1. Yiyiphi indaba eseBhayibhilini ephathelane labanye abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababezikhohlisa? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

 KWAKUSEKUSENI, uMphristi oMkhulