1, 2. (a) Amathemba amaKrestu anawo ahluka njani namathemba abantu bephasi lakaSathaneli abanawo? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo eqakathekileko esizokucoca ngayo?

AKHUTHI uyacabanga nje ukuthi amaKrestu weqiniso anamathemba akarisa kangangani! Soke sikufisa khulu ukubona ihloso kaZimu yekuthomeni ifezeka begodu nebizo lakhe licwengiswa, kungakhathaliseki bona singabakhethiweko namkha ‘ezinye izimvu.’ (Jwa. 10:16; Mat. 6:9, 10) Izinto ezinjalo kwamambala zizinto ezihle khulu umuntu angaba nazo. Okhunye godu esikuqale ngabovu sithembiso sepilo engapheliko, kungaba ngaphasi ‘kwamazulu amatjha’ namkha ‘ephasini elitjha.’ (2 Pit. 3:13) Njengombana sisalindile nje, sithabela ukubona ukukhula kwesibalo sabantu bakaZimu.

² Nabantu bephasi lakaSathaneli nabo banawo amathemba, indaba sekukuthi bona abaqiniseki ukuthi amathembabo lawo azakhe afezeke na. Isibonelo salokho ngilesi, iingidi zabantu zibheja ilotho zinethemba lokuthi zizokuthumba kodwana iqiniso kukuthi ziyakungabaza lokho. Ukukholwa kona-ke kuhlukile ngombana kona “kukuqiniseka ngezinto” esinethemba ngazo thina maKrestu. (Heb. 11:1) Kungenzeka uzibuze ukuthi, ukuqiniseka kwakho ungakuthuthukisa njani? Begodu ziyini iinzuzo zokuthuthukisa ukukholwa kwakho ngezinto onethemba ngazo?

3. Ukukholwa kwamaKrestu kusekelwe kiliphi iqiniso?

³ AmaKrestu awabelethwa anokukholwa ngombana soke sinesono  begodu ukukholwa akuziveleli ngokwemvelo. Kodwana kumphumela wommoya kaZimu ocwengileko osebenza eenhliziyweni zabantu ezivumako. (Gal. 5:22) IBhayibheli alisitjeli ukuthi uJehova unokukholwa namkha ukuthi uyakutlhoga. Lokho kungenziwa kukuthi uJehova ungusomandla begodu uhlakaniphe ngendlela erarako, yeke ayikho into neyodwa engamliya bona angafezi ihloswakhe. NakunguJehova yena uyaqiniseka ngeenthembiso azenzileko, kangangokuthi kuye sebele zifezekile. Kungebangelo athi: “Sekwenziwe!” (Funda isAmbulo 21:3-6.) Ukukholwa kwamaKrestu kusekelwe eqinisweni lokuthi uJehova ‘unguZimu othembekileko,’ yeke uhlala azizalisa iinthembiso azenzako.—Dut. 7:9.

4. Ngiliphi ithemba abomma nabobaba abaphila ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu ebebanalo?

⁴ Isahluko se-11 sencwadi yamaHebheru sisitjela ngabobaba nabomma abali-16 ebebanokukholwa okuqinileko. Omunye umtloli owasetjenziswa nguZimu nakakhuluma ngabo wathi, “kufakazwa kuhle ngabo ngokukholwa.” (Heb. 11:39) Boke njalo ‘bebaqiniseka ngezinto’ ebebanethemba ngazo, njengesithembiso sakaZimu sokuthi uzakuvusa ‘isizukulwana’ esizakutshidlha uSathana njengombana avukela, khona kuzakufezeka ihloso kaZimu. (Gen. 3:15) Kodwana boke abantu abathembekilekwabo bahlongakala ‘isizukulwaneso’ esinguJesu Krestu singakabi ukufika sivule indlela yezulwini. (Gal. 3:16) Nanyana kunjalo simthokoza khulu tle uJehova ngombana uzobavusa boke njalo begodu angeze abavusele ephasini elinje, kodwana uzobavusela epharadesi begodu babe babantu abanganasono.—Rhu. 37:11; Isa. 26:19; Hos. 13:14.

