1, 2. Yimuphi umbuzo esizowucabangela, futhi ngani?

NGABE ushadile? Uma kunjalo, umshado wakho uwumthombo wenjabulo, noma ubhekene nezinkinga zomshado ezingathí sina? Ingabe wena nomuntu oshade naye seniqhelelene? Ingabe usuhlezi nje emshadweni kodwa awujabulile? Uma kunjalo, cishe kuyakudumaza ukuthi ubuhlobo obufudumele basemshadweni owake wabujabulela ngaphambili sebuyabanda. NjengomKristu, ngokuqinisekile ungathanda ukuba umshado wakho ulethe udumo kuJehova, uNkulunkulu omthandayo. Ngakho, isimo obhekene naso singase sikukhathaze futhi sikubangele nenhliziyo ebuhlungu. Noma kunjalo, siza ungaphethi ngokuthi ngeke kusalunga.

² Namuhla, kunemibhangqwana ekahle engamaKristu eyayisizihlalela ndawonye nje kodwa ingasathandani ngempela. Kepha yathola indlela yokuqinisa ubuhlobo bayo. Nawe ungakuthola ukwaneliseka okwengeziwe emshadweni wakho. Kanjani?

3, 4. Yini eyokwenza abantu abashadile basondelane uma belwela ukusondela eduze noNkulunkulu? Fanekisa.

³ Wena nomngane wakho womshado niyosondelana uma nilwela ukusondela eduze noNkulunkulu. Kungani? Cabanga ngalo mfanekiso: Bona ngeso lengqondo intaba ebanzi phansi, ecijile phezulu. Indoda imi phansi emthambekeni ongasenyakatho kanti owesifazane umi ngalé phansi emthambekeni ongaseningizimu. Bobabili baqala  ukwenyuka. Njengoba bobabili besephansi entabeni, lide ibanga elibahlukanisile. Kodwa njengoba ngamunye wabo elokhu ekhuphukela phezulu esiqongweni, kancane kancane liyancipha ibanga elibahlukanisile. Uyasibona isifundo esikhuthazayo kulo mfanekiso?

⁴ Umzamo owenzayo wokukhonza uJehova ngokugcwele ungafaniswa nokuzama ukuqombola intaba. Ngenxa yokuthi uyamthanda uJehova, kakade kufana nokuthi uzama kanzima ukuqombola le ntaba. Nokho, uma wena nomngane wakho womshado seniqhelelene, kungenzeka ukuthi wena ukhuphuka ngapha kwentaba yena ukhuphuka ngalé. Kwenzekani-ke njengoba niqhubeka nikhuphuka? Kuyavunywa, ekuqaleni kungenzeka ukuthi lide ibanga elinihlukanisile. Noma kunjalo, uma wenza umzamo owengeziwe wokusondela  eduze noNkulunkulu—okuwukukhuphukela phezulu—wena nomngane wakho niyosondelana kakhulu. Ngempela, ukusondela eduze noNkulunkulu kuyisihluthulelo sokusondela eduze nomuntu oshade naye. Kodwa ungakwenza kanjani ngempela lokhu?

5. (a) Iyiphi enye indlela yokusondela eduze noJehova nakumngane womshado? (b) UJehova uwubheka kanjani umshado?

⁵ Enye indlela ebalulekile yokwenyuka ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, ukuba wena nomngane wakho womshado nilalele iseluleko esiphathelene nomshado esiseZwini likaNkulunkulu. (IHubo 25:4; Isaya 48:17, 18) Ngakho-ke cabangela iphuzu leseluleko somphostoli uPawulu. Wathi: “Umshado mawuhlonishwe yibo bonke.” (Hebheru 13:4) Kusho ukuthini lokho? Igama elithi “-hloniphekile” libhekisela ekutheni okuthile kuyaziswa futhi kuyigugu. Futhi yileyo ndlela kanye uJehova abheka ngayo umshado—uyawazisa njengoyigugu.

