1. Babantu abanjani uJehova abadosela kuye, begodu kubayini kufuze bahlale baphaphamile ngokomoya?

UJESU wathi: “Abakhulekeli beqiniso, kufuze bakhulekele uBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso, ngombana uBaba ufuna abakhulekeli abanjalo.” (Jwanisi 4:23) Lokha uJehova nafumana abanjalo—njengombana akufumana nawe—ubadosela kuye neNdodanenakhe. (Jwanisi 6:44) Qala bona lelo lilungelo elingangani! Nokho, abathandi beqiniso leBhayibhili, kufuze ‘batjhisekele ukulemuka lokho okufunwa yiKosi,’ ngombana uSathana uliqili lokukhohlisa.—Kwebe-Efesu 5:10; ISambulo 12:9.

2. Hlathulula bona uJehova ukuqala njani ukuvanga ukukhulekela kweqiniso nokwamala.

² Cabangela lokho okwenzeka hlanu kweNtaba iSinayi lokha ama-Israyeli nekabawa u-Aroni bona awenzele uzimu. U-Aroni wavumelana nabo begodu wabenzela ikonyana legolide wathi lijamele uJehova. Wathi: “Kunomgidi kaJehova kusasa.” UJehova gade kungamtshwenyi na ukuvanga ikolo yeqiniso neyamala? Gade kumtshwenya. Wabulala abantu abakhonza iinthombe abapheze babe ziinkulungwana eentathu. (Eksodosi 32:1-6, 10, 28) Khuyini okufuze siyifunde kilokhu? Nengabe sifuna ukuhlala ethandweni lakaZimu, kufuze “singathinti nanyana yini esilaphazekileko” begodu ukufuna ukukhulekela okukhethekileko kusenza sivikele iqiniso kunanyana ngiliphi ihlobo lokusilaphala.—Isaya 52:11; Ezekiyeli 44:23; KwebeGalatiya 5:9.

3, 4. Kubayini kufuze sitjhejisise iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili lokha nesihlola amasiko nemigidi ejayelekileko?

 ³ Ngokudanisako, ngemva kokufa kwabapostoli, labo egade banjengeboda elivimbela ukuhlubuka, labo ebebazenza amaKrestu, gade banganalo ithando ngeqiniso bathoma ukwamukela amasiko, imigidi namalanga “acwengileko” woburhedeni lawo abathi ngowobuKrestu. (2 KwebeTesalonika 2:7, 10) Njengombana uqala eminye yemigidi le, qala bona iyiwutjengisa njani umoya wephasi ingasi kaZimu. Ngokujayelekileko, imigidi yephasi iyafana: Ithabisa inyama, ithuthukise ikolo yamala nemimoya—okulitshwayo “leBhabhiloni Ledumo.” * (ISambulo 18:2-4, 23) Godu khumbula bona uJehova wazibonela ngokwakhe imikghwa enyenyisako yekolo yoburhedeni leyo amasiko amanengi ajayelekileko asuka kiyo. Akunakuzaza bona ufumana imigidi leyo ingamthabisi nanamhlanjesi. Umbono wakhe akukafuzi bona ube ngoqakathekileko kithi?—2 KaJwanisi 6, 7.

⁴ NjengamaKrestu weqiniso, siyazi bona imigidi ethileko ayimthabisi uJehova. Kodwana sifuna ukwenza isiqunto eenhliziyweni zethu bona akukho okusihlanganisa nayo. Ukubuyekeza bona kubayini imigidi enjalo ingamthabisi uJehova kufuze kuqinise ukuzimisela kwethu ukubalekela nanyana yini engasivimbela bona sihlale ethandweni lakaZimu.

5. Kubayini singaqiniseka bona uJesu akhenge abelethwe ngoDecember-25?

⁵ IBhayibhili alikhulumi ngokugidingwa kwelanga lamabeletho kaJesu. Eqinisweni, ilanga elinqophileko lokubelethwa kwakhe alaziwa. Nokho, singaqiniseka bona akhenge abelethwe ngoDecember-25 ebusika obumakhaza  engcenyeni yephasi leyo. * Into esingaqiniseka ngayo kukobana uLuka watlola bona, uJesu nekabelethwako, “abelusi bebahlala ngaphandle” balusa imihlambi yabo. (Luka 2:8-11, NW) Nengabe ‘ukuhlala ngaphandle’ bekumkhuba wabo umnyaka woke, lokho gade kungeze kube yinto eqakathekileko. Nokho, njengombana eBetlehema kunezulu elimakhaza negabhogo, imihlambi gade ihlaliswa endaweni evalekileko begodu abelusi bebangekhe ‘bahlale ngaphandle.’ Ukungezelela kilokho, uMariya noJosefa baya eBetlehema ngombana uKhesari Agastusi wathi kubalwe abantu. (Luka 2:1-7) Bekuyinto engacabangekiko bona uKhesari bekangalayela abantu egade bahloya ukubuswa maRoma bona baye eendaweni okwabelethelwa kiyo abokhokho babo ebusika obumakhazobo.

