1-3. (a) Kungani make aciniseka kutsi umfanyana wakhe uhlobile? (b) Kungani Jehova afuna tikhonti takhe tihlanteke, futsi yini lesenta sifune kuhlala sihlantekile?

MAKE ulungiselela umfanyana wakhe njengobe alungela kuhamba. Uyaciniseka kutsi ugezile, nekutsi timphahla takhe tihlobile. Uyati kutsi kuhlanteka kubalulekile emphilweni yakhe. Uyacaphela nekutsi indlela umfanyana wakhe labukeka ngayo isengamakhela ligama lelihle, nobe lelibi yena njengemtali wakhe.

² Jehova, longuBabe wetfu wasezulwini, ufuna tinceku takhe tihlanteke. LiVi lakhe litsi: “Kulohlantekile wena utibonakalisa uhlantekile.” * (Tihlabelelo 18:26) Jehova uyasitsandza; uyati  kutsi kuhlala sihlantekile kungasizuzisa. Ulindzele nekutsi tsine njengaboFakazi bakhe simmelele kahle. Empeleni, kuhlanteka kwetfu emtimbeni nekutiphatsa kahle, kuyoletsa ludvumo kuJehova nasebitweni lakhe lelingcwele, hhayi kuhlanjalatwa.—Hezekeli 36:22; fundza 1 Phetro 2:12.

³ Kwati kutsi Nkulunkulu uyabatsandza bantfu labahlantekile, kusenta sihlale sihlantekile. Sifuna kutsi indlela lesiphila ngayo imletsele ludvumo Jehova njengobe simtsandza, futsi sifuna nekuhlala elutsandvweni lwakhe. Asesihlole kutsi kungani kufanele sihlale sihlantekile, kuhlanganisani kuba ngulohlantekile, nekutsi singahlala njani sihlantekile. Kuhlola lokunjalo kungasisita sibone kutsi tikhona yini tici lekufanele sitfutfukise kuto.

4, 5. (a) Ngusiphi sizatfu lesibalulekile lesisenta sihlale sihlantekile? (b) Kuhlanteka kwaJehova kubonakala njani endalweni yakhe lebonakalako?

⁴ Lenye indlela Jehova lasihola ngayo kusibekela sibonelo. LiVi lakhe lisikhutsata kutsi ‘sibe njengaye.’ (Efesu 5:1) Nasi sizatfu lesibalulekile lesisenta sihlale sihlantekile: Jehova, Nkulunkulu lesimkhontako uhlantekile, umsulwa, futsi ungcwele kuto tonkhe tici.—Fundza Levithikhusi 11:44, 45.

⁵ Kuhlanteka kwaJehova, njengaletinye timfanelo netindlela takhe, kubonakala kahle endalweni yakhe lebonakalako. (Roma 1:20) Umhlaba wawudalelwe kutsi ube likhaya lebantfu lelihlantekile. Jehova wenta imijikeleto yemvelo lehlanta umoya lesiwuphefumulako kanye nemanti. Kunemagciwane latsite lashintja kungcola akwente tintfo letingasiyo ingoti. Bososayensi baye basebentisa lamanyenti alamagciwane kute bahlante tindzawo lapho kucitseke khona oyili, kanye nalokunye kungcola lokubangelwa bugovu bebantfu. Kuyacaca-ke kutsi kuhlanteka kubaluleke kakhulu ‘kuMdali wemhlaba.’ (Jeremiya 10:12) Kufanele kube njalo nakitsi.

6, 7. UMtsetfo waMosi wakugcizelela njani kutsi kuhlanteka kwakudzingekile kulabo labakhonta Jehova?

⁶ Lesinye sizatfu lesisenta sihlale sihlantekile kutsi Jehova,  loyiNkhosi lenguMbusi, ufuna tikhonti takhe tihlanteke. EMtsetfweni Jehova lawuniketa ema-Israyeli, kuhlanteka nekumkhonta kwakuhambisana. UMtsetfo wawutsi ngeLilanga lekuHlawulelwa, umphristi lomkhulu kwakufanele ageze kabili hhayi kanye. (Levithikhusi 16:4, 23, 24) Baphristi lababengamele, kwakufanele bageze tandla kanye netinyawo tabo ngembi kwekunikela umhlatjelo kuJehova. (Eksodusi 30:17-21; 2 Tikhronike 4:6) UMtsetfo wachaza timbangela letingu-70 letatingenta umuntfu angcole emtimbeni, futsi angakufanelekeli kuya emikhosini letsite. Njengobe abengcolile, umIsrayeli abengeke ahlanganyele ekukhonteni Nkulunkulu—kuletinye timo, abengabulawa ngisho nekubulawa nangabe enta kanjalo. (Levithikhusi 15:31) Nobe ngubani labengafuni kulandzela inchubo yekuhlantwa, kuhlanganise nekugeza umtimba kanye nekuwasha timphahla takhe, ‘kwakufanele ancunywe esiveni sakubo.’—Numeri 19:17-20.

⁷ Nanobe nje singekho ngephansi kweMtsetfo waMosi, uyasisita kutsi siyicondze indlela Nkulunkulu labheka ngayo tintfo. UMtsetfo wagcizelela kutsi kuhlanteka kwakudzingeka kulabo labakhonta Nkulunkulu. Jehova akakashintji. (Malakhi 3:6) Kumkhonta kwetfu ukwemukela kuphela nangabe ‘kumsulwa futsi kungenasici.’ (Jakobe 1:27) Ngako-ke kufanele sati kutsi yini layilindzele kitsi ngalokuphatselene nekuhlanteka.

8. Jehova ufuna sihlanteke kutiphi tici?

⁸ EBhayibhelini, kuhlanteka kusho lokungetulu kwekuhloba emtimbeni. Kuhlanteka emehlweni aNkulunkulu kuhlanganisa tici letinyenti tekuphila kwetfu. Jehova ulindzele kutsi sihlanteke eticini letine letiyinhloko—ekumkhonteni kwetfu, ekutiphatseni, engcondvweni, kanye nasemtimbeni. Ase sibone kutsi sici ngasinye sihlanganisani.

9, 10. Yini leshiwo kuhlanteka ekukhonteni kwetfu, futsi yini emaKhristu eliciniso layigwemako?

⁹ Kuhlanteka ekumkhonteni kwetfu. Kuhlanteka ekumkhonteni  kwetfu kusho kungatihlanganisi nenkholo yemanga. Ngesikhatsi ema-Israyeli esuka eBhabhulona abuyela eJerusalema, kwakufanele alalele lomyalo lotsi: ‘Phumani eBhabhulona! Ningatsintsi lutfo lolungcolile; . . . nitihlambulule nibe msulwa.’ (Isaya 52:11) Ema-Israyeli abebuyela eJerusalema kute abuyisele kukhontwa kwaJehova. Lokukhonta kwabo kwakufanele kube ngulokuhlantekile—kwakungakafaneli kutsi kungcoliswe timfundziso letingamhloniphi Nkulunkulu, emasiko, imikhuba, kanye nemikhosi leyehlukahlukene yenkholo yaseBhabhulona.

¹⁰ Tsine njengamaKhristu eliciniso lamuhla, kufanele sicaphele singangcoliswa yinkholo yemanga. (Fundza 1 Khorinte 10:21.) Kuhlala sicaphele kubalulekile ngobe situngeletwe yinkholo yemanga, futsi ingasiyenga. Emaveni lamanyenti, kunemasiko lehlukahlukene, imisimeto lehlobene netimfundziso tenkholo yemanga, njengekutsi kunalokutsite ngekhatsi kwetfu lokuchubeka kuphila lapho sifa. (Umshumayeli 9:5, 6, 10) EmaKhristu eliciniso ayawagwema emasiko lahlanganisa timfundziso tenkholo yemanga. * Angeke sivumele kuyengwa ngulabanye kusente singatinaki timiso teliBhayibheli letiphatselene nekuhlanteka ekukhonteni kwetfu Nkulunkulu.—Imisebenti 5:29.

11. Kuhlanteka ngekutiphatsa kuhlanganisani, futsi kungani kubalulekile?

¹¹ Kuhlanteka ngekutiphatsa. Loku kusho kugwema nobe ngabe nguluphi luhlobo lwekutiphatsa kabi ngekwelicasi. (Fundza Efesu 5:5.) Kubalulekile kutigcina sihlantekile ngekutiphatsa. Njengobe sitawubona esehlukweni lesilandzelako salencwadzi, kute sitigcine elutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu, kufanele ‘sibalekele bundlundlulu.’ Bantfu labenta bundlundlulu futsi labangaphendvuki, “abayikulidla lifa lembuso waNkulunkulu.” (1 Khorinte 6:9, 10, 18) Emehlweni aNkulunkulu, bantfu labanjalo basekhatsi kwalabo “labanengekako” kuye. Nangabe behluleka kugcina kutiphatsa kwabo kuhlantekile, ‘sabelo sabo . . . kuyawuba kufa kwesibili.’—Sembulo 21:8.

