1-2. (a) USathane ubakhohlisa njani abantu? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

KUSUKELA esikhathini sika-Adamu lo-Eva uSathane “uyise wamanga” ubelokhu ekhohlisa abantu. (Joh. 8:44) Amanye amanga awahutshuzayo amayelana lokufa lalokho okwenzakalayo umuntu angafa. Amasiko amanengi ajayelekileyo kanye lemikhuba kusekelwe ekwesabeni imimoya yabafileyo. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi abafowethu labodadewethu abanengi ‘balulwele ngamandla abo wonke ukholo’ nxa kungafiwa emulini loba emphakathini.​—Jud. 3.

² Nxa ungaba sesimeni esinjalo, kuyini okungakunceda ukuthi ubambelele kulokho iBhayibhili elikufundisayo ngokufa? (Efe. 6:11) Ungenzani ukuze ududuze njalo uqinise umKhristu ocindezelwa ukuthi alandele imikhuba engamthokozisiyo uNkulunkulu? Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngokuthi uJehova usincedisa njani. Asiqaleni ngokuhlola ukuthi iBhayibhili lithini mayelana lokufa.

3. Amanga okuqala abangelani?

³ UNkulunkulu wayengahlosanga ukuthi abantu bafe. Kodwa ukuze baphile kuze kube nini lanini kwakumele u-Adamu lo-Eva bamlalele. Wabanika umlayo owawunganzima, wathi: “Ungadli isihlahla sokwazi okuhle lokubi, ngoba ungaze usidle uzakufa ngempela.” (Gen. 2:16, 17) Thutshu uSathane! Wakhuluma lo-Eva esebenzisa inyoka wathi: “Kalisoze life ngempela.” Okudanisayo yikuthi u-Eva wawalalela amanga la wadla isithelo. Ngemva kwesikhathi lomkakhe laye wasidla. (Gen. 3:4, 6) Lokhu kwabangela isono lokufa.​—Rom. 5:12.

4-5. USathane uqhubeka ebakhohlisa njani abantu?

 ⁴ U-Adamu lo-Eva bafa njengoba uNkulunkulu wayetshilo. Kodwa uSathane kazange ame ukuhutshuza aluhlaza tshoko mayelana lokufa. Ngemva kwesikhathi waqalisa amanye amanga. Amanye akhona yimfundiso yokuthi umzimba uyafa kodwa umoya uyaphuma uye endaweni yomoya. Imfundiso le iyatshiyana kusiya ngendawo futhi ilokhu ikhohlisa abantu abanengi.​—1 Tim. 4:1.

⁵ Kungani abantu bewakholwa amanga kaSathane? Phela sadalwa ukuthi siphile phakade, kasifuni ukufa. (UmTshu. 3:11) Ukufa kuyisitha sethu. (1 Khor. 15:26) USathane uyakwazi lokhu yikho uyakusebenzisa ukuthi aqile abantu.

6-7. (a) USathane uphumelele yini ekufihleni iqiniso mayelana labafileyo? Chasisa. (b) Iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini lisinceda njani ukuthi singabesabi abafileyo?

⁶ Lanxa uSathane ubelokhu ezama ukukhohlisa abantu, iqiniso elimayelana lokufa kalizange liqhubeke lifihlakele. Abantu abanengi lamuhla bayakwazi lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili ngesimo sabafileyo kanye lethemba elikhona ngabafileyo njalo batshela abanye ngakho. (UmTshu. 9:5, 10; ImiSeb. 24:15) Ukwazi lokhu kuyasiduduza futhi kusenza singesabi njalo singabi semnyameni ngalokho okwenzakalayo nxa abantu bengafa. Ngokwesibonelo, kasibesabi abafileyo futhi kasesabi ukuthi kukhona okubi okungabehlela. Siyakwazi ukuthi kabaphili njalo ngeke balimaze muntu. Kungathi balele obukaBhuka. (Joh. 11:11-14) Kanti njalo siyakwazi ukuthi abafileyo abakuboni ukuhamba kwesikhathi. Yikho ngesikhathi sokuvuswa kwabafileyo, ngitsho lalabo abafa kudala bazabona angani kudlule isikhathi esincane, esingangokucwayiza kwelihlo.

