1, 2. Yikuphi ukukhetha okudingeka sikwenze ngokuqondene nezokuzijabulisa?

ZIBONE ngeso lengqondo usuzokudla isithelo esiconsisa amathe, kodwa bese uphawula ukuthi sinendawana ebolile. Uzokwenzenjani? Ungasidla sonke, udle nendawo ebolile; ungasitshinga sonke, nale ndawo ebolile; noma, ungasika le ndawo ebolile uyitshinge bese udla engabolile. Uzokhetha kuphi?

² Ezokuzijabulisa ziyafana ngandlela-thile naleso sithelo. Ngezinye izikhathi ufuna ukuzilibazisa, kodwa bese uqaphela ukuthi okuningi kokuzijabulisa kwanamuhla kunokuziphatha okungcolile, kubolile ngisho nokubola. Yini-ke ongayenza? Abanye bangase bakwamukele lokho okubi, bagwinye noma yini enikezwa ezokuzijabulisa zaleli zwe. Abanye bangase bazigweme zonke izinto zokuzijabulisa ukuze baqiniseke ukuthi abachayeki kunoma yini elimazayo. Kanti abanye bangase bazigweme ngokucophelela ezokuzijabulisa ezilimazayo, kodwa ngezikhathi ezithile bazijabulise ngalokho okwakhayo. Yikuphi wena okufanele ukukhethe ukuze uzigcine othandweni lukaNkulunkulu?

3. Yini esizoyicabangela manje?

³ Iningi lethu lingakhetha lokhu kwesithathu. Siyasibona isidingo sokuzilibazisa ngezinga elithile, kodwa sifuna ukuzijabulisa ngezinto ezihlanzekile kuphela. Ngakho-ke, kudingeka sicabangele ukuthi singanquma kanjani ukuthi yikuphi okwakhayo nokungakhi. Ngaphambi kwalokho, asiqale  sixoxe ngokuthi ezokuzijabulisa esizikhethayo zingaba naliphi ithonya ekukhulekeleni kwethu uJehova.

4. Ukuzinikezela kwethu kufanele kuyithinte kanjani indlela esikhetha ngayo ezokuzijabulisa?

⁴ Esikhathini esithile esedlule, uFakazi osekhulile owabhapathizwa ngo-1946 wathi: “Ngiye ngaqikelela ukuthi ngiba khona kuzo zonke izinkulumo zobhapathizo futhi ngilalelisise, njengokungathi kubhapathizwa mina.” Kungani? Wachaza, “Ukugcina ukuzinikezela kwami kucacile engqondweni kuye kwaba usizo olukhulu ekuhlaleni ngithembekile.” Ngokungangabazeki nawe uyavumelana nalokhu. Ukuzikhumbuza ukuthi wathembisa uJehova ukuthi uzosebenzisa ukuphila kwakho konke ekumkhonzeni kukushukumisela ekubeni ukhuthazele. (UmShumayeli 5:4; Hebheru 10:7) Empeleni, ukuzindla ngokuzinikezela kwakho ngeke kugcine ngokuthinta umbono wakho ngenkonzo yobuKristu kodwa futhi nangayo yonke imikhakha yokuphila—kuhlanganise nezokuzijabulisa. Umphostoli uPawulu waligcizelela lelo qiniso lapho ebhalela amaKristu osuku lwakhe: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi niyadla noma niyaphuza noma nenza noma yini enye, zonke izinto zenzeleni inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 10:31.

