1, 2. Yimuphi umsebenzi wokwakha ophezu kwawo, futhi kungani izinga lawo libalulekile?

UPHANS’ PHEZULU uyakhandleka emsebenzini wokwakha. Sekuyisikhathi lo msebenzi wokwakha uqhubeka futhi usazoqhubeka impela nje esikhathini esizayo. Kuze kube manje, lo msebenzi ubunzima kodwa futhi wanelisa. Uzimisele ukungayeki noma ukungavilaphi ngisho sekunjani ngoba izinga lalo msebenzi liyothinta ukuphila kwakho, ngisho nekusasa lakho. Ngani? Ngoba isakhiwo esakhiwayo uwena!

² Umfundi uJude wagcizelela umsebenzi wokwakha esiwenza kithi ngokwethu. Lapho enxusa amaKristu ukuba ‘azigcine othandweni lukaNkulunkulu,’ washo nesihluthulelo sokwenza kanjalo kulelo vesi: “Ngokuzakha okholweni lwenu olungcwelengcwele.” (Jude 20, 21) Yiziphi ezinye zezindlela ongazakha ngazo, wenze ukholo lwakho luqine ngokwengeziwe ukuze uhlale othandweni lukaNkulunkulu? Ake sigxile ezicini ezintathu zomsebenzi wokwakha ongokomoya okuhlalele.

3-5. (a) USathane angathanda ukukudukisa akwenze ube namuphi umbono ngezimfuneko zikaJehova? (b) Kufanele sizibheke kanjani izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu, futhi kufanele ziyithinte kanjani indlela esizizwa ngayo? Fanekisa.

³ Okokuqala nje, kudingeka siqinise ukholo lwethu emthethweni  waphezulu. Njengoba ubutadisha le ncwadi, ufunde izimfuneko zikaJehova zokulunga eziningana zokuziphatha. Ucabangani ngazo? USathane angathanda ukukudukisa akwenze ubheke imithetho, izimiso nezindinganiso zikaJehova njengezincishana inkululeko nezicindezelayo. Ubelokhu elisebenzisa leli qhinga kusukela lé e-Edene lapho laphumelela khona kakhulu. (Genesise 3:1-6) Ingabe leli cebo lakhe lizosebenza kuwe? Kuyoya ngokuthi uzibheka kanjani izinto.

⁴ Ake sifanekise: Njengoba uhambahamba epaki elihle, ubona ucingo olude oluqinile lubiyele indawo ethile kuleli paki. Ngalé kwalo indawo iyaheha. Ungaqale ubheke lolu cingo njengoluphazamisa inkululeko yakho. Kodwa njengoba ubuka ngalé kwalo, nanti ibhubesi elinolaka licathamela isisulu! Manje usuyabona ukuthi ucingo luyisivikelo. Sikhona yini isilwane esiyingozi esikucathamelayo wena njengamanje? IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyaxwayisa: “Hlalani nisangulukile, qaphani. Isitha senu, uDeveli, sihambahamba njengengonyama ebhongayo, efuna engamshwabadela.”—1 Petru 5:8.

⁵ USathane uyisilwane esinesihluku. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova akafuni sibe izisulu zikaSathane, ubeke imithetho yokusivikela ‘emaqhingeni’ amaningi omubi. (Efesu 6:11) Ngakho, noma nini lapho sizindla ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu, kufanele sibone kuyo uthando lukaBaba wethu osezulwini. Uma siyibheka kanjalo imithetho kaNkulunkulu, iba umthombo wokulondeka nenjabulo. Umfundi uJakobe waloba: “Lowo obukisisa umthetho ophelele ongowenkululeko nophikelelayo kuwo . . . uyojabula lapho ewenza.”—Jakobe 1:25.

6. Iyiphi indlela engcono kakhulu yokwakha ukholo emithethweni nasezimisweni zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga? Nikeza isibonelo.

