1-2. UmKhristu ufanana njani lesakhiwo eside? (1 Khorinte 15:58)

 NGO-1978 kwakhiwa isakhiwo eside kakhulu esilezitezi ezingu-60 eTokyo eJapan. Abantu babezibuza ukuthi isakhiwo leso asisoze siwe yini njengoba kwakujayele ukuba lokuzamazama komhlaba edolobheni leli. Sasingavikelwa njani? Omanjinela benza isakhiwo lesi saqina futhi basakha ngendlela yokuthi sasingasoze sidilike nxa singanyikinywa yikuzamazama komhlaba. AmaKhristu afanana lesakhiwo lesi. Njani?

² UmKhristu kumele akwazi lapho okumele ame aqine khona lalapho okumele avumelane lezimo khona. Kumele ame aqine anganyikinyeki nxa kusiza ezindabeni zokulalela imithetho kaJehova lezimiso zakhe. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:58.) Kumele ‘azimisele ukulalela’ njalo angavumi ukwephula imithetho kaJehova. Kanti njalo kumele ‘azwisise’ kumbe avumelane lezimo nxa kumele enze njalo. (Jak. 3:17) Nxa umKhristu angakufunda lokhu kokubili kuzamnceda ukuthi angabi lukhuni lokuthi angaphonguyekelela izinto. Esihlokweni lesi sizabona ukuthi singenzani ukuze sime siqine singanyikinyeki. Sizaxoxa langezinto ezinhlanu uSathane azisebenzisayo ukuze enze kube nzima ukuthi sime siqine, besesifunda ukuthi singalwisana laye njani.

3. Yiphi imithetho kaJehova etholakala kumiSebenzi 15:28, 29?

³ UJehova nguye olelungelo lokusinika imithetho futhi ubehlala esinika imithetho ecacileyo. (Isaya. 33:22) Ngokwesibonelo, iqula elikhokhelayo langesikhathi samaKhristu okuqala lakhuluma ngezinto ezintathu ezinganceda amaKhristu ukuthi ame aqine anganyikinyeki. Okokuqala, kwakumele axwaye izithombe akhonze uJehova kuphela. Okwesibili, alandele umthetho  kaJehova omayelana legazi, njalo okwesithathu kwakumele alandele imithetho eseBhayibhilini emayelana lokuziphatha. (Bala imiSebenzi 15:28, 29.) Lamuhla amaKhristu angatshengisa njani ukuthi ayamlalela uJehova ezintweni lezi ezintathu?

4. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sizinikele kuJehova kuphela? (ISambulo 4:11)

⁴ Sixwaya izithombe futhi sikhonza uJehova kuphela. UJehova watshela ama-Israyeli ukuthi ufuna azinikele kuye kuphela. (Dute. 5:6-10) Ngesikhathi uJesu elingwa nguSathane wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi kumele sikhonze uJehova kuphela. (Mat. 4:8-10) Ngakho asikhonzi izithombe. Labantu asibakhonzi njalo asibaphathi angathi ngonkulunkulu kungelani lokuthi ngabafundisi, ngabezombusazwe, zingcitshi zemidlalo loba ezokuzilibazisa. Thina sisekela uJehova njalo sikhonza yena yedwa ngoba “wadala zonke izinto.”—Bala iSambulo 4:11.

5. Kungani silalela umthetho kaJehova omayelana lempilo kanye legazi?

⁵ Silalela umthetho kaJehova omayelana lokuphila kanye legazi. Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova uthi igazi limela ukuphila njalo ukuphila kuyisipho esiligugu esivela kuye. (Levi. 17:14) Ngesikhathi uJehova evumela abantu ukuthi badle inyama wabalaya ukuthi bangadli igazi. (Gen. 9:4) Umlayo lo wawuphinda ngesikhathi enika abako-Israyeli umthetho esebenzisa uMosi. (Levi. 17:10) Kanti njalo watshela iqula elikhokhelayo langesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala ukuthi litshele wonke amaKhristu ukuthi ‘aqhubeke exwaya igazi.’ (Imiseb. 15:28, 29) Sitshengisa ukuthi sizimisele ukulalela umthetho lo nxa sekumele sikhethe indlela esizakwelatshwa ngayo. b

6. Kumele senzeni ukuze sihlale silalela imithetho kaJehova emayelana lokuziphatha?

⁶ Asiyekeli ukulalela imithetho kaJehova emayelana lokuziphatha. (Heb. 13:4) UPhawuli wathi ‘sibulale’ izitho zemizimba yethu. Lo ngumzekeliso olamandla otshengisa ukuthi kumele senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze silahle izinkanuko ezimbi. Asibukeli njalo asenzi loba yini engenza sicine sifebile. (Kol. 3:5; Jobe. 31:1) Nxa sesilingwa ukuthi senze okubi siyaphangisa ukulahla loba yiwuphi umcabango omubi njalo kasenzi loba yini engaphambanisa ubungane bethu loNkulunkulu.

