1. Yiwuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kombono ojayelekileyo mayelana lobugqili kanye lalowo okhuthazwa kuRoma 12:11, NW?

 UBUGQILI bobuKhristu behlukene kakhulu lalokho abantu abanengi abakucabangayo mayelana lobugqili. Ezingqondweni zabo, ukuba yisigqili kuletha imicabango yokukhahlamezwa, ukucindezelwa kanye lokuphathwa kubi. Kodwa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu elaphefumulelwayo likhuluma ngobuqgili obugoqela ukuzikhethela ukusebenzela iNkosi elothando. Kanti njalo lapho umphostoli uPhawuli exwayisa amaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala ukuthi ‘abe yizigqili zikaJehova’ wayewakhuthaza ukuthi enze inkonzo engcwele enziwa ngenxa yokuthanda uNkulunkulu. (Rom. 12:​11, NW) Ubugqili lobu bugoqelani? Singakubalekela njani ukuba yizigqili zikaSathane lomhlaba wakhe? Yiziphi izibusiso ezitholwa yisigqili sikaJehova esenza inkonzo ngokuthembeka?

2. (a) Kuyini okwakusenza ukuthi isigqili esingum-Israyeli sikhethe ukuqhubeka sisebenza lanxa sesikhululiwe? (b) Yisiphi isizathu esiqakathekileyo esasisenza ukuthi isigqili esizikhetheleyo sibhotshozwe indlebe?

² EMthethweni uJehova awunika abako-Israyeli siyafunda ukuthi ufuna sibe yizigqili ezinjani. Isigqili esingumHebheru kwakumele sikhululwe emnyakeni waso wesikhombisa wokusebenza. (Eks. 21:2) Kodwa-ke uJehova wenza uhlelo olumangalisayo mayelana lesigqili esasiyithanda kakhulu inkosi yaso njalo esasifisa ukuqhubeka siyisebenzela. Inkosi kwakumele isise emnyango kumbe emgubazini ibisiklekla indlebe yaso ngosungulo. (Eks. 21:5, 6) Kwakulesizathu esiqakathekileyo sokuthi uhlelo lolu lugoqele ukubhotshozwa kwendlebe. Olimini lwesiHebheru, ukulalela kuchazwa ngebala elihambelana lokuzwa lokulandela okutshelwayo njengoba kunjalo. Isigqili lesi sasizikhethela ukuqhubeka siyisisebenzi esilalelayo. Lokhu kuyasinceda ukuthi sizwisise ukuthi kutshoni ukuzinikela kwethu kuJehova. Kutsho ukuthi siyabe sizikhethela ukumlalela ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda.

3. Kuyini okuyisiqokoqela sokuzinikela kwethu kuNkulunkulu?

³ Lapho sibhaphathizwa njengamaKhristu, sasesikhethile  ukuthi thina sizakhonza uJehova, sibe yizigqili zakhe. Sazinikela ngenxa yesifiso sethu sokulalela uJehova lokwenza intando yakhe. Akulamuntu owasibamba ngenkani ukuthi senze lokhu. Ngitsho lalabo ababhaphathizwa besesebancane baqala ngokuzinikela kuJehova bebodwa, kabakwenzi ngenxa nje yokuthi bafuna ukuthabisa abazali babo. Isiqokoqela sokuzinikela kwamaKhristu yikuthanda kwawo uJehova, iNkosi yawo esezulwini. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala wathi: “Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yilokhu: ukulalela imilayo yakhe.”​—1 Joha. 5:3.

4. Kumele senzeni nxa sifuna ukuba “yizigqili zokulunga”?

⁴ Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngoba wenza ukuthi senelise ukuba yizigqili zakhe! Ukukholwa kwethu emhlatshelweni wenhlawulo kaKhristu kwenza ukuthi singasindwa lijogwe lesono. Lanxa silokhu singabantu abalesono, siyazikhethela ukubuswa nguJehova loJesu. UPhawuli wakuchasisa lokhu ngendlela ecacileyo kweyinye yezincwadi zakhe ezaphefumulelwayo, wathi: “Zibaleni lingabafileyo esonweni kodwa abaphilayo kuNkulunkulu ngoKhristu uJesu.” Waphinda waxwayisa wathi: “Kalazi yini ukuthi nxa lizinikela komunye umuntu ukuba limlalele njengezigqili, liyizigqili kulowo elimlalelayo​—⁠langabe liyizigqili zesono, okuholela ekufeni, loba ezokulalela, okuholela ekulungeni na? Kodwa-ke kabongwe uNkulunkulu ngokuthi lanxa laliyizigqili zesono, layilalela ngezinhliziyo ezipheleleyo indlela yemfundiso elabekwa kuyo. Lakhululwa esonweni laselisiba yizigqili zokulunga.” (Roma. 6:11, 16-18) Nanzelela ukuthi umphostoli ukhuluma ‘ngokulalela ngezinhliziyo ezipheleleyo.’ Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi ukuzinikela kwethu kuJehova kwenza sibe “yizigqili zokulunga.”

