1, 2. (a) Uba yini umphumela lapho izimvu zinakekelwa kahle? (b) Kungani abantu abaningi osukwini lukaJesu babenjengezimvu ezingenamalusi?

IZIMVU zikhula kahle lapho umalusi ebonisa isithakazelo esiqotho enhlalakahleni yomhlambi wakhe. Incwadi ethile ekhuluma ngokukhuliswa kwezimvu ithi “umuntu omane nje adedele izimvu ukuba ziye edlelweni bese engabe esazinaka noma angacabangi ngazo, cishe ngemva kweminyaka embalwa uyobe esenomhlambi ogulayo futhi ongachumi.” Nokho, lapho umalusi ezinakekela kahle izimvu zakhe, umhlambi wakhe uyochuma.

² Izinga abelusi bomhlambi kaNkulunkulu abanakekela ngalo imvu ngayinye abaphathiswe yona liyothinta ingokomoya lalo lonke ibandla. Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wazihawukela izixuku ngoba “zaziphundlekile futhi zihlakazekile njengezimvu ezingenamalusi.” (Math. 9:36) Kwakubangelwa yini ukuba zibe kuleso simo esidabukisayo? Labo ababenomthwalo wemfanelo wokufundisa abantu uMthetho kaNkulunkulu babenokhahlo, bengomashiqela futhi bengabazenzisi. Kunokusiza nokondla amalungu omhlambi wabo, abaholi abangokomoya bakwa-Israyeli babebeka “imithwalo esindayo” emahlombe awo.—Math. 23:4.

3. Yini abadala bebandla okufanele bayiqaphele njengoba befeza indima yabo njengabelusi abangokomoya?

³ Ngakho-ke, abelusi abangamaKristu banamuhla—abadala abamisiwe—banomthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu kakhulu. Izimvu zomhlambi abawunakekelayo zingezikaJehova noJesu, ozibiza ngokuthi “umalusi omuhle.” (Joh. 10:11) Lezi zimvu ‘zithengwe ngentengo’ uJesu ayikhokha ‘ngegazi lakhe eliyigugu.’ (1 Kor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19) Uzithanda kakhulu izimvu zakhe kangangokuba wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngokuzithandela ngenxa yazo. Abadala kufanele  bakhumbule njalo ukuthi bangabelusi abangaphansi kweNdodana kaNkulunkulu enothando, uJesu Kristu, “umalusi omkhulu wezimvu.”—Heb. 13:20.

4. Yini esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko?

⁴ Ngakho-ke, abelusi abangamaKristu kulindeleke ukuba baziphathe kanjani izimvu? Amalungu ebandla anxuswa ukuba ‘alalele abaholayo’ phakathi kwawo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abadala abangamaKristu banxuswa ukuba bagweme ukuba “izingqongqo phezu kwalabo abayifa likaNkulunkulu.” (Heb. 13:17; funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:2, 3.) Khona-ke, abadala abamisiwe bangahola kanjani ngaphandle kokuzenza izingqongqo phezu komhlambi? Ngamanye amazwi, abadala bangazinakekela kanjani izidingo zezimvu ngaphandle kokusebenzisa kabi igunya uNkulunkulu alinikeze ababonisi?

5. Umfanekiso oku-Isaya 40:11 usibonisani ngoJehova?

⁵ Ngokuphathelene neNkosi EnguMbusi, uJehova, umprofethi u-Isaya wathi: “Iyokwelusa umhlambi wayo njengomalusi. Ngengalo yayo iyoqoqela ndawonye amawundlu; iwathwale esifubeni sayo. Izindlezane iyozihola ngokunakekela.” (Isaya 40:11) Lo mfanekiso usinikeza umqondo wokuthi uJehova uyazikhathalela izidingo zamalungu ebandla abuthaka nangavikelekile. Njengoba umalusi ezazi izidingo ezikhethekile zemvu ngayinye emhlambini wakhe futhi ehlale ekulungele ukuzinakekela, noJehova uyazazi izidingo zalabo abasebandleni futhi uyakujabulela ukubanika usizo abaludingayo. Njengoba nje umalusi ethwala iwundlu elisanda kuzalwa emphethweni wengubo yakhe osesifubeni uma kudingeka, noJehova—‘uYise wesihe’—uyosithwala ezikhathini zobunzima. Uyosiduduza lapho sibhekene novivinyo olukhulu noma sidinga usizo olukhethekile.—2 Kor. 1:3, 4.

