1, 2. Ngikuphi ukukhetha okufuze sikwenze malungana nokuzithabisa?

CABANGA uthi udla isithelo esimnandi, bese ubona bona ingcenye leyo ibolile. Uzokwenzani? Iye, ungasidla soke isithelweso, ngitjho nengcenye ebolileko; ungasilahla soke, kuhlanganise nengcenye ebolileko; namtjhana ungasika ingcenye ebolileko udle engakaboli. Ungakhethani?

² Ngenye indlela, zokuzithabisa zifana nesithelweso. Ngezinye iinkhathi, ufuna zokuzithabisa, kodwana ufumana bona ezinengi zokuthabisa ezikhona namhlanjesi zonakele, zibolile nokubola. Alo-ke, uzokwenzani? Abanye bangakukghodlhelela okumbi bamukele namtjhana ngiziphi zokuzithabisa zephaseli. Abanye bangagegeda zoke zokuzithabisa ukuqiniseka bona abazifaki kunanyana ngiyiphi ingozi. Nokho, abanye ngokutjheja bangagegeda zokuzithabisa eziyingozi kodwana bathabele lezo ezakhako. Ngikuphi ukukhetha okufuze ukwenze bona uzibulunge ethandweni lakaZimu?

3. Khuyini esizoyicabangela nje?

³ Inengi lethu lingakhetha umbono wesithathu. Siyazithabela iinkhathi zokuzithabisa, kodwana sizithabisa ngezinto ezihlwengileko. Ngalokho, sifuna ukucabanga bona singazihlukanisa njani zokuzithabisa ezakhako nezingakhiko. Nokho, kokuthoma, akhe sicoce ngokobana ukukhetha kwethu zokuzithabisa kungayithinta njani ikonzo esiyenzela uJehova.

4. Ukuzinikela kwethu kufuze kukuthinte njani ukukhetha kwethu zokuzithabisa?

⁴ Esikhathini eside esidlulileko, uFakazi okhulileko owabhabhadiswa ngo-1946 wathi: “Ngiyaqiniseka bona ngiba khona kizo zoke iinkulumo zokubhabhadiswa begodu ngilalelisisa kwanga kubhabhadiswa mina.” Kubayini gade enza njalo? Wahlathulula, “Ukubulunga ukuzinikela kwami kukutjha kube ligadango eliqakathekileko lokobana ngihlale ngithembekile.” Ngokunganakuzaza uzokuvumelana nombono loyo. Ukuzikhumbuza bona wathembisa uJehova bonyana uzokuberegisa ukuphila kwakho koke ekumkhonzeni kukurhelebha bona ukghodlhelele. (Funda UMtjhumayeli 5:4) Eqinisweni, ukuzindla ngokubhabhadiswa kwakho kuzokuthinta umbono wakho ingasi ekonzweni yobuKrestu kwaphela kodwana kizo zoke iingcenye zokuphila—kuhlanganisa nezokuzithabisa. Umpostoli uPowula wagandelela iqiniswelo natlolela amaKrestu wangeenkhathi zakhe: “Nengabe niyagoma namtjhana niyasela, kwenzeni koke, ze kudunyiswe uZimu.”—1 KwebeKorinte 10:31.

5. ULefitikosi 22:18-20 usirhelebha njani bona sibone isiyeleliso esingakanqophi esiKwebeRoma 12:1?

⁵ Yoke into oyenzako ekuphileni ihlobene nokukhulekela kwakho uJehova. Encwadini yakhe KwebeRoma, uPowula waberegisa ibizo  elinamandla bona agandelele iqinisweli emakholweni anawo. Wawarabhela: “Ninikele imizimba yenu, ibe mnikelo ophilako, nocwengileko owamukelekako kuZimu, kube kulotjha kwenu okumsulwa.” (KwebeRoma 12:1) Umzimbakho uhlanganisa umkhumbulo, ihliziyo namandlakho. Zoke iintwezi, uzisebenzisela ukukhonza uZimu. (Markosi 12:30) UPowula wathi ikonzo enjalo yomphefumulo woke sihlabelo. Ibizwelo linesiyeleliso esingakanqophi. Ngaphasi koMthetho kaMosisi, uZimu gade angasifuni isihlabelo esinephoso. (Lefitikosi 22:18-20) Ngokufanako, nengabe umnikelo womKrestu usilaphazeke ngendlela ethileko, uZimu uzowala. Nokho, kungenzeka njani lokho?

6, 7. UmKrestu angawusilaphaza njani umzimbakhe, begodu ungaba yini umphumela?

