1. Siphila kisiphi isikhathi?

SIPHILA ‘eenkhathini ezibudisi kwamambala.’ Solo kwango-1914 nakuthoma “iinkhathi ezibudisi” izinto zaba zimbi kwamanikelela. (2 Thimothi 3:1-5) Okufuze sikwazi kukuthi izinto zisazokuthuwelela ukudlula lokho esikubona namhlanjesi. Angithi neBhayibheli liyatjho ukuthi, “iinkhohlakali nabakhohlisi bazakuragela phambili ebumbini.”—2 Thimothi 3:13.

2. Ngiziphi zokuzithabisa abantu abanengi abazithabelako? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

² Abantu abanengi bazithabisa ngokubukela amafilimu wokulwa namkha akhohlakeleko kuhlanganise womejiki nofana wobuloyi. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Inthanethi, amahlelo we-tv, amafilimu, neencwadi kanengi ziveza ukulwa nokukhohlakala kubonakale ngasuthi kuyinto ehle. Ukuziphatha okuhlazisako ebekukutjhiya ubambe wangaphasi umlomo, sekuphenduke into emnandi nehlekisako, begodu  sele kusemthethweni kezinye iindawo. Kodwana lokho akutjho ukuthi ziyamukeleka kuJehova.—Funda amaRoma 1:28-32.

3. Abantu abanengi babathatha njani labo abaphila ngemithetho kaZimu?

³ Ngesikhathi samaKrestu wokuthoma abantu bebayibukela nabo imidlalo yokulwa nekhohlakeleko. Kodwana nakubafundi bakaJesu bona bebangakwenzi lokho ngombana bebaphila ngemithetho kaZimu. Lokho ‘kwabarara’ abantu ebebaphila nabo. Alo-ke umphumela waba yini? Kwadlalwa ngabo bebatlhoriswa nokutlhoriswa. (1 Pitrosi 4:4) Nanamhlanjesi abantu abanengi bacabanga ukuthi abantu abaphila ngemithetho yeBhayibheli baphila ipilo engafani neyomuntu woke. Kuhlekuhle iBhayibheli besele lisiyelelisile bona abalandeli bakaJesu Krestu “bazakuzunywa” batlhoriswe.—2 Thimothi 3:12.

4. Kubayini kanti kungakafuzi sithande iphaseli?

⁴ Nasifuna ukwenza intando kaZimu asikwazi ukuthi ‘singathanda iphasi namkha izinto zephasi.’ (Funda 1 Jwanisi 2:15, 16) USathana “uzimu wesikhathesi” uliphethe ngezakhe izandla iphaseli. Usebenzisa ikolo, aborhulumende, iinhlangano zezamarhwebo abuye asebenzise nezinto esizibukelako bona afake abantu ehlathini. (2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Jwanisi 5:19) Thina asifuni ukulawulwa liphaseli, yeke kufuze sibalekele ukuba nesingani nabantu abakhohlakeleko. IBhayibheli lisitjela emehlweni nalithi: “Ningakhohliswa! Ukujayelana nabantu abakhohlakeleko konakalisa isimilo esihle.”—1 Korinte 15:33.

5, 6. Bobani ekufuze singathomi sibe bangani babo begodu kubayini?

⁵ Nasizakuragela phambili sinesikhozi noJehova kufuze singabi mngani wananyana ngubani owenza izinto ezikhohlakeleko. Lokho-ke kuhlanganisa ngitjho nalabo abathi balotjha uJehova khisibe ngapha benza amanyala. Nangabe abantu abanjalo bawela esonweni esikhulu bese bangaphenduki, kufuze silise ukujayelana nabo.—Roma 16:17, 18.

⁶ Vele abantu banjalo, bayathanda ukwamukelwa bangani babo babathabise. Yeke nakube siba bangani nabantu abangamlaleliko uZimu, singakhe silingekele nokwenza lokho abakwenzako. Ngokwesibonelo, nakungenzeka sibe bangani babantu abaziphethe kumbi ngokomseme, singazifumana nathi sesifana nabo. Lokho sebele kwenzekile kubafowethu nabodadwethu. Kwathi labo abangaphendukiko basuswa ekuhlanganyeleni. (1 Korinte 5:11-13) Nabangaphendukiko, ubujamo babo bungafana nalobu obahlathululwa nguPitrosi. —Funda 2 Pitrosi 2:20-22.