6. Njengomalusi ongokomoya, umdala angasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaJehova?

⁶ Yeka isifundo esihle kakhulu umalusi ongokomoya angasifunda kuBaba wethu osezulwini! NjengoJehova, umalusi kumelwe anakekele izidingo zezimvu. Ngokwazi izinselele ezibhekene nazo nezidingo zazo ezidinga ukunakekelwa ngokushesha, umdala uyoba sesimweni esihle sokunikeza isikhuthazo esidingekayo futhi azisekele. (IzAga 27:23) Kusobala ukuthi kumelwe kube nokukhulumisana okuhle phakathi komdala namaKristu akanye nawo. Nakuba enesithakazelo kulokho akubonayo nakuzwayo ebandleni futhi ngothando ezenza atholakale ukuze ‘asize ababuthakathaka,’ umdala uyalihlonipha ilungelo labo lokuba nezimfihlo.—IzE. 20:35; 1 Thes. 4:11.

7. (a) Zaziphathwa kanjani izimvu zikaNkulunkulu ezinsukwini zikaHezekeli nezikaJeremiya? (b) Singafundani ekulahleni kukaNkulunkulu abelusi abangokomoya abangathembekile?

⁷ Cabangela isimo sengqondo sabelusi uNkulunkulu abalahla. Ezinsukwini zikaHezekeli noJeremiya, uJehova wabalahla labo okwakufanele banakekele izimvu zakhe kodwa bengazinakekeli ngendlela efanele. Lapho kungekho muntu oqaphe izimvu, umhlambi wawuba sengozini yokudwengulwa izilwane futhi uhlakazeke. Kunokuba bondle umhlambi, labo belusi babewuxhaphaza futhi “bezondla bona ngokwabo.” (Hez. 34:7-10; Jer. 23:1) Ukulahla kukaNkulunkulu labo belusi kungasetshenziswa kufanele kubaholi beLobukholwa. Kodwa futhi kugcizelela nendlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuba abadala abangamaKristu bawunakekele ngendlela efanele nenothando umhlambi kaJehova.

8. UJesu wasibeka kanjani isibonelo esihle kakhulu sendlela yokulungisa izimo zengqondo ezingafanele?

⁸ Ngenxa yokuthi asiphelele, ezinye zezimvu zikaNkulunkulu zingase zephuze  ukuqonda lokho uJehova akulindele kuzo. Zingase zehluleke ukuthatha isinyathelo esivumelana neseluleko esingokomBhalo, noma zingase zenze ngendlela ebonisa ukuntula ukuvuthwa okungokomoya. Kufanele basabele kanjani abadala? Kufanele balingise isineke uJesu asibonisa kubafundi bakhe, ngesikhathi benenkinga engapheli yokuthi ubani owayeyoba mkhulu phakathi kwabo eMbusweni. Kunokuba aphelelwe isineke ngabo, uJesu waqhubeka efundisa abafundi bakhe futhi ebanikeza iseluleko sothando ngokubonisa ukuthobeka. (Luka 9:46-48; 22:24-27) Ngokubageza izinyawo, uJesu wabafundisa ukuthobeka ngendlela engokoqobo, imfanelo ababonisi abangamaKristu okudingeka bayibonise.—Funda uJohane 13:12-15; 1 Pet. 2:21.

9. Isiphi isimo sengqondo uJesu atusa abafundi bakhe ukuba babe naso?

⁹ Umbono kaJesu ngendima yomalusi ongokomoya wawuhlukile kulowo uJakobe noJohane abake baba nawo. La baphostoli ababili bafuna ukuzitholela izikhundla eziphakeme eMbusweni. Kodwa uJesu wasilungisa isimo sabo sengqondo, wathi: “Niyazi ukuthi ababusi bezizwe bazenza izingqongqo phezu kwazo nabantu abakhulu basebenzisa igunya phezu kwazo. Akunjalo phakathi kwenu; kodwa noma ubani ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu kumelwe abe yisikhonzi senu.” (Math. 20:25, 26) La baphostoli babedinga ukulwisana nokuthambekela kokufuna ‘ukuzenza izingqongqo’ phezu kwabafowabo.

