1. Kuqakatheke kangangani ukukholwa? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

WAKHE wazibuza, ukuthi, ‘Kazi uJehova uzangisindisa na ngesikhathi seenhlupheko ezimbi?’ Umpostoli uPowula wathi umuntu nakazakusinda, ukukholwa kuqakatheke kwamambala. Wanaba wathi: “Ngaphandle kokukholwa akwenzeki ukumthokozisa uZimu.” (Hebheru 11:6) Kungazwakala ngasuthi kumdlalo wabentwana lokho, kodwana iqiniso kukuthi “akusibo boke abanokukholwa.” (2 Thesalonika 3:2) Imitlolo emibili le isenza sizwisise indlela okuqakatheke ngakho ukuqinisa ukukholwa kwethu.

2, 3. (a) Ukukholwa kwethu kuqakatheke kangangani? (b) Njenganje sizokhe sicoce ngamiphi imibuzo?

² Umpostoli uPitrosi naye khewakhuluma ‘ngokuzizinywa’ kokukholwa. (Funda 1 Pitrosi 1:7.) Iinhlupheko ezimbi zitjhidele khulu njenganje, thina-ke sifuna bona sibe ‘hlangana nalabo abakholwako basindiswe.’ (Hebheru 10:39) Yeke kufuze siberege ngamandla siqinise ukukholwa kwethu. UJesu Krestu iKosethu nayifikako, thina sifuna ukuba hlangana nalabo ababusisiweko. Kuhle kwendoda eyabawa ukukholwa okungeziweko kuJesu, nathi-ke sifuna ukutjho ukuthi: “Sibawa usiphe ukukholwa esikutlhogako!” (Markosi 9:24) Godu singase sikhulume njengabapostoli sithi: “Yandisa ukukholwa kwethu.”—Lukasi 17:5.

 ³ Esihlokwenesi, sizokhe sicoce ngamaphuzu alandelako naka: Singakwakha njani ukukholwa kwethu? Singatjengisa njani bona ukukholwa kwethu kunzinzile? Kubayini singaqiniseka bona uZimu uzosiphendula nasibawa bona asiphe ukukholwa okungeziweko?

4. Ngiziphi iimbonelo zabantu ezingasisiza sidzimelelise ukukholwa kwethu?

⁴ Ukukholwa kuqakatheke khulu ngikho uJehova asinikele iimbonelo zabantu abanokukholwa eBhayibhelini. “Koke okwatlolwa ngaphambilini” ngabantwaba, “kwatlolelwa ukusifundisa.” (Roma 15:4) Isibonelo saka-Abrahamu, sakaSara, saka-Isaka, Jakopo, sakaMosi, sakaRarhabu, sakaGidiyoni, sakaBharakhi, nabanye abanengi singasikhuthaza bona sinzinzise ukukholwa kwethu. (Hebheru 11:32-35) Ukungezelela kwezakade, sineembonelo ezihle khulu zabafowethu nabodadwethu abanokukholwa besikhathi sanje. * (Qala ikwekwezi engenzasi.)

5. U-Eliya watjengisa njani bona ukukholwa kwakhe kuJehova kunzinzile, thina-ke singazibuzani malungana nalokho?

⁵ EBhayibhelini sibuye sifumane isibonelo saka-Eliya. Njengombana uzindla ngaye nje, akhutjheje ubujamo obuhlanu lapha atjengisa khona bona uthembele kuJehova. (1) Ngesikhathi u-Eliya atjela iKosi u-Arhabi bona uJehova uzokuletha isomiso, wakhuluma ngesibindi wathi, “Ngifunga [uJehova] uZimu wakwa-Israyeli engimlotjhako ngithi, akuzukuba nombethe nazulu eminyakeni ezako.” (1 AmaKhosi 17:1) (2) U-Eliya bekakholwa nokuthi uJehova uzokunikela yena nabanye koke abakutlhogako njengombana kuzabe kunesomiso nje. (1 AmaKhosi 17:4, 5, 13, 14) (3) Godu u-Eliya bekaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzoyivusa indodana yomfelokazi kwabafileko. (1 AmaKhosi 17:21) (4) Gade anganakho ngitjho nokuncani ukuzaza ngokuthi uJehova uzokubasa umlilo womhlatjelwakhe eNtabeni yeKarameli. (1 AmaKhosi 18:24, 37) (5) Ngitjho nangaphambi kobana kune izulu, u-Eliya waba nesibindi sokutjela u-Arhabi ukuthi, “Khamba, ufese ugome bewusele ngombana kunomrhubo wezulu.” (1 AmaKhosi 18:41) Ngemva kobana sele sicabange ngalezi zehlakalo, kuzokufaneleka bona sizibuze ukuthi, ‘Inga-kghani ukukholwa kwami kunzinze njengekwaka-Eliya?’

