanakekele. (Mak. 10:29, 30) Nxa ungalovi emihlanganweni kuzakuba lula ukuthi ube ngubaba, umama, ubhudi, kumbe usisi kulaba bazalwane abalahlwe yizihlobo zabo ngenxa yokukhonza uJehova. Ukucabanga ngalokhu kakukufuqi yini ukuthi uzimisele ukuyingena yonke imihlangano?

11. Ukungena imihlangano kusinceda njani ukuthi sinike uJehova lokho okumfaneleyo?

¹¹ Ukungena kwethu imihlangano kuyasinceda ukuthi sinike uJehova okumfaneleyo. UJehova kumele adunyiswe, abongwe, akhazinyuliswe njalo ahlonitshwe ngoba unguMdali wethu. (Bala iSambulo 7:12.) Okunye njalo okuqakathekileyo yikuthi uJehova ufuna ukukhonzwa. Yikho nxa sithandaza kuye, sihlabela njalo sikhuluma ngaye emihlanganweni yethu siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi sizimisele ukumkhonza. Siyasiqakathekisa sibili isibusiso esilaso sokumupha udumo uNkulunkulu osenzele izinto zonke.

12. UJehova uzwa njani nxa silalela umlayo asiphe wona wokuthi singene imihlangano?

¹² UJehova ufuna lokuthi simlalele. Wasinika umlayo wokuthi singakudeli ukuhlangana ndawonye ikakhulu kulesisikhathi sokucina esiphila kuso. UJehova uyathokoza okwamagama nxa esibona siwulalela ngenhliziyo yonke umlayo lo. (1 Joh. 3:22) Uyayibona njalo uyayiqakathekisa yonke imizamo esiyenzayo ukuze singene imihlangano.—Heb. 6:10.

13, 14. Imihlangano isinceda njani ukuthi sisondele kuJehova laseNdodaneni yakhe?

¹³ Ukungena imihlangano kwenza uJehova abone ukuthi sifuna ukusondela kuye laseNdodaneni yakhe. Nxa sisemihlanganweni uJehova uyasifundisa esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili. (Isaya. 30:20, 21) Imfundo esiyithola emihlanganweni yethu yenza labantu abasivakatshelayo babaze bathi: “UNkulunkulu impela uphakathi kwenu.” (1 Khor. 14:23-25) UJehova uyayibusisa imihlangano yethu ngomoya wakhe ongcwele futhi nguye oqondisa yonke imfundo esiyinikwayo. Ngakho nxa sisemihlanganweni siyabe silalele uJehova ekhuluma lathi futhi sibona lendlela asinakekela ngayo. Lokhu kwenza sisondele kuye.

¹⁴ UJesu wathi: “Lapho okuhlangana khona ababili loba abathathu ngebizo lami, ngizabe ngikhona labo lami.” (Mat. 18:20) Amazwi kaJesu la ayasebenza lasemihlanganweni yethu. IBhayibhili liveza lokuthi uKhristu umkhokheli webandla ‘uhamba phakathi’ kwamabandla abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Isam. 1:20–2:1) Kuyakhanya ukuthi kunengi okwenziwa nguJehova loJesu ukuze basiqinise emihlanganweni yethu. Ucabanga ukuthi uJehova uzwa njani nxa ebona ukuthi siyafuna sibili ukusondela kuye laseNdodaneni yakhe?

15. Ukungena kwethu imihlangano kutshengisa njani ukuthi siyamlalela uNkulunkulu.

¹⁵ Ukungena imihlangano kutshengisa ukuthi siyabusekela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu. UJehova kasibambi ngamandla ukuthi silalele umlayo asinike wona wokungena imihlangano. (Isaya. 43:23) Thina yithi okumele sitshengise ukuthi siyamthanda ngenhliziyo yonke lokuthi sizimisele ukusekela ubukhosi bakhe. (Rom. 6:17) Ngokwesibonelo, umqhatshi wakho angafuna ukuthi usebenze langamalanga okungena imihlangano. Kwezinye izikhathi ababusi bangathi loba ngubani abazambona esiya emihlanganweni yobuKhristu uzabhadaliswa, abotshwe loba ajeziswe. Omunye njalo angakhetha ukutshona ezenzela imisebenzi yakhe kumbe ukuyazilibazisa kulokuthi aye emhlanganweni. Loba yikuphi esiyabe sesihlangane lakho kuyabe sekumele sikhethe ukuthi ngubani esizamlalela. (ImiSeb. 5:29) Kodwa uJehova uzathokoza kakhulu nxa singakhetha ukusekela ubukhosi bakhe.—Zaga. 27:11.

16, 17. (a) Sikwazi njani ukuthi amaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala ayekuqakathekisa ukungena imihlangano? (b) Umfowethu uGeorge Gangas wathini ngokungena imihlangano yobuKhristu?

¹⁶ Kusukela ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E, amaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala aqhubeka ekukhuthalele ukungena imihlangano. IBhayibhili lithi: “Bakhuthalela ukufundisa kwabaphostoli,  lokuhlangana.” (ImiSeb. 2:42, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “bakhuthalela” litsho ukubekezela loba ukubambelela kulokho okwenzayo ngokuzimisela okukhulu. Kwakunzima kakhulu ukuthi lawomaKhristu angene imihlangano ngalesosikhathi ngoba ayebuswa ngamaRoma njalo ephikiswa ngabakhokheli benkolo yesiJuda. Loba kunjalo kawazange akhalale.

¹⁷ Lamuhla izinceku zikaJehova ezinengi ziyakuqakathekisa kakhulu ukungena imihlangano. UGeorge Gangas owayelilunga leQula Elibusayo okweminyaka engu-22 wathi: “Ngiyakukholisa kakhulu ukuhlangana labazalwane futhi kuyangikhuthaza. Isifiso sami yikuthi nxa kusenza ngibe ngowokuqala ukufika eWolu yoMbuso lokuthi ngibe ngowokucina ukuphuma. Ngizwa ngithokoza kakhulu nxa ngixoxa labantu bakaNkulunkulu. Nxa ngilabo ngiyabe ngizizwa ngiphakathi kwemuli emanyeneyo elobudlelwano obuhle.” Waqhubeka wathi: “Kimi into eyisiqokoqela engifisa ukuhlala ngiyenza yikungena imihlangano.”

18. Wena uthini ngemihlangano yethu, njalo uzimisele ukwenzani?

¹⁸ Wena uyakuqakathekisa yini ukungena imihlangano ukuze ukhonze uJehova? Nxa kunjalo zimisele ukuqhubeka usenza okusemandleni akho ukuthi ungene imihlangano. Ungenza njalo uzabe uvumelana leNkosi uDavida eyathi: “Ngiyayithanda indlu ohlala kuyo, O Jehova.”—Hubo. 26:8.