1-3. (a) Kungani umama esiba leqiniso lokuthi umntanakhe uyabukeka njalo uhlanzekile? (b) Kungani uJehova efuna ukuthi izikhonzi zakhe zihlanzeke, njalo kuyini okusenza sifune ukuhlala sihlanzekile?

UMAMA ulungiselela umntanakhe ongumfana njengoba efuna ukuphuma. Uba leqiniso lokuthi ugezile lokuthi izigqoko zakhe ziyabukeka njalo zihlanzekile. Uyakwazi ukuthi inhlanzeko iqakathekile ukuze umntanakhe abe lempilakahle. Uyakwazi lokuthi ukubukeka kwendodana yakhe kuzakwenza ukuthi bona njengabazali banconywe kakhulu.

² UBaba wethu osezulwini uJehova ufuna izinceku zakhe zihlale zihlanzekile kumbe zingelasici. ILizwi lakhe lithi: “Kwabahlanzekileyo uziveza uhlanzekile.” * (IHubo 18:26) UJehova uyasithanda  futhi uyakwazi ukuthi ukuhlala sihlanzekile kunceda thina. Ukhangelele ukuthi esikwenzayo njengoFakazi bakhe kwenze abantu bakhulume kuhle ngaye. Kuliqiniso ukuthi nxa sibukeka futhi siziphatha kuhle sizakwenza ukuthi uJehova adunyiswe kanye lebizo lakhe, hatshi ukuthi akhulunyelwe kubi.​—UHezekheli 36:22; bala u-1 Phetro 2:12.

³ Ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uthanda abantu abahlanzekileyo kusenza sifune ukuhlala sihlanzekile. Sifuna ukuthi indlela esiphila ngayo imdumise ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda. Sifuna futhi ukuhlala sisethandweni lwakhe. Ake sihlole-ke ukuthi kungani kumele sihlale sihlanzekile, ukuthi ukuhlanzeka kugoqelani, njalo lokuthi singahlala njani sihlanzekile. Ukuzihlola okunjalo kuzasinceda sibone ukuthi kungaphi lapho okumele sibophe khona ziqine.

4, 5. (a) Yisiphi isizathu esikhulu esenza ukuthi sihlale sihlanzekile? (b) Sikubona njani ukuhlanzeka kukaJehova ezintweni azidalayo?

⁴ UJehova usikhokhela ngokuba yisibonelo. ILizwi lakhe lisikhuthaza ukuthi sibe “ngabalingiseli bakaNkulunkulu.” (Kwabase-Efesu 5:1) Nansi isizathu esikhulu esenza ukuthi sihlale sihlanzekile: UJehova, uNkulunkulu esimkhonzayo uhlanzekile, umsulwa njalo ungcwele kukho konke.​—Bala uLevi 11:44, 45.

⁵ Siyakubona ukuhlanzeka kukaJehova ezintweni azidalileyo njengoba lobuntu bakhe sibubona kulezo zinto. (KwabaseRoma 1:20) Umhlaba wadalwa ukuthi ube likhaya labantu elihlanzekileyo. UJehova ubeke izinto zemvelo ezihlanza umoya esiwuphefumulayo lamanzi. Umhlaba uyenelisa ukuzihlanza ngendlela emangalisayo. Lokhu kusitshengisa ukuthi ‘uMenzi womhlaba’ uyayiqakathekisa kakhulu inhlanzeko. (UJeremiya 10:12) Lathi kumele siyiqakathekise.

6, 7. UMthetho kaMosi wakugcizelela njani ukuthi uJehova ufuna abamkhonzayo bahlanzeke?

