1. Yini uJesu ayitjhoko ngokufunga, begodu kubayini?

NGOKUJAYELEKILEKO, amaKrestu weqiniso akutlhogeki bona afunge. Lokhu kungombana alalela uJesu owathi: ‘Ilizwi lenu elithi Iye alibe ngu-Iye.’ Bekatjho ukuthi umuntu kufuze akwenze akutjhwileko. UJesu wathoma umlayo loyo ngokuthi: “Ungafungi.” Wakutjho lokhu akhuza umkhuba ojayelekileko abantu abanengi abanawo nebacocako bafunge ngokubuyelelweko ngalokhu namtjhana ngalokha, banganamnqopho wokukwenza lokho abakutjhoko. Ngokutjho “okudlula” ukuthi Iye nofana Awa bona batjho iimnqopho yabo, abantu abanjalo bangaveza bona eqinisweni abakathembeki begodu bangaphasi komthelelela ‘omumbi.’—Funda uMatewu 5:33-37.

2. Hlathulula bona kubayini kungasikumbi ngaso soke isikhathi ukwenza isifungo.

² Kghani amezwi kaJesu atjho bona koke ukufunga akukalungi? Kungenzeka njani lokho? Njengombana sifundile esihlokweni esigadungileko, uJehova uZimu nenceku yakhe elungileko u-Abrahama benza iimfungo ezenzakalweni eziqakathekileko. Godu umThetho kaZimu bewufuna bonyana kufungwe bona kurarululwe ukungezwani okuthileko. (Eks. 22:10, 11; Num. 5:21, 22) Ngalokho, kungatlhogeka ngomKrestu ukufunga ukukhuluma iqiniso nekanikela ubufakazi ekhotho yomthetho. Namtjhana, esikhathini esingakajayeleki, umKrestu angabona kutlhogeka ukufunga bona aqinisekise abanye ngeemnqophwakhe nofana bonyana asize ekurarululeni indaba ethileko. Eqinisweni, uJesu nekafungiswa mpristi ophakemeko, akhenge aphikisane nakho kodwana wakhuluma iqiniso phambi kweSanhedrin yamaJuda. (Mat. 26:63, 64) Nokho, uJesu bekungatlhogeki bona afunge kunanyana ngubani. Ngitjho nanyana kunjalo, bona agandelele ukuba liqiniso komlayezwakhe, bekajayele ukwethula lokho akutjhoko ngendlela ekhethekileko: “Kwamambala  [okutjho, “NgiQinisile, ngiqinisile”] ngithi kini.” (Jwa. 1:51; 13:16, 20, 21, 38) Akhe sibone bonyana khuyini okhunye esingakufunda esibonelweni sakaJesu, uPowula, nabanye abenza u-Iye wabo waba ngu-Iye.

3. Emthandazweni uJesu wamthembisani uZimu, begodu uYise wezulwini wasabela njani?

³ “Nakhu . . . Zimu, ngize bona ngizokwenza intando yakho.” (Heb. 10:7) Ngamezwi aqakathekileko la, uJesu wazinikela kuZimu bona uzokwenza koke okwabikezelwako ngeNzalo ethenjisiweko, kuhlanganise ‘nokukghubula kwayo nguSathana isithende.’ (Gen. 3:15) Akekho namunye umuntu owakhe wazibawela ukwenza umsebenzi obudisi kangaka. Asezulwini, uJehova wazwakalisa ukuyithemba ngokupheleleko iNdodanakhe, nanyana bekungatlhogeki ngoJesu ukufunga bonyana uzokwenza akutjhwileko.—Luka 3:21, 22.

