1, 2. Yiwuphi umsebenzi wokwakha owenzayo njalo kungani indlela owenza ngayo umsebenzi lo iqakathekile?

USEBENZA nzima emsebenzini wokwakha futhi umsebenzi lo usulesikhathi eside usenziwa njalo uzaqhubeka okwesikhathi eside esizayo. Kuze kube khathesi, umsebenzi lo ubunzima kodwa lanxa kunjalo wenza usuthiseke. Lanxa kungaze kwenzakaleni, uzimisele ukuthi ungekeli loba ungavilaphi ngoba umsebenzi wakho uzathinta impilo yakho lekusasa lakho. Kungani? Ngoba lokho okwakhiwayo, nguwe!

² Umfundi kaJesu okuthiwa nguJuda wagcizelela ukuthi kumele sizakhe. Lapho ekhuthaza amaKhristu ukuthi ‘azigcine esethandweni lukaNkulunkulu,’ waphinda waveza evesini elifananayo okunye okuqakathekileyo okungasinceda ukuthi senze njalo, wathi: “Zakheni ekukholweni kwenu okungcwele kakhulu.” (UJuda 20, 21) Yiziphi ezinye izindlela zokuzakha, ezenza ukuthi ukholo lwakho luqine ukuze uzigcine usethandweni lukaNkulunkulu? Kasixoxeni ngezingxenye ezintathu zokuzakha ukuze ukholo lwakho luqine.

3-5. (a) USathane ufuna ukukukhohlisa ukuthi ube lawuphi umbono ngemithetho kaJehova? (b) Kumele sibe lawuphi umbono ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu, njalo kumele kube lempumela bani endleleni esizizwa ngayo? Nika umzekeliso.

³ Okwakuqala, kumele uqinise ukholo lwakho emthethweni kaNkulunkulu. Ekufundeni kwakho ibhuku leli, usubone  izimiso zikaJehova ezilungileyo ezinengi eziphathelane lokuziphatha. Ucabangani ngezimiso ezinjalo? USathane angathanda ukukukhohlisa ukuze ubone angani imithetho kaJehova kanye lezimiso zakhe kuyakucindezela njalo kukwenza ungatholi izinto ezithile ezinhle. Ubelokhu esebenzisa icebo leli lokukhohlisa kusukela kudaladala esivandeni sase-Edeni ngesikhathi ebona ukuthi liyaphumelela. (UGenesisi 3:1-6) Uzakukhohlisa yini lawe? Lokho kuzakuya ngawe.

⁴ Ngokomzekeliso: Njengoba uhamba endaweni enhle kakhulu, unanzelela ukuthi kulothango olukhulu oluvale ngci ukuze kungabi lendawo yokufohla. Indawo oyibona ngale kothango iyakhanga kakhulu. Ekuqaliseni ungabona angani uthango lolo lukuvimbela ukuthi ungene phakathi. Kodwa njengoba ukhangela ngale kothango, ubona isilwane esesabisayo sicathamela enye inyamazana! Khathesi usukubona ukuthi uthango lolo lufakelwe ukuvikela abantu. Sikhona yini isitha esikucathamelayo njengoba sikhuluma nje? ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisixwayisa lisithi: “Zithibeni, liqaphele. Isitha senu, uSathane, siyazulazula njengesilwane esibhongayo sidinga esingamudla.”​—1 UPhetro 5:8.

⁵ USathane ungumzingeli ololunya kakhulu. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova kafuni ukuthi sibanjwe nguSathane, usilungiselele imithetho esivikelayo ‘kumacebo obuqili’ avela komubi. (Kwabase-Efesu 6:11) Yikho-ke ngasosonke isikhathi nxa sicabangisisa ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu, kumele siyibone njengendlela yothando oluvela kuBaba wethu osezulwini. Nxa singaba lombono onjalo ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu, izasenza sivikeleke njalo sithole intokozo. Umfundi uJakhobe wabhala: ‘Kodwa umuntu owukhangela ngenjongo umthetho opheleleyo oletha ukukhululeka, njalo aqhubeke esenza lokhu uzabusiswa kulokho akwenzayo.’​—UJakhobe 1:25.

6. Yiphi indlela engcono ongayisebenzisa ukuthi wakhe ukholo lwakho emithethweni lasezimisweni zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga? Nika isibonelo.

