1. Ngisiphi isiyeleliso uPowula asinikela amaKrestu weKolose? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

UPOWULA watlolela amaKrestu weKolose incwadi ngekupheleni kwesigwebo sakhe sokuthoma eRoma, ngabo 60-61 esikhathini sabapostoli. Wawatjela ngokuqakatheka kokufuna ‘ilemuko elivela emmoyeni.’ (Kol. 1:9) UPowula waraga nganaka amezwi, wathi: “Nginitjela lokhu ukuze kungabikhona ozanikhohlisa ngeempikiswano eziyengako. Yelelani-ke bona kungabikhona namunye onithumba ngobuhlakani nangekohliso elilize, ngokwefundiso yabantu esekeleke phezu kwemimoya yephasi, ingasi kuKrestu.” (Kol. 2:4, 8) Wabahlathululela ukuthi kubayini eminye imibono beyingakafaneli begodu kubayini ukucabanga kwabantu abangakholwako kungabonakala kukuhle ebantwini abanesono. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenza umuntu azizwe ngasuthi uhlakaniphile begodu mkhulu kunabanye abantu. Umnqopho wencwadi le bekukusiza abanakwethu babalekele ukucabanga nokwenza izinto ezingakafaneli ezenziwa babantu abangamlotjhiko uZimu.—Kol. 2:16, 17, 23.

2. Kubayini sizokucoca ngendlela yokucabanga kwabantu abangakholwako?

² Indlela abantu abenza ngayo izinto itjengisa ukuthi abamhloniphi  uJehova begodu lokho kungasithinta nathi, yehlise nezinga lokukholwa kwethu. Soke iyasithinta indlela yokucabanga yabantu abangakholwako. Ikhona e-tv, ku-inthanethi, emsebenzini namkha esikolweni. Esihlokwenesi, sizokudemba ngeendlela esingazisebenzisa bona sibalekele ukucabanga okunjalo. Sizokufunda ngeembonelo ezihlanu zokucabanga kwabantu abangakholwako begodu sizokucoca nangokuthi singazivikela njani ekucabangeni okunjalo.

3. Ngiyiphi indlela yokucabanga ethandwa babantu abanengi begodu kubayini bacabanga njalo?

³ “Ngingaba mumuntu olungileko ngaphandle kokukholelwa kuZimu.” Eenarheni ezinengi, kujayelekile ukuzwa abantu abathi bona abakholelwa kuZimu, bathi abanakolo abayikhambako. Lokhu kungabangelwa kukuthi akhenge khebazibuzisise ngokubakhona kwakaZimu, kunalokho, bazithandela ukuzitjhaphulukela benze nanyana yini abayifunako. (Funda iRhubo 10:4.) Abanye bazizwa bahlakaniphile, bathi “Ipilwami ingaphumelela ngaphandle kokukholelwa kuZimu.”

4. Singacocisana njani nomuntu othi akakho uMdali?

⁴ Inga-kghani inengqondo ikulumo yabantu abangakholwako nabathi akekho uMdali? Nakafuna iimpendulo kibososayensi malungana nokuthi ukuphila kwazivelela namkha awa, kungaba bulula ngomuntu bona azithole sele ahlangahlangene ngebanga lemininingwana eminengi angayithola. Kodwana iqiniso kukuthi ipendulo yombuzo lo ibulula. Nakhibe umakhiwo utlhoga umuntu bona awakhe, kangangani-ke ngezinto eziphilako! Ekhabolakhona, amaseli womzimba ahlangahlangene khulu bona singawazwisisa woke. Kungabe kubencono ukuzwisisa yoke imakhiwo ekhona ephasini, ngombana amaseli wona angenza into umakhiwo ongeze wayenza ngombana wona akghona ukuzivuselela. Kghani ngubani owakhe amaseli? IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngileyo naleyo indlu yakhiwe mumakhi wayo, kodwana uZimu umumakhi wakho koke okukhona.”—Heb. 3:4.

