1, 2. Yisiphi isikhali esilimaze abantu bonke njalo ngubani owasenzayo?

ZINENGI izinto ezenziwe ngabantu ezenza impilo ibe lula. Sekulamafoni, amalayithi egetsi, izimota, amafiriji lokunye okunengi. Kodwa kulezinye izinto abazenzileyo eziyingozi kakhulu. Benze imibhobho, omaqhuphula, amabhomba, imihlanga yegwayi lokunye esingeke sikubale sikuqede. Lanxa kunjalo, kulesikhali esikhulu esasungulwa kuqala kulazo zonke njalo esilimaze wonke umuntu ngendlela ebuhlungu kakhulu. Yisikhali bani leso? Ngamanga! Amanga yinkulumo engaqondanga ekhulunywa ngumuntu ngabomu ehlose ukukhohlisa omunye. Kanti ngubani owenza isikhali esiyingozi kangaka? NguSathane, yikho uJesu Khristu wambiza ngokuthi ‘unguyise wamanga.’ (Bala uJohane 8:44.) USathane wawakhuluma nini amanga akhe okuqala?

² Wawakhuluma kudaladala ensimini yase-Edeni. UNkulunkulu wayedale u-Adamu lo-Eva wabafaka endaweni enhle elipharadayisi. Bathi besazikholisela impilo wabe esethutshile uDeveli. Wayekwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayebatshele ukuthi bangadli “isihlahla sokwazi okuhle lokubi” ukuze bangafi. Kodwa uSathane wafika waqambela u-Eva amanga esebenzisa inyoka, wathi: “Kalisoze life ngempela.” La yiwo amanga okuqala. Ngemva kwalokho waqhubeka ewahutshuza esithi: “Ngoba uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi lingasidla amehlo enu azavuleka, beselisiba njengoNkulunkulu, lazi okuhle lokubi.”—Gen. 2:15-17; 3:1-5.

3. Kungani sisithi uSathane waqamba amanga ayingozi njalo amanga akhe adale wuphi umonakalo?

 ³ Amanga kaSathane ayeyingozi ngoba wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi nxa u-Eva angamkholwa adle isithelo sesihlahla, uzakufa. U-Adamu lo-Eva bephula umthetho kaJehova futhi bacina sebefile. (Gen. 3:6; 5:5) Okubuhlungu kakhulu yikuthi “ukufa kwafika ebantwini bonke” ngenxa yesono leso njalo ‘kwabusa lakulabo abangazange benze isono ngokweqa umlayo, njengokwenziwa ngu-Adamu.’ (Rom. 5:12, 14) Lakanye yawuchitha umuthi inkonyane! Phela uNkulunkulu wayehlose ukuthi abantu baphile phakade bengafi, kodwa khathesi abantu sebephila ‘iminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa loba engamatshumi aficamibili nxa belamandla.’ Kanti njalo impilo isigcwele ‘uhlupho losizi.’ (Hubo. 90:10) Kuyakhanya sibili ukuthi amanga kaSathane asidalela umonakalo omkhulu.

4. (a) Yiphi imibuzo okumele siyiphendule? (b) IHubo 15:1, 2 lithi ngabantu abanjani abangaba ngabangane bakaJehova?

⁴ UJesu wakhuluma ngalokho okwenziwa nguDeveli wathi: “Kazema eqinisweni, ngokuba uvele engelalo iqiniso.” Lakhathesi ulokhu engelalo iqiniso, yikho eqhubeka ‘edukisa umhlaba wonke’ ngamanga akhe. (Isam. 12:9) Kakho phakathi kwethu ofuna ukudukiswa nguDeveli. Kanti vele uSathane ubadukisa njani abantu? Kungani abantu bekuthanda kangaka ukuqamba amanga? Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sizimisele ‘ukukhuluma iqiniso’ zikhathi zonke ukuze singaphelelwa yibuhlobo bethu loJehova njengo-Adamu lo-Eva? (Bala iHubo 15:1, 2.) Kahle siyiphendule imibuzo le yomithathu.

5. USathane ubadukisa njani abantu?

⁵ Umphostoli uPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi singenelisa ukubona ukuthi uSathane usezama ‘ukusiqilibezela ngoba amacebo akhe siyawazi.’ (2 Khor. 2:11) Siyakwazi ukuthi umhlaba wonke usemandleni akhe lokuthi nguye oqondisa izinkolo zamanga, ezokuthengiselana kanye lezombusazwe. (1 Joh. 5:19) Yikho kasimangali nxa sibona uSathane lamadimoni akhe besenza ukuthi iziphathamandla ‘ziqambe amanga.’ (1 Tim. 4:1, 2) Ngokwesibonelo, abanye osomabhizimusi baqamba amanga nxa bekhangisa ukuze baqile abantu njalo babathengisele izinto eziyingozi.

