1. Ubani owadala zonke izinto eziphilayo?

“UJEHOVA unguNkulunkulu ngeqiniso,” kusho umprofethi uJeremiya. “UnguNkulunkulu ophilayo.” (Jeremiya 10:10) Kanti futhi uJehova uNkulunkulu unguMdali wazo zonke izinto eziphilayo. Izidalwa zasezulwini zathi kuye: “Wadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yentando yakho zaba khona zadalwa.” (IsAmbulo 4:11) Engomeni yokudumisa uNkulunkulu, iNkosi uDavide yathi: “Ukuwe umthombo wokuphila.” (IHubo 36:9) Ngakho-ke, ukuphila kuyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu.

2. Yini uNkulunkulu ayenzayo ukuze asekele ukuphila kwethu?

² UJehova futhi usekela ukuphila kwethu. (IzEnzo 17:28) Usipha ukudla esikudlayo, amanzi esiwaphuzayo, umoya esiwuphefumulayo nendawo esihlala kuyo. (IzEnzo 14:15-17) UJehova ukwenze lokhu ngendlela eyenza ukuphila kujabulise. Kodwa ukuze ukuphila sikujabulele ngokugcwele, kudingeka sifunde imithetho yakhe, siyenze.—Isaya 48:17, 18.

3. UNkulunkulu wakubheka kanjani ukubulawa kuka-Abela?

³ UNkulunkulu ufuna sikuhloniphe ukuphila—okwethu nokwabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, emuva ezinsukwini zika-Adamu no-Eva, indodana yabo uKhayini yathukuthelela kabi umfowabo omncane u-Abela. UJehova waxwayisa uKhayini ngokuthi intukuthelo yakhe yayingamholela esonweni  esikhulu. UKhayini akasinakanga leso sixwayiso. ‘Wahlasela u-Abela umfowabo, wambulala.’ (Genesise 4:3-8) UJehova wamjezisa uKhayini ngokubulala kwakhe umfowabo.—Genesise 4:9-11.

4. EMthethweni KaMose, uNkulunkulu wawugcizelela kanjani umbono ofanele ngokuphila?

⁴ Ngemva kwezinkulungwane zeminyaka, uJehova wanika ama-Israyeli imithetho ukuze awasize amkhulekele ngendlela ayamukelayo. Ngenxa yokuthi le mithetho yakhishwa ngomprofethi uMose, ngezinye izikhathi ibizwa ngokuthi uMthetho KaMose. Enye ingxenye yoMthetho KaMose yayithi: “Ungabulali.” (Duteronomi 5:17) Lokhu kwabonisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwazisa ukuphila komuntu nokuthi abantu kumelwe bakwazise ukuphila kwabanye.

5. Kufanele sikubheke kanjani ukukhipha isisu?

⁵ Kuthiwani ngokuphila kosana olungakazalwa? NgokoMthetho KaMose, kwakungalungile ukubangela ukufa kosana esibelethweni sikanina. Yebo, ngisho nalokho kuphila kuyigugu kuJehova. (Eksodusi 21:22, 23; IHubo 127:3) Lokhu kusho ukuthi ukukhipha isisu akulungile.

6. Kungani kungafanele sibazonde abanye abantu?

⁶ Ukuhlonipha ukuphila kuhlanganisa nokubheka abanye abantu ngombono ofanele. IBhayibheli lithi: “Wonke umuntu ozonda umfowabo ungumbulali, futhi niyazi ukuthi akukho mbulali onokuphila okuphakade okuhlezi kuye.” (1 Johane 3:15) Uma sifuna ukuphila phakade, kudingeka siyikhiphe yonke inzondo esinayo ngabanye abantu ezinhliziyweni zethu, ngoba inzondo iyimbangela eyinhloko yobudlova obuningi. (1 Johane 3:11, 12) Kubalulekile ukuba sifunde ukuthandana.