7. Babantu abanjani okufuze babe bangani bethu?

 ⁷ Sifuna ukuba nobuntu ebantwini boke kodwana godu asifuni kutjhidelana khulu nabantu abangalaleli uZimu. Akukalungi bona uFakazi kaJehova ongakatjhadi ahlanganyele indawo yokufihla ihloko nomuntu ongamhloniphiko uJehova. Uyithini-ke yokuthi uFakazi athandane nomuntu ongakabhajadiswa ongasinguFakazi kaJehova? Kuqakatheke khulu ukuthandwa nguZimu kunokuthi wamukelwe babantu abangamthandi uZimu. Kwethu kukobana sibe bangani nabantu abenza intando kaZimu. UJesu wathi, “Nanyana ngubani owenza intando kaZimu ungumfowethu, nodadwethu nomma.”—Markosi 3:35.

8. Ukukhetha abangani abakhohlakeleko kuwafake njani engozini ama-Israyeli?

⁸ Ukuba nesingani nabantu kuzihloma ngomuno ngelihlweni. Khesenze isibonelo ngekhe kwenzeka ngama-Israyeli. Ngaphambi kobana bafike eNarheni yesiThembiso uJehova wabatjela indlebe ukuzwa ngabantu ebebahlala lapho. Wathi: “Ningakhothameli abosingazimu babo begodu ningabalotjhi. Ningenzi izinto ngendlelabo kodwana nibaphelise nya beniphadlhe namatjabo akhethekileko. Lotjhani” uJehova “uZimenu.” (Eksodusi 23:24, 25) Kodwana amezwi lawo angena ngapha aphuma ngapha eendlebeni zama-Israyeli, agcina sele onele uZimu. (IRhubo 106:35-39) Waba yini umphumela walokho? Ekugcineni uJehova wasitlhala isitjhaba sakwa-Israyeli wakhetha ibandla lamaKrestu bona libe babantu bakhe.—Matewu 23:38; IzEnzo 2:1-4.

9. Kubayini zokuzithabisa zephaseli zingaba yingozi kumaKrestu?

⁹ Izinto ezinengi zokuzithabisa zephaseli njengamahlelo we-tv, i-inthanethi, neencwadi zingona isingani sethu noJehova. Izintwezi azikenzelwa bona siqinise indlela esikholwa ngayo kuJehova naseenthembisweni zakhe. Kunalokho zikhuthaza abantu bona bathembele ephasini lakaSathana elikhohlakelekweli. Yeke kufuze sitjheje bona asibukeli, asifundi namkha silalele nanyana yini engasibangela bona sibe “neenkanuko zephasi.”—Titosi 2:12.

10. Kuzokwenzekani ngokuzithabisa kwephaseli?

¹⁰ Kungasikade iphasi lakaSathana nezokuzithabisa zalo ezikhohlakeleko kuzokubhujiswa. Lalela ukuthi iBhayibheli lithini: “Iphasi neenkanuko zalo kuyadlula; kodwana loyo owenza intando kaZimu unokuphila okungapheliko.” (1 Jwanisi 2:17) Kufana nomvumo womrhubi owathi: “Abenzi bobumbi bazakususwa.” Wangezelela ngokuthi: “Kodwana abathobekileko bazakuzuza inarha, bathabele ukuthula okukhulu.” Kanti kuyokwenzeka bekube nini lokho? Uthi: “Abalungileko bazakuzuza inarha, bahlale kiyo nini nanini.”—IRhubo 37:9, 11, 29.

