1. Ngokujayelekileko iphasi linamuphi umbono ngokuzibusa?

EMINYAKENI ethileko eyadlulako ezi-2 500, umtloli wemidlalo omGirigi watlola: “Akekho namunye ozimisele ukuthwala ijogi lobugqila.” Abanengi namhlanje bangavumelana namezwi la. Nebacabanga ngobugqila, eengqondweni zabo kufika imifanekiso yabantu abagandelelekileko nabagqilazekileko, labo imisebenzi nokuzidela kwabo kungazuzisi bona, kodwana kuzuzisa ababaphetheko nabababusako.

2, 3. (a) Ngisiphi isikhundla iingqila, nofana iinceku zakaKrestu ezinomoya wokuzithandela ezisithabelako? b) Ngimiphi imibuzo emalungana nobuphathi esizokucoca ngayo?

² Nokho, uJesu waveza bona abafundi bakhe bazokuba ziinceku ezithobekileko, nofana iingqila. Nanyana kunjalo, akukho okwehlisa isithunzi nofana okugandelelako, ngobugqilobu obubandakanya amaKrestu weqiniso. Iingqilezi zithabela iinkhundla zokudunyiswa, ukuthenjwa nokuhlonitjhwa. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngamezwi uJesu awatjho ‘ngenceku’ ethileko msinyana ngaphambi kokufa Kwakhe. UKrestu wabikezela bona uzokwabela ‘inceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko’ umsebenzi.—Mat. 24:45-47.

³ Kuyakarisa bona ekulandiseni okufanako, inceku leyo ibizwa ngokobana, ‘mphathi.’ (Funda uLuka 12:42-44.) AmaKrestu amanengi athembekileko aphilako nje akasimalunga wesigaba somphathi othembekileko. Nokho, imiTlolo itjengisa bona boke abakhonza uZimu banobuphathi. Ngimiphi imithwalo yefanelo ebandakanyekileko? Kufuze baqalwe njani? Bona sifumane iimpendulo, akhe sihlole indima yabaphathi beenkhathi zekadeni.

4, 5. Abaphathi bekadeni gade banamiphi imithwalo yefanelo? Nikela iimbonelo.

⁴ Eenkhathini zekadeni, ngokuvamileko umphathi  othenjwako bekabelwa bona atlhogomele izinto zangendlini nofana iindaba zemali zekosakhe. Kanengi, abaphathi bebanegunya elikhulu begodu bebabelwa bona batlhogomele izinto zangendlini, imali nezinye iinceku. Singakubona nalokhu endabeni ka-Eliyazare, ebekaphathiswe umsebenzi wokutlhogomela ipahla enengi ka-Abrahama. Kungenzeka ngu-Eliyazare owathunyelwa ngu-Abrahama eMesophothamiya bona ayokufunela indodanakhe u-Isaka umfazi. Qala bona bekusisabelo esiqakatheke nesikhulu kangangani ukusifikelela!—Gen. 13:2; 15:2; 24:2-4.

⁵ Umzukulu ka-Abrahama uJesefa watlhogomela umuzi kaPotifaro. (Gen. 39:1, 2) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uJesefa waba nomphathi wakhe, owabekwa bona “atlhogomele indlu kaJesefa.” Umphathi loyo wenza amalungiselelo wokumukela abanakwabo bakaJesefa abalitjhumi. Begodu ngomyalo kaJesefa, wahlela izinto ezimalungana ‘nokwetjiwa’ kwebhigiri yesiliva. Kuyakhanya, bona abaphathi bebazithabela iinkhundla ezikulu zokuthembeka.—Gen. 43:19-25; 44:1-12.

6. Ngibuphi ubuphathi abadala abamaKrestu abahlukahlukeneko abaphathiswe bona?

⁶ Ngemva kwamakhulu weminyaka, umpostoli uPowula watlola bona ababonisi abamaKrestu kufuze babe ‘baphathi bakaZimu.’ (Tit. 1:7) Ababonisi babekwe bona baluse “umhlambi kaZimu,” banikele isinqophiso begodu badose phambili emabandleni. (1 Pit. 5:1, 2) Liqiniso, imithwalo yefanelo ihlukile. Ngokwesibonelo, ababonisi abanengi abamaKrestu namhlanje bakhonza ibandla linye. Ababonisi abakhambako bakhonza amabandla amanengi. Amalunga weKomidi weGatja atlhogomela amabandla weenarha zoke. Nanyana kunjalo, boke kulindeleke bona benze imisebenzabo ngokuthembeka; boke kufuze ‘balandise’ kuZimu.—Heb. 13:17.