6. Ubonisani umongo weseluleko sikaPawulu ngomshado, futhi kungani kubalulekile ukukukhumbula lokho?

⁶ Yiqiniso, njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu, wena nomngane wakho womshado niyazi kakade ukuthi umshado uyigugu futhi ungcwele nokuba ngcwele. NguJehova ngokwakhe owasungula ilungiselelo lomshado. (Mathewu 19:4-6) Nokho, uma unezinkinga emshadweni, ukumane wazi ukuthi umshado uhloniphekile kungase kungeneli ukuba kwenze wena nomngane wakho womshado niphathane ngothando nangenhlonipho. Pho yini eyonishukumisela ukuba nenze kanjalo? Yiphawule ngokucophelela indlela uPawulu ayibeka ngayo indaba yokubonisa inhlonipho. Akazange athi “umshado uhloniphekile”; wathi, “umshado mawuhlonishwe.” UPawulu wayengemane nje echaza umshado; wayenikeza umyalo. *  Ukukhumbula lokho kungakusiza ukuba uthole isizathu sokuvuselela ukwazisa ngomngane wakho womshado. Kungani kunjalo?

7. (a) Yimiphi imiyalo engokomBhalo esiyilalelayo, futhi kungani? (b) Kunamiphi imiphumela emihle ukulalela?

⁷ Ake uthi ukucabangela indlela obheka ngayo eminye imiyalo engokomBhalo, njengomyalo wokwenza abafundi noma isikhuthazo sokuhlangana ndawonye ngenjongo yokukhulekela. (Mathewu 28:19; Hebheru 10:24, 25) Kuyavunywa, ngezinye izikhathi kungaba inselele ukufeza leyo miyalo. Abantu obashumayezayo bangase bangasabeli kahle, noma umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ungase ukushiye ukhathele uyingcuba bese kuba umzukuzuku ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Noma kunjalo, uyaqhubeka ushumayela isigijimi soMbuso, uyaqhubeka uba khona nasemihlanganweni yobuKristu. Akekho ongakuvimba—ngisho noSathane imbala! Kungani kunjalo? Kungoba uthando lwakho olusuka enhliziyweni ngoJehova lukuqhubezela ukuba ulalele imiyalo yakhe. (1 Johane 5:3) Kube namiphi imiphumela emihle? Ukuhlanganyela emisebenzini yokushumayela nokuba khona emihlanganweni yebandla kukunikeza ukuthula kwangaphakathi nenjabulo esuka enhliziyweni ngoba uyazi ukuthi wenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Futhi leyo mizwa ibe isikuvuselela amandla. (Nehemiya 8:10) Sifundani lapha?

8, 9. (a) Yini engasenza silalele umyalo wokwenza umshado uhlonipheke, futhi ngani? (b) Yimaphi amaphuzu amabili esizoxoxa ngawo manje?

⁸ Njengoba uthando lwakho olujulile ngoNkulunkulu lukushukumisela ukuba ulalele imiyalo yokushumayela nokuhlangana ndawonye naphezu kwezingqinamba, kanjalo nothando lwakho ngoJehova lungakwenza ukuba ulalele iseluleko esingokomBhalo sokuba ‘umshado [wakho] uhlonishwe,’ ngisho noma lokhu kubonakala kunzima. (Hebheru 13:4; IHubo 18:29; UmShumayeli 5:4) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba nje imizamo yakho yokushumayela nokuhlangana ndawonye nabanye ikulethela izibusiso ezicebile zikaNkulunkulu,  nemizamo yakho yokuhlonipha umshado wakho iyoqashelwa futhi ibusiswe uJehova.—1 Thesalonika 1:3; Hebheru 6:10.

⁹ Ungawenza kanjani-ke umshado wakho uhlonipheke? Kudingeka ugweme imikhuba ezolimaza umshado. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kudingeka uthathe izinyathelo ezizoqinisa isibopho somshado.

10, 11. (a) Yimuphi umkhuba ohlazisa umshado? (b) Yimuphi umbuzo okufanele siwucabangele nabangane bethu bomshado?

¹⁰ Esikhathini esithile esedlule inkosikazi engumKristu yathi: “Ngithandazela amandla kaJehova ukuba angisize ngikhuthazele.” Ikhuthazelele ini? Yachaza: “Umyeni wami ungijikijela ngamazwi. Ngingase ngingabi nazo izibazi ezibonakalayo, kodwa amazwi akhe ahlabayo abeleselayo, anjengokuthi ‘Uyisicefe!’ nathi ‘Awumfazi walutho!’ angidabula inhliziyo.” Le nkosikazi iveza indaba engathí sina—inkulumo elulazayo emshadweni.

