1. Ukuphila labantu bomhlaba lo kungenza sicine sesingabantu abanjani?

KUNGANI kunzima ukusebenzisa lokho esikufunda eLizwini likaNkulunkulu? Esinye isizatho yikuthi kumele sithobeke ukuze senze okuqondileyo kodwa ukuthobeka kunzima kakhulu ‘kulezinsuku zokucina.’ Siphila labantu ‘abazithandayo, labathanda imali, labazikhukhumezayo, labazigqajayo, labangazikhuziyo.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-3) Thina siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu futhi siyakwazi ukuthi izinto ezenziwa ngabantu laba zimbi. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi kungakhanya angathi abantu abazenzayo bayaphumelela futhi bayakholisa empilweni. (Hubo. 37:1; 73:3) Ngakho abanye bangacina sebezibuza ukuthi, “Nxa ngingazehlisa ngibe ‘ngomncinyane’ kulabo bonke, abantu bazangihlonipha yini? (Luk. 9:48) Kuyanceda yini ukuthi ngiqakathekise okufunwa ngabanye ukwedlula lokho engikufunayo?” Nxa singaqalisa ukungabi lendaba labanye njengabantu bomhlaba lo, singacina sesingasazwanani ebandleni njalo kuzaba nzima ukuthi abantu babone ukuthi singamaKhristu eqiniso. Kodwa nxa singahlola izibonelo ezinhle  eziseBhayibhilini besesizilingisela, izinto zizasihambela kuhle.

2. Ukuhlola izibonelo zabantu ababethembekile kuNkulunkulu kuzasinceda njani?

² Nxa sifuna ukulingisela abantu ababethembekile kuNkulunkulu kumele sihlolisise lokho abakwenzayo ukuze babe ngabangane bakhe. Yiziphi izinto abazenzayo ezathokozisa uNkulunkulu? Benelisa njani ukwenza intando yakhe? Izimpendulo zemibuzo le ziqakatheke kakhulu ngoba zizasinceda ukuthi sibe lokholo oluqinileyo.

3, 4. (a) UJehova usifundisa njani? (b) Kungani ukuba lolwazi kungenelanga nxa sifuna ukuba lokholo oluqinileyo?

³ UJehova uyaseluleka njalo asifundise esebenzisa iBhayibhili, amabhuku esiwaphiwa yinhlanganiso, imihlangano yebandla leyeziqinti, iwebhusayithi yethu kanye le-JW Broadcasting. Kodwa amazwi kaJesu akuJohane 4:34 asitshengisa ukuthi ukuba lolwazi kuphela akungeke kusenze sibe lokholo oluqinileyo. Evesini le uJesu wathi: “Okwami ukudla yikwenza intando yalowo ongithumileyo lokuqedisisa umsebenzi wakhe.”

⁴ Ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kwakufanana lokudla kuJesu. Phela imizimba yethu iyaqina njalo yakheke kuhle nxa singadla ukudla okwakha umzimba. Ukholo lwethu lalo luyaqina nxa sisenza intando kaNkulunkulu futhi lokhu kuzasenza sithole ukuphila okungapheliyo. Ngokwesibonelo, kwezinye izikhathi siyaphuma ekutshumayeleni lanxa sidiniwe kodwa sesiphenduka siyabe sesithokoza njalo sesilamandla.

5. Ukuhlakanipha kunceda ngani?

⁵ Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo ngulowo osebenzisa lokho akufundiswa nguJehova. (Hubo. 107:43) Ukuhlakanipha kuyanceda sibili. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kakukho okuloyisayo okungalinganiswa lakho. . . . Kuyisihlahla sokuphila kulabo abakwamukelayo; labo abakuphathayo bazabusiswa.” (Zaga. 3:13-18) UJesu wathi: “Lingaze lizazi lezi izinto lizabusiswa nxa lizenza.” (Joh. 13:17) Lapha uJesu wayesitsho ukuthi abafundi bakhe babezahlala bethokoza nxa babengaqhubeka besenza lokho ayebafundisa khona. Kwakungamelanga bakwenze okwelanga elilodwa kuphela kodwa kwakumele bakwenze okwempilo yabo yonke.