⁶ UPowula wayelelisa amaKrestu weRoma: “Ninganikeli izitho zemizimba yenu esonweni.” UPowula godu wawatjela bona ‘abulale imikghwa yomzimba.’ (KwebeRoma 6:12-14; 8:13, NW) Encwadini yakhe yangaphambili, wanikela iimbonelo ‘zemikghwa enjalo yomzimba.’ Malungana nesintu esinesono, siyafunda: “Amezwi wabo azele ukukhohlisa.” “Batjhiya amarubhi nemirhayilo lapha bakhamba khona.” “Abamesabi uZimu.” (KwebeRoma 3:13-18) UmKrestu uzokusilaphaza umzimbakhe nengabe uberegisa “izitho” zomzimbakhe, emikghweni yesono. Isibonelo, nengabe umKrestu ngokuvamileko ubukela izinto ezimbi ezinjengeenthombe ezitjengisa ukuziphatha kumbi, inturhu, ‘unikela [amehlwakhe] esonweni’ begodu usilaphaza woke umzimbakhe. Koke ukukhulekela kwakhe kuba sihlabelo esingakacwengeki begodu esingamukelekiko kuZimu. (Duteronomi 15:21; 1 KaPitrosi 1:14-16; 2 KaPitrosi 3:11) Uzokuvuna imiphumela ebuhlungu ngokukhetha kwakhe zokuzithabisa ezingakhiko!

⁷ Ngokukhanyako, ukukhetha komKrestu zokuzithabisa kuqakathekile. Eqinisweni-ke, sifuna ukukhetha zokuzithabisa  ezizokuthuthukisa imihlatjelo yethu kuZimu ingasi ukuyisilaphaza. Kwanje akhe sicoce ngendlela esingabona ngayo zokuzithabisa ezakhako nezingakhiko.

8, 9. (a) Zokuzithabisa zingahlukaniswa ngaziphi iingcenye eembili? (b) Ngiliphi ihlobo lokuzithabisa esililahlako, begodu kubayini?

⁸ Ngokuvamileko, zokuzithabisa zingahlukaniswa ngeengcenye eembili. Enye ihlanganisa lokho amaKrestu akugegeda ngokupheleleko; enye ihlanganisa lokho angakufumana kwamukeleka nalokho angakufumana kungamukeleki. Akhe sithome ngokucabangela ingcenye yokuthoma—ukuzithabisa amaKrestu akugegedako.

⁹ Njengombana kutjengiswe eSahlukweni-1, ezinye iindlela zokuzithabisa ziziveza ngokukhanyako zokuzithabisa ezilahlwa yiBhayibhili. Isibonelo, cabanga ngobunzinzolwazi [Web sites] amabhayisikobho, amahlelo we-TV, nombhino onamezwi anenturhu namtjhana ubudimoni neenthombe zokuziphatha okumbi namtjhana ezithuthukisa imikghwa emimbi. Njengombana zokuzithabisa ezinjalo eziphula iinkambisolawulo namtjhana iimthetho yeBhayibhili zivezwa njengezamukelekako, amaKrestu weqiniso kufuze azibalekele. (IZenzo 15:28, 29; 1 KwebeKorinte 6:9, 10; ISambulo 21:8) Ngokwala ukuzithabisa okunjalo okungakhiko, uzibonakalisa kuJehova bona kwamambala ‘uyakuhloya okungakalungi’ begodu qobe ‘uyakufulathela okumbi.’ Ngendlela le ‘unokukholwa okunganakho ukuzenzisa.—KwebeRoma 12:9; AmaRhalani 34:14; 1 KuThimothi 1:5.

10. Ngiyiphi indlela yokucabanga ngezokuzithabisa eyingozi, begodu kubayini iyingozi?

¹⁰ Nokho, abanye bangathi ukubukela zokuzithabisa eziveza iinthombe zokuziphatha okumbi akunangozi. Bangathi, ‘Ngingazibukela emabhayisikobho namtjhana e-TV,  kodwana mina angekhe ngizenze izinto ezinjalo.’ Ibanga elinjalo liyakhohlisa begodu liyingozi. (Funda uJeremiya 17:9) Nengabe sikufumana kuthabisa ukubukela lokho uJehova akulahlako, kwamambala ‘siyakuhloya okungakalungi’? Nesilokhu sibukela, sifunda, silalela izinto ezimbi, lokho kuzokudunga iingqondo zethu. (AmaRhalani 119:70; 1 KuThimothi 4:1, 2) Imikghwa enjalo ingathinta esikwenzako nendlela esiqala ngayo izono ezenziwa ngabanye.