6. Khuyini esiyitlhogako kuJehova bona sakhe ukukholwa kwethu?

⁶ Angekhe sakghona ukwakha ukukholwa ngokuhlakanipha kwethu, yeke kufuze sibawe uZimu asiphe umoya ocwengileko. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Kungombana ukukholwa kungezinye zeenthelo zomoya ocwengileko. (Galatiya 5:22) Sisuke sitjengisa ukuthi sihlakaniphile nasilandela iseluleko sakaJesu bese sithandazela umoya ocwengileko ongeziweko. UJesu wasithembisa ukuthi uJehova, ‘uzakuphana ngomoya ocwengileko kilabo abamkhombelako.’—Lukasi 11:13.

7. Akhufanise bona singahlala njani sinokukholwa okunzinzileko.

 ⁷ Nasele sinokukholwa kuZimu, kufuze sibambelele kikho. Ukukholwa singakufanisa nomlilo. Nasibasa umlilo, ungavutha ube lilangabi elikhulu. Kodwana nasingalisa ukufaka iinkuni kiloyo mlilo uzokucima ulothe. Nokho nasinande sifaka iinkuni, umlilwethu uzokuhlala uvutha. Kuyafana-ke nokukholwa kwethu. Nasiraga nokufunda ilizwi lakaZimu qobe, ithando lethu ngoZimu nangelizwi lakhe lizokukhula. Umphumela uzokuba muhle khulu, sizokuhlala sikwakha ukukholwa kwethu sikunzinzise.

8. Khuyini okuzakusiza wakhe ukukholwa kwakho?

⁸ Akukafuzi bona waneliswe zizinto owazifunda ngaphambi kobana ubhajadiswe kwaphela. (Hebheru 6:1, 2) Ngokwesibonelo, nawufunda ngeemphorofido esele zizalisekile, lokho ngikho okuzokusiza wakhe bewunzinzise ukukholwa kwakho. Ungasebenzisa neliZwi lakaZimu ukubona ukuthi ukukholwa kwakho kunzinzile na.—Funda uJakopo 1:25; 2:24, 26.

9, 10. Ukukholwa kwethu kunganzinziswa njani (a) ziintjhomi ezilungileko? (b) kukuya esifundweni? (c) kutjhumayela?

⁹ Umpostoli uPowula wathi amaKrestu ‘akakhuthazane ekukholweni kwawo.’ (Roma 1:12) Gade atjho ukuthini nakatjho njalo? Nesiba nesikhathi nabanakwethu nabodadwethu, singakhe khesiqinise ukukholwa kwethu. Lokho kuba liqiniso khulu nesiba nesikhathi nalabo abahlangabezane ‘nokulingwa’ kokukholwa. (Jakopo 1:3) Iintjhomi ezingakalungi zonakalisa ukukholwa kwethu kodwana nakungezihle ziyakwakha. (1 Korinte 15:33) Kungebangelo sikhuthazwa bona siye esifundweni qobe. Kulapho-ke “singakhuthazana” khona. (Funda amaHebheru 10:24, 25.) Ukungezelela kilokho, iinqophiso esizifumana esifundweni ziqinisa ukukholwa kwethu. Angithi iBhayibheli liyatjho ukuthi, “ukholwa ngilokho okuzwileko; NW.” (Roma 10:17) Akhu zibuze-ke ‘Inga-kghani ukuya esifundweni kulisiko lami?’