11. UZimu usisiza njani bona sihlale sithembekile kuye?

¹¹ Ihlangano kaJehova ayifani nephasi lakaSathana ngombana isisiza bona siphile ukuphila okusisa ekuphileni okungapheliko. UJesu wathandaza kuJehova wathi, “Ukuphila okungapheliko ngilokho bona bazi wena wedwa  Zimu weqiniso nokwazi uJesu Krestu, omthumileko.” (Jwanisi 17:3) UJehova usebenzisa ihlanganwakhe bona asinikele koke esikutlhogako bona simazi. Ngokwesibonelo, sinabomagazini, iincwajana, iincwadi, amavidiyo ne-jw.org ezisisiza bona silotjhe uZimu. Okhunye ihlanganwakhe ekwenzako, kulungiselela imihlangano yamabandla angaphezu kwayi-110 000. Esikufunda emihlanganweni emincani nemikhulu kuqinisa ukukholwa esinakho ngoJehova nangeenthembiso zakhe.—Hebheru 10:24, 25.

12. Akhuhlathulule bona sitjho ukuthini isiluleko esiseBhayibhelini esithi tjhada kwaphela “eKosini.”

¹² Labo abafuna ukuthatha nabafuna ukwenda kufuze bayelele khulu bona bakhetha umuntu onjani. IliZwi lakaZimu liyasiyelelisa nalisithi, “Ningazihlanganisi nabangakholwako. Kunabudlelwano bani phakathi kwabalungileko nabangakalungi na? Namkha kunahlanganyelo bani phakathi komkhanyo nobumnyama na?” (2 Korinte 6:14) IBhayibheli lithi labo abalotjha uZimu, kufuze bende namkha bathathe “eKosini.” Lokho kutjho ukuthi kufuze utjhade nomuntu ozinikele kuJehova wabhajadiswa, begodu uphila ngokuvumelana nemithetho kaZimu. (1 Korinte 7:39) Nange ungathatha namkha wende emntwini othanda uJehova ngaleyo ndlela, uzabe ufumene umnono ngombana uzabe utjhade nomuntu ozokusiza uhlale uthembekile kuZimu.

13. UZimu wawayala wathini ama-Israyeli?

¹³ UJehova uyakwazi okusilungeleko begodu ukuthi sitjhade kwaphela nomuntu ‘nakube uyakholwa eKosini’ akusimyalo omutjha. Uyakhumbula bonyana uJehova wathini kuma-Israyeli ngabantu abangamlotjhiko? Wakhuluma ngoMosi wathi: “Ningakhi isikhozi nazo ngokwendisela amadodakazenu emadodanenazo namkha nithathele amadodanenu amadodakazazo. Nakungasinjalo, zizakudurhisa amadodanenu angasalandeli [uJehova] bese alotjha abosingazimu. Itukuthelo [kaJehova] izakuvutha phezu kwenu, anirhayile masinyana.”—Duteronomi 7:3, 4.

14, 15. Kwenzekani kuSolomoni njengombana angakhenge alalele umyalo kaJehova?

¹⁴ Msinyana ngemva kobana uSolomoni abe yikosi yakwa-Israyeli wathandazela ukuhlakanipha, ngambala uJehova wamupha khona simahla. Ngikho-ke uSolomoni aba mbusi omuhle kwamambala wesitjhaba. Nendlovukazi yeTjheba yakarwa kuhlakanipha kwakaSolomoni beyathi kuye, “Ukuhlakanipha nomnotho onawo kudlula umbiko engiwuzwileko kude.” (1 AmaKhosi 10:7) Kodwana uSolomoni abuye asifundise  nangokuthi kwenzekani nange umuntu angatjhada nomuntu ongamlotjhi uJehova.—UMtjhumayeli 4:13.

¹⁵ Cabange nje, ngitjho nanyana uJehova ambusisile, uSolomoni wafese waqinisa ihloko wangalaleli umyalo kaZimu ozwakala kuhle nje. USolomoni ‘wathanda nabanye abafazi abanengi abatjhili’ ebebangamlotjhi uJehova, wagcina sele anabafazi abayi-700. Iintombi zakhe zona khabe ziyi-300. Kwagcina sele kwenzekeni? Kuthe lokha uSolomoni nathoma ukuluphala, abafazabo “bayengela ihliziywakhe kibosingazimu, . . . uSolomoni wenza ubumbi” phambi kwakaJehova. (1 AmaKhosi 11:1-6) Uyabona ukuthi kujayelana nabantu abakhohlakeleko kunjani, kwadunga ingqondo kaSolomoni khenge asathembeka kuJehova. Nangabe lokho kwenzeka kuSolomoni, yini engakuvimba bona kungenzeki kuwe? Ngikho-ke singakucabangi nokukucabanga ukutjhada nomuntu ongamthandi kaJehova!

