1, 2. (a) Ithemba abantu bakaNkulunkulu abalalo litshiyene njani lethemba labantu bomhlaba lo obuswa nguSathane? (b) Kuyini esizaxoxa ngakho esihlokweni lesi?

KUNGELANI lokuthi singabeqembu labagcotshiweyo kumbe ‘abezinye izimvu’ sikulindele ukubona uJehova uNkulunkulu egcwalisa ayekuhlosile ekuqaleni njalo engcwelisa lebizo lakhe. (Joh. 10:16; Mat. 6:9, 10) Leli lithemba elihle okumangalisayo okumele wonke amaKhristu eqiniso aliqakathekise ukwedlula loba yini. Kanti njalo sikulindele ngabomvu ukuthola umvuzo wokuphila okuphakade kungakhathalekile ukuthi singamalunga ‘ezulu elitsha’ loba ‘awomhlaba omutsha.’ (2 Phet. 3:13) Okwakhathesi sikhangelele ukubona indlela uJehova azaqhubeka esiqondisa njalo esisekela ngayo kulezi zinsuku zokucina esikuzo.

² Labantu bomhlaba lo obuswa nguSathane balezinto ababeka ithemba labo kuzo. Lanxa kunjalo abaqiniseki ukuthi abakulindeleyo bazafa bakuthola. Ngokwesibonelo izigidi zabantu abathanda ukubheja bangabe belethemba lokuthi kwelinye ilanga bazathola inkalakatha yemali kodwa kabalaqiniso lokuthi bazayithola yini loba hatshi. Kodwa ukuba lokholo lweqiniso khona “yikuba leqiniso lalokhu esikulindeleyo.” (Heb. 11:1) Esihlokweni lesi sizabona ukuthi  singenzani ukuze siqinise ukholo lwethu kulokhu esikulindeleyo. Sizaxoxa langokuthi ukuba lokholo oluqinileyo kungasisiza njani lamuhla.

3. Kungani singathandabuzi ukuthi izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu zizagcwaliseka?

³ Akulamuntu ozalwa elokholo futhi kaluphongubakhona nje. Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu yiwo ongasisiza ukuthi sibe lokholo nxa singawuvumela ukuthi uqondise izinhliziyo zethu. (Gal. 5:22, NW) Akulandawo eBhayibhilini esitshelwa khona ukuthi uJehova ulokholo kumbe ukuthi uyaludinga. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi unguSomandla futhi ulenhlakanipho emangalisayo, akulalutho olungamvimbela ukuthi agcwalise injongo yakhe. UBaba wethu osezulwini kathandabuzi ngitsho lakancane ukuthi izithembiso zakhe zizagcwaliseka. Kuye kufanana lokuthi zivele sezigcwalisekile, yikho esithi: “Sekwenzakele.” (Bala iSambulo 21:3-6.) Lathi kasithandabuzi ukuthi esikulindeleyo kuzagcwaliseka ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova “nguNkulunkulu othembekileyo” njalo uhlala ekwenza konke akuthembisayo.

4. Yiliphi ithemba amadoda labesifazana basendulo ababelalo?

⁴ Kusahluko 11 sebhuku lamaHebheru kuqanjwa abesilisa labesifazana abangu-16 ababelokholo. Umlobi ulandisa ngabo kanye labanye abanengi esithi “banconywa ngokukholwa kwabo.” (Heb. 11:39) Bonke babelindele ‘inzalo’ eyayithenjiswe nguNkulunkulu. Babekwazi ukuthi ‘inzalo’ le yayizatshabalalisa zonke izitha zikaNkulunkulu njalo yenze umhlaba lo ube lipharadayisi. (Gen. 3:15) Kodwa abantu laba ababethembekile bafa ‘inzalo’ enguJesu Khristu ingakavuli indlela yokuthola ithuba lokuyaphila ezulwini. (Gal. 3:16) Loba kunjalo, siyambonga uJehova ngokusigcina isithembiso sakhe ngoba bazavuswa baphile phakade emhlabeni olipharadayisi.​—Hubo. 37:11; Isaya. 26:19; Hos. 13:14.

