1, 2. (a) Kubayini abantu bangesikhathi sakaPowula bebatshwenyeka ngokugqilazwa nangekululeko? (b) UPowula wathi abantu bangayitholaphi ikululeko yamambala?

NGESIKHATHI samaKrestu wakade, abantu beRoma bebazibetha isifuba bathi umthetho, ubulungiswa nekululeko kubuzwa kibo. Kodwana kuyarara ngombana inengi labantu ebelingaphasi komBuso weRoma beliziingqila. Ebantwini balapho nasebaboke, abangaba maphesenti ama-30 bebaziingqila. Yeke singatjho ukuthi indaba yokugqilazwa neyetjhaphuluko beyisematheni ebantwini balapho kuhlanganise namaKrestu.

² Iincwadi ezatlolwa mpostoli uPowula kunengi ezikutjhoko ngekululeko. Nokho yena-ke bekangakhulumi ngetjhaphuluko mhlamunye kwezomphakathi namkha kwezepolotiki, ebekuyinto abantu ebebayifuna ngesikhatheso. Kunokwenza njalo wakhuthaza amaKrestu bona asebenze budisi emsebenzini wokutjhumayela ngomBuso kaZimu nangokuqakatheka komhlatjelo kaJesu Krestu. Akhenge akhuthaze abantu ukuthi bathembele embusweni wephaseli bona bafumane ikululeko, kodwana wabatjela ukuthi nguZimu kwaphela onganikela abantu ikululeko. Isibonelo salokho ngileso esisifumana  encwadini ayitlolela beKorinte, wathi: ‘UJehova Mmoya, begodu lapho kunommoya kaJehova khona, kunetjhaphuluko.’—2 Kor. 3:17.

3, 4. (a) Kubayini uPowula athi “lapho kunommoya kaJehova khona kunetjhaphuluko”? (b) Alo yini ekufuze siyenze nasifuna ikululeko evela kuJehova?

³ Ezahlukweni zokuthoma zencwadi uPowula ayitlolela beKorinte, wakhuluma ngendlela ubuso bakaMosi ebebuphazima ngayo ngesikhathi ehla eNtabeni iSinayi abuya ukuyokhuluma nengilozi kaJehova. Kazi uMosi wathi nakabona ama-Israyeli angenwa mamanzi ngemadolweni ngebanga lokuphazimula komuso bakhe, wazigubuzesa. (Eks. 34:29, 30, 33; 2 Kor. 3:7, 13) UPowula waraga wathi: “Kodwana . . . umuntu nakatjhugulukela kuJehova, isigubuzeso siyasuswa.” (2 Kor. 3:16) Kuhlekuhle uPowula bekatjho ukuthini?

⁴ Njengombana sifundile esihlokweni esigadungileko uJehova nguye yedwa onekululeko enganalapha iphelela khona, ngombana wadala zoke izinto. Kungebangelo iBhayibheli lithi: “Lapho kunommoya kaJehova khona, kunetjhaphuluko.” Yeke nathi nasifuna ukuyithola ikululeko leyo kufuze ‘sitjhugulukele kuJehova,’ okutjho ukuthi kufuze sibe nobuhlobo naye. Ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli asemmangweni akhenge abe nobuhlobo obuhle noJehova. Into ebebanendaba nayo bekukukuthi batjhatjhululiwe eGibhide, lokho kwenza bakhohlwa uJehova begodu babe nekani.—Heb. 3:8-10.

5. (a) Ummoya kaJehova usipha ikululeko enjani? (b) Sikutjho ngaliphi ukuthi uJehova angasipha ikululeko ngitjho nanyana sivalelwe ngemajele? (c) Ngimiphi imibuzo ekufuze sizibuze yona?

⁵ Ikululeko evela kuJehova angeze yasitjhaphulula ebugqilini bomzimba kwaphela, kodwana ingaphezu kwalokho. Iyidlula kude ikululeko abantu abangazifumanela yona, phela le yikululeko elethwa mmoya kaJehova. Kungebangelo isitjhaphulula ekugqilazweli sisono, ukufa nemasondweni wamala. (Rom. 6:23; 8:2) Leyo yikululeko yamambala. Ngitjho nanyana umuntu angavalelwa ejele namkha agqilazwe kodwana ikululeko kaZimu yona, angayifumana. (Gen. 39:20-23) Ngilokho okwenzeka kuDadwethu uNancy Yuen noMnakwethu uHarold King ngesikhathi basejele. Umlandwabo ukhona ku-JW Broadcasting. (Qala ngaphasi kwesithi INTERVIEWS AND EXPERIENCES > ENDURING TRIALS.) Yeke soke kuqakathekile ukuthi sizibuze imibuzo nasi, ngingatjengisa njani ukuthi ngiyayithokozela ikululeko engiyiphiwe nguZimu? Yini engasisiza sisebenzise ikululekwethu kuhle?

