1, 2. Imuphi umbuzo okumelwe uzibuze wona ngemva kokushiya inkolo yamanga, futhi kungani ucabanga ukuthi lokhu kubalulekile?

AKE sithi uthola ukuthi kunegciwane elihlasele yonke indawo yangakini. Kunomuntu obelokhu elahla udoti onoshevu kuleyo ndawo, manje ukuphila kusengozini. Yini obungayenza? Akungatshazwa ukuthi ubungathuthela kwenye indawo uma ukwazi. Kodwa noma usuthuthile, ubusazobhekana nalo mbuzo obucayi, ‘Kazi angilitholanga yini mina leli gciwane?’

² Kuyisimo esifanayo nangenkolo yamanga. IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi leyo nkolo ingcoliswe izimfundiso nemikhuba engcolile. (2 Korinte 6:17) Yingakho kubalulekile ukuba uphume ‘eBhabhiloni Elikhulu,’ umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. (IsAmbulo 18:2, 4) Ingabe usukwenzile lokho? Uma usuphumile, wenze kahle. Kodwa akwanele ukugcina ngokuzehlukanisa nenkolo yamanga noma ngokwesula kuyo. Ngemva kokwenza lokho kumelwe uzibuze, ‘Ingabe ikhona iminonjana yenkolo yamanga esasele kimi?’ Ake ucabange ngezinye zezibonelo.

3. (a) Lithini iBhayibheli ngokusebenzisa izithombe, futhi kungani kungase kube nzima kwabanye ukwamukela umbono kaNkulunkulu? (b) Kufanele wenzeni ngezinto onazo ezihlobene nenkolo yamanga?

³ Abanye sekuyiminyaka benezithombe noma izindawo zokuthandaza emizini yabo. Ingabe nawe unazo? Uma kunjalo, ungase ukuzwe kuyinto exakayo noma engalungile ukuthandaza kuNkulunkulu ngaphandle kosizo lwezinto ezinjalo okwazi ukuzibona. Kungenzeka ezinye zazo uzikhonzile. Kodwa uNkulunkulu nguye oshoyo ukuthi kufanele akhulekelwe kanjani, futhi iBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi akafuni sisebenzise izithombe. (Eksodusi 20:4, 5; IHubo 115:4-8; Isaya 42:8; 1 Johane 5:21) Ngakho inkolo yeqiniso ungayimelela ngokulahla zonke izinto onazo ezihlobene nenkolo yamanga. Zibheke ngendlela uJehova azibheka ngayo—njengezinto ‘ezinengekayo.’—Duteronomi 27:15.

4. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukukhulekela amadlozi kuyize? (b) Kungani uJehova anqabela abantu bakhe ukuba bahlanganyele kunoma yiluphi uhlobo lokusebenzisa imimoya?

⁴ Ukukhulekela amadlozi nakho kuvamile ezinkolweni  eziningi zamanga. Ngaphambi kokufunda iqiniso leBhayibheli, abanye babekholwa ukuthi abafileyo bayaphila endaweni engabonakali nokuthi bangasiza noma balimaze abaphilayo. Kungenzeka wawuzikhandla impela ushweleze emadlozini. Kodwa njengoba ufundile eSahlukweni 6 kule ncwadi, abafileyo abaphili ndawo. Ngakho, imizamo yokuxhumana nabo iyize. Noma yimiphi imiyalezo ebonakala ivela kwabathandekayo abafileyo empeleni ivela emademonini. Yingakho uJehova awenqabela ama-Israyeli ukuba azame ukukhuluma nabafileyo noma ahlanganyele kunoma yiluphi olunye uhlobo lokusebenzisa imimoya.—Duteronomi 18:10-12.

5. Yini ongayenza uma ukusebenzisa izithombe noma ukukhulekela amadlozi bekuyingxenye yendlela okhulekela ngayo?

⁵ Uma ukusebenzisa izithombe noma ukukhulekela amadlozi bekuyingxenye yendlela okhulekela ngayo, yini ongayenza? Funda futhi uzindle ngalokho okushiwo iBhayibheli ngendlela uNkulunkulu azibheka ngayo lezi zinto. Thandaza nsuku zonke kuJehova ngesifiso sakho sokumelela inkolo yeqiniso, umcele ukuba akusize ucabangise okwakhe.—Isaya 55:9.