⁶ Ukuphila ngemiyalo kaNkulunkulu kuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokwakha ukholo lwethu kuMniki-mthetho nasekuhlakanipheni kwemithetho yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, “umthetho kaKristu” uhlanganisa umyalo kaJesu wokufundisa abanye “konke [ayale] ngakho.” (Galathiya 6:2; Mathewu 28:19, 20) AmaKristu asibheka njengesibaluleke kakhulu  nesiqondiso sokuba aqhubeke ehlangana ndawonye ukuze akhulekele futhi akhuthazane. (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Imiyalo kaNkulunkulu ihlanganisa nesikhuthazo sokuba sithandaze njalo kuJehova futhi sithandaze ngokusuka enhliziyweni. (Mathewu 6:5-8; 1 Thesalonika 5:17) Njengoba siphila ngaleyo miyalo, kuya kusicacela ngokwengeziwe ukuthi iyiziqondiso zothando. Ukuyilalela kusinikeza injabulo nokwaneliseka ebesingeke sikuthole ndawo kuleli zwe elinezinkathazo. Njengoba uzindla ngendlela oye wazuza ngayo ngokuphila ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu, aluqini yini ukholo lwakho kuyo?

7, 8. IZwi likaNkulunkulu libaqinisa kanjani idolo abantu abakhathazwa ukuthi bangase bangakwazi ukuhlala besenkambweni yokulunga njengoba iminyaka idlula?

⁷ Ngezinye izikhathi abanye bakhathazeka ngokuthi kuyoba nzima kakhulu ukunamathela emithethweni kaJehova njengoba iminyaka idlula. Besaba ukuthi bangase bahluleke ngandlela-thile. Uma kwenzeka uzizwa kanjalo, khumbula la mazwi: “Mina, Jehova, nginguNkulunkulu wakho, Lowo okufundisayo ukuze uzuze, Lowo okubangela ukuba unyathele endleleni okufanele uhambe ngayo. O ukube ubuyoyilalela nokuyilalela imiyalo yami! Khona-ke ukuthula kwakho  bekuyoba njengomfula, nokulunga kwakho kube njengamagagasi olwandle.” (Isaya 48:17, 18) Kwake kwenzeka yini wathi ukuma wacabanga ngendlela aqinisa idolo ngayo la mazwi?

⁸ Lapha, uJehova usikhumbuza ukuthi sizizuzisa thina ngokumlalela. Uthembisa izibusiso ezimbili uma simlalela. Esokuqala, ukuthula kwethu kuyoba njengomfula—kuyoqabula, kuvame, kugeleze njalo. Esesibili, ukulunga kwethu kuyofana namagagasi olwandle. Uma umi olwandle ubuka amagagasi egubha, cishe uba nomuzwa wokuthi le nto oyibukayo ngeke iphele. Uyazi ukuthi amagagasi azolokhu ezile nje, ashaye leso sihlabathi iminyaka eminingi ezayo. UJehova uthi ukulunga kwakho—inkambo yakho yokwenza okuhle—kuyoba njalo. Uma nje uzama ukwethembeka kuye, akasoze akuvumele wehluleke! (IHubo 55:22) Izithembiso ezimnandi kanjalo azilwakhi yini ukholo lwakho kuJehova nasezimfunekweni zakhe zokulunga?

9, 10. (a) Kungani ukuvuthwa kuwumgomo omuhle kakhulu kumKristu? (b) Umbono ongokomoya usiza kanjani ekubeni nenjabulo?

⁹ Isici sesibili somsebenzi wakho wokwakha sivezwe kula mazwi aphefumulelwe: “Masiphokophelele ekuvuthweni.” (Hebheru 6:1) Ukuvuthwa kuwumgomo omuhle kakhulu kumKristu. Ngokungefani nokuphelela, abantu abangeke bakuthole njengamanje, ukuvuthwa kuwumgomo ofinyelelekayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaKristu athola injabulo enkulu nakakhulu ekukhonzeni uJehova njengoba evuthwa. Kungani kunjalo?

¹⁰ UmKristu ovuthiwe ungumuntu ongokomoya. Ubheka izinto ngombono kaJehova. (Johane 4:23) UPawulu wabhala: “Labo abavumelana nenyama babeka izingqondo zabo ezintweni zenyama, kodwa labo abavumelana nomoya bazibeka ezintweni zomoya.” (Roma 8:5) Umbono ongokwenyama uletha injabulo encane, ngoba ungowobugovu, awubheki izinto ngeso elibanzi futhi ugxile ezintweni ezibonakalayo.  Umbono ongokomoya ujabulisa kakhulu ngoba ugxile kuJehova, ‘uNkulunkulu ojabulayo.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:11) Umuntu ongokomoya umagange ukujabulisa uJehova futhi uyathokoza ngisho elingwa. Ngani? Izilingo zivula amathuba okufakazela ukuthi uSathane ungumqambimanga nawokwakha ubuqotho, sijabulise uBaba wethu osezulwini.—IzAga 27:11; Jakobe 1:2, 3.

11, 12. (a) Wathini uPawulu ‘ngamandla okuqonda’ omKristu, futhi lisho ukuthini igama elihunyushwe ngokuthi “-qeqeshiwe”? (b) Yikuphi ukuqeqeshwa umzimba okumelwe ukuthole ukuze uvuthwe, usebenze kahle?

¹¹ Ingokomoya nokuvuthwa kutholakala ngokuziqeqesha. Cabanga ngaleli vesi: “Ukudla okuqinile kungokwabantu abavuthiwe, labo okuthe ngokusebenzisa amandla abo okuqonda bawenza aqeqeshelwa ukuhlukanisa kokubili okulungile nokungalungile.” (Hebheru 5:14) Lapho uPawulu ekhuluma ‘ngokuqeqeshwa’ kwamandla ethu okuqonda, wasebenzisa igama lesiGreki cishe elalijwayelekile ezindaweni zokuzivocavoca eGrisi yekhulu lokuqala, ngoba lingahunyushwa ngokuthi ‘oqeqeshwe njengomvocavoci womzimba.’ Manje ake uthi ukucabanga ngokuthi ukuziqeqesha okunjalo kuhilelani.

¹² Lapho sizalwa, umzimba wethu wawungaqeqeshiwe. Ngokwesibonelo, umntwana akakwazi ukuqonda ukunyakaza kwezingalo nezinyawo zakhe. Yingakho ezinyakazisa zishone lé nalé, aze azishaye ngazo ebusweni, okuyinto emcasulayo umntwana noma immangaze. Kancane kancane, njengoba ewunyakazisa umzimba, uyaqeqesheka. Umntwana ube esegaqa, ujahidada atabuzele, ingane igijime. * Kodwa kuthiwani ngomvocavoci womzimba? Lapho umbona egxuma, eqa, abuye azisonte emoyeni ngobukhulu ubuciko nobunyoninco, awungabazi  ukuthi umzimba wakhe ufana nomshini olungiswe kahle. Ikhono lakhe alibanga khona ngengozi—kwadingeka aziqeqeshe amahora amaningi. IBhayibheli liyavuma ukuthi ukuqeqesha umzimba okunjalo “kuzuzisa kancane.” Yeka ukuthi kuzuzisa kakhulu kangakanani ukuqeqesha amandla ethu okuqonda angokomoya!—1 Thimothewu 4:8.

13. Singawaqeqesha kanjani amandla ethu okuqonda?

¹³ Kule ncwadi, kuningi esixoxe ngakho okuzokusiza ukuba uqeqeshe amandla akho okuqonda ukuze uhlale uthembekile kuJehova njengomuntu ongokomoya. Cabangela ngomthandazo izimiso nemithetho yaphezulu lapho wenza izinqumo ekuphileni kwakho kwemihla ngemihla. Kuzo zonke izinqumo okumelwe uzenze, zibuze: ‘Imiphi imithetho noma izimiso zeBhayibheli ezisebenza kule ndaba? Ngingazisebenzisa kanjani? Iyiphi inkambo eyothokozisa uBaba osezulwini?’ (IzAga 3:5, 6; Jakobe 1:5) Isinqumo ngasinye osenza kanjalo siyowaqeqesha ngokwengeziwe amandla akho okuqonda. Ukuziqeqesha okunjalo kuyokusiza ukuba ube umuntu ongokomoya ngempela futhi uhlale unjalo.