⁷ Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi iqiniso mayelana labafileyo licacile futhi liyazwisiseka. Litshiyene kakhulu lamanga kaSathane aphicayo. Amanga la kawakhohlisi abantu kuphela kodwa enza lokuthi uMdali wethu akhanye emubi. Sizaxoxa ngemibuzo le: Amanga kaSathane enza njani ukuthi uJehova akhanye emubi? Enze njani abantu bacabanga ukuthi akuqakathekanga ukukholwa emhlatshelweni kaKhristu? Enze njani ukuthi abantu bezwe ubuhlungu kakhulu njalo bahlupheke nxa befelwe? Izimpendulo zemibuzo le zizasinceda sizwisise ukuthi mkhulu kangakanani umonakalo odalwe nguSathane.

8. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuJeremiya 19:5, amanga kaSathane mayelana labafileyo enza njani ukuthi uJehova akhanye emubi?

⁸ Amanga kaSathane mayelana labafileyo enza uJehova akhanye emubi. Amanga la agoqela imfundiso ethi abafileyo bayatshiswa emlilweni. Imfundiso enjalo yenza uNkulunkulu akhanye emubi ngoba abantu basuke bacabange ukuthi uNkulunkulu oluthando ulesihluku njengoDeveli. (1 Joh. 4:8) Wena uzwa njani ngalokho? UJehova yena uzwa njani njengoba kunguye oqanjelwa amanga? Phela uyasizonda isihluku.​—Bala uJeremiya 19:5.

9. Amanga kaSathane enza abantu bacabangeni ngomhlatshelo kaKhristu okukhulunywa ngawo kuJohane 3:16 lo–15:13?

⁹ Amanga kaSathane mayelana labafileyo enza abantu bacabange ukuthi akuqakathekanga ukukholwa emhlatshelweni kaKhristu. (Mat. 20:28) Amanye amanga kaSathane ngathi abantu balomphefumulo ongafiyo. Nxa lokhu bekuliqiniso, kutsho ukuthi abantu bonke bebezaphila phakade. Bekungeke kudingeke ukuthi uKhristu asifele ukuze sibe lokuphila okungapheliyo. Akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi ukufa kukaKhristu kutshengisa uthando olukhulu uJehova loJesu abalalo ngabantu. (Bala uJohane 3:16; 15:13.) Akucabange ukuthi uJehova leNdodana yakhe bezwa njani ngezimfundiso lezi ezenza isipho lesi esiligugu kangaka sikhanye singaqakathekanga.

10. Amanga kaSathane enza njani ukuthi abantu bezwe ubuhlungu kakhulu njalo bahlupheke nxa befelwe?

¹⁰ Amanga kaSathane enza abantu bezwe ubuhlungu kakhulu njalo bahlupheke nxa befelwe. Abazali abafelwe ngumntwana bangatshelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu umthethe umntanabo ukuthi ayekuba yingilosi ezulwini. Amanga la enza ubuhlungu bube nganeno yini kumbe ayabubasela? Imfundiso yamanga yokutshiswa esihogweni yiyo eyayisenza abantu benze isihluku sokubophela esigodweni labo abaphikisana lalokho okufundiswa ngamasonto besebebatshisa. Elinye ibhuku elikhuluma ngomthethwandaba owawuseSpain kudala libika ukuthi abanye ababesenza isihluku lesi babesithi batshengisa abahlamuki benkolo yamaKatolika ukuthi “kunjani ukutshiswa phakade esihogweni,” ukwenzela ukuthi baphenduke bengakafi njalo bangatshiswa kokuphela esihogweni nxa sebefile. Emazweni amanengi abantu bayakuqakathekisa ukukhonza abafileyo futhi bayabahlonipha kumbe bacele izibusiso kubo. Abanye bafuna ukuthokozisa amadlozi abo ukwenzela ukuthi angabajezisi. Okudanisayo yikuthi izimfundiso ezisekelwe emangeni kaSathane azibaduduzi abantu kodwa zibenza bakhathazeke kakhulu futhi besabe.

11. Izihlobo labangane abayabe besithi bayanceda bangazama njani ukusicindezela ukuthi siyekele ukulandela lokho okutshiwo liLizwi likaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kanye leLizwi lakhe kwenza sizimisele ukulalela uJehova lanxa izihlobo labangane abayabe besithi bayanceda bezama ukusicindezela ukuthi silandele imikhuba ephikisana leBhayibhili mayelana labafileyo. Bangazama lokwenza ukuthi sizisole ngokuthi asilandeli imikhuba le besithi asimthandi loba asimhloniphi umufi. Mhlawumbe bangathi esikwenzayo kungabangela ukuthi umufi athwalise abanye nzima. Singenzani ukuze sisekele iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini? Ake sixoxe ngezimiso  zeBhayibhili ezilandelayo sibone ukuthi singazisebenzisa njani.