⁶ Ukulandela imilayo kaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwethu kuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokwakha ukholo lwethu kuMnikimithetho lasenhlakaniphweni yemithetho yakhe.  Ngokwesibonelo, “umthetho kaKhristu” ugoqela umlayo kaJesu wokufundisa abanye ‘konke asilaye ngakho.’ (KwabaseGalathiya 6:2; UMathewu 28:19, 20) AmaKhristu ayawuqakathekisa kakhulu umlayo wokuhlangana ndawonye ukuze akhonze njalo akhuthazane ekukholweni. (KumaHebheru 10:24, 25) Imilayo kaNkulunkulu igoqela lesikhuthazo sokukhuleka kuJehova kokuphela futhi ngokuvela enhliziyweni. (UMathewu 6:5-8; 1 KwabaseThesalonika 5:17) Njengoba silandela imilayo enjalo, siyakubona khathesi ukuthi iyisivikelo kithi. Ukuyilalela kwenza sithokoze njalo sisuthiseke. Lezi yizinto esingeke sizithole loba ngaphi emhlabeni lo olezinhlupho. Njengoba ucabangisisa ngendlela osizakale ngayo ngokulandela imithetho kaNkulunkulu, ukholo lwakho aluqini yini ngokwenza njalo?

7, 8. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu libaqinisekisa njani labo abakhathazeka ngokuthi abangeke benelise ukuphila ngezimiso ezilungileyo umnyaka ngomnyaka?

⁷ Abanye bayakhathazeka ukuthi kuzaba nzima kakhulu ukuqhubeka belandela imithetho kaJehova iminyaka leminyaka. Besaba ukuthi mhlawumbe bangehluleka. Nxa uzizwa njalo, hlala ukhumbula amazwi la: “Mina nginguJehova, uNkulunkulu wakho, okufundisa lokho okuhle kakhulu kuwe, ekutshengisa indlela okumele uhambe ngayo. Aluba wawulalele imilayo yami nje, ukuthula kwakho kwakuzakuba njengomfula, ukulunga  kwakho kunjengamagagasi olwandle.” (U-Isaya 48:17, 18) Wake wama yini wacabanga ngokuthi asikhuthaza kangakanani lawomazwi?

⁸ Lapha uJehova usikhumbuza ukuthi ukumlalela kunceda thina njalo aphinde asithembise lezindlela ezimbili azasibusisa ngazo nxa singamlalela. Okokuqala, ukuthula kwethu kuzakuba njengomfula, okutsho ukuthi kuzabe kukukhulu njalo kungapheli. Okwesibili, ukulunga kwethu kuzakuba njengamagagasi olwandle. Nxa ungama olwandle ubukele lokho okwenziwa ngamagagasi; awuthandabuzi ukuthi azaqhubeka esenza njalo. Uyakwazi ukuthi amagagasi azaqhubeka elokhu etshayelela ekhunjini okweminyaka leminyaka. UJehova uthi ukulunga kwakho kungahlala kuze kube nini lanini nxa umlalela. Uma nje uzama ukuqhubeka uthembekile kuye, akasoze akuvumele ukuba wehluleke! (Bala iHubo 55:22.) Izithembiso lezi ezithokozisayo kazilwakhi yini ukholo lwakho kuJehova lasezimisweni zakhe zokulunga?

9, 10. (a) Kungani ukukhula ekukholweni kungumgomo omuhle amaKhristu? (b) Ukubona izinto ngendlela uJehova abona ngayo kungenza njani ukuthi sijabule?

⁹ Ingxenye yesibili ekwakheni kwakho ibonakala emazwini aphefumulelweyo athi: ‘Masiqhubeke sisiya ekukhuleni.’ (KumaHebheru 6:1) Ukukhula ekukholweni ngumgomo omuhle kakhulu womKhristu. Kasingeke senelise ukuthi sithole ukuphila okungelasono okwakhathesi kodwa singenelisa ukuthi sikhule ekukholweni. Okunye yikuthi amaKhristu athola intokozo ekukhonzeni uJehova nxa eqhubeka ekhula ekukholweni. Kungani kunjalo?

