1. Sisigabani esijayelekileko namhlanjesi?

SEKUSISIGA ngabantu ukuthi balemuke ubuhle bento ingabafulathela! Kghani wakhe wazizwa njalo nawe? Banjalo-ke abantu, bathi nasele bakhulile bangasazinaki izinto abazifumana basesebantwana. Ngokwesibonelo, umuntu obelethwa emndenini odla kusale, uvame ukungabi namsebenzi nezinto anazo. Kanti-ke lokhu sekusisiga sabantu abatjha ngebanga lokungazi isaga esithi, ‘Ukutlhoga sakho, kubhica ngamanzi.’ Abantwaba benziwa kungazi izinto eziqakatheke khulu epilweni.

2, 3. (a) Khuyini okufuze kuyelelwe maKrestu asakhulako? (b) Khuyini okungasisiza silithokoze ilifa esinalo ngakuZimu?

² Nawumumuntu osakhulako oseminyakeni yama-20, khuyini okuqakatheke khulu kuwe? Kwabanengi, izinto ezikhamba phambili kukuba nemali, umuzi omuhle, nezinto zakanokutjho. Kodwana nengabe lokhu ngikho okukhamba phambili emaphilweni wethu, kutjho ukuthi kunento eqakathekileko esitjhoda ngayo—ukunotha ngakuZimu. Kuyadanisa-ke ukuthi abanengi sikhuluma nje abakabi nokuzipha isikhathi sokumfuna. Nina bantu abatjha enikhuliswe babelethi abamaKrestu, niyelele nitjheje bona ningaphundwa lilifa eliqakathekilekweli enilizuze ngababelethi benu. (Mat. 5:3) Phela nawungathokoziko ngalo,  ungazithola usebujamweni obumaphorodlha ukuphila kwakho koke.

³ Kodwana ungakghona ukukukhandela lokho kungenzeki. Manje, uzokusizwa yini-ke ukuthi ube mumuntu othokozako ngelifa onalo ngakuZimu? Khesihlole ezinye zeembonelo zeBhayibheli ezingasisiza sithokoze ngelifa lethwelo. Iimbonelwezi azisizi ilutjha kwaphela, kodwana zisiza nawo woke umKrestu bona athokoze ngelifa analo ngakuZimu.

4. Yoku-1 Samyela 8:1-5, ithini ngamadodana kaSamyela?

⁴ EBhayibhelini kunalapha kukhulunywa khona ngabantu abathola ilifa elihle elivela kuZimu, kodwana balithatha kancani. Kwaba njalo emndenini kaSamyela, umphorofidi kaJehova owathoma ukumsebenzela asesemsanyana, wazakhela igama elihle noZimu. (1 Sam. 12:1-5) USamyela waba sibonelo esihle khulu amadodanakhe uJuweli no-Abiya ebekufuze basilingise. Kodwana esikhundleni sokumlingisa, bambethisa mthalazeni, baqunta ukwenza okungakalungi. KwaBhayibheli liyasitjela nelithi, ‘bahlanakela iingwebo’ esikhundleni sokwenza njengoyise.—Funda 1 Samyela 8:1-5.

5, 6. Zaba njani izinto ngamadodana nabazukulu bakaJosiya?

⁵ Kwaba ngisweso nangamadodana weKosi uJosiya. UJosiya wahlahla umtlhala omuhle khulu ekukhulekeleni uJehova. Mhla afundelwa incwadi yomThetho kaZimu, uJosiya walinga ngakho koke ukuthi enze ngokwelayelo lakaJehova. Warorobha wasusa zoke iinthombembunjwa nemikhibilingwana yokusebenzelana namadimoni ezweni lelo, bewakhuthaza nabantu ukuthi balotjhe uJehova. (2 Kho. 22:8; 23:2, 3, 12-15, 24, 25) Kuyatjho ukuthi amadodanakhe bekanothile ngakuZimu! Kwathi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, amadodanakhe amathathu nomzukulwakhe baba makhosi, kodwana akukho namunye kibo ebekathokoza ngalokho akufundisiweko.

⁶ Indodana kaJosiya, uJehowarhazi waphumelela ebukhosini, kodwana “wenza ubumbi phambi” kwakaJehova. Wabusa iinyanga ezintathu kwaphela, bekwaba kulapho uFaro weGibhide amdlhunya khona ejele. Yeke, uJehowarhazi wafela eGibhide. (2 Kho. 23:31-34) Kwathi umnakwabo, uJehoyakhimu wabusa iminyaka eli-11. Naye wayithatha kancani ifundiso kayise. Ikambo yakhe yobukhohlakali yabangela bona uJoromiya aphorofide ngaye athi: “Uzakungcwatjwa njengodumbana.” (Jor. 22:17-19) Kunabanye abalandela uJosiya esihlalweni—uTsedekhiya oyindodanakhe noJehoyakini umzukulwakhe—nabo bebakhohlakele; akakho namunye wabo owalandela ikambo kaJosiya yokulunga.—2 Kho. 24:8, 9, 18, 19.

