1. Kumele senzeni ngokholo uJehova asinike lona?

UKHOLO luqakatheke kakhulu kodwa kayisibo bonke abantu abalalo. (2 Thes. 3:2) Loba kunjalo uJehova unika abantu abamkhonzayo ‘isilinganiso sokholo.’ (Rom. 12:3; Gal. 5:22) Kumele simbonge sibili uJehova ngokusinika ukholo.

2, 3. (a) Yiziphi izibusiso ezizatholwa ngabantu abalokholo? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?

² UJehova usondeza abantu ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe esebenzisa iNdodana yakhe. (Joh. 6:44, 65) Ukuba lokholo kuJesu kwenza sithethelelwe izono. Ikanti ukuthethelelwa izono khona kusivulela ithuba lokuba ngabangane bakaJehova kuze kube phakade. (Rom. 6:23) Phela akulalutho esalwenzayo olungenza sifanele ukuthola isibusiso esikhulu kangaka ngoba siyizoni futhi umvuzo osifaneleyo yikufa. (Hubo. 103:10) Lanxa kunjalo uJehova wabona ukuthi singenelisa ukwenza okuhle njalo ngenxa yomusa wakhe omkhulu wasincedisa ukuthi sifunde iqiniso. Saqalisa ukuba  lokholo kuJesu futhi saba lethemba lokuphila phakade.​—Bala u-1 Johane 4:9, 10.

³ Kodwa luyini ukholo? Kambe lungaba yikugcina izibusiso esizithenjiswa nguNkulunkulu zisengqondweni kuphela? Yiziphi izindlela esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi silokholo?

4. Chaza ukuthi kungani ukholo lungapheleli ekuzwisiseni injongo kaNkulunkulu kuphela.

⁴ Ukuba lokholo kayisikho kuzwisisa nje ukuthi iyini injongo kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ukholo luyamfuqa umuntu ukuthi aphilele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu lokuthi azimisele ukunceda abanye ukuthi bazwisise lokho uNkulunkulu akwenzileyo ukuze abasindise. Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: “Uma uvuma [“obala,” NW] ngomlomo wakho usithi, ‘UJesu uyiNkosi,’ njalo ukholwa enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo, uzasindiswa. Ngoba ukholwa ngenhliziyo yakho njalo ulungiswa ngayo, njalo kungomlomo wakho ovuma ngawo usindiswe.”​—Rom. 10:9, 10; 2 Khor. 4:13.

5. Kungani ukholo luqakathekile njalo singenzani ukuze silugcine luqinile? Nika umzekeliso.

⁵ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ukuba lokholo lokulugcina luqinile yikho okungasenza sithole umvuzo wokuphila phakade emhlabeni omutsha. Ukholo lungafaniswa lamaluba. Ukuze ahlale ephilile njalo ebukeka kumele athelelwe njalonje. Nxa angancitshwa amanzi ayabuna njalo afe. Lunjalo lokholo lwethu, nxa singayekela ukulunakekela luyafa. (Luk. 22:32; Heb. 3:12) Kodwa nxa singalunakekela zikhathi zonke luzahlala ‘lukhula’ futhi ‘luqinile.’​—2 Thes. 1:3; Tit. 2:2.

6. UHebheru 11:1 uchaza ziphi izinto ezimbili mayelana lokholo?

⁶ Ingcazelo yokholo itholakala kuHebheru 11:1. (Bala.) Evesini le kukhulunywa ngezinto ezimbili mayelana lokholo. Okokuqala ukukholwa “yikuba leqiniso lalokhu esikulindeleyo” okugoqela izithembiso zesikhathi esizayo kodwa ezingakenzakali khathesi njengesithembiso sokususwa kobubi emhlabeni lesokufika komhlaba omutsha. Okwesibili ‘yikuqiniseka ngalokho esingakuboniyo.’ Ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “kuqinisekile” litsho ukuba lobufakazi obugcweleyo ngezinto eziliqiniso kodwa esingaziboniyo. Ngokwesibonelo kasikuthandabuzi ukubakhona kukaJehova uNkulunkulu, uJesu Khristu, izingilosi kanye loMbuso wasezulwini. (Heb. 11:3) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyaqiniseka ngalokho esikulindeleyo lokuthi siyazikholwa izinto esingaziboniyo okukhulunywa ngazo eLizwini likaNkulunkulu? Singakutshengisa ngamazwi langezenzo zethu futhi kokubili lokhu kuqakathekile ngoba nxa singelakho, ukholo lwethu luyabe lufile.