7. Imiphi eminye yemikhuba ebonisa ukuthi asikuhloniphi ukuphila?

⁷ Kuthiwani ngokuhlonipha okwethu ukuphila? Ngokuvamile abantu abafuni ukufa, kodwa abanye bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ngoba nje befuna ukuzijabulisa. Ngokwesibonelo, abaningi babhema ugwayi, insangu noma badle izidakamizwa ngenjongo yokuzijabulisa. Izinto ezinjalo ziyawukhahlaza umzimba futhi ngokuvamile ziyababulala abazisebenzisayo. Umuntu  osebenzisa lezi zinto akakubheki ukuphila njengokungcwele. Le mikhuba ingcolile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (Roma 6:19; 12:1; 2 Korinte 7:1) Ukuze sikhonze uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo, kumelwe siyiyeke imikhuba enjalo. Nakuba kungase kube nzima ukuyiyeka, uJehova angasisiza ngosizo esiludingayo. Uyawazisa futhi umzamo esiwenzayo wokuphatha ukuphila kwethu njengesipho esiyigugu esivela kuye.

8. Kungani kufanele sisikhumbule njalo isidingo sokuhlala siphephile?

⁸ Uma sikuhlonipha ukuphila, siyosikhumbula njalo isidingo sokuhlala siphephile. Ngeke sibe abanganaki futhi ngeke sizifake engozini ngoba nje sifuna ukuzijabulisa noma ukuvukwa amadlingozi. Siyogwema ukushayela budedengu, sigweme nemidlalo yobudlova noma eyingozi. (IHubo 11:5) Umthetho kaNkulunkulu kuma-Israyeli asendulo wawuthi: “Uma kwenzeka wakha indlu entsha [enophahla oluyisicaba], kumelwe futhi wenzele uphahla lwakho uthango lokuvikela [noma udonga olufushane], ukuze ungabeki icala legazi phezu kwendlu yakho ngoba umuntu owayo angase awe kulo.” (Duteronomi 22:8) Ngokuvumelana nesimiso esibekwe kulowo mthetho, gcina izinto ezifana nezitebhisi zisesimweni esikahle emzini wakho ukuze kungabi namuntu okhubekayo, awe, alimale kabi. Uma unemoto, qiniseka ukuthi kuphephile ukuyishayela. Indlu noma imoto yakho mayingabi ingozi kuwe noma kwabanye.

9. Uma sikuhlonipha ukuphila, siyoziphatha kanjani izilwane?

⁹ Kuthiwani ngokuphila kwesilwane? Nakho kungcwele kuMdali. UNkulunkulu uvumela ukubulawa kwezilwane ngenjongo yokuthola ukudla nezingubo noma ukuvikela abantu. (Genesise 3:21; 9:3; Eksodusi 21:28) Nokho, ukuphatha izilwane ngesihluku noma ukudlala ngazo ngokuzibulala akulungile futhi kubonisa ukungakukhathaleli ubungcwele bokuphila.—IzAga 12:10.

10. UNkulunkulu ubonise kanjani ukuthi kunokuhlobana phakathi kokuphila negazi?

¹⁰ Ngemva kokuba uKhayini ebulele umfowabo u-Abela,  uJehova wathi kuye: “Igazi lomfowenu liyakhala kimi lisemhlabathini.” (Genesise 4:10) Lapho uNkulunkulu ekhuluma ngegazi lika-Abela, wayekhuluma ngokuphila kwakhe. UKhayini wayesuse ukuphila kuka-Abela, ngakho manje kwakuzomelwe ajeziswe. Kwakungathi igazi lika-Abela, noma ukuphila, likhalela ubulungisa kuJehova. Ukuhlobana phakathi kokuphila negazi kwaphinde kwavezwa ngemva kukaZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa. Ngaphambi kukaZamcolo, abantu babedla izithelo, imifino, okusanhlamvu namantongomane kuphela. Ngemva kukaZamcolo, uJehova watshela uNowa namadodana akhe: “Zonke izilwane ezihambayo eziphilayo zingaba ukudla kini. Njengezimila eziluhlaza, ngininika zona zonke.” Kodwa uNkulunkulu wabeka lo mngcele: “Kuphela inyama enomphefumulo wayo [noma, ukuphila]—igazi layo—akumelwe niyidle.” (Genesise 1:29; 9:3, 4) Kusobala ukuthi uJehova ubheka ukuphila kwesilwane njengokuhlobene eduze negazi laso.