4. UJesu wenza u-Iye wakhe waba ngu-Iye bekwafikela kuliphi izinga?

⁴ UJesu bekakwenza ngaso soke isikhathi lokho egade akutjhumayela ngokwenza u-Iye wakhe abe ngu-Iye. Akhenge avumele litho limphambukise emlayweni awunikelwa nguYise wokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu nokwenza abafundi uZimu abadosela kuJesu. (Jwa. 6:44) IBhayibhili ihlathulula izinga lokuthembeka kwakaJesu emezwini adumileko la: “Kungakhathaliseki bona zinengi kangangani iinthembiso zakaZimu, zibe ngu-Iye ngaye.” (2 Kor. 1:20, NW) Kwamambala, uJesu usibonelo esihle somuntu owathembeka kilokho akuthembise uYise. Ngokulandelako, cabangela omunye owenza koke okusemandlenakhe bona alingise uJesu.

5. Umpostoli uPowula wasibekela siphi isibonelo?

⁵ “Alo-ke ngingenzani, Kosi, na?” (IzE. 22:10) Ngamezwi athembekileko la, uPowula ogade aziwa ngoSawula, wasabela esinqophisweni seKosi ephazimulako uJesu, owabonakala kuye embonweni amkhandela bona angatjhutjhisi abafundi bakaKrestu. Ngebanga lesenzakalweso, uSawula ngokuzithoba waphenduka ekambwenakhe yangaphambili, wabhabhadiswa begodu wamukela isabelo esikhethekileko anikelwa sona sokufakaza ngoJesu eentjhabeni. Kusukela ngesikhatheso kuragele phambili, uPowula waragela phambili abiza uJesu ngokuthi ‘yiKosakhe,’ wenza ngokuvumelana namezwi lawo bekwaba sekupheleni kokuphila kwakhe kwephasini. (IzE. 22:6-16; 2 Kor. 4:5; 2 Thi. 4:8) UPowula bekangafani nabanye uJesu athi ngabo: “Ningibizelani nithi: ‘Kosi, Kosi,’ kanti anikwenzi lokho enginitjela khona na?” (Luka 6:46) Kwamambala, uJesu ulindele  bona boke abamamukelako njengeKosi yabo bathembeke elizwini labo, njengombana kwenza umpostoli uPowula.

6, 7. (a) Kubayini uPowula atjhentjha amaplanakhe wokubuyela ayokuvakatjha eKorinte, begodu kubayini abanyefuli bakhe bebanganalo ibanga lokuzaza ukuthembeka kwakhe? (b) Kufuze sibaqale njani labo ababekwe bona badose phambili hlangana nathi?

⁶ UPowula ngetjiseko warhatjha umlayezo womBuso e-Asia Minor yoke neYurobhu, asungula amabandla begodu abuyela awavakatjhele. Ngesikhatheso, wabona kutlhogeka afunge iqiniso ngalokho akutlolileko. (Gal. 1:20) Lokha abanye eKorinte basola uPowula ngokobana akakathembeki, watlola azivikela wathi: “UZimu kungathenjelwa kuye bona ikulumo yethu eqaliswe kini ayisingu-Iye kodwana ibe ingu-Awa.” (2 Kor. 1:18, NW) Ngesikhathi atlola lokho, uPowula bekasuka e-Efesu adlula eMasedoniya aya eKorinte. Ekuthomeni, bekahlele ukubuyela avakatjhele eKorinte ngaphambi kobana aye eMasedoniya. (2 Kor. 1:15, 16) Kodwana, njengombana kwenza ababonisi ababhodako namhlanjesi, ngezinye iinkhathi amakhambo vane kutlhogeke atjhentjhwe. Itjhentjho elinjalo alenziwa ngamabanga angatjho litho nofana ngokuba marhamaru kodwana ngebanga lobujamo obuthileko oburhabileko. Endabeni kaPowula, ibanga lokutshwilisa ikhambo lakhe lokuya eKorinte belizokuba ngelizuzisa ibandleli. Njani?