12, 13. Ngukuphi kuhlobana lokukhona emkhatsini wemicabango kanye netento, futsi singatigcina njani sihlantekile engcondvweni?

 ¹² Kuhlanteka engcondvweni. Loko lokucabangako kuholela esentweni. Nangabe sivumela imicabango lemibi yakheke etingcondvweni nasetinhlitiyweni tetfu, ngekushesha nje singatitfola sesenta tintfo letingcolile. (Matewu 5:28; 15:18-20) Kodvwa nangabe sigcwalisa tingcondvo tetfu ngetintfo letihlantekile naletimsulwa, siyawugcina kutiphatsa kwetfu kuhlantekile. (Fundza Filiphi 4:8.) Singatigcina njani sihlantekile engcondvweni? Liphuzu lokufanele silikhumbule kutsi kufanele sigweme nobe ngabe nguyiphi indlela yekutijabulisa lengangcolisa imicabango yetfu. * Ngetulu kwaloko, singagcwalisa tingcondvo tetfu ngemicabango lehlantekile ngekufundza liVi laNkulunkulu njalo.—Tihlabelelo 19:8, 9.

¹³ Kute sihlale elutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu kubalulekile kutsi sitigcine sihlantekile ekutiphatseni, engcondvweni ngisho nasekumkhonteni. Letici tenhlanteko kukhulunywa ngato kakhulu nakuletinye tehluko talencwadzi. Ase sicoce ngesici sesine—kuhlanteka emtimbeni.

14. Kungani kuhlanteka emtimbeni kungasiyo nje indzaba yemuntfu ngamunye?

¹⁴ Kuhlanteka emtimbeni kuhlanganisa kugcina imitimba yetfu kanye nendzawo lesihlala kuyo kuhlantekile. Kuhlanteka lokunjalo kuyindzaba yemuntfu ngamunye yini, lengabatsintsi labanye? Akusilo nani liciniso lelo ngebantfu labakhonta Jehova. Njengobe sibonile, kuhlanteka kwetfu emtimbeni kubalulekile kuJehova, hhayi ngenca yekutsi kuzuzisa tsine kuphela, kepha ngenca yekutsi lesikwentako kuyamtsintsa Jehova. Asewucabange ngesibonelo lesisetjentiswe ekucaleni. Kubona umntfwana lohlala angcolile nobe lohlala angakalungiswa kahle, kukwenta utibute ngekutsi batali bakhe banjani. Asifuni kutsi indlela lesibukeka ngayo nobe lesiphila ngayo ihlambalate Babe wetfu wasezulwini, nobe umsebentini wetfu wekushumayela utfolakale  uneliphutsa. LiVi laNkulunkulu litsi: “Kute lesimbekele sikhubekiso endleleni yetfu, kuze kutsi kubete liphutsa lelitfolakala emsebentini wetfu. Esikhundleni saloko konkhe lesikwentako sikwenta sikhombisa kutsi sitisebenti taNkulunkulu.” (2 Khorinte 6:3, 4) Kepha-ke singatigcina njani sihlantekile emtimbeni?

15, 16. Imikhuba lemihle yekuhlanteka ihlanganisani, futsi timphahla tetfu kufanele tibe sesimeni lesinjani?

¹⁵ Kuhlanteka nekubukeka kwetfu. Nanobe emave angafanani ngemasiko nangetindlela tekuphila, kepha kuwo onkhe, emanti nensipho yekugeza kuyatfolakala, kute sikwati kuhlala sihlantekile ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi, tsine nebantfwana betfu. Imikhuba lemihle yekuhlanteka ifaka ekhatsi kugeza tandla ngemanti lanensipho ngembi kwekudla nobe kuphatsa kudla, ngemuva kwekuya endlini lencane, nangemuva kwekugeza nobe kushintja umntfwana linabukeli. Kugeza tandla ngemanti lanensipho kungasivikela etifeni, futsi kusindzise kuphila  kwetfu. Kungavikela kwandza kwemagciwane layingoti, futsi kusisite singatfoli sifo semsheko. Emaveni langenato tindlu letinemaphayiphi lahambisa emangcoliso, emangcoliso kufanele siwagcibedzele njengobe kwakwentiwa ka-Israyeli wasendvulo.—Dutheronomi 23:12, 13.

