1, 2. (a) Kwenzeka ntoni xa izimvu zinyanyekelwa kakuhle? (b) Yintoni eyayisenza abantu bomhla kaYesu bafane nezimvu ezingenamalusi?

IZIMVU ziphila kakuhle xa umalusi wazo ezihoyile. Enye incwadi enamacebisi ngokufuya iigusha ithi, “umntu ozikhaphela nje emadlelweni, angazihoyi, akubi kudala azibone sele zihlaselwa zizifo zize zingabi nangeniso.” Izinto ziya kumhambela kakuhle umalusi kuphela xa ezinyamekela kakuhle izimvu zakhe.

² Indlela abalusi bomhlambi kaThixo abayinyamekela ngayo imvu nganye ichaphazela ulwalamano lukaThixo nebandla liphela. Khumbula ukuba uYesu wazisizela izihlwele, “ngenxa yokuba zazihlinzekile, zilahliwe njengezimvu ezingenamalusi.” (Mat. 9:36) Yintoni eyayisenza imeko yabo ibe lusizi ngaloo ndlela? Kungenxa yokuba abo babenembopheleleko yokubafundisa uMthetho kaThixo babengqwabalala, benyanzelisa iimbono zabo yaye behanahanisa. Kunokuba zincede zize zinyamekele umhlambi kaThixo, iinkokeli zonqulo zakwaSirayeli zazibeka “imithwalo enzima” phezu kwawo.—Mat. 23:4.

3. Yintoni abamele bahlale beyikhumbula abalusi njengoko beqhubeka nomsebenzi wokwalusa?

³ Nanamhlanje abalusi abangamaKristu banembopheleleko enkulu. Izimvu ezikulo mhlambi bawunyamekelayo zezikaYehova noYesu, ozichaza ‘njengomalusi omhle.’ (Yoh. 10:11) Ezi zimvu ziye ‘zathengwa ngexabiso’ uYesu awalihlawula ‘ngegazi lakhe elixabisekileyo.’ (1 Kor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19) Uzithanda kakhulu ezi zimvu kangangokuba wancama ubomi bakhe ngenxa yazo. Abadala kufuneka bahlale bekhumbula ukuba bangabalusi abangaphantsi kwegunya loNyana kaThixo onothando, uYesu Kristu, “umalusi omkhulu wezimvu.”—Heb. 13:20.

4. Liza kuthetha ngantoni eli nqaku?

⁴ Abalusi abangamaKristu bamele baziphathe njani izimvu? Amalungu ebandla abongozwa ukuba ‘athobele abo bakhokelayo phakathi kwawo.’ Kwelinye icala, abadala babongozwa ukuba bangabi “ziinkosi phezu kwabo balilifa likaThixo.” (Heb. 13:17; funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:2, 3.) Ngoko abadala banokuwukhokela njani umhlambi ngaphandle kokuba ziinkosi phezu kwawo? Ngamany’ amazwi abadala banokuzinyamekela njani iintswelo zezimvu ngaphandle kokugabadela, besebenzisa kakubi igunya abalinikwe nguThixo?

5. Amazwi akuIsaya 40:11 abonisa ntoni ngoYehova?

⁵ Ngokuphathelele uYehova umprofeti uIsaya wathi: ‘Njengomalusi uya kuwalusa umhlambi wakhe. Ngengalo yakhe uya kuqokelela ndawonye amatakane; uya kuwathwala ngesifuba sakhe. Ezo zanyisayo uya kuzikhaphela ngenyameko.’ (Isa. 40:11) La mazwi abonisa ukuba uYehova ubaxhalabele abo babuthathaka nabafuna uncedo ebandleni. Njengokuba umalusi esoloko eziphaphele iintswelo zezimvu zakhe yaye ekulungele ukuzinceda, noYehova uyazazi iimfuno zabo basebandleni ibe usoloko ekulungele ukubanceda. Kanye njengokuba umalusi elifunqula ngomphetho wengubo yakhe itakane elisandul’ ukuzalwa xa kuyimfuneko, noYehova—“uYise onenceba”—uza kusithwala ngamaxesha anzima. Uya kusithuthuzela xa sijamelene nezilingo ezinzima okanye xa sifuna uncedo.—2 Kor. 1:3, 4.