¹⁰ Sibuye sinzinzise ukukholwa kwethu nasitjhumayela sifundisa abantu iindaba ezimnandi zeBhayibheli. NjengamaKrestu wokuthoma sifunda ukuthembela kuJehova sikhulume ngesibindi ebujamweni obuhlukahlukeneko.—IzEnzo 4:17-20; 13:46.

11. Khuyini eyenza uKalebi noJotjhuwa baba nokukholwa okunzinzileko, thina-ke singabalingisa njani?

¹¹ Ukukholwa kwethu kuyakhula nasibona indlela uJehova asisiza ngayo bakaphendule imithandazwethu. Ngilokho-ke okwenzeka kuKalebi noJotjhuwa. Baba nokukholwa kuJehova nabayokuhlola iNarha abayiThenjisiweko. Njengombana isikhathi sikhamba, ukukholwa kwabo kwanzinza nababona indlela uJehova egade  abasiza ngayo. UJotjhuwa wakghona ukukhuluma nama-Israyeli ngesibindi: “Akunalitho elakhe langaba yipumelelo kikho koke okuhle [uJehova] uZimenu anithembisa khona.” Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wathi: “Ngalokho-ke yesabani [uJehova] nimlotjhe ngokuzimisela nangokwethembeka.” Wabuye wangezelela wathi: “Mina nomzami sizakulotjha [uJehova].” (Jotjhuwa 23:14; 24:14, 15) Nasithembela kuJehova sibone nendlela asisiza ngayo ukukholwa kwethu kuzokunzinza.—IRhubo 34:8.

12. Sitjengisa njani ukuthi sinokukholwa okunzinzileko?

¹² Sitjengisa njani ukuthi sinokukholwa okunzinzileko? Umfundi kaJesu uJakopo wathi: “Ngemisebenzami ngizakutjengisa ukukholwa kwami.” (Jakopo 2:18) Indlela esenza ngayo izinto itjengisa ukuthi sinokukholwa okunzinze kangangani. Akhesibone ukuthi sikutjhwiso yini lokho.

13. Sikutjengisa njani ukukholwa kwethu nasitjhumayelako?

¹³ Ukutjhumayela kuyindlela ehle khulu esingatjengisa ngayo ukukholwa kwethu. Kubayini kunjalo? Angithi phela nasitjhumayelako, sisuke sitjengisa ukuthi siyakholwa ukuthi isiphelo sitjhidele nokuthi “angeze besiriyade!” (Rhabakhukhu 2:3) Bona sazi ukuthi ukukholwa kwethu kunzinzile singazibuza nasi imibuzo, ‘Kuqakatheke kangangani ukutjhumayela kimi? Am Ngenza koke okusemandlenami na bona ngitjela abanye ngoZimu? Inga-kghani ngiyawaberegisa amathuba engiwafumanako bona ngenzele uJehova okungeziweko?’ (2 Korinte 13:5) Akhesitjengise amandla wokukholwa kwethu ngokuthi ‘sivume ngomlomo,’ okutjho ukutjhumayela iindaba ezihle.—Funda amaRoma 10:10.

14, 15. (a) Singakutjengisa njani ukukholwa epilwenethu yangamalanga? (b) Akhewulandise ngendaba etjengisa ukukholwa okunzinzileko.

¹⁴ Nasikghodlhelelela iintjhijilo esiphila nazo ephasineli, sisuke sitjengisa uJehova  bona siyamthemba. Nangabe sidobha phasi, siyagula, sidanile, sigandelelekile, namkha sineminye nje imiraro, kufuze sithembe uJehova noJesu bona ‘bazosisiza ngesikhathi esifaneleko.’ (Hebheru 4:16) Nasibawa uJehova bona asisize sisuke simtjengisa ukuthi siyamthemba. UJesu wathi singabawa uJehova bona ‘asiphe ngamalanga isikwa sethu sangemihla.’ (Lukasi 11:3) Iindaba esizifunda eBhayibhelini zibufakazi bokuthi uJehova angasipha koke esikutlhogako. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi sesomiso kwa-Israyeli uJehova bekasolo apha u-Eliya amanzi nokudla. IBhayibheli nalilandisako ithi: “Amagubulu amlethela isikwa nomlibhani ekuseni nantambama, wasela emlanjanenapho.” (1 AmaKhosi 17:3-6) Nathi siyakholwa bona uJehova uzosinikela esikutlhogako.

¹⁵ Siyaqiniseka ukuthi nasenza okutjhiwo yiBhayibheli, sizokukghona ukutlhogomela imindenethu. URebecca ngudade otjhadileko we-Asia uhlathulula indlela yena nomndenakhe abenze ngayo ngokuvumelana nalokho okukuMatewu 6:33 nakuzAga 10:4. Uthi indodakhe yacabanga bona umsebenzayo bewuyingozi esinganini somndenabo noJehova. Lokho kwamenza wawulisa umsebenzi loyo. Kodwana bebanabentwana abane ebekufuze babondle, yeke benza ibhizimisi lokuthengisa ukudla. Ukusebenza kwabo budisi kwaba  nomphumela omuhle ngombana bebahlala banemali eyaneleko yokutlhogomela umndenabo. Nakalandisako uthi: “Kulapha esilemuke khona ukuthi nangambala, uJehova angeze asilahla. Akhenge silale singakadli, ngitjho nangelanga lomhlolo.” Inga-kghani nawe wakhe wehlakalelwa yinto enjalo eyanzinzisa ukukholwa kwakho?

16. Nasithembe uZimu kwenzekani?

¹⁶ Akukafuzi sizaze nakancani bona nasilandela iinqophiso zakaJehova uzosisiza. UPowula wakhe wadzubhula amezwi kaRhabakhukhu nakathi: “Olungileko uzakuphila ngokukholwa.” (Galatiya 3:11; Rhabakhukhu 2:4) Ngikho kufuze simthembe ngehliziywethu yoke Loyo ongasisiza kwamambala. UPowula usikhumbuza ukuthi, uZimu ngiloyo “onamandla wokwenza okukhulu ngokungalinganisekiko ukudlula lokho esikukhombelako namkha esikucabangako, ukuya ngamandla wakhe asebenza ngaphakathi kwethu.” (Efesu 3:20) Iinkhonzi zakaJehova zenza koke okusemandlenazo bona zenze intando kaZimu, kodwana ziyazi nokuthi kukhona lapha zibhalelwa khona. Yeke kuyasithabisa ukwazi bona uZimu unathi nokuthi koke esilinga ukukwenza uzokubusisa.

17. (a) UJesu wabaphendula njani abapostoli? (b) Kubayini singaqiniseka bona uJehova uzoyiphendula imithandazwethu nasibawa bona andise ukukholwa kwethu?

¹⁷ Ukuya ngalokho esele sifunde ngakho, singazizwa njengabapostoli nababawa uJesu bathi: “Yandisa ukukholwa kwethu.” (Lukasi 17:5) UJesu waphendula abapostoli ngendlela ekhethekileko ngePentekoste lomnyaka ka-33 nabafumana umoya ocwengileko bazwisisa ngehloso kaZimu khudlwana. Lokho kwenza ukukholwa kwabo kwanzinza. Waba yini umphumela? Bathoma ijimakazi elikhulu lokutjhumayela ukufikela ngesikhatheso. (Kolose 1:23) Singamlindela na uJehova bona aphendule imithandazwethu nasibawa bona asandisele ukukholwa kwethu? UJehova wasithembisa ukuthi “lokha nasibawa nanyana yini ngokwentando yakhe” uzosenzela yona.—1 Jwanisi 5:14.

18. UJehova ubabusisa njani labo abakha ukukholwa kwabo?

¹⁸ Nasinokukholwa kuJehova, sizomthabisa. Uzoyiphendula imithandazwethu asandisele ukukholwa, kuzokunzinza. Lokho kuzosenza ‘siwulungele umbuso kaZimu.’—2 Thesalonika 1:3, 5.