⁶ Esinye isizathu esenza kudingeke ukuthi sihlale sihlanzekile yikuthi uJehova, uMbusi wethu weNdawo Yonke, ufuna izikhonzi zakhe zihlanzeke. Emthethweni kaJehova  awupha ama-Israyeli, umuntu wayengeke athi uyakhonza yena engahlanzekanga. UMthetho wawutshengisa ngokucacileyo ukuthi ngeLanga Lokubuyisana, umphristi kwakumele ageze kabili hatshi kanye. (ULevi 16:4, 23, 24) Abaphristi abakhokhelayo kwakumele bageze izandla kanye lezinyawo zabo bengakanikeli umhlatshelo kuJehova. (U-Eksodusi 30: 17-21; 2 ImiLando 4:6) UMthetho wakhuluma ngezinto ezingaba ngu-70 ezazingangcolisa umuntu lemikhuba eyayingenza ukuthi abalwe njengongcolileyo. UmIsrayeli kwakungamelanga ahlanganyele ekukhonzeni ngesikhathi esangcolile ngoba ngezinye izikhathi wayejeziswa ngokufa. (ULevi 15:31) Loba ngubani owayengafuni ukuzihlambulula ngendlela eyayifuneka, okugoqela ukugeza umzimba wakhe lokuwatsha izigqoko zakhe ‘kwakumele axotshwe ebantwini,’ okutsho ukuthi kwakumele abulawe.​—AmaNani 19:17-20.

⁷ Lanxa singasalandeli uMthetho kaMosi, okwakukulowo mthetho kusitshengisa indlela uNkulunkulu ayibona ngayo inhlanzeko. Kuyacaca ukuthi uMthetho wawugcizelela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayefuna ukuthi labo abamkhonzayo bahlanzeke. UJehova kantshintshanga. (UMalaki 3:6) Ukukhonza kwethu ngeke kwamukelwe nguye ngaphandle kokuthi kube ‘ngokuhlambulukileyo futhi okungangcolanga.’ (UJakhobe 1:27) Ngakho kumele sikwazi lokho afuna sikwenze endabeni le.

8. UJehova ufuna sihlanzeke ezintweni ziphi?

⁸ EBhayibhilini, umqondo wokuba ngohlanzekileyo kawutsho ukuhlanzeka emzimbeni kuphela. Ukuhlanzeka emehlweni kaNkulunkulu kugoqela konke esikwenzayo empilweni yethu. UJehova ufuna sihlanzeke ezintweni ezine eziqakathekileyo: ekukhonzeni, ekuziphatheni, kwesikucabangayo lasemzimbeni. Kasiboneni ukuthi ngakunye kwalokho kugoqelani.

9, 10. Kutshoni ukuhlala sihlanzekile ekukhonzeni njalo kuyini amaKhristu eqiniso angakwenziyo?

⁹ Ukuhlanzeka ekukhonzeni. Kalula nje, ukuhlala sihlanzekile  ekukhonzeni kutsho ukungahlanganisi ukukhonza kweqiniso lokwamanga. Lapho ama-Israyeli esuka eBhabhiloni ebuyela eJerusalema, kwakumele alalele isixwayiso lesi esiphefumulelweyo: ‘Phumani lapho, lingathinti lutho olungcolileyo, libe ngabahlambulukileyo.’ (U-Isaya 52:11) Isizathu esikhulu esasisenza ama-Israyeli abuyele elizweni lawo sasingesokuthi aqalise njalo ukukhonza uJehova. Ukukhonza lokho kwakumele kube ngokuhlanzekileyo, okungangcoliswanga yizimfundiso, imikhuba lamasiko enkolo yeBhabhiloni okwakuseyisa uNkulunkulu.

¹⁰ Lamuhla, kumele lathi amaKhristu eqiniso siqaphele ukuthi asingcoliswa yikukhonza kwamanga. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 10:21.) Kuqakathekile ukuthi siqaphele endabeni le ngoba inkolo yamanga igcwele yonke indawo. Emazweni amanengi, amasiko lemikhuba okutshiyeneyo kuhambisana lezimfundiso zenkolo yamanga, njengemfundiso yokuthi kulokuthile kithi okusala kuphila nxa sesifile. (UmTshumayeli 9:5, 6, 10) AmaKhristu eqiniso awahlanganyeli emasikweni agoqela izimfundiso zenkolo yamanga. * Kasisoze sivume ukuthi abanye basenze sephule izimiso zeBhayibhili zokukhonza kweqiniso.​—ImiSebenzi 5:29.