14. Yini okufanele siyilambele ukuze sikhule ngokomoya, nokho yini okudingeka siyiqaphele?

¹⁴ Nakuba umuntu engakufinyelela ukuvuthwa, sihlale sikhona isikhala sokukhula ngokomoya. Ukukhula kuxhomeke ekudleni. Yingakho uPawulu athi: “Ukudla okuqinile kungokwabantu abavuthiwe.” Isihluthulelo sokwakha ukholo lwakho siwukuba uqhubeke udla ukudla okuqinile okungokomoya. Lapho ukusebenzisa ngendlela efanele okufundayo, kuthiwa ukuhlakanipha lokho, futhi iBhayibheli lithi: “Ukuhlakanipha kuyinto eyinhloko.” Ngakho, kudingeka siwalambele  ngempela amaqiniso ayigugu anikezwa nguBaba. (IzAga 4:5-7; 1 Petru 2:2) Kodwa-ke ukuba nolwazi nokuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu akusona isizathu sokuba sizenze ngcono noma sizikhukhumeze. Kudingeka sizihlole njalo, funa ukuqhosha nobunye ubuthakathaka bakhele ezinhliziyweni zethu. UPawulu wabhala: “Qhubekani nihlola ukuthi nisokholweni yini, qhubekani nihlola lokho nina ngokwenu eniyikho.”—2 Korinte 13:5.

15. Kungani uthando lubalulekile ekukhuleni ngokomoya?

¹⁵ Indlu ingase yakhiwe iphele, kodwa umsebenzi usuke usaqhubeka. Kudingeka igcinwe isesimweni esihle futhi kukhandwe nezinto ezithile, mhlawumbe kungase kudingeke yandiswe lapho izimo zishintsha. Yini esiyidingayo ukuze sivuthwe futhi silondoloze ingokomoya lethu? Ngaphezu kwakho konke, sidinga uthando. Kudingeka siqhubeke sikhula othandweni ngoJehova nangamanye amakholwa. Uma singenalo uthando, lonke ulwazi nemisebenzi yethu kuyoba yize leze—kuhle komsindo ongasho lutho. (1 Korinte 13:1-3) Uma sinothando, singakufinyelela ukuvuthwa kobuKristu futhi siqhubeke sikhula ngokomoya.

16. Hlobo luni lokucabanga olukhuthazwa uSathane, futhi yini uJehova asinikeze yona yokusivikela?

¹⁶ Ake sifunde ngesinye isici somsebenzi wakho wokwakha. Ukuze uzakhe njengomlandeli kaKristu wangempela, kudingeka uqaphe indlela ocabanga ngayo. USathane, umbusi waleli zwe, uyingcweti yokwenza abantu bavumele imicabango ebathena amandla, balindele okubi kodwa, bangabethembi abanye futhi balahle nethemba. (Efesu 2:2) Ukucabanga okunjalo kuyingozi kumKristu njengoba nje nezingodo ezibolile ziyingozi esakhiweni sezingodo. Okujabulisayo ukuthi uJehova usinikeze ithuluzi elisemqoka lokusivikela—ithemba.

17. IZwi likaNkulunkulu likufanekisa kanjani ukubaluleka kwethemba?

¹⁷ IBhayibheli libalula izingxenye ezihlukahlukene zesembatho  esingokomoya esisidingayo ekulweni noSathane naleli zwe. Ingxenye evelele yalesi sembatho sokuzivikela yisigqoko, ‘ithemba lensindiso.’ (1 Thesalonika 5:8) Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli isosha lalazi ukuthi ngeke lihlale isikhathi eside empini ngaphandle kwesigqoko salo. Sasivame ukwakhiwa ngensimbi, ngaphakathi sinamekwe ngoboya noma ngesikhumba, futhi sasenza ukuba amagalelo amaningi aqondiswe ekhanda ashushuluze nje angenzi monakalo otheni. Njengoba isigqoko sivikela ikhanda, ithemba lingavikela ingqondo yakho, indlela ocabanga ngayo.

18, 19. Yisiphi isibonelo esabekwa uJesu ekulondolozeni ithemba, futhi singamlingisa kanjani?

¹⁸ UJesu wabeka isibonelo esiyinhloko ekulondolozeni ithemba. Khumbula izinto azikhuthazelela ngobusuku bokugcina bokuphila kwakhe emhlabeni. Umngane wakhe omkhulu wamkhaphela ngemali. Omunye wamphika. Abanye bamhlamuka babaleka. Abantu bakubo bamjikela, bamemeza bathi akabulawe ngokuhlushwa amasosha amaRoma. Sizobe aseqisi uma sithi uJesu wabhekana nezilingo ezinkulu kunesiyoke sibhekane nazo thina. Wasizwa yini? EyamaHebheru 12:2 iyaphendula: “Ngenxa yenjabulo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe wakhuthazelela isigxobo sokuhlushwa, edelela ihlazo, futhi useye wahlala phansi ngakwesokunene sesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu.” UJesu akazange alahlekelwe umbono ‘wenjabulo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe.’