5, 6. U-Abhrahama lemuli yakhe babelindeleni njalo kuyini okwabanceda ukuthi bahlale belokholo oluqinileyo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁵ UHebheru 11:13 uthi: “Abantu bonke laba bafa belokhu bephila ngokukholwa. Kabazamukelanga izinto ezathenjiswayo; bazibona nje kuphela bazithakazelela kude.” Omunye wabo kwakungu-Abhrahama. Wahlala elikhumbula yini ithemba elimangalisayo lokuphila phakade emhlabeni sekubusa ‘inzalo’ eyayithenjisiwe? Impendulo yombuzo lo siyithola kulokho okwatshiwo nguJesu kulabo ababemphikisa. Wathi kubo: “Uyihlo u-Abhrahama wathakazelela umnakano wokulubona usuku lwami; walubona wathokoza.” (Joh. 8:56) USara, u-Isaka, uJakhobe kanye labanye labo bahlala belilindele idolobho elilezisekelo, “elimcandi walo lomakhi walo nguNkulunkulu.”​—Heb 11:8-11.

⁶ Kuyini okwanceda u-Abhrahama lemuli yakhe ukuthi bahlale belokholo oluqinileyo? Kungenzakala ukuthi bafunda ngoJehova ngokulalela izinto ababezixoxelwa ngabanye ababethembekile kuJehova. Kanti njalo uJehova wayekhuluma labo esebenzisa imibono, amaphupho lezingilosi futhi bangabe babebala lamabhuku embali ayekhona ngalesosikhathi. Okuhle yikuthi kabazange bazikhohlwe izinto ababezifunda njalo benza lokho uNkulunkulu ayekufuna futhi bazigagadlela izithembiso zakhe bahlala benakana ngazo. Ukuqiniseka ngalokho ababekulindele kwabanceda ukuthi bahlale beqotho kuNkulunkulu futhi benelise ukumelana lobunzima ababehlangana labo.

7. UJehova usinikeni ukuze asisize ukuthi sihlale silokholo oluqinileyo njalo kuyini okumele sikwenze?

⁷ UJehova usinike iLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili ukuze asisize ukuthi sihlale silokholo oluqinileyo. Kufanele silibale nsuku zonke ukuze “siphumelele” njalo sithokoze empilweni. (Hubo. 1:1-3; bala imiSebenzi 17:11.) Kumele silingisele  izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo, sihlale sicabangisisa ngalokho uNkulunkulu asithembise khona njalo silalele imilayo yakhe. Kanti njalo uJehova usinika lokudla okunengi okuqinisa ukholo lwethu esebenzisa ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo.’ (Mat. 24:45) Yikho nxa singaqakathekisa konke esikufundiswa nguJehova sizakuba njengabantu basendulo ‘ababeqiniseka’ ngethemba loMbuso ababelalo.

8. Umthandazo ungaluqinisa njani ukholo lwethu?

⁸ Okunye okwanceda izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zasendulo ukuthi zihlale zilokholo oluqinileyo yikuthandaza. Ukholo lwazo lwaluqina kakhulu lapho uNkulunkulu ephendula imithandazo yazo. (Neh. 1:4, 11; Hubo. 34:4, 15, 17; Dan. 9:19-21) Lathi sikhululekile ukutshela uJehova konke okusikhathazayo ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi uzasizwa njalo asiqinise ukuze senelise ukubekezelela ubunzima. Njalo nxa sibona imithandazo yethu iphendulwa ukholo lwethu luyaqina ngamandla. (Bala u-1 Johane 5:14, 15.) Ukholo yisithelo somoya ongcwele, ngakho kumele siqhubeke sithandaza kuNkulunkulu ‘sicela’ ukuthi asiphe umoya wakhe.​—Luk. 11:9, 13.

9. Chaza okunye okumele sikuthandazele.

⁹ Akumelanga sithandazele esikudingayo kuphela. Kodwa kumele simbonge uJehova njalo simdumise nsuku zonke ngoba wadala izinto ezimangalisayo futhi ezinengi okwamagama. (Hubo. 40:5) Imithandazo yethu kumele itshengise lokuthi ‘siyabakhumbula abasentolongweni ngokungathi [lathi] siyizibotshwa kanye labo.’ Kanti njalo kufanele sithandazele labazalwane bethu abasemhlabeni wonke, ikakhulu labo ‘abakhokhelayo.’ Siyathokoza kakhulu nxa sibona uJehova eyiphendula imithandazo yabantu bakhe.​—Heb. 13:3, 7.