¹⁰ UmKhristu osekhulile ekukholweni ubona izinto ngendlela uJehova abona ngayo. (UJohane 4:23) UPhawuli wabhala: ‘Labo abaphila ngokwemvelo yesono izingqondo zabo zigxile kulokho okufiswa yileyomvelo, kodwa labo abaphila ngokumayelana lomoya izingqondo zabo zigxile kulokho okufiswa ngumoya.’ (KwabaseRoma 8:5) Umbono wabantu uletha intokozo yesikhatshana, ngoba wenza umuntu angabi lendaba labanye,  aphuze ukubona umpumela wezinto azenzayo njalo abe ngothanda izinto zomhlaba. Ukubona izinto ngendlela uJehova abona ngayo kuletha intokozo engapheliyo njalo kwenza ugxile kuye, “uNkulunkulu othokozayo.” (1 KuThimothi 1:11, NW) Umuntu osekhulile ekukholweni ulesifiso sokuthokozisa uJehova njalo uyajabula lanxa elezinhlupho. Kungani? Izinhlupho zisinika amathuba okugcina ubuqotho lawokutshengisa ukuthi uSathane ungusomangase ngaleyondlela sijabulisa uBaba wethu osezulwini.​—IZaga 27:11; bala uJakhobe 1:2, 3.

11, 12. (a) UPhawuli wathini “ngamandla okucabanga” omKhristu, njalo kutshoni “ukuqeqetsha”? (b)  Umzimba kumele uqeqetshwe njani ukuze uqine futhi ube njengowengcitshi?

¹¹ Ukukhula ekukhonzeni kubakhona ngemva kokuqeqetshwa okwesikhathi esithile. Cabanga ngevesi le: “Ukudla okuqinileyo ngokwabantu asebekhulile, labo abaqeqetsha amandla abo okucabanga ngokuwasebenzisa ukuze benelise ukwehlukanisa phakathi kokuhle lokubi.” (KumaHebheru 5:14, NW) Lapho uPhawuli ekhuluma ngokuthi amandla ethu okucabanga kumele “aqeqetshwe,” wasebenzisa igama lesiGiriki elalisetshenziswa kakhulu ngabantu bemidlalo baseGreece yekhulu lokuqala, ngoba lingase lihunyutshwe njengokuthi ‘uqeqetshwe njengomdlali.’ Akucabange ukuthi ukuqeqetshwa lokho kugoqelani.

¹² Sizalwa silemizimba engaqeqetshwanga. Ngokwesibonelo, umntwana akenelisi ukwazi ukuthi izandla kanye lezinyawo zakhe kungaphi. Lanxa kunjalo, umntwana angaphonguphakamisa izandla, ezitshaya ubuso laye aze ethuke. Kancane kancane, umzimba womntwana uyaqeqetshwa njengoba ewusebenzisa nsuku zonke. Umntwana uyakhasa, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi aqalise ukuhamba njalo acine esegijima. * Kodwa kuthiwani ngabezemidlalo? Nxa ubona umdlali etshibilika  njalo eseqayeqa elolonga umzimba wakhe etshengisa ukuba yingcitshi futhi ekwenza lokhu ngonanzelelo, awuthandabuzi ukuthi umzimba womdlali lo unjengomtshina olungiswe kuhle. Okwenziwa ngumdlali lo kakuzivelelanga nje kodwa kwathatha isikhathi eside ukuthi aziqeqetshe ukuze abe yingcitshi. IBhayibhili liyavuma ukuthi ukuqeqetsha umzimba okunjalo ‘kulosizo oluthile.’ Kodwa okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuqeqetsha amandla ethu okucabanga!​—1 KuThimothi 4:8.

13. Singawaqeqetsha njani amandla ethu okucabanga?

¹³ Ebhukwini leli, sixoxe ngezinto ezinengi ezizakunceda ukuthi uqeqetshe amandla akho okucabanga ukuze uqhubeke uthembekile kuJehova njengomuntu okhulileyo ngokomoya. Thandaza njalo ucabange ngezimiso langemithetho kaNkulunkulu lapho usenza izinqumo zikhathi zonke. Nxa kumele wenze isinqumo, zibuze ukuthi, ‘Yimiphi imithetho yeBhayibhili loba izimiso ezingasebenza endabeni le? Ngingazisebenzisa njani? Yisiphi isinqumo esizathokozisa uBaba wami osezulwini?’ (Bala iZaga 3:5, 6; UJakhobe 1:5.) Ukwenza izinqumo ulandela indlela le kuzakunceda ukuthi uqhubeke uqeqetsha amandla akho okucabanga. Ukuzifundisa okunjalo kuzakunceda ukuthi ube lobuhlobo obuqinileyo loJehova futhi uqhubeke ulabo.