6. Yini etjengisa ukuthi ama-Israyeli akhenge ayithokozele ikululeko ayiphiwa nguZimu?

⁶ Umuntu nakasipha isipho esiligugu, sisithokozela khulu. Ama-Israyeli-ke wona enza okuhlukileko, akhenge ayithokozele ikululeko ayiphiwa nguJehova ngokubatjhaphulula ebugqilini eGibhide. Kwathi sekuphele iinyanga ezimbalwa baphumile eGibhide, bathoma ukunghonghoyila ngokudla babe bafuna nokubuyela emva. Akhenge bakuthokozela uJehova abenzela khona. Akhusucabange nje, athi akhumbula ‘iinhlambi, iinkomukomu, amakhabe, imihlobohlobo yama-eyi namakonofula.’ Akhohlwa ukuthi uZimu nguye owatjhaphulule ebugqilini beenkolo zamala, wawanikela ithuba lokuthi amlotjhe. Kungebangelo uJehova asilingeka kangaka. (Num. 11:5, 6, 10; 14:3, 4) Alo thina sifundani endabeni le?

7. UPowula wenza njani ngokuvumelana namezwi akweyesi-2 Korinte 6:1, begodu thina singawulalela njani umTlolo lo?

 ⁷ Umpostoli uPowula wasikhuthaza bona singathomi sidlale ngomusa kaZimu, ngombana wathumela iNdodanakhe ephasini. (Funda 2 Korinte 6:1.) UPowula wakutjho kufanele lokho ngombana wabuzwa ubuhlungu nokuhlangahlanganiswa sisono, ekugcineni silethe ukufa. Kungebangelo athi: “Ngiyathokoza kuZimu ngoJesu Krestu iKosethu!” Kubayini athi uyayithokoza ikosi? Uyahlathulula: ‘Ngombana umthetho wommoya onikela ukuphila ebunyeni noKrestu Jesu usitjhaphululile emthethweni wesono newokufa.’ (Rom. 7:24, 25; 8:2) Yeke nathi asilingiseni uPowula, singadlali ngomusa kaJehova wokusitjhaphulula esonweni nekufeni. Kazi ngesihlengo asenzela sona sikghona ukumlotjha ngonembeza omsulwa begodu sithabile.—Rhu. 40:9.

8, 9. (a) Umpostoli uPitrosi wasiyelelisa wathini ngendaba yekululekwethu? (b) Ngiziphi iintjhijilo esiqalana nazo esikhathini sethwesi?

⁸ Ikululekwethu esiyiphiwe nguZimu kufuze siyithokozele, singathomi siyisebenzise kumbi. Umpostoli uPitrosi naye wakhe wayikhalima indaba yokusebenzisa ikululeko uZimu asiphe yona bona senze nanyana yini efunwa ngithi. (Funda 1 Pitrosi 2:16.) Lokho akukukhumbuzi na izinto ezenziwa ma-Israyeli emmangweni? Kufuze sikhumbule ukuthi nathi umraro lo ungasibamba, kuhlekuhle thina sisengozini ekulu. Phela iphasi lakaSathaneli linezinto ezinengi khulu ezingasithiya, ezihlanganisa ukumbatha nokuzilungisa, ukudla, ukusela nokuzithabisa. Abantu abakhangisako bahlakaniphile, nabakhangisa izinto bazenza zisidose besicabange nokuthi siyazitlhoga. Soke siyabona kwanjesi ukuthi kulula kangangani ukudoswa zizintwezi bezisenze sidlale ngomusa kaZimu!