6, 7. (a) Kuthiwa kusuke kugujwani ngoKhisimusi, futhi ingabe abalandeli bakaJesu bekhulu lokuqala babewugubha? (b) Imiphi imikhosi yezinsuku zokuzalwa eyayigujwa ngezikhathi zabafundi bakaJesu bokuqala?

⁶ Ukukhulekela komuntu kungangcoliswa inkolo yamanga ngokuphathelene namaholide athandwayo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngoKhisimusi. Kuthiwa ngoKhisimusi kusuke kugujwa ukuzalwa kukaJesu Kristu, futhi cishe zonke izinkolo ezithi zingezobuKristu ziyawugubha. Nokho, abukho ubufakazi bokuthi abafundi bakaJesu bekhulu lokuqala babeligubha leli holide. Incwadi ethi Sacred Origins of Profound Things ithi: “Kwaphela amakhulu amabili eminyaka kusukela uKristu azalwa kulokhu kungekho muntu owazi  ukuthi wazalwa nini ngempela futhi bambalwa abantu ababenendaba nalokho.”

⁷ Ngisho noma abafundi bakaJesu babelwazi usuku oluqondile lokuzalwa kwakhe, babengeke balugubhe. Ngani? Ngoba amaKristu okuqala “ayebheka ukugubha ukuzalwa kwanoma ubani njengomkhuba wamaqaba,” njengoba kusho i-World Book Encyclopedia. Okuwukuphela kokugujwa kwezinsuku zokuzalwa okukhulunywa ngakho eBhayibhelini okwababusi ababili ababengamkhulekeli uJehova. (Genesise 40:20; Marku 6:21) Kwakugujwa nezinsuku zokuzalwa zonkulunkulu bamaqaba. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-May 24 amaRoma ayegubha usuku lokuzalwa kukankulunkulukazi uDiyana. Ngosuku olulandelayo ayegubha usuku lokuzalwa kukankulunkulu wawo welanga, u-Apollo. Ngakho, ukugujwa kwezinsuku zokuzalwa kwakuhlobene nobuqaba, hhayi nobuKristu.

8. Chaza ukuhlobana kwemikhosi yokugubha izinsuku zokuzalwa nenkolelo-ze.

⁸ Kunesinye futhi isizathu esasenza amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala angalugubhi usuku lokuzalwa kukaJesu. Kungenzeka ukuthi abafundi bakhe babazi ukuthi ukugujwa kwezinsuku zokuzalwa kwakuhlobene nenkolelo-ze. Ngokwesibonelo, amaGreki namaRoma amaningi asendulo ayekholelwa ukuthi kunomoya oqapha ukuzalwa komuntu ngamunye nokuthi uyamvikela ukuphila kwakhe konke. Incwadi ethi The Lore of Birthdays ithi: “Lo moya wawuba nobuhlobo obuyimfihlo nonkulunkulu owazalwa ngosuku lokuzalwa kwalowo muntu.” Noma yimuphi umkhosi owawungase uhlobanise uJesu nenkolelo-ze, wawungeke neze umjabulise uJehova. (Isaya 65:11, 12) Pho, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uKhisimusi ugujwe abantu abaningi kangaka?

9. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba kukhethwe u-December 25 njengosuku lokugubha ukuzalwa kukaJesu?

⁹ Kwase kudlule amakhulu amaningana eminyaka uJesu  ekade elapha emhlabeni lapho abantu baqala khona ukugubha ukuzalwa kwakhe ngo-December 25. Kodwa akulona usuku uJesu azalwa ngalo lolo, ngoba kusobala ukuthi wazalwa ngo-October. * Pho kungani kwakhethwa u-December 25? Abanye, kamuva abathi bangamaKristu, kungenzeka “babefisa ukuba lolu suku luqondane nomkhosi wamaRoma angamaqaba wokugubha ‘usuku lokuzalwa kwelanga elinganqobeki.’” (The New Encyclopædia Britannica) Ebusika, ngesikhathi ilanga elingabaleli ngaso, amaqaba ayeba nemigidi yokubuyisa lo mthombo wokushisa nokukhanya ezindaweni ezikude owawuhamba kuzo. Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi u-December 25 uwusuku ilanga eliqala ngalo ukubuya. Bezama ukuguqula amaqaba, abaholi benkolo bathatha lo mkhosi bazama ukuwenza ubonakale “ungowobuKristu.” *

