1. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi abantu batshiyene lezinyamazana?

ABANTU batshiyene lezinyamazana ngoba uJehova wathi ebadala wabanika umzwangedwa. U-Adamu lo-Eva babelawo yini umzwangedwa? Ye babelawo sibili ngoba babaleka bayacatsha ngemva kokwephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi basebedliwa yisazela ngenxa yecala ababelenzile.

2. Umzwangedwa ufana njani lekhampasi? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

² Abantu abalomzwangedwa ongaqeqetshwanga kuhle bafana lesikepe esilekhampasi engasebenzi kuhle. Ukuthatha uhambo ngesikepe esinjalo kuyingozi kakhulu ngoba silakho ukuphanjaniswa ngumoya lamagagasi sicine singafikanga lapho esiyakhona. Kodwa nxa ikhampasi isebenza kuhle uhambo lubamnandi njalo umtshayeli kalahleki. Umzwangedwa lawo ufana lekhampasi ngoba ungasisiza ukuthi singaphumi endleleni eyiyo njalo senelise ukwehlukanisa okuhle lokubi. Kodwa kumele uqeqetshwe kuhle ukuze usebenze ngendlela eqondileyo.

3. Yiphi impumela ebakhona nxa umzwangedwa ungaqeqetshwanga kuhle?

 ³ Nxa umzwangedwa ungaqeqetshwanga kuhle kuba nzima ukuthi usisize sixwaye izinto ezimbi. (1 Tim. 4:1, 2) Umzwangedwa onjalo ungenza sicabange ukuthi “okubi kuhle”. (Isaya. 5:20) UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Siyeza isikhathi lapho lowo obulala omunye wenu ezakholwa ukuthi wenzele uNkulunkulu into enhle.” (Joh. 16:2) Lokhu yikho kanye okwakucatshangwa ngabantu ababulala uStefane ngoba babezitshela ukuthi abakwenzayo kulungile. (ImiSeb. 6:8, 12; 7:54-60) Kusukela endulo abantu bezinkolo ezitshiyeneyo bebebulala abanye bevala ngokuthi benza intando kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi abakwenzayo akuvumelani lemithetho kaNkulunkulu abathi bayamkhonza. (Eks. 20:13) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi imizwangedwa yabo iyabaqila.

4. Singenzani ukuze sigcine umzwangedwa wethu usebenza kuhle?

⁴ Singenzani ukuze sigcine umzwangedwa wethu usebenza kuhle? Kumele sihlole iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi lilezimiso lemithetho elusizo ‘ekufundiseni, lokukhuza, lokuqondisa, lokufundisa ngokulunga.’ (2 Tim. 3:16) Ngakho kumele sikukhuthalele ukubala iBhayibhili, sicabangisise ngalokho esikubalayo njalo sikusebenzise ezimpilweni zethu. Nxa singenza njalo imizwangedwa yethu izasisiza ukuthi senze lokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo futhi singaphambuki endleleni eyiyo. Ake sixoxe ngokuthi singawuqeqetsha njani umzwangedwa sisebenzisa izimiso lemithetho kaJehova.

5, 6. Kusinceda ngani ukulandela imithetho kaNkulunkulu?

⁵ Ukuze imithetho kaNkulunkulu isincede akumelanga siphonguyibala nje kumbe siyibambe ngekhanda. Kufanele siyithande ngenhliziyo yonke njalo siyihloniphe. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Zondani okubi lithande okuhle.” (Amos. 5:15) Singakwenza njani lokhu? Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi sizame ukulingisela uJehova kukho konke esikwenzayo. Ake sithi uhambe kudokotela wakho usiyadinga usizo ngohlupho olalo lokuswela ubuthongo. Ngemva kwalokho wasekutshela ukuthi udle ukudla okwakha umzimba, uqeqetshe umzimba njalo untshintshe indlela obusenza ngayo ezinye izinto. Kawungeke umbonge yini nxa usubona ukuthi akutshele khona kuyasebenza?