6. Njengomalusi, umdala unokuwulandela njani umzekelo kaYehova?

⁶ Umdala ongumKristu unokufunda lukhulu kumzekelo kaBawo wethu wasezulwini! NjengoYehova umele anikel’ ingqalelo kwiintswelo zezimvu. Xa ezazi iingxaki ezijamelana nazo izimvu zakhe, neentswelo zazo ezifuna ingqalelo ekhawulezileyo, uya kukwazi ukunikela ukhuthazo nenkxaso efunekayo. (IMize. 27:23) Kucacile ukuba, umdala umele anxibelelane kakuhle namanye amaKristu. Nangona engafuni kugxuphuleka kwimicimbi yabanye umdala ubonakalisa umdla koko akuvayo nakubonayo ebandleni aze azenze afumaneke ukuze ‘ancede abo babuthathaka.’—IZe 20:35; 1Tes. 4:11.

7. (a) Zaziphethwe njani izimvu zikaThixo ngemihla kaHezekile noYeremiya? (b) Yintoni esinokuyifunda kukugweba kukaYehova abalusi abangawenzi kakuhle umsebenzi wabo?

⁷ Khawucinge ngesimo sengqondo sabalusi abagwetywa nguThixo. Ngemihla kaHezekile noYeremiya, uYehova wabaqalekisa abo babemele banyamekele izimvu zakhe kodwa bengakwenzi kakuhle oko. Xa kungekho mntu uzibek’ esweni izimvu zazisiba ngamaxhoba amarhamncwa zize zithi saa. Kunokuba bondle izimvu abo balusi babezixhaphaza ‘besondla iziqu zabo.’ (Hez. 34:7-10; Yer 23:1) Umgwebo owafunyanwa ngabo balusi ufana nqwa noza kufunyanwa ngabefundisi beNgqobhoko. Kodwa ikwabalaselisa nokubaluleka abadala abangamaKristu banike umhlambi kaYehova uthando nengqalelo efunekayo.

8. Abadala banokuwuxelisa njani umzekelo kaYesu xa beluleka abazalwana babo?

⁸ Ekubeni zingafezekanga, ezinye izimvu zikaThixo zisenokuthatha ixesha ngaphambi kokuba zikuqonde kakuhle oko kufunwa nguYehova kuzo. Zisenokungakwazi ukwenza izinto ngokuvisisana nesiluleko ­esiseZibhalweni,  ­okanye zenze izinto ezibonisa ukungaqoli. Bamele benze ntoni abadala xa kunjalo? Bamele baxelise umonde ­awayenawo uYesu kubafundi bakhe, ababethe phithi kukufuna ukwazi ukuba ngubani owayeza kuba ngoyena mkhulu eBukumkanini. Kunokuphelelwa ngumonde, uYesu waqhubeka ebaluleka ngothando yaye ebafundisa ukuthobeka. (Luka 9:46-48; 22:24-27) Xa wayehlamba iinyawo zabo, uYesu wabafundisa isifundo ngokuthobeka, uphawu abamele babe nalo abadala abangamaKristu.—Funda uYohane 13:12-15; 1 Pet. 2:21.

9. Yiyiphi indlela yokucinga yabapostile bakaYesu ababini ekwafuneka ayilungise?

⁹ Indlela uYesu awayeyijonga ngayo indima yomalusi yahlukile kuleyo babecinga ngayo uYakobi noYohane. Aba bapostile babini babezifunela izikhundla eBukumkanini. Kodwa uYesu wayilungisa indlela ababecinga ngayo, esithi: “Niyazi ukuba ezintlangeni abo balawulayo banobukhosi; nabo bazizikhulu zazo benza ngegunya. Kodwa ke ze kungabi njalo phakathi kwenu. Ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu makabe ngumkhonzi wenu.” (Mat. 20:25, 26, IBhayibhile yesiXhosa ka-1996) Abafundi babemele balwe notyekelo lokufuna “ukuba ziinkosi” kwabanye okanye ‘ukwenza ngegunya.’