5. Singathini kilabo abathi umuntu angazihlukanisela yena bona yini elungileko nengakalungi ngaphandle kokukholelwa kuZimu?

⁵ Singacocisana njani nalabo abathi umuntu angazihlukanisela yena bona yini elungileko nengakalungi ngaphandle kokukholelwa kuZimu? IBhayibheli liyakuvuma ukuthi abantu abangakholwako bangaziphatha kuhle ngezinga elithileko. (Rom. 2:14, 15) Ngokwesibonelo, bayabathanda begodu bayabahlonipha ababelethi babo. Kodwana ngebanga lokuthi abaphili ngemithetho kaJehova, bangathatha iinqunto ezingakavuthwa? (Isa. 33:22) Abantu abanengi namhlanjesi bangavuma ukuthi ubujamo obumaphorodlha butjengisa khona ukuthi batlhoga uZimu. (Funda uJoromiya 10:23.) Yeke nasingafuni ukukholelwa kuZimu sithobele nemithethwanakhe, kufuze sikhohlwe ukuthi sizakhe sikwazi ukuhlukanisa okumbi nokuhle.—Rhu. 146:3.

6. Ngimuphi umbono abantu abanawo ngesondo?

⁶ “Ungathaba ngaphandle kokuya esondweni.” Abantu abanengi bayayithanda indlela yokucabanga le, khulukhulu labo abaqala isondo njengento ephelelwe sikhathi nenganamsebenzi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amasondo amanengi atjhideze abantu kude noZimu ngokubafundisa ngesirhogo, ukukhitjhwa kwetjhumi namkha ukutjhumayela ngezepolotiki. Yeke, akusimangazi ukukhula kwesibalo sabantu abathi bangakghona ukuthaba ngaphandle kwesondo! Abantu bangathi, “Iye khona ngiyalithanda iBhayibheli, kodwana angifuni ukuzihlanganisa nesondo.”

7. Ukukhulekela kwamambala kuliletha njani ithabo?

⁷ Kghani kuliqiniso ukuthi abantu bangathaba ngaphandle kwekolo? Iqiniso kukuthi umuntu angathaba ngaphandle kwekolo yamanga, kodwana angeze aba nethabo lamambala nakanganabo ubuhlobo noJehova, ‘uZimu othabileko.’ (1 Thim. 1:11) Yoke into uZimu ayenzako, uyenzela bona kuzuze thina. Iinkhozi zakhe zihlala zithabile ngombana zithanda ukusiza abanye. (IzE. 20: 35) Ngokwesibonelo, akhucabange ngokuthi ukukhulekela kwamambala kulithuthukisa njani ithabo lomndeni. Kusifundisa bona sihloniphe abalingani bethu, sihloniphe iimfungo esazenza lokha nasitjhadako, sibalekele ukuziphatha kumbi ngokwamabhayi, sifundise abantwana ihlonipho begodu sibe nethando lamambala. Umphumela uba kukuthi abantu bakazimu emabandleni nephasini loke bayathaba begodu babe nobunye.—Funda u-Isaya 65:13, 14.

8. Singawusebenzisa njani umtlolo kaMatewu 5:3 bona sihlathululele umuntu ukuthi yini ethabisa abantu?

⁸ Singawuhlathulula njani umbono wabantu abangakholwako wokuthi umuntu angathaba nanyana angamkhulekeli uZimu? Akhucabange nganaku umbuzo, Yini eyenza abantu bathabe? Abanye kuyabathabisa ukuba nebizelo abalilandelako, ukudlala umdlalo namkha ukwenza okuthileko. Abanye bathatjiswa kutlhogomela umndeni namkha abangani. Iye, zoke izintwezi zingabathabisa abantu, kodwana sadalelwa ukuthabela okukhulu kunalokho, sadalelwa bona siphile ukuphila okuthabisako nokungapheliko. Kazi thina sihlukile eenlwaneni, ngombana naku sikghona ukuba nobuhlobo noJehova besimlotjhe ngokuthembeka. Sadalelwa bona sikhonze uJehova ngethabo. (Funda uMatewu 5:3.) Ngokwesibonelo, labo abakhulekela uJehova kuyabathabisa ukuhlangana ndawonye ngombana nabandawonye bayakhuthazana. (Rhu. 133:1) Ibumbano abanalo nabofowabo libenza bathabe, phela le yindlela yokuphila ecwengekileko begodu boke banamathemba amahle.