¹¹ Yeka ukuthi kudabukisa kanjani lapho abantu abashadile emikhayeni yamaKristu bejikijelana ngamazwi anokhahlo, avula amanxeba angokomzwelo angapholi kalula! Ngokusobala, uma abantu abashadile bejikijelana ngamazwi abuhlungu, umshado wabo awuhloniphekile. Unjani umshado wakho uma kuziwa kule ndaba? Enye indlela yokuthola impendulo iwukuba ngokuthobeka ubuze oshade naye, “Akuphatha kanjani amazwi ami?” Uma umngane wakho womshado enomuzwa wokuthi ezikhathini eziningi amazwi akho aye amvula amanxeba angokomzwelo, kumelwe uzimisele ukushintsha isimo sibe ngcono.—Galathiya 5:15; Efesu 4:31.

12. Ukukhulekela komuntu kungaba kanjani yize emehlweni kaNkulunkulu?

¹² Khumbula ukuthi indlela osebenzisa ngayo ulimi lwakho emshadweni ithinta ubuhlobo bakho noJehova.  IBhayibheli lithi: “Uma umuntu ezibona sengathi ungumkhulekeli oqotho, kodwa nokho engalulawuli ulimi lwakhe ngokungathi ngetomu, kodwa eqhubeka ekhohlisa inhliziyo yakhe, indlela yalo muntu yokukhulekela iyize.” (Jakobe 1:26) Okushoyo kuyintonye nokukhulekela kwakho. IBhayibheli aliwusekeli umqondo wokuthi noma yini umuntu ayenza ekhaya ayibalulekile kangako, uma nje ethi ukhonza uNkulunkulu. Siza ungazikhohlisi. Lena indaba engathí sina. (1 Petru 3:7) Kungenzeka ukuthi unamakhono futhi uyashiseka, kodwa uma umlimaza ngamabomu umngane wakho womshado ngamazwi ahlabayo, uhlazisa ilungiselelo lomshado futhi ukukhulekela kwakho kungase kubhekwe uNkulunkulu njengokuyize.

13. Umuntu oshadile angakubangela kanjani ubuhlungu obungokomzwelo?

¹³ Abantu abashadile kudingeka baqaphele nokuthi bangabangeli ubuhlungu obungokomzwelo ngezindledlana ezinganakekile. Cabanga ngezibonelo ezimbili: Umama ongayedwa udamane eshayela ucingo indoda eshadile engumKristu ebandleni ecela iseluleko, baxoxe umlibe; umzalwane ongashadile ongumKristu uchitha isikhathi esiningi masonto onke esebenza nodade oshadile ongumKristu ensimini. Abantu abashadile kulezi zibonelo bangase babe nezinhloso ezinhle; nokho, ukuziphatha kwabo kubathinta kanjani abantu abashade nabo? Inkosikazi ebhekene nesimo esifanayo yathi: “Ukubona umyeni wami enaka kangaka omunye udade ebandleni kuyangilimaza. Kungenza ngizizwe ngingelutho.”

14. (a) Yisiphi isibopho somshado esiqokonyiswe kuGenesise 2:24? (b) Yini okufanele sizibuze yona?

¹⁴ Kuyaqondakala ukuthi le nkosikazi nabanye ababhekene nesimo esifanayo emshadweni bazizwa belimele. Abangane babo bomshado abasinaki iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu esiyisisekelo ngomshado: “Indoda iyoshiya uyise nonina inamathele kumkayo.” (Genesise 2:24) Yebo, labo abashadayo basabahlonipha abazali babo; kodwa, kuyilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu  ukuba isibopho sabo esiyinhloko sibe kubangane babo bomshado. Ngokufanayo, amaKristu awathanda kakhulu amakholwa akanye nawo; kepha umthwalo wemfanelo wawo oyinhloko ukubangane bawo bomshado. Ngakho, lapho amaKristu ashadile echitha isikhathi eside ngokungafanele noma ejwayelana ngokweqile namanye amakholwa, ikakhulukazi awobulili obuhlukile, ayasixegisa isibopho  somshado. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi yilokho okubangela ukungezwani emshadweni wakho? Zibuze, ‘Ingabe ngempela umngane wami womshado ngimnikeza isikhathi, ukunaka, nothando olungolwakhe?’

15. NgokukaMathewu 5:28, kungani amaKristu ashadile kufanele agweme ukunaka ngokungafanele umuntu wobulili obuhlukile?

¹⁵ Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaKristu ashadile anaka ngokungafanele abantu bobulili obuhlukile angashadile nabo, ngobuwula azidonsela amanzi ngomsele. Ngeshwa, amanye amaKristu ashadile aye aba nemizwa yothando ngalabo asuke esebajwayele ngokweqile. (Mathewu 5:28) Ukusondelana ngokomzwelo okunjalo kuye kwaholela ekuziphatheni okuwuhlazisa nakakhulu umshado. Cabangela lokho umphostoli uPawulu akusho ngale ndaba.