5, 6. U-Abrahamu nomndenakhe bakghona njani ukuhlala balinde amathemba ebebanawo, begodu bakghona njani ukuhlala banokukholwa okuqinileko? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁵ AmaHebheru 11:13 nakakhuluma ngabanye babantu abaphila ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu athi: “Boke laba bafa basekukholweni bangazange bamukeliswe ebebakuthenjisiweko, kodwana bakubona bathokoza ngakho kusesekude nabo.” Omunye wabantwabo ngu-Abrahamu. Siyazibuza ukuthi, inga-kghani bekahlala acabanga na ngethemba lepilo ethabisako ngaphasi kwesithembiso ‘sesizukwalana’? UJesu wawuphendula umbuzo loyo lokha nakaphendula abaphikisi bakhe nakazakuthi: “Uyihlomkhulu u-Abrahamu wakuthabela ukubona ilanga lami, iye, walibona bewathaba.” (Jwa. 8:56) Kwaba ngiso soneso nakuSara, u-Isaka, uJakopo nabanye abanengi. Babeka loke ithemba labo emBusweni kaZimu, “umakhi nomenzi wawo kunguZimu.”—Heb. 11:8-11.

⁶ Umbuzo kukuthi u-Abrahamu nomndenakhe bakghona njani ukuhlala banokukholwa okuqinileko? Asingabazi ukuthi bafunda ngoZimu ngokuthi bafundiswe babantu abadala ebebathembekile babanobuhlobo obuqinileko noZimu nangokufunda iincwadi zakade. Okuqakatheke khulu kukuthi bahlala bakukhumbula koke abakufundileko, begodu akhenge bazikhohlwe iinthembiso zakaZimu nemithethwakhe bebazindla ngayo. Ngebanga lokuthi bebaqiniseka ngeethembiso zakaZimu, abomma nabobababo bebazi ukuthi ukuze bahlale bathembekile kuzokufuze babekezele ngombana bebazokuqalana nemiraro eminengi tle.

7. UJehova usenzeleni ukuze sihlale sinokukholwa okuqinileko, begodu thina-ke yini okufuze siyenze?

⁷ UJehova usiphe iliZwi lakhe iBhayibheli ukuze sihlale sinokukholwa okuqinileko. Yeke nasifuna ukuhlala ‘sithabile’ begodu ‘siphumelela’ kufuze senze koke esingakwenza, sifunde iliZwi lakaZimu qobe langa ubujamo nabuvumako. (Rhu. 1:1-3; funda izEnzo 17:11.) Njengombana kwenza abakhulekeli bakaJehova bangaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu, nathi kufuze sihlale sicabangisisa ngeenthembiso zakaZimu begodu silalele nemithethwakhe. Okhunye godu okungasisiza yifundiso enengi uJehova asipha yona asebenzisa “inceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko.” (Mat.  24:45) Yeke nasenza koke esingakwenza, sithande lokho uJehova asifundisa khona, sizokufana nabantu bakadaba ebebanokukholwa okuqinileko, ‘bebaqiniseka’ ngamathemba womBuso kaZimu.

8. Ukuthandaza kungakuqinisa njani ukukholwa kwethu?

⁸ Okhunye okwasiza abofakazi abaphila ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaKrestu kuthandaza. Bekuthi uZimu nakaphendula imithandazwabo, ukukholwa kwabo kuqine khulu. (Nerh. 1:4, 11; Rhu. 34:5, 16, 18, [34:4, 15, 17, NW]; Dan. 9:19-21) Nathi kufuze sitjele uJehova lokho okusitshwenyako, sibe nethemba lokuthi uzoyizwa imithandazwethu, asiqinise sikghone ukukghodhlelela iintjhijilo sithabile, begodu kuzokuthi lokha nakaphendula imithandazwethu, ukukholwa kwethu kuqine. (Funda yoku-1 Jwanisi 5:14, 15.) Njengombana ikholo liyingcenye yobuntu bakaZimu, kufuze siragele phambili nokubawa ummoya kaZimu, njengombana uJesu asikhuthaza bona siwubawe.— Luk. 11:9, 13.

9. Bobani abanye godu okufuze sibathandazele?

⁹ Lokha nasithandazako, akukafuzi sisabe ukubawa uZimu bona asisize ngeendingo zethu mathupha. ‘Iba minengi khulu kobana ingabalwa’ imisebenzakhe emangalisako! (Rhu 40:6, [40:5, NW]) Godu imithandazwethu kufuze itjengise ukuthi ‘sikhumbula nalabo ababotjhiweko, kube sengathi [nathi] sibotjhwe kanye nabo’. Kufuze godu sithandazele abazalwane bephasi loke, khulukhulu ‘labo ababadosi phambili.’ Iinhliziyo zethu ziyakghwatheka lokha nasibona indlela uJehova aphendula ngayo imithandazwethu!—Heb. 13:3, 7.

10. Ngiziphi iimbonelo esinazo zabantu bakaZimu abangakhenge baphule imithethwakhe ngitjho nanyana kubudisi, begodu yini eyabapha amandla wokwenza njalo?