⁹ Isiluleko sakampostoli uPitrosi kuhlekuhle sithinta koke esikwenzako, kungaba yifundo esiyikhethako, umsebenzi nebizelo. Abantu abatjha namhlanjesi eenkolweni bayagandelelwa bona bayokufunda emayunivesithi. Babenza bakholelwe ukuthi nabafuna umsebenzi omuhle nobhadelako, kufuze bafunde. Ngapha nemibiko nayo iphethe ibatjela ukuthi abantu abangakafundi abarholi kodwana abathola imali enengi ngabafundileko. Abantu abatjha baqalana neenqunto ezizokuthinta ukuphila kwabo, okubuhlungu kukuthi bayathatheka ngasikhathi. Yini abantu abatjha nababelethi okufuze bayikhumbule?

10. Yini ekufuze siyikhumbule ngekululekwethu?

¹⁰ Inengi lingathi ngebanga lokuthi soke sinelungelo lokuzikhethela, akunamuntu okufuze alitjele bona lenzeni, lingenza nanyana yini, ikani unembezalo nawulivumela. Bangabe batjho namezwi uPowula awatlolela amaKrestu weKorinte ngendaba yokudla nakazokuthi: “Kubayini itjhaphulukwami kufuze yahlulelwe ngonembeza womunye umuntu?” (1 Kor. 10:29) Iye khona kuliqiniso ukuthi iinqunto ezinjengefundo nebizelo kufuze sizithathele thina kodwana kuhle ukukhumbula ukuthi ziyabathinta nabanye abantu begodu sizokuqalana nemiphumelakhona. Kungebangelo uPowula athi: “Zoke izinto zivumelekile, kodwana akusizo zoke ezizuzisako. Zoke izinto zivumelekile, kodwana akusizo zoke ezakhako.” (1 Kor. 10:23) Yeke nasithatha iinqunto, asingenzi izinto ezithandwa ngithi kodwana sikhumbule ukuthi ziyabathinta nabanye begodu ziyalithinta nekusasa lethu.

11. Kungasiphi isizathu satjhatjhululwa?

¹¹ UPitrosi nakakhupha isiyeleliso ngokusebenzisa kumbi ikululeko, waveza nendlela yokuyisebenzisa kuhle. Wasikhuthaza bona siyisebenzise “njengeengqila zakaZimu.” Kazi umnqopho kaJehova wokusitjhaphulula emthethweni wesono nokufa asebenzisa uJesu bekukobana siphile ipilo yokuzinikela “njengeengqila” zakhe.

12. UNowa nomndenakhe basibekela siphi isibonelo?

¹² Ukudzimelela ekwenzeni intando kaZimu kuyindlela engcono khulu engasenza singayisebenzisi kumbi ikululekwethu begodu singabi ziingqila zephaseli, sifune nokwenza izinto ezenziwa babantu bephaseli. (Gal. 5:16) Akhesikhumbule lokho okwenzeka kuNowa nemndeninakhe. Bebaphila ephasini elonakeleko nelizele inturhu. Nanyana kunjalo bahlala bavikelekile ezintweni ezimbi ebezenziwa babantu ebebaphila nabo. Bazivikela njani? Bakhetha ukuhlala bamajadu ngezinto zakaJehova, bakha umkhumbi, babuthelela ukudla kwabo nokweenlwana begodu batjela nabantu ngoMthwalela. Kazi uNowa “wenza koke uZimu amlayela khona. Wenza njalo.” (Gen. 6:22) Waba yini umphumela? UNowa nomndenakhe basinda uJehova nakabhubhisa iphasi.—Heb. 11:7.

13. UJesu wadlulisela muphi umyalo ebafundini bakhe?

¹³ UJehova uthi senzeni thina namhlanjesi? Njengombana sibafundi bakaJesu sijwayelene nomyalo uZimu asinikele wona. (Funda uLukasi 4:18, 19.) Namhlanjesi inengi labantu liphophazwe nguSathana, lokho kwenza bona lingaboni ukuthi isikhathi esiphila kiswesi sesifikelela ekupheleni, khulukhulu nawuqala zekolo, zomnotho nobujamo bomphakathi. (2 Kor. 4:4) Kulilungelo kithi ukwenza njengombana uJesu enza, sisiza abantu bafunde ngoZimu wekululeko bebamlotjhe. (Mat. 28:19, 20) Kazi lo akusimsebenzi olula, ngombana siqalana  neentjhijilo. Kezinye iinarha abantu abasanabuntu, abanye babanenturhu. Naku umbuzo ekufuze soke sizibuze wona, ‘Kghani ngingayisebenzisa na ikululekwami bona ngandise isikhathi sami sokutjhumayela ngomBuso?’