5. Yiphi impi sonke esiyilwayo ngaphakathi kwethu, njalo kungani?

⁵ Kodwa kulobunzima okumele sibunqobe nxa sifuna ukuphila impilo evumelana lokuzinikela kwethu. Impi esiyilwayo ikabili. Eyakuqala, ngeyayilwiwa nguPhawuli. Wabhala wathi: “Ngoba ebuntwini bami bangaphakathi ngiyathokoza ngomthetho kaNkulunkulu; kodwa ngibona omunye umthetho usebenza ezithweni zami, usilwa lomthetho wengqondo yami ungenza ngibe yisibotshwa somthetho wesono osebenzayo ezithweni zami.” (Roma. 7:22, 23) Lathi sihlutshwa yisono esazalwa silaso. Ngenxa yalokhu, sihlala silwisana lezifiso zethu zenyama. Umphostoli uPhetro wasikhuthaza wathi: “Philani njengabantu abakhululekileyo, kodwa lingasebenzisi inkululeko yenu njengezaba lokufihla ububi; philani njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu.”​—1 Pet. 2:16.

6, 7. USathane wenza njani ukuthi umhlaba lo ukhanye ukhanga?

⁶ Impi yesibili iqondane lathi, njalo ngeyokulwa lomhlaba lo obuswa ngamadimoni. Umbusi womhlaba lo, uSathane, uyasijikijela ngemitshoko yakhe ehlose ukuthi singathembeki kuJehova lakuJesu. Uzama ukusenza izigqili zakhe ngokusilinga ukuthi sivume ukonakaliswa ngamacebo akhe. (Bala u-Efesu 6:11, 12.) Wenza lokhu ngokwenza ukuthi umhlaba wakhe ukhanye umuhle njalo ukhanga. Umphostoli uJohane wasixwayisa esithi: “Uma umuntu ethanda umhlaba, uthando lukaBaba kalukho kuye. Ngoba izinto zonke ezisemhlabeni​—izinkanuko zabantu abalezono​—ukulangazela kwamehlo abo kanye lokuzigqaja ngezimpahla​—⁠akuveli kuBaba kodwa emhlabeni.”​—1 Joha. 2:15, 16.

⁷ Abantu abanengi emhlabeni bayakufisa kakhulu ukuba yizipatsha. USathane ukhuthaza umbono wokuthi nxa ungelamali vele ngeke uthokoze. Izitolo ezinkulu sezizinengi kakhulu. Ukukhangisa kukhuthaza abantu ukuthi baqakathekise ukuba lempahla enengi kanye lokuzilibazisa. Labo abahlela izindawo zokuvakatshela bakhuthaza abantu ukuthi bahambe ezindaweni ezinhle lapho abayabe bekholisa khona labantu abalombono womhlaba lo. Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi  umhlaba esiphila kuwo ukhuthaza ukuthi “sizithuthukise” sisebenzisa imibono yawo.

8, 9. Yiphi ingozi ekhona, njalo kungani?

⁸ Ekhuluma ngalabo ababesebandleni lobuKhristu ekhulwini lokuqala abasebelombono womhlaba lo, uPhetro waxwayisa wathi: “Umcabango wabo ngenjabulo yikuminza emini libalele. Bayizixhwali lezoni, bezitika enjabulweni yabo besidla lani edilini. Ngoba bakhuluma amazwi okuzikhukhumeza ayize, njalo ngokufuna izinkanuko zomzimba ezemvelo yabantu abalesono, bahuga abantu asebebalekela labo abahlala ekoneni. Babathembisa inkululeko, bona beyizigqili zobuxhwali​—⁠ngoba umuntu uyisigqili salokho okumbusayo.”​—2 Pet. 2:13, 18, 19.

⁹ Ukusuthisa “ukulangazela kwamehlo” akumkhululi umuntu. Kodwa uba yisigqili senkosi yomhlaba lo engabonakaliyo, uSathane uDeveli. (1 Joha. 5:19) Ukugqilazwa yinotho kuyingozi sibili, njalo yibugqili obunzima ukubutshiya.

10, 11. Lamuhla ngobani abasongelwa nguSathane, njalo imfundo yomhlaba lo ibacindezela ngayiphi indlela?

