1, 2. (a) Wasenza njani isiqunto sakho sokukhonza uZimu? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo esingayibuza malungana nelifa lethu elingokomoya?

IINGIDI zethu zenze isiqunto esihlakaniphileko sokukhonza uJehova uZimu begodu zilandela umtlhala kaJesu Krestu eduze. (Mat. 16:24; 1 Pt. 2:21) Asiyithathi lula ipilo yokuzinikela kuZimu le. Isiqunto sethu besisekelwe, ingasi elwazini elikha phezulu lemitlolo embalwa, kodwana ukutaditjheni ngokudephileko iLizwi lakaZimu. Ngalokho, sifunda ngemininingwana eminengi eqinisa ikholo emalungana nelifa uJehova alibekele labo ‘abazi uZimu yedwa weqiniso naloyo amthumileko, uJesu Krestu.’—Jwa. 17:3; Rom. 12:2.

² Bona sibulunge ubujamo bethu njengamaKrestu, kufuze senze ukukhetha okuzokuthabisa uBabethu wezulwini. Ngalokho isihlokwesi sizokukhuluma nganasi imibuzo eqakathekileko: Liyini ilifa lethu? Kufuze siliqale njani? Singaqiniseka njani bona siyalifumana ilifa lethu? Khuyini ezosisiza senze iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko?

3. Ngiliphi ilifa elilindelwe (a) ngabazesiweko (b) “nezinye izimvu”?

³ Pheze inani elincani lamaKrestu liqale phambili ekwamukeleni ‘ilifa elingonakaliko, elingasaphazekiko nelingapheliko’—ilungelo elingamadaniseki lokubusa noKrestu ezulwini. (1 Pt. 1:3, 4) Bona bafumane ilifelo, ngamunye wabo kufuze ‘abelethwe butjha.’ (Jwa. 3:1-3) Liyini ilifa leengidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zakaJesu, ezihlangayela nabalandeli bakhe abazesiweko ekutjhumayeleni iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu? (Jwa. 10:16) Ezinye izimvu zizokufumana ilifa u-Adamu no-Efa abonileko abangakhenge balifumane—ukuphila okungapheliko epharadesi ephasini lapho kungasekho ukutlhaga, ukufa, namtjhana ukulila. (sAm. 21:1-4) Ngalokho  uJesu wathembisa umenzi wokumbi owafa naye: ‘Ngiqinisile ngiyakutjela namhlanjesi, uzakuba nami ePharadesi.’—Luk. 23:43.

4. Ngiziphi iimbusiso esesizithabela?

⁴ Ngitjho nanje, sithabela iingcenye ezithileko zelifa lethu. Ngombana sitjengisa ikholo ‘esihlengweni sakaKrestu Jesu,’ sinokuthula kwangaphakathi nobuhlobo obuseduze noZimu. (Rom. 3:23-25) Sinelwazi elikhanyako leenthembiso eziseLizwini lakaZimu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuba yingcenye yehlangano yobuzalwana bephasi loke kumthombo wethabo elikarisako. Qala bona kulilungelo elibusiseke kangangani ukuba ngomunye waboFakazi bakaJehova. Kungebangelo silithokozela ilifa lethu!

5. Khuyini uSathana alinge ukuyenza kubantu bakaZimu, begodu yini engasisiza sijamelane namaqhingakhe?

⁵ Nokho, bona sibambelele elifeni lethu elikarisako, kufuze sihlale siwatjhejile amaqhinga kaSathana. USathana uhlala alinga ukwenza abantu bakaZimu benze iinqunto ezingabalahlekisela ilifa labo. (Num. 25:1-3, 9) Alemuka bona ukuphela kwakhe kuseduze, uSathana uqinisa imizamwakhe yokusikhohlisa. (Funda IsAmbulo 12:12, 17.) Nesifuna ‘ukujamelana namaqhinga kaSathana,’ kufuze siragele phambili nokuliqala njengeliligugu ilifa lethu. (Efe. 6:11) Malungana nalokhu, isibonelo esisiyeleliso sendodana ka-Isaka u-Esewu sisinikela iimfundo esenza kuhle ngokuzikhumbula.

6, 7. Bekangubani u-Esewu, begodu ngiliphi ilifa ebelimlindeleko?

⁶ Pheze eminyakeni ezi-4 000 edlulileko, u-Esewu newele lakhe uJakopo babelethwa ngu-Isaka noRabega. Njengombana amawele la akhula, aba nobuntu abungafaniko akhetha nemisebenzi engafani. “U-Esewu waba mzumi onobukghoni, indoda ezwana nommango,” kukulapho “uJakopo yena amumuntu ozothileko, ohlala ematendeni.” (Gen. 25:27) Omunye umtjhugululi weBhayibhili uRobert Alter wathi, ibizo lesiHebheru elithi ‘zothileko,’ litjho “ukuthembeka namtjhana ukungabi namlandu.”

⁷ U-Esewu noJakopo nebaneminyaka eli-15 ubudala, ubamkhulwabo u-Abrahamu wahlongakala, kodwana isithembiso sakaJehova ku-Abrahamu akhenge sife. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wasibuyelela ku-Isaka, wathi zoke iintjhaba zephasi zizokubusiswa ngenzalo ka-Abrahamu. (Funda uGenesisi 26:3-5.) Isithembisweso sembula bona uMesiya—“inzalo” ethembekileko ekuGenesisi 3:15—izokuvela esizukulwaneni saka-Abrahamu. Njengendodana elizibulo ka-Isaka, u-Esewu bekanelungelo esithembisweneso. Qala bona u-Esewu bekalindelwe lilifa elikarisa kangangani! Walithokozela?

8, 9. (a) Ngisiphi isiqunto esenziwe ngu-Esewu malungana nelifa lakhe? (b) Ngemva kweminyaka, khuyini u-Esewu ayilemukako ngesiqunto asenzako, begodu wasabela njani?

⁸ Ngelinye ilanga u-Esewu nekabuya esimini, wabona uJakopo “apheke isitjhebo.” U-Esewu wathi, “Akhe ungiphe isitjhebo sakho esinzothweso ngombana ngifile kudinwa!” Nekaphendulako uJakopo wathi ku-Esewu: “Ngithengisela ubuzibulo bakho ntangi!” Ngisiphi isiqunto asithathako? Ngokurarako, wathi: “Buzangisiza ngani ubuzibulwanyana bakhonobo?” Kuliqiniso, u-Esewu wakhetha isikotlelo sesitjhebo ngaphezu kwelungelo lakhe lobuzibulo! Ukutjhentjha ubuzibulo ngokomthetho, uJakopo wathi: “Zibophe ngesifungo nje!” Ngaphandle kokuzaza, u-Esewu waphisana ngobuzibulo bakhe. Ngemva kwalokho, “uJakopo waphakela u-Esewu isinkwa nesitjhebo seenhlumaya. Wagoma, wasela, wasikima, wakhamba. Ngalokho u-Esewu wanyaza ubuzibulo bakhe.”—Gen. 25:29-34.

 ⁹ Ngemva kweminyaka, u-Isaka nekacabanga bona sekazokuhlongakala, uRabega wenza amalungiselelo wokuqinisekisa bona kwamambala uJakopo ufumana ubuzibulo u-Esewu abulahlileko. U-Esewu nekalemuka ngemva kwesikhathi bona wenze isiqunto sobudlhayela, wancenga u-Isaka wathi: “Nami ngibusisa baba! . . . Azange ungibekele isibusiso na?” U-Isaka nekathi angeze akghona ukutjhentjha isibusiso esele asinikele uJakopo, “u-Esewu wathoma ukukhihla isililo.”—Gen. 27:30-38.

10. UJehova wabaqala njani u-Esewu noJakopo begodu kubayini?

¹⁰ Ngiziphi iingcenye zobuntu baka-Esewu eziphawulekako emiTlolweni? Watjengisa bona ukwanelisa isifiso sakhe senyama kuqakatheke khulu kuye kunokufumana iimbusiso zesikhathi esizako ebezizokugeleza zivela elifeni lakhe. U-Esewu khenge abuthokozele ubuzibulo bakhe begodu khenge atjengise bona umthanda kwamambala uZimu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Esewu khenge awutjheje umphumela izenzo zakhe ebezizokuba nawo eenzukulwaneni zakhe. Ngokuphambene nalokho, uJakopo yena walithokozela ngokudephileko ilifa lakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, uJakopo wenza ngokuvumelana nesiluleko sababelethi ekukhetheni umfazi. (Gen. 27:46–28:3) Ngombana uJakopo wenza ukukhetha ebekutlhoga ukubekezela nokuzidela, waba ngukhokho kaMesiya. UZimu wabaqala njani u-Esewu noJakopo? Ngomporofidi uMalaki, uJehova wathi: “Ngamthanda uJakopo, kodwana u-Esewu yena ngamlahla.”—Mal. 1:2, 3.

11. (a) Kubayini isibonelo saka-Esewu sisebenza nakithi njengamaKrestu? (b) Kubayini uPowula ahlobanisa isenzo saka-Esewu nobufebe?

¹¹ Lokho iBhayibhili ekutjhoko ngo-Esewu kuyasebenza kumaKrestu namhlanjesi? Kwamambala, kuyasebenza. Umpostoli uPowula wayelelisa amakholwa akunye nawo bona atjheje “kungabi khona oziphatha kumbi namkha onganandaba njengo-Esewu, owathengisa ubuzibulo bakhe ngokudla kwesikhatjhana.” (Heb. 12:16) Isiyelelisweso sisasebenza nakumaKrestu. Kufuze sibulunge ukwazisa kwethu izinto ezicwengileko ukwenzela bona singahlulwa ziimfiso zenyama begodu silahlekelwe lilifa lethu elingokomoya. Nokho, kubayini uPowula ahlobanisa isenzo saka-Esewu nobufebe? Kungombana ukutjhigamela eemfisweni zenyama njengo-Esewu kwenza kube bulula ngomuntu ukulisa ukwenza izinto ezicwengileko bona azithabise ngezinto ezingasisemthethweni njengobufebe.

12. (a) USathana uzibeka njani iinlingo endlelenethu? (b) Nikela iimbonelo ezingokomTlolo ezingasisiza nekufuze senze iinqunto ezibudisi.

¹² Njengeenceku zakaJehova, ngokuqinisekileko  asifuni izinto ezingasilingela ekuziphatheni okumbi ngokomseme. Kunalokho, sithandaza bona uJehova uZimu angasivumeli siphele amandla lokha omunye asilingela bona singamlaleli. (Mat. 6:13) Kodwana uSathana ngaso soke isikhathi ulinga ukulimaza ingokomoya lethu njengombana silwela ukubulunga ukuthembeka kwethu ephasini elonakelekweli. (Efe. 6:12) Njengosingazimu wephasi elimbeli, uDeveli uyazi bona angazibamba njani iimfiso zethu ezingakapheleli ngokubeka endlelenethu iinlingo ezijayelekileko ebantwini. (1 Ko. 10:8, 13) Ngokwesibonelo, zicabange usebujamweni obunikela ithuba lokwanelisa isifiso esithileko ngendlela yokuziphatha okumbi. Ngisiphi isiqunto ozosithatha? Sizokuba njengo-Esewu sithi: ‘Akhe ungiphe msinyana!’ Namtjhana uzosala isilingo begodu usibalekele, njengombana kwenza uJosefa indodana kaJakopo, owalingwa mkaPotifaro?—Funda uGenesisi 39:10-12.

13. (a) Namhlanjesi bangakhi abenza njengoJosefa, kodwana abanye basabela njani njengo-Esewu? (b) Iimbonelo zalabo abenza njengo-Esewu zisenza siyelele yiphi itlhogeko eqakathekileko?

¹³ Inengi labazalwana nabodade bakhe baba sebujamweni lapho kwafuze bakhethe hlangana kokwenza njengo-Esewu namtjhana njengoJosefa. Abanengi benze ngokuhlakanipha begodu bathabisa ihliziyo kaJehova. (IzA. 27:11) Nokho, nebaqalene nesilingo, abanye bamakholwa esikunye nawo bakhetha ukwenza njengo-Esewu, babeka ilifa labo elingokomoya engozini. Eqinisweni, inani elikhulu lamagadango wokwahlulela nokususwa ekuhlanganyeleni okwenzeka qobe mnyaka libangelwa kuziphatha okumbi ngokomseme. Qala bona kuqakatheke kangangani ukulungiselela ihliziywethu nje—ngaphambi kobana sizifumane sisebujamweni obulinga ukuthembeka kwethu! (Rhu. 78:8) Singathatha okunganani amagadango amabili azokuba sivikelo eenlingweni begodu azosisiza senze iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko ngokukhamba kwesikhathi.

