1. (a) Kwenzekani kuPitrosi ngesikhathi kunesiwuruwuru elwandle leGalile? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Kubayini uPitrosi athoma ukutjhingela?

NGELINYE ilanga ebusuku, umpostoli uPitrosi nabanye abafundi bakaJesu bebakikirizisana nommoya nesiwuruwuru nabalinga ukweyama iLwandle leGalile. Nabathi mehlo suka, nanguya uJesu akhamba phezu kwelwandle. UPitrosi wathoma warhuwelela uJesu bewambuza bona angakghona na ukukhamba phezu kwamanzi eze kuye. Kuthe uJesu nakamtjela bona akeze, uPitrosi wathoma-ke waphuma ngemkhunjini watataya emanzini watjhinga kuJesu. Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, uPitrosi wanupeliyani. Kubayini kanti kwenzeka njalo? Uthe nakabona isiwuruwuru namagagasi warhidlwa livalo. Warhuwelela wabawa bona uJesu amrhelebhe. uJesu wase wamudzwebu msinyana, ngemva kwalokho wathi kuye: “Wena onokukholwa okuncani, uzazeleni na?”—Matewu 14:24-32.

2. Njenganje sizokucoca ngani?

² Akhesicabange ngezinto ezintathu ezimalungana nokukholwa endabeni kaPitrosi: (1) UPitrosi watjengisa njani  bona uyamthemba uJehova nakathoma ukukhamba emanzini? (2) Kubayini uPitrosi alahlekelwa kukholwa? (3) Yini eyasiza uPitrosi bona akhe ukukholwa kwakhe? Ukufunda ngamaphuzu la kuzosisiza ‘sijame sidzimelele ekukholweni.’—1 Korinte 16:13.

3. UPitrosi waphuma njani ngemkhunjini, begodu khuyini thina esikwenzileko okupheze kufane nalokho?

³ UPitrosi bekanokukholwa okuqinileko. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Uthe uJesu nakambizako, uPitrosi wafese waphuma ngemkhunjini wakhamba phezu kwamanzi watjhinga kuye. Bekakholwa bona amandla kaZimu azomenza akghone ukwenza njengombana uJesu asenza. Kuyafana nangathi. Angithi sithe uJesu nakasibizako bona sibe balandeli bakhe, sazinikela kuJehova besabhajadiswa. Kubayini senza njalo? Kungebanga lokuthi siyakholwa kuJehova nakuJesu, begodu sinethemba lokuthi bazosirhelebha.—Jwanisi 14:1; Funda u-1 Pitrosi 2:21.

4, 5. Kubayini sithi ukukholwa kuligugu kithi?

⁴ Ukukholwa kuligugu kithi. Ngokukholwa uPitrosi wakghona ukukhamba phezu kwamanzi, okuyinto ebonakala imhlolo emuntwini. Nathi, ukukholwa kungasenzisa izinto abantu abangakghoni ukuzenza. (Matewu 21:21, 22) Abanye bethu sitjhugulule indlela ebesicabanga nebesenza ngayo izinto, kangangobana abantu ebebasazi ngaphambilini abasasazi njenganje. Amatjhuguluko la siwenziswa kukobana siyamthanda uJehova begodu uyasisiza bona siwenze. (Funda beKolose 3:5-10.) Ukukholwa ngikho okwasihlohlozela bona sizinikele kuJehova. Sesibangani bakhe. Lokho besingeze sakghona ukukwenza ngaphandle kobana asisize.—Efesu 2:8.

⁵ Ukukholwa kwethu kuyasiqinisa. Ngokwesibonelo, kusisiza silwisane nokuhlasela kwakaDeveli, inaba lethu elinamandla khulu. (Efesu 6:16) Njengombana sithembele kuJehova nje, akukafuzi sitshwenyeke khulu nasihlangabezana nemiraro. Angitjho phela uJehova nguye osithembise bona uzosinikela esikutlhogako kwaphela thina nasinokukholwa kuye besibeke nomBuswakhe qangi. (Matewu 6:30-34) Ngaphezu kwakho koke, nasingakholwa kuJehova, uzosipha isipho esizidlula zoke esikuphila okungapheliko.—Jwanisi 3:16.

6, 7. (a) Imimoya namagagasi okwathusa uPitrosi singakufanisa nani? (b) Kubayini kufuze silemuke bona singalahlekelwa kukholwa kwethu?