11. Yini uNkulunkulu ayenqabela ukuba yenziwe ngegazi kusukela ezinsukwini zikaNowa?

¹¹ Inhlonipho ngegazi siyibonisa ngokungalidli. EMthethweni uJehova awunika ama-Israyeli wayala: “Ngokuqondene nanoma yimuphi umuntu . . . ozingela abambe isilwane sasendle esidliwayo noma inyoni edliwayo, kumelwe athulule igazi lako alimboze ngothuli. . . . Ngathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: ‘Akumelwe nidle igazi lanoma yiluphi uhlobo lwenyama.’” (Levitikusi 17:13, 14) Umyalo kaNkulunkulu wokungalidli igazi lesilwane, owaqale wanikwa uNowa eminyakeni engu-800 ngaphambili, wawusasebenza. Umbono kaJehova wawucacile: Izinceku zakhe zazingayidla inyama yesilwane kodwa hhayi igazi. Kwakumelwe zilithululele emhlabathini igazi—njengokungathi zibuyisela ukuphila kwaleso silwane kuNkulunkulu.

12. Imuphi umyalo ophathelene negazi owakhishwa umoya ongcwele ekhulwini lokuqala nosasebenza nanamuhla?

¹² AmaKristu angaphansi komyalo ofanayo. Abaphostoli namanye amadoda ayehola kubalandeli bakaJesu ekhulwini  lokuqala aba nomhlangano ukuze anqume ukuthi imiphi imiyalo okwakumelwe ilalelwe yibo bonke ebandleni lobuKristu. Aphetha ngalokhu: “Umoya ongcwele nathi ngokwethu sikubone kukuhle ukunganezeli omunye umthwalo osindayo kini, ngaphandle kwalezi zinto ezidingekile, ukuba niqhubeke nideda ezintweni ezihlatshelwe izithombe nasegazini nasezintweni eziklinyiwe [inyama engophisiwe] nasebufebeni.” (IzEnzo 15:28, 29; 21:25) Ngakho kumelwe ‘siqhubeke sideda egazini.’ Phambi kukaNkulunkulu, ukudeda egazini kubaluleke njengokugwema ukukhonza izithombe nokuziphatha kabi ngokobulili.

13. Fanekisa ukuthi kungani umyalo wokudeda egazini uhlanganisa nokumpontshelwa igazi.

¹³ Ingabe umyalo wokudeda egazini uhlanganisa nokumpontshelwa igazi? Yebo. Ngokwesibonelo: Ake sithi udokotela uthi kumelwe uyeke utshwala. Ingabe lokho bekuyosho ukuthi kufanele ugcine ngokungabuphuzi kuphela, kodwa ubufake emithanjeni yakho ngomjovo? Lutho neze! Ngokufanayo, ukudeda egazini kusho ukungalifaki nhlobo emizimbeni yethu. Ngakho umyalo wokudeda egazini usho ukuthi ngeke sivumele noma ubani ukuba ampompele igazi emithanjeni yethu.

14, 15. Uma odokotela bethi umKristu kumelwe ampontshelwe igazi, uyokwenzenjani, futhi ngani?

¹⁴ Kuthiwani uma umKristu elimele kabi noma edinga ukuhlinzwa okukhulu? Mhlawumbe odokotela bathi kumelwe ampontshelwe igazi, ngalé kwalokho uzokufa. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi umKristu ngeke afune ukufa. Ezama ukulondoloza ukuphila okuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu esiyigugu, uyozamukela ezinye izindlela zokwelapha ezingahlanganisi ukusebenzisa kabi igazi. Ngakho, uyofuna ukwelashwa ngalezo zindlela uma zitholakala futhi uyokwamukela izindlela zokwelapha ezihlukahlukene esikhundleni segazi.

