1. Ngubani owasinika ukuphila?

UJEHOVA “unguNkulunkulu ophilayo.” (UJeremiya 10:10) UnguMdali wethu. IBhayibhili lithi: “Wadala izinto zonke, njalo zadalwa ngentando yakho njalo zilabo ubukhona bazo.” (ISambulo 4:11) Ukuphila yisipho esisinikwe nguNkulunkulu.​—Bala iHubo 36:9.

2. Kumele senzeni ukuze sikukholise ukuphila?

² UJehova usinika izinto esizidingayo ukuze siqhubeke siphila. Okunye asinika khona yikudla lamanzi. (ImiSebenzi 17:28) Kodwa akufuna kakhulu yikuthi sikukholise ukuphila. (ImiSebenzi 14:15-17) Kumele silalele imithetho kaNkulunkulu ukuze sikukholise ukuphila.​—U-Isaya 48:17, 18.

3. UJehova wenzani lapho uKhayini esebulele u-Abela?

³ IBhayibhili lisifundisa ukuthi ukuphila kuligugu kuJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, uKhayini wazondela umnawakhe u-Abela futhi uJehova wamkhuza wamtshela ukuthi abambe ulaka lwakhe. Kodwa uKhayini waqinisa ikhanda “wamhlasela umfowabo u-Abela wambulala.” (UGenesisi 4:3-8) UJehova wamqalekisa uKhayini ngesenzo sakhe leso. (UGenesisi 4:9-11) Inzondo izala udlakela njengoba nje isikhuni sizala umlotha. Umuntu olodlakela loba ololunya ngeke akuthole ukuphila okungapheliyo. (Bala u-1 Johane 3:15.) Nxa sifuna ukuthokozisa uJehova kumele sithande abanye.​—1 UJohane 3:11, 12.

4. Omunye wemilayo uNkulunkulu ayinika ama-Israyeli usifundisani ngesipho sokuphila?

 ⁴ UJehova waphinda wakuveza ukuthi uyakuqakathekisa ukuphila ngesikhathi enika uMosi Imilayo Elitshumi. Omunye wemilayo leyo uthi: “Ungabulali.” (UDutheronomi 5:17) Umuntu owayebulala omunye ngabomo laye wayebulawa.

5. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu akumthokozisi ukukhipha isisu?

⁵ Kuyamthokozisa yini uNkulunkulu ukukhipha isisu? Umntwana ongakazalwa uligugu kuJehova. UJehova wanika ama-Israyeli umthetho owawusithi nxa umuntu angalimaza owesifazana ozithweleyo, usane beselusifa, umuntu lowo kwakumele abulawe. Wathi: “Nxa amadoda esilwa futhi abeselimaza owesifazana ozithweleyo acine esebeletha isikhathi singakafiki kodwa usane lungalimali, owenze lokho kumele ahlawule okuzabizwa yindoda yowesifazana lowo. . . Kodwa nxa usane lungafa, kumele impilo ihlawulwe ngempilo.” (Eksodusi 21:22, 23, NW; IHubo 127:3.) Lokhu kusifundisa ukuthi ukukhipha isisu akuqondanga.​—Khangela amabala asekucineni 27.

6, 7. Singamtshengisa njani uJehova ukuthi siyakuqakathekisa ukuphila?

⁶ Singamtshengisa njani uJehova ukuthi siyakuqakathekisa ukuphila? Singamtshengisa ngokungenzi loba yini engafaka ukuphila kwethu kumbe okwabanye engozini. Yikho asibhemi futhi asisebenzisi izidakamizwa ngoba lokhu kungasilimaza futhi kucine kusibulele.

⁷ UNkulunkulu nguye owasinika ukuphila yikho kumele siyiphathe kuhle imizimba yethu. Nxa singayekela, sizaba ngabangcolileyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu.  (KwabaseRoma 6:19; 12:1; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 7:1) Ngeke simkhonze ngendlela emthokozisayo uJehova nxa singakuqakathekisi ukuphila. Lanxa kunzima ukuyekela imikhuba emibi, uJehova uzasincedisa nxa sizama ukuyitshiya.