5. ULevitikusi 22:18-20 usisiza kanjani ukuba sibone isixwayiso okusekelwe kuso eyabaseRoma 12:1?

 ⁵ Konke okwenzayo ekuphileni kuhlobene nokukhulekela kwakho uJehova. Encwadini ayibhalela abaseRoma, uPawulu washo amazwi anamandla ukuze agcizelele leli qiniso kwakholwa nabo. Wabanxusa: “[Nikelani] imizimba yenu ingumhlatshelo ophilayo, ongcwele, owamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, inkonzo engcwele ngamandla enu okucabanga.” (Roma 12:1) Umzimba wakho uhlanganisa ingqondo yakho, inhliziyo namandla. Zonke lezi zinto uzisebenzisela ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. (Marku 12:30) UPawulu uthi inkonzo enjalo yomphefumulo wonke ingumhlatshelo. Lelo gama lisikisela isixwayiso. Ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose, uNkulunkulu wayewenqaba umhlatshelo onesici. (Levitikusi 22:18-20) Ngokufanayo, uma umhlatshelo ongokomoya womKristu ungcolile ngandlela-thile, uNkulunkulu uyawenqaba. Kungenzeka kanjani kodwa lokho?

6, 7. UmKristu angawungcolisa kanjani umzimba wakhe, futhi ingaba yini imiphumela?

⁶ UPawulu wakhuza amaKristu aseRoma: “Ningaqhubeki ninikela izitho zenu esonweni.” UPawulu wabuye wathi kuwo ‘mawabulale imikhuba yomzimba.’ (Roma 6:12-14; 8:13) Ngasekuqaleni kwale ncwadi, wayenikeze izibonelo ‘zemikhuba enjalo yomzimba.’ Ngokuqondene nesintu esinesono, siyafunda: “Umlomo wabo ugcwele ukuqalekisa.” “Izinyawo zabo ziyashesha ukuyochitha igazi.” “Akukho ukwesaba uNkulunkulu phambi kwamehlo abo.” (Roma 3:13-18) UmKristu angawungcolisa umzimba wakhe uma “izitho” zomzimba wakhe engazisebenzisela imikhuba eyisono enjengaleyo. Ngokwesibonelo, uma umKristu namuhla ebukela ngamabomu izinto ezingcolile njengezithombe zobulili noma ubudlova obunyantisayo, usuke ‘enikela [amehlo akhe] esonweni’ futhi ngokwenza kanjalo ungcolisa umzimba wakhe wonke. Ukukhulekela kwakhe kuba umhlatshelo ongasengcwele futhi uNkulunkulu akawamukeli. (Duteronomi  15:21; 1 Petru 1:14-16; 2 Petru 3:11) Yeka umphumela obuhlungu ngenxa yokukhetha ezokuzijabulisa ezingakhi!

⁷ Ngokusobala, ezokuzijabulisa umKristu azikhethayo zinemiphumela engathí sina. Ngokuqinisekile-ke sifuna ukukhetha ezokuzijabulisa eziyokwenza umhlatshelo wethu kuNkulunkulu ube muhle, zingawungcolisi. Manje ake sixoxe ngokuthi singanquma kanjani ukuthi yikuphi okwakhayo nokungakhi.

8, 9. (a) Ezokuzijabulisa zingahlukaniswa ngaziphi izigaba ezimbili? (b) Yiziphi izinhlobo zokuzijabulisa esizenqabayo, futhi ngani?

⁸ Ezokuzijabulisa zingahlukaniswa izigaba ezimbili. Esinye sihlanganisa ezokuzijabulisa amaKristu azigwemayo nje kwaphela; esinye sihlanganisa ezokuzijabulisa amaKristu angase azibone zamukeleka noma zingamukeleki. Masiqale ngesigaba sokuqala—ezokuzijabulisa amaKristu azigwemayo.