7, 8. (a) USolomoni wadlala njani ngelifa lakhe elivela kuZimu? (b) Singafundani kilabo iBhayibheli elithi badlala ngelifa labo elivela kuZimu?

⁷ USolomoni naye bekayikosi eyafunda okunengi kuyise uDavida. USolomoni bekeza kuhle ngehlangothini lakaZimu njengombana bekafundiswe njalo ekhabo bekwaba kulapho athoma ukunyefa ekwenzeni izinto ezilungileko. “Kuthe uSolomoni lokha nathoma ukuluphala, abafazi bakhe bayengela ihliziywakhe kibosingazimu. Yeke ihliziywakhe azange inamathele ngokupheleleko” kuJehova “uZimakhe njengekayise uDavida.” (1 Kho. 11:4) Lokho kwenza uJehova wamfulathela uSolomoni.

⁸ Kuyadanisa ukuthi amadoda la woke nje, bekakhuliswe kuhle, anamathuba amahle wokwenza okulungileko kodwana koke lokho akulisa kwakhamba namanzi! Kodwana akusibo boke abantu abatjha ababa mahlongandlebe njengombana kunjalo nanamhlanjesi. Nje-ke akhesibone  iimbonelo ezikhuthazako ezingalingiswa maKrestu asesematjha anamhlanjesi.

9. Ngisiphi isibonelo esihle samadodana kaNowa? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁹ Sifunda okuhle khulu emadodaneni kaNowa. Uyise walayelwa bona akhe umkhumbi bese abuthele umndenakhe kiwo. Amadodanakhe athatjiswa lithuba elihle lokwenza intando kaJehova, asebenzisana noyise. Bamsiza wawakha, kwathi nasebaqedile bangena ngaphakathi kwawo. (Gen. 7:1, 7) Bebacabanga ngani nabenza koke lokho? UGenesisi 7:3 uthi bafaka iinlwana ngemkhunjini “ukuqinisekisa bonyana zihlala zikhona ephasini mazombe.” Nabantu basinda. Ukulalela kwamadodana kaNowa nokuthokoza ilifa alifunyene uyise, kwabangela bona babe nesandla ekusindiseni isizwe sabantu nekubuyeseleni indlela efaneleko yokulotjha uZimu ephasini.—Gen. 8:20; 9:18, 19.

10. Abeswa abane abamaHebheru ebekaseBhabhiloni, bakuveza njani ukuthi bayathokoza ngamaqiniso abafundiswe wona?

¹⁰ Ematjhumini weminyaka eyalandela, abeswa abane abamaHebheru nabo baveza ukuthi ziqakatheke kangangani izinto abafundiswa zona. URhananiya, uMitjhayeli, u-Azariya, noDanyela, bathunjelwa eBhabhiloni ngomnyaka ka-617. Bebamasokana anejamo nahlakaniphileko ebekangavele angene patsi endleleni ebekuphilwa ngayo eBhabhiloni. Kodwana akhange bawuvumele nakancani umcabango onjalo. Ngikho sithi bebahlala bakhumbula abafundiswa khona njengelifa labo. UZimu wababusisa kwamambala abeswaba ngokulalela kwabo nangokwenza ngokwalokho abafundiswa khona basesebancani.—Funda uDanyela 1:8, 11-15, 20.

11. Bazuza njani abanye esibonelweni sakaJesu sebandulo alithola kuZimu?

¹¹ Angekhe sathi siqedile ngeembonelo ezihle, singakakhulumi ngoJesu, iNdodana kaZimu. Yena-ke wafunda okunengi kuYise begodu bekathokoza khulu ngakho. Kwayena uze uyayiveza indlela azikhakhazisa ngayo leyo nakathi: “Ngikhuluma lokho uBaba angifundise khona.” (Jwa. 8:28) Isifiso sakhe bekukukuthi nabanye abantu bazuze kilokho naye afundiswa khona. Ngelinye ilanga watjela iinqubuthu zabantu wathi: “Kufanele ngitjhumayele iindaba ezimnandi ngombuso kaZimu nakezinye iindawo ngombana ngithunyelwe khona lokho.” (Luk. 4:18, 43) Walemukisa nalaba ebebamlalele ukuthi kubayini kufuze ‘bangabi ngebephaseli’ elinganamsebenzi nezinto zakaZimu.—Jwa. 15:19.

