1, 2. Nguwuphi umbandela esiza kuwuxubusha, yaye ngoba?

NGABA utshatile? Ukuba utshatile, ngaba umtshato wakho ukwenza wonwabe okanye nineengxaki ezinkulu? Ngaba wena neqabane lakho anisasondelelananga? Ngaba endaweni yokuba wonwabe emtshatweni wakho, uhleli nje kuba unyamezele? Ukuba kunjalo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ubuhlungu ukubona uthando olwalukade lukho emtshatweni wakho lupholile. NjengomKristu, ngokuqinisekileyo ufuna ukuba umtshato wakho umzukise uYehova, uThixo omthandayo. Ngenxa yoko, imeko yakho isenokuba iyakukhathaza kwaye iyenza buhlungu intliziyo yakho. Kwanokuba kunjalo, sukulahla ithemba.

² Namhlanje, kukho izibini ezingamaKristu ezithandekayo ezazikhe zaneengxaki zomtshato, nezazihleli ngokunyamezela. Ukanti, zayifumana indlela yokomeleza imitshato yazo. Nawe unako ukuwenza wanelise umtshato wakho. Njani?

3, 4. Kutheni abantu abatshatileyo beya kusondelelana xa besondela kuThixo? Zekelisa.

³ Wena neqabane lakho niya kusondelelana ukuba nisondela kuThixo. Ngoba? Masenze umzekeliso: Masithi kukho intaba etsobhileyo phezulu yaza yasithabazi kumazantsi. Kukho indoda ezantsi kwelinye icala lale ntaba kuze kwelinye kubekho umfazi. Bobabini baqalisa ukunyuka. Xa besesezantsi entabeni, mkhulu umgama ophakathi kwabo.  Ukanti, njengoko benyuka besiya encochoyini, umgama ophakathi kwabo uya uncipha. Ngaba uyayibona into esinokuyifunda kulo mzekeliso?

⁴ Umzamo eniwenzayo wokukhonza uYehova kangangoko ninako unokufaniswa nomzamo ofunekayo ukuze umntu anyuke intaba. Ngenxa yokuba niyamthanda uYehova, ngokungathi kunjalo sele nizama kakade ukunyuka. Noko ke, ukuba wena neqabane lakho anisasondelelananga kakhulu, kusenokwenzeka ukuba aninyuki calanye kule ntaba. Noko ke, kuza kwenzeka ntoni ukuba niyaqhubeka ninyuka? Ewe kona usenokuba mkhulu umgama phakathi kwenu ekuqaleni. Kodwa, okukhona nisenza umzamo wokusondela kuThixo—ninyukela phezudlwana —kokukhona wena neqabane lakho niya kusondelelana. Ngokwenene, ukusondela kuThixo kubalulekile ukuze usondelelane neqabane lakho. Kodwa unokuyenza njani lo nto?

5. (a) Yiyiphi indlela esinokusondela ngayo kuYehova nakumaqabane ethu? (b) UYehova uwujonga njani umtshato?

⁵ Enye indlela onokunyuka ngayo kule ntaba yokomfuziselo, kukuba wena neqabane lakho nithobele amacebiso aphathelele umtshato afumaneka kwiLizwi likaThixo. (INdumiso 25:4; Isaya 48:17, 18) Ngoko ke, phawula eli cebiso licacileyo lanikelwa ngumpostile uPawulos. Wathi: “Umtshato mawubekeke phakathi kwenu nonke.” (Hebhere 13:4) Ithetha ntoni loo nto? Xa kusithiwa into ‘ibekekile’ kuthethwa ukuba ikumgangatho ophezulu kwaye ixabisekile. Yiloo ndlela kanye uYehova awujonga ngayo umtshato—uwujonga njengento exabisekileyo.

6. Ubonisa ntoni umongo wesiluleko sikaPawulos ngomtshato, ibe kutheni kubalulekile ukuba sihlale siwukhumbula?

⁶ Kakade ke, njengabakhonzi bakaThixo, wena neqabane lakho sele nisazi ukuba umtshato uxabisekile kwaye ungcwele. NguYehova owenza ilungiselelo lomtshato. (Funda uMateyu 19:4-6.) Noko ke, ukuba nineengxaki emtshatweni wenu, ukwazi nje ukuba umtshato ubekekile kusenokunganenzi niphathane ngothando nangentlonelo. Kodwa, yintoni eya kunenza niphathane ngothando nangentlonelo? Phawula indlela uPawulos awawuchaza ngayo umbandela wokubonisa imbeko. Akazange athi, “umtshato ubekekile”; kunoko, wathi, “umtshato mawubekeke.” UPawulos wayengachazi into awayeyibona isenzeka; wayebongoza ukuba yenziwe. * Ukuba uhlala uwukhumbula lo  mahluko, uya kuphinda ulixabise iqabane lakho. Kutheni kunjalo nje?