10. UJesu ufuna ukuba abadala bawuphathe kanjani umhlambi, futhi isiphi isibonelo uPawulu asibeka kule ndaba?

¹⁰ UJesu ulindele ukuba abadala abangamaKristu baphathe umhlambi ngendlela naye awuphatha ngayo. Kumelwe bazimisele ukuba babe yizinceku phakathi kwabafowabo, hhayi amakhosi abo. Umphostoli uPawulu wayenaleso simo sengqondo sokuthobeka, ngoba watshela amadoda amadala ebandla lase-Efesu: “Nazi kahle ukuthi kusukela osukwini lokuqala engangena ngalo esifundeni sase-Asiya nganginani ngaso sonke isikhathi, ngikhonza iNkosi ngengqondo enokuzithoba okukhulu kakhulu.” Lo mphostoli wayefisa ukuba labo badala basize abanye ngendlela eqotho nangokuthobeka. Wathi: “Nginibonisile kukho konke ukuthi ngokushikashikeka ngale ndlela kumelwe nisize ababuthakathaka.” (IzE. 20:18, 19, 35) UPawulu watshela abaseKorinte ukuthi wayengeyona inkosi phezu kokholo lwabo. Kunalokho, wayeyisisebenzi esithobekile esikanye nabo esasisebenzela injabulo yabo. (2 Kor. 1:24) UPawulu wabekela abadala namuhla isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka nokusebenza kanzima.

11, 12. Umdala angase amsize kanjani umKristu akanye naye ukuba enze isinqumo?

¹¹ Umdala webandla kumelwe ‘abambelele ngokuqinile ezwini elithembekile ngokuqondene nekhono lakhe lokufundisa.’ (Thithu 1:9) Kodwa kumelwe enze kanjalo “ngomoya wobumnene.” (Gal. 6:1) Kunokuba azame ukuphoqa ahlanganyela nabo ebandleni ukuba benze ngendlela ethile, umalusi omuhle ongokomoya ulwela ukushukumisa izinhliziyo zabo. Umdala angase aqokomise izimiso ezingokomBhalo umzalwane okufanele azicabangele lapho enza isinqumo esibalulekile. Angase abukeze naye okuye kwanyatheliswa ngaleyo ndaba. Angase futhi anxuse lo mzalwane ukuba acabangele ukuthi ukwenza ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene kungaba namuphi umphumela ebuhlotsheni bakhe noJehova. Umdala angase agcizelele ukubaluleka kokufuna isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu ngomthandazo ngaphambi kokwenza isinqumo. (IzAga 3:5, 6) Ngemva kokuxoxa ngezindaba ezinjalo nomKristu akanye naye, umdala uyomyeka ukuba azenzele yena isinqumo.—Roma 14:1-4.

 ¹² Ukuphela kwegunya ababonisi abangamaKristu abanalo yilelo abalinikezwa imiBhalo. Ngakho-ke, kubalulekile ukuba basebenzise iBhayibheli ngekhono futhi banamathele kulokho elikushoyo. Ukwenza kanjalo kusiza abadala ukuba bagweme ukulisebenzisa kabi igunya nganoma iyiphi indlela. Kakade, bamane nje bangabelusi abangaphansi, futhi ilungu ngalinye lebandla liyoziphendulela kuJehova nakuJesu ngezinqumo elizenzayo.—Gal. 6:5, 7, 8.

13, 14. Iziphi izici umdala okumelwe abe yisibonelo kuzo emhlambini?

¹³ Ngemva kokweluleka amadoda amadala ebandleni ukuba angabi ‘izingqongqo phezu kwalabo’ abangaphansi kwawo, umphostoli uPetru wawanxusa ukuba abe “yizibonelo emhlambini.” (1 Pet. 5:3) Umdala angaba kanjani isibonelo emhlambini? Cabangela izimfanelo ezimbili umuntu ‘ozama ukufinyelela ukuba umbonisi’ okufanele abe nazo. Kudingeka ‘ahluzeke engqondweni’ futhi kumelwe ‘engamele umkhaya wakhe ngendlela enhle.’ Uma umdala enomkhaya, kumelwe awengamele ngendlela eyisibonelo, ngoba “ngempela uma umuntu engakwazi ukwengamela indlu yakhe siqu, angalinakekela kanjani ibandla likaNkulunkulu?” (1 Thim. 3:1, 2, 4, 5) Ukuze umuntu akufanelekele ukuba umbonisi, kumelwe abe ohluzekile engqondweni, okungukuthi kumelwe aziqonde ngokucacile izimiso zikaNkulunkulu futhi akwazi ukuzisebenzisa ekuphileni kwakhe. Akaxhamazeli lapho enza izinqumo. Ukubona lezi zimfanelo kubadala kwenza amalungu ebandla abethembe.