8. Kuyini okumele sikwenze ukuze singafaki ukuphila kwethu lokwabanye engozini?

⁸ Sesifundile ukuthi ukuphila kuyisipho esiligugu. UJehova ukhangelele ukuthi sizame ngazo zonke izindlela ukuthi singafaki ukuphila kwethu lokwabanye engozini. Yikho kumele sinanzelele nxa sitshayela imota, sihamba ngomdududu, ngebhayisikili loba ngokunye nje. Kasenzi imidlalo eyingozi kumbe elodlakela. (IHubo 11:5) Kumele sizame lokuthi kungabi lezinto eziyingozi ezindlini zethu. UJehova walaya ama-Israyeli wathi: “Nxa usakha indlu entsha, uzakwakha umduli oluthango ophahleni lwayo ukuze kungabi lomuntu owayo ephahleni lwendlu yakho ube lecala lokuchitha igazi.”​—UDutheronomi 22:8.

9. Kumele siziphathe njani izinyamazana?

⁹ UJehova ulendaba lokuthi siziphatha njani izinyamazana. Uyasivumela ukuthi sihlabe izinyamazana nxa sifuna ukudla, izigqoko kumbe nxa ziyingozi kithi. (UGenesisi 3:21; 9:3; U-Eksodusi 21:28) Akumelanga sizilibazise ngokubulala izinyamazana kumbe ukuziphatha ngolunya.​—IZaga 12:10.

10. Sikwazi njani ukuthi igazi limela ukuphila?

¹⁰ Igazi lingcwele kuJehova ngoba limela ukuphila. Kwathi uKhayini esebulele u-Abela, uJehova wamtshela wathi: “Igazi lomfowenu liyakhala kimi lisuka emhlabathini.” (UGenesisi 4:10) Igazi lika-Abela lalimela impilo  yakhe yikho uJehova wamqalekisa uKhayini ngokuthi wayebulele u-Abela. Ngemva kukaZamcolo, uJehova waphinda watshengisa ukuthi igazi limela ukuphila. Wapha uNowa lemuli yakhe imvumo yokudla izinyamazana. Wathi: “Yonke into ephilayo lenyakazayo izakuba yikudla kuwe. Njengalokhu ngalipha izihlahla eziluhlaza, manje sengilipha yonke into.” Kodwa kulokunye uJehova abalaya athi bangakudli, wathi: “Lingadli inyama ilegazi lokuphila kwayo phakathi.”​—UGenesisi 1:29; 9:3, 4.

11. Yiwuphi umlayo uNkulunkulu awunika abako-Israyeli mayelana legazi?

¹¹ Kwathi sekudlule iminyaka engu-800 uJehova etshele uNowa ukuthi bangadli igazi, waphinda walaya abantu bakhe wathi: “Loba nguwuphi owako-Israyeli loba owezizwe ohlala phakathi kwenu ozingela loba yiphi inyamazana loba edliwayo kavuzise igazi aligqibele ngenhlabathi.” Waphinda wathi: “Lingabokudla igazi laloba yisiphi isidalwa.” (ULevi 17:13, 14) Langesikhathi leso uJehova wayefuna abantu balihloniphe igazi. Babengadla inyama kodwa igazi kwakungamelanga balidle. Kwakumele ukuthi bangahlaba inyamazana bayophise bengakayidli.

12. AmaKhristu kumele alidle yini igazi?

¹² Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi uJesu efile, abaphostoli labadala bebandla lobuKhristu eJerusalema benza umhlangano. Emhlanganweni lo bakhuluma ngokuthi yiphi imithetho eyayiphiwe abako-Israyeli eyayilokhu isasebenza kumaKhristu. (Bala imiSebenzi 15:28, 29; 21:25.) UJehova wabanceda bazwisisa ukuthi igazi lalilokhu liqakathekile kuye lokuthi kwakumele balihloniphe. AmaKhristu akuqala kwakungamelanga adle loba anathe igazi kumbe adle inyama elegazi. Nxa  ayengenza lokhu ayezabe efanana labantu abakhonza izithombe loba abaziphatha kubi kwezemacansini. Yikho kusukela lapho amaKhristu eqiniso ayala ukudla loba ukunatha igazi. Lamuhla-ke? UJehova ulokhu efuna ukuthi silihloniphe igazi.

13. Kungani amaKhristu engavumi ukufakwa igazi?

¹³ Kuqondile yini ukuthi umKhristu afakwe igazi? Hatshi. UJehova wasilaya ukuthi singadli igazi. Nxa udokotela angakutshela ukuthi unganathi utshwala, ungabufaka emzimbeni wakho ngejekiseni yini? Ngeke ukwenze lokho ngoba kuyabe kufanana lokubunatha. Yikho umlayo wokuthi singadli igazi ugoqela lokuthi singafakwa igazi.​—Khangela amabala asekucineni 28.

14, 15. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi umKhristu alalele uJehova?

¹⁴ Kumele wenzeni nxa udokotela angakutshela ukuthi ungala ukufakwa igazi uzakufa? Wonke umuntu kumele azikhethele ukuthi uzawulalela yini umthetho kaNkulunkulu omayelana legazi. AmaKhristu ayakuhlonipha ukuphila yikho edinga ezinye izindlela zokwelatshwa ukuze aqhubeke ephila. Kodwa kawavumi ukufakwa igazi.

¹⁵ Siyazama ngazo zonke izindlela ukuthi sibe lempilakahle. Lanxa kunjalo kasivumi ukufakwa igazi ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi limela impilo. Okuqakathekileyo yikulalela uJehova yikho asisoze sephule umthetho wakhe sisenzela ukuthi singafi. UJesu wathi: “Lowo ofuna ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe kuzamlahlekela, kodwa olahlekelwa yikuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami uzakuzuza.” (UMathewu 16:25) Sifuna ukulalela uJehova ngoba siyamthanda. Uyakwazi okungasinceda futhi lathi ukuphila siyakuqakathekisa njengaye.​—KumaHebheru 11:6.

16. Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu bemlalela?

 ¹⁶ Abantu bakaNkulunkulu abathembekileyo bazimisele ukulalela umthetho wakhe omayelana legazi. Yikho kabavumi ukufakwa igazi futhi kabalidli. * Kodwa bayavuma ukuthi kusetshenziswe ezinye izindlela zokwelapha ukuze baqhubeke bephila. Kabathandabuzi ukuthi uMdali wokuphila uyakwazi okubalungeleyo. Wena-ke?

17. UJehova wayefuna ama-Israyeli alisebenzise njani igazi?

¹⁷ EMthethweni uNkulunkulu awupha uMosi, watshela ama-Israyeli wathi: “Ngoba impilo yesidalwa isegazini, njalo ngiliphile ukuthi lenze ukubuyisana [kumbe, licele ukuthethelelwa] kwenu e-alithareni; kuligazi elenze ukubuyisana empilweni yomuntu.” (ULevi 17:11) Kwakusithi ama-Israyeli angona, anikele ngenyamazana abesecela umphristi ukuthi athele igazi layo e-alithareni ukuze uJehova awathethelele. UJehova wayefuna ukuthi ama-Israyeli asebenzise igazi ngalindlela kuphela.

18. Umhlatshelo kaJesu usinceda njani?

¹⁸ UJesu weza emhlabeni ukuzonikela ngokuphila kwakhe ukuze sithethelelwe izono yikho akudingakali ukuthi sinikele ngezinyamazana. (UMathewu 20:28; KumaHebheru 10:1) Ukuphila kukaJesu kwakuqakatheke kakhulu okokuthi kwenza uJehova wanika abantu ithuba lokuthi bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo.​—UJohane 3:16; KumaHebheru 9:11, 12; 1 UPhetro 1:18, 19.

19. Kumele senzeni ukuze ‘singabi lecala legazi labantu bonke’?

 ¹⁹ Siyambonga uJehova ngokusinika isipho sokuphila. Sifuna ukutshela abantu ukuthi nxa bangakholwa kuJesu bazathola ukuphila okungapheliyo. Siyabathanda abantu futhi sizakwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sibafundise ukuthi bangakuthola njani ukuphila. (UHezekheli 3:17-21) Nxa singenza njalo sizakuba njengomphostoli uPhawuli owathi: “Angilacala legazi labantu bonke. Phela kangithikazanga ukutshumayela kini yonke intando kaNkulunkulu.” (ImiSebenzi 20:26, 27) Sitshengisa ukuthi siyakuqakathekisa ukuphila kanye legazi ngokutshela abanye ngoJehova langokuthi ukuphila kuqakatheke kangakanani kuye.