7. (a) Yiyiphi imiyalelo yeZibhalo esiyithobelayo, ibe ngoba? (b) Ukuthobela kuba nayiphi imiphumo emihle?

⁷ Khawukhe ucinge nje ngendlela oyijonga ngayo eminye imiyalelo yeZibhalo, njengothumo lokwenza abafundi okanye umyalelo wokuhlanganisana ukuze sinqule. (Mateyu 28:19; Hebhere 10:24, 25) Ewe, maxa wambi kusenokuba nzima ukuthobela loo miyalelo. Abantu oshumayela kubo basenokuchasa, okanye umsebenzi wakho wempangelo unokukushiya udinwe uyimfe kuze kube nzima ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. Nangona kunjalo, uyaqhubeka ushumayela isigidimi soBukumkani, ibe uyaya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. Akukho mntu unokukuthintela—nkqu noSathana! Ngoba? Kuba ukumthanda kwakho ngokunyanisekileyo uYehova kukwenza uthobele imiyalelo yakhe. (1 Yohane 5:3) Ngaba ikho imiphumo emihle kuloo nto? Ukushumayela nokuya kwiintlanganiso kwenza ube noxolo lwengqondo novuyo olungathethekiyo kuba usazi ukuba wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ibe xa uvakalelwa ngaloo ndlela uye womelezeke ngakumbi. (Nehemiya 8:10) Yintoni esiyifundayo koku?

8, 9. (a) Yintoni enokusenza sithobele isibongozo sokubeka umtshato, yaye ngoba? (b) Ziziphi iingongoma ezimbini esiza kuzixubusha?

⁸ Kanye njengokuba ukumthanda kwethu kakhulu uThixo kusenza sithobele imiyalelo yakhe yokuba sishumayele yaye siye kwiintlanganiso kwanokuba kukho imiqobo, ukumthanda kwethu uYehova kuya kusenza sisithobele isibongozo esivela kwiZibhalo esithi “umtshato [wakho] mawubekeke,” kwanaxa ibonakala inzima loo nto. (Hebhere 13:4; INdumiso 18:29; INtshumayeli 5:4) Ukongezelela koko, kanye njengokuba ukuya kwakho entsimini nakwiintlanganiso kukwenza usikelelwe ngentabalala nguThixo, nemizamo oyenzayo yokubeka umtshato  wakho iya kubonwa nguYehova aze ayisikelele.—1 Tesalonika 1:3; Hebhere 6:10.

⁹ Kodwa ke unokuwubeka njani umtshato wakho? Yiphephe imikhwa enokuwona umtshato wakho. Ukongezelela, kufuneka wenze izinto eziya kuwuqinisa.

10, 11. (a) Yintoni eyenza umtshato ungabekeki? (b) Nguwuphi umbuzo esinokuwubuza kwiqabane lethu lomtshato?

¹⁰ Enye inkosikazi engumKristu yakha yathi: “Ndiye ndithandaze kuYehova ndimcela ukuba andincede ndinyamezele.” Anyamezele ntoni? Wathi: “Umyeni wam urhabaxa kum. Ewe andinazo izivubeko zokoqobo, kodwa amazwi ahlabayo awathetha rhoqo, anjengathi ‘Ungumthwalo nje wena!’ nathi ‘Akukho yakho wena!’ ashiye iziva entliziyweni yam.” Lo dade uveza into exhalabisa kakhulu—ukuthetha rhabaxa neqabane lomtshato.

¹¹ Ibuhlungu ngokwenene into yokuba izibini ezingamaKristu zigxibhane, ngaloo ndlela zidala amanxeba angapholiyo! Kucacile ukuba umtshato apho amaqabane agrwangxulanayo awubekekanga. Unjani owakho umtshato kule nkalo? Enye indlela onokufumanisa ngayo kukubuza iqabane lakho lo mbuzo, “Ikuphatha njani indlela endithetha ngayo nawe?” Ukuba iqabane lakho livakalelwa ukuba udla ngokuthetha amazwi ahlabayo, yiyeke loo nto.—Galati 5:15; funda amaEfese 4:31.