⁶ Lokha uPitrosi nakakhamba phezu kweLwandle leGalile wafikelwa kukwesaba. Kubayini? Ngebanga lommoyakazi omkhulu namagagasi. Lokhu kungafaniswa neentjhijilo neenlingo ezinengi amaKrestu aqalana nazo namhlanjesi. Nanyana imiraro le ibudisi, uJehova angasiqinisa. Kodwana khumbula okwehlakalela uPitrosi. Akhenge atjhingele ngebanga lommoyakazi namagagasi. Kunalokho iBhayibheli lithi: “Kuthe lokha nabona ummoya,  wesaba bewathoma ukutjhingela.” (Matewu 14:30) UPitrosi walisa ukuqala uJesu waqala indlela ummoya ebewunamandla ngayo. Yeke, ukukholwa kwakhe kwabogaboga. Nathi, nasingatjhejana nemiraro yethu khulu singathoma ukuzaza bona uJehova angasisiza.

⁷ Kufuze silemuke bonyana kuyenzeka sigcine sele singasanakho ukukholwa. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Kungombana iBhayibheli liyatjho bona ukulahlekelwa kukholwa ‘sisono esisitantela lula.’ (Hebheru 12:1, NW) Nasingathoma sidzimelele khulu eentjhijilweni neenlingweni njengoPitrosi, ukukholwa kwethu kuzokunyefa. Yeke, sazi njani nangabe ukukholwa kwethu kusengozini? Imibuzo eseengabeni ezilandelako izosisiza sizihlole thina ngokwethu.

8. Iinthembiso zakaZimu zingathoma zififiyele njani kunangendlela ebesizithatha ngayo ngaphambilini?

⁸ Inga-kghani iinthembiso zakaZimu ngisazithatha ngendlela ebengizithatha ngayo njengakade? Ngokwesibonelo, uZimu usithembisile bona uzokurhayila iphasi lakaSathana. Kodwana kungenzeka sisithwe kudzimelela ezintweni ezihlukahlukeneko esizithabisa ngazo zephaseli. Nangabe kunjalo-ke, kutjho khona bona sesithoma ukungabaza bona isiphelo sesitjhidele. (Rhabakhukhu 2:3) Akhucabange nganasi esinye isibonelo. UJehova usiphe isihlengo, wasithembisa nokuthi uzozilibalela izono zethu. Kodwana nasingasolo sidzimele ezonweni nemitjhaphweni esayenza kade, singathoma singabaze nokuthi uJehova usilibalele. (IzEnzo 3:19) Ekugcineni singathoma singasakuthabeli ukusebenzela uZimu, silise nokutjhumayela.

9. Kungenzekani nasingadzimelela khulu ekwenzeni izinto ezifunwa ngithi?

⁹ Inga-kghani ngisakhuthele na ekusebenzeleni uJehova? Ukuberega budisi emsebenzini kaJehova kusisiza sidzimelele khulukhulu kilokho esikulindeleko ngomuso. Kodwana, kuthiwani nange sithoma ukudzimelela khulukhulu eendabeni zethu? Isibonelo salokho, singathola umberego orholela imali engangemali, bese sinciphise ngemsebenzini kaJehova. Lokho kungakunyefisa ukunyefa ukukholwa kwethu, sizithole ‘sesidonda,’ sikukuruja iinsalela siziphe uJehova.—Hebheru 6:10-12.

10. Sikutjengisa njani bona sinokukholwa nasilibalela abanye?

¹⁰ Kubudisi kangangani kimi bona ngilibalele abanye? Abantu nabasilimazako senzani, siyabakwatela na, sigcine sele singasabakhulumisi? Nakunjalo kungenzeka sesidzimelele khulu emazizwenethu kunokwenza lokho okufunwa nguZimu. Ukuthi umuntu unokukholwa okuqinileko simbona ngokulibalela abanye. Sikutjhwiso yini lokho? Nakube umuntu uyasona, kufana nokuthi uyasikoloda.  Nathi nasonela uJehova, kuyafana nokuthi siyamkoloda. (Lukasi 11:4) Yeke, nasilibalela abanye, vane siveza bona siyamthemba uZimu. Siyathemba bona nasicabanga kuhle ngabanye abantu uzosibusisa. Yeke isibusiso sakaZimu sidlula ukubhadelisa izono abantu abasona ngazo. Nabafundi bakaJesu bebazi kuhle bona nawuzakulibalela omunye kufuze ube nokukholwa. UJesu nasele abatjela bona balibalele ababatjhapheleko, abafundi bakhe bambawa bathi: “Yandisa ukukholwa kwethu.”—Lukasi 17:1-5.