11. Ukuhlanzeka ekuziphatheni kugoqelani, njalo kungani kuqakathekile ukuhlala sihlanzekile ngalendlela?

¹¹ Ukuhlanzeka ekuziphatheni. Ukuhlala sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni kugoqela ukubalekela loba yikuphi ukuziphatha kubi kwezemacansini. (Bala u-Efesu 5:5.) Kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni. Njengoba sizabona ebhukwini leli, nxa sifuna ukuhlala sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu kumele ‘sibalekele ubufebe.’ Izifebe ezingaphendukiyo ‘kaziyikudla ilifa loMbuso kaNkulunkulu.’ (1 KwabaseKhorinte 6:9, 10, 18) UNkulunkulu ubabona ‘njengabaxhwalileyo’ abantu abanjalo. Nxa abantu abanjalo besehluleka ukuhlala behlanzekile ekuziphatheni, ‘umvuzo wabo uzakuba yikufa kwesibili.’​—ISambulo 21:8.

12, 13. Esikucabangayo lesikwenzayo kuhambelana njani, njalo singahlala njani silemicabango ehlanzekileyo?

 ¹² Imicabango ehlanzekileyo. Esikucabangayo yikho okwenza senze okuthile. Nxa singavumela imicabango emibi ezingqondweni lasezinhliziyweni zethu, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sizakwenza okubi. (UMathewu 5:28; 15:18-20) Kodwa nxa sifaka imicabango ehlanzekileyo engqondweni yethu, sizaba ngabantu abalemisebenzi ehlanzekileyo. (Bala uFiliphi 4:8.) Singahlala njani silemicabango ehlanzekileyo? Okokuqala, kumele sibalekele loba yiziphi izindlela zokuzilibazisa ezingangcolisa indlela esicabanga ngayo. * Okwesibili yikuthi sifake ezingqondweni zethu imicabango ehlanzekileyo ngokubala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu nsukuzonke.​—IHubo 19:8, 9.

¹³ Ukuze sihlale sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale sihlanzekile ekukhonzeni, ekuziphatheni, lasemicabangweni. Ezinye izahluko zebhuku leli zikhuluma okunengi ngezindlela lezi zokuhlanzeka. Ake sihlole okwesine esingahlanzeka kukho​—ukuhlanzeka emzimbeni.

14. Kungani inhlanzeko ingasiyo ndaba yomuntu ngamunye?

¹⁴ Inhlanzeko igoqela ukuhlala sihlanzekile emzimbeni lasezindaweni esihlala kuzo. Ukuhlanzeka okunjalo yindaba yomuntu ngamunye yini engamelanga ingenelwe ngabanye abantu na? Akumelanga kube njalo ngezikhonzi zikaJehova. Njengoba sekukhulunyiwe, inhlanzeko iqakathekile kuJehova hatshi ngoba inceda thina kodwa ngenxa yokuthi yenza anconywe. Cabanga ngomzekeliso osekuqaliseni kwesahluko lesi. Nxa ubona umntwana ohlala engcolile kumbe engabukeki, kawuzibuzi yini ukuthi abazali bakhe banjani? Asifuni lakancane ukuthi indlela esibukeka ngayo kumbe esiphila ngayo yenze uBaba wethu osezulwini asolwe lokuthi yenze ukuthi esikutshumayelayo kusolwe. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Kasibeki zikhubekiso endleleni yomuntu, ukuze imfundiso yethu ingasolwa. Kodwa,  njengezisebenzi zikaNkulunkulu sizethula ngazo zonke izindlela.” (2 KwabaseKhorinte 6:3, 4) Ngakho-ke singahlala njani sihlanzekile?

15, 16. Imikhuba emihle yenhlanzeko igoqelani, njalo kumele isimo sezigqoko zethu sibe njani?

¹⁵ Ukuhlanzeka emzimbeni lokubukeka. Lanxa amasiko lendlela abantu abaphila ngayo kutshiyene kusiya ngendawo abakuyo, inengi lethu liyenelisa ukuthola isepa lamanzi aneleyo okugeza nsukuzonke ukuze thina labantwabethu sihlale sihlanzekile. Ukuhlala sihlanzekile kugoqela ukugeza izandla zethu ngesepa singakadli kumbe singakalungisi ukudla, ngemva kokusebenzisa isambuzi, langemva kokuntshintsha umntwana isitshubo. Ukugeza izandla ngesepa kungasivikela emikhuhlaneni futhi kusenze sibe lempilakahle. Kuyavimbela ukumemetheka kwamagcikwane, kuncede abantu ukuthi bangaze bahlaselwa yimikhuhlane yohudo. Ezindaweni lapho okulezindlu  ezingelazambuzi, ingcekeza ingalahlwa ngokuyigqibela ngenhlabathi njengoba kwakusenziwa ngama-Israyeli endulo.​—UDutheronomi 23:12, 13.