10. Esikhathini esidlule, kungani abanye abantu babengawugubhi uKhisimusi?

¹⁰ Sekuyisikhathi eside kwaziwa ukuthi umsuka kaKhisimusi ungowobuqaba. Ngenxa yomsuka wawo ongasekelwa yimiBhalo, uKhisimusi wavalwa eNgilandi nakwamanye amakoloni aseMelika phakathi nekhulu le-17. Noma ubani owayeze azihlalele ekhaya angayi emsebenzini ngosuku lukaKhisimusi wayehlawuliswa. Nokho, ngokushesha amasiko amadala abuya, kwanezelwa namanye amasha. UKhisimusi waphinda waba iholide elikhulu, futhi useyilo  emazweni amaningi. Ngenxa yokuhlobana kukaKhisimusi nenkolo yamanga, labo abafuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu abawugubhi uKhisimusi nanoma iliphi elinye iholide elisuka ekukhulekeleni kwamaqaba. *

11. Kungani abanye abantu begubha amaholide, kodwa yini okufanele ibe semqoka kithi?

¹¹ Abanye bayavuma ukuthi amaholide afana noKhisimusi asuka emaqabeni kodwa banomuzwa wokuthi akukubi ukuwagubha. Empeleni abantu abaningi abacabangi ngokukhulekela kwamanga lapho begubha amaholide. Lezi zikhathi zinika nemikhaya amathuba okubungazana. Ingabe nawe uzizwa kanjalo? Uma kunjalo, kungenzeka ukuthi okwenza kubonakale kunzima ukumelela inkolo yeqiniso yindlela obathanda ngayo abakini, hhayi amaholide. Qiniseka ukuthi uJehova, owasungula umkhaya, ufuna ube nobuhlobo obuhle nezihlobo zakho. (Efesu 3:14, 15) Kodwa lobo buhlobo ungabuqinisa ngezindlela ezivunyelwa uNkulunkulu. Ngokuphathelene nalokho okufanele kube semqoka kithi, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Qhubekani niqinisekisa ukuthi kuyini okwamukelekayo eNkosini.”—Efesu 5:10.

12. Fanekisa ukuthi kungani kufanele sigweme amasiko nemikhosi enemisuka engcolile.

¹² Mhlawumbe unomuzwa wokuthi umsuka wamaholide awuhlangene ngalutho nendlela agujwa ngayo namuhla. Ingabe ngempela umsuka ubalulekile? Yebo! Ake sifanekise: Ake sithi ubona uswidi kudoti. Ubungawucosha uwudle? Ubungeke! Lowo swidi ungcolile. Njengalowo swidi, amaholide angase abonakale emnandi, kodwa umsuka wawo ungcolile. Ukuze simelele inkolo yeqiniso, kudingeka sibe nombono ofana nowomprofethi u-Isaya, owatshela  abakhulekeli beqiniso: “Ningathinti lutho olungcolile.”—Isaya 52:11.

13. Iziphi izinselele ezingase ziphakame uma ungahlanganyeli ekugubheni amaholide?

¹³ Kungase kuphakame izinselele lapho ukhetha ukungahlanganyeli ekugubheni amaholide. Ngokwesibonelo, kungase kubaxake osebenza nabo ukuthi kungani ungahlanganyeli ezintweni ezenziwa emsebenzini ngeholide elithile. Kuthiwani uma uphiwa isipho sikaKhisimusi? Kungaba kubi yini ukusamukela? Kuthiwani uma oshade naye engenazo izinkolelo ezifana nezakho? Ungaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi izingane zakho azizizwa ziphuthelwa okuthile ngenxa yokungawagubhi amaholide?

14, 15. Yini ongayenza uma othile ekufisela izilokotho ezinhle noma efuna ukukupha isipho?

¹⁴ Ukwahlulela okuhle kuyadingeka ukuze ubone ukuthi ungasisingatha kanjani isimo ngasinye. Uma othile emane nje ekufisela izilokotho ezinhle, ungase ubonge. Kodwa ake sithi ufiselwa umuntu ombona njalo noma osebenza naye. Kuleso simo, ungase ukhethe ukuchaza okwengeziwe. Kuzo zonke izimo, ungabacasuli. IBhayibheli liyeluleka: “Amazwi enu ngaso sonke isikhathi mawabe nomusa, ayoliswe ngosawoti, ukuze nazi ukuthi kufanele nimphendule kanjani umuntu ngamunye.” (Kolose 4:6) Qikelela ukuthi uyabahlonipha abanye. Sichaze ngendlela engacasuli isimo sakho. Kwenze kucace ukuthi awumelene nokuphana izipho nokuya emibuthanweni, ukuthi nje ukhetha ukwenza lezi zinto ngesinye isikhathi.