7. Isibonelo sikaNowa sitshengisa njani ukuthi kutshoni ukuba lokholo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁷ KuHebheru 11:7 kukhulunywa ngoNowa indoda eyayilokholo okwathi, “esexwayisiwe ngezinto ezazingakabonakali, ngokwesaba okungcwele wakha umkhumbi ukuba ahlenge abendlu yakhe.” UNowa watshengisa ukuthi ulokholo ngokwakha inkalakatha yomkhumbi. Kumele ukuthi omakhelwane bakhe babembuza ukuthi wakhelani isizemazema sento enkulu kangaka. Wazithulela yini kumbe wabatshela ukuthi batshiyane laye? Hatshi. Ukuba lokholo kwamenza waba lesibindi sokubatshumayeza, ebalimukisa ngesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esasisondela. Kungenzakala ukuthi wayephindaphinda amazwi uJehova ayemtshele wona, athi: “Ngizabatshabalalisa bonke abantu, ngoba umhlaba ugcwele ubudlwangudlwangu ngenxa yabo . . . Ngizathumela uzamcolo wamanzi emhlabeni ukubhubhisa konke okuphilayo  ngaphansi kwezulu, zonke izidalwa eziphefumulayo. Yonke into emhlabeni izabhubha.” Kanti njalo kungenzakala ukuthi uNowa wayebatshela lalokho okwakumele bakwenze ukuze basinde ngoba uNkulunkulu wayethe: “Uzangena emkhunjini.” Ngalokho uNowa waphinda watshengisa ukuthi ulokholo ngokuba ‘ngumtshumayeli wokulunga.’​—Gen. 6:13, 17, 18; 2 Phet. 2:5.

8. Umfundi uJakhobe wathini mayelana lokholo lweqiniso?

⁸ UJakhobe laye wabhala ngokholo. Kungenzakala ukuthi wakwenza lokhu ngemva kokuba umphostoli uPhawuli esanda kuchaza ukuthi ukholo luyini. Wachaza ukuthi ukholo lweqiniso lukhanya ngemisebenzi, kayisiyo ndaba yokuphongukhuluma nje ukuthi ulalo. Wabhala wathi: “Ngitshengisa ukukholwa kwakho kungelazenzo, njalo mina ngizakutshengisa ukukholwa kwami ngalokho engikwenzayo.” (Jak. 2:18) Waphinda wachaza umahluko okhona phakathi komuntu othi ulokholo lalowo otshengisa ukholo lwakhe ngemisebenzi. Waveza ukuthi lamadimoni ayakholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona, kodwa kawamkhonzi njalo enza izinto eziphikisana lenjongo yakhe. (Jak. 2:19, 20) Ngemva kwalokho wakhuluma ngendoda yasendulo eyatshengisa  ngemisebenzi ukuthi ilokholo. Wathi: “Kanje ukhokho wethu u-Abhrahama kabalwanga njengolungileyo ngenxa yalokhu akwenzayo lapho anikela indodana yakhe u-Isaka e-alithareni na? Liyabona ukuthi ukukholwa kwakhe lezenzo zakhe kwakusebenza ndawonye, njalo ukukholwa kwakhe kwapheleliswa yilokho akwenzayo.” Ukuze atshengise ukuthi ukholo lukhanya ngemisebenzi waphetha ngokuthi: “Njengoba umzimba ongelamoya ufile, ngokunjalo ukukholwa okungelamisebenzi kufile.”​—Jak. 2:21-23, 26.

9, 10. Umphostoli uJohane usisiza njani ukuthi sibone ukuqakatheka kokutshengisa ukholo?

