1, 2. (a) UMfoweth’ uRussell wamphendula kanjani umfundisi owayefuna ukwazi ukuthi imisebenzi yabaFundi BeBhayibheli isekelwa kanjani? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sahluko?

NGESINYE isikhathi umfundisi waseReformed Church waya kuMfoweth’ uCharles T. Russell eyofuna ukwazi indlela imisebenzi yabaFundi BeBhayibheli esekelwa ngayo.

UMfoweth’ uRussell wachaza: “Asilokothi sithathe inkongozelo.”

“Niyithola kanjani imali?” kubuza umfundisi.

URussell waphendula: “Uma ngikutshela iqiniso elimsulwa ngeke ukholwe. Lapho abantu beze emihlanganweni yethu abazitholi sebefunzwa isitsha senkongozelo. Kodwa bayabona ukuthi izindleko zikhona. Bayazibuza, ‘Leli hholo libiza imali . . . Mina ngingaliphonsa kanjani itshe esivivaneni?’”

Lo mfundisi wagqolozela uMfoweth’ uRussell emangele.

URussell waqhubeka: “Ngikutshela iqiniso elimsulwa. Bayangibuza nabo lo mbuzo, ‘Ngingasifaka kanjani isandla kulo msebenzi?’ Lapho umuntu ethola isibusiso futhi eba nokuthile, ufuna ukukunikelela iNkosi. Uma entula, kungani kufanele simbelesele?” *

² Ngempela uMfoweth’ uRussell wayekhuluma “iqiniso elimsulwa.” Abantu bakaNkulunkulu banomlando omude wokwenza iminikelo yokuzithandela yokusekela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Kulesi sahluko, sizohlola izibonelo ezimbalwa ezisemiBhalweni zalokhu, kanye nomlando wethu wosuku lwanamuhla. Njengoba sixoxa ngokuthi imisebenzi yoMbuso ikhokhelwa kanjani namuhla, ngamunye wethu kuhle azibuze, ‘Ngingabonisa kanjani ukuthi ngisekela uMbuso?’

3, 4. (a) Yini uJehova aqiniseka ngayo ngabakhulekeli bakhe? (b) Ama-Israyeli akubonisa kanjani ukusekela kwawo ukwakhiwa kwetabernakele?

³ UJehova uyabethemba abakhulekeli bakhe beqiniso. Uyazi ukuthi uma benikezwa ithuba, bayokubonisa ngenjabulo ukuzinikela kwabo ngokwenza iminikelo yokuzithandela. Cabangela izibonelo ezimbili zomlando wama-Israyeli.

⁴ Ngemva kokuba uJehova ehole ama-Israyeli wawakhipha eGibhithe, wawatshela ukuba akhe itende lokukhulekela elithwalwayo  noma itabernakele. Leli tende kanye nezinto ezazikulo kwakuzoba izindleko ezinkulu. UJehova wayala uMose ukuba anikeze abantu ithuba lokusekela lo msebenzi, ethi: ‘Wonke umuntu onenhliziyo ethandayo makalethe umnikelo kuJehova.’ (Eks. 35:5) Basabela kanjani laba bantu okwakuthe esikhathini esingatheni ngaphambili bafukuziswa “ngazo zonke izinhlobo zobugqila?” (Eks. 1:14) Basekela ngokungazigodli, ngokuzithandela badela igolide, isiliva nezinye izinto eziyigugu—okuningi kwakho okungenzeka babekuthole kulabo ababebagqilazile, abaseGibhithe. (Eks. 12:35, 36) Ama-Israyeli anikela okuningi kakhulu kunalokho okwakudingeka futhi kwadingeka ukuba ‘avinjwe ukuba awulethe.’—Eks. 36:4-7.

5. Ama-Israyeli asabela kanjani lapho uDavide ewanika ithuba lokunikelela ukwakhiwa kwethempeli?

⁵ Eminyakeni engu-475 kamuva, uDavide wanikela ngokuvela ‘empahleni yakhe ekhethekile’ ukuze asekele ukwakhiwa kwethempeli, okwakuyisikhungo sokuqala sokukhulekela kweqiniso emhlabeni. Wabe esenika amanye ama-Israyeli ithuba lokunikela, wawabuza: “Ubani ozinikela ngokuzithandela ukuba agcwalise isandla sakhe namuhla ngesipho sikaJehova?” Besabela kulokhu, abantu “benza iminikelo yokuzithandela kuJehova ngenhliziyo epheleleyo.” (1 IziKr. 29:3-9) Eqaphela umthombo wangempela waleyo minikelo, uDavide wathandaza kuJehova wathi: “Konke kuvela kuwe, sikuniké esikuthathe esandleni sakho siqu.”—1 IziKr. 29:14.