¹⁵ Kuthiwani uma othile efuna ukukupha isipho? Yizimo eziyonquma. Okuphayo angase athi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi awuligubhi leli holide. Kodwa ngicela ukukupha lokhu.” Ungase unqume ukuthi ukusamukela isipho kulezo zimo akufani nokuhlanganyela kulelo holide. Kodwa uma okuphayo engazazi izinkolelo zakho, ungase umtshele ukuthi awuligubhi  lelo holide. Lokhu kuyomenza abone ukuthi kungani usamukela isipho kodwa wena ube ungamuphi ngaleso sikhathi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kuyoba ukuhlakanipha ukungasamukeli isipho uma usiphiwa ngenjongo yokubonisa ukuthi awunamatheli ezinkolelweni zakho noma ukuthi uyasamukela uma kukhona ozokuthola.

16. Ungakugwema kanjani ukucasula izihlobo zakho lapho usingatha izindaba ezihlobene namaholide?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani uma abakini bengenazo izinkolelo ezifana nezakho? Nabo ungabacasuli. Akudingekile ukuba isiko nomkhosi ngamunye izihlobo zakho ezikhetha ukuwugubha uwenze ube indaba enkulu. Kunalokho, hlonipha imibono yazo, njengoba nje nawe ufuna ziyihloniphe eyakho. (Mathewu 7:12) Gwema noma iziphi izenzo ezingakwenza uhlanganyele kulelo holide. Kodwa yiba obonelelayo ezindabeni ezingahlangene nomkhosi ngokwawo. Yebo, ngaso sonke isikhathi kufanele wenze izinto ngendlela eyoshiya unembeza wakho umuhle.—1 Thimothewu 1:18, 19.

17. Ungazisiza kanjani izingane zakho ukuba zingazizwa ziphuthelwa okuthile ngenxa yokuthi zibona ezinye zigubha amaholide?

¹⁷ Yini ongayenza ukuze izingane zakho zingazizwa ziphuthelwa okuthile ngenxa yokungawagubhi amaholide angasekelwe emiBhalweni? Kuyonquma ukuthi wenzani ngezinye izikhathi zonyaka. Abanye abazali babeka izikhathi zokupha izingane zabo izipho. Esinye sezipho ezinhle kakhulu ongasinika izingane zakho isikhathi sakho nokuzinakekela ngothando.

18. Ukuba khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu kungakusiza kanjani ukuba umelele inkolo yeqiniso?

¹⁸ Ukuze ujabulise uNkulunkulu, kumelwe uyeke inkolo yamanga, umelele inkolo yeqiniso. Kuhlanganisani lokhu? IBhayibheli lithi: “Masicabangelane ukuze sivuselelane uthando nemisebenzi emihle, singakuyeki ukuhlangana  kwethu ndawonye, njengoba kungumkhuba wabanye, kodwa sikhuthazane, futhi ikakhulu njengoba nibona usuku lusondela.” (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Imihlangano yobuKristu iyizikhathi ezijabulisayo ongakhulekela ngazo uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayamukelayo. (IHubo 22:22; 122:1) Kuleyo mihlangano, amaKristu athembekile ‘ayakhuthazana.’—Roma 1:12.

19. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba ukhulume nabanye ngezinto ozifundile eBhayibhelini?

¹⁹ Enye indlela ongayimelela ngayo inkolo yeqiniso iwukukhuluma nabanye ngezinto ozifundile ekutadisheni iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Abantu abaningi ‘bayabubula futhi bayaquma’ ngempela ngenxa yobubi obenzeka emhlabeni namuhla. (Hezekeli 9:4) Mhlawumbe bakhona obaziyo abazizwa ngaleyo ndlela. Kungani ungakhulumi nabo ngethemba lakho lekusasa elisekelwe eBhayibhelini? Uma uzihlanganisa namaKristu eqiniso, ukhuluma nabanye ngamaqiniso amangalisayo eBhayibheli owafundile, uyothola ukuthi noma isiphi isifiso sokugcina amasiko enkolo yamanga okungenzeka besisesenhliziyweni yakho siyaphela kancane kancane. Qiniseka ukuthi uyojabula kakhulu futhi uyothola izibusiso eziningi uma umelela inkolo yeqiniso.—Malaki 3:10.