9. (a) Ngimuphi umbono ongakafaneleki ngezomseme abantu abanawo? (b) Kubayini iliZwi lakaZimu lingakuvumeli ukuhlanganyela zomseme ngaphandle komtjhado?

⁹ “Kubayini zingavunyelwa zomseme ngaphambi komtjhado?” Abantu bangabathi: “Kubayini kufuze nizitlhagise kangaka, kazi nawumumuntu kufuze uzithabise?” Kodwana kufuze sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi ukuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme uJehova ukuhloyile. Kubayini? Kungombana iliZwi lakaZimu liyakulahla ukuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme. * (Funda 1 Thesalonika 4:3-8.) UJehova unelungelo lokusibekela imithetho, angitjho nguye owasidalako. Umthetho uZimu wokuthi indoda nomfazi ngabahlanganyela zomseme, kuvumeleke kwaphela nabathetheneko, lokhu ngokhunye okuhlathulula ukuthi umtjhado yintobani. UZimu usinikele imithetho ngombana uyasithanda. Imithetho le iyasizuzisa. Imindeni eyilalelako, iba nethando, ihlonipho, nevikeleko. UZimu akakubekezeleli ukungahlonitjhwa kwemithethwakhe.—Heb. 13:4.

10. UmKrestu angakubalekela njani ukuziphatha kumbi ngokwamabhayi?

¹⁰ IliZwi lakaZimu lisifundisa indlela yokubalekela ukuziphatha kumbi ngokwamabhayi. Indlela eqakatheke khulu esingakwenza ngayo lokhu kukobana sitjheje izinto esiziqalako emafowunini nema-tv. UJesu wathi: “Nanyana ngubani oqala umfazi amkhanuke sele ahlobonge naye ngehliziywenakhe. Nakube ilihlo lakho langesigomeni likwenza wone, ligobhodlhe ulilahle!” (Mat. 5:28, 29) Yeke, umKrestu uzokubalekela ukuqala iinthombe zomseme ezisilapheleko kunye nokulalela umbhino onamezwi athuthukisa ukuziphatha okusilapheleko. UPowula watlolela amaKrestu wathi: “Nje-ke bulalani koke okukini okungekwemvelo yephasini.” (Kol. 3:5) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kufuze sitjheje lokho esikucabangako nalokho esikukhulumako.—Efe. 5:3-5.

11. Kubayini ukugijimisa ibizelo elithileko lephasi kungabonakala kwamukeleka?

¹¹ “Ukuba nebizelo elithileko ngiyo kwaphela indlela yokufumana ithabo.” Abantu abanengi basikhuthaza bona sizibekele umgomo wokuba nebizelo elithileko lomsebenzi. Ibizelwelo mhlamunye lingasithuthukisa kwezomnotho begodu sibe babantu abaziwako. Ukubona inengi labantu ligijimisa amabizelo ahlukahlukeneko, kungenza umKrestu bona naye azibekele umgomo wokuba nebizelo elithileko aligijimisako.