⁹ Ngemva kweminyaka edlula 30 umphostoli uJohane laye wabhala iVangeli lakhe kanye lezinye izincwadi ezintathu. Indlela aloba ngayo iyatshengisa yini ukuthi wayekuzwisisa okwatshiwo ngabanye abalobi beBhayibhili mayelana lokuthi luyini ukholo? Ye iyatshengisa sibili ngoba nguye yedwa umlobi weBhayibhili owalisebenzisa kanengi ibala lesiGiriki elandise ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi ‘ukutshengisa ukholo.’

¹⁰ Ngokwesibonelo wabhala wathi: “Otshengisa ukholo eNdodaneni ulokuphila okungapheliyo, kodwa loba ngubani ongayilaleliyo iNdodana kasoze ayithole leyompilo, ngoba ulaka lukaNkulunkulu seluphezu kwakhe.” (Joh. 3:36, NW) Ukuthi silokholo singakutshengisa ngokwenza lokho uJesu asilaye khona. UJohane wabhala amazwi ayejayele ukukhulunywa nguJesu aveza ukuthi ukutshengisa ukholo yinto okumele siyenze kokuphela.​—Joh. 3:16; 6:29, 40; 11:25, 26; 14:1, 12.

11. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyambonga uJehova ngokusikhanyisela iqiniso?

¹¹ Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngokuthi wasikhanyisela iqiniso esebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele futhi wasenza saba lokholo ezindabeni ezinhle. (Bala uLukha 10:21.) Kanti njalo kumele simbonge nsuku zonke ngenxa yokuthi wasisondeza kuye esebenzisa iNdodana yakhe, ‘enguMqalisi loMphelelisi wokukholwa kwethu.’ (Heb. 12:2) Ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyambonga ngomusa wakhe omkhulu kangaka, kumele siqhubeke siqinisa ukholo lwethu ngokuthandaza langokubala iLizwi lakhe.​—Efe. 6:18; 1 Phet. 2:2.

12. Yiziphi izindlela esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi silokholo?

¹² Kufanele siqhubeke sitshengisa ukuthi siyazikholwa izithembiso zikaJehova. Singakwenza lokhu ngezindlela ezikhanyayo lakwabanye. Ngokwesibonelo singakwenza ngokukhuthala emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu lokwenza abafundi. Singakwenza langokuhlala ‘sisenza okulungileyo ebantwini bonke, ikakhulu kulabo abangabemuli yabakholwayo.’ (Gal. 6:10) Kanti njalo singakwenza langokuzama ngamandla wonke ‘ukuhlubula uqobo lwethu oludala lezenzo zalo’ ngoba kasifuni loba yini iphambanise ubuhlobo bethu loJehova.​—Kol. 3:5, 8-10.

13. Kuqakatheke ngani ‘ukukholwa kuNkulunkulu’ njalo iBhayibhili likuchaza njani?

¹³ IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Kungelakukholwa akwenzakali ukuthokozisa uNkulunkulu, ngoba oza kuye kumele akholwe ukuthi ukhona lokuthi uyabanika umvuzo labo abamdinga ngobuqotho.’ (Heb. 11:6) Liphinda lichaze ukuthi ‘ukukholwa kuNkulunkulu’ kuyingxenye ‘yesisekelo’ esidingakalayo ukuze umuntu abe ngumKhristu weqiniso futhi aqhubeke enjalo. (Heb. 6:1) Kodwa lokhu kayisikho kuphela okudingakalayo, amaKhristu kumele engeze lezinye izimpawu eziqakathekileyo ukuze ahlale ‘esethandweni lukaNkulunkulu.’​—Bala u-2 Phetro 1:5-7; Jud. 20, 21.

14, 15. Luqakatheke kanganani ukholo nxa luqathaniswa lothando?

 ¹⁴ Abalobi beMibhalo yesiGiriki bakugcizelela ukuqakatheka kokholo ngokukhuluma ngalo izikhathi ezinengi kakhulu. Kalukho olunye uphawu lobuKhristu oluqanjwa kanengi njengokholo. Kodwa sekusitsho yini ukuthi ukholo yilo uphawu oluqakatheke kakhulu?