7. Ngomqondo othileko sazi njani bona woke amaKrestu abaphathi?

⁷ Nokho, kuthiwani ngamaKrestu amanengi athembekileko angasibabonisi? Umpostoli uPitrosi watlolela woke amaKrestu weKorinte incwadi, ethi: “Loyo naloyo owamukele isipho somusa, akasisebenzise ukusiza abanye njengenceku elungileko yomusa owandileko wakaZimu.” (1 Pit. 1:1; 4:10) Ngomusakhe uZimu usinikele soke izipho, izinto eziphathekako, amakghono namtjhana amathalenta esingawasebenzisa bona azuzise amakholwa esikunye nawo. Ngebanga lalokho, boke abakhonza uZimu babaphathi, begodu ubuphathi babo bukhambisana nedumo, ukuthenjwa nomthwalo wefanelo.

8. Ngiyiphi ikambisolawulo eqakathekileko okufuze siyikhumbule?

⁸ Kwanje sizokudzimelela eenkambiswenilawulo eentathu lezo njengabaphathi okufuze sizicabangele. Yokuthoma: Soke singebakaZimu begodu sizokulandisa kuye. UPowula watlola: ‘Aniziphileli nina kwaphela, nathengwa ngentengo,’ umhlatjelo weengazi zakaKrestu. (1 Kor. 6:19, 20) Njengombana singebakaJehova, sinesibopho sokulalela imilaywakhe ngombana ayisibudisi. (Rom. 14:8; 1 Jwa. 5:3) Godu siba ziinceku zakaKrestu. Njengabaphathi bekadeni, sinikelwe ikululeko ekulu—kodwana ikululeko yethu ilinganiselwe. Kufuze senze imithwalethu yefanelo njengombana sifundisiwe. Kungakhathaliseki bona ngimaphi amalungelo wekonzo esiwathabelako, siseseziinceku zakaZimu noKrestu.

9. UJesu ubufanekise njani ubuhlobo obuhlangana kwekosi nenceku?

⁹ UJesu usisiza bona sizwisise ubuhlobo obuhlangana kwekosi nenceku. Wakhe wakhuluma nabafundi bakhe ngenceku eyabuya ekhaya ngemva kokusebenza ilanga loke. Kghani ikosi yathi: “Ihlale phasi msinyana igome na”? Awa! Yathi: ‘Lungisa ukudla  kwami, bopha ifasikoti yakho ungilindele ngigome, ngisele, emva kwalokho nawe ungagoma usele.’ UJesu wawusebenzisa njani umfanekiso lo? “Kunjalo nakini, phele nithi nanenza koke enitjelwe bona nikwenze, bese nithi: ‘Siziinsebenzi kwaphela, senze umsebenzi wethu.’”—Luka 17:7-10.

10. Yini etjengisa bona uJehova uyayithokoza imizamethu yokumkhonza?

¹⁰ Liqiniso, uJehova uyayithokoza imizamo yokobana simkhonze. IBhayibhili iyasiqinisekisa: “UZimu akasuye ongakalungi bonyana angabe alibale umsebenzi enawenzako nethando enalitjengisako ngebanga lakhe.” (Heb. 6:10) Lokho uJehova asibawa bona sikwenze ngilokho esikghona ukukwenza. Ngaphezu kwalokho, nanyana ngikuphi asibawa khona kuzuzisa thina begodu akusimthwalo obudisi. Nanyana kunjalo, ngokuvumelana nomfanekiso kaJesu, inceku ayizithabisi yona, ngokubeka iinkareko zayo zize qangi. Iphuzu kukobana, nesinikela amaphilwethu kuZimu, sikhetha ukubeka iinkareko zakhe qangi ekuphileni kwethu. Awuvumelani nalokhu?

11, 12. Njengabaphathi, ngiyiphi ifanelo okufuze siyitjengise begodu khuyini ekufuze siyibalekele?

¹¹ Ikambisolawulo yesibili kukobana: Njengabaphathi, ngokuyihloko soke silalela imithethokambiso efanako. Liqiniso, eminye imithwalo yefanelo yabelwa abambalwa ebandleni lobuKrestu. Nokho, imithwalo yefanelo eminengi iyafana kithi soke. Ngokwesibonelo, njengabafundi bakaKrestu begodu njengaboFakazi bakaJehova, sikatelelekile bona sithandane. UJesu wathi ithandwelo litshwayo lamaKrestu weqiniso. (Jwa. 13:35) Nokho, ithando lethu lingaphezu kokuthanda abazalwana. Sikhuthazwa bona sitjengise ithando kilabo abangakahlobani nathi ekholweni. Lokhu yinto soke esingakghona ukuyenza nekufuze siyenze.