12. Inga-kghani ukuphumelela ebizelweni elithileko lephasi kunikela umuntu ithabo elingapheliko?

¹² Kghani kuliqiniso na ukuthi ukuphumelela ebizelweni elithileko lomsebenzi wephasi kunikela umuntu amandla nokuphila okuthabisako? Awa, akusinjalo. Khumbula bona ukufuna ukubusa nokuthotjelwa babantu ngilokho uSathana ebekakufuna, kodwana qala bona unjani namhlanjesi, unelaka begodu akakathabi. (Mat. 4:8, 9; IsAm. 12:12) Nawungacabanga ngethabo elingapheliko elilethwa kusiza abantu bazi uZimu nokuhlakanipha kwakhe, uzokubona ukuthi ibizelwelo lithabisa kangangani ngombana kuzokusiza abantu bafumana ukuphila okungapheliko. Umehluko kukuthi ithabo lebizelo alihlali isikhathi eside, liphela msinya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iphaseli lizele ummoya wokuphalisana. Lenza umuntu afune ukudlula omunye, abe nehloyo, kodwana ekugcineni koke lokho “kukugijimisa ummoya.”—UMtj. 4:4.

13. (a) Kufuze ube yini umbonwethu nasiza endabeni yokufuna umsebenzi? (b) Ngokwencwadi uPowula ayitlolela beThesalonika, yini eyamnikela ithabo lamambala?

¹³ Kuliqiniso engeze salibalekela ukuthi kufuze sisebenze ukuthi siphile, begodu akukho okumbi ngokukhetha umsebenzi esiwuthandako nesithabela ukuwenza. Kodwana umsebenzi akukafuzi kube ngiwo ozaphambili ekuphileni kwethu. UJesu wathi: ‘Akakho ongasebenzela abaphathi ababili. Uzakuzonda omunye athande omunye namkha azinikele ngokupheleleko komunye bese unyaza omunye. Anikwazi-ke ukulotjha uZimu khibe ngapha nilotjhana [noburego].’ (Mat. 6:24) Nasidzimelele ekulotjheni uJehova nekufundiseni abanye ngaye, sizokuba babantu abathabe kwamambala. Umpostoli uPowula wazizwela naye iimbusiso ezilethwa nguJehova. Phambili, uPowula khewagijimisa ibizelo lobuJuda, kodwana ithabo lamambala walifumana nakazakuba mtjhumayeli weendaba ezimnandi wabona nendlela abantu abasabela ngayo kilokho okutjhiwo mlayezo kaZimu, wabona nendlela elitjhugulula ngayo ukuphila kwabantu. (Funda 1 Thesalonika 2:13, 19, 20.) Alikho elinye ibizelo eliletha ithabo nokwaneliseka njengaleli.

14. Kubayini umbono wokuthi abantu bangazilungisela iinkinga zabo ungazwakala uthandeka ebantwini?

¹⁴ “Abantu bangazilungisela iinkinga zabo.” Abantu abanengi bangawathanda amezwi la. Kubayini? Nakhibe amezwi la bekaliqiniso, bekuzokutjho ukuthi abantu abatlhogi ukunqotjhiswa nguZimu begodu bangazenzela ngendlela abathanda ngayo. Indaba yokuthi abantu bangazilungisela iinkinga zabo ingazwakala ngasuthi iliqiniso, khulukhulu nawuzwa ukuthi abenze irhubhululo bafumene ukuthi, izinga lezipi, ubulelesi, amalwele nokutlhaga lehlele phasi. Omunye umbiko uthi: “Ibanga lokwehla kobumbi kukuthi abantu baqunte ukwenza iphasi libe yindawo engcono.” Kghani umbiko lo utjho ukuthi mbala abantu sele bazokghona ukulawula iinkinga ebezisihlasele iminyaka yoke le? Bona siphendule umbuzo lo, akhesizihlolisise kuhle iinkingezi.