14, 15. Abantu bakaJehova bazizwa njani ngomsebenzi wokutjhumayela? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹⁴ Kuyakhuthaza ukubona abantu abanengi banciphisa iindleko bona babe nesikhathi esinengi sokutjhumayela, lokhu bakwenza balemuka ukuthi iphaseli selizokuphelelwa sikhathi. (1 Kor. 9:19, 23) Abanye babo batjhumayela eendaweni abahlala kizo abanye batjhumayela lapho kunetlhogeko yabatjhumayeli khona. Iimbalo zitjengisa ukuthi eminyakeni emihlanu edlulileko isilinganiso samaphayona wesikhathi esizeleko sikhule sadlula esi-1 100 000. Lesi-ke sibonelo esihle sokusebenzisa ikululekwethu bona silotjhe uJehova.—Rhu. 110:3.

¹⁵ Yini esize abanakwethu nabodade bona bayisebenzise kuhle ikululekwabo? Akhesikhulume ngoJohn noJudith. Ababilaba batjhumayele eenarheni ezinengana eminyakeni ema-30 edlulileko. Nabasitjelako bathi basakhumbula ukuthi mhla kuthoma isiKolo Sekonzo samaPhayona ngo-1977, into ebeyigandelelwa khulu bekukobana abantu bayokutjhumayela la kunetlhogeko ekulu khona. UJohn uthi ukwenzela bona kungabi nalitho elibathikazisako emgomwenabo wokuphila ipilo elula, kwafuze atjhentjhatjhentjhe imisebenzi ebeyithatha isikhathi sabo esinengi. Lokha nakafika kwenye inarha okwabasiza khulu kwaba kuthandaza nokuthembela kuJehova bona bahlule isiqabo sokufunda ilimi elitjha, indlela abantu balapho abaphila ngayo kunye nokukghodlhelelela ubujamo bezulu obuhlukileko. Bazizwa njani ngesikhathi ababanaso sokutjhumayela? UJohn uthi: “Ngizizwa ngasuthi ngakhetha umsebenzi ongcono khulu. UJehova waba ngubaba, wangithanda. Kwanjesi ngikuzwisisa ngcono okutjhiwo mtlolo kaJakopo 4:8 nawuthi: ‘Tjhidelani kuZimu, naye uzokutjhidela kini.’ Ngagcina ngikutholile ebesolo ngikufuna, lokho kwakuyipilo eyanelisako.”

16. Iinkulungwana zabantu ziyisebenzise njani ikululekwazo ngokuhlakanipha?

¹⁶ Nokho abanye ubujamo babo bubavumela bona baphayone isikhathi esifitjhani kwaphela. Nanyana kunjalo inengi labantu liyawasebenzisa amathuba eliwafumanako bona lisize ekwakheni imakhiwo yehlangano neminye imisebenzi ephasini mazombe. Ngokwesibonelo, lokha nakwakhiwa umzimkhulu eWarwick, yeNew York abanakwethu nabodade abazi-27 000 bayokusiza. Abanye bebasiza iimveke ezimbili, abanye umnyaka namkha ngaphezu kwalokho. Inengi labo lalisa koke ebelikwenza bona liyokusiza. Le yindlela ehle yokusebenzisa ikululeko abayinikelwe nguZimu bona bamdumise.

17. Yini elindele labo abasebenzisa kuhle ikululekwabo?

¹⁷ Kuyasithabisa ukwazi uJehova ngombana ngebanga lalokho sifumene ikululeko yamambala. Kwanga koke esikwenzako kungatjengisa ukuthi siyayithabela ikululekwethu. Kunokuyisebenzisa kumbi, asiyisebenziseni kuhle ngokuthi silotjhe uJehova sisebenzisa woke amathuba esiwatholako. Nasenza njalo nakanjani kuzosithabisa ukubona ukuzaliseka kweembusiso uJehova asithembise zona emtlolweni webeRoma 8:21, nawuthi: “Indalo ngokwayo nayo izokutjhatjhululwa ekugqilazweni kokonakala, ibe netjhaphuluko ephazimulako yabantwana bakaZimu.”