1, 2. (a) Ngisiphi isitjhijilo ibandla lebeKolose ebeliqalene naso? (b) Ngisiphi isiluleko abanikelwa sona ebesibakhuthaza bona badzimelele eqinisweni?

BEYIBIBHILE ebandleni leKolose, amaKrestu wokuthoma walapho azifumana akwelimagade ahlabako! Abanye bebaphadlhula ibandla phakathi ngokufundisa ifundiso yokuthi kufuze kugcinwe umThetho kaMosi. Ngapha bekunabanye ebebabhebhedlhisa enye yeemfundiso zefilosofi, efundisa bona umuntu kufuze aziphilise kabuhlungu, azidime ithabo epilweni. Umpostoli uPowula wayihlaba wayihlikiza yoke into ebeyenzeka lapho ngokutlola incwadi eyelelisa beKolose. Wathi: “Yelelani-ke bona kungabikhona namunye onithumba ngobuhlakani nangekohliso elilize, ngokwefundiso yabantu esekeleke phezu kwemimoya yephasi , ingasi kuKrestu.”—Kol. 2:8.

² Nange amaKrestu akhethiweko la abeka imikhumbulwawo ‘eemfundisweni zemimoya yephaseli,’ bekazabe ala indlela kaJehova yokusindisa abantu. (Kol. 2:20-23) Yeke, uPowula wabasiza bona bavikele ubuhlobo bawo noZimu, wabakhuthaza ngokuthi: “Bekani imikhumbulwenu ezintweni zezulwini, ningatjheji zephasi.” (Kol. 3:2) Abafowabo bakaKrestwaba bekufuze babeke iingqondo zabo ekutholeni umvuzo ongonakaliko ‘ebebabekelwe wona ezulwini.’—Kol. 1:4, 5.

3. (a) Ngiliphi ithemba okufuze lihlale liseenqondweni zamaKrestu akhethiweko? (b) Sizokucoca ngamiphi imibuzo esihlokwenesi?

 ³ Nanamhlanjesi, amaKrestu akhethiweko kusafuze adzimelelise iingqondo zawo ekubeni ‘ziindlalifa ezikanye noKrestu’ embusweni kaZimu. (Rom. 8:14-17) Kodwana kuthiwani ngalabo abalindele ukuphila ephasini elitjha? Amezwi kaPowula asebenza njani kibo? ‘Ezinye izimvu’ zibeka njani iingqondo zazo “ezintweni zezulwini”? (Jwa. 10:16) Okhunye kukuthi thina-ke sizuza njani eembonelweni ezihle ezabekwa madoda wakade anjengo-Abrahamu noMosi, okwathi nanyana bekaqalene neembila zithutha, abeka imikhumbulwawo ezintweni zeZulwini?

4. Ezinye izimvu ziyibeka njani imikhumbulwazo ezintweni zezulwini?

⁴ Nanyana ezinye izimvu zilindele ukuphila ephasini elitjha, nazo kusafuze zibeke iingqondo zazo ezintweni zezulwini. Njani? Ngokubeka uJehova uZimu nalokho okufunwa mBuswakhe qangi emaphilwenethu. (Luk. 10:25-27) Nasenza njalo, sikhamba emtlhaleni kaKrestu. (1 Pit. 2:21) Kodwana njengamaKrestu weKolose siphila ephasini lakaSathana kwamgade uhlonywa ngezinti, iphasi elinabantu abafundisa amala nefilosofi, abathanda imali noburego. (Funda 2 Korinte 10:5.) Yeke, njengabalingisi bakaKrestu kufuze sihlale sivule amehlo, sitjheje nanyana yini engasahlela ubuhlobo bethu noZimu.

5. Singazihlolisisa njani nesifuna ukwazi bona lingangani ithando esinalo ngemali noburego?

⁵ Ungazibuza ukuthi ‘Kghani sengithoma ukugijimisana nemali noburego na?’ Iqiniso kukuthi iingqondo nezenzo zomuntu ziveza lokho akuthandako. UJesu wathi: “Lapha kunomnothwako khona nehliziywakho ilapho.” (Mat. 6:21) Yeke, nawufuna ukwazi ukuthi kunani ngehliziywenakho, yewuhlale phasi uzihlolisise, kube mumukghwakho ukwenza njalo. Zibuze imibuzo enjengokuthi: ‘Inga-kghani engqondwenami kuhlala kuduma imali ngaso soke isikhathi? Singangani isikhathi engisisebenzisa kwezamabubulo, ekutjaleni imali nekufuneni amadlelo alihlaza? Namkha ngiyakulwela na ukudzimelelisa ingqondo yami ezintweni zakaZimu?’ (Mat. 6:22) UJesu walibeka emtarini lokuthi labo abaqongelela “umnotho ephasinapha” bakhasela eziko, yeke babulala ubuhlobo babo noZimu.—Mat. 6:19, 20, 24.

6. Siyithumba njani ipi yokulwisana nalokho okufunwa mizimbethu engakapheleli?

⁶ Nemizimbethu engakapheleli nayo isihlezi entanyeni, ifuna senze okufunwa ngiyo. (Funda kwebeRoma 7:21-25.) Yeke, ngaphandle komoya kaZimu ocwengileko, ngakade sangena savela ngehloko ‘ezenzweni zobumnyama.’ Izenzo ezinjalo zibandakanya ‘ukurhiribidela nokudakwa, ubufebe namanyala.’ (Rom. 13:12, 13) Nesifuna ukuphumelela epini yokulwisana ‘nezinto zephasi—okuzizinto ezithandwa mizimbethu—kufuze sibeke imikhumbulwethu ezintweni zezulwini. Kodwana ukwenza njalo akusimdlalo. Ngikho umpostoli uPowula athi: “Ngiyawukhandla umzimbami ngiwenze ikhoboka.” (1 Kor. 9:27) Siyazi bona angekhe kube bulula ukugijima endleleni eya ekuphileni okungapheliko! Ngebangelo-ke sizokucoca ngamadoda amabili aziinsimbi zakade, sifunde nokuthi ‘bekamthokozisa’ njani uZimu.—Heb. 11:6.

7, 8. (a) Ngiziphi iintjhijilo u-Abrahamu noSara ebebaqalana nazo? (b) Umkhumbulo ka-Abrahamu bewudzimelele kuphi?

⁷ U-Abrahamu khenge atjhinge le nale ngesikhathi uJehova amtjela bona kufuze athuthele eKanana. Ngebanga lokuthi bekakholelwa kuJehova begodu amlalela,  uZimu wenza isivumelwano naye wathi: “Ngizokwenza ube sisizwe esikhulu, begodu ngizokubusisa: Ngizokwenza ibizo lakho libe likhulu, ube sibusiso.” (Gen. 12:2) Yakhamba iminyaka u-Abrahamu nomkakhe banganaye umntwana. Kghani uJehova besele asilibele isithembiso sakhe no-Abrahamu? Awa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, bekungasibulula ukuphila eKanana. Phela u-Abrahamu nomndenakhe batjhiya iinhlobo nekhaya labo e-Uri, idorobho elinothileko leMesopothamiya. Kwafuze bakhambe ibanga elingaba makhilomitha ayi-1 600 ukuya eKanana. Nalapho, bathi nebafikako kwafuze bagugubale ematendeni, bakghodlhelelele indlala, baqalane neenlelesi. (Gen. 12:5, 10; 13:18; 14:10-16) Nanyana kunjalo khenge bazisole namkha bacabange ukubuyela emva! —Funda amaHebheru 11:8-12, 15.

⁸ Kunokuthi abeke ingqondwakhe ‘ezintweni zephasi’ u-Abrahamu “wakholwa kuZimu.” (Gen. 15:6) Wabeka umkhumbulwakhe ezintweni zezulwini ngokuthi angakungabazi lokho uZimu akuthembisileko. Ukukholwa kwakhe kwaqina ngho ngesikhathi uZimu uMninimandlawoke amvakatjhela amtjela ukuthi: “‘Qala phezulu emkayini, ubale iinkwekwezi nakube mbala ungakghona ukuzibala. Sizakuba njalo-ke isizukulwana sakho.’” (Gen. 15:5) Awazi bona kwamqinisa kangangani lokho! Soke isikhathi nekaqala phezulu abona izulu elithe rhanya ngeenkwekwezi, bekakhumbula isithembiso sakaJehova sokwandisa isizukulwana sakhe. Kwathi ngesikhathi sakaZimu esifaneleko, u-Abrahamu wabeletha indlalifa njengombana kuthenjisiwe.—Gen. 21:1, 2.