¹² Godu ukuziphatha okuhle kuyatlhogeka kithi soke. Sifuna ukubalekela ukuziphatha nemikghwa elahlwa liLizwi lakaZimu. UPowula watlola: ‘Abenza ubufebe, nabalotjha abosingazimu, nabahlobongako, amadoda enza iinhloso ezingasingokwemvelo, namadoda alala namadoda, namasela, nabamarhamaru, neendakwa, neenthuki, nabaphangi, akakho namunye wabo ozokudla ilifa lombuso wakaZimu.’ (1 Kor. 6:9, 10) Kuyavunywa bona kutlhoga umzamo ukuphila ngemithethokambiso kaZimu yokulunga. Nokho, umzamo onjalo uyafaneleka, usinikela iinzuzo ezinengi, kuhlanganise nokuphila okunomthelela epilweni ehle, ubuhlobo obuhle nabanye, nobujamo obuhle noZimu.—Funda u-Isaya 48:17, 18.

13, 14. Ngimuphi umthwalo wefanelo onikelwe woke amaKrestu, begodu kufuze siwuqale njani?

¹³ Khumbula bona umphathi unomsebenzi okufuze awenze. Nathi sinomsebenzi okufuze siwenze. Siphiwe isipho esiligugu—ilwazi leqiniso. UZimu ulindele bona sihlanganyele ilwazelo nabanye. (Mat. 28:19, 20) UPowula watlola: ‘Kufanele kwazeke bona thina siziinceku zakaKrestu, nabaphathi beemfihlakalo ezicwengileko zakaZimu.’ (1 Kor. 4:1) UPowula bekazi bona ubuphathi butjho kokubili ukutlhogomela ‘iimfihlakalo ezicwengileko’ nokuzipha abanye ngokuthembeka njengombana kutjho iKosi, uJesu Krestu.—1 Kor. 9:16.

¹⁴ Ngaphezu kwakho koke, ukuhlanganyela iqiniso kuyinto ehle ukuyenza. Kwamambala, ubujamo buyahluka kumaKrestu. Akusibo boke abantu abangenza okufanako ekonzweni. UJehova uyakuzwisisa lokho. Into eqakathekileko kukwenza koke esingakghona ukukwenza. Ngalokho sitjengisa ithando elingasimarhamaru ngoZimu nangabomakhelwana bethu.

15-17. (a) Kubayini kuqakathekile bona umphathi athembeke? (b) UJesu wayifanekisa njani imiphumela yokungathembeki?

¹⁵ Ikambisolawulo yesithathu, ihlobene  khulu nalezi eembili ezigadungileko: Kufuze sithembeke. Umphathi angaba neemfanelo ezihle ezinengi namakghono, nokho ayikho nayinye ezokusebenza nengabe bekangatjheji nofana bekangakathembeki ekosinakhe. Ukuthembeka kuqakathekile bona siphumelele, sibe baphathi abaphumelelako. Khumbula bona uPowula watlola: ‘Okufunekako emntwini ophathisiweko kufanele bona athembeke kiloyo omphetheko.’—1 Kor. 4:2.

¹⁶ Nesithembekileko, sizokuvuzwa; lesi siqinisekiso. Nesingakathembeki, sizokulahlekelwa. Sibona ikambisolawulo le emfanekisweni kaJesu wamathalenta. Iinceku ezithembekileko ‘ezenza ibhizinisi’ ngemali yekosi zafumana ukubukwa begodu zabusiswa ngokunothileko. Inceku eyenza ngokungatjheji ngalokho ikosi eyiphathise khona yahlulelwa ngokobana yinceku “embi,” “evilaphako,” ‘engasilisizo.’ Yathathelwa ithalenta egade inikelwe lona, begodu yalahlelwa ngaphandle.—Funda uMatewu 25:14-18, 23, 26, 28-30.

¹⁷ Kesinye isenzakalo, uJesu wakhuluma ngemiphumela yokungathembeki. Wathi: “Kwakhe kwaba nomuntu osikhumukani, ogade anomphathi obekaqala ipahla yakhe. Isikhumukani basitjela bona umphathi waso usigomela imali yaso. Yeke sambiza sathi kuye: ‘Kuyini lokhu engikuzwako ngawe na? Letha incwadi yakho yobuphathi, ngombana angekhe usaba mphathi wami.’” (Luka 16:1, 2) Ngombana umphathi usebenzise kumbi ipahla yekosakhe, ikosi yamqotha. Qala bona sifundo esinamandla kangangani lesi! Ngokuqinisekileko asifuni ukungathembeki kilokho esitjelwa bona sikwenze.