⁷ Ngemva kobana ahlele ikhambo lakhe, uPowula wafumana iindaba ezithikazisako zokungazwani nokuziphatha kumbi egade kweqiselwa amehlo eKorinte. (1 Kor. 1:11; 5:1) Bona alungise ubujamo, watlola isiluleko esiqinileko encwadinakhe yokuthoma ayitlolela beKorinte. Ngemva kwalokho, kunokobana akhambe ngomkhumbi asuka e-Efesu aye eKorinte, uPowula wakhetha ukunikela abanakwabo ithuba lokusebenzisa isiluleko sakhe ukwenzela bona nekafikako, ivakatjho lakhe libe ngelikhuthazako. Abaqinisekisa ngeqiniso lokutjhentjha kwamaplanakhe, uPowula watlola encwadinakhe yesibili: “Ngibiza uZimu bona abe ngufakazi wami, nguye owazi ihliziyo yami, benginiphephisa njengombana ngingakayi eKorinte.” (2 Kor. 1:23) Kwanga ngeze safana nabanyefuli bakaPowula; kunalokho, asibatjengise ihlonipho edephileko labo ababekiweko bona badose phambili phakathi kwethu. Iqiniso kukobana senza kuhle ngokulingisa uPowula, njengombana alingisa uKrestu.—1 Kor. 11:1; Heb. 13:7.

8. URibeka wasibekela siphi isibonelo?

⁸ “Ngizimisele ukukhamba.” (Gen. 24:58) Ngamezwi alula la, uRibeka waphendula unina nomnakwabo malungana nokuvuma kwakhe ukutjhiya ikhabo ngelangelo akhambe nomuntu angamaziko amakhilomitha angaphezu kwama-800 bona abe mka-Isaka indodana ka-Abrahama. (Gen. 24:50-58) U-Iye kaRibeka waba ngu-Iye, begodu wazibonakalisa amfazi othembekileko osaba uZimu ku-Isaka. Ukuphila kwakhe koke, wahlala ematendeni njengomuntu wakosontjhaba eNarheni yesiThembiso. Wavuzwa ngokuthembeka kwakhe ngokuba ngukhokho weNzalo ethenjisiweko, uJesu Krestu.—Heb. 11:9, 13.

9. URude wathembeka njani emezwinakhe?

⁹ “Awa, sizokubuyela nawe ebantwini bekhenu.” (Rude 1:10) Abahlolokazi bakwaMowabi uRude no-Orpa bebasolo batjho lokhu kunosokanabo omhlolokazi uNawomi ogade abuyela eBhetlehema asuka kwaMowabi. Ekugcineni, ancengwa nguNawomi, u-Orpa wabuyela enarheni yekhabo. Kodwana u-Awa kaRude waba ngu-Awa. (Funda uRude 1:16, 17.) Ngokuthembeka wanamathela kuNawomi, walahla ngokupheleleko umndenakhe nekolo yamala yakwaMowabi. Wakghodlhelela njengomkhulekeli othembekileko kaJehova begodu wavuzwa njengomunye wabafazi abahlanu ekukhulunywa ngabo kuMatewu ekorweni yokubelethwa kwakaKrestu.—Mat. 1:1, 3, 5, 6, 16.

10. Kubayini u-Isaya bekasibonelo esihle kithi?

 ¹⁰ “Ngila! Thuma mina.” (Isa. 6:8) Ngaphambi kokutjho lokhu, u-Isaya wabona umbono ophazimulako kaJehova ahleli esihlalweni Sakhe sobukhosi ngaphezu kwetempeli lakwa-Israyeli. Nekasaqale umbono ophazimulako lo, u-Isaya wezwa uJehova athi: “Ngubani engizomthuma, begodu ngubani ozosiyela?” Lesi bekusimemo sokuba mkhulumeli kaJehova okhambisa umlayezo kaZimu ebantwini Bakhe abangalaleli. U-Isaya wathembeka emezwinakhe—u-Iye wakhe waba ngu-Iye. Wakhonza ngokuthembeka njengomporofidi iminyaka engaphezu kwema-46, adlulisela umlayezo wesahlulelo kuhlanganise neenthembiso ezihle zokubuyiselwa kokukhulekela kweqiniso.