9. Ukulingisa isibonelo saka-Abrahamu kusisiza njani bona sihlale simajadu emsebenzini kaZimu?

⁹ Njengo-Abrahamu, nathi sizilinde ngabovu iinthembiso zakaZimu. (2 Pit. 3:13) Nange singahluleka ukubeka imikhumbulwethu ezintweni zezulwini, singazifumana sele siphelelwa yihliziyo, sibone ngasuthi iinthembiso zakhe zithatha isikhathi ukuzaliseka, bese sithome ukunyefisa emisebenzini esiyenzela uZimu. Ngokwesibonelo, kghani kwakhe kwaba nesikhathi na lapha uzidela khona amathambo, wazitjela bona nakubuphayona bona uyabuthatha, namkha waqeda nehliziywakho bona uzokusebenzela uZimu isikhathi esizeleko? Wenza kuhle khulu. Alo-ke wenzani njenganje? Usesenawo na umfutho ebewunawo ngaphambilini? Khumbula bona u-Abrahamu wabeka ingqondwakhe ‘emzini oneensekelo.’ (Heb. 11:10) “Wakholwa” kuJehova, “kwabalelwa kuye njengokulunga.”—Rom. 4:3.

10. UMosi wakhula amumuntu onjani?

¹⁰ Enye indoda eyabeka umkhumbulwayo ezintweni zezulwini nguMosi. “Wafundiswa boke ubuhlakani bamaGibhide” ekukhuleni kwakhe. Phela le bekungasiyifundo nje. Ngaphandle kwalokho uMosi bekahlala esigodlweni sakaFaro njengombana iGibhide beyiphethe iintambo ephasini ngesikhatheso. Kungenzeka bona ngefundo anayo leyo, “waba namandla ngekulumo nangezenzo.” (IzE. 7:22) Cabanga ngamathuba ebekamvulekele! Nanyana kunjalo uMosi bekabeke ingqondwakhe ekwenzeni intando kaZimu.

11, 12. Ngiyiphi ifundo ebeyiqakatheke khulu kuMosi, begodu sikwazi njani lokho?

¹¹ Kusukela ebuntwaneni, unina likaMosi uJokobedi bekamhlalela, amfundise ngoZimu wamaHebheru. UMosi naye wakarwa kufunda ngoJehova, wakubona kuyinto edlula boke uburego umuntu angaba nabo ephasinapha. Akhusucabange ngamathuba namalungelo ebekazowafumana ngokuhlala esigodlweni sakaFaro. (Funda amaHebheru 11:24-27.) Ubuhlobo bakhe noZimu ngibo obamenza wabeka umkhumbulwakhe ezintweni zezulwini.

¹² Njengombana uMosi bekafunde ifundo  ephakeme khulu yeGibhide, sakhe sezwa na bona uthuthukise ibizelo lakhe eGibhide, wazakhela ibizo elihle, namkha waqongelela uburego? Awa. Nangabe wakwenza lokho bekangekhe alandule nekabizwa ‘ngendodana yendodakazi kaFaro, anyule ukuphathwa makghwakghwa nabantu bakaZimu kunobanyana athabe isikhatjhana esonweni.’ Kusebaleni-ke ukuthi uMosi wasebenzisa ifundo ayifundiswe nguZimu bona enze intandwakhe.

13, 14. (a) UMosi wasizwa yini bona akulungele ukuthwala isabelo uJehova amnikele sona? (b) NjengoMosi, khuyini okufuze sizifundise kona?

¹³ Ebekusengqondweni kaMosi bekukukwenza intando kaZimu nokutlhogomela abantu bakhe. Wathi nekaneminyaka ema-40, wazitjela bona angabatjhaphulula abantu bakaZimu ebugqilini beGibhide. (IzE. 7:23-25) Nanyana kunjalo, ngaphambi kobana uJehova amvumele enze njalo, uMosi bekusafuze afunde okuthileko. Bekufanele afunde ukukghodlhelela, ukuthobeka, ukuba nomusa nokuzibamba. (IzA. 15:33) UMosi bekusafanele abandulwe, khona azokukghona ukujamelana nobudisi ebebumlindile. Ukuba kwakhe ngumelusi amatjhumi weminyaka kwambandula, wagcina anobuntu uZimu abufunako.

¹⁴ Kghani uMosi wafunda okuthileko na ebandulweni alifumana ekweluseni izimvu? Iye wafunda okunengi! Phela iliZwi lakaZimu lithi “nakunguMosi yena bekazithobe ukudlula boke abantu abaphila ngaphasi komthunzi welanga.” (Num. 12:3) Wafunda ukuthobeka, okwamsiza bona abekezelele abantu abahlukahlukeneko nemirarwabo emaphorodlha. (Eks. 18:26) Nathi namhlanjesi kufuze sifunde ukuba nobuntu uZimu abufunako, lokho kuzosisiza khulu ekuqalaneni ‘neenhlupheko ezikulu’ namkha isizi elikhulu elizako, kusisize nephasini elitjha. (IsAm. 7:14) Zibuze: ‘Ngiyakghona na ukusebenzelana nabanye abantu, khulukhulu labo abanehliziyo encani namkha abakhubeka msinya? Sizabe siyiphethe ngesibhukwini nange silalela amezwi kampostoli uPowula, owakhuthaza amaKrestu akunye nawo wathi: “Hloniphani boke abantu, nithande abazalwana.”—1 Pit. 2:17.