12. Inokwenzeka njani into yokuba unqulo lukabani lube yinkcitha-xesha emehlweni kaThixo?

¹² Khumbula ukuba indlela othetha ngayo neqabane lakho iyabuchaphazela ubuhlobo bakho noYehova. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ukuba umntu uzibona engumnquli ofanelekileyo ukanti engalubambi ngomkhala ulwimi lwakhe, kodwa eqhubeka ekhohlisa intliziyo yakhe, unqulo lwakhe luphuthile.” (Yakobi 1:26) Indlela othetha ngayo inento  yokwenza nonqulo lwakho. IBhayibhile ayivumelani nengcamango ethi nantoni na eyenzeka ekhaya ayibalulekanga logama nje umntu esithi ukhonza uThixo. Ulumke ke ungazikhohlisi. Ibalulekile le nto. (Funda eyoku-1 kuPetros 3:7.) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba unobuchule bokwenza izinto kwaye ukhuthele, kodwa ukuba ulihlaba ngamazwi iqabane lakho, akuwubeki umtshato wakho kwaye nolo nqulo lwakho luyinkcitha-xesha kuThixo.

13. Umntu otshatileyo unokulenza njani likhathazeke iqabane lakhe?

¹³ Abantu abatshatileyo kufuneka balumkele ukuwakhathaza ngeendlela ezingangqalanga amaqabane abo. Khawucinge ngale mizekelo mibini: Umama ongatshatanga udla ngokufowunela umzalwana otshatileyo ecela icebiso kuye, ibe baye bathethe ixesha elide; umzalwana ongatshatanga uchitha ixesha elide veki nganye ehamba nodade otshatileyo entsimini. Aba babini batshatileyo basenokuba bona baneenjongo ezintle; kodwa ke, aziva njani amaqabane abo ngale nto bayenzayo? Omnye udade otshatileyo owayenale ngxaki wathi: “Indivisa ubuhlungu into yokubona umyeni wam echitha ixesha ehoye omnye udade ebandleni. Loo nto indenza ndizive ndimncinci.”

14. (a) Yiyiphi imbopheleleko yomtshato egxininiswa kwiGenesis 2:24? (b) Yintoni esifanele sizibuze yona?

¹⁴ Iyaqondakala into yokuba eli qabane kunye namanye akwimeko efanayo akhathazeke. Amaqabane abo ayawugatya umyalelo kaThixo osisiseko womtshato othi: “Indoda iya kumshiya uyise nonina, inamathele emfazini wayo.” (Genesis 2:24) Kakade ke, abantu abatshatileyo bayabahlonela abazali babo; kodwa ke, ngokwelungiselelo likaThixo, ngumntu abatshate naye oyena uza kuqala. Ngendlel’ efanayo ke, amaKristu abathanda kakhulu abazalwana bawo; kodwa ke oyena mntu uza kuqala liqabane. Ngenxa yoko xa amaKristu echitha ixesha elininzi okanye eqhelana kakhulu namanye amakholwa, ngokukodwa awesini esahlukileyo,  abeka umtshato wawo emngciphekweni. Ngaba yiloo nto edala iingxaki kowakho umtshato? Zibuze, ‘Ngaba ngokwenene ndilihoya ngendlela elifaneleyo iqabane lam?’

15. Ngokutsho kukaMateyu 5:28, kutheni amaKristu atshatileyo efanele akuphephe ukubahoya ngendlela engafanelekanga abantu besini esahlukileyo?

¹⁵ Ukongezelela koko, amaKristu atshatileyo abahoya  ngendlela engafanelekanga abantu besini esahlukileyo abangengomaqabane abo, adlala ngomlilo. Okubuhlungu kukuba, amanye amaKristu atshatileyo aye abancwasa abantu aqhelene nabo kakhulu. (Mateyu 5:28) Ethubeni, ezo mvakalelo ziye zaphumela ekubeni aziphathe ngendlela engawubekiyo umtshato. Phawula oko kwathethwa ngumpostile uPawulos ngalo mba.