10. Yiziphi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezahlala ziqotho lanxa zaziphakathi kobunzima njalo zawathatha ngaphi amandla okubekezela?

¹⁰ KumaHebheru isahluko 11 umphostoli uPhawuli ubalisa ngobunzima obutshiyeneyo obabekezelelwa yizinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinengi ezingaqanjwanga ngamabizo. Ngokwesibonelo ulandisa ngabesifazana ababelokholo abafelwa ngamadodana abo njalo bawamukela esevusiwe. Uphinda aqambe abanye futhi abala ‘ukukhululwa ukuze bathole ukuvuka okuhle.’ (Heb. 11:35) Lanxa singeke sitsho ukuthi ngobani sibili uPhawuli ayekhuluma ngabo, bakhona abanye ababulawayo ngenxa yokulalela uNkulunkulu lokwenza intando yakhe. Abanye babo nguNabothi loZekhariya. (1 AmaKho. 21:3, 15; 2 ImiLan. 24:20, 21) UDanyeli waphoselwa emgodini wezilwane njalo abangane bakhe baphoselwa esithandweni somlilo ohangulayo. Babhejela ukufa kulokuthi bakhonze onkulunkulu bamanga. Babengathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uzabanika umoya wakhe ongcwele lokuthi uzabanceda ukuthi babekezelele ubunzima ababephakathi kwabo.​—Heb. 11:33, 34; Dan. 3:16-18, 20, 28; 6:13, 16, 21-23.

11. Yibuphi ubunzima abanye abaphrofethi abahlangana labo ngenxa yokholo lwabo?

¹¹ Ngenxa yokholo lwabo, abanye abaphrofethi abanjengoMikhaya loJeremiya ‘bahozwa futhi bafakwa entolongweni.’ Ikanti abanye njengo-Elija “bantula enkangala lasezintabeni lasezimbalwini kanye lasemilindini emhlabathini.” Bonke babekezela ngoba ‘babeleqiniso lalokho ababekulindele.’​—Heb. 11:1, 36-38; 1 AmaKho. 18:13; 22:24-27; Jer. 20:1, 2; 28:10, 11; 32:2.

12. Yisiphi isibonelo esikhulu somuntu owabekezelela ubunzima njalo kuyini okwamsiza ukuthi abekezele?

¹² Ngemva kokulandisa ngabesilisa labesifazana basendulo abatshiyeneyo ababelokholo, uPhawuli wakhuluma ngesibonelo esikhulu kulazo zonke—iNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu. UHebheru 12:2 uthi: “Ngentokozo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe wabekezelela [“isigodo sokuhlutshwa,” NW] engananzi ihlazo laso, wahlala kwesokudla phansi kwesihlalo  sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu.” Kuqakathekile ukuthi ‘sicabangisise’ ngesibonelo sikaJesu. (Bala uHebheru 12:3.) Amanye amaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala abulawa njengoJesu ngenxa yokuthi ayeqotho kuNkulunkulu. Omunye wawo kwakungu-Antiphasi. (Isam. 2:13) AmaKhristu la ayezathola umvuzo wokuyaphila ezulwini, umvuzo omkhulu kakhulu ukwedlula owokuphila emhlabeni. (Heb. 11:35) Kusanda kusungulwa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngo-1914 wonke amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ayethembekile avuswa ukuze ayekuba ngamakhosi kanye loJesu ezulwini.​—Isam. 20:4.

13, 14. URudolf Graichen wahlangana labuphi ubunzima njalo kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi abekezele?

¹³ Lanamuhla kulezigidi zabantu bakaJehova abalingisela uJesu ngokungavumi ukuthi izilingo zixegise ukholo lwabo langokuhlala bebambelele ethembeni abalalo. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaRudolf Graichen owazalelwa eGermany ngo-1925. Indoda le isitshela ngemifanekiso yeBhayibhili okwakuceciswe ngayo endlini yangakibo. Yabhala yathi: “Omunye umfanekiso wawudwetshwe impisi lezinyane lemvu, ingwe lezinyane lembuzi, ithole lesilwane futhi konke  kwakuhlezi ngokuthula kukhokhelwa ngumfanyana omncane. . . . Kangizange ngiyikhohlwe imifanekiso le kuze kube lamuhla.” (Isaya. 11:6-9) URudolf wahlukuluzwa kakhulu liqembu lamaNazi okuthiwa ngamaGestapo njalo ngemva kwesikhathi wadliswa imbuya ngoluthi liqembu le-East Germany okuthiwa yiCommunist Stasi. Lanxa wahlukuluzwa okweminyaka eminengi wahlala ebambelele ethembeni ayelalo lokuphila phakade emhlabeni olipharadayisi.