6, 7. (a) Kungani abakhokheli bezinkolo abaqambela abantu amanga belecala elikhulu? (b) Yiwaphi amanga osuke wezwa ekhulunywa ngabakhokheli bezinkolo?

⁶ Abakhokheli bezinkolo abaqambela abantu amanga balecala elikhulu ngoba babavalela ithuba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. Phela nxa umuntu angafundiswa amanga awakholwe futhi enze izinto ezizondwa nguNkulunkulu, ngeke akuthole ukuphila okungapheliyo. (Hos. 4:9) UJesu laye wayekwazi ukuthi abakhokheli bezinkolo ababekhona ngesikhathi sakhe babelecala lokudukisa abantu. Ngakho kazange abakhekheleze kodwa wabatshela wathi: “Maye, kini bafundisi bomthetho lakini baFarisi, lina bazenzisi! Lidabula ilizwe lihambe laphezu kolwandle lidinga ukuphendula oyedwa zwi, lithi selimzuzile limguqule abe yindodana [‘yeGehena,’ NW] okuphindwe kabili kulani.” (Mat. 23:15) Lokho kutsho ukuthi ababekwenza kwakuzabangela ukuthi lowomuntu abhujiswe. Yikho uJesu wabasola kakhulu waze wathi: ‘Lingabakayihlo uSathane ongumbulali.’—Joh. 8:44.

⁷ Lamuhla abakhokheli bezinkolo bagcwele umhlaba wonke futhi babizwa ngamabizo atshiyeneyo. Abanye babo babizwa ngokuthi ngabafundisi langokuthi ngabaphristi. Benza khona kanye okwakusenziwa ngabakhokheli bezinkolo basendulo ngoba ‘bacindezela iqiniso’ eliseLizwini likaNkulunkulu futhi “benana iqiniso likaNkulunkulu ngamanga.” (Rom. 1:18, 25) Bafafaza amanga besithi umphefumulo kawufi njalo bathi nxa umuntu engafa uyazalwa esengomunye umuntu loba esengenye into. Kanti njalo bafundisa abantu ukuthi nxa umuntu  angabhabhathizwa usesindisiwe lokuthi uNkulunkulu uyabamukela ubutabane kanye lokutshadiswa kwezitabane.

8. Yiwaphi amanga azamenyezelwa ngamakhosi omhlaba njalo thina kufanele senzeni nxa siwezwa?

⁸ Abezombusazwe basebenzisa amanga ukuze baqile abantu. Sekuseduze ukuthi batshele abantu ukuthi sebephumelele ukuletha “ukuthula lokuvikeleka” emhlabeni. Kodwa la kuyabe kungamanga aluhlaza tshoko ngoba ngalesosikhathi “incithakalo izakwehlela phezu kwabo ngokujuma.” Ngakho thina akumelanga sithatheke ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi umhlaba lo usulengele egodini. ‘Sikwazi kuhle ukuthi usuku lweNkosi luzafika njengesela ebusuku.’—1 Thes. 5:1-4.

9, 10. (a) Kungani abantu bethanda ukuqamba amanga njalo lokhu kubangelani? (b) Kuyini okumele sihlale sikukhumbula ngoJehova?

⁹ Izikhathi ezinengi nxa kungenziwa umtshina omutsha kujayelekile ukuthi ucine usugcwele ebantwini abanengi. Amanga lawo anjalo. Abantu abasezikhundleni kayisibo bodwa abaqamba amanga kodwa sebebanengi abantu abawathandayo amanga. Ngokwesibonelo omunye umlobi okuthiwa nguY. Bhattacharjee wabhala indaba elesihloko esithi, “Okwenza siqambe amanga,” wathi: “Ukuqamba amanga sekuyinto esegazini ebantwini.” Izikhathi ezinengi abantu baqamba amanga ukuze bazivikele, bavale amacala abawenzileyo, bathole inzuzo loba bakhanye bengabantu kuzwa emphakathini. Isihloko leso saphinda sathi kwabanye abantu akusathi thiki nxa ‘beqamba amanga kungelani lokuthi bakhuluma labangane, labasebenza labo, labantu abangabaziyo loba lezihlobo.’