15. Ngimaphi amaqiniso ngokutlhaga kwabantu?

¹⁵ Izipi: Kwaba nezipi zephasi ezimbili ezabulala abantu abalinganiselwa emamiliyonini ama-60 namkha ngaphezulu. Ngitjho nanyana seyaphela iPi yePhasi yesiBili nje, kodwana abantu akhenge balise ukulwa, kusese nezipi bekube nje. Ngomnyaka ka-2015, isibalo sabantu abaqothwe emizanabo bebatjhutjhiswa ngebanga lepi sakhula sabalelwa emamiliyonini ama-65. Bese kuthi ngawo wona umnyaka ka-2015 abantu abangaba mamiliyoni ayi-12.4 batjhiya iindawo zabo. Ubulelesi: Nanyana ihlobo elithileko lobulelesi lehlile kwezinye iindawo, elinye ihlobo lobulelesi elibandakanya ukulelesa usebenzisa amakompyutha, inturhu, inturhu kwezepolotiki, nobunye ubulelesi bukhuphuke ngezinga elikhulu khulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inengi labantu likholelwa ukuthi ikohlakalo sele irhagele khulu ephasini mazombe. Abantu abakghoni ukuqeda ubulelesi. Ubulwele: Obunye ubulwele khebalawulwa kuhle, pheze baphela. Kodwana umbiko wango-2013 utjengisa ukuthi qobe mnyaka abantu ababalelwa emamiliyonini alithoba abangaphasi kweminyaka ema-60 bayafa ngebanga lobulwele behliziyo, ubulwele bokufa ihlangothi, ikankere, ubulwele obuhlasela izitho zangaphakathi zomzimba kunye nobulwele betjhukela. Ukutlhaga: Ngokuya ngokwe-World Bank, isibalo salabo abatlhaga khulu e-Afrika sikhulu kwamambala, sikhule ukusukela emamiliyonini ama-280 ngo-1990, ngo-2012 besele sikhambela emamiliyonini ama-330.

16. (a) Kubayini kumBuso kaZimu kwaphela ongaqeda iinkinga zabantu? (b) Ngiziphi iimbusiso ezabikezelwa ngu-Isaya nomrhubi?

¹⁶ Ubujamo bomnotho nezepolotiki zilawulwa babantu abonomrhombolo. Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi abantu abanjalo ngeze baziqeda izipi, ubulelesi, amalwele nendlala, mBuso kaZimu kwaphela ongaqeda izintwezo. Akhucabange ngalokho uJehova azokwenzela abantu. Ipi: UmBuso kaZimu uzokuqeda zoke izinto ezibangela izipi, njengokuba nomrhobholo, ukuzikhakhazisa ngenarha, ukukhohlakala, ikolo yamanga noSathana ngokwakhe. (Rhu. 46:9, 10, [46:8, 9, NW]) Ubulelesi: UmBuso kaZimu sele uthomile ukufundisa amamiliyoni wabantu ukuthandana, nokuthembana, into engekhe yenziwa nginanyana ngiwuphi umbuso. (Isa. 11:9) Ubulwele: UJehova uzokubusisa abantu bakhe ngokubanikela ipilo ehle nepheleleko. (Isa. 35:5, 6) Ukutlhaga: UJehova uzokuphelisa ukutlhaga anikele abantu bakhe ithabo bathuthuke endleleni abamazi nabamthanda ngayo begodu uzobanikela nepilo ehle, ihlobo lokuphila elikudlula kude ukuba nomnotho ophelako.—Rhu. 72:12, 13.

17. Singakubalekela njani ukucabanga njengabantu abangamlotjhiko uZimu?

¹⁷ Nawuzwa ngasuthi ukukholwa kwakho kulingwa mbono wabantu abangamlotjhiko uZimu, yenza irhubhululo, uhlole okutjhiwo liliZwi lakaZimu ngendaba leyo, okhunye ongakwenza kucoca nabantu abanelemuko ekulotjheni uZimu, kungaba mKrestu ebandleni. Zibuze ukuthi kubayini umbono lo uzwakala unengqondo, kubayini ukucabanga ngawo kungakafaneleki nokuthi ungakubalekela njani ukucabanga ngawo. Soke singakghona ukuzivikela besikubalekele ukucabanga njengabantu abangamlotjhiko uZimu, lokho singakwenza ngokuthi silalele amezwi kaPowula awatlolela ibandla leKolose, wathi kilo: “Ziphatheni ngokuhlakanipha ebantwini abatjhili . . . nazi bona niphendule njani woke umuntu.”—Kol. 4:5, 6.