12. (a) Yesi-2 Thimothi 3:14-17, isebenza njani kwabatjha namhlanjesi? (b) AmaKrestu asesematjha kufuze azibuze miphi imibuzo?

¹² Njengamasokana la esikhulume ngawo, nawe kungenzeka ukhuliswe babelethi abaphilela ukwenza intando kaJehova uZimu. Nekunjalo, kutjho ukuthi uzokuvumelana nemiTlolo ngalokho ekutjhoko ngoThimothi. (Funda 2 Thimothi 3:14-17.) Ababelethi bakho ngibo ‘abakufundisa’ ngoZimu wamambala nokuthi uthatjiswa njani. Kungenzeka bakufundisa kusukela ebuntwaneni, kangangokuthi namhlanjesi lokho kukwenze wayivulela amehlo isindiso yokuhlakanipha “ngokukholwa kuKrestu Jesu.” Lokho kwakusiza ‘wakulungela’ nokusebenzela uZimu. Manje umbuzo naku: Uzokwenzani ngefundo leyo? Lokhu kungakutlhoga uhlale phasi uzihlole. Naku ongazibuza khona: ‘Ngizizwa njani ngokubalwa hlangana nabofakazi abathembekileko? Ngizizwa njani ngokuba hlangana nabantu abambalwa kangaka ephasini abaziwa nguZimu? Ngiyathokoza na ngokwazi iqiniso, okuyinto engaziwa ngubani nangubani namhlanjesi?’

13, 14. Ngiziphi iinlingo amanye amaKrestu amatjha aqalana nazo, kodwana kubayini kubudlhadlha ukuzinaka? Yiza nesibonelo.

 ¹³ Abanye abakhuliswe maKrestu kungenzeka bangawuboni umehluko phakathi kokuba phakathi kwabazalwana ephasini loke nokuba sephasini elimbi lakaSathana. Abanye babe bakhamba bathi bafuna khebayokudla ubutjha babo ephasini. Uzibuze-ke ukuthi umuntu uzabe aphile kuhle na, nakeqela esikontirini athi batjho ufuna ukuzwa ukuthi kunjani ukutjhayiswa yikoloyi! Lokho kungaba budlhadlha bokuthiya amadiyo ngeenqobotjhelo! Nakilokhu-ke kunjalo, abe akutlhogeki bona sikhambe siyokuzwa ipilo ‘yokuziphatha ngameswe,’ sithi batjho sifuna ukuzwa ukuthi kulihlazo bekubuhlungu kangangani lokho.—1 Pet. 4:4.

¹⁴ UGener we-Asia owakhuliswa babelethi abamaKrestu, wabhajadiswa nekaneminyaka eli-12. Kuthe ekukhuleni kwakhe wathoma wakarwa zizinto zephasi. Uthi: “Bengifuna ukuzwa ‘ubumnandi’ bokuphila ngendlela othanda ngayo.” UGener wathoma ukuphila ipilo ekabili. Nekaneminyaka eli-15, besekaphila ipilo yabangani bakhe abangakalungi. Bekaduda etjwaleni, anganahlamba athi napa bayeza! UGener besekangena ngobusuku ekhaya, agembula, adlala nemidlalo yokulwa nabangani bakhe ekhomphyutheni. Kodwana ekukhambeni kwesikhathi, wanyekele walemuka bona yephaseli yona ayikho nakancani, nepilo yakhona ayazisi. Nakakhuluma ngokubuya kwakhe ebandleni uthi: “Zisese zinengi iintjhijilo engiqalene nazo, kodwana iimbusiso ezivela kuJehova zinengi kuneentjhijilwezo.”

15. Khuyini okufuze abatjha abangakakhuliswa babelethi abamaKrestu bayikhumbule?

¹⁵ Ebandleni bakhona nabanye abatjha abangakhenge bakhuliswe babelethi abamaKrestu. Nengabe ungomunye wabo, cabanga ukuthi ubusiseke kangangani ngokuthi namhlanjesi sewuyamazi uMbumbi wethu nokuthi uyamkhonza! Kunewoma elingangewoma labantu ephasini namhlanjesi, kodwana kusibusiso ukuthi wena ubalwe hlangana nalabo uJehova azikhethele bona wabatjhideza kuye ukuthi azobafundisa iqiniso leBhayibheli. (Jwa. 6:44, 45) Ekulungwaneni ngayinye yabantu abakhona namhlanjesi, kunoyedwa wabo owazi iqiniso, nawe ungomunye wabo. Ukuthi-ke iqiniso ulifumene njani akutshwenyi ngombana nje, soke siyathaba ngokuthi sesiyalazi! (Funda 1 Korinte  2:12.) UGener uthi: “Ngivele ngizizwe ngibusiseke khulu nangicabanga ngalokhu. Ngiyini mina ukuthi ngingaze ngaziwe nguJehova, uMnikazi wendawo yoke?” (Rhu. 8:5 [8:4, NW]) Nomunye udade wendaweni leyo uthi: “Abafundi abanengi bayazikhakhazisa ngokwaziwa botitjhere babo. Ungacabanga-ke ukuthi lokho kungezinga elingangani nasekuthiwa waziwa nguJehova, uMfundisi oMkhulu!”