11. Incwadi yaKwebeGalatiya 6:7, ibonakala njani iliqiniso malungana nokuzithabisa?

¹¹ Kwamambala lokhu kwenzeka. Amanye amaKrestu aziphatha kumbi ngombana zokuzithabisa egade azibukela zaba nomthelela kiwo. Afunda kabuhlungu bona “umuntu uzavuna lokho akutjalileko.” (KwebeGalatiya 6:7) Kodwana umphumela onjalo ungabalekelwa. Nengabe utjala okuhlwengileko emkhumbulwenakho, uzokuvuna okuhle ekuphileni kwakho.—Qala ibhoksi elithi, “ Lihlobo Elinjani Lokuzithabisa Okufuze Ngilikhethe?”

12. KwebeGalatiya 6:5 isebenza njani malungana nokuzithabisa, begodu ngisiphi isinqophiso esinaso nesenza iinqunto zomuntu mathupha?

¹² Kwanje akhe sicoce ngengcenye yesibili—zokuzithabisa ezingalahlwa ngokunqophileko namtjhana zivunyelwe ngokunqophileko liLizwi lakaZimu. Nesikhetha zokuzithabisa, omunye nomunye umKrestu kutlhogeka bona enze isiqunto somuntu mathupha bonyana yini eyakhako. (Funda KwebeGalatiya 6:5) Nokho, nesiqalene nokukhetha okunjalo, sinaso isinqophiso. IBhayibhili imumethe iinkambisolawulo, namaqiniso asisekelo, asenza sikwazi ukubona indlela kaJehova yokucabanga. Ngokulalelisisa iinkambisolawulo ezinjalo, sizokwazi ukubona bona ‘uZimu ufuna bona siziphathe njani’ kizo zoke izinto kuhlanganise nokukhetha kwethu zokuzithabisa.—Kwebe-Efesu 5:17.

13. Khuyini ezosenza bona sigegede zokuzithabisa ezingadanisa uJehova?

 ¹³ Kuyazwakala, bona akusiwo woke amaKrestu athuthuke ngendlela efanako. (KwebeFilipi 1:9) Ngaphezu kwalokho, nekuziwa eendabeni zokuzithabisa amaKrestu ayahluka. Ngalokho, asikalindeli bona amaKrestu enze iinqunto ezifanako. Namtjhana kunjalo, nesivumela iinkambisolawulo zakaZimu bona zibe nomthelela emkhumbulweni  neenhliziyweni zethu, kulapho sizokufuna khulu ukugegeda nanyana ngiliphi ihlobo lokuzithabisa elingadanisa uJehova.—AmaRhalani 119:11, 129; 1 KaPitrosi 2:16.

14. (a) Khuyini okufuze siyicabangele nesikhetha zokuzithabisa? (b) Singazibeka njani iinkareko zoMbuso qangi ekuphileni?

¹⁴ Nesikhetha zokuzithabisa, kunokhunye okuqakathekileko okufuze sikucabangele: isikhathi sakho. Njengombana lokho ozithabisa ngakho kutjengisa bonyana khuyini oyifumana yamukeleka, isikhathi osiberegisa kikho siveza lokho okuqakathekileko kuwe. Iye, kumaKrestu, izinto ezingokomoya ziqakatheke khulu. (Funda uMatewu 6:33) Khuyini-ke, ongayenza ukuqiniseka bona iinkareko zoMbuso ziza qangi ekuphileni kwakho? Umpostoli uPowula wathi: “Tjhejisisani bona niziphethe njani, ningabi ziindhlayela, kodwana nihlakaniphe. Sebenzisani woke amathuba eninawo.” (Kwebe-Efesu 5:15, 16) Liqiniso, ukumeda isikhathi osibekela eqadi sokuzithabisa kuzokurhelebha bona ube nesikhathi ositlhogako “sezinto eziqakathekileko”—ezizokwenza bona ukhule ngokomoya.—KwebeFilipi 1:10.

15. Kubayini kukuhlakanipha ukutjheja nesikhetha zokuzithabisa?

¹⁵ Kukuhlakanipha ukutjheja newukhetha zokuzithabisa. Kutjho ukuthini lokho? Godu cabangela isibonelo sesithelo esikhulume ngaso ekuthomeni. Ukugegeda ukudla okubolileko ungakatjheji, angekhe usike lapho kubole khona kwaphela, kodwana uzokusika nendawo ebhodileko. Ngokufanako, kukuhlakanipha ukutjheja newukhetha zokuzithabisa. UmKrestu ohlakaniphileko akagegedi kwaphela zokuzithabisa ezilahlwa ziinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili ngokukhanyako, kodwana nehlobo lokuzithabisa elisolekako namtjhana elihlanganisa izinto ezingonakalisa ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. (Izaga 4:25-27) Ukulandela isinqophiso seLizwi lakaZimu kuzokurhelebha bona wenze njalo.

