1-2. Kuyini okumangalisayo okwenzakala ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E.?

KWAKUNGESONTO ekuseni ngelanga lePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E., abafundi abangaba ngu-120 babebuthene endlini ephezulu eseJerusalema. (ImiSeb. 1:13-15; 2:1) Emalangeni ayesanda kwedlula uJesu wayebatshele ukuthi bahlale eJerusalema ngoba babezakwamukela isipho esiqakathekileyo. (ImiSeb. 1:4, 5) Kuyini okwenzakalayo?

² “Masinyane nje kwaba lomsindo ovela ezulwini kungathi ngumoya ovunguza ngamandla.” Umsindo lo wezwakala endlini yonke. Ngemva kwalokho “okwakungathi ngamalangabi omlilo” kwehlela emakhanda abafundi futhi bonke ‘bagcwala umoya ongcwele.’ (ImiSeb. 2:2-4) Le yiyo indlela emangalisayo uJehova athulula ngayo umoya wakhe ongcwele eqenjini lelo. (ImiSeb. 1:8) Yilo elaba ngelokuqala ukugcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele * njalo lokhu kwenza laba lethemba lokuyabusa loJesu ezulwini.

3. Kungani labo ababebuthene ngelanga lePhentekhosti bengazange bathandabuze ukuthi bagcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele?

³ Aluba wawungomunye wabafundi ababebuthene endlini ephezulu eseJerusalema wawungasoze ulikhohlwe lelolanga. Okuthile okwakungathi lilangabi lomlilo kwehlela ekhanda lakho futhi waqalisa ukukhuluma ngezindimi. (ImiSeb. 2:5-12) Wawungasoze uthandabuze ukuthi usugcotshwe ngomoya  ongcwele. Kodwa bonke abagcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele bagcotshwa ngendlela emangalisayo njalo ngesikhathi esifananayo yini? Hatshi. Sikwazi njani lokhu?

4. Wonke amaKhristu okuqala agcotshwa ngesikhathi esifananayo yini? Chasisa.

⁴ Ake sixoxe ngokuthi umuntu angagcotshwa nini. Abafundi abangaba ngu-120 ayisibo bodwa abagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E. Kulabanye futhi abangaba ngu-3 000 abagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ngelanga lelo. Laba bona bagcotshwa ngesikhathi bebhabhathizwa. (ImiSeb. 2:37, 38, 41) Kodwa eminyakeni eyalandelayo ayisiwo wonke amaKhristu agcotshwa lapho ebhabhathizwa. AmaKhristu angamaSamariya agcotshwa sekudlule isikhathi ebhabhathiziwe. (ImiSeb. 8:14-17) Kwesinye isenzakalo esingajayelekanga, uKhoneliya labendlu yakhe bagcotshwa bengakabhabhathizwa.​—ImiSeb. 10:44-48.

5. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-2 Khorinte 1:21, 22, kwenzakalani nxa umuntu angagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele?

⁵ Khathesi asixoxeni ngokuthi kwenzakalani nxa umuntu angagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele. Ekuqaliseni abanye abagcotshiweyo bangakuthola kunzima ukwamukela ukuthi uJehova usebakhethile. Bangazibuza, ‘Kungani uNkulunkulu ekhethe mina?’ Abanye bona kungenzakala bangazizwa ngaleyondlela. Kodwa umphostoli uPhawuli uchasisa lokho okwenzakalayo kubo bonke abagcotshiweyo kungelani lokuthi bazizwa njani ngokugcotshwa kwabo. Uthi: “Lathi selikholiwe, labekwa uphawu * ngomoya ongcwele elaliwuthenjisiwe, futhi lokhu kwenziwa ngaye. Umoya lo uyisibambiso selifa lethu.” (Efe. 1:13, 14, amabala angaphansi) Yikho uJehova usebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuthi enze kucace kumaKhristu la ukuthi usewakhethile. Ngendlela le umoya ongcwele “uyisibambiso [isiqinisekiso kumbe isithembiso]” esiwenza abe leqiniso lokuthi esikhathini  esizayo azaphila ezulwini kuze kube nini lanini hatshi emhlabeni.​—Bala u-2 Khorinte 1:21, 22.

6. UmKhristu ogcotshiweyo kumele enzeni ukuze athole umvuzo wokuyaphila ezulwini?

⁶ Nxa umKhristu angagcotshwa sekusitsho yini ukuthi uzawuthola umvuzo wokuyaphila ezulwini? Hatshi. Aqiniseka ngakho yikuthi ukhethiwe ukuthi aye ezulwini. Kodwa kumele ahlale ekhumbula isixwayiso lesi: “Bafowethu, sebenzani gadalala ukuze lenze ukuthi ukubizwa kwenu lokukhethwa kwenu kuqiniseke, ngoba nxa lingaqhubeka likwenza lokhu, kalisoze lehluleke loba sekutheni.” (2 Phet. 1:10) Yikho lanxa umKhristu ogcotshiweyo esekhethiwe ukuthi aye ezulwini, umvuzo uzawuthola kuphela nxa angahlala ethembekile.​—Flp. 3:12-14; Heb. 3:1; Isam. 2:10.