14. Kuyini okumele sikulambele ukuze sikhule ekukholweni, njalo kuyini okumele sihlale sikuqaphele?

¹⁴ Lanxa ungenelisa ukuba ngumKhristu okhulileyo ekukhonzeni, lokho akutsho ukuthi awusaqhubeki ukhula usiya phambili. Ukuze sikhule kumele sidle. UPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Ukudla okuqinileyo ngokwabakhulileyo.” Okuqakathekileyo okungakunceda ukuthi wakhe ukholo lwakho yikuqhubeka usidla ukudla okungokomoya okuqinileyo. Kuyikuhlakanipha  ukusebenzisa kuhle okufundayo, iBhayibhili lithi: “Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba.” Ngakho-ke kumele sililambele iqiniso eliqakathekileyo esiliphiwa nguBaba wethu. (IZaga 4:5-7; 1 UPhetro 2:2) Kuliqiniso ukuthi ukuba lolwazi kanye lenhlakanipho evela phezulu akusiso sizatho esingenza ukuthi sizigqaje loba siziphakamise. Kumele sizihlole ngasosonke isikhathi funa sibe ngabazigqajayo futhi sibe lobunye ubuthakathaka obungaqalisa enhliziyweni. UPhawuli wabhala: “Zihloleni ukuba libone langabe lisekukholweni; zihloleni.”​—2 KwabaseKhorinte 13:5.

15. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuba lothando nxa sifuna ukukhula ekukholweni?

¹⁵ Ukwakhiwa kwendlu kungaphela, kodwa umsebenzi ulokhu uqhubekela phambili. Ukuyigcina kuhle kanye lokulungisa lapho okumele kulungiswe khona kuqakathekile njengoba izimo zintshintsha. Kuyini okumele sibe lakho nxa sifuna ukukhula ekukholweni njalo siqhubeke silobuhlobo obuhle loNkulunkulu? Uthando yilo oluqakatheke ukwedlula konke. Kumele siqhubeke sikhula ekuthandeni uJehova kanye labafowethu. Nxa singelathando, ulwazi lonke esilalo lezinto zonke esizenzayo kuba ngokungancediyo njengomsindo odinayo. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 13:1-3) Ngothando, singakhula njengamaKhristu njalo siqhubeke sikhula ebuhlotsheni bethu loNkulunkulu.

16. USathane ukhuthaza ukucabanga okunjani, njalo uJehova unike abantu siphi isivikelo?

¹⁶ Kasixoxeni ngengxenye yokucina yokwakha kwakho. Ukuze uzakhe njengomlandeli kaKhristu weqiniso, kumele unanzelele indlela ocabanga ngayo. USathane, umbusi womhlaba lo uyingcitshi ekwenzeni ukuthi abantu babe lemicabango edanisayo, bangabi lethemba njalo bangathembi abanye. (Kwabase-Efesu 2:2) Imicabango enjalo iyingozi kumKhristu njengoba izigodo ezibolileyo ziyingozi esakhiweni sezigodo. Kodwa okuthokozisayo yikuthi uJehova usinika ithemba, okuyilo ithuluzi esingazivikela ngalo.

17. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu litshengisa njani ukuqakatheka kwethemba?

 ¹⁷ IBhayibhili likhuluma ngezingxenye ezehlukeneyo zesihlangu esingokomoya esisidingayo ukuze silwe loSathane kanye lomhlaba lo. Ingxenye eqakathekileyo yesihlangu yingowane ‘yethemba lokusindiswa.’ (1 KwabaseThesalonika 5:8) Ezikhathini zeBhayibhili, isotsha lalikwazi ukuthi lalingeke lisinde empini lingelangowane. Izikhathi ezinengi ingowane le yayenziwe ngensimbi njalo ifakwe isikhumba, yayinceda ukuthi loba yikuphi okwakuqondiswe ekhanda kungenelisi ukulimaza oyigqokileyo. Njengengowane evikela ikhanda, ithemba lingavikela ingqondo yakho kanye lokucabanga kwakho.

18, 19. UJesu wabeka siphi isibonelo sokungalahli ithemba, njalo singamlingisela njani?

¹⁸ UJesu wabeka isibonelo esikhulu sokungalahli ithemba. Khumbula lokho akukhuthazelelayo ngobusuku bokucina esemhlabeni. Umngane wakhe owayeseduze wamthengisa ukuze athole imali. Omunye waphika ukuthi uyamazi. Abanye bamtshiya babaleka. Abantu bakibo bamlahla, bememeza besithi amasotsha amaRoma amhlukuluze aze afe. Singahle sithi uJesu wahlangana lobunzima obukhulu thina esingeke sahlangana labo. Kuyini okwamncedayo? Umbhalo kaHebheru 12:2 uphendula usithi: ‘Okwathi ngentokozo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe wabekezelela isigodo sokuhlutshwa, engananzi ihlazo laso, wahlala kwesokudla phansi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu.’ UJesu kazange ayikhohlwe ‘intokozo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe.’