¹⁴ Esinye isici ababonisi ababekela amaKristu abakanye nawo isibonelo esihle kuso ukuhola enkonzweni yasensimini. Kule ndaba, uJesu wababekela isibonelo ababonisi. Ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kwakuyingxenye ebalulekile yomsebenzi wakhe emhlabeni. Wabonisa abafundi bakhe indlela yokwenza lo msebenzi. (Marku 1:38; Luka 8:1) Yeka ukuthi bakhuthazeka kanjani abamemezeli namuhla lapho beshumayela nabadala, bebona intshiseko yabo kulo msebenzi osindisa ukuphila futhi befunda ezindleleni zabo zokufundisa! Ukushisekela kwababonisi ukusebenzisa isikhathi namandla abo ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle naphezu kokuthi bamatasa kukhuthaza lonke ibandla ukuba libonise intshiseko efanayo. Abadala bangabuye babekele abafowabo isibonelo esihle ngokulungiselela nangokuhlanganyela emihlanganweni yebandla nakweminye imisebenzi, enjengokuhlanza iHholo LoMbuso nokuligcina lisesimweni esihle.—Efe. 5:15, 16; funda amaHebheru 13:7.

15. Yiziphi ezinye izizathu zokuba abadala benze ukuhambela kokwalusa?

¹⁵ Umalusi omuhle uyashesha ukuthatha izinyathelo zokusiza lapho imvu ilimele noma igula. Ngokufanayo, abadala  kudingeka babanake ngokushesha noma ibaphi ebandleni abahluphekayo noma abadinga usizo olungokomoya. Kungenzeka asebekhulile nabagulayo badinge usizo olungokwenyama, kodwa abakudinga kakhulu usizo olungokomoya nesikhuthazo. (1 Thes. 5:14) Kungenzeka ukuthi intsha yasebandleni ibhekene nezinselele ‘ezinjengezifiso zobusha.’ (2 Thim. 2:22) Ngakho-ke, ukwalusa kuhlanganisa ukuhambela amalungu ebandla ngezikhathi ezithile ukuze abadala baqonde izimo abhekene nazo futhi bawakhuthaze ngezeluleko ezifanele ezivela emiBhalweni. Lapho izindaba ezinjalo zisingathwa ngesikhathi, izinkinga eziningi zingalungiswa zingakabi zimbi kakhulu.

16. Lapho ilungu lebandla lidinga usizo olungokomoya, abadala bangasiza kanjani?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani uma izinkinga zikhula zize zifake ingokomoya lelungu lebandla engozini? Umlobi weBhayibheli uJakobe wabuza: “Ingabe ukhona ogulayo phakathi kwenu? Makabize amadoda amadala ebandla, amthandazele, amgcobe ngamafutha egameni likaJehova. Umthandazo wokholo uyokwenza ongaphilile kahle aphile, uJehova amvuse. Futhi, uma enzile izono, uyothethelelwa.” (Jak. 5:14, 15) Ngisho noma ogulayo ngokomoya ‘engawabizi amadoda amadala,’ kufanele asheshe amsize lapho nje esazi ngesimo sakhe. Lapho bethandazela noma bethandaza nabafowabo futhi bebasekela ngezikhathi abadinga ngazo usizo, abadala baba abaqabulayo ngokomoya futhi baba isikhuthazo kulabo abangaphansi kwabo.—Funda u-Isaya 32:1, 2.

17. Lapho abadala belingisa “umalusi omkhulu,” kungaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁷ Kukho konke abakwenzayo enhlanganweni kaJehova, abelusi abangamaKristu balwela ukulingisa “umalusi omkhulu,” uJesu Kristu. Umhlambi uzuza kakhulu futhi uqhubeke uchuma lapho uthola usizo olungokomoya lwamadoda anjalo anomthwalo wemfanelo. Siyabonga futhi sishukumiseleka ukuba sidumise uMalusi wethu ongenakuqhathaniswa, uJehova, ngakho konke lokhu.