¹⁰ Encwadini yamaHebheru isahluko se-11 umpostoli uPowula ukhuluma ngeenlingo abantu bakaZimu abazibekezelelako ngitjho nanyana angakhenge awatjho amabizwabo. Isibonelo salokho ngesomma obekanokukholwa okuqinileko owahlongakalelwa madodanakhe amabili kodwana avuswa ngokukhamba kwesikhathi. Wabuye wakhuluma ngabanye godu wathi “akhange bavume ukuthukululwa ukuze bazuze ukuvuka okuhle.” (Heb. 11:35) Iqiniso kukuthi asazi ukuthi uPowula bekakhuluma ngabobani kodwana kungenzeka bekacabanga ngabantu abanjengoNabhothi, noZakariya, abaye bakhandwa ngamatje bebafa ngebanga lokufuna kwabo ukulalela uZimu nokwenza intadwakhe. (1 Kho. 21:3, 15; 2 Kron. 24:20, 21) Singamlibali uDanyela nabangani bakhe, bona-ke bekulula ngabo ukuthi “bavume ukuthukululwa” ngokuthi baphule imithetho kaZimu. Koke kwenziwa kukholelwa kwabo emandleni kaZimu, amandla kaZimu lawo abenza bakghona ‘ukuvala imilomo yamabhubezi’ begodu “bacima imililo evutha ngamandla.”—Heb. 11:33, 34; Dan. 3:16-18, 20, 28; 6:13, 16, 21-23.

11. Ngiziphi iinlingo abanye abaphorofidi ebebaqalana nazo ngebanga lokukholwa kwabo?

¹¹ Abaphorofidi abanjengoMikaya noJoromiya “bahlunguphazwa ngokuphoqwa . .  . nokudlhunywa ngeenkhungweni” ngebanga lokukholwa kwabo. Bese kuthi abanye abanjengo-Eliya “bandinda emarhalawumbeni neentabeni, emikghotheni nemadongeni wephasi.” Boke njalo ‘bebaqiniseka ngezinto ebebanethemba ngazo.’—Heb. 11:1, 36-38; 1 Kho. 18:13; 22:24-27; Jor. 20:1, 2; 28:10, 11; 32:2.

12. Ngubani osibonelo esizidlula zoke sokubekezelela iinlingo, begodu yini eyamsiza wakghona ukwenza njalo?

¹² UPowula wathi nakaqeda ukukhuluma ngabomma nabobaba abanokukholwa, wakhuluma godu nangesibonelo esizidlula zoke, seKosi uJesu Krestu. AmaHebheru 12:2 athi “esikhundleni setokozo ebe ibekwe phambi kwakhe, wanyamezelela [isigodo sokuhlutjhwa] angakhathaleli ukurhubutjhwa; uhlezi ngesidleni sesihlalo sobukhosi sakaZimu.” Kungebangelo kufanele ‘simyelele’ uJesu njengombana asibonelo sokukholwa,  kazi wabekezela lokha nakaqalene neenlingo. (Funda amaHebheru 12:3.) AmaKrestu aba bongazimbi njengoJesu, isibonelo salokho mfundi u-Antiphasi owala wabetha ngenyawo phasi ukuphula imithetho kaZimu ngitjho nanyana kubudisi. (IsAm. 2:13) Bebazokuvuzwa khulu ngokwenza njalo, phela bebazokuvuswa baye ezulwini bafumane “ukuvuka okuhle” okukuvuka boke abantu abathembikileko bekadeni ebebakulindele. (Heb. 11:35) Kwathi ngemva kwesikhatjhana umBuso kaZimu ubelethiwe ngo-1914, woke amaKrestu akhethiweko anjengalawo avuswa ekufeni. Baya ezulwini ukuze bayokubusa noJesu embuswenakhe babuse abantu.—IsAm. 20:4.

13, 14. URudolf Graichen waqalana naziphi iinlingo, begodu yini eyamsiza wabekezela?

¹³ Kuneengidigidi zabantu bakaZimu abalandela isibonelo sakaJesu ngokuthi bahlale bacabanga ngeenthembiso zakaZimu, begodu abazivumeli iinlingo ukuthi zibogabogise ukukholwa kwabo. Akhesifunde ngoRudolf Graichen, owabelethelwa eJarimani ngomnyaka ka-1925 sibone ukuthi yini esingayifunda kuye. Uthi ukhumbula iinthombe ebeziphanyekwe emthangaleni wemzinakhe ebeziveza ezinye iindaba eziseBhayibhelini.  Uthi, “esinye isithombe besinepisi ihlanu kwemvana, umntwana nengwe, ikonyana nebhubezi, koke kuhlala ngokuthula begodu kweluswa msanyana omncani. . . . Iinthombezi bezingithabisa tle.” (Isa. 11:6-9) Kokuthoma watlhoriswa kumbi yi-Nazi Gestapo bese kwaba yi-Communist Stasi epumalanga yeJarimani. Ngitjho nanyana kunjalo uRudolf wahlala anokukholwa okuqinileko njengombana asepharadesi elingokomfanekiso.