16. Nguwuphi umyalelo onikelwa nguPawulos ngomtshato?

¹⁶ Emva nje kokuba uPawulos ebongoze wathi “umtshato mawubekeke,” wongeza esi silumkiso: “Nesilili somtshato masingadyojwa, kuba uThixo uya kubagweba abahenyuzi nabakrexezi.” (Hebhere 13:4) UPawulos wasebenzisa ibinzana elithi ‘isilili somtshato’ ebhekisela kwiintlobano zesini. Iintlobano zesini ‘azidyobhekanga,’ okanye zicocekile, kuphela ukuba zenziwa neqabane lomtshato. Ngoko ke, amaKristu athobela amazwi aphefumlelweyo athi: ‘Yiba nemihlali ngumfazi wobutsha bakho.’—IMizekeliso 5:18.

17. (a) Kutheni amaKristu engamele aphenjelelwe yindlela ihlabathi elikujonga ngayo ukukrexeza? (b) Sinokuwulandela njani umzekelo kaYobhi?

¹⁷ Abantu ababa neentlobano zesini nomntu abangatshatanga naye bayisingela phantsi imithetho kaThixo yokuziphatha. Kuyinyaniso ukuba abantu abaninzi namhlanje bajonga ukukrexeza njengento eyamkelekileyo. Kodwa ke, enoba yintoni na ecingwa ngabantu ngokukrexeza ayifanele iyitshintshe indlela amaKristu akujonga ngayo. Ayazi ukuba ekugqibeleni, asingobantu, kodwa ‘nguThixo oya kugweba abahenyuzi nabakrexezi.’ (Hebhere 10:31; 12:29) Kungoko amaKristu enene ewujonga ngendlela uYehova awujonga ngayo lo mba. (Funda amaRoma 12:9.) Khumbula ukuba usolusapho uYobhi wathi: “Ndenze umnqophiso namehlo am.” (Yobhi 31:1) Ewe, ukuze amaKristu enene  angathathi kwanelinye inyathelo elikhokelela ekukrexezeni, alawula amehlo awo aze angaze akhanuke umntu wesini esahlukileyo ongelilo iqabane lawo.—Bona inqaku elikwiSihlomelo elithi “Oko Kuthethwa YiBhayibhile Ngoqhawulo-mtshato Nokwahlukana.”

18. (a) Kubi kangakanani ukukrexeza emehlweni kaYehova? (b) Kufana njani ukukrexeza nokunqula izithixo?

¹⁸ Kubi kangakanani ukukrexeza emehlweni kaYehova? UMthetho kaMoses uyasinceda sibone indlela uYehova avakalelwa ngayo ngalo mba. KwaSirayeli, abantu abakrexezayo nababenqula izithixo babegwetyelwa ukubulawa. (Levitikus 20:2, 10) Ngaba uyakubona ukufana okukhoyo phakathi kwezi zono zibini? Kaloku, umSirayeli owayenqula isithixo wayesaphula umnqophiso awenze noYehova. Ngendlel’ efanayo ke, umSirayeli owayekrexeza wayesaphula umnqophiso awenze neqabane lakhe. Bobabini babengamaqhophololo. (Eksodus 19:5, 6; Duteronomi 5:9; funda uMalaki 2:14.) Ngenxa yoko, bobabini babefanelwe sisohlwayo esivela kuYehova, uThixo onokuthenjwa.—INdumiso 33:4.

19. Yintoni enokwenza umntu azimisele ukuba angakrexezi, yaye ngoba?

¹⁹ Kakade ke, amaKristu akakho phantsi koMthetho kaMoses. Kodwa ke, ukukhumbula ukuba kuSirayeli wamandulo ukukrexeza kwakujongwa njengesono esinzulu, kwenza amaKristu azimisele nangakumbi ukuba angakrexezi. Ngoba? Nanku umzekelo: Ngaba ubunokungena ecaweni, uguqe ngamadolo, uze uthandaze kumfanekiso oqingqiweyo? Mhlawumbi uthi, ‘Unotshe!’ Kodwa ngaba ubungayi kuyenza loo nto ukuba ubunikwe inkuntyula yemali? ‘Ndisatsho nangoku, soze!’ umel’ ukuba utsho. Ngokwenene kuhlasimlis’ umzimba kumKristu wenene kwaukuyicinga into yokungcatsha uYehova ngokunqula isithixo. Ngendlel’ efanayo ke, amaKristu afanele abe namasikizi akucinga ngokungcatsha uThixo wawo, uYehova,  namaqabane awo ngokukrexeza—kungakhathaliseki ukuba yintoni ewaqhubayo ukuba akrexeze. (INdumiso 51:1, 4; Kolose 3:5) Singaze senze into eya kumvuyisa uSathana kodwa imenze agculelwe uYehova kunye nelungiselelo elingcwele lomtshato.