7. Abagcotshiweyo bakwazi njani ukuthi balethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini?

⁷ Kodwa umuntu ukwazi njani ukuthi ulethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini? Impendulo isemazwini kaPhawuli awalobela amaKhristu aseRoma ‘ayebizelwe ukuthi abe ngabangcwele.’ Wawatshela wathi: “Kalamukelanga umoya wokuba yizigqili obangela ukuthi liphinde lesabe. Lamukela umoya wokuba ngamadodana njalo ngomoya lo simemeza sisithi: “Abha, Baba!” Umoya wona ngokwawo ufakaza kanye lomoya wethu ukuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” (Rom. 1:7; 8:15, 16) UNkulunkulu usebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuthi enze kucace kwabagcotshiweyo ukuthi balethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini.​—1 Thes. 2:12.

8. U-1 Johane 2:20, 27 utshengisa njani ukuthi amaKhristu agcotshiweyo kawadingi ukutshelwa ngomunye umuntu ukuthi agcotshiwe?

⁸ UJehova wenza labo abagcotshiweyo baqiniseke ezingqondweni lasezinhliziyweni zabo ukuthi balethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini. (Bala u-1 Johane 2:20, 27.) AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo ayakudinga ukufundiswa nguJehova emabandleni njengathi sonke. Kodwa kawadingi ukuqinisekiswa ngomunye umuntu ukuthi agcotshiwe. UJehova usebenzise umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuwacacisela ukuthi agcotshiwe.

9. U-Efesu 1:18 uveza luphi untshintsho olubakhona nxa umuntu angagcotshwa?

⁹ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinengi zingabe zingakuzwisisi okwenzakala emuntwini nxa uNkulunkulu engamgcoba. Lokhu akumangalisi ngoba zona azigcotshwanga. UNkulunkulu wayedale abantu ukuthi baphile emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini hatshi ezulwini. (Gen. 1:28; Hubo. 37:29) Kodwa kulabanye uJehova abakhethe ukuthi bayephila ezulwini. Yikho nxa ebagcoba uyantshintsha ithemba abalalo kanye lendlela abacabanga ngayo ukuze bakulindele ngabomvu ukuyaphila ezulwini.​—Bala u-Efesu 1:18.

10. Kutshoni ‘ukuzalwa kutsha’? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

¹⁰ Nxa amaKhristu egcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ayabe ‘ezalwa kutsha.’ * UJesu wathi akungeke kwenzeke ukumchasisela umuntu ongagcotshwanga ukuthi kunjani sibisibili ‘ukuzalwa kutsha’ kumbe ‘ukuzalwa ngomoya.’​—Joh. 3:3-8.

11. Chasisa untshintsho olubakhona endleleni umuntu ogcotshiweyo acabanga ngayo.

¹¹ Indlela amaKhristu acabanga ngayo intshintsha njani nxa angagcotshwa? Ngesikhathi uJehova engakawagcobi amaKhristu  la, ayekufisa kakhulu ukuphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini. Ayesilindele sibili isikhathi lapho uJehova azasusa khona bonke ububi futhi enze umhlaba ube lipharadayisi. Mhlawumbe ayesezibona esamukela izihlobo labangane abafayo. Kodwa indlela ayecabanga ngayo yantshintsha esegcotshiwe. Kungani? Kayisikho ukuthi ayeselikhangelela phansi ithemba lokuphila emhlabeni. Kawazange antshintshe ithemba lawo ngenxa yokuhlulukelwa kumbe ukuhlupheka. Kawazange acabange ukuthi awasoze akukholise ukuphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini. Kodwa uJehova wasebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze antshintshe indlela amaKhristu la acabanga ngayo kanye lethemba ayelalo.

12. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Phetro 1:3, 4, abagcotshiweyo bezwa njani ngethemba abalalo?

¹² Umuntu ogcotshiweyo angabona angani isibusiso alaso kasimfanelanga. Lanxa kunjalo kathandabuzi lakancane ukuthi uJehova umkhethile. Uyathokoza kakhulu futhi uyabonga ngethemba alalo lokuyaphila ezulwini.​—Bala u-1 Phetro 1:3, 4.