12. Yiwaphi amasiko amayelana labafileyo okusegcekeni ukuthi aphikisana leBhayibhili?

¹² Zimisele ‘ukwehlukana’ lalokho okukholwa ngabantu kanye lamasiko aphikisana leBhayibhili. (2 Khor. 6:17) Kwelinye ilizwe eliseCaribbean abanengi bakholwa ukuthi nxa umuntu engafa angaba yisipoko esihlupha labo ababemphatha kubi. Elinye ibhuku libika ukuthi isipoko leso “singathwalisa nzima abantu emphakathini.” Kwezinye indawo e-Africa kungumkhuba ukuthi abantu bembese izibuko lapho okufiwe khona njalo bakhangelise amapikitsha omufi emdulini. Kungani besenza njalo? Abanye bathi abafileyo akumelanga bazibone. Thina njengezinceku zikaJehova kasiwakholwa amanga la loba silandele imikhuba esekela amanga kaSathane.​—1 Khor. 10:21, 22.

13. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuJakhobe 1:5, kumele wenzeni nxa ungelaqiniso ngesiko elithile?

¹³ Nxa ungelaqiniso ngesiko loba umkhuba othile, thandaza kuJehova umcele ukuthi akunike ukuhlakanipha kwakhe. (Bala uJakhobe 1:5.) Ngemva kwalokho chwayisisa emabhukwini ethu. Xoxa labadala bebandla okulo nxa kudingeka. Kabasoze bakutshele okokwenza kodwa bazakunceda uthole izimiso zeBhayibhili ezinjengalezi esixoxa ngazo. Nxa usenza lokhu, uyabe uqeqetsha ‘amandla akho okuqedisisa’ futhi amandla lawo azakusiza ukuthi ‘wehlukanise okuhle lokubi.’​—Heb. 5:14.

14. Kuyini okumele sikwenze ukuze singakhubi abanye?

¹⁴ “Konke elikwenzayo kwenzeleni inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu. Nanzelelani ukuthi kalikhubekisi.” (1 Khor. 10:31, 32) Nxa sisazibuza ukuthi silandele yini isiko loba umkhuba othile, kumele sicabange ngokuthi isinqumo sethu sizabaphatha njani abanye ikakhulu esikhonza labo. Kasifuni lakancane ukubakhuba. (Mak. 9:42) Kanti njalo kasifuni ukuphongucaphula labo abangakhonzi uJehova. Uthando lwenza sikhulume labo ngenhlonipho futhi ukwenza njalo kudumisa uJehova. Kasifuni ukuxabana labantu kumbe ukweyisa amasiko abo. Nxa singatshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abanye ngokuba lendaba labo langokubahlonipha singancibilikisa lenhliziyo zalabo abasiphikisayo. Uthando lulamandla!

15-16. (a) Kunceda ngani ukutshela abanye lokho okukholwayo? Nika isibonelo. (b) Amazwi kaPhawuli akuRoma 1:16 asebenza njani kithi?

 ¹⁵ Tshela abanye emphakathini wakini ukuthi unguFakazi kaJehova. (Isaya. 43:10) Nxa omunye emulini yangakini engafa, izihlobo labomakhelwane bangazonda nxa ungalandeli isiko elithile. Kodwa kuzaba lula ukuthi uyiphathe kuhle indaba le nxa ungahle ubachasisele okukholwayo kusesengaphambili. Omunye umzalwane okuthiwa nguFrancisco ohlala eMozambique wabhala wathi: “Ngesikhathi mina lomkami uCarolina sesifunde iqiniso satshela abanye emulini ukuthi sasingasoze siqhubeke sikhonza abafileyo. Kwathi kusifa udadewabo kaCarolina kwasekumele sitshengise ukuthi sizakuma ngesinqumo sethu. Isiko lendawo yakithi lithi isidumbu kumele sigeziswe ngesikhathi kusenziwa imikhuba yenkolo, besekusithi isihlobo esiseduze silale ubusuku obuthathu lapho okuchithelwe khona amanzi agezise isidumbu. Nxa besenza lokhu bathi bayabe bethokozisa umoya womufi. Imuli yakoCarolina yayikhangelele ukuthi kube nguye olala lapho okuchithelwe khona amanzi.”