6. Kungani kumele siqhubeke sisebenzisa lokho esikufundayo?

⁶ Kuqakathekile ukuthi lathi siqhubeke sikusebenzisa konke esikufundayo. Ngokwesibonelo, umakanika angaba lamathuluzi lolwazi kanye lokunye okungamnceda emsebenzini wakhe. Kodwa konke lokhu akusoze kumsize nxa engakusebenzisi. Lanxa eseleminyaka ekanika njalo esefunde okunengi ngomsebenzi lo, kumele aqhubeke esebenzisa lokho akufundileyo ukuze abe yingcitshi emsebenzini wakhe. Lathi sathokoza kakhulu ngesikhathi siqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili ngoba sakusebenzisa lokho esasikufunda. Kodwa ukuze sihlale sithokoza kumele sithobeke futhi siqhubeke sisebenzisa konke esikufundiswa nguJehova nsuku zonke.

7. Kuyini esingakufunda ebantwini ababethembekile kuNkulunkulu?

⁷ Ake sixoxe ngezinto ezingenza kube nzima ukuthi sibe ngabantu abathobekileyo. Sizabona lokuthi abantu basendulo ababethembekile kuNkulunkulu benzani ukuze bahlale bethobekile. Ngakho ukuze uqinise ukholo lwakho akumelanga uphongubala nje. Kodwa kumele ucabange ukuthi okubalayo ungakusebenzisa njani empilweni yakho, ubusukusebenzisa.

8, 9. ImiSebenzi 14:8-15 itshengisa njani ukuthi umphostoli uPhawuli wayethobekile? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁸ Intando kaNkulunkulu yikuthi “abantu bonke basindiswe njalo balazi iqiniso.” (1 Tim. 2:4) Wena ubabona njani abantu abanengi abangakalifundi iqiniso? Umphostoli uPhawuli wayehamba emasinagogeni etshumayeza abantu abangamaJuda ababekwazi okuthile ngoNkulunkulu kodwa kazange aphelele khonapho. Wayetshumayeza labanye abantu ababekhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. Indlela ababemphatha ngayo kwezinye izikhathi yayingenza kube nzima ukuthi ahlale ethobekile.

⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, kuhambo lwakhe lokuqala engumnali wafika edolobheni leListra eloBhanaba. Abantu bedolobho lelo baphatha uPhawuli loBhanaba angathi ngonkulunkulu futhi baqalisa ukubabiza ngamabizo abonkulunkulu babo uZewusi loHemesi. UPhawuli loBhanaba bathatheka yini ngodumo lolu ababeluphiwa? Babona angathi lokho kwakuzabaphumuza yini ebuhlungwini ababebuzwe ngesikhathi behlukuluzwa emadolobheni amabili ababedlule kuwo? Kambe bacabanga ukuthi ukuba ngabantu abadumileyo kwakuzanceda abanengi ukuthi balalele izindaba ezinhle? Hatshi! Kodwa bahle badabula izigqoko zabo bazithela phakathi kwabantu bememeza besithi: “Likwenzelani lokhu? Lathi singabantu njengani.”​—ImiSeb. 14:8-15.

10. Kungani uPhawuli loBhanaba bengazange bazibone bengcono kulabantu beListra?

¹⁰ Ngesikhathi uPhawuli loBhanaba besithi, “Lathi singabantu njengani,” babesitsho ukuthi labo balesono futhi bayawenza amaphutha. Babengatsho ukuthi indlela ababekhonza ngayo yayifanana leyabantu labo. Phela uPhawuli loBhanaba babengabanali ababethunywe nguNkulunkulu. (ImiSeb. 13:2) Kanti njalo babegcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele futhi belethemba elihle okwamagama. Kodwa lokho akuzange kubenze bazibone bengcono kulabanye ngoba babekwazi ukuthi abantu beListra labo babengathola ithemba lokuya ezulwini nxa babengalalela izindaba ezinhle.

11. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sithobekile njengoPhawuli nxa sitshumayela?