13. Abagcotshiweyo bazizwa njani ngokuphila emhlabeni?

¹³ Lokhu kutsho ukuthi abagcotshiweyo bayakufuna yini ukufa? Umphostoli uPhawuli wawuphendula umbuzo lo. Wafanisa umzimba wabo wenyama letende. Wathi: “Thina esisetendeni leli siyabubula futhi sikhathazeke kakhulu ngoba kasifuni ukutshiya indlu le esilayo lanxa sifuna ukwembeswa yile enye ukuze okufayo kuginywe yikuphila.” (2 Khor. 5:4) Kayisikho ukuthi amaKhristu la awasakuthandi ukuphila emhlabeni okokuthi asefuna ukufa masinyane. Ayakukholisa ukuphila futhi afuna ukusebenzela uJehova nsuku zonke endawonye lezimuli zawo kanye labangane. Kodwa kungelani lokuthi enzani, awalikhohlwa ithemba lawo elikhazimulayo lokuyaphila ezulwini.​—1 Khor. 15:53; 2 Phet. 1:4; 1 Joh. 3:2, 3; Isam. 20:6.

14. Kuyini okungatshengisi ukuthi umuntu ugcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele?

¹⁴ Mhlawumbe uyazibuza ukuthi ugcotshiwe yini ngomoya ongcwele. Nxa kunjalo, cabanga ngemibuzo le eqakathekileyo: Uyakutshisekela yini ukwenza intando kaJehova? Ubona angathi uyatshiseka kakhulu emsebenzini wokutshumayela? Uyakuthanda yini ukutaditsha iBhayibhili lokufunda ‘izinto ezijulileyo zikaNkulunkulu’? (1 Khor. 2:10) Ubona angani uJehova uwubusisile umsebenzi wakho wokutshumayela? Uzizwa ulomlandu omkhulu yini wokunceda abanye ukuthi bafunde ngoJehova? Ulabo yini ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova ukuncedisile ngezindlela ezinengi empilweni yakho? Nxa imibuzo le uyiphendule ngoyebo, sekusitsho ukuthi ugcotshiwe yini? Hatshi. Ngenxa yani? Zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zingayiphendula njalo kungelani lokuthi zigcotshiwe loba hatshi. Kanti njalo uJehova anganika loba yiphi inceku yakhe umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze yenze izinto lezi kungelani lethemba elalo. Iqiniso yikuthi nxa uzibuza ukuthi ugcotshiwe yini ngomoya ongcwele kutsho ukuthi awugcotshwanga. Labo abakhethwe nguJehova kabafaniseli ukuthi bagcotshiwe. Bakwazi mhlophe lokhu!

15. Sikwazi njani ukuthi akusibo bonke abemukela umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu abakhethwe ukuyaphila ezulwini?

¹⁵ EBhayibhilini sifunda ngamadoda amanengi ayelokholo emukela umoya ongcwele kodwa ayengelathemba lokuyaphila ezulwini. Ngokwesibonelo, uDavida wayekhokhelwa ngumoya ongcwele. (1 Sam. 16:13) Wamnceda ukuthi azwisise  izinto ezijulileyo ezimayelana loJehova futhi wamqhuba ukuthi abhale amanye amabhuku eBhayibhili. (Mak. 12:36) Lanxa kunjalo umphostoli uPhawuli wathi uDavida “kazange aye emazulwini.” (ImiSeb. 2:34) UJohane uMbhabhathizi ‘wagcwaliswa ngomoya ongcwele.’ (Luk. 1:13-16) UJesu wathi akulamuntu omkhulu kuloJohane kodwa waphinda wathi uJohane wayengasoze abe seMbusweni wamazulu. (Mat. 11:10, 11) UJehova wasebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukunika amadoda la amandla okwenza imisebenzi emangalisayo kodwa kazange awusebenzise ukuwakhetha ukuthi ayephila ezulwini. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi abantu abakhethwa ukuthi bayebusa ezulwini bathembekile kulawo yini? Hatshi, kutsho ukuthi wona azavuswa nguJehova ukuthi aphile emhlabeni olipharadayisi.​—Joh. 5:28, 29; ImiSeb. 24:15.

16. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinengi zilaliphi ithemba?

¹⁶ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinengi lamuhla kazilalo ithemba lokuyaphila ezulwini. Zilethemba elifanana lelika-Abrahama, uSara, uDavida, uJohane uMbhabhathizi kanye lamanye amadoda labesifazana okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhilini. Zikulindele ngabomvu ukuphila emhlabeni sekubusa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.​—Heb. 11:10.

17. Yiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Kulemibuzo esingazibuza yona njengoba amanye amaKhristu agcotshiweyo elokhu esemhlabeni. (Isam. 12:17) Ngokwesibonelo, abagcotshiweyo kumele babe ngabantu abanjani? Nxa umuntu osebandleni lenu esidla isinkwa futhi enatha iwayini eSikhumbuzweni kumele limphathe njani? Kanti njalo kuthiwani nxa inani labantu abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni lilokhu likhwela? Kumele sikhathazeke yini? Imibuzo le izaphendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.