⁹ Njengoba kuveziwe eSahlukweni 1, ezinye izinhlobo zokuzijabulisa ziqokomisa izinto iBhayibheli elizilahla ngokucacile. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngezingosi ze-Internet kanye namabhayisikobho, izinhlelo ze-TV nomculo okhuluma ngezenzo zonya nobudemoni, noma onezithombe ezingcolile zobulili noma okhuthaza imikhuba enyanyekayo yokuziphatha okubi. Njengoba izinhlobo ezonakele kanjalo zokuzijabulisa zibeka ebuhleni izinto ezephula izimiso zeBhayibheli noma imithetho yalo, kufanele amaKristu eqiniso azigweme. (IzEnzo 15:28, 29; 1 Korinte 6:9, 10; IsAmbulo 21:8) Ngokwenqaba ezokuzijabulisa ezingakhi ezifana nalezi, ubonisa uJehova ukuthi ‘uyakwenyanya’ ngempela “okubi” nokuthi njalo nje ‘uyakufulathela okubi.’ Uma wenza kanjalo, ‘unokholo olungenabuzenzisi.’—Roma 12:9; IHubo 34:14; 1 Thimothewu 1:5.

10. Hlobo luni lokucabanga ngokuzijabulisa oluyingozi, futhi ngani?

¹⁰ Nokho, abanye bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi  akunangozi ukuzitika ngezokuzijabulisa ezikuveza ingcaca ukuziphatha okubi. Bayacabanga, ‘Ngingakubukela kumabhayisikobho noma kuyi-TV, kodwa angisoze ngazenza izinto ezinjalo mina.’ Ukucabanga okunjalo kuyakhohlisa futhi kuyingozi. (Jeremiya 17:9) Uma kusikitaza ukubukela izinto ezilahlwa uJehova, ingabe ‘siyakuzonda’ ngempela “okubi”? Ukuzichaya njalo ekuziphatheni okubi kuyodunga umqondo wethu. (IHubo 119:70; 1 Thimothewu 4:1, 2) Umkhuba onjalo ungakuthinta esikwenzayo noma indlela esibheka ngayo ukuziphatha kwabanye okunesono.

11. EyabaseGalathiya 6:7 ibe iqiniso kanjani mayelana nokuzijabulisa?

¹¹ Kuye kwenzeka ngokoqobo lokhu. Amanye amaKristu aye enza izenzo zokuziphatha okubi ngoba ethonywe ezokuzijabulisa ayejwayele ukuzibukela. Afunda kabuhlungu ukuthi “noma yini umuntu ayihlwanyelayo, uyovuna yona futhi.” (Galathiya 6:7) Kodwa umphumela odabukisa kanjalo ungagwemeka. Uma uhlwanyela kahle izinto ezihlanzekile engqondweni yakho, uyojabulela ukuvuna izinto ezinhle.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Uhlobo Olunjani Lokuzijabulisa Okufanele Ngilukhethe?” ekhasini 67.

12. EyabaseGalathiya 6:5 ihlobene kanjani nezokuzijabulisa, futhi yisiphi isiqondiso esinaso sokwenza izinqumo zomuntu siqu?

¹² Manje masixoxe ngesigaba sesibili—ezokuzijabulisa ezingalahliwe ngokuqondile futhi ezingavunyelwe ngokuqondile eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Lapho ekhetha kulezi, umKristu ngamunye kudingeka azenzele isinqumo sakhe siqu ngokuthi yini ayibona ingeyakhayo. (Galathiya 6:5) Noma kunjalo, lapho kufanele senze lesi sinqumo, sinazo iziqondiso. IBhayibheli linezimiso, noma amaqiniso ayisisekelo, ezisenza sikwazi ukuqonda indlela kaJehova yokucabanga. Ngokunaka izimiso ezinjalo, siyokwazi ukuqonda “ukuthi  iyini intando kaJehova” kuzo zonke izinto, kuhlanganise nezokuzijabulisa esizikhethayo.—Efesu 5:17.

13. Yini eyosishukumisela ekubeni sigweme ezokuzijabulisa ezingenyelisa uJehova?

¹³ Kuyaqondakala ukuthi akuwona wonke amaKristu akuhlakulele ngezinga elilinganayo ukuqonda. (Filipi 1:9) Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaKristu ayaqaphela ukuthi endabeni yokuzijabulisa, asithandi izinto ezifanayo. Ngakho-ke akumelwe kulindelwe ukuthi wonke amaKristu ayokwenza izinqumo  ezifana ncimishí. Noma kunjalo, lapho sizivumela ngokwengeziwe izimiso zikaNkulunkulu ukuba zithonye izingqondo nezinhliziyo zethu, siyokushisekela ngokwengeziwe ukugwema noma iluphi uhlobo lokuzijabulisa olungenyelisa uJehova.—IHubo 119:11, 129; 1 Petru 2:16.