¹⁶ UFrancisco lomkakhe benzani? UFrancisco wathi: “Sala ukulandela isiko leli ngoba siyamthanda uJehova futhi sifuna ukumthokozisa. Abangakibo kaCarolina bazonda badla amalahle. Bathi lokho yikudelela umufi njalo bathi kabasoze balugxobe emzini wethu loba basincedise. Njengoba sasesike sabachasisela ngalokho esikukholwayo, kasizange sixoxe ngendaba le ngesikhathi besaphuphuma. Ezinye izihlobo zaze zasilwela zisithi sake sazichasisela ukuthi thina simi ngaphi endabeni le. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izihlobo zikaCarolina zehlisa umoya futhi senelisa ukuyilungisa indaba le. Abanye emulini sebebuya lasendlini bezocela amabhuku enhlanganiso.” Akumelanga sibe lenhloni zokusekela iqiniso elimayelana lokufa.​—Bala uRoma 1:16.

17. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sibe ngumngane olothando kumzalwane ofelweyo?

¹⁷ Nxa omunye esikhonza laye angafelwa kumele sizame ngazo zonke indlela ukuba ‘ngumngane olothando lomzalwane ozalelwa  izikhathi zokuhlupheka.’ (Zaga. 17:17) Singenzani ukuze sibe ‘ngumngane olothando’ ikakhulu nxa umzalwane ofelweyo ecindezelwa ukuthi enze okuphikisana leBhayibhili? Izimiso zeBhayibhili ezimbili esizaxoxa ngazo khathesi zingasinceda ukuthi siduduze abafelweyo.

18. Kuyini okwenza uJesu wakhala njalo sifundani esibonelweni sakhe?

¹⁸ “Lilile labalilayo.” (Rom. 12:15) Kwesinye isikhathi singaswela ukuthi sithini emuntwini odabukileyo ngenxa yokufelwa. Lanxa kunjalo, ofelweyo uzabona ukuthi silendaba lendlela azizwa ngayo nxa engasibona sikhala. Lapho umngane kaJesu uLazaro esefile, uMariya loMatha labanye bakhala. Ngemva kwamalanga amane uJesu wafika, laye “wakhala” lanxa wayekwazi ukuthi uzamvusa. (Joh. 11:17, 33-35) Ukukhala kukaJesu kwaveza indlela uJehova ayezizwa ngayo ngokufa kukaLazaro. UMariya loMatha bathi bebona uJesu ekhala bananzelela ukuthi uyabathanda kakhulu njalo kumele ukuthi lokhu kwabaduduza. Nxa abazalwane bebona ukuthi siyabathanda futhi siyabazwela bazananzelela ukuthi abasinhlanzi ezitshelwe ngamanzi kodwa balabangane abalendaba labo njalo ababasekelayo.

19. Singawusebenzisa njani umbhalo kamTshumayeli 3:7 nxa siduduza umzalwane ofelweyo?

¹⁹ “Isikhathi sokuthula lesikhathi sokukhuluma.” (UmTshu. 3:7) Enye indlela esingaduduza ngayo umzalwane ofelweyo yikumlalelisisa. Myekele aveze indlela azizwa ngayo njalo ungacatshulwa ‘ngamazwi akhe abhedayo.’ (Jobe. 6:2, 3) Engxenye obunye ubunzima alabo yikucindezelwa yizihlobo ezingakhonzi uJehova. Ngakho thandaza laye. Cela lowo ‘ozwa imithandazo’ amnike amandla futhi amsize acabange kuhle. (Hubo. 65:2) Nxa izimo zivuma, lingabala iBhayibhili ndawonye kumbe libale indaba yokuphila loba esinye isihloko esikhuthazayo esitholakala emabhukwini ethu.

20. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²⁰ Siyathokoza ngokwazi iqiniso mayelana labafileyo kanye lokuhle okubalindeleyo esikhathini esizayo. (Joh. 5:28, 29) Ngakho kasizimiseleni ukuba lesibindi sokusekela iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini ngamazwi langezenzo futhi silitshele abanye loba nini lapho sithola ithuba. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizahlola enye indlela uSathane azama ngayo ukuvimba abantu ukuthi balazi iqiniso. Indlela le yikusebenzelana lemimoya. Sizabona lokuthi kungani kumele sixwaye imikhuba loba ukuzilibazisa okulesidimoni.