18. Kubayini kungakafuzi sizimadanise nabanye?

¹⁸ Ngamunye wethu angazibuza, ‘Ngibuqala  njani ubuphathi bami?’ Imiraro ingaphakama nesizimadanisa nabanye. IBhayibhili iyasiluleka: ‘Omunye nomunye kufanele aqale umsebenzakhe bona uyini, ngalokho angaba nebanga lokuthaba ngalokho akwenzileko, ingasi ngokuzimadanisa nomunye umuntu.’ (Gal. 6:4) Kunokobana simadanise lokho esikwenzako nalokho okwenziwa ngabanye abantu, kufuze sidzimelele kilokho esikghona ukukwenza. Lokhu kuzosivikela ingasi kwaphela ekuzikhakhaziseni kodwana nekudaneni. Nesizihlolako, kufuze sikhumbule bona ubujamo buyatjhentjha. Mhlamunye ngebanga lepilo ebogabogako, ukukhula, namtjhana imithwalo yefanelo ehlukahlukeneko, angekhe sakghona ukwenza koke ebesikghona ukukwenza. Ngakelinye ihlangothi, kungenzeka sikghone ukwenza okungeziweko ukudlula nje. Nengabe kunjalo, kubayini singazami ukuthuthukisa imisebenzethu?

19. Nengabe asikafumani ilungelo elithileko, kubayini kungakafuzi sidane?

¹⁹ Enye ingcenye okufuze siyicabangele kukobana ngimiphi imithwalo yefanelo esinayo namtjhana esifisa ukuba nayo. Ngokwesibonelo, umzalwana angafisa ukukhonza njengomdala ebandleni namtjhana abelwe iingcenye emihlanganweni emincani neyesigodi. Kuhle ukusebenza budisi ukufanelekela amalungelo anjalo, nokho akukafuzi sidane nengabe asinikelwa wona lapho kungenzeka bona sinethemba lokobana sizowafumana. Ngamanye amabanga okungenzeka singawazwisisi okwanje, amanye amalungelo kungenzeka afumaneka ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ngendlela ebesingakayilindeli. Khumbula bona uMosisi wabonakala akulungele ukukhipha ama-Israyeli eGibhide, kodwana bekufuze alinde iminyaka ema-40 ngaphambi kobana akwenze lokho. Lokhu kwamnikela isikhathi esaneleko bona ahlawulele iimfanelo ezitlhogekako ukudosa phambili abantu abaneenhloko eziqinileko nabavukelako.—IzE. 7:22-25, 30-34.

20. Ngisiphi isifundo esingasifumana kokuhlangabezanwe nakho kwakaJonathani?

²⁰ Ngezinye iinkhathi ilungelo ethileko kungenzeka linganikelwa thina soke. Bekunjalo nangoJonathani. Gade ayindodana kaSawulu begodu aserhelweni lokuba yikosi phezu kwaka-Israyeli. Nokho, uZimu wakhetha uDavidi, isokana eliseselitjha khulu bona libe yikosi. UJonathani wasabela njani nekuvela lokho? Wakwamukela begodu wasekela uDavidi ngitjho nanyana bekufaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini. Wathi kuDavidi: “Wena ngokwakho uzokuba yikosi phezu kwaka-Israyeli, begodu mina ngizokuba ngewesibili kuwe.” (1 Sam. 23:17) Uyalifumana iphuzu? UJonathani wabamukela ubujamo bakhe, ngokungafani noyise, akhenge abe nomona ngoDavidi. Kunokobana sibe nomona ngalokho abanye ababelwe bona bakwenze, soke singadzimelela ekwenzeni imithwalo yefanelo esinayo. Singaqiniseka bona ephasini elitjha, uJehova uzokuqinisekisa bonyana iimfiso ezifaneleko zazo zoke iinceku zakhe ziyaneliseka.

21. Kufuze sibuqale njani ubuphathi bethu?

²¹ Asihlale sikhumbula bona njengabaphathi abathenjwako, asisiziingqila ezikatelelwa bona zikhonze ikosi enelunya. Ngokuphambene nalokho, sithabela iinkhundla zokudunyiswa okukhulu, siphathiswe umsebenzi ongeze wabuyelelwa wokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi hlangana namalanga wokuphela kwephasi lakaSathana. Njengombana senza njalo, sithabela itjhaphuluko ekulu yokobana singayithwala njani imithwalo yethu yefanelo. Ngalokho, asibeni baphathi abathembekileko. Kwanga singalazisa ilungelo esinalo lokukhonza umuntu omKhulu wendawo yoke.