7. Kuyini okumele sizimisele ukukwenza njalo kungani kumele senze njalo?

⁷ UJehova ukhangelele ukuthi ‘simlalele ngenhliziyo yonke.’ (Rom. 6:17, amabala angaphansi.) Ngeke siyitshintshe imithetho yakhe njalo lokho asitshela khona kuyasinceda zikhathi zonke. (Isaya. 48:17, 18; 1 Khor. 6:9, 10) Senza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthi sithokozise uJehova njalo silingisela umhubi owathi: “Sengizimisele ukulalela imilayo yakho zikhathi zonke, kuze kube sekucineni.” (Hubo. 119:112) Lanxa kunjalo, uSathane ukwenza kube nzima ukuthi sizimisele ukulalela uJehova. Ukwenza njani lokhu?

8. USathane ukusebenzisa njani ukuhlukuluzwa?

⁸ Ukuhlukuluzwa. USathane wenza ukuthi abantu basethusele kumbe basihlukuluze, efuna ukuthi sicine singasamlaleli uNkulunkulu. Unjengesilwane “esidinga esingamudla,” ufuna ukuqeda ubungane bethu loNkulunkulu. (1 Phet. 5:8) AmaKhristu aphila ngesikhathi sabaphostoli ayesethuselwa, etshaywa futhi ngezinye izikhathi ebulawa ngenxa yokuthi ayezimisele ukuma aqine aqhubeke elalela uJehova. (Imiseb. 5:27, 28, 40; 7:54-60) Lalamuhla uSathane uyabangela ukuthi abantu  bakaNkulunkulu bahlukuluzwe. Ubufakazi balokho siyabubona kubafowethu labodadewethu abaphathwa ngesihluku eRussia lakwamanye amazwe. Kanti njalo izitha zikaNkulunkulu zibathwalise nzima abafowethu labodadewethu ngendlela ezitshiyeneyo.

9. Nika isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi kuqakathekile ukunanzelela izilingo ezibuya zicatshile.

⁹ Ukulingwa ngendlela ezicatshileyo. USathane kasebenzisi ukuhlukuluzwa kuphela, uphinde asebenzise ‘lezenzo zobuqili.’ (Efe. 6:11) Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala komunye umzalwane okuthiwa nguBob, owayesesibhedlela kumele a-opharethwe kumbe ahlinzwe. Watshela odokotela ukuthi kungaze kube njani kafuni ukufakwa igazi. Udokotela owayezam-opharetha wavuma ukuthi babezakwenza akufisayo. Kodwa ebusuku ezavuka e-opharethwa omunye udokotela waya kuBob abemuli yakhe sebehambile. Watshela uBob ukuthi odokotela babengasoze bamfake igazi kodwa babezaligcina liseduze ukuze bamfake lona nxa selifuneka. Kungenzakala ukuthi udokotela lo wayecabanga ukuthi uBob wayezavuma njengoba abemuli yakhe basebehambile. Kodwa uBob wama waqina kokulungileyo wamtshela ukuthi wayengasoze avume ukufakwa igazi kumnyama kubomvu.

10. Imibono yabantu bomhlaba lo ingasiphambanisa njani? (1 Khorinte 3:19, 20)

¹⁰ Imibono yabantu bomhlaba lo. Nxa singacabanga njengabantu bomhlaba lo lathi singacina singaselandaba loJehova kanye lemithetho yakhe. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 3:19, 20.) Izikhathi ezinengi “ukuhlakanipha komhlaba lo” kwenza abantu baqakathekise kakhulu izinkanuko zabo. Amanye amaKhristu ayehlala ePhegamu leThiyathira ayeseyengwa ngabantu ababehlala emadolobheni lawo ukuthi akhonze izithombe njalo afebe. UJesu wabanika iseluleko esilamandla abantu ababesemabandleni la ngoba basebebona angani ukufeba akukubi kangako. (Isam. 2:14, 20) Lalamuhla abantu bangasiyenga ukuthi samukele imibono engaqondanga. Abanye emulini kumbe labo esibajayeleyo bangabona angathi siyaziwomisela besebezama ukusiyenga ukuthi sephule imithetho kaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bangathi okuqakatheke kakhulu yikulandela okufunwa yinhliziyo yakho, baphinde bathi imithetho eseBhayibhilini emayelana lokuziphatha ayisasebenzi khathesi.