¹⁶ Timphahla tetfu nato kufanele tiwashwe ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi kute tihlanteke futsi tibukeke kahle. Loku akusho kutsi timphahla temKhristu kufanele tibe nguletidula kakhulu nobe letisefashinini, kepha kufanele tihlobe futsi tibe nguletizitsile. (Fundza 1 Thimothi 2:9, 10.) Nobe ngukuphi lapho sikhona, sifuna kutsi indlela lesibukeka ngayo ‘ihlobise imfundziso yaNkulunkulu uMsindzisi wetfu.’—Thithusi 2:10.

17. Kungani emakhaya kanye nemphahla yetfu kufanele kuhlanteke futsi kubukeke kahle?

¹⁷ Emakhaya etfu nemphahla yetfu. Emakhaya etfu akudzingeki kutsi kube ngulasezingeni lelisetulu nobe akanokusho, kepha kufanele ahlanteke futsi abukeke kahle. Ngalokufananako, nangabe sisebentisa imoto lapho siya emihlanganweni yelibandla nobe siya kuyawushumayela, nayo singayigcina ihlantekile, ngekhatsi nangephandle. Asingakhohlwa kutsi kuba nemakhaya kanye nemphahla lehlantekile kuniketa bufakazi ngaNkulunkulu lesimkhontako. Sifundzisa bantfu kutsi Jehova unguNkulunkulu lohlantekile, kutsi ‘utawubabhubhisa labo lababhubhisa umhlaba,’ nekutsi uMbuso wakhe uyawugucula lomhlaba ube lipharadisi. (Sembulo 11:18; Lukha 23:43) Sifuna kutsi indlela emakhaya kanye nemphahla yetfu lebukeka ngayo kukhombise bantfu kutsi sesicalile kuba nemikhuba lemihle yekuhlanteka, letawusenta kutsi sikufanelekele kuhlala eveni lelisha lelitako.

18. Singayibonisa njani inhlonipho ngeliHholwa letfu leMbuso?

¹⁸ Indzawo yetfu yekukhontela Nkulunkulu. Lutsandvo lwetfu ngaJehova lusenta silihloniphe liHholwa letfu leMbuso, lokuyindzawo yekukhonta kweliciniso emmangweni. Lapho kunalabacalako kuta kulelihholwa, sifuna bakubone kuhlanteka kwalendzawo. Kute lelihholwa lihlale libukeka kahle futsi likhanga, kufanele lihlantwe futsi linakekelwe njalo. Sikhombisa inhlonipho  ngeliHholwa letfu leMbuso ngekutsi sitimisele kuligcina lihlantekile futsi lisesimeni lesikahle. Sinelilungelo lekunikela ngesikhatsi setfu kute sisite ekuhlanteni ‘nasekuvuseteleni’ indzawo yetfu yekukhontela Nkulunkulu. (2 Tikhronike 34:10) Lesimiso siyasebenta nalapho sisebentisa emaHholwa eMhlangano nobe sisebentisa letinye tindzawo temihlangano lemincane nalemikhulu.

19. Kute sitigcine sihlantekile emtimbeni, yini lekufanele siyigweme, futsi liBhayibheli lisisita njani kulendzaba?

¹⁹ Kute sitigcine sihlantekile emtimbeni, kufanele sigweme imikhuba netento letingcolisanako, letinjengekubhema, kunatsa kakhulu, kanye nekusebentisa tidzakamiva letingasito tekwelapha. LiBhayibheli alitibali tonkhe tintfo letingcolile naletinyanyekako, kanye nemikhuba levamile lamuhla, kepha linato timiso letisikhombisa indlela Jehova lativa ngayo ngaletintfo. Ngenca yekutsi siyawati umbono waJehova ngaletintfo, lutsandvo lwetfu ngaye lusibangela kutsi sente loko lokutawumjabulisa. Asesihlole timiso letisihlanu letisemBhalweni.

20, 21. Ngumiphi imikhuba Jehova lafuna kutsi siyigweme, futsi ngusiphi sizatfu lesinemandla lesisenta sikulalele loko?

²⁰ “Bazalwane, njengobe letetsembiso titetfu, asitihlante kuko konkhe lokungcolisa umtimba nemoya, siphile imphilo yebungcwele lobuphelele ngekwesaba Nkulunkulu.” (2 Khorinte 7:1) Jehova ufuna kutsi singayenti imikhuba lengcolisa imitimba yetfu, nalesilimatako emoyeni, nobe engcondvweni. Ngako-ke, kufanele siyigweme imikhuba lengasilimata emtimbeni nasengcondvweni.