¹⁰ Lamuhla uSathane usongela labangakahlangani lokunengi empilweni njengalokho akwenza e-Edeni. Vele ufuna ukuhlasela ikakhulu abasakhulayo. USathane kathokozi nxa osakhulayo kumbe omunye umuntu nje ekhetha ukuzinikela ukuba yisigqili sikaJehova. Isitha sikaNkulunkulu lesi sifuna ukuthi bonke abanikela izimpilo zabo kuJehova behluleke ukuqhubeka bethembekile.

¹¹ Ake sibuyele esibonelweni sesigqili esavuma ukubhotshozwa indlebe yaso. Isigqili lesi kumele ukuthi sasisizwa ubuhlungu okwesikhatshana kodwa babuphangisa ukuphela, besebutshiya uphawu olungapheliyo lobugqili baso. Osakhulayo laye nxa ekhetha indlela ehlukene leyabontanga bakhe kungabanzima kumbe kube buhlungu kuye. USathane ukhuthaza umcabango wokuthi ukusebenza emhlabeni wakhe kuzakwenza ukuthi sisuthiseke, kodwa amaKhristu kumele acabange ngokuqakatheka kokusuthisa isidingo sawo esingokomoya. UJesu wafundisa ukuthi: “Babusisiwe labo abalambela bomele ukulunga, ngoba bazasuthiswa.” (Mat. 5:6) AmaKhristu azinikeleyo aphilela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu hatshi ekaSathane. Bathokoziswa ngumthetho kaJehova njalo banakana ngawo emini lobusuku. (Bala iHubo 1:1-3.) Kodwa imfundo ephezulu yenza inceku kaJehova ibe lesikhathi esincane  kakhulu sokuthi inakane njalo isuthise isidingo sayo esingokomoya.

12. Yisiphi isinqumo okumele senziwe ngabasakhulayo abanengi lamuhla?

¹² Inkosi yomhlaba lo ingenza kube nzima ukuba yisigqili esingumKhristu. Ebhalela abaseKhorinte, uPhawuli wabuza wathi: “Wawuyisigqili na ekubizweni kwakho?” Waphinda wabacebisa ukuthi: “Kakungakukhathazi​—lanxa ungathola ukukhululeka kwakho, yenza njalo.” (1 Khor. 7:21) Abanengi babekhetha ukukhululwa ebugqilini. Lamuhla emazweni amanengi, umthetho uthi umntwana kumele ahambe esikolo efuna engafuni aze afikise iminyaka ethile. Ngemva kwalokho usengazikhethela afuna ukukwenza. Ukuqhubekela phambili ngemfundo ukuze uthole umsebenzi ongcono emhlabeni lo kungenza ungatholi inkululeko yokungena enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo.​—Bala u-1 Khorinte 7:23.

13. Yiphi imfundo ezanceda izinceku zikaJehova kakhulu?

¹³ UPhawuli waxwayisa amaKhristu aseKholose ukuthi: “Qaphelani kungabi khona olithumbayo ngenhlakanipho eyize lekhohlisayo, eyeyame emdabukweni wabantu lakuzimiso zemvelo yakulo umhlaba kungesikho kuKhristu.” (Kol. 2:8) Lamuhla ‘inhlakanipho eyize lekhohlisayo eyeyame emdabukweni wabantu’ igcwele emicabangweni yomhlaba lo njalo ikhuthazwa yizikhwicamfundo ezinengi. Imfundo ephezulu egcizelela ukugqiba ulwazi ekhanda kuphela ijayele ukuphuma labafundi abayabe belobuciko obulutshwana kumbe bengelabo, okuyikho okubatshiya bengazilungiselelanga ukuxazulula izinto ezenzakalayo empilweni. Kodwa izinceku zikaJehova zikhetha imfundo ezinceda ukuthi zibe lobuciko obudingekayo ukuze zihlale zingaphanjaniswa yizinto ezinenginengi ekukhonzeni kwazo uNkulunkulu. Ziqakathekisa kakhulu iseluleko uPhawuli asinika uThimothi esithi: ‘Kodwa-ke ukulalela kumbe ukuzinikela uNkulunkulu ngokusuthiseka kuyinzuzo enkulu. Kodwa uma silokudla lezigqoko kumele sisuthiseke ngalokho.’ (1 Tim. 6:6, 8) AmaKhristu eqiniso aqakathekisa kakhulu ‘izincwadi zokuwakhulumela’ ngokutshumayela ngokugcweleyo kulokuthi azihluphe ngokuthola amadigiri kanye lamabizo okuhlonipha.​—Bala u-2 Khorinte 3:1-3.