14. (a) Yisiphi isici okufanele sisicabangele lapho sikhetha ezokuzijabulisa? (b) Singazigcina kanjani izithakazelo zoMbuso ziza kuqala ekuphileni kwethu?

¹⁴ Lapho sikhetha ezokuzijabulisa, kunesinye isici esibalulekile okudingeka sicatshangelwe: isikhathi sakho. Njengoba ezokuzijabulisa ozikhethayo zembula ukuthi yini wena oyithola yamukeleka, isikhathi osichitha kuko sembula ukuthi yini oyithola ibalulekile. Yiqiniso, izinto ezingokomoya yizona ezibaluleke kakhulu kumaKristu. (Mathewu 6:33) Khona-ke, yini ongayenza ukuze uqiniseke ukuthi izithakazelo zoMbuso zihlale ziza kuqala ekuphileni kwakho? Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Qaphelisisani ukuthi indlela enihamba ngayo ayinjengeyabantu abangahlakaniphile kodwa injengeyabahlakaniphileyo, nizithengisisela ithuba.” (Efesu 5:15, 16) Ngempela, ukubeka imingcele ecacile ngokuqondene nesikhathi osibekela ezokuzijabulisa kuyokusiza ukuba ube nesikhathi esidingekayo ‘sezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu’—izinto eziyoba nomthelela enhlalakahleni yakho engokomoya.—Filipi 1:10.

15. Kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ukuzibeka ohlangothini oluphephile lapho ukhetha ezokuzijabulisa?

¹⁵ Kuwukuhlakanipha nokuzibeka ohlangothini oluphephile lapho ukhetha ezokuzijabulisa. Kusho ukuthini lokho? Ake uphinde ucabange ngesibonelo sesithelo. Ukuze ungazitholi usudla nendawo ebolile ungaqondile, awusiki nje kuphela leyo ndawo ebolile kodwa nendawo eyizungezile. Ngokufanayo, kuwukuhlakanipha ukusebenzisa isimiso esifanayo nasekukhetheni ezokuzijabulisa. UmKristu ohlakaniphile akagcini nje ngokugwema ezokuzijabulisa ezizephula ingcaca izimiso zeBhayibheli kodwa futhi ugwema  nezinhlobo zokuzijabulisa ezingabazisayo noma ezibonakala zinezindawana ezingamlimaza ngokomoya. (IzAga 4:25-27) Ukunamathela eZwini likaNkulunkulu kuyokusiza ukuba wenze lokho kanye.

16. (a) Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sinombono kaJehova ezindabeni zokuziphatha? (b) Ukusebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli kungaba kanjani indlela yakho yokuphila?

¹⁶ Lapho ekhetha ezokuzijabulisa, amaKristu eqiniso aqale acabangele umbono kaJehova ngaphezu kwezinye izinto. IBhayibheli lembula imizwa nezindinganiso zikaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, iNkosi uSolomoni ibala izinto eziningana uJehova azizondayo, ‘njengolimi olunamanga, izandla ezichitha igazi elingenacala, inhliziyo eceba amacebo alimazayo, izinyawo ezisheshayo ukugijimela ebubini.’ (IzAga 6:16-19) Umbono kaJehova kufanele uwuthinte kanjani owakho? Umhubi wanxusa: “O nina enithanda uJehova, zondani okubi.” (IHubo 97:10) Izinto ozikhethayo kwezokuzijabulisa kudingeka zibonise ukuthi ukuzonda ngempela lokho okuzondwa uJehova. (Galathiya 5:19-21) Khumbula nokuthi lokho okwenza ngasese yikona okwembula uhlobo lomuntu oyilo ngempela ngaphezu kwalokho okwenza emehlweni abantu. (IHubo 11:4; 16:8) Ngakho, uma unesifiso esisuka enhliziyweni sokubonakalisa imizwa kaJehova ezindabeni zokuziphatha kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwakho, njalo  nje uyokwenza izinqumo ezivumelana nezimiso zeBhayibheli. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyoba indlela yakho yokuphila.—2 Korinte 3:18.