10. UYesu ufuna abadala bawuphathe njani umhlambi, ibe uPawulos wabamisela wuphi umzekelo kule nkalo?

¹⁰ UYesu ulindele ukuba abadala abangamaKristu bawuphathe umhlambi ngendlela yena awawuphatha ngayo. Bamele bakulungele ukukhonza abazalwana babo bangabi ziinkosi phezu kwabo. Umpostile uPawulos wayeneso simo sengqondo sokuthobeka, kuba wathi kumadoda amakhulu ase-Efese: “Niyazi kakuhle ukuba ukususela kwimini yokuqala endangena ngayo kwisithili saseAsiya ndaba kunye nani ixesha liphela, ndilikhoboka leNkosi ngokona kuthobeka kwengqondo kukhulu.” Lo mpostile wayenqwenela ukuba abo badala bancede abanye ngokunyaniseka nokuthobeka. Wathi: “Ndinibonisile ezintweni zonke ukuba nimele nisebenze ukuze nincede abo babuthathaka.” (IZe. 20:18, 19, 35) UPawulos waxelela abaseKorinte ukuba akayoNkosi phezu kokholo lwabo. Kunoko, ungumsebenzi olidlelane ukuze babe novuyo. (2 Kor. 1:24) UPawulos wabamisela umzekelo omhle wokuthobeka nokusebenza nzima abadala namhlanje.

11, 12. Umdala unokumnceda njani umzalwana wakhe enze isigqibo?

¹¹ Umdala webandla umele ‘abambelele ngokuqinileyo elizwini elithembekileyo njengesiseko sobugcisa bakhe bokufundisa.’ (Tito 1:9) Kodwa oko ukwenza “ngomoya wobulali.” (Gal. 6:1) Kunokuba azame ukunyanzela abanye ebandleni ukuba benze izinto ngendlela ethile, umalusi olungileyo uye azame ukufikelela iintliziyo zabo. Umdala usenokunceda omnye umzalwana ofuna ukwenza isigqibo esibalulekileyo ngokumbonisa umgaqo weBhayibhile okanye inqaku kwiimpapasho zethu. Usenokumcela lo mzalwana acinge ngendlela ukhetho lwakhe olunokuluchaphazela ngalo ulwalamano lwakhe noThixo. Usenokumkhumbuza nangendlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuthandazela ukhokelo kuThixo ngaphambi kokwenza isigqibo. (IMize. 3:5, 6) Emva kokubonisana, lo mdala uya kumyeka azenzele isigqibo sakhe.—Roma 14:1-4.

¹² Ekuphela kwegunya abanalo abaveleli abangamaKristu lisuka eZibhalweni. Ngoko, kubalulekile ukuba bayisebenzise ngobuchule iBhayibhile baze benze oko ikutshoyo. Ukwenjenjalo kuya kubanceda baphephe ukulisebenzisa kakubi eli gunya. Kakade ke, bangabalusi abangaphantsi kwegunya likaThixo, yaye mntu ngamnye ebandleni uza kuziphendulela kuYehova noYesu ngezigqibo azenzayo.—Gal. 6:5, 7, 8.

13, 14. Ziziphi iinkalo amele abe ngumzekelo kuzo umdala ebandleni?

¹³ Emva kokululeka amadoda amakhulu ebandla ukuba ‘angabi ziinkosi phezu kwalo,’ umpostile uPetros wababongoza ukuba babe “yimizekelo emhlambini.” (1 Pet. 5:3) Umdala unokuba ngumzekelo njani ebandleni? Cinga ngeemfanelo emele ibe nazo indoda ‘ezabalazela isigxina sobuveleli.’ Kufuneka ‘iphile engqondweni’ yaye imele ‘iyongamele kakuhle indlu yayo.’ Ukuba inentsapho, indlela eyinyamekela ngayo imele ibe ngumzekelo, kuba “ukuba eneneni umntu woyiswa kukongamela indlu yakhe, angalinyamekela njani ibandla likaThixo?” (1 Tim. 3:1, 2, 4, 5) Ukuze ifanelekele isigxina sobuveleli, indoda imele iphile engqondweni, nto leyo ethetha ukuba imele iyiqonde imigaqo kaThixo ize iphile ngayo. Inengqondo ezinzileyo yaye ayidyuduzeli xa isenza izigqibo. Ukubona abadala benezi mpawu kukhuthaza ukuzithemba kumalungu ebandla.