16. Ngikuphi okuhle okufuze kukhethwe lilutjha elimaKrestu namhlanjesi?

¹⁶ Nasewucabanga ngendlela obusiseke ngayo le, kubayini vele ungasali sewuzimisela ukuhlala phakathi kwabantu abambalwa ebebasolo benza kuhle emaphilwenabo? Ngokwenza njalo, nawe uzokubalwa hlangana nomjeje wabantu bakaZimu abathembekileko. Kungcono khulu lokho, kunokuthi ulandele inengi lelutjha elikopakopela ngerharheni, ekubhujisweni kwephaseli.—2 Kor. 4:3, 4.

17-19. Khuyini okungakusiza uyizwisise kuhle indaba yokuhluka ephasini?

¹⁷ Ukuthi uhlukile ephasini, akutjho ukuthi izinto zizokuba bulula ngaso soke isikhathi. Kodwana nasewuyicabangisisa kuhle indaba le, kukuhlakanipha ukuhluka. Nasi isibonelo: Cabanga ngomdlali wama-Olimphiki. Nekazakuba mdlali ophuma phambili, kufuze ahluke. Kufuze alise zoke izinto ezingamdlela isikhathi sakhe sokuzibandula. Yeke, ngebanga lokufuna ukuhluka kwabanye abadlali abafana naye, uzozipha isikhathi esingangesikhathi ekutheni azibandulele ukufinyelela umgomakhe.

¹⁸ Abantu bephasi bakholelwa bona ipilo yifitjhani. Kodwana wena nawungahluka ephasini, ulise neendlela zalo ezisilapheleko nezingonakalisa ubuhlobo bakho noZimu, uzokubambelela “ekuphileni okungikho.” (1 Thim. 6:19) Udade ekhekwakhulunywa ngaye loya ekuthomeni kuthi: “Nawukusekela ngazo zoke iindlela lokho okukholelwako, uzozizwa waneliseke kwamambala emaphethelweni wamhlokho. Kuzokutjho ukuthi uwuhlulile umoya wephasi lakaSathana. Okuhle kunakho koke, kukuthi uJehova naye uzabe azikhakhazisa ngawe! Ngilokho-ke okumnandi ngokuhluka!”

¹⁹ Ipilo iyadondisa nengabe umuntu ugijimisana nalokho angakuthola njenganje. (UmTj. 9:2, 10) Nawusese mutjha khewuziphe isikhathi, ucabangisise kuhle ukuthi ufuna ukwenzani ngepilo yakho. Kuzabe kungasikuhlakanipha na ukufulathela indlela yokuphila yabantu bephasi, bese uzitholela ipilo yamambala eyanelisako?—Efe. 4:17; Mal. 3:18.

20, 21. Nasenza iinqunto ezihle, sisuke sizibeka kimaphi amathuba, kodwana khuyini okulindeleke kithi?

²⁰ Nasikhetha kuhle kusese nje, singaba nepilo ethabisako, besizibeke nemathubeni wokuzuza “ilifa lephasi”—siphile isiphelani. Silindwe yimbedla yeembusiso, kangangobana ngendlela ezizinengi ngayo, kubudisi nokuzicabanga zoke. (Mat. 5:5; 19:29; 25:34) Okufuze sikwazi kukuthi, uZimu akathengwa lula njalo. Ulindele bona nathi senze okuthileko. (Funda 1 Jwanisi 5:3, 4.) Esingakutjho kukuthi nasimlotjha kusese nje kuyinto engekhe sazisola ngayo!

²¹ UZimu usiphe izinto ezinengi khulu esingazikhakhazisa ngazo! Sikhuluma nje, usembulele imininingwana esiliZwini lakhe elinembileko iBhayibheli, kunye namaqiniso weminqopho yakhe. Uyithini yebizo lakhe esilisebenzisako njengaboFakazi bakhe? UZimu usithembise ukuhlala anathi ngaso soke isikhathi. (Rhu. 118:7) Yeke, kwanga soke singahlala sithokoza, lokho kubonakale nendleleni esiphila ngayo malungana nokukhonza kwethu uJehova, simdumise “ngokungapheliko.”—Rom. 11:33-36; Rhu. 33:12.