6. Kungani imali idingeka ekufezeni umsebenzi woMbuso namuhla, futhi yimiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?

⁶ Akudingekanga ukuba uMose noma uDavide bacindezele abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba banikele. Kunalokho, abantu banikela ngezinhliziyo ezivumayo. Kuthiwani namuhla? Sazi kahle ukuthi umsebenzi ofezwa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu udinga imali. Kuyizindleko ezinkulu ukunyathelisa nokusakaza amaBhayibheli nezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, ukwakha nokugcina izindawo esihlangana kuzo nezakhiwo zegatsha kusesimweni esihle, kanye nokunikeza usizo oluphuthumayo kwesikholwa nabo ngezikhathi zenhlekelele. Ngakho-ke, kunemibuzo ebalulekile ephakamayo: Itholakalaphi imali edingekayo? Ingabe abalandeli beNkosi kudingeka bagqugquzelwe ukuze banikele?

7, 8. Kungani abantu bakaJehova bengabancengi noma banxuse abantu ukuba babanike imali?

⁷ UMfoweth’ uRussell nabangane bakhe benqaba ukulingisa izinhlelo zokuthola imali ezivamile emasontweni eLobukholwa. Kumagazini wesibili we-Nqabayokulinda yesiNgisi, ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi “Uyayifuna I-‘Zion’s Watch Tower’?” uRussell wathi: “Sikholelwa ukuthi ‘i-Zion’s Watch Tower’ isekelwa uJEHOVA, futhi uma lokhu kungakashintshi ayisoze yancenga noma yanxusa abantu ukuba bayisekele. Uma Lowo othi: ‘Lonke igolide nesiliva lezintaba lingelami,’ ehluleka ukusinika imali edingekayo, siyoqonda ukuthi sekuyisikhathi sokuyeka ukuyinyathelisa.” (Hag. 2:7-9) Eminyakeni  engaphezu kwengu-130 kamuva, INqabayokulinda kanye nenhlangano eyinyathelisayo kusaqhubeka ngomfutho!

⁸ Abantu bakaJehova abaceli mali kubantu. Abadlulisi amapuleti enkongozelo noma bathumele izincwadi zokucela imali kwabathile. Kanti futhi abenzi izindali, noma ezinye izindlela zokuqoqa imali kubantu. Banamathele kulokho INqabayokulinda eyakusho kudala: “Asikaze sikubheke njengokufanelekile ukucela imali ukuze senze umsebenzi weNkosi, njengoba kuvame ukwenza amasonto . . . Sibona ukuthi imali eqoqwa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene zokucela ngegama leNkosi yethu iyayicasula, ayiyamukeli futhi ayilethi isibusiso sayo kwabanikelayo noma emsebenzini owenziwayo.” *

9, 10. Yisiphi esinye sezizathu esisenza senze iminikelo yokuzithandela?

⁹ Njengezikhonzi zoMbuso namuhla, akudingeki siphoqwe ukuze sinikele. Ngokuphambene nalokho, sisebenzisa imali nezinto zethu ngokuzithandela ukuze sisekele imisebenzi yoMbuso. Kungani sizimisele kangaka ukunikela? Cabangela izizathu ezintathu.

¹⁰ Esokuqala, sinikela ngokuzithandela ngoba sithanda uJehova futhi sifuna ukwenza “izinto ezijabulisayo emehlweni akhe.” (1 Joh. 3:22) UJehova ujabula ngempela ngomkhulekeli wakhe onikela ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Ake sihlole amazwi omphostoli uPawulu mayelana nokunikela kobuKristu. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 9:7.) UmKristu weqiniso akayena umuphi omadolonzima noma ophoqwayo. Kunalokho, unikela ngoba “enqumile enhliziyweni yakhe” ukwenza kanjalo. * Lokho kusho ukuthi unikela ngemva kokuba ecabangele isidingo wabheka nokuthi angasigcwalisa kanjani. Umuphi onjalo uyigugu kuJehova, ngoba “uNkulunkulu uthanda umuphi onamileyo.” Enye inguqulo ithi: “UNkulunkulu uyabathanda abantu abathanda ukupha.”

11. Yini esishukumisela ukuba sinikele isipho esihle kakhulu esinganikela ngaso kuJehova?

¹¹ Esesibili, sinikela ngezinto ezibonakalayo ukuze sibonge uJehova ngezibusiso eziningi asinike zona. Cabanga ngesimiso sokuzihlola inhliziyo esiseMthethweni KaMose. (Funda uDuteronomi 16:16, 17.) Lapho amadoda akwa-Israyeli eya emikhosini emithathu yaminyaka yonke, ngayinye kwakufanele inikele isipho ‘esilingene nesibusiso uJehova’ ayiphe sona. Ngakho, ngaphambi kokuya emkhosini, indoda ngayinye kwakufanele icabange ngezibusiso zayo futhi ihlole inhliziyo yayo, bese inquma ukuthi yisiphi isipho esihle kakhulu enganikela ngaso. Ngokufanayo, lapho sizindla ngezindlela eziningi uJehova asibusise ngazo, sishukumiseleka ukuba simnike isipho esingcono kakhulu kwesingamnika zona. Isipho sethu esisuka enhliziyweni, esihlanganisa iminikelo yezinto ezibonakalayo, sibonisa ukuthi sizazisa kangakanani izibusiso uJehova asinike zona.—2 Kor. 8:12-15.

12, 13. Iminikelo yethu yokuzithandela ilubonisa kanjani uthando lwethu ngeNkosi, futhi ngamunye wethu unikela kangakanani?

 ¹² Esesithathu, ngokunikela ngokuzithandela, sibonisa uthando lwethu ngeNkosi uJesu Kristu. Kanjani? Phawula lokho uJesu akutshela abafundi bakhe ngobusuku bakhe bokugcina emhlabeni. (Funda uJohane 14:23.) Wathi: “Uma umuntu engithanda, uyogcina izwi lami.” “Izwi” likaJesu lihlanganisa umyalo wakhe wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke. (Math. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Sigcina lelo “zwi” ngokwenza konke okusemandleni ethu—ukusebenzisa isikhathi sethu, amandla kanye nezinto esinazo—ukuze sithuthukise umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso. Ngaleyo ndlela sibonisa ukuthi siyayithanda iNkosi EnguMesiya.

¹³ Yebo, njengezikhonzi ezithembekile zoMbuso, sifuna ukubonisa ngezinhliziyo zethu zonke ukuthi siyawusekela uMbuso ngokunikela ngezimali. Sikwenza kanjani lokho? Kuyisinqumo somuntu ngamunye. Ngamunye unikela ngokwamandla akhe. Kepha iningi lesikholwa nabo alinalutho olutheni lwezinto zaleli zwe. (Math. 19:23, 24; Jak. 2:5) Kodwa  abanjalo bangathola induduzo ngokwazi ukuthi uJehova neNdodana yakhe bazisa ngisho nomnikelo omncane onikelwa ngokusuka enhliziyweni.—Marku 12:41-44.

14. OFakazi BakaJehova babezihambisa kanjani izincwadi zabo eminyakeni eminingi edlule?

¹⁴ Sekuphele iminyaka eminingi oFakazi BakaJehova behambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngeminikelo enqunyiwe. Leyo minikelo enqunyiwe yayiba yinani elincane ngangokunokwenzeka ukuze nalabo abaswele bazithole izincwadi. Yiqiniso, uma umninikhaya ebonakala enesithakazelo kodwa engenamali yokunikela, abamemezeli boMbuso babezimisele ukumnikeza izincwadi. Isifiso sabo esikhulu kwakuwukuzinikeza abantu abaqotho ababezozifunda futhi bazuze kuzo.

15, 16. (a) Yiluphi ushintsho endleleni esihambisa ngayo izincwadi zethu olwasungulwa iNdikimba Ebusayo ngo-1990? (b) Iminikelo yokuzithandela yenziwa kanjani? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ Iyaphi Iminikelo Yethu?”)

¹⁵ Ngo-1990, iNdikimba Ebusayo yaqala ukwenza ushintsho endleleni esihambisa ngayo izincwadi zethu. Kusukela ngalowo nyaka, e-United States zonke izincwadi zaqala ukuhanjiswa ngomnikelo wokuzithandela. Incwadi eyayibhalelwe wonke amabandla kulelo zwe yachaza: “Omagazini nezincwadi kuzonikezwa abamemezeli kanye nabantu abathakazelayo ngaphandle kokucela noma ngisho ukusikisela nje ukuba umuntu akhiphe umnikelo onqunyiwe ngaphambi kokuba athole lezi zinto. . . . Noma ubani ofisa ukunikela ukuze kuhlangatshezwane nezindleko zomsebenzi wethu wokufundisa angenza kanjalo, kodwa abantu bangazinikezwa izincwadi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi banawo umnikelo noma cha.” Lelo lungiselelo lasiza lakwenza kwacaca ukuthi umsebenzi wethu wenziwa ngokuzithandela futhi ungowenkolo laphinde lacacisa nokuthi “asibona abathengisi bezwi likaNkulunkulu.” (2 Kor. 2:17) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ilungiselelo leminikelo yokuzithandela laqala ukusebenza nakwamanye amagatsha emhlabeni jikelele.

¹⁶ Yenziwa kanjani iminikelo yokuzithandela? EmaHholo OMbuso oFakazi BakaJehova kubekwe ngobuhlakani amabhokisi eminikelo. Abantu ngabanye bangawasebenzisa noma bathumele ngokuqondile iminikelo kwenye yezinhlangano ezingokomthetho ezisetshenziswa oFakazi BakaJehova. Unyaka ngamunye INqabayokulinda iba nesihloko esichazayo ukuthi iminikelo enjalo yokuzithandela ingenziwa kanjani.

17-19. Chaza indlela iminikelo esetshenziswa ngayo ukuze kusekelwe (a) umsebenzi womhlaba wonke, (b) ukwakhiwa kwamaHholo OMbuso emhlabeni wonke, kanye (c) nezindleko zebandla.

¹⁷ Umsebenzi womhlaba wonke. Imali isetshenziselwa ukuhlangabezana nezindleko ezivelayo lapho kwenziwa umsebenzi wokushumayela womhlaba wonke. Lezi zindleko zihlanganisa ukukhiqizwa kwezincwadi ezisakazwa emhlabeni wonke, ukwakha nokugcina amahhovisi amagatsha namakhaya aseBethel esesimweni esihle kanye nokuqhuba izikole ezihlukahlukene ezingokwasezulwini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imali  isetshenziselwa nokunakekela izithunywa zevangeli, ababonisi abajikelezayo namaphayona akhethekile. Iminikelo yethu iphinde isetshenziselwe ukunikeza usizo lwezimo eziphuthumayo kwesikholwa nabo lapho behlelwe inhlekelele. *

¹⁸ Ukwakhiwa kwamaHholo OMbuso emhlabeni wonke. Imali isetshenziselwa ukusiza amabandla ukuba akhe noma alungise iHholo LoMbuso. Lapho kutholakala iminikelo, ingasetshenziselwa ukusiza namanye amabandla. *

¹⁹ Izindleko zebandla. Imali isetshenziselwa ukukhokhela izindleko zokusebenza kweHholo LoMbuso nokuligcina lisesimweni esihle. Abadala bangase batuse ukuba enye imali ithunyelwe ehhovisi legatsha lendawo ukuze isetshenziselwe ukuthuthukisa umsebenzi womhlaba wonke. Ezimweni ezinjalo, abadala bayokwethula izwi lesinqumo ebandleni. Uma lamukelwa, imali esikiselwe iyobe isithunyelwa. Inyanga ngayinye, umzalwane onakekela izimali zebandla ulungiselela umbiko wezimali, obe usufundelwa ibandla.

20. Ungamdumisa kanjani uJehova ngezinto zakho “zenani elikhulu”?

²⁰ Lapho sicabanga ngakho konke okuhilelekile ekufezeni umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi emhlabeni wonke, sishukumiseleka ukuba ‘sidumise uJehova ngezinto zethu zenani elikhulu.’ (IzAga 3:9, 10) Izinto zethu zenani elikhulu zihlanganisa amandla omzimba, engqondo nengokomoya. Ngokuqinisekile sifuna ukuzisebenzisa ngokugcwele lezi zinto emsebenzini woMbuso. Khumbula-ke kodwa ukuthi izinto zethu zenani elikhulu zihlanganisa nezinto ezibonakalayo. Masizimisele ukunikela ngalokho esinakho, uma singase sikwazi. Iminikelo yethu yokuzithandela iletha udumo kuJehova futhi ibonisa ukuthi siyawusekela uMbuso KaMesiya.