11. Lisilahlekela njani ithuba lokufunda ukuqakatheka kokukhalinywa?

¹¹ Inga-kghani ngiphatheka kumbi nangikhalinywako? Akhufunde ukuqakatheka kokukhalinywa kunokuthi usolo uqale imitjhapho yomuntu okukhalimako. (IzAga 19:20) Ungalilisi ithuba lokufunda indlela yokucabanga njengoJehova likhambe namanzi!

12. Umuntu vane aphethwe yini nakasolo anghonghoyila ngabadosi phambili bethu?

¹² Kghani ngihlala nginghonghoyila ngalabo abadosa phambili ebandleni? Ama-Israyeli adzimelela khulu emibikweni emimbi eyalethwa ziinhloli ezilitjhumi, bathoma banghonghoyila ngoMosi no-Aroni. UJehova wabuza uMosi wathi: “Kuzabe kube nini abantwaba bangidelela na?” (Numeri 14:2-4, 11) UJehova bekazi kuhle bona ama-Israyeli bewangamthembi ngombana bekanghonghoyila ngoMosi no-Aroni, ababeke bona bawadose phambili. Nathi namhlanje nasingasolo sibakhomba ngemino labo uJehova ababeke bona basidose phambili, sisuka sitjengisa bonyana asisamthembi uZimu.

13. Kubayini kungakafaneli silahle ithemba nakube sibona ukuthi ukukholwa kwethu kunyefile?

¹³ Njengombana sicoca ngemibuzo le, ungazibethi nawufumana bona ukukholwa  kwakho kunyefile. Ngitjho nompostoli uPitrosi wakhe wasaba wathoma wangabaza. Ngasikhathi, uJesu bekanokubatjela abafundi bakhe bona ‘banokukholwa okuncani.’ (Matewu 16:8) Kodwana lokho okwehlakalela uPitrosi kungasifundisa isifundo esiqakathekileko. Ulemukile na bona uPitrosi wenzani ngemva kokuthoma ukuzaza bewatjhingela ngelwandle?

14, 15. (a) Wenzani uPitrosi nakabona ukuthi sekatjhingela ngemanzini? (b) Thina ‘singamqala njani uJesu’?

¹⁴ Wenzani uPitrosi nakathoma ukutjhingela ngemanzini? Ungalibali phela, ukuthi uPitrosi bekakwazi ukududa. Yeke, bekangaduda abuyele esikepeni. (Jwanisi 21:7) Kodwana kubayini besele ahlulwa nakududa? Kungombana bekangasazithembi yena ngokwakhe. Bekaqale uJesu, bewamvumela nokobana amsize. Nathi nakube silemuka bona awa njekhona ukukholwa kwethu sekuthoma ukunyefa, asilingise uPitrosi. Sikwenza njani lokho?

¹⁵ Njengombana uPitrosi bekaqale uJesu afuna isizo kuye, nathi ‘asiqale kuJesu.’ (Funda amaHebheru 12:2, 3.) Kodwana thina angekhe simbone ngamehlwethu njengombana abonwa nguPitrosi. Yeke, ‘simqala’ njani-ke thina? Kufuze sifunde ngezinto ebekazifundisa, silinge ukumlingisa patsi. Isizo lokuqinisa ukukholwa kwethu litholakala ngokwenza njalo. Kunezinye godu iindlela esingalingisa ngazo uJesu.

16. IBhayibheli lingasisiza njani bona siqinise ukukholwa kwethu?

¹⁶ Themba iBhayibheli ngehliziywakho yoke. UJesu bekaqiniseka bona iBhayibheli liliZwi lakaZimu, nokuthi asikho isiluleko esidlula leso esivela eBhayibhelini. (Jwanisi 17:17) Nathi asilingise uJesu ngokulifunda qobe langa, silihlolisise, besizindle ngeemfundo esizifunda kilo. Nange kwenzeka siba nemibuzo, asirhubhulule sifune iimpendulo. Ngokwesibonelo, uyaqiniseka kwamambala na bona siphila emihleni yokuphela? Qinisa ukukholwa kwakho ngokufunda iimphorofido zeBhayibheli ezibufakazi bokuthi siphila emihleni yokuphela. Uyafuna na ukukuthemba lokho uZimu asithembise khona ngengomuso? Funda iimphorofido eziseBhayibhelini esele zizalisekile. Uyakholwa na bona iBhayibheli liyasebenza epilwenethu namhlanjesi? Funda ngabafowethu nabodade abatjhugulule amaphilwabo basizwa ngilo iBhayibheli. * (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.)—1 Thesalonika 2:13.