¹¹ Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sithobekile njengoPhawuli? Okokuqala, kumele sikubalekele ukufuna ukuthi abanye basidumise ngalokho esikwenzileyo sincediswa nguJehova. Kumele sizibuze imibuzo le: ‘Ngibabona njani abantu engibatshumayezayo? Lanxa ngizitshela ukuthi kangilabandlululo, ngibaphatha njani abantu abakhangelelwa phansi endaweni engihlala kuyo?’ Okuhle kakhulu yikuthi oFakazi bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke baqhubeka behlolisisa izindawo abatshumayela kuzo ukuze babone ukuthi bakhona yini abanye abangalalela izindaba ezinhle. Kwezinye izikhathi baze bafunde ulimi kanye lamasiko abantu abakhangelelwa phansi emphakathini. Kodwa akumelanga bazibone bengcono kulabo. Kumele bazame ukuzwisisa umuntu ngamunye abamtshumayezayo ukuze bamsize ukuthi alalele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.

12. U-Ephafrasi watshengisa njani ukuthi ulendaba labanye?

¹² Okunye okungatshengisa ukuthi sithobekile yikuthandazela abafowethu labodadewethu. IMibhalo isikhuthaza ukuba sibathandazele ‘labo abamukele ukholo oluligugu njengolwethu.’ (2 Phet. 1:1) U-Ephafrasi wakwenza lokhu. IBhayibhili likhuluma ngaye kathathu kuphela ezincwadini zikaPhawuli.  Ngesikhathi uPhawuli ebotshiwe eRoma wabhalela abazalwane beKholose ebatshela ukuthi u-Ephafrasi ‘wayehlezi ebakhulekela kakhulu.’ (Kol. 4:12) U-Ephafrasi wayebazi kuhle abazalwane futhi wayebathanda kakhulu. Lanxa ‘wayeyisibotshwa kanye’ loPhawuli kazange abakhohlwe abazalwane, wayebakhulekela ukuze bahlale belokholo oluqinileyo. (Filim. 23) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi wayengaqakathekisi okufunwa nguye kuphela kodwa wayelendaba labanye. Ukuthandazela abanye kuyanceda sibili ikakhulu nxa sibaqamba ngamabizo.​—2 Khor. 1:11; Jak. 5:16.

13. Nxa uthandaza ungamlingisela njani u-Ephafrasi?

¹³ Ngobani ongabaqamba ngamabizo nxa uthandaza? Ungaqamba abafowethu labodadewethu abasebandleni kanye labanye okwaziyo ukuthi bathwele nzima ezimulini zabo. Phela abanye kumele benze izinqumo ezinkulu futhi balwisana lezilingo. Abanye okungamelanga ubakhohlwe ngabazalwane abavalelwe emajele ngenxa yokholo lwabo. (Ukuze uthole amabizo abo khangela iwebhusayithi yesiZulu esihlokweni esithi “OFakazi BakaJehova Baboshelwe Ukholo Lwabo,” ngaphansi kwengxenye ethi IZINDABA > IZINDABA ZOMTHETHO.) Thandazela lalabo abafelwe yizihlobo zabo labangane, labasanda kwehlelwa ngumonakalo wemvelo lezimpi kanye lalabo abathwele nzima ngenxa yokuswela imali. Imithandazo yethu iyabanceda kakhulu abafowethu labodadewethu. Ngakho kasimlingiseleni u-Ephafrasi ngoba lokhu kuyabe kutshengisa ukuthi kasiqakathekisi okufunwa yithi kuphela kodwa silendaba labanye. (Flp. 2:4) UJehova uyayilalela imithandazo enjalo.

14. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyalalela?

¹⁴ Okunye esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi sithobekile yikuzimisela ukulalela abanye nxa beveza imibono yabo. UJakhobe 1:19 uthi kumele ‘siphange silalele.’ UJehova uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu endabeni le. (Gen. 18:32; Josh. 10:14) Obunye ubufakazi balokho sibuthola ku-Eksodusi 32:11-14. (Bala.) Endabeni le uJehova wayengenza akufunayo engazange abuze omunye umuntu kodwa wanika uMosi ithuba lokuthi aveze umbono wakhe. Wena wawungenelisa yini ukumlalela ngesineke umuntu owenza amaphutha futhi wenze lokho akutshoyo? UJehova yena uyabalalela ngesineke abantu abalokholo nxa bekhuleka kuye.