16. Yimuphi umyalo uPawulu awunikezayo ngomshado?

¹⁶ Ngemva nje kokuba uPawulu enikeze iseluleko sokuba ‘umshado uhlonishwe,’ wanezela lesi sixwayiso: ‘Umbhede womshado mawungangcoliswa, ngoba uNkulunkulu uyozahlulela izifebe neziphingi.’ (Hebheru 13:4) UPawulu wasebenzisa inkulumo ethi ‘umbhede womshado’ ebhekisela ebuhlotsheni bobulili. Ubuhlobo obunjalo busuke ‘bungangcolile,’ noma buhlanzekile, uma benziwa kuphela ngaphakathi kwelungiselelo lomshado. Ngakho-ke, amaKristu alalela la mazwi aphefumulelwe: “[Jabula] ngomfazi wobusha bakho.”—IzAga 5:18.

17. (a) Kungani indlela izwe elibheka ngayo ukuphinga ingawathinti amaKristu? (b) Singasilandela kanjani isibonelo esabekwa uJobe?

¹⁷ Labo ababa nobuhlobo bobulili nomuntu abangashadile naye babonisa indelelo enkulu ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu yokuziphatha. Yiqiniso, abaningi namuhla babheka ukuphinga njengento eyamukelayo. Nokho, noma yini abanye abantu abangase bayicabange ngokuphinga, akufanele ithonye indlela amaKristu akubheka ngayo. Ayaqaphela ukuthi ekugcineni ‘nguNkulunkulu oyokwahlulela izifebe neziphingi,’  hhayi abantu. (Hebheru 10:31; 12:29) Ngakho, amaKristu eqiniso anamathela embonweni kaJehova kule ndaba. (Roma 12:9) Khumbula ukuthi inzalamizi uJobe yathini: “Ngenzé isivumelwano namehlo ami.” (Jobe 31:1) Yebo, ukuze agweme ngisho nesinyathelo esisodwa esingawaholela ekuphingeni, amaKristu eqiniso alawula amehlo awo futhi awalokothi akhanuke umuntu wobulili obuhlukile angashadile naye.—Bheka iSithasiselo, amakhasi 219-21.

18. (a) Emehlweni kaJehova, kubi kangakanani ukuphinga? (b) Yikuphi ukufana okukhona phakathi kokuphinga nokukhonza izi-thombe?

¹⁸ Emehlweni kaJehova, kubi kangakanani ukuphinga? UMthetho KaMose uyasisiza siqonde imizwa kaJehova ngale ndaba. Kwa-Israyeli, ukuphinga nokukhonza izithombe kwakuphakathi kwezono ezazinesigwebo sokufa. (Levitikusi 20:2, 10) Uyakubona ukufana phakathi kwalezi zinto zombili? Phela, umIsrayeli okhonza isithombe wayephula isivumelwano sakhe noJehova. Ngokufanayo, umIsrayeli ophingayo wayephula isivumelwano sakhe nashade naye. Bobabili babenza ngokukhohlisa. (Eksodusi 19:5, 6; Duteronomi 5:9; Malaki 2:14) Ngakho, bobabili babenecala phambi kukaJehova, uNkulunkulu othembekile nonokwethenjelwa.—IHubo 33:4.

19. Yini engenza umuntu azimisele kakhulu ukumelana nokuphinga, futhi ngani?

¹⁹ Yiqiniso, amaKristu awekho ngaphansi koMthetho KaMose. Noma kunjalo, ukukhumbula ukuthi kwa-Israyeli wasendulo ukuphinga kwakubhekwa njengesono esingathí sina, kungase kwenze amaKristu azimisele kakhulu ukuba angaphingi. Ngani? Cabangela lesi siqhathaniso: Ungalokotha yini ungene esontweni, uguqe ngamadolo, bese uthandaza phambi kwesithombe? Ungathi: ‘Angisoze!’ Kodwa ubungalingeka yini ukuba ukwenze lokho ukube ubuzothola isizumbulu semali? Ungaphendula uthi: ‘Bengingeke!’ Ngempela, kwawona nje umcabango wokungathembeki kuJehova ngokukhulekela isithombe uyanengeka kumKristu  weqiniso. Ngendlela efanayo, amaKristu kufanele anengwe imicabango yokungathembeki kuNkulunkulu wawo, uJehova, nakumngane wawo womshado ngokuphinga—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ahehwa ngani ukuba one. (IHubo 51:1, 4; Kolose 3:5) Asifuni nakancane ukwenza isenzo esiyojabulisa uSathane kodwa silethe isihlamba esikhulu kuJehova naselungiselelweni elingcwele lomshado.