¹⁴ URudolf waphinda wahlangana lobunzima bokufelwa ngunina ebulawa ngumkhuhlane okuthiwa yi-typhus ngesikhathi evalelwe enkambeni yeRavensbrück. Waphinda wabona uyise etshiya ukukhonza futhi esayina lencwadi yokuthi ngeke aphinde abe nguFakazi kaJehova. Ngemva kokukhululwa ejele uRudolf waba ngumbonisi wesiqinti futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wabizwa esikolo seGiliyadi. Ngemva kwalokho wathunyelwa ukuyakuba ngumnali eChile futhi waqhubeka engumbonisi wesiqinti lakuleyondawo. Langalesosikhathi izinhlupho zaqhubeka zimehlela. Ngemva komnyaka betshadile lomkakhe uPatsy laye owayengumnali bafelwa yindodakazi yabo. Esathi ngikubonile lokhu, umkakhe laye wafa eleminyaka engu-43 nje kuphela. Loba kunjalo uRudolf wabubekezelela bonke ubunzima lobu. Lanxa wayesegugile njalo engasaphilanga kuhle emzimbeni, wayelokhu engumdala futhi eliphayona lesikhathi sonke ngesikhathi indaba yokuphila kwakhe iphuma ku-Nqabayokulinda yesiZulu ka-August 1 1997 emakhasini 20-25. ^[1]

15. Yiziphi izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi oFakazi bakaJehova bayathokoza lanxa behlukuluzwa?

¹⁵ Lanxa oFakazi bakaJehova behlukuluzwa okungapheliyo bahlala bethokoza ngenxa yethemba abalalo. Ngokwesibonelo abafowethu labodadewethu abanengi babotshiwe e-Eritrea, eSingapore, laseSouth Korea ikakhulu ngenxa yokungangeneli kwabo kwezombangazwe. (Mat. 26:52) Abanye babazalwane laba ngu-Isaac loNegede kanye loPaulos asebeleminyaka edlula 20 besejele e-Eritrea. Lanxa behlukuluzwa kabuhlungu njalo bencitshwa inkululeko yokunakekela abazali babo asebekhulile leyokutshada balokhu bethembekile kuJehova. Indlela abaphuma bebobotheka ngayo kuwebhusayithi yethu i-jw.org itshengisa ukuthi balugcinile ukholo lwabo. Ngitsho labalinda kuleyojele sebebahlonipha kakhulu.

16. Kusiza ngani ukuba lokholo oluqinileyo?

¹⁶ Abantu bakaJehova abanengi kabakaze bavalelwe emajele loba bahlukuluzwe kabuhlungu njengabazalwane esikhulume ngabo phezulu. Kodwa bukhona ubunzima obutshiyeneyo abahlangana labo. Ngokwesibonelo babekezelela ubuyanga, izimpi loba izingozi zemvelo. Ikanti abanye balingisela uMosi, u-Abhrahama, u-Isaka loJakhobe ngokudela impilo entofontofo kanye lodumo ukuze bakhonze uJehova. Kuyini okubancedileyo ukuthi benelise ukukwenza lokhu? Yikuthi bayamthanda uJehova njalo bayakukholwa ukuthi uzaqeda bonke ububi obukhona futhi anike zonke izinceku zakhe umvuzo wokuphila phakade emhlabeni omutsha, ikhaya lokulunga.​—Bala iHubo 37:5, 7, 9, 29.

17. Uzimisele ukwenzani njalo sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Esihlokweni lesi sibonile ukuthi ukuthandaza kokuphela kanye lokucabangisisa ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu kuyasisiza ukuthi sihlale silokholo oluqinileyo. Ukuba lokholo olunjalo kuzasinceda ukuthi sihlale siqiniseka ngalokho esikulindileyo njalo sibekezelele zonke izilingo esingahlangana lazo. Kodwa iBhayibhili lisitshela okunengi ngokholo. Sizafunda ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.