²¹ LiBhayibheli lisiniketa sizatfu lesinemandla sekutsi ‘sitihlante kuko konkhe lokungcolile.’ Caphela kutsi incwadzi ya-2 Khorinte 7:1 icala ngekutsi: “Njengobe letetsembiso titetfu.” Ngutiphi letetsembiso? Njengobe emavesini lendvulele kubonisiwe, Jehova uyatsembisa: “Ngiyawube sengiyanemukela. Mine ngiyawuba nguyihlo.” (2 Khorinte 6:17, 18) Asewucabange nje ngaloku: Jehova ukwetsembisa kukuvikela nekukunakekela futsi akutsandze njengababe lotsandza indvodzana nobe  indvodzakati yakhe. Kepha Jehova utawutifeza letetsembiso, kuphela nje nawukugwema “konkhe lokungcolisa umtimba nemoya.” Asewucabange nje kutsi kutawube kubulima lobungakanani kuvumela tento nemikhuba lenjalo leyenyanyekako kutsi ikwemuke buhlobo lobuhle kangaka naJehova!

22-25. Ngutiphi timiso temBhalo letingasisita kutsi sigweme imikhuba netento letingcolile?

²² “Uboyitsandza iNkhosi, Nkulunkulu wakho, ngayo yonkhe inhlitiyo yakho, nangawo wonkhe umphefumulo wakho, nangayo yonkhe ingcondvo yakho.” (Matewu 22:37) Jesu wakhetsa lomyalo njengalomkhulu kuyendlula yonkhe. (Matewu 22:38) Jehova uyakufanelekela kutsi simtsandze ngalendlela. Kumtsandza ngayo yonkhe inhlitiyo yetfu, umphefumulo, nangayo yonkhe ingcondvo yetfu, kusho kutsi kufanele sigweme yonkhe imikhuba letawunciphisa kuphila kwetfu nobe iphatamise likhono letfu lekucabanga lesiliphiwe nguNkulunkulu.

²³ “[Jehova] nguye loniketa imphilo nekuphefumula nako konkhe kubantfu bonkhe.” (Imisebenti 17:24, 25) Kuphila kusipho lesivela kuNkulunkulu. Siyamtsandza loMuphi wekuphila, futsi sifuna kukhombisa inhlonipho ngalesipho. Sigwema yonkhe imikhuba netento letilimata imphilo yetfu, ngobe siyacaphela kutsi lemikhuba ikhombisa kungabi nenhlonipho ngekuphila.—Tihlabelelo 36:9.

²⁴ “Ubotsandza makhelwane wakho, njengobe utitsandza wena.” (Matewu 22:39) Ngalokuvamile, imikhuba kanye netento letingcolile ayilimati nje kuphela loyo loyentako, kepha ilimata nalabo laphila nabo. Nasi sibonelo saloko: Kuhlala nemuntfu lobhemako kungaba yingoti kulabo labangabhemi. Umuntfu lolimata labo laphila nabo wephula umyalo waNkulunkulu wekutsandza bomakhelwane. Tento takhe tiphindze tibonise kutsi ucala emanga nakatsi uyamtsandza Nkulunkulu.—1 Johane 4:20, 21.

²⁵ “Bakhumbute kutsi batfobele babusi netiphatsimandla tabo.” (Thithusi 3:1) Emaveni lamanyenti, kudla tidzakamiva kukwephula umtsetfo. NjengemaKhristu eliciniso, asitiphatsi  futsi asitisebentisi tidzakamiva letingekho emtsetfweni.—Roma 13:1.

26. (a) Kute sihlale elutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu kufanele senteni? (b) Kungani kutigcina sihlantekile emehlweni aNkulunkulu kuyindlela lencono kakhulu yekuphila?

²⁶ Kute sihlale elutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu, kufanele sitigcine sihlantekile, hhayi eticini letimbalwa nje kuphela, kepha kuto tonkhe tici tekuphila kwetfu. Angeke kube melula kulahla nekungayitsintsi imikhuba lengcolile, kepha kuyintfo lengenteka. * Lena yindlela lencono kakhulu yekuphila, ngobe Jehova uhlale asifundzisa kute sizuze. (Fundza Isaya 48:17.) Lokubaluleke nakakhulu kutsi ngekuhlala sihlantekile sitfola kwenetiseka lokubangelwa kwati kutsi simmelela kahle Nkulunkulu wetfu lesimtsandzako, futsi ngaloko sihlala elutsandvweni lwakhe.