17. Ngaphambi kokukhetha ezokuzijabulisa, yimiphi imibuzo okufanele siyibuze?

¹⁷ Yini enye ongayenza ukuze uqiniseke ukuthi wenza ngokuvumelana nendlela kaJehova yokucabanga lapho ukhetha ezokuzijabulisa? Cabanga ngalo mbuzo, ‘Lokhu kuzongithinta kanjani mina nobuhlobo bami noNkulunkulu?’ Ngokwesibonelo, ngaphambi kokunquma ukuthi uyibukele yini ibhayisikobho ethile, zibuze, ‘Izinto ezikule bhayisikobho zizowuthinta kanjani unembeza wami?’ Ake sibone ukuthi yiziphi izimiso ezingasebenza kule ndaba.

18, 19. (a) Isimiso esikweyabaseFilipi 4:8 sisisiza kanjani ukuba sinqume ukuthi ezokuzijabulisa esizikhethayo ziyakha yini? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izimiso ezingakusiza ukuba ukhethe ezokuzijabulisa ezinhle? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)

¹⁸ Isimiso esiyisihluthulelo sikweyabaseFilipi 4:8, ethi: “Noma yiziphi izinto eziyiqiniso, noma yiziphi izinto ezibaluleke ngempela, noma yiziphi izinto ezilungileyo, noma yiziphi izinto ezihlanzekile, noma yiziphi izinto ezithandekayo, noma yiziphi izinto okukhulunywa kahle ngazo, noma yibuphi ubuhle obukhona nanoma yini ekhona ekufanelekelayo ukudunyiswa, qhubekani nicabanga ngalezi zinto.” Kuyavunywa, uPawulu wayengakhulumi ngezokuzijabulisa kodwa ngokuzindla kwenhliziyo, okufanele kugxile ezintweni ezithokozisa uNkulunkulu. (IHubo 19:14) Noma kunjalo, isimiso samazwi kaPawulu singasebenza nasendabeni yokuzijabulisa. Kanjani?

¹⁹ Zibuze, ‘Ingabe amabhayisikobho engiwakhethayo, imidlalo ye-video, umculo, noma ezinye izinhlobo zokuzijabulisa kugcwalisa ingqondo yami nganoma “yiziphi izinto ezihlanzekile”?’ Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokubukela ibhayisikobho ethile, usala ucabanga ngezinto ezinjani? Uma kuyizinto ezinhle, ezimsulwa neziqabulayo, kusho ukuthi  ubuzijabulisa ngento eyakhayo. Kepha uma ibhayisikobho obuyibukela ikwenza ucabange ngezinto ezingahlanzekile, khona-ke ubuzijabulisa ngento engahlanzekile, ngisho nelimazayo. (Mathewu 12:33; Marku 7:20-23) Kungani kuthiwa iyalimaza? Kungoba ukucabanga ngezinto ezingcolile kuphazamisa ukuthula kwakho kwangaphakathi, kwakha izibazi kunembeza wakho oqeqeshwe ngeBhayibheli, futhi kungonakalisa ubuhlobo bakho noNkulunkulu. (Efesu 5:5; 1 Thimothewu 1:5, 19) Njengoba ukuzijabulisa okunjalo kuyingozi kuwe, zimisele ukukugwema. * (Roma 12:2) Lingisa umhubi owathandaza kuJehova: “Yenza ukuba amehlo ami adlule angakuboni okungenanzuzo.”—IHubo 119:37.