11. (a) Kubayini ukuthembeka emezwinethu kuqakatheke khulu? (b) Ngiziphi iimbonelo ezisiyeleliso zabantu abangakhange bathembeke?

¹¹ Kubayini uJehova enza bona iimbonelo ezingehla zitlolelwe thina eLizwini lakhe? Begodu iqakatheke kangangani indaba yokwenza u-Iye abe ngu-Iye? IBhayibhili ngokukhanyako iyelelisa bona umuntu ‘ongagcini iinthembiso’ uhlangana nalabo ‘abafanele bona bafe.’ (Rom. 1:31, 32) UFaro weGibhide, uZedekiya iKosi yakwaJuda, u-Ananiyasi noSafura baphakathi kweembonelo ezimbi ezivezwe eBhayibhilini labo u-Iye wabo angakhenge abe ngu-Iye. Boke kwabakhambela kumbi begodu baziimbonelo ezisiyeleliso kithi.—Eks. 9:27, 28, 34, 35; Eze. 17:13-15, 19, 20; IzE. 5:1-10.

12. Yini ezosisiza bona sithembeke emezwinethu?

¹² Njengombana siphila ‘emihleni yokuphela,’ sibhodwe babantu “[abangakathembeki],” ‘abantu abazitjhaya sengathi bayamsaba uZimu kodwana ngokwenza kwabo njalo babe bawaphika amandla afumaneka ngokukholwa.’ (2 Thi. 3:1-5) Kufuze sikubalekele ngendlela esingakghona ngayo ukuzihlanganisa nabantu abambi abanjalo. Kunalokho, kufuze sihlangane qobe nalabo abalwela ukuhlala benza u-Iye wabo abe ngu-Iye.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

13. Ngimuphi u-Iye oqakatheke khulu otjhiwo mlandeli kaJesu Krestu?

¹³ Isithembiso esiqakatheke khulu umuntu angasenza ngesokuzinikela kwakhe kuZimu. Eenkhathini eentathu ezikhethekileko, labo abafuna ukuzidela njengabafundi bakaJesu banethuba lokuthi Iye lokha nebabuzwa ngeemnqophwabo. (Mat. 16:24) Abadala ababili nebacocisana nomuntu ofuna ukuba mrhuweleli ongakabhabhadiswa, bayambuza, “Uyakufuna kwamambala ukuba ngomunye waboFakazi bakaJehova?” Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, nengabe umuntu sele enze ituthuko engokomoya begodu ufuna ukubhabhadiswa, abadala bazokuhlangana naye bambuze, “Sewuzinikelile kuJehova ngomthandazo?” Ekugcineni ngelanga lokubhabhadiswa, umuntu ngamunye ozokubhabhadiswa uyabuzwa, “Ngesisekelo somhlatjelo kaJesu Krestu, utjhugulukile ezonweni zakho wazinikela kuJehova bona wenze intando  yakhe?” Ngalokho phambi kwabofakazi, laba abazokubhabhadiswa bathi Iye malungana nesithembiso sabo sokukhonza uZimu ngokungapheliko.

14. Ngikuphi ukuzihlola okufuze sikwenze qobe?

¹⁴ Kungakhathaliseki bona uqeda ukubhabhadiswa nofana sekumatjhumi weemnyaka ukhonza uZimu, kufuze uzihlole qobe begodu uzibuze imibuzo enjengale: ‘Ngisamlingisa uJesu Krestu ngokuragela phambili ngokuthembeka malungana nokwenza u-Iye wami oqakatheke kunabo boke? Ngiragela phambili ngilalela uJesu ngokwenza umsebenzi wokutjhumayela nokwenza abafundi ube yinto engidzimelele kiyo ekuphileni kwami?’—Funda ye-2 Korinte 13:5.