16. (a) Singatjengisa njani bona sinombono onjengewakaJehova eendabeni zokuziphatha? (b) Ukuberegisa iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili kungaba njani yindlela yakho yokuphila?

¹⁶ Nakhetha zokuzithabisa, amaKrestu weqiniso kokuthoma acabangela umbono kaJehova. IBhayibhili iveza amazizo nemithetho kaJehova. Isibonelo, iKosi uSolomoni wabala izinto uJehova azihloyileko “ilimi lamala, izandla eziphalaza iingazi ezinganamlandu, ihliziyo erera izinto ezilimazako, iinyawo ezirhaba ukugijimela okumbi.” (AmaRhalani 11:5; Izaga 8:13; Isaya 61:8) Umbono kaJehova kufuze uwuthinte njani umbono wakho? Umrhubi wakhuthaza: “Maye nina enithanda uJehova, hloyani okumbi.” (AmaRhalani 97:10) Ukukhetha kwakho zokuzithabisa kufuze kutjengise bona kwamambala uyakuhloya lokho uJehova akuhloyileko. (KwebeGalatiya 5:19-21) Godu khumbula, bona lokho okwenza ngerhorhomejeni, ngikho okukuveza bona kwamambala umumuntu onjani kunalokho okwenza etjhatjhalazini. (AmaRhalani 11:4; 16:8) Nokho, nengabe unekhanuko esuka ehliziyweni yokutjengisa amazizo kaJehova eendabeni zokuziphatha kizo zoke iingcenye zokuphila kwakho okuhle, ngaso soke isikhathi uzokukhetha ngokuvumelana neenkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili. Ukwenza njalo kuzokuba yindlela yakho yokuphila.—2 KwebeKorinte 3:18.

17. Ngaphambi kokukhetha zokuzithabisa, ngimiphi iimbuzo okufuze sizibuze yona?

¹⁷ Khuyini okhunye ongakwenza ukuqinisekisa bona  uzokwenza ngokuvumelana nendlela kaJehova yokucabanga newukhetha zokuzithabisa? Cabangela umbuzo othi, ‘Lokhu kuzongithinta njani mina nobuhlobo bami noZimu?’ Isibonelo, ngaphambi kokwenza isiqunto sokubukela ibhayisikobho, zibuze, ‘Ukuyibukela kwami kuzosithinta njani isazelo sami?’ Akhe sicabange bona ngiziphi iinkambisolawulo eziberega endabeni le.

18, 19. (a) Ikambisolawulo efumaneka KwebeFilipi 4:8 ingasirhelebha njani sibone bona ukuzithabisa kwethu kuyakha? (b) Ngiziphi ezinye iinkambisolawulo ezingakurhelebha bona ukhethe zokuzithabisa ezilungileko? (Qala umtlolo ophasi.)

¹⁸ Ikambisolawulo eqakathekileko efumaneka KwebeFilipi 4:8, ithi: “Zalisani imikhumbulo yenu ngezinto ezihle, ezifuna bona zidunyiswe: Izinto eziliqiniso, ezihloniphekako, ezilungileko nezinganabusolo, ezenza okuhle nokuhloniphekako. [Ragelani phambili nicabanga ngeentwezi, NW]” Kuyavunywa bona uPowula gade angacoci ngezokuzithabisa, kodwana ngokuzindla kwehliziyo, okufuze kudzimelele eentweni ezithabisa uZimu. (AmaRhalani 19:14) Nokho, amezwi kaPowula angaberegiswa eenkambiswenilawulo zeendaba zokuzithabisa. Njani?

¹⁹ Zibuze, ‘Amabhayisikobho, imidlalo yevidiyo, umbhino namtjhana ngiliphi ihlobo lokuzithabisa engilikhethako, lizalisa umkhumbulwami ‘ngananyana ngiziphi izinto ezihlwengileko’?’ Isibonelo, ngemva kokubukela ibhayisikobho, ngiziphi iinthombe ezisala emkhumbulwenakho? Nengabe ziyathabisa, zihlwengile begodu ziyaqabula, uzokwazi bona ukuzithabisa kwakho gade kwakha. Nokho, nengabe ibhayisikobho oyibukeleko ikwenza bona ucabange ngezinto ezisilapheleko, ukuzithabisa kwakho gade kungakhi begodu kulimaza. (Matewu 12:33; Markosi 7:20-23) Kubayini sitjho njalo? Ngombana ukucabanga ngezinto ezisilapheleko kuthikameza ukuthula kwakho kwangaphakathi, kutjhiye isazelo sakho esibandulwe ngeBhayibhili sinebala begodu kungamorosa ubuhlobo bakho noZimu.  (Kwebe-Efesu 5:5; 1 KuThimothi 1:5, 19) Njengombana ukuzithabisa okunjalo kuyingozi kuwe, zimisele ukukugegeda. * (KwebeRoma 12:2) Yiba njengomrhubi owathandaza kuJehova: “Yenza amehlwami adlule angakuboni okungarhelebhiko.”—AmaRhalani 119:37.

20, 21. U-1 KwebeKorinte 10:23, 24, isebenza njani ekukhetheni zokuzithabisa ezakhako?

²⁰ UPowula wakhuluma ngesilodlhelo sekambisolawulo yeBhayibhili okufuze bona siyitjheje nesenza iinqunto eendabeni zomuntu mathupha. Wathi: “Koke kuvumelekile. Kodwana akusikho koke okusizako. Akungabikho ogondela kwesakhe, kodwana akube ngiloyo naloyo afunele abanye okuhle.” (1 KwebeKorinte 10:23, 24) Ikambisolawulo le ihlobana njani nokukhetha zokuzithabisa ezakhako? Kufuze uzibuze, ‘Ukuzithabisa engikukhethako kuzobathinta njani abanye?’

²¹ Isazelo sakho singakuvumela bona uzibandakanye kwezokuzithabisa oziqala ‘njengezivumelekileko ngokomthetho,’ namtjhana ezamukelekako. Nokho, nengabe utjheja bona amanye amakholwa izazelo zawo ezingawavumeliko bonyana azibandakanye kwezokuzithabisa ezinjalo ayakhubeka, ungakhetha ukungazibandakanyi kikho. Kubayini ungakhetha ukwenza njalo? Ngombana awufuni “ukona abanakwenu”—namtjhana “ukona kuKrestu,” njengombana uPowula ahlathululile—ngokwenza kube budisi ngabanakwenu ukubulunga ukuthembeka kwabo kuZimu. Utlhogomela isiyeleliswesi: ‘Gegedani ukuba sikhubekiso.’ (1 KwebeKorinte 8:12; 10:32, NW) AmaKrestu weqiniso namhlanjesi alalela isiyeleliso sakaPowula esihle nesicabangelako ngokugegeda zokuzithabisa okungenzeka bona “zivumelekile  ngokomthetho” kodwana “ezingakhiko.”—KwebeRoma 14:1; 15:1.

22. Kubayini amaKrestu avumela iimbono ehlukileko eendabeni zomuntu mathupha?

²² Nokho, kunelinye ibanga elisenza sifune okuhle kwabanye. UmKrestu onesazelo eseqisako ekwaleni izinto akukafaneli bona afune ukwenza abanye ebandleni lobuKrestu bavumelane nombono wakhe ongasibanzi njengewabanye endabeni yokobana ngiziphi zokuzithabisa ezamukelekako. Nengabe wenza njalo, uzokufana nomtjhayeli osendleleni ofuna bona boke abatjhayeli batjhayele ngebelo elifunwa nguye. Ukwenza njalo kuzabe kutjengisa ukungacabangeli. Ngebanga lethando lobuKrestu, umuntu onesazelo eseqisako ekwaleni izinto kufuze ahloniphe abakhulekeli anabo, iimbono yabo ngezokuzithabisa ehlukileko kweyakhe kodwana esavumelana neenkambisolawulo zobuKrestu. Ngendlela leyo, wenza bona ‘ukuzithoba kwakhe kwaziwe babantu boke.’—KwebeFilipi 4:5; UMtjhumayeli 7:16.

23. Ungaqiniseka njani bona ukhetha zokuzithabisa ezakhako?

²³ Ngokurhunyeziweko, ungaqiniseka njani bona ukhetha zokuzithabisa ezakhako? Ngokulahla nanyana ngiliphi ihlobo lokuzithabisa eliveza ngokunqophileko iinthombe ezonakeleko, zokuziphatha okumbi ezilahlwa ngokunqophileko eLizwini lakaZimu. Landela iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili ongaziberegisa kwezokuzithabisa lezo engakhulumi ngokunqophileko ngazo. Gegeda zokuzithabisa ezilimaza isazelo sakho, begodu uzimisele ukulahla ihlobo lokuzithabisa elingalimaza izazelo zabanye, ngokukhethekileko zalabo okholwa nabo. Kwanga isiqunto sakho esidzimeleleko sokwenza njalo singaletha iphazimulo kuZimu begodu kubulunge wena nomndenakho ethandweni lakhe.