20, 21. Eyoku-1 Korinte 10:23, 24 ihlobana kanjani nokukhetha ezokuzijabulisa ezakhayo?

²⁰ UPawulu washo isimiso seBhayibheli esiyisihluthelo okudingeka sicatshangelwe lapho kwenziwa izinqumo ezindabeni zomuntu siqu. Wathi: “Zonke izinto zingokomthetho; kodwa akuzona zonke izinto ezakhayo. Yilowo nalowo makangazifuneli inzuzo yakhe siqu, kodwa eyomunye umuntu.” (1 Korinte 10:23, 24) Lesi simiso sihlobana kanjani nokukhetha ezokuzijabulisa ezakhayo? Kudingeka uzibuze, ‘Ezokuzijabulisa engizikhethayo ziyobathinta kanjani abanye?’

²¹ Unembeza wakho ungase ukuvumele ukuba ujabulele uhlobo oluthile lokuzijabulisa olubheka ‘njengolungokomthetho,’ noma olwamukelekayo. Kepha uma uphawula ukuthi unembeza wamanye amakholwa awuluvumeli lolo hlobo lokuzijabulisa, ungase unqume ukuluyeka. Ngani? Ngoba awufuni ‘ukona abafowenu’—noma ngisho ‘ukona uKristu,’ njengoba uPawulu asho—ngokwenza kube nzima ngokwengeziwe ngamakholwa okanye nawo ukuba ahlale ethembekile  kuNkulunkulu. Ulalela lo myalo: “Gwemani ukuba yizimbangela zokukhubeka.” (1 Korinte 8:12; 10:32) AmaKristu eqiniso namuhla alalela iseluleko sikaPawulu esibonisa ukucabangela nokuqonda ngokugwema ezokuzijabulisa okungenzeka ukuthi ‘zingokomthetho’ kodwa ‘ezingakhi.’—Roma 14:1; 15:1.

22. Kungani amaKristu eyivumela imibono engefani ezindabeni zomuntu siqu?

²² Kunolunye uhlangothi-ke kodwa kule ndaba yokufuna inzuzo yabanye. UmKristu ononembeza oweqisayo ekwenqabeni izinto, akufanele athi wonke amaKristu ebandleni awavumelane nombono wakhe ongebanzi ngangowabanye endabeni yokuthi yikuphi ukuzijabulisa okufanele. Uma engenza kanjalo, angafana nomshayeli oshayela emgwaqweni omkhulu, othi bonke abashayeli abakulowo mgwaqo abahambe ngejubane elithandwa uyena. Ngeke kube nengqondo lokho. Ngenxa yothando lobuKristu, umuntu ononembeza oweqisayo ekwenqabeni izinto kudingeka ahloniphe amanye amakholwa amibono yawo kwezokuzijabulisa iyehluka ngandlela-thile kweyakhe kodwa ibe isahambisana nezimiso zobuKristu. Uma enza kanjalo, wenza ukuba ‘ukucabangela kwakhe kwaziwe yibo bonke abantu.’—Filipi 4:5; UmShumayeli 7:16.

23. Ungaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi ukhetha ezokuzijabulisa ezakhayo?

²³ Ngamafuphi, ungaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi ukhetha ezokuzijabulisa ezakhayo? Yenqaba noma ikuphi ukuzijabulisa okuziveza ingcaca izinto ezonakele zokuziphatha okubi ezilahlwa ngokuqondile eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Landela izimiso zeBhayibheli ezingasebenza ezinhlotsheni zokuzijabulisa ezingashiwongo ngokuqondile eBhayibhelini. Gwema ezokuzijabulisa ezilimaza unembeza wakho, futhi zimisele ukuyeka izinhlobo zokuzijabulisa ezingalimaza abanye, ikakhulu labo okholwa nabo. Kwangathi isinqumo sakho esiqinile sokwenza kanjalo singakhazimulisa uNkulunkulu futhi sigcine wena nomkhaya wakho othandweni lwakhe.