6, 7. (a) Uyini umsuka wamasiko amanengi kaKresimusi? (b) Ngimuphi umahluko okhona hlangana nokupha kwakaKresimusi nokwamaKrestu?

⁶ Umsuka kaKresimusi awutholakali eMtlolweni, kodwana utholakala emigidini yabarhedeni yekadeni njengeSaturnalia yamaRoma, umgidi owenzelwa uSaturn, usingazimu wezelimo. Ngokufanako, ngokuya ngokubala kwabo, abakhulekeli bakasingazimu uMithra bagidinga uDecember-25 “njengelanga lokubelethwa kwelanga elinganakuhlulwa,” ngokutjho kwe-New Catholic Encyclopedia. UKresimusi wathoma lokha ukukhulekela ilanga kunamandla eRoma,” iimnyaka epheze ibe makhulu amathathu ngemva kokufa kwakaKrestu.

⁷ Phakathi nokugidinga kwabo, abarhedeni bebaphana izipho badle nokudla okuphambili—imikghwa esenziwako nanamhlanjesi ngoKresimusi. Nokho, njengombana kuliqiniso nanamhlanjesi, okunengi kokupha okwenziwa ngoKresimusi akuvumelani nokutjhiwo ku-2 KwebeKorinte 9:7, efundeka bunje: “Ngiloyo naloyo akazibekele yena ehliziyweni yakhe  bona uzanikela kangangani, khona azanikela ngehliziyo ekhululekileko, ingasi ngokubilayela nangokugandelelwa. UZimu uthanda umuntu onikela ngehliziyo emhlophe twa.” AmaKrestu weqiniso apha ngethando, ukupha kwawo akubotjhwa lilanga elithileko, begodu akalindeli bona nawo aphiwe godu. (Luka 14:12-14; funda IZenzo 20:35) Ngaphezu kwalokho, bayakuthabela ukutjhaphuluka ekugandelelweni ziinkhathi zakaKresimusi begodu bayatjhaphuluka emthwaleni obudisi wokungena eenkolodweni ezinengi ezenzeka ngesikhathi sakaKresimusi.—Matewu 11:28-30; Jwanisi 8:32.

8. Izazi zeenkwekwezi zapha uJesu izipho zelanga lamabeletho wakhe? Hlathulula.

⁸ Kodwana abanye bangathi, izazi zeenkwekwezi akhenge ziphe uJesu izipho zelanga lamabeletho wakhe? Awa. Izipho zabo gade kuyindlela yokutjengisa ihlonipho eemntwini oqakathekileko, umukghwa ojayelekileko wangeenkhathi  zeBhayibhili. (1 AmaKhosi 10:1, 2, 10, 13; Matewu 2:2, 11) Eqinisweni, akhenge zize ngitjho nangobusuku uJesu abelethwa ngabo. UJesu gade angasese lisana elisemkhombeni, kodwana gade aneenyanga ezinengi begodu ahlala ngendlini izazi nezifikako.

9. Kwenzekani ekugidingweni kwamalanga wamabeletho okukhulunywa ngawo eBhayibhilini?

⁹ Namtjhana ukubelethwa komntwana kuyinto ethabisako, iBhayibhili ayitjho bona kunenceku kaZimu eyakhe yagidinga ilanga lamabeletho. (AmaRhalani 127:3) Lokho gade kutjho ukunganaki? Awa, ngombana ukugidinga okubili kwamalanga wamabeletho okukhulunywa ngakho eBhayibhilini —ngekwakaFaro weGibhida nokwakaHerodi Antiphasi. (Funda Genesisi 40:20-22; Markosi 6:21-29) Nokho, zombili izehlakalwezi kukhulunywa kumbi ngazo—khulu-khulu sokugcina, lapho kwabulawa khona uJwanisi umbhabhadisi.

10, 11. AmaKrestu wokuthoma gade akuqala njani ukugidinga amalanga wamabeletho, begodu kubayini kunjalo?