15, 16. (a) Kubayini kuqakathekile bona imikhumbulwethu ihlale isezintweni zezulwini? (b) Kubayini kuqakathekile bona amaKrestu aziphathe kuhle?

¹⁵ Siphila eenkhathini “ezibudisi kwamambala.” (2 Thim. 3:1) Yeke, kuqakatheke khulu bona iingqondo zethu zihlale zisezintweni zezulwini, khona sizakuhlala siqaqulukile ezintweni ezingahlasela ubuhlobo bethu noZimu. (1 Thes. 5:6-9) Cabanga ngezici ezintathu zokuphila kwethu okufuze sihlale sizivulele amehlo.

¹⁶ Ukuziphatha kwethu: UPitrosi bekazi bona ukuziphatha okuhle kuqakatheke kangangani. Wathi: “Philani ipilo elungileko hlangana nabangakholwako ukuze kuthi nanyana banisola ngokwenza okumbi, babone imisebenzenu badumise uZimu ngelanga lamatlhuwo.” (1 Pit. 2:12) Kungakhathaliseki bona sisekhaya, sisemsebenzini, sisesimini, kufuze senze koke esingakwenza bona ukuziphatha kwethu kudumise uJehova. Iye, siyavuma bona asikapheleli, begodu siyayenza imitjhapho. (Rom. 3:23) Kodwana nesingaragela phambili ‘silwa ukulwa okuhle kokukholwa,” singayithumba ipi yokulwa nemizimbethu engakapheleli.—1 Thim. 6:12.

17. Singawulingisa njani umkhumbulo kaKrestu? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹⁷ Indlela umuntu acabanga ngayo: Nesifuna ukuhlala siziphethe kuhle, kufuze sihlale sicabanga ngezinto ezihle. Umpostoli uPowula wathi: “Yibani nomkhumbulo onjengalowo ebegade ukuKrestu Jesu.” (Flp. 2:5) Kanti uJesu bekanomkhumbulo  onjani? Bekathobekile. Ukuthobeka ngikho okwamenza wazidela bona angenele umsebenzi wokutjhumayela. Ukutjela abanye iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu bekuhlala kusengqondwenakhe. (Mar. 1:38; 13:10) KuJesu into ebeyikhamba phambili liliZwi lakaZimu. (Jwa. 7:16; 8:28) Bekahlala ayifunda imiTlolo eCwengileko, ayidzubhule, ayihlathulule bekayivikele. Ukuthobeka nokukhuthalela umsebenzi wokutjhumayela nesifundo somuntu seBhayibheli kusenza sibe nomkhumbulo kaKrestu.

18. Siwusekela njani umsebenzi uJehova asinikele wona?

¹⁸ Indlela esisekela ngayo umsebenzi kaZimu: Kumnqopho kaJehova ukuthi “ebizweni lakaJesu woke amadolo aguqe, walabo abasezulwini, abasephasini, nabangaphasi kwephasi.” (Flp. 2:9-11) Ngitjho nanyana asesikhundleni esiphakemekwesi, uJesu kusafuze azithobe kuBabakhe, enze intandwakhe, okungilokho okufuze sikwenze nathi. (1 Kor. 15:28) Sikwenza njani-ke lokho? Ngokuthi siwusekele ngeenhliziyo zethu zoke umsebenzi okuthiwe siwenze ‘wokwenza abafundi’ ebantwini beentjhaba zoke. (Mat. 28:19) Asipheleli lapho, sifuna ukwenza “okuhle kibo boke abantu,” kungakhathaliseki bona ngesikholwa nabo namkha bomakhelwana bethu.—Gal. 6:10.

19. Khuyini okufuze sizimisele ukukwenza?

¹⁹ Awazi bona simthokoza kangangani uJehova ngokusikhumbuza bona sihlale sibeke iingqondo zethu ezintweni zezulwini! Yeke kufuze “sigijime ibanga esibekelwe lona ngokubekezela.” (Heb. 12:1) Kwanga soke nje singasebenzela uJehova “ngehliziyo epheleleko” ngombana uBabethu wezulwini uzosivuza ngemizamwethu.—Kol. 3:23, 24.