⁶ Ngendlela efananayo uMdali wethu usinike imithetho engasisiza ukuthi sithuthukise impilo zethu njalo sibalekele izenzo ezingabangela ukuthi sehlelwe yimpumela ebuhlungu. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngokuthi kusinceda njani ukulalela imithetho eseBhayibhilini ephathelane lokubalekela ukuqamba amanga, ubuqili, ukuntshontsha, ukuziphatha kubi kwezemacansini, udlakela kanye lesidimoni. (Bala iZaga 6:16-19; Isam. 21:8) Ukubona impumela emihle ebakhona nxa silalela uJehova kwenza simthande kakhulu njalo singayithontisi imithetho yakhe.

7. Kusiza ngani ukubala lokucabangisisa ngezibonelo zabantu abaphila endulo okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhilini?

⁷ Ukwephula imithetho kaJehova kulempumela ebuhlungu. Kodwa ukwenza iphutha akusiyo ndlela enhle yokufunda ukwehlukanisa okuhle kokubi. IBhayibhili liyasisiza ukuthi senelise ukukwenza lokhu ngoba lilezibonelo zabantu basendulo abake benza amaphutha. UZaga 1:5 uthi: ‘Ohlakaniphileyo uyalalela engeze ukufunda kwakhe.’ Amazwi la aliqiniso sibili ngoba ukubala lokucabangisisa ngezibonelo eziseBhayibhilini kuyanceda okwamagama. Ake ucabange ngempumela ebuhlungu  eyehlela iNkosi uDavida ngenxa yokwephula umthetho kaJehova ngokuphinga loBhathisheba. (2 Sam. 12:7-14) Nansi imibuzo engakusiza ngesikhathi unakana ngendaba le: ‘Kuyini okwakumele kwenziwe nguDavida ukuze axwaye isono lesi kanye lempumela yaso ebuhlungu? Aluba kwakuyimi ngangizakwenzani? Ngangizabaleka yini njengoJosefa kumbe ngangizawela esilingweni njengoDavida?’ (Gen. 39:11-15) Ukucabangisisa ngempumela emibi yesono kuzasisiza ukuthi sizimisele ‘ukuzonda okubi.’

8, 9. (a) Umzwangedwa usisiza njani? (b) Izimiso zikaJehova ziwuqondisa njani umzwangedwa?

⁸ Kasiqali ngitsho lakancane ukwenza izinto uNkulunkulu azizondayo. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi kungaba nzima ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle, ikakhulu nxa kungelamthetho oseBhayibhilini ophathelane lesimo esikuso. Pho kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi senze isinqumo esithokozisa uJehova? Ezimeni ezinjalo yikho lapho okusebenza khona umzwangedwa oqeqetshwe liBhayibhili.

⁹ UJehova wasinika izimiso eziqondisa umzwangedwa lasezindabeni ezingelamthetho obhalwe phansi. UJehova uthi: “Mina nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okufundisa okuhle kakhulu kuwe, ekutshengisa indlela okumele uhambe ngayo.” (Isaya. 48:17, 18) Ukucabangisisa ngezimiso eziseBhayibhilini kwenza izinhliziyo kanye lezingqondo zethu ziwuqondise kuhle umzwangedwa ukuze ungalahleki. Lokhu kuzasisiza ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle.

10. Kuyini isimiso njalo uJesu wazisebenzisa njani ngesikhathi efundisa?

¹⁰ Isimiso liqiniso eliqathekileyo loba imfundiso eqondisa indlela esicabanga ngayo njalo esinceda ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle. Ukwazi izimiso zikaJehova kugoqela lokuzwisisa indlela acabanga ngayo kanye lokuthi kungani esinika imithetho. Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni wafundisa abafundi bakhe izimiso ezitshiyeneyo ukuze babone ukuthi konke umuntu akucabangayo lakwenzayo kulempumela ethile. Ngokwesibonelo wabafundisa ukuthi ukubamba isikhwili kudala udlakela ikanti ukuhawukela omunye umuntu kukhokhelela esonweni sobufebe. (Mat. 5:21, 22, 27, 28) Ukuze sibe lomzwangedwa oqeqetshwe kuhle kumele sivumele ukuqondiswa yizimiso zikaNkulunkulu njalo lokhu kwenza adunyiswe.​—1 Khor. 10:31.

11. Imizwangedwa iyafanana yini? Nika isibonelo.

¹¹ Kuliqiniso ukuthi amaKhristu aqeqetsha imizwangedwa yawo esebenzisa iBhayibhili. Kodwa kungenzakala ukuthi enze izinqumo ezitshiyeneyo lanxa esesimeni esifananayo. Ake ucabange ngendaba yokunatha utshwala. IBhayibhili alikwenqabeli ukunatha utshwala kodwa liyakucacisa ukuthi umuntu akumelanga anathe aze edlulise amalawulo loba adakwe. (Zaga. 20:1; 1 Tim. 3:8) Kodwa kulokunye okumele umKhristu akucabange ngendaba le lanxa enatha utshwala obulingeneyo. Kumele acabange ngemizwangedwa yabanye kungelani lokuthi owakhe uyamvumela ukuthi anathe utshwala.

12. Amazwi akuRoma 14:21 angasisiza njani ukuthi sihloniphe imizwangedwa yabanye?

¹² UPhawuli watshengisa ukuqakatheka kokuhlonipha imizwangedwa yabanye. Wathi: “Kungcono ukungadli inyama lokunganathi iwayini loba ukungenzi lutho oluzawisa umfowenu.” (Rom. 14:21) Lanxa iBhayibhili lingakwenqabeli ukunatha utshwala, kwesinye isikhathi kungadingakala ukuthi singanathi ikakhulu nxa sikwazi ukuthi ukwenza njalo kungakhuba umfowethu olomzwangedwa otshiyene lowethu. Abanye abafowethu kungenzakala  ukuthi babeyizidakwa bengakabi ngoFakazi njalo khathesi sebezimisele ukuthi bangasabuthinti utshwala. Ngakho kasifuni ukwenza izinto ezingabangela ukuthi abafowethu abanjalo babuyele emikhutsheni emibi asebayilahlayo. (1 Khor. 6:9, 10) Yikho ungaqali ukufuqela umzalwane loba ukumncenga ukuthi anathe nxa engafuni ukwenza njalo.

13. UThimothi wenzani ukuze asize abanye ukuthi bamukele izindaba ezinhle?

¹³ Ngesikhathi uThimothi eseselijaha wavuma ukusokwa lanxa kwakubuhlungu. Lokhu wakwenza ukuze angakhubi amaJuda ayezawatshumayeza. Walingisela isibonelo somphostoli uPhawuli sokungenzi loba yini eyayingakhuba abanye. (ImiSeb. 16:3; 1 Khor. 9:19-23) Wena uzimisele yini ukuvuma ukulahlekelwa ngezinye izinto ukuze usize abanye njengoThimothi?

14, 15. (a) Kugoqelani ukukhula ekukholweni? (b) AmaKhristu akhulileyo ekukholweni akhanya njani?

¹⁴ Sonke kumele siqhubeke sikhula ekukholweni singabi silokhu sibambelele emfundisweni elula esayithola ngesikhathi siqala ukufunda iqiniso. (Heb. 6:1) Lokhu akuphonguzenzakalela kodwa kufanele sisebenze nzima ukuze ‘siqhubeke’ sikhula. Ukuqhubeka usiya ekukhuleni kugoqela ukwengezelela ulwazi kanye lokuzwisisa. Yikho sihlala sikhuthazwa ukuthi sibale iBhayibhili nsuku zonke. (Hubo. 1:1-3) Wena uyakwenza yini lokhu? Ukubala iBhayibhili nsuku zonke kuzakunceda ukuthi ulithande iLizwi likaNkulunkulu njalo ujulise indlela ozwisisa ngayo imithetho kanye lezimiso zakhe.