¹⁴ Ngaphezu kokuqalana nazo zoke iintwezo uRudolf wahlongakalelwa ngummakhe, owabulwa kugula abakubiza nge-typhus wakuthola ekampeni eRavensbrück (kugula okutholakala ngeentwala bese kubangela umgomani omumbi.) Ngapha nobabakhe naye waba mpo ekukholweni wabe watlikitla nokuthi angekhe asaba nguFakazi kaJehova. URudolf wathi nakaqeda ukukhitjhwa ejele, wathabela ukuba mjikelezi kwathi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi waya esiKolweni seGiliyadi. Bese wayokuba sithunywa sevangeli eChile, begodu wabuye wajikeleza godu lapho. Iinlingo zakaRudolf bezingakapheli. Kwathi sekudlule umnyaka atjhadile, umntazanyanabo wahlongakala. Saya isikhathi umkakhe wahlongakala aneminyaka ema-43 kwaphela. URudolf wayibekezelela yoke njalo imiraro leyo ngitjho nanyana besekaluphele begodu ngapha nokugula agula. Okhunye okuhle kukuthi ngesikhatheso bekaliphayona lesikhathi esizeleko begodu angumdala nakutlolwa ngendabakhe eNqabeniyokulinda yango-August 1, 1997 amakhasi 20-25. ^[1]

15. Ngiziphi iimbonelo esinazo zaboFakazi bakaJehova ababekezelela ukutlhoriswa bathabile?

¹⁵ AboFakazi bakaJehova basaragela phambili nokuthabela amathemba abanawo ngitjho nanyana batjhutjhiswa nje. Isibonelo salokho, abafowethu nabodadwethu abanengi e-Eritrea, eSingapore neSouth Korea babotjhiwe. Abanengi babotjhelwe ukulalela amezwi kaJesu nakazakuthi akukafuzi siphathe isabula. (Mat. 26:52) Hlangana neenkulungwana zabo kuno-Isaac, Negede, noPaulos. Sekuphele iminyaka ema-20 yoke bavalelwe! Kazi nabanjalo bathathelwe nelungelo labo lokusekela ababelethi babo esele baluphele nelokutjhada, kikho koke lokho abafowethwaba bahlala bathembekile. Uthi nawubaqala lapha ku-jw.org ubabone bamomotheka, lokho kutjengisa ukuthi bahlala banokukholwa okuqinileko. Ngitjho nabantu ababagadileko ejelapho bayabahlonipha.

16. Ukukholwa okuqinileko kungakuvikela njani?

¹⁶ Inengi labantu bakaJehova akhenge kheliqalane neenlingo ezimbi ngaleyo ndlela. Bona-ke balingwa ngezinye iindlela ezihlukileko. Phela abanye abantu babekezelela ukutlhoga ukudla abanye ngeenkhathi zezipi nalokha nakwenzeke ihlekelele yemvelo. Kuthi abanye benze njengoMosi nezinye iinhloko zembeleko, bona-ke balisa amathuba wokudunyiswa liphasi. Balwa ngamandla bona bahlule isilingo sokuthanda izinto zakanokutjho zephaseli balwisana nokuphila ipilo yamarhamaru. Yini eyabasiza bakghona ukuphumelela? Yindlela ebebathanda ngayo uJehova nokukholwa kwabo okuqinileko malungana neenthembiso zakaZimu, ezizokulungisa koke ukungabi nobulungiswa. Bese kuthi boke abantu bakhe abathembekileko abavuze ngepilo engapheliko ephasini elitjha lokulunga.—Funda iRhubo 37:5, 7, 9, 29.

17. Uzimisele ukwenzani, begodu sizokucoca ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁷ Esihlokwenesi, sifundile ukuthi umthandazo nokuzindla ngeenthembiso zakaZimu kungasisiza sibe nokukholwa okuqinileko. Lokho-ke kuzosenza sikghone ukubekezelela nanyana yini elinga ‘ukuqiniseka kwethu ngezinto’ esinethemba ngazo. Kodwana indlela iBhayibheli ehlathulula ngayo ukukholwa isitjela ukuthi ukukholwa kuhlanganisa nokhunye okunengi, ukuthi yini lokho sizokuzwa ngesihloko esilandelako.