20. Yintoni eye yenzeka kweminye imitshato? Zekelisa.

²⁰ Ngaphandle kokuphepha ukwenza izinto ezingawubekiyo umtshato, ngawaphi amanyathelo onokuwathatha ukuze uphinde umhlonele umntu otshate naye? Ukuze siphendule lo mbuzo, masithi umtshato ubuyindlu. Amazwi athethwa ngobubele, izinto ezintle, nezinye izinto eziwubekayo umtshato abenzelana zona abantu abatshatileyo zifana nezinto zokuhombisa indlu. Ukuba nisondelelene, umtshato wenu ufana nendlu ehonjiswe ngezinto eziyenza ibe ntle kwaye ifudumale. Ukuba uthando lupholile, izinto eziwuhombisayo ziya zinyamalala, uze umtshato wenu ufane nendlu engahonjiswanga. Ekubeni ninqwenela ukuthobela umthetho kaThixo othi “umtshato mawubekeke,” niya kuphucula. Ngapha koko, nayiphi na into exabisekileyo nebekekileyo iyalungiswa xa yonakele. Unokuwulungisa njani umtshato wakho? ILizwi likaThixo lithi: “Indlu iya kwakhiwa ngobulumko, imiselwe ngokuqinileyo ngokuqonda. Yaye amagumbi angaphakathi aya kuzaliswa kukwazi nazo zonke izinto ezixabisekileyo nezithandekayo zexabiso.” (IMizekeliso 24:3, 4) Phawula indlela la mazwi anokusetyenziswa ngayo emtshatweni.

21. Sinokwenza njani ukuze imitshato yethu iye iqina? (Bona nebhokisi ethi “ Ndinokuwuphucula Njani Umtshato Wam?”)

²¹ Ezinye ‘zezinto ezixabisekileyo’ ezifumaneka kwintsapho eyonwabileyo ziimpawu ezinjengothando lokwenene, ukoyika uThixo, nokholo olomeleleyo. (IMizekeliso 15:16, 17; 1 Petros 1:7) Ziwenza uqine umtshato.  Kodwa ngaba uye wayiphawula indlela amagumbi akumzekeliso ocatshulwe ngasentla azaliswa ngayo ngezinto ezixabisekileyo? ‘Azaliswa kukwazi.’ Ewe, xa ulwazi lweBhayibhile lusetyenziswa, luba namandla okuguqula indlela abantu abacinga ngayo luze lubenze baphinde bathandane. (Roma 12:2; Filipi 1:9) Ngenxa yoko, nanini na wena neqabane lakho nihlala phantsi nize nixubushe indinyana yeBhayibhile, njengetekisi yosuku, okanye inqaku elisekelwe eBhayibhileni elikwiMboniselo okanye kuVukani! eliphathelele umtshato, kufana nokuba nibuka into entle eniza kuhombisa ngayo indlu yenu. Xa ukumthanda kwakho uYehova kukubangela ukuba usebenzise amacebiso aphathelele umtshato esiye sawaxubusha, ngokungathi kunjalo, ufaka izihombiso ‘kumagumbi angaphakathi.’ Ngenxa yoko, ezinye zezinto ezintle owawukhe wazithanda emtshatweni wakho zinokuphinda zibekho.

22. Yintoni eya kusanelisa xa sizama ukwenza indima yethu ekuqiniseni imitshato yethu?

²² Ewe kona, kusenokufuneka ixesha nomgudu ukuze zibuyiselwe zonke izihombiso ebezikho. Kodwa, ukuba wenza eyakho indima, uya kwaneliswa kukwazi ukuba uthobela umyalelo weBhayibhile othi: “Ekuboniseni imbeko omnye komnye khokelani.” (Roma 12:10; INdumiso 147:11) Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, umgudu onyanisekileyo owenzayo wokubeka umtshato wakho uya kukugcina kuthando lukaThixo.