¹⁶ Izigqoko zethu lazo zifuna ukuwatshwa zikhathi zonke ukuze zihlanzeke futhi zibukeke. Kakudingi ukuthi izigqoko zomKhristu zibe ngezidulayo kumbe zibe ngezalezinsuku kodwa kumele zihlanzeke, zibukeke futhi zibe ngezilesithunzi. (Bala u-1 Thimothi 2:9, 10.) Kungelani lokuthi singaphi, sifuna ukuthi ukubukeka kwethu kwenze “imfundiso ngoNkulunkulu uMsindisi wethu ibe ngehugayo.”​—KuThithusi 2:10.

17. Kungani kumele indawo esihlala kuyo kanye lempahla yethu kuhlanzeke njalo kubukeke?

¹⁷ Indawo esihlala kuyo kanye lempahla yethu. Izindlu zethu zingabe zingamangalisi kumbe zingelazinto ezidulayo, kodwa kumele zihlanzeke njalo zibukeke ngendlela izimo ezingasivumela ngazo. Nxa sihamba ngemota emihlanganweni kumbe ekutshumayeleni, kumele sizame ngazozonke izindlela ukuthi ihlale ihlanzekile phandle laphakathi. Akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi indawo kanye lempahla ehlanzekileyo kufakaza ngoNkulunkulu wethu esimkhonzayo. Sifundisa abantu ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu ohlanzekileyo, ukuthi ‘uzachitha labo abachitha umhlaba,’ lokuthi sekuseduze ukuthi uMbuso wakhe untshintshe umhlaba wethu ube lipharadayisi. (ISambulo 11:18; ULukha 23:43) Lakhathesi sifuna ukuthi indawo esihlala kuyo kanye lezinto esilazo kutshengise abanye ukuthi silemikhuba ehlanzekileyo ezabe ihambelana lomhlaba omutsha ozayo.

18. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyalihlonipha iWolu lethu loMbuso?

¹⁸ Indawo yethu yokukhonzela. Ukuthanda kwethu uJehova kusenza sihloniphe indawo esikhonzela kuyo​—iWolu lethu loMbuso. Sifuna abantu babe lombono omuhle ngendawo esikhonzela kuyo nxa besivakatshele. Ukuze iwolu lihlale lilihle njalo libukeka kumele silihlanze futhi siligcine kuhle ngaso sonke isikhathi. Sitshengisa ukuthi siyalihlonipha iWolu lethu loMbuso ngokuzama ukuligcina lisesimweni esihle. Kuyisibusiso  esikhulu ukuncedisa ukuhlanza, kanye ‘lokuvuselela lokwakha kutsha’ indawo yethu yokukhonzela. (2 ImiLando 34:​10) Izimiso ezifananayo ziyasebenza lanxa singenela eWolu leMihlangano emikhulu kumbe kwezinye izindawo esingenela khona imihlangano emikhulu.

19. Nxa sifuna ukuhlala sihlanzekile, kuyini okumele sikwekele, njalo iBhayibhili lisinceda njani kulendaba?

¹⁹ Nxa sifuna ukuhlala sihlanzekile, kumele sekele imikhuba engcolisayo enjengokubhema, ukudakwa, lezidakamizwa ezingayisizo zokwelapha ezenza ingqondo ingacabangi kuhle. IBhayibhili aliyiqambi ngamabizo yonke imikhuba eyenziwa lamuhla, kodwa lilezimiso ezisitshengisa indlela uJehova azizwa ngayo ngezinto ezinjengalezi. Ngenxa yokuthi siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova uzibona njani izindaba lezi, ukuthanda kwethu uJehova kusenza sifune ukuphila ngendlela ayifunayo. Ake sixoxe ngezimiso ezinhlanu eziseMibhalweni.

20, 21. Yiphi imikhuba uJehova afuna ukuthi siyiyekele, njalo yisiphi isizathu esenza ukuthi simlalele?