¹⁵ UPhawuli waqathanisa ukholo lothando. Wabhala wathi: “Uma ngilokukholwa okungasusa izintaba, kodwa ngingelalo uthando, kangisilutho.” (1 Khor. 13:2) UJesu laye wathi “umlayo omkhulu kulayo yonke eMthethweni” yikuthanda uNkulunkulu. (Mat. 22:35-40) Uthando luyasinceda ukuthi senelise ukuveza ezinye izimpawu ezigoqela ukholo. IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Uthando luhlezi lukholwa.’ Yikho ukuba lothando kuzasinceda ukuthi sibe lokholo ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu ezitholakala eLizwini lakhe.​—1 Khor. 13:4, 7.

16, 17. IMibhalo ikuveza njani ukuqakatheka kokholo kanye lothando futhi yikuphi okukhulu njalo kungani?

¹⁶ Abalobi beBhayibhili batshengisa ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuba lothando kanye lokholo. Izikhathi ezinengi babeqamba izimpawu lezi emutshweni loba evesini efananayo. Ngokwesibonelo uPhawuli wakhuthaza abazalwane ukuthi ‘bembathe ukukholwa lothando njengesihlangu sesifuba.’ (1 Thes. 5:8) UPhetro laye wabhala wathi: “Lanxa lingambonanga [uJesu], liyamthanda; njalo lanxa lingamboni khathesi, liyakholwa kuye.” (1 Phet. 1:8) UJakhobe wabuza abazalwane abagcotshiweyo wathi: ‘Konje uNkulunkulu kabakhethanga yini labo abangabayanga emehlweni omhlaba ukuba babe ngabanothileyo ekukholweni kanye lokudla ilifa loMbuso awuthembisa labo abamthandayo na?’ (Jak. 2:5) Kanti njalo uJohane wabhala wathi: “Nanku umlayo wakhe [uNkulunkulu]: ukukholwa ebizweni leNdodana yakhe, uJesu Khristu, lokuthandana njengokusilaya kwakhe.”​—1 Joh. 3:23.

¹⁷ Kodwa uPhawuli waphinda wathi: “Okuthathu lokhu kuma kunjalo: ukukholwa, ithemba lothando. Kodwa okukhulu kwalokhu luthando.” (1 Khor. 13:13) Ngesikhathi esizayo ngeke kusadingeka ukuthi sibe lokholo ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu ezimayelana lomhlaba omutsha ngoba ziyabe sezigcwalisekile. Siyabe sesiphila impilo enhle okwamagama okukhulunywa ngayo eBhayibhilini. Kodwa uthando lona kalusoze luphele, kuzamele siqhubeke sithanda uNkulunkulu njalo sibathanda bonke abantu kuze kube phakade.

18, 19. Ukuba lokholo kulethe yiphi impumela lamuhla futhi ngubani okumele adunyiswe ngalokhu?

¹⁸ Abantu bakaJehova bebelokhu betshengisa ukuthi balokholo eMbusweni wakhe futhi bayawusekela. Bayathandana okwamagama ngenxa yokuthi bavumela uNkulunkulu abaqondise ngomoya wakhe ongcwele. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Lokhu kube lempumela emihle kakhulu. Sikhuluma nje emhlabeni wonke sekulabazalwane abedlula 8 miliyoni abamanyeneyo futhi abalokuthula. Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi ukuba lokholo lothando kuqakathekile kakhulu.

¹⁹ UNkulunkulu wethu nguye owenze kwaba lokuzwanana lokumanyana ebantwini bakhe. Ngenxa yalokhu kumele “adunyiswe, kube yisibonakaliso esingapheliyo, esingayikudilizwa.” (Isaya. 55:13) Ngeqiniso ‘ukusindiswa ngokukholwa’ akuveli kithi, kodwa “kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu.” (Efe. 2:8) UJehova uzaqhubeka encedisa abantu abanengi ukuthi babe lokholo kuye. Ekucineni umhlaba wonke uzagcwala abantu abangelasono, abalungileyo njalo abathokozayo abazamdumisa kuze kube nini lanini. Ngakho kasizimiseleni ukuqhubeka siqinisa ukholo lwethu kulokhu uJehova asithembisa khona.