14. EMbhalweni kaFiliphi 3:​8, uPhawuli wayesibona njani isibusiso sokuba yisigqili sikaNkulunkulu lesikaKhristu?

¹⁴ Khangela indaba yomphostoli uPhawuli. Wayefundiswe ngumfundisi woMthetho wamaJuda, uGamaliyeli. Imfundo eyatholwa nguPhawuli ingafaniswa lemfundo yaseyunivesithi lamuhla. Kodwa uPhawuli wayibona njani imfundo yakhe lapho eyiqathanisa lesibusiso sokuba yisigqili sikaNkulunkulu lesikaKhristu? Wabhala wathi: “Konke ngikubona kuyize lapho kulinganiswa lobukhulu obumangalisayo bokwazi uKhristu Jesu iNkosi yami.” Wagcizelela esithi: ‘Sengilahlekelwe yizinto zonke ngenxa yakhe. Ngizibala njengemfucuza, ukuba ngizuze uKhristu.’ (Flp. 3:8) Ukucabangisisa okunjengalokhu kunceda amaKhristu asakhulayo kanye labazali bawo abesaba uNkulunkulu ukuthi bakhethe ngokuhlakanipha ezindabeni zemfundo. (Khangela imifanekiso.)

15, 16. Inhlanganiso kaJehova inika yiphi imfundo njalo imfundo le igxila ngaphi?

¹⁵ Emhlabeni lo, umumo unjani emayunivesithi lezindawo ezinengi lapho okutholwa khona imfundo ephezulu? Ezindaweni lezi, ayisikho yini lapho okuvuka khona izingxabano zezombusazwe lokungahlalisani kuhle kwabantu? (Efe. 2:2) Kodwa inhlanganiso kaJehova isinika imfundo ephezulu kakhulu ebandleni lobuKhristu indawo elokuthula. Munye ngamunye wethu ulethuba lokuncedwa yiSikolo seNkonzo samaKhristu esenziwa kanye ngeviki. Phezu kwalokho, kulenye imfundo ephezulu kakhulu eyabazalwane abangamaphayona angatshadanga (iSikolo seBhayibhili Sabazalwane Abangatshadanga) kanye lesamaphayona atshadileyo, (iSikolo seBhayibhili samaKhristu Atshadileyo). Imfundo le evela kuNkulunkulu iyasinceda ukuthi siyilalele iNkosi yethu esezulwini, uJehova.

¹⁶ Singadingisisa inotho engokomoya ebhukwini lokuchwayisisa i-Watch Tower Publications Index kumbe i-Watchtower Library eku-CD-ROM. Imfundo le igxile kakhulu ekukhonzeni uJehova. Isinceda lokuthi sikwazi ukuthi singanceda njani abanye ukuthi babuyisane loNkulunkulu. (2 Khor. 5​20) Yikho-ke lokhu kuzabanceda ukuthi labo bafundise abanye.​—2 Tim. 2:2.

17. Ukukhetha imfundo ephezulu ukwedlula zonke kuletha ziphi izibusiso?

¹⁷ Emfanekisweni kaJesu wamathalenta, izinceku ezithembekileyo ezimbili zanconywa njalo zathokoza leNkosi yazo ngokunikwa omunye umsebenzi. (Bala uMathewu 25:21, 23.) Lamuhla ukukhetha imfundo ephezulu ukwedlula zonke kusenza sithokoze njalo sithole izibusiso. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngokwenziwa nguMichael. Wenza kuhle kakhulu esikolo okokuthi ababalisi bakhe bambiza ukuze baxoxe ngethuba ayelalo lokuya eyunivesithi. Okwabamangalisayo yikuthi uMichael wala, wasezikhethela ukwenza ikhosi emfitshane eyasuka yamnceda ukuthi enelise ukusebenza ngapha eliphayona lesikhathi sonke. Uzizwa elahlekelwe yini ngokwenza lokho? Uthi: “Imfundo evela kuNkulunkulu engayithola ngiliphayona, lengiyithola khathesi ngingumdala ebandleni ngeke ngiyiqathanise laloba yini. Izibusiso lemisebenzi engiyikholisayo kwedlula khatshana loba yiphi imali engangingayithola. Ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi angikhethanga ukugijimisana lemfundo ephezulu.”

18. Kuyini okukufuqa ukuthi ukhethe imfundo ephezulu ukwedlula zonke?

¹⁸ Imfundo ephezulu ukwedlula zonke isifundisa ukwenza intando kaJehova njalo isinceda ukuthi sibe yizigqili zakhe. Isinika ithemba ‘lokukhululwa ebugqilini bokonakala’ lokuthi sicine sesithole ‘inkululeko elenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’ (Rom. 8:21) Phezu kwakho konke lokhu, sifunda indlela engcono yokutshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda kakhulu uJehova, iNkosi yethu esezulwini.​—Eks. 21:5.