17. Yini ebeyenza uJesu akghodlhelelele iinlingo ezibudisi? Wena ungamlingisa njani?

¹⁷ Dzimelela eembusisweni ezithenjiswe nguJehova. UJesu bekadzimelele eembusisweni azozifumana esikhathini esizako, ngikho akghona nokukghodlhelelela iinlingo ezibudisi. (Hebheru 12:2) Khenge asithwe zizinto zephasi. (Matewu 4:8-10) Thina singamlingisa njani? Zindla ngalokho uZimu akuthembisileko. Akhuzibone usephasini elitjha. Hlala phasi utlole namkha wenze umgwalo walokho ofuna ukukwenza ePharadesi. Namkha ungatlola irhelo labantu abazokuvuswa kwabafileko ofuna ukubabona nofuna ukucocisana nabo. Zibone iinthembiswezi, ungaziboni zenzeka ebantwini, zibone zenzeka kuwe ngokwakho.

18. Umthandazo ungakusiza njani bona uqinise ukukholwa kwakho?

 ¹⁸ Thandazela ukwandiselwa ukukholwa. UJesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe bona babawe umoya ocwengileko kuJehova. (Lukasi 11:9, 13) Njengombana ubawa umoya ocwengileko nje, bawa nokwandiselwa ukukholwa. Ukukholwa kungezinye zeenthelo zomoya ocwengileko. Ungasolo utjhinga le nale nawuthandazako, bawa into ngokunqophileko. Ngokwesibonelo, nawubona ukuthi kubudisi kuwe ukulibalela abanye, bawa uJehova aqinise ukukholwa kwakho, akusize ukghone ukulibalela abanye.

19. Sibakhetha njani abangani abavuthiweko?

¹⁹ Khetha abangani abanokukholwa okuqinileko. UJesu wabakhetha kuhle abakhozi bakhe. Abantu ebebanjengamathe nelimu naye bekubapostoli abathembekileko, nabamlalelako. (Funda uJwanisi 15:14, 15.) Nawe-ke yewulingise uJesu, ukhethe abangane abavuthiweko. Yiba nabangani abanokukholwa okuqinileko abalalela uJesu. Abangani bamambala abathuli nakunomraro, yeke, bayakhalimana nakufuze kukhalinywane.—IzAga 27:9.

20. Kwenzekani nasingasiza abanye bona bakhe ukukholwa kwabo?

²⁰ Yewurhelebhe nabanye baqinise ukukholwa kwabo. UJesu bekabaqinisa ngamezwakhe nangezenzo zakhe abafundi bakhe. (Markosi 11:20-24) Nathi kufuze sikulingise lokho. Nasenza njalo, siqinisa kwethu ukukholwa nokwabanye. (IzAga 11:25) Manje wena ubasiza njani abantu esimini yangekhenu? Nawufundisa abanye ngeBhayibheli, ligandelele iphuzu lokuthi uZimu ukhona, nokuthi uyabathanda abantu, nokobana iBhayibheli liliZwi lakaZimu. Ungagcini ngabantu besimini kwaphela, kodwana qinisa nabafowenu nabodadwenu. Nawubona omunye athoma ukunghonghoyila ngomdosi phambili ebandleni, ungampheleli ihliziyo. Msize kuhle nangokuhlakanipha bona aqinise ukukholwa kwakhe. (Juda 22, 23) Nawusafunda esikolweni, bese utitjhere afundise ngokuzivelela kwemvelo, iba nesibindi sokuvikela ukukholwa kwakho umtjele bonyana izinto zidaliwe. Kungenzeka utitjhere nabantwana ofunda nabo basabele ngendlela ebewungakacabangi.

21. UJehova usithembiseni?

²¹ UJehova noJesu barhelebha uPitrosi bona ahlule ukusaba nokungabaza kwakhe. Kwathi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uPitrosi waba sibonelo esihle ebantwini, somuntu onokukholwa nesibindi. Nathi-ke, uJehova uthe uzosisiza soke bona sizinze ekukholweni. (Funda u-1 Pitrosi 5:9, 10.) Ukwakha ukukholwa akusimdlalo wabentwana, kodwana uJehova uzokubusisa nawungalinga ngokusemandlenakho bona wakhe ukukholwa kwakho.