¹⁰ Ukuqamba amanga okunjalo yikho okubangela ukuthi abantu bangathembani futhi bangabi lobudlelwano obuhle labanye. Akucabange ukuthi kubuhlungu kanganani ukuzwa ukuthi umkakho ubefeba lomunye umuntu ngapha eqamba amanga ukuze avale ihlazo alenzayo. Okunye okubi kakhulu yikuthi indoda izenze ubaba olothando nxa isebantwini kodwa nxa isendlini ihlukuluze umkayo labantwabayo. Umuntu owenza ubuqili obunjalo kufanele akhumbule ukuthi akulalutho angalufihlela uJehova ngoba “konke kwambuliwe kwabekwa obala phambi kwamehlo akhe.”—Heb. 4:13.

11. Isibonelo esibi esika-Ananiya loSafira sisifundisani? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹¹ IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi uSathane wenza u-Ananiya loSafira baqamba amanga kuNkulunkulu. Indoda le lomkayo babumba icebo lokuqila abaphostoli. Ngemva kokuthengisa isiqinti sabo abazange bahambise yonke imali ababeyitholile. U-Ananiya loSafira babefuna ukuthabisa abanye ebandleni ngokwenza angathi bangabantu abaphanayo. Kodwa uJehova wakubona abakwenzayo wasebajezisa.—ImiSeb. 5:1-10.

12. Bazakwenziwani abantu abaqamba amanga ngabomu njalo kungani bezathathelwa lelonyathelo?

¹² UJehova uthini ngabantu abaqamba amanga? USathane labo bonke abaqhubeka beqamba amanga bazaphoselwa ‘echibini lomlilo ovuthayo.’ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi bazabhujiswa bangaphindi babe khona. (Isam. 20:10; 21:8; Hubo. 5:6) Phela abantu abaqamba amanga uJehova ubabala ndawonye lalabo abaziphatha ‘njengezinja,’ okutsho abantu abenza izinto ezenyanyekayo phambi wakhe.—Isam. 22:15.

13. Kuyini esikwaziyo ngoJehova futhi ukwazi lokho kusinceda ngani?

¹³ Siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova ‘kasimuntu ukuthi angaqamba amanga’ lokuthi ‘ngeke awaqambe amanga.’ (Nani. 23:19; Heb. 6:18) IBhayibhili lithi: ‘UJehova uyaluzonda ulimi oluqamba amanga.’ (Zaga. 6:16, 17) Ngakho nxa sifuna ukuhlala simthokozisa kumele sikhulume iqiniso zikhathi zonke. Ukwazi lokhu kusinceda ukuthi ‘singaqambelani amanga.’—Kol. 3:9.

14. (a) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sitshiyene labantu abasezinkolweni zamanga? (b) Chaza isimiso esikuLukha 6:45.

¹⁴ AmaKhristu eqiniso angatshengisa njani ukuthi atshiyene labantu abasezinkolweni zamanga? ‘Ngokukhuluma iqiniso.’ (Bala uZekhariya 8:16, 17.) UPhawuli wathi: ‘Njengezisebenzi zikaNkulunkulu sizethula ngokukhuluma iqiniso.’ (2 Khor. 6:4, 7) UJesu laye wathi: “Umlomo ukhuluma lokho okuphuphuma enhliziyweni.” (Luk. 6:45) Yikho nxa umuntu olungileyo elithanda ngenhliziyo yonke iqiniso kuba lula ukuthi alikhulume zikhathi zonke kungelani lokuthi uxoxa ngezinto eziqakathekileyo loba ezingakhanya zingatsho lutho. Lokhu uzakwenza nxa ekhuluma labantu angabaziyo, lasebenza labo, labangane bakhe kanye lezihlobo zakhe. Ake sixoxe ngezinye izindlela esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi sithembekile kukho konke esikwenzayo.

15. (a) Kungani kuyibuthutha ukuzitshaya umuntu olungileyo ngapha usenza izinto ezimbi? (b) Kuyini okunganceda abasakhulayo ukuthi bangathatheki ngezinto ezimbi ezenziwa ngosowabo? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