16. IBhayibheli linikela siphi isiyeleliso emntwini otjhade nomuntu ongakholwako?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani-ke nakhibe umuntu ukhetha ukulotjha uJehova sele atjhade nomuntu ongakholwako? Kilokhu-ke iBhayibheli lithi: “Nani bafazi, thobelani amadodenu ukuze kuthi nanyana kukhona amanye angalaleli ilizwi, azuzeke ngaphandle kwekulumo, kodwana ngokuziphatha kwabafazi bawo.” (1 Pitrosi 3:1) Umyalo lo usebenza nendodeni enomfazi ongamlotjhi uJehova. IliZwi lakaZimu liyibeka emtarini indaba le: Iba yindoda namkha umfazi omuhle, wenze  ngokwekambiso kaZimu yomtjhado. Kuzokuthi lokha umlinganakho nakabona sele utjhentjhile naye afune ukulotjha uJehova. Ngilokho okwenzeka ebantwini abanengi abatjhadileko.

17, 18. Khuyini eyasiza uNowa bona asinde ngomThwalela? Yini eyasiza amaKrestu wangekhulu lokuthoma asinda nakubhujiswa iJerusalema?

¹⁷ Ukuba nabangani abakhohlakeleko kungakwenza ukuthi ungasamlaleli uJehova, kodwana ukujayelana nabangani abalungileko kungakusiza uhlale uthembekile kuye. UNowa usibonelo sethu esihle. Waphila ngalesa sikhathi ‘ubukhohlakali bomuntu bebubukhulu ephasini nokobana imizindlo yehliziywakhe isophe okumbi ngesikhathi soke.’ (Genesisi 6:5) Abantu bebakhohlakele khulu kangangobana uJehova waqunta ukulibhubhisa iphasi elikhohlakelekwelo. Kodwana uNowa bekahlukile. IBhayibheli nalikhuluma ngaye lithi: “Gade ayindoda elungileko” “begodu gade atjhidelene noZimu.”—Genesisi 6:7-9.

¹⁸ UNowa akhenge abe nabangani abangamlotjhiko uJehova. Yena nomndenakhe bebamajadu bakha umkhumbi, godu ‘amtjhumayeli wokulunga.’ (2 Pitrosi 2:5) UNowa, unobentwabakhe, amadodanabo nabomkabo gade babambisene kuhle. Bebenza izinto esithabisa uZimu, umphumela walokho waba kusinda umThwaleleni. Soke nje namhlanje siziinzululwana zabo, kufuze kusithabise ukuthi uNowa nomndenakhe khenge babe nabangani abakhohlakeleko balalela uJehova. AmaKrestu wokuthoma nawo enza soneso khenge azihlanganise nabantu abangamthandiko uJehova. Bamlalela bebasinda nakubhujiswa iJerusalema ngomnyaka ka-70.—Lukasi 21:20-22.

19. Sizokusizwa yini bona sithembeke kuJehova?

¹⁹ NjengoNowa nomndenakhe namaKrestu wokuthoma, nathi kufuze singenzi isingani nabantu abangamthandi uJehova. Sinabafowethu nabodadwethu abathembekileko abangaphezu kweengidi ezibunane esingakhetha kibo abangani. Bona-ke bazosisiza ‘sihlale silindile’ eenkhathini ezinzima. (1 Korinte 16:13; IzAga 13:20) Akhe uthi uyacabanga bona kuzokuba mnandi kangangani ukusinda nakurhalilwa iphasi elikhohlakelekweli, nasele siphila ephasini lakaJehova elitjha! Yeke kuqakatheke khulu ukuthi singabi bangani nabantu abakhohlakeleko!