¹⁰ I-The World Book Encyclopedia, ithi: “AmaKrestu wokuthoma, gade aqala ukugidinga kwananyana lilanga lakabani lokubelethwa njengesiko loburhedeni.” Isibonelo, amaGirigi wekadeni, gade akholelwa bona umuntu nomuntu unomoya omvikelako oba khona nabelethwako ngemva kwalokho umvikele. Incwadi i-The Lore of Birthdays ithi: umoya lo “bewunomlingo wobuhlobo obuyifihlo nozimu owabelethwa naye ngelanga elifanako. Amalanga wokubelethwa ahlanganiswa eduze nezazi zeenkwekwezi nekwekwezi yelanga owabelethwa ngalo.

¹¹ Ngaphandle kokulahla amasiko wamalanga wokubelethwa ngebanga lomsuka wawo woburhedeni nowemimoya, iinceku zakaZimu zekadeni ziwalahla ngebanga lokuziphatha okuhle. Kubayini kunjalo? Laba bekumadoda nabafazi abathobekileko abangakhenge baqale ukubelethwa kwabo njengokuqakathekileko okufuze kugidingwe. * (Mika 6:8; Luka 9:48) Kunalokho, badumisa begodu bathokoze uJehova ngesipho esiligugu sokuphila. * —AmaRhalani 8:3, 4; 36:9; ISambulo 4:11.

12. Ilanga lokufa kwethu lingaba njani bhedere kunelanga lamabeletho wethu?

¹² Ekufeni, boke abathembekileko bavikelekile emkhumbulweni kaZimu, begodu ingomuso labo liqinisekisiwe.  (Jobhi 14:14, 15) UMtjhumayeli 7:1 uthi: “Ibizo libhedere kunamafutha amahle, nelanga lokufa libhedere kunelanga lokubelethwa.” “Ibizo” lethu yigama elihle esizenzele lona noZimethu ngekonzo yokuthembeka. Kuyakhanya bona okukuphela komyalo womgidi okufuze ugidingwe maKrestu uhlanganisa, ingasi ukubelethwa, kodwana ukufa kwakaJesu, ibizo lakhe elihle elisilodlhelo sephuluso yethu.—Luka 22:17-20; KumaHebheru 1:3, 4.

13, 14. Uyini umsuka wamasiko ajayelekileko wama-Ista?

¹³ Ivezwa njengokugidingwa kokuvuswa kwakaKrestu, i-Ista kuhle-kuhle inomsuka wekolo yamala. Ibizo Ista ngokwalo lihlanganiswa no-Eostre, namtjhana u-Ostara, usingazimu omsikazi wama-Anglo-Saxon wokukhanya netwasahlobo. Kweza njani bona amaqanda nomqasana kuhlanganiswe ne-Ista? I-Encyclopædia Britannica, ithi: “Amaqanda gade aqakathekile njengetshwayo lepilo etja nevuko,” kungilapho umqasana uqalwa njengetshwayo lenzalo. Ngalokho, eqinisweni, i-Ista lisiko lokukhulekela inzalo okwenziwa ngasuthi kugidingwa ukuvuka kwakaKrestu. *

¹⁴ UJehova uyakumukela ukukhulekela kwenzalo okunyenyisako bona kuthiwe kukhunjulwa ukuvuswa kweNdodanakhe? Akakwamukeli! (2 KwebeKorinte 6:17, 18) Eqinisweni, iMitlolo ayikuvumeli nanyana ijamise ngokomthetho ukukhumbula ukuvuswa kwakaJesu. Ngalokho-ke ukwenza njalo ebizweni le-Ista, ukungathembeki okukhulu.

15. Yathoma njani iHalloween, begodu khuyini eqakathekileko ngelanga elakhethelwa ukugidinga ilangeli?

¹⁵ I-Halloween eyaziwa ngobuloyi bayo, iimbunjwa ezithusako  neminye imikghabiso yayo esabekako, godu ibizwa bona yi-All Hallows’ Eve namtjhana njengelanga elingaphambi kwe-All Saints’ Day. Ilangeli beligidingwa maCelts wekadeni weBrithani ne-Ireland. Lapho inyanga ihlangene ngaphambi kwakaNovember-1, amaCelts bekagidinga umgidi obizwa bona yiSamhain, okutjho “Ukuphela Kwehlobo.” Bekakholelwa bona phakathi neSamhain, iboda elihlangana nabantu nephasi lemimoya liyavuleka, imimoya emihle nemimbi iyatjhagala. Kucatjangelwa bona imimoya yabafileko ibuyela emakhaya, begodu iimndenayo izoyibekela ukudla neenselo ngomnqopho wokurabhela iimvakatjhi zazo ezizimpuku. Ngalokho, abantwana mhlokho bambatha njengeempuku namtjhana njengabaloyi, bangene umuzi nomuzi babathusele bonyana bazokulelesa nebangabaphi izinto ezimnandi, balingisa lokho egade kwenziwa ngelanga leSamhain.