¹⁹ Yiphi intokozo eyayibekwe phambi kukaJesu? Wayekwazi ukuthi ngokuhlala ethembekile lanxa wayehlutshwa, wayezaba lengxenye ekungcwelisweni kwebizo likaJehova elingcwele. Wayezanika ubufakazi obukhulu ukwedlula bonke bokuthi uSathane ungusomangase. Lelo yilolodwa ithemba elalisenza uJesu athokoze kakhulu. Wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova wayezambusisa kakhulu ngokuhlala kwakhe ethembekile, lokuthi isikhathi esithokozisayo lapho ayezaphinda abonane loYise sasiseduze. UJesu wayehlala ecabanga ngethemba leli elithokozisayo ezikhathini ezinzima kakhulu adlula kuzo. Lathi kumele  senze okufananayo. Lathi silentokozo ebekwe phambi kwethu. UJehova unika ngamunye wethu isibusiso sokuncedisa ekungcweliseni ibizo lakhe ngaleyondlela esenza ukuthi sibe lesithunzi. Singatshengisa ukuthi uSathane ungusomangase ngokukhetha uJehova ukuthi abe ngumbusi wethu njalo sizigcine sivikelekile sisethandweni lukaBaba wethu lanxa singaba lezinhlupho kanye lezilingo.

20. Kuyini okungakunceda ukuthi uhlale ucabanga izinto ezinhle futhi uhlale ulethemba?

²⁰ UJehova akafuni kuphela ukunika izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo umvuzo kodwa uyakufisa ukwenza njalo. (U-Isaya 30:18; bala uMalaki 3:10.) Uyakujabulela ukupha izinceku zakhe okuhle ezikufisayo. (IHubo 37:4) Ngakho gcina ingqondo yakho igxile ethembeni lokubona ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ungavumi ukuthi umhlaba omdala kaSathane ukwenze ungabi lethemba kumbe ube lomcabango okhohlakeleyo. Nxa ungabona angani ususiba lomoya womhlaba lo engqondweni kumbe enhliziyweni yakho, khuleka kuJehova ucele “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqedisisa konke.” Ukuthula lokho okuvela kuNkulunkulu kuzalinda inhliziyo yakho kanye lengqondo yakho.​—KwabaseFiliphi 4:6, 7.

21, 22. (a) ‘Abexuku elikhulukazi’ balaliphi ithemba elihle kakhulu? (b) Yiphi ingxenye yethemba lamaKhristu eqakatheke kakhulu kuwe njalo uzimisele ukwenzani?

²¹ Lelo lithemba elihle kakhulu okumele ucabangisise ngalo!  Nxa uyingxenye ‘yexuku elikhulukazi,’ ‘elizaphuma ekuhluphekeni okukhulu,’ cabanga ngokuphila ozabalakho esikhathini esiseduze esizayo. (ISambulo 7:9, 14) Ngenxa yokuthi uSathane lamadimoni akhe bazabe bengasekho, uzaba lenkululeko engatholakaliyo lamuhla. Kambe ngubani kithi osewake waphila engacindezelwa nguSathane ngendlela elenkohlakalo? Njengoba ukucindezela okunjalo kuzabe kungasekho, kuzathokozisa kakhulu ukuntshintsha umhlaba ube lipharadayisi sikhokhelwa nguJesu labazabusa laye ezulwini abangu-144 000! Siyathokoza kakhulu nxa sicabanga ngokuthi sizabona konke ukugula lokuguga kuqedwa, sijabulele lokwamukela esibathandayo abazabe bevuswa kanye lokuthi sizaphila ngendlela uNkulunkulu ayevele ejonge ukuthi siphile ngayo! Njengoba isono siyabe silokhu siphela kithi, kuzabe kulomunye futhi umvuzo omkhulu ozabuya, okuyisithembiso esivezwe kuRoma 8:21​—‘inkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’

²² UJehova ufuna uthole inkululeko enkulu kakhulu eyedlula leyo olayo khathesi. Ukuze uthole inkululeko leyo kumele ube ngumuntu olalelayo. Kuliqiniso ukuthi lokho kuyinto ethokozisayo kakhulu okumele ikwenze ukuthi uzame ngezindlela zonke ukulalela uJehova nsukuzonke. Ngakho-ke, qhubeka uzama ngazozonke izindlela ukuzakha ekukholweni kwakho okungcwele kakhulu, ukuze uhlale usethandweni lukaNkulunkulu kuze kube nini lanini!