11. Kuyini okungamelanga sikwenze?

¹¹ Kwezinye izikhathi singabona angathi lokho esikutshelwa nguJehova akwenelanga, mhlawumbe size silingeke ukuthi ‘seqele ngale kwalokho okubhaliweyo.’ (1 Khor. 4:6) Ngesikhathi sikaJesu abakhokheli benkolo babekwenza lokhu. Babethwalise nzima abantu ngokungezelela imithetho yabo phezu kwalowo ababewuphiwe nguNkulunkulu. (Mat. 23:4) UJehova usitshela ngendlela ecacileyo lokho okumele sikwenze esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe lenhlanganiso yakhe. Ngakho akulasizatho sokuthi sengezelele kulokho asitshela khona. (Zaga. 3:5-7) Akumelanga seqele ngale kwalokho okubhalwe eBhayibhilini futhi akumelanga sifake imithetho endabeni abafowethu labodadewethu abangazikhethela kuzo.

12. USathane usebenzisa njani ‘ubuqili obuyize’?

¹² Ubuqili. USathane uphinde asebenzise ‘ubuqili obuyize’ kanye ‘lezinto eziqakathekiswayo zomhlaba lo’ ukuze adukise abantu futhi enze ukuthi bangabambani. (Kol. 2:8) Ngesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala wayesebenzisa amafilosofi ayesekelwe emibonweni yabantu. Amanye ayesekelwe ezimfundisweni zamaJuda ezazingekho eMibhalweni kanye lasemfundisweni yokuthi amaKhristu kumele alandele okusemthethweni owaphiwa uMosi. USathane wayesebenzisa amafilosofi la ukuqila abantu ukuze bangabi lendaba loJehova okuvela kuye ukuhlakanipha kweqiniso.  Lamuhla uSathane usebenzisa abezindaba lezokukhulumisana zalezinsuku ukuze amemethekise amahungahunga lezindaba zamanga ezivela kwabezombusazwe. Lokhu sikubonile ngesikhathi somkhuhlane weCOVID-19. Bekulezindaba zamanga ezinengi. c OFakazi bakaJehova ababelalela lokho esasikutshelwa yinhlanganiso yethu kabazange bakhathazeke njengalabo ababelalela izindaba ezingamanga.—Mat. 24:45.

13. Kungani kumele sinanzelele izinto ezingasiphambanisa?

¹³ Izinto ezingasiphambanisa. Kumele sihlale sicabanga “izinto eziqakatheke kakhulu.” (Flp. 1:9, 10) Izinto ezingasiphambanisa zingasithathela isikhathi sethu esinengi kanye lamandla ebesingawasebenzisa ezintweni eziluncedo kakhulu. Izinto ezijayelekileyo empilweni ezinjengokudla, lokunatha, lokuzilibazisa kanye lomsebenzi wethu zingasiphambanisa nxa singazenza zibe ngeziqakatheke kakhulu empilweni. (Luk. 21:34, 35) Nsuku zonke sizwa izindaba ezimayelana labantu abavukelayo kanye lezimpikiswano zezombusazwe. Akumelanga sivume ukuthi izinto lezi zisiphambanise ngoba lathi singacina sesisekela uhlangothi oluthile ezinhliziyweni zethu. USathane usebenzisa zonke izindlela lezi esesixoxe ngazo ukuze enze kube nzima ukuthi sizimisele ukwenza okuqondileyo. Khathesi sizaxoxa ngokuthi singamelana njani lamacebo kaSathane ukuze sime siqine singanyikinyeki.

14. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sisekela uJehova?

¹⁴ Cabanga ngokuthi kungani wazinikela kuJehova njalo wabhabhathizwa. Wenza lokhu ngoba wawufuna ukusekela uJehova. Cabanga ngalokho okwenza wangathandabuzi ukuthi usulitholile iqiniso. Wafunda iqiniso ngoJehova wasuqalisa ukumhlonipha lokumthanda, wambona esenguYihlo osezulwini. Waba lokholo futhi lokhu kwenza wafuna ukuphenduka, wasuyekela ukwenza izinto ezimbi waqalisa ukwenza izinto ezihambelana lentando kaNkulunkulu. Wezwa ukhululeka ngesikhathi  unanzelela ukuthi uNkulunkulu usekuthethelele. (Hubo. 32:1, 2) Waqalisa ukubuya emihlanganweni yamaKhristu lokuxoxela abanye izinto ezinhle osuzifundile. Njengoba sewazinikela futhi wabhabhathizwa, ususendleleni eya ekuphileni futhi uzimisele ukuqhubeka uhamba kuyo.—Mat. 7:13, 14.