16, 17. (a) Kubayini amaKrestu abhincela ukutjhada kufuze ahlole amasiko wendawo womtjhado ngokucabangisisa ngeenkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili? (b) Malungana namasiko anjengokurhatjha ireyisi nokhunye okufana nakho, khuyini amaKrestu okufuze ayicabangisise?

¹⁶ Msinyana, “itjhada lokusina kwedwendwe angekhe kusezwakala kuwe” [Bhabhiloni Ledumo]. (ISambulo 18:23) Kubayini kunjalo? Kungebanga lokuberegelana nemimoya, okungasilaphaza umtjhado ekuthomeni kwelanga lawo.—Markosi 10:6-9.

¹⁷ Amasiko weenarha awafani. Amanye amasiko angaqaleka ahlanzekile kodwana kungenzeka asuka emikghweni yobuBhabhiloni okuthiwa iletha ‘itjhudu’ kwabatjhadako neemenywa zabo. (Isaya 65:11) Elinye isiko elinjalo lihlanganisa ukurhatjha ireyisi namtjhana okhunye okufana nakho. Umukghwa lo kungenzeka usuka ekolelweni yokobana ukudla kuthobisa imimoya emimbi bona ingalimazi umakoti nomkhwenyani. Ukungezelela kilokho, sekusikhathi eside ireyisi ihlanganiswa nenzalo, ithabo nokuphila isikhathi eside. Ngokukhanyako, boke abafuna ukuhlala ethandweni lakaZimu  kufuze balahle amasiko asilapheleko.—Funda 2 KwebeKorinte 6:14-18.

18. Ngiziphi iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili okufuze zinqophise kokubili labo ababhincela ukutjhada nabamenyiweko?

¹⁸ Ngokufanako, iinceku zakaJehova ziyayibalekela imikghwa yephasi engenza umtjhado ungabi nesithunzi sobuKrestu namtjhana leyo engakhuba abonembeza babanye. Ngokwesibonelo, ziyakubalekela ukukhuluma izinto ezilimazako namtjhana ezidzimelele khulu kwezomseme, amahlaya angabaphathisa amahloni labo abasanduk’tjhada nabanye. (Izaga 26:18, 19; Luka 6:31; 10:27) Godu zibalekela nemigidi yokubukisa enganasithunzi, kodwana etjengisa “koke okusephasinapha abazigqaja ngakho.” (1 KaJwanisi 2:16) Newubhincela ukutjhada, ungalibali bona uJehova ufuna bonyana ilanga lakho elikhethekileko libe yinto ozokuhlala uyikhumbula ngethabo, ingasi ngokuzisola. *

19, 20. Enye incwadi ithini ngomsuka wokwenza i-toast, begodu kubayini isikweli lingamukeleki kumaKrestu?

¹⁹ I-toast mumukghwa ojayelekileko emitjhadweni nakweminye imigidi. [Kubethanisa amarhalasi anotjwala bawaphakamisele phezulu.] I-International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture yaka-1995 ithi: “Ukwenza i-toast . . . kungenzeka mumukghwa wekadeni lapho bebathelela khona abozimabo . . . utjwala bona bababuyisele ngokwenza iimthandazo emfitjhani enamezwi athi ‘ipilo ede!’ namtjhana ‘ipilo ehle!’”