¹⁹ Iyiphi injabulo eyayibekwe phambi kukaJesu? Phela wayazi ukuthi ngokukhuthazela, wayeyobe enikela ekungcwelisweni kwegama likaJehova elingcwele. Wayeyobe enikeza ubufakazi obukhulu bokuthi uSathane ungumqambimanga. Akukho themba elalinganikeza uJesu injabulo edlula lena! Wayazi nokuthi uJehova wayezoyivuza ngokucebile inkambo yakhe yokwethembeka—ukuthi wayelindelwe isikhathi esihle kakhulu sokuphinde abe noYise. UJesu waligcina lisengqondweni leli themba elijabulisayo phakathi nezikhathi ezinzima kakhulu. Nathi kudingeka senze okufanayo. Nathi  sinenjabulo ebekwe phambi kwethu. UJehova uyasihlonipha ngokusinika ilungelo lokusiza ekungcweliseni igama lakhe elikhulu. Singafakazela ukuthi uSathane ungumqambimanga ngokukhetha uJehova njengoMbusi wethu nangokuzigcina siphephile othandweni lukaBaba wethu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekana naluphi uvivinyo nezilingo.

20. Yini engakusiza ugcine ukucabanga kwakho kukuhle futhi uhlale unethemba?

²⁰ Akukona nje ukuthi uJehova uzimisele ukuvuza izinceku zakhe ezithembekile—uyakulangazelela. (Isaya 30:18; Malaki 3:10) Uyakuthokozela ukunikeza izinceku zakhe izifiso ezilungile zezinhliziyo zazo. (IHubo 37:4) Ngakho, gcina ingqondo yakho igxile ethembeni eliphambi kwakho. Ungalokothi wamukele ukucabanga okungekuhle, okonakele nokusontekile kwezwe elidala likaSathane. Uma unomuzwa wokuthi umoya waleli zwe uyangena engqondweni yakho noma enhliziyweni, thandaza ngobuqotho kuJehova ucele “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga.” Lokho kuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu kuyolinda inhliziyo yakho namandla akho engqondo.—Filipi 4:6, 7.

21, 22. (a) Yiliphi ithemba elikhazimulayo abanalo labo ‘besixuku esikhulu’? (b) Yisiphi isici sethemba lobuKristu esikuthinta kakhulu kunezinye, futhi yini ozimisele ukuyenza?

²¹ Yeka ithemba elimangalisayo onalo ongacabanga ngalo!  Uma uyingxenye ‘yesixuku esikhulu’ ‘esiyophuma osizini olukhulu,’ cabanga ngokuphila okuyobe kukulindele. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Njengoba uSathane namademoni akhe beyobe bengasekho, uyozwa impumuzo okungase kube nzima ukuyiqonda manje. Konje ukhona yini umuntu ongakaze aphile ngaphandle kokucindezela kwethonya likaSathane elonakalisayo? Uma lokho kucindezela sekungasekho, yeka intokozo okuyoba yiyo ukuguqula umhlaba ube ipharadesi ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaJesu nalabo ayobusa nabo ezulwini abangu-144 000! Yeka indlela elisijabulisa ngayo ithemba lokubona zonke izifo nobuthakathaka sekuphelile, lokwamukela abantu esibathandayo emathuneni, nelokuphila ngendlela uNkulunkulu ayefuna siphile ngayo! Njengoba sikhulela ekupheleleni, umvuzo omkhulu ngisho nakakhulu uyolokhu usondela, isithembiso esikweyabaseRoma 8:21—‘inkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’

²² UJehova ufuna uthole inkululeko enkulu nangokwengeziwe kunongayicabanga. Indlela eya kuleyo nkululeko ixhomeke ekulaleleni. Ayiwufanele yini wonke umzamo wokulalela uJehova imihla ngemihla? Ngakho-ke, qhubeka uzakha okholweni lwakho olungcwele kakhulu ukuze uhlale othandweni lukaNkulunkulu kuze kube phakade!