15. Kungani ukutaditsha lokucabangisisa kuqakathekile?

¹⁵ Taditsha iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ucabangisise ngalo. Okwenza isihlahla sime siqine yikuba lempande ezitshonayo. Lathi singama siqine nxa silokholo oluqinileyo kuJehova. Nxa isihlahla sikhula, impande zaso ziqhubeka zitshona futhi zinaba. Nxa sitaditsha njalo sicabangisisa siyabe siqinisa ukholo lwethu, futhi lokhu kwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi okutshiwo nguNkulunkulu yikho okusincedayo. (Kol. 2:6, 7) Cabanga ngokuthi izinceku zikaJehova zakudala zazincedakala njani nxa zazisenza lokho ayezitshela khona njalo zivuma ukuthi azikhokhele futhi azivikele. Ngokwesibonelo uHezekheli wakhangelisisa ngesikhathi ingilosi ilinganisa ithempeli ayelibona embonweni. Umbono lo wamqinisa uHezekheli futhi lathi usinika izifundo ezinhle ezisinceda ukuthi silandele izimiso zikaJehova ezimayelana lokukhonza kweqiniso. d (Hez. 40:1-4; 43:10-12) Lathi singancedakala nxa singazinika isikhathi sokutaditsha lokucabangisisa ngezinto ezijulileyo eziseLizwini likaNkulunkulu.

16. Ukuba lenhliziyo eqotho kwamvikela njani uBob? (IHubo 112:7)

¹⁶ Woba lenhliziyo eqotho. INkosi uDavida yayimthanda kakhulu uJehova yikho yahlabela yathi: “Inhliziyo yami iqotho, awu Nkulunkulu.” (Hubo. 57:7) Lathi singaba layo inhliziyo eqotho sithembe uJehova kukho konke. (Bala iHubo 112:7.) Ukuba lenhliziyo eqotho yikho okwanceda uBob esike sakhuluma ngaye. Wathi etshelwa ukuthi igazi lizagcinwa liseduze ukuze bamfake lona nxa selidingeka wahle wala, wathi nxa kuyikuthi bacabanga ukuthi bangamfaka igazi ngcono ahle aphume esibhedlela. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uBob wathi, “Ngangiqiniseka ngalokho engangifuna ukukwenza futhi kwakungangikhathazi ngitsho.”

17. Sifundani kulokho okwenziwa nguBob? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

 ¹⁷ Okwenza uBob waba qotho yikuthi engakayi esibhedlela wayevele eseyenze isinqumo sokuthi uzama aqine kulokho okulungileyo. Okokuqala, wayefuna ukuthokozisa uJehova. Okwesibili, wayeyitaditshe okuzwayo indaba emayelana lokuphila legazi esebenzisa iBhayibhili lamanye amabhuku ethu asekelwe eBhayibhilini. Okwesithathu, wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uzambusisa nxa angalandela imithetho yakhe. Lathi singahlala siqotho kungelani lokuthi sehlelwa yibuphi ubunzima.

18. Okwenziwa nguBharakhi kusifundisani? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

¹⁸ Themba uJehova. UBharakhi waphumelela empini ngoba wayethemba ukuthi lokho ayekutshelwa nguJehova kuzasebenza. Lanxa elizweni lako-Israyeli kwakungela ihawu loba umkhonto, uJehova wamtshela ukuthi ayekulwa lamabutho amaKhanani ayehlome aphelela, ayekhokhelwa yinduna uSisera. (Abahlu. 5:8) Umphrofethikazi uDibhora watshela uBharakhi ukuthi ehle ezintabeni ayekulwa loSisera owayelezinqola zempi ezingu-900. Amabutho kaSisera ayezakulwa lula emagcekeni ngoba izinqola zawo zaziyabe zigijima kuhle. Lanxa uBharakhi wayekwazi lokhu, walalela. Amasotsha kaBharakhi athi esehla entabeni iThabhori uJehova wenza kwana izulu elikhulu. Inqola zikaSisera zabanjelwa edakeni njalo uJehova wenza uBharakhi wanqoba. (Abahlu. 4:1-7, 10, 13-16) Lathi uJehova uzakwenza ukuthi sinqobe nxa singamthemba futhi sithembe lokho asitshela khona esebenzisa abameli bakhe.—Dute. 31:6.

19. Kungani ufuna ukuhlala uqotho unganyikinyeki?

¹⁹ Nxa umhlaba lo obuswa nguSathane usaqhubeka ukhona, sizabe silokhu sisebenza nzima ukuze sihlale siqotho. (1 Thim. 6:11, 12; 2 Phet. 3:17) Kasizimiseleni ukuthi singanyikinywa yikuhlukuluzwa, lezilingo ezibuya zicatshile, lemibono yabantu, lobuqili bukaSathane kanye lezinye izinto ezingasiphambanisa. (Efe. 4:14) Kodwa asimeni siqine, sibe qotho kuJehova njalo silalele imithetho yakhe zikhathi zonke, singavumi ukunyikinywa. Kanti njalo kumele singakhohlwa ukuthi kumele sibe ngabantu abazwisisayo njalo abavumelana lezimo nxa kudingeka. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngokuthi uJehova loJesu batshengisa njani ukuthi bayazwisisa.