14. Kuzindla ngamiphi imibuzo okungasisiza ‘sinyenye okumbi sikakarele kokuhle’?

¹⁴ Igadango lokuthoma lihlanganisa ukuzindla ngemiphumela yezenzo zethu. Ukudepha kokuthokozela kwethu ilifa lethu elingokomoya kusame khulu ekudepheni kwethando lethu ngoJehova, uMuphi welifelo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, nesithanda umuntu, asifuni ukumzwisa ubuhlungu. Kunalokho, senza koke okusemandleni ukumenza athabe. Ngalokho, senza kuhle ngokuthatha isikhathi esithileko sizindle ngomphumela esizokuqalana nawo nesizinikela eemfisweni zenyama ezingakahlwengeki. Kufuze sizibuze: ‘Isenzo sami sokuba marhamaru sibuthinta njani ubuhlobo bami noJehova? Isenzo esimbi sizokuba namuphi umphumela emndeninami? Sizobathinta njani abanakwethu nabodade ebandleni? Kghani sizobakhuba abanye?’ (Flp. 1:10) Godu singabuza: ‘Kghani izenzakalo ezimbalwa zokuzithabisa okungakafaneli ziwufanele umphumela engizokuqalana nawo ngemva kwalokho? Ngifuna ukuphetha njengo-Esewu, ngilile kabuhlungu nengilemuka lokho engikwenzileko?’ (Heb. 12:17) Ukuzindla ngemibuzo enjalo kuzosisiza ‘sinyenye okumbi sikakarele kokuhle.’ (Rom. 12:9) Eqinisweni ithando ngoJehova lizositjhukumisela bona sikakarele elifeni lethu.—Rhu. 73:28.

15. Yini ezokuqinisa ukulwisana kwethu namandla afaka ingokomoya lethu engozini?

¹⁵ Igadango lesibili libandakanya ukuqinisa isivikelo sethu. UJehova usenzele amalungiselelo amanengi ukuqinisa isivikelo sethu eentweni zephasi ezingafaka ingokomoya lethu engozini. Amalungiselelo wakhe  ahlanganisa isifundo seBhayibhili, imihlangano yobuKrestu, ikonzo yesimini nomthandazo. (1 Ko. 15:58) Isikhathi ngasinye nesithululela iinhliziyo zethu kuJehova nalokha nesiba nengcenye ethe tjha ekonzweni yobuKrestu, siqinisa isivikelo sethu sokujamelana neenlingo. (Funda 1 Thimothi 6:12, 19.) Ngokwezinga elithileko, amandla wokuzivikela asame emizamwenethu. (Gal. 6:7) Lokhu kuveziwe esahlukweni sesibili sezAga.

16, 17. Singaphumelela njani ekufuneni ikghono lokwenza iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko?

¹⁶ IzAga isahluko 2 zisikhuthaza bona sifune ukuhlakanipha nekghono lokucabanga. Iziphwezi zisenza sikghone ukukhetha hlangana kokuhle nokumbi, ukuzikhuza nokuzitika. Kodwana bona sizokuphumelela na kusame ekuzimiseleni kwethu ukwenza umzamo. Ukuveza iqiniso eliqakathekilekweli, iBhayibhili ithi: ‘Ndodanami, nakube wamukela amezwami, ufihle imiyalwami ehliziywenakho, indlebakho ilalele ukuhlakanipha, welulele ihliziywakho ekuzwisiseni, iye lokha nawufisa ukwazi, urhuwelele ubize ukuzwisisa, nakube lokho ukufuna njengesiliva, ukufunisisa njengegugu elifihliweko, khona-ke uzokuzwisisa ukwesaba uJehova, bese ufumana ukumazi uZimu. UJehova unikela ukuhlakanipha, emlonyenakhe kuvela ilwazi nokuzwisisa.’—IzA. 2:1-6.

¹⁷ Ngokukhanyako, ipumelelo yethu ekufuneni ikghono elitlhogekako bona senze iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko isame ekuhlangabezaneni kwethu neemfuneko ekukhulunywe ngazo kuzAga. Singaphumelela ekujameni siqine ekulwisaneni neenlingo nesivumela amezwi kaJehova abumbe umuntu esinguye ngaphakathi, nesithandazela isinqophiso sakaZimu qobe, begodu nesihlala sifunisisa ilwazi lakaZimu njengokungathi sifuna amagugu afihliweko.

18. Khuyini ozimisele ukuhlala uyenza, begodu kubayini?

¹⁸ UJehova unikela ilwazi, ukuzwisisa, ilemuko, nokuhlakanipha kilabo abenza umzamo wokufuna iziphwezi. Nesizifunako begodu sizisebenzise, kuba kulapho sitjhidela eduze noMuphi, uJehova. Ngebanga lalokho, ubuhlobo bethu obutjhideleneko noJehova uZimu buzokuba sivikelo nesizithola siqalene nesilingo. Ukutjhidela eduze noJehova nokumhlonipha kuzosivikela ekwenzeni okumbi. (Rhu. 25:14; Jak. 4:8) Kwanga ukuthabela ubungani noJehova nokusebenzisa ukuhlakanipha kwakaZimu kungasitjhukumisela bona sihlale senza iinqunto ezihle ezizokuthabisa ihliziyo kaJehova begodu kuvikele ilifa lethu.