¹⁵ Abasakhulayo abanengi abafuni ukuba yindlubu ewele ephokweni nxa belabosowabo. Nxa lawe unjalo, nanzelela ungacini ususenza lokho okwenziwa ngabanye. Bavala abantu amehlo, bezitshaya abantu abalungileyo nxa belabazali babo loba nxa besebandleni. Kodwa abakwenzayo nxa besebenzisa ezempucuko loba belabasakhulayo abangakhonziyo akutshengisi ukuthi bayizinceku zikaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo bakhuluma inhlamba, bagqoke ngendlela engelasithunzi, balalele izingoma ezilamazwi angcolileyo, badakwe, basebenzise izidakamizwa, babe lamajaha lezintombi abazali babo bengakwazi njalo benze lezinye izinto ezinyanyisayo. Abasakhulayo abakwenzayo lokhu bangabakhohlisi ngoba baqamba amanga kubazali babo lakubazalwane kanye lakuNkulunkulu. (Hubo. 26:4, 5) UJehova uyabona nxa ‘simdumisa ngezindebe kodwa izinhliziyo zethu zikhatshana laye.’ (Mak. 7:6) Ngakho kasizimiseleni ukulalela amazwi la athi: “Inhliziyo yakho mayingahawukeli izoni, kodwa hlala utshisekela ukwesaba uJehova.”—Zaga. 23:17. *

16. Kuyini okumele ukwenze nxa ugcwalisa ifomu lenkonzo yesikhathi sonke?

¹⁶ Mhlawumbe ufisa ukuba liphayona lesikhathi sonke loba ukuyakhonza eBhetheli kumbe kwezinye izingxenye zenkonzo yesikhathi sonke. Ngesikhathi ugcwalisa ifomu kuqakathekile  ukuthi uthembeke njalo ubhale lonke iqiniso nxa uphendula imibuzo ephathelane lempilakahle yakho, ezokuzilibazisa kanye lokuziphatha kwakho. (Heb. 13:18) Pho kuthiwani nxa kuyikuthi wake wenza into ethile uJehova ayizondayo loba waziphatha ngendlela esolisayo kodwa wangayibikela abadala? Hamba uyebatshela ukuze bakusize ukuthi ukhonze uJehova ulomzwangedwa omsulwa.—Rom. 9:1; Gal. 6:1.

17. Kuyini okufanele sikwenze nxa iziphathamandla zisibuza imibuzo emayelana labazalwane bethu?

¹⁷ Nxa kuyikuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela awuvunyelwa lapho ohlala khona, kuyini okufanele ukwenze nxa ungabotshwa yiziphathamandla besezikubuza imibuzo emayelana labazalwane bethu? Kuqondile yini ukuthi ukhulume konke okwaziyo? UJesu yena wenzani ngesikhathi umbusi weRoma embuza imibuzo? Kazange aphendule yonke imibuzo ayeyibuzwa. Lokhu kusikhumbuza isimiso esiseMibhalweni esithi: ‘Kulesikhathi sokuthula lesikhathi sokukhuluma.’ (UmTshu. 3:1, 7; Mat. 27:11-14) Nxa lathi singaba phakathi kwesimo esinjalo kumele sihlakaniphe ukuze singafaki abazalwane bethu engozini.—Zaga. 10:19; 11:12.

18. Kuyini okumele ukwenze nxa abadala bekubuza ngodaba oluthile olwenziwe ngomunye umzalwane?

¹⁸ Ake sithi omunye ebandleni wenze isono esikhulu njalo wena uyakwazi okwenzakeleyo. Kungenzakala ukuthi abadala bakubize befuna ubachazele konke okwaziyo ngaleyondaba ngoba yibo abaphathiswe umsebenzi wokugcina ibandla lihlanzekile. Uzakwenzani nxa kuyikuthi owenze lesosono ngumngane wakho loba yisihlobo sakho? IBhayibhili lithi: “Ufakazi oleqiniso upha ubufakazi obuqondileyo.” (Zaga. 12:17; 21:28) Ngakho kufanele utshele abadala lonke iqiniso futhi ungazami ukuyithela amanzi indaba. Phela balelungelo lokwazi konke okwenzakeleyo ukuze benelise ukunceda lowomuntu owenze isono alungise ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova.—Jak. 5:14, 15.

19. Kuyini esizaxoxa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Umhubi uDavida wathandaza kuJehova wathi: “Ngempela wena ufuna iqiniso elisuka emibilini.” (Hubo. 51:6) UDavida wayekwazi ukuthi iqiniso kumele livele ngaphakathi ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zethu. Ngakho amaKhristu eqiniso kumele azimisele ‘ukukhuluma iqiniso omunye komunye’ kukho konke akwenzayo empilweni. Enye indlela esitshengisa ngayo ukuthi sitshiyene labantu abasezinkolweni zamanga yikufundisa abanye iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini. Ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngokuthi singakwenza njani lokhu nxa sitshumayela.