¹⁵ Umthetho oqakatheke kakhulu kuwo wonke amaKhristu ngumthetho wothando. UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe wathi: “Bonke abantu bazakwazi ukuthi lingabafundi bami uma lithandana.” (Joh. 13:35) UJakhobe umfowabo kaJesu wathi uthando ‘ngumthetho wobukhosi.’ (Jak. 2:8) UPhawuli yena wathi: “Uthando luyikugcwaliswa komthetho.” (Rom. 13:10) Akusimangalisi ukubona indaba yothando igcizelelwa kangaka ngoba iBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Joh. 4:8) UNkulunkulu kaphongukhuluma nje ukuthi ulothando kodwa utshengisa langezenzo. UJohane wabhala wathi: “UNkulunkulu walubonakalisa kanje uthando lwakhe kithi:  Wathumela emhlabeni indodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa ukuba siphile ngayo.” (1 Joh. 4:9) Ngakho indlela esithanda ngayo uJehova, uJesu, abafowethu esikhonza labo labanye abantu yiyo etshengisa ukuthi sikhule kanganani ekukholweni.​—Mat. 22:37-39.

16. Izimiso ziqakatheke kangakanani?

¹⁶ Nxa uqhubeka ukhula ekukholweni uzakubona ukuthi kuqakathekile ukusebenzisa izimiso empilweni yakho. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi imithetho ayisebenzi zikhathi zonke kodwa izimiso zisebenza ezindabeni ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo umntwana omncane kakuzwisisi ukuthi ukuba labangane ababi kuyingozi, ngakho umzali ohlakaniphileyo uyamfakela imithetho ukuze amvikele. (1 Khor. 15:33) Kodwa nxa angakhula uyafunda ukusebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibhili futhi lokhu kuyamnceda ukuthi akhethe kuhle abangane. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:33; 14:20.) Nxa singahlala sicabangisisa ngezimiso eziseBhayibhilini umzwangedwa wethu uyaqhubeka uvumelana lendlela uNkulunkulu acabanga ngayo njalo uzasiqondisa kuhle kukho konke esikwenzayo.

17. Silazo yini izinto ezingasinceda ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle?

¹⁷ Silazo yini izinto ezingasincedisa ukuthi senze izinqumo ezithokozisa uJehova? Ye silazo. Ngokwesibonelo iBhayibhili lisinika imithetho lezimiso ezisisiza ukuthi ‘siyilungiselele ngokupheleleyo yonke imisebenzi emihle.’ (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Yikho dingisisa izimiso eziseMibhalweni ukuze ‘uqedisise ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu iyini.’ (Efe. 5:17) Okunye okungasisiza yikuhlola i-Watch Tower Publications Index, Ibhuku Lokuchwayisisa LaboFakazi BakaJehova, i-Watchtower Library, Isiphala Sezingwalo Esiku-Inthanethi se-Watchtower kanye le-JW Library. Amathuluzi la enzelwe ukusinceda nxa sifunda sisodwa loba sisenza ukukhonza kwemuli.

18. Yiziphi izibusiso esizazithola nxa singenza ngokuvumelana lemithetho lezimiso zikaJehova?

¹⁸ Zinengi izibusiso esizazithola nxa silalela imithetho lezimiso zikaJehova. Umhubi wathi: “O he, ngiwuthanda kangakanani umthetho wakho! Ngikhumbula ngawo ilanga lonke. Imilayo yakho iyangihlakaniphisa kulezitha zami, ngokuba ngihlezi ngilayo. Ngicacile ukuqedisisa kwami kulabafundisi bami, ngoba ngiyanakana ngezimiso zakho. Ngiyezwisisa ukudlula abadala, ngoba ngiyayilalela imithetho yakho.” (Hubo. 119:97-100) Nxa ‘singanakana’ ngezimiso zikaNkulunkulu sizathola inhlakanipho, ukuzwisisa kanye lokuqedisisa. Ngakho kasisebenzeni nzima siqeqetshe umzwangedwa wethu ngemithetho lezimiso zikaNkulunkulu ukuze ‘sithole isilinganiso sokuphelela okufunyanwa kuKhristu.’​—Efe. 4:13.