20. Kuye kwenzekani kweminye imishado? Fanekisa.

²⁰ Ngaphandle kokugwema ukuziphatha okuhlazisa umshado, yiziphi izinyathelo ongazithatha ukuze uvuselele inhlonipho ngoshade naye? Ukuze uthole impendulo, cabanga ngomshado njengoyindlu. Amazwi anomusa, izenzo ezibonisa ukucabangela, kanye nezinye izindlela abantu abashadile ababonisana ngazo inhlonipho, zingase zifaniswe nemihlobiso enezela ubuhle endlini. Uma nisondelene, umshado wenu ufana nendlu ehlotshiswe ngemihlobiso eyenza ibe yinhle futhi ifudumale. Uma uthando lwenu luncipha, leyo mihlobiso iyanyamalala kancane kancane, kushiye umshado wenu ungemuhle ufana nendlu engenamihlobiso. Njengoba nifisa ukulalela umyalo kaNkulunkulu wokuba ‘umshado uhlonishwe,’ niyoshukumiseleka ukuba nilungise isimo. Phela into eyigugu nehloniphekile iyakufanelekela ukulungiswa nokubuyiselwa esimweni sayo. Ningakwenza kanjani lokho? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Indlu iyokwakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, futhi ngokuqonda iyokuma iqine. Ngolwazi amakamelo angaphakathi ayogcwaliswa ngazo zonke izinto eziyigugu nezimnandi zenani elikhulu.” (IzAga 24:3, 4) Cabangela indlela la mazwi angase asebenze ngayo emshadweni.

21. Singawuqinisa kanjani kancane kancane umshado wethu? (Bheka  nebhokisi ekhasini 131.)

²¹ Phakathi ‘kwezinto eziyigugu’ ezigcwalisa umkhaya ojabulayo, yizimfanelo ezinjengothando lweqiniso, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu, nokholo oluqinile. (IzAga 15:16, 17;  1 Petru 1:7) Zakha umshado oqinile. Kodwa uyiphawulile yini indlela amakamelo akulesi saga esicashunwe ngenhla agcwaliswa ngayo ngezinto eziyigugu? “Ngolwazi.” Yebo, lapho lusetshenziswa, ulwazi lweBhayibheli lunamandla okuguqula ukucabanga kwabantu nokubenza bakhwezele uthando lwabo. (Roma 12:2; Filipi 1:9) Ngakho, lapho wena nomngane wakho womshado nihlala phansi, nixoxa ngomBhalo weBhayibheli, njengetekisi losuku, noma isihloko esisekelwe eBhayibhelini esiphathelene nomshado esikuyi-Nqabayokulinda noma kuyi-Phaphama!, kuba njengokungathi nibhekabheka umhlobiso omuhle ongenza indlu yenu ibe yinhle. Lapho uthando ngoJehova lunishukumisela ukuba nisisebenzise emshadweni wenu iseluleko enisanda kusihlola, kuba sengathi niletha lowo mhlobiso ‘emakamelweni angaphakathi.’ Umphumela uba ukuthi ubuhle nemfudumalo enake naba nayo emshadweni wenu, kuyabuya.

22. Yikuphi ukwaneliseka esingaba nakho uma silwela ukwenza ingxenye yethu ekuqiniseni umshado wethu?

²² Kuyavunywa, kungase kuthathe isikhathi eside nomzamo ukubuyisela umhlobiso ngamunye ngamunye endaweni yawo. Nokho, uma ulwela ukwenza ingxenye yakho, uyothola ukwaneliseka okujulile ngokwazi ukuthi ulalela lesi seluleko seBhayibheli: “Ekubonisaneni udumo nihole.” (Roma 12:10; IHubo 147:11) Ngaphezu kwakho konke, imizamo yakho eqotho yokuhlonipha umshado wakho iyokugcina othandweni lukaNkulunkulu.