15. Ngiziphi iindawo ekuphileni la kuqakatheke khona bona u-Iye wethu abe ngu-Iye?

¹⁵ Ukuzibonakalisa sithembekile esifungweni sethu sokuzinikela kutjho bona kufuze sithembeke nakwezinye izinto eziqakathekileko. Ngokwesibonelo: Utjhadile? Ngalokho ragela phambili usihlonipha isifungo esiligugu osenzileko sokuthanda nokwazisa umlinganakho womtjhado. Usayine isivumelwano sebhizinisi nofana uzalise iforomo lelungelo elithileko elingokwezulwini? Ngalokho thembeka eembophweni zakho nakilokho okuthembisileko. Wakhe wafumana isimemo esivela kothileko otlhagako? Ungasali isimemweso newungafumana esinye esingabonakala singcono sivela komunye. Namtjhana wathembisa omunye umuntu owamfumana ekonzweni yomuzi nomuzi bona uzokubuya uzomnikela isizo elingokomoya elingeziweko? Ngalokho yenza koke okusemandlenakho bona u-Iye wakho abe ngu-Iye, noJehova uzoyibusisa ikonzwakho.—Funda uLuka 16:10.

16. Nengabe sibhalelwa kugcina ilizwi lethu, khuyini okufuze siyenze?

¹⁶ IBhayibhili ithi njengabantu abanesono, “sineemphoso ezinengi,” khulukhulu endabeni yokusebenzisa ilimu lethu. (Jak. 3:2) Khuyini okufuze siyenze nesilemuka bona sibhalelwe kugcina ilizwi lethu? EmThethweni kaZimu awunikela ama-Israyeli, bekunelungiselelo lomusa ngomuntu onomlandu ‘wokukhuluma ngokungacabangi ngeendebe zakhe.’ (Lef. 5:4-7, 11) Godu kunelungiselelo lethando ngamaKrestu enze isono esinjalo. Nesisivuma kuJehova isono esithileko, ngomusa uzosilibalela ngomPristi oPhakemeko, uJesu Krestu. (1 Jwa. 2:1, 2) Nokho, bona sihlale emseni kaZimu, kufuze sitjengise iinthelo ezitjengisa ukuphenduka ngokungazenzi umkhuba izono ezinjalo nangokwenza koke esingakwenza ukulungisa ubujamo obulimazako obubangelwa kukhuluma ngaphandle kokucabanga. (IzA. 6:2, 3) Liqiniso, kungcono khulu ukucabangisisa ngaphambi kobana senza iinthembiso engekhe sikghone ukuzizalisa.—Funda umTjhumayeli 5:2.

17, 18. Ngiliphi ingomuso eliphazimulako elilindele boke abalwela ukwenza u-Iye wabo waba ngu-Iye?

¹⁷ Qala bona lingomuso elihle kangangani leli boke abakhulekeli bakaJehova abazokuba nalo abalwela bona u-Iye wabo abe ngu-Iye! Ngabazesiweko abazi-144 000, kuzokutjho ukuphila okunganakufa ezulwini, lapho bazokuhlanganyela noJesu emBuswenakhe ‘begodu bazokubusa naye njengamakhosi iminyaka eyikulungwana.’ (IsAm. 20:6) Eengidini engeze wazibala, lokhu kuzokutjho ukuzuza ekubuseni komBuso kaKrestu ephasini eliyiparadeyisi. Lapho bazokusizwa bakhulele ekupheleleni ngokwenyama nangokomkhumbulo.—IsAm. 21:3-5.

¹⁸ Ngokuthembeka evivinyweni lamaswaphela ekupheleni kweMinyaka eyiKulungwana yokubusa kwakaJesu, ngekhe sibe nebanga lokuzaza ilizwi lothileko. (IsAm. 20:7-10) Woke u-Iye uzokuba ngu-Iye, no-Awa abe ngu-Awa. Ngombana boke abazabe baphila ngesikhatheso bazabe bamlingisa ngokupheleleko uBabethu wezulwini onethando, uJehova, ‘uZimu weqiniso.’—Rha. 31:5.