15. Singenzani ukuze silingisele indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo abanye?

¹⁵ Kumele sizibuze imibuzo le: ‘Nxa kuyikuthi uJehova wazehlisa walalela u-Abhrahama, uRakheli, uMosi, uJoshuwa, uManowa, u-Elija kanye loHezekheli, akumelanga yini lami ngihloniphe abazalwane, ngilalele imibono yabo njalo ngenze lokho abangitshela khona? Ukhona yini ebandleni loba emulini yami odinga uncedo lwami? Kumele ngenzeni ukuze ngimncede futhi ngizakwenza njani lokhu?’​—Gen. 30:6; Abahlu. 13:9; 1 AmaKho. 17:22; 2 ImiLan. 30:20.

16. INkosi uDavida yenzani ngesikhathi iphathwa kubi nguShimeyi?

¹⁶ Ukuthobeka kuyasinceda ukuthi sizibambe nxa omunye umuntu angasicaphula. (Efe. 4:2) Lokhu sikubona endabeni eku-2 Samuyeli 16:5-13. (Bala.) Enye indoda eyayithiwa nguShimeyi eyayiyisihlobo seNkosi uSawuli yasukela uDavida lezinceku zakhe yabathethisa futhi yabaphatha kubi. UDavida kazange ayisusele amanqe lanxa wayelawo amandla okwenza njalo. Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi  azibambe? Ake sihlole iHubo lesithathu sibone ukuthi kuyini okwamncedayo.

17. Kuyini okwanceda uDavida ukuthi azibambe njalo thina singamlingisela njani?

¹⁷ Isihloko sendaba esikuHubo lesithathu sitshengisa ukuthi ihubo lelo lalotshwa nguDavida ngesikhathi “ebalekela indodana yakhe u-Abhsalomi.” Ivesi yokuqala leyesibili ihambelana lendaba eku-2 Samuyeli isahluko 16 lapho esitshelwa khona ngoShimeyi ethethisa uDavida. Manje kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi azibambe? KuHubo 3:4 uDavida wathi: “Ngikhala kakhulu kuJehova laye angiphendule esentabeni yakhe engcwele.” Lathi kufanele sikhuleke kuJehova nxa siphathwa kubi ngoba uzasiphendula ngokusinika umoya ongcwele ozasinceda ukuthi sibekezele. Wena uyenelisa yini ukuzibamba kumbe ukuthethelela nxa kulomuntu okuphathe kubi ungonanga lutho? Uyaqiniseka yini ukuthi uJehova ulendaba lawe lanxa uhlupheka lokuthi uzakunceda aphinde akubusise?

18. Kusinceda ngani ukuqhubeka sisebenzisa esikufundiswa nguNkulunkulu?

¹⁸ UJehova uzasibusisa kakhulu nxa singaqhubeka sisenza okuhle. Yikho iZaga 4:7 zisithi “ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba.” Lanxa kumele umuntu abe lolwazi ukuze ahlakaniphe, okutshengisa ukuthi uhlakaniphile yindlela asebenzisa ngayo lolo lwazi nxa esenza izinqumo. Phela lobunyonyo buhlakaniphile ngoba buyenelisa ukubuthelela ukudla kwabo ehlobo. (Zaga. 30:24, 25) UKhristu ‘uyikuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu’ futhi uhlala esenza izinto ezithokozisa uYise. (1 Khor. 1:24; Joh. 8:29) Lathi uNkulunkulu uzasibusisa nxa singahlala sithobekile njalo sitshengisa ukuthi sihlakaniphile ngokukhetha ukwenza lokho esikwaziyo ukuthi kuqondile. (Bala uMathewu 7:21-23.) Ngakho yenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuze uncede abanye ebandleni ukuthi bakhonze uJehova bethobekile. Ukusebenzisa esikufundayo kuthatha isikhathi yikho kumele sibekezele. Lokhu kuzatshengisa ukuthi sithobekile futhi sizathokoza khathesi lasesikhathini esizayo.