²⁰ Liqiniso, abantu abanengi kungenzeka abaqali ukwenza i-toast njengento yekolo namtjhana iinkolelo zamala. Nanyana kunjalo, ukuphakamisela phezulu irhalasi lotjwala kuqalwa njengokubawa “ezulwini”—amandla angaphezu kewabantu—itjhudu ngendlela engavumelani neMitlolo.—Jwanisi 14:6; 16:23. *

21. Nanyana inganayo imisuka yekolo, ngimiphi imigidi ejayelekileko amaKrestu angayibalekela, begodu kubayini?

²¹ Ezinye iinarha zitjengisa izinga elehlileko lephasi lanamhlanjesi—umkhutjana ovamileko othuthukiswa ngokunqophileko namtjhana ngokungakanqophi yiBhabhiloni Ledumo—ngokusekela imigidi yamnyaka yoke namtjhana ama-Mardi Gras, imigidi enemijido esilapheleko nengakhuthaza imikghwa yokuthandana kwabobulili obufanako. Kuyafaneleka na ‘ngomthandi kaJehova’ ukuya emigidini enjalo? Izenzo zakhe ziyatjengisa na bona uyakuhloya okumbi? (AmaRhalani 1:1, 2; 97:10) Kubhedere kangangani ukulingisa umrhubi owathandaza wathi: “Yenza amehlwami adlule angakuboni okungarhelebhiko”!—AmaRhalani 119:37.

22. Kunini lapho umKrestu angakhetha ngokuya ngonembezakhe bona uzokuhlanganyela emgidini nofana awa?

²² Ngamalanga wokugidinga imigidi yephasi, umKrestu kufuze atjheje ukuziphatha kwakhe bona kunganikeli abanye umbono wokobana uyahlanganyela emigidini leyo. UPowula watlola: “Nengabe niyagoma namtjhana niyasela, kwenzeni koke, ze kudunyiswe uZimu.” (1 KwebeKorinte 10:31; qala ibhoksi elithi, “ Ukwenza Iinqunto Ezihlakaniphileko.”) Ngakelinye ihlangothi, nengabe isiko nofana umgidi awuhlanganisi ikolo nezombanganarha namtjhana ukutjhisakalela inarha begodu awuphuli iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili, umKrestu ngamunye kufuze enze isiqunto sokobana uzokuhlanganyela kiyo nofana awa? Ngesikhathi esifanako uzokucabangela amazizo wabanye bona isiquntweso singabakhubi.

23, 24. Singabunikela njani ubufakazi malungana neendlela zakaJehova zokuziphatha okulungileko?

²³ Abanengi baqala amalanga wemigidi ethileko ejayelekileko njengamathuba wokuhlangana nomndeni nabangani.  Ngalokho-ke, nengabe omunye udlumbana bona ukunamathela kwethu eMitlolweni akunathando namtjhana kuyeqisa, singamhlathululela ngomusa bona aboFakazi bakaJehova bayayithabela imigidi eyakhako yomndeni nabangani. (Izaga 11:25; UMtjhumayeli 3:12, 13; 2 KwebeKorinte 9:7) Siyakuthabela ukuba nesibathandako umnyaka woke, kodwana ngebanga lethando lethu ngoZimu neendlela zakhe ezilungileko, asifuni ukumorosa iinkhathi ezimnandezi ngamasiko angamthabisiko.—Qala ibhoksi elithi, “ Ukukhulekela Kweqiniso Kuletha Ithabo Elikhulu.”

²⁴ Abanye aboFakazi baphumelele khulu ngokuhlanganyela amaphuzu asesahlukweni-16 sencwadi ethi Khuyini Kwamambala Okufundiswa YiBhayibhili? nalabo abafuna ukwazi.  * Nokho khumbula, umnqopho wethu kuzuza iinhliziyo, ingasi ukuphikisana nabo. Ngalokho yiba nehlonipho, uzibambe, begodu “umkhulumo wenu ube muhle qobe, unungwe ngetswayi.”—KwebeKholose 4:6, NW.

25, 26. Ababelethi bangabarhelebha njani abantwababo bona bakhulise ikholo nethando labo ngoJehova?

²⁵ Njengeenceku zakaJehova, sifundisiwe. Siyazi bona kubayini sikholelwa begodu senza izinto ezithileko kodwana ezinye singazenzi. (KumaHebheru 5:14) Ngalokho babelethi, fundisani abantwabenu bona bazi iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili. Ngokwenza njalo, niqinisa ikholo labo, nibarhelebha bona bakghone ukuphendula labo abababuza ngeenkolelo zabo, begodu nibaqinisekisa ngethando lakaJehova.—Isaya 48:17, 18; 1 KaPitrosi 3:15.

²⁶ Boke abakhulekela uZimu “ngomoya nangeqiniso” ababalekeli kwaphela imigidi engavumelani nemitlolo kodwana balwela ukuthembeka kizo zoke izinto. Namhlanjesi, abanengi baqala ukuthembeka njengento engeze yenzeka. Njengombana sizokubona esahlukweni esilandelako, iindlela zakaZimu zihlala zizihle khulu.