¹⁵ Ingabe umKristu uyophula umthetho kaNkulunkulu ukuze nje aphile isikhashana kulesi simiso sezinto? UJesu wathi: “Noma ubani ofuna ukusindisa umphefumulo  wakhe [noma, ukuphila] uyolahlekelwa yiwo; kodwa noma ubani olahlekelwa ngumphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yami uyowuthola.” (Mathewu 16:25) Asifuni ukufa. Kodwa uma sizama ukusindisa ukuphila kwethu kwamanje ngokuphula umthetho kaNkulunkulu, siyoba sengozini yokulahlekelwa ukuphila okuphakade. Siyobe sihlakaniphile-ke uma sithembela ekutheni umthetho kaNkulunkulu ulungile, siqiniseke ngokugcwele ukuthi uma sifa ngasizathu simbe, uMniki-kuphila uyosikhumbula ovukweni, asibuyisele isipho sokuphila esiyigugu.—Johane 5:28, 29; Hebheru 11:6.

16. Yini izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizimisele ngokuqinile ukuyenza ngokuqondene negazi?

¹⁶ Namuhla, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile zenza isinqumo esiqinile sokulandela isiqondiso sakhe ngokuqondene negazi. Ngeke zilidle noma ngayiphi indlela. Ngeke futhi zivume ukwelashwa ngalo. * Ziyaqiniseka ukuthi uMdali wegazi uyazi ukuthi yini ezilungele kangcono. Ingabe wena uyakholelwa ukuthi uMdali uyazi?

17. Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, iyiphi okuwukuphela kwendlela yokusebenzisa igazi eyayamukeleka kuJehova uNkulunkulu?

¹⁷ UMthetho KaMose wagcizelela indlela eyodwa efanele yokusebenzisa igazi. Ngokuphathelene nokukhulekela  okwakufuneka kuma-Israyeli asendulo, uJehova wayala: “Umphefumulo wenyama [noma, ukuphila] usegazini, futhi mina ngiwubekele nina phezu kwe-altare ukuze nenzele imiphefumulo yenu isihlawulelo, ngoba yigazi elenza isihlawulelo.” (Levitikusi 17:11) Lapho ama-Israyeli ona, ayengathethelelwa ngokunikela ngesilwane futhi ayise elinye igazi laso etabernakele ukuze liyobekwa e-altare, okwathi kamuva laba sethempelini likaNkulunkulu. Ukunikela ngemihlatshelo enjalo kwakuwukuphela kwendlela efanele yokusebenzisa igazi.

18. Iziphi izinzuzo nezibusiso esingazithola ngenxa yokuchitheka kwegazi likaJesu?

¹⁸ AmaKristu eqiniso awekho ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose, ngakho awanikeli ngemihlatshelo yezilwane, ayise negazi lazo e-altare. (Hebheru 10:1) Ukusetshenziswa kwegazi e-altare ezinsukwini zika-Israyeli wasendulo kwakufanekisela umhlatshelo oyigugu weNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 5 sale ncwadi, uJesu wanikela  ngokuphila kwakhe njengomuntu ngenxa yethu ngokuvuma ukuba igazi lakhe lichitheke njengomhlatshelo. Wabe esenyukela ezulwini, wanikela kuNkulunkulu kwaba kanye kuphela ngenani legazi lakhe elachitheka. (Hebheru 9:11, 12) Lokho kwabeka isisekelo sokuthethelelwa kwezono zethu, kwasivulela nendlela yokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. (Mathewu 20:28; Johane 3:16) Yeka ukuthi leyo ndlela yokusetshenziswa kwegazi ibaluleke kangakanani! (1 Petru 1:18, 19) Siyosindiswa kuphela uma sinokholo egazini likaJesu elachitheka.

19. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sibe “msulwa egazini labo bonke abantu”?

¹⁹ Simbonga kakhulu uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokuphila, okuyisipho sothando! Akufanele yini lokho kusikhuthaze ukuba sitshele abanye ngethuba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade ngokubonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu? Ukukukhathalela njengoNkulunkulu ukuphila kwabanye abantu kuyosenza siwenze ngomfutho nangentshiseko lo msebenzi. (Hezekeli 3:17-21) Uma siwenza ngenkuthalo lo msebenzi, siyokwazi ukusho njengomphostoli uPawulu: “Ngimsulwa egazini labo bonke abantu, ngoba angigodlanga ukunitshela yonke injongo kaNkulunkulu.” (IzEnzo 20:26, 27) Ukutshela abantu ngoNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe kuyindlela enhle yokubonisa ukuthi sikwazisa kakhulu ukuphila negazi.