²⁰ “Njengoba silezithembiso lezi, bazalwane abathandekayo, kasizihlambululeni ezintweni zonke ezingcolisa umzimba lomoya, siphelelise ubungcwele ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu.” (2 KwabaseKhorinte 7:1) UJehova ufuna ukuba sitshiye imikhuba engcolisa umzimba lengqondo yethu futhi ephambanisa ukumkhonza kwethu. Kumele-ke sibalekele imikhuba enzima ukuyitshiya njalo eyingozi emzimbeni lasemicabangweni yethu.

²¹ IBhayibhili lilesizathu esihle nxa lisithi ‘sizihlambulule ezintweni zonke ezingcolisayo.’ Nanzelela ukuthi umbhalo ka-2 KwabaseKhorinte 7:1 uqalisa ngokuthi: “Njengoba silezithembiso lezi.” Yiziphi lezizithembiso? Njengoba kukhulunyiwe emavesini aphezulu, uJehova usithembisa ukuthi: “Mina ngizalemukela. Mina ngizakuba nguYihlo.” (2 KwabaseKhorinte 6:17, 18) Cabanga nje: UJehova ukuthembisa ukukuvikela lokukuthanda njengobaba othanda indodana loba indodakazi yakhe. Kodwa uJehova uzazigcwalisa izithembiso lezi kuphela  nxa ungekela ukungcolisa “umzimba lomoya.” Kungaba yibuthutha-ke ukuvumela imikhuba emibi lezenzo ezimbi ezingakwenza ucine ungasela buhlobo obuligugu njalo obuqinileyo ongaba labo loJehova!

22-25. Yiziphi izimiso zeMibhalo ezingasinceda ukuthi singenzi imikhuba engahlanzekanga?

²² “Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke.” (UMathewu 22:​37) UJesu wathi umlayo lo yiwo omkhulu ukwedlula yonke. (UMathewu 22:​38) UJehova ukufanele ukuthi simthande ngalendlela. Nxa simthanda ngenhliziyo yonke, ngomphefumulo wonke langengqondo yonke, kumele singenzi imikhuba engenza ukuphila kwethu kube kufitshane kumbe engenza isiphiwo sethu sokucabanga esisinikwe nguNkulunkulu singasebenzi.

²³ “[UJehova] upha bonke abantu impilo lomphefumulo lokunye konke.” (ImiSebenzi 17:24, 25) Impilo iyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu. Siyamthanda uMuphi ngakho sifuna ukutshengisa ukuthi siyasihlonipha isipho lesi. Kasenzi loba yiphi imikhuba engaphambanisa impilakahle yethu, ngoba siyaqaphela ukuthi imikhuba enjalo itshengisa ukungasihloniphi isipho sokuphila.​—IHubo 36:9.

²⁴ “Thanda umakhelwana wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.” (UMathewu 22:39) Izikhathi ezinengi, imikhuba emibi kayilimazi umenzi wayo kuphela kodwa ilimaza lalabo abaseduze kwakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, intuthu ephuma kulowo obhemayo ingalimaza abangabhemiyo. Umuntu olimaza labo abaseduze kwakhe wephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu othi sithande umakhelwana wethu. Uyabe etshengisa lokuthi uqamba amanga nxa esithi uyamthanda uNkulunkulu.​—1 UJohane 4:20, 21.

²⁵ ‘Zehliseni ngaphansi kwababusi, labaphathi.’ (KuThithusi 3:1) Emazweni amanengi, ukuba lezidakamizwa kumbe ukuzisebenzisa yikwephula umthetho. NjengamaKhristu eqiniso kasizisebenzisi izidakamizwa.​—KwabaseRoma 13:1.

26. (a) Kumele senzeni ukuze sizigcine sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu? (b) Kungani ukuhlala sihlanzekile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu kuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokuphila?

 ²⁶ Kumele sihlale sihlanzekile nxa sifuna ukuzigcina sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu. Lokhu sikwenza kukho konke ukuphila kwethu kwansukuzonke. Ukutshiya lokungenzi imikhuba engcolisayo kakulula kodwa singenelisa ukukwenza. * Le yindlela engcono kakhulu yokuphila ngoba uJehova usifundisa izinto ezisincedayo ngazozonke izikhathi. (Bala u-Isaya 48:​17.) Okuqakatheke ukwedlula konke ngokuhlala sihlanzekile yikuthi singasuthiseka ngenxa yokuthi senza ukuthi uNkulunkulu esimthandayo adunyiswe, ngaleyo ndlela sizigcina sisethandweni lwakhe.