¹⁴ Enye indlela abadala abawumisela ngayo umzekelo omhle ebandleni kukukhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela, njengoYesu. Ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kwakuyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yomsebenzi wakhe xa wayesemhlabeni. Wabonisa abafundi bakhe indlela ababemele bawenze ngayo lo msebenzi. (Marko 1:38; Luka 8:1) Kukhuthaza kakhulu kubavakalisi namhlanje ukusebenza nabadala, babone inzondelelo yabo kulo msebenzi usindis’ ubomi baze bafunde kwindlela abashumayela ngayo! Ibandla likhuthazeka gqitha xa abadala besebenzisa ixesha namandla abo ukuze bashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo nakuba bexakekile, litsho nalo libonise inzondelelo efanayo. Abadala banokumisela umzekelo omhle kubazalwana babo ngokulungiselela iintlanganiso, bagqabaze, baze bakhokele kumsebenzi wokucoca nokunyamekela iHolo YoBukumkani.—Efe. 5:15, 16; funda amaHebhere 13:7.

15. Ziziphi ezinye izizathu zokuba abadala besenza amatyelelo okwalusa?

¹⁵ Umalusi olungileyo uyakhawuleza ukunceda imvu eyonzakeleyo okanye egulayo. Ngokufanayo, abadala bafanele bakhawuleze ukunceda abo babandezelekileyo okanye abafuna ­uncedo  ukululekwa okanye ukhuthazo. Abo balupheleyo nabagulayo basenokufuna uncedo kwizinto zemihla ngemihla, kodwa eyona nto bayifuna ngamandla yintuthuzelo yeZibhalo. (1 Tes. 5:14) Abaselula kusenokwenzeka balwisana ‘neenkanuko zobutsha.’ (2 Tim. 2:22) Abadala banceda bonke ebandleni ngokwenza amatyelelo okwalusa. Kula matyelelo baye bazame ukuqonda ubunzima abazalwana babo abajamelene nabo babakhuthaze ngeZibhalo. Ukuba abadala bayakhawuleza ukunika abazalwana noodade wabo uncedo olufunekayo, basenokuphepha iingxaki ezininzi.

16. Yintoni enokwenziwa ngabadala xa kukho umntu ebandleni onengxaki?

¹⁶ Kuthekani ukuba omnye umzalwana ebandleni unengxaki enkulu ibe nolwalamano lwakhe noYehova lusengozini? Umbhali weBhayibhile uYakobi wathi: “Makabizele kuye amadoda amakhulu ebandla, aze wona amthandazele, amthambise ngeoli egameni likaYehova. Yaye umthandazo wokholo uya kumphilisa lowo ungaphilanga, uYehova amvuse. Kanjalo, ukuba uye wenza izono, uya kuxolelwa.” (Yak. 5:14, 15) Enoba lo mzalwana ugulayo ngokomoya akawabizi “amadoda amakhulu,” bafanele bangalibazisi ukumnceda zisuka nje emva kokubona imeko yakhe. Xa bethandaza kunye nabazalwana okanye bebathandazela baze babaxhase ngamaxesha anzima, abadala babonisa ukuba bangabalusi abalungileyo abakhuthaza abazalwana babo ukuba baqhubeke bekhonza uThixo ngovuyo.—Funda uIsaya 32:1, 2.

17. Lingenelwa njani ibandla xa abadala bexelisa “umalusi omkhulu”?

¹⁷ Abadala abangamaKristu basebenza nzima ukuze baxelise uYesu Kristu, “umalusi omkhulu,” kuko konke abakwenzayo entlanganweni kaYehova. La madoda aneembopheleleko anceda umhlambi womelele uze ukhonze uYehova ngokuthembeka. Sinombulelo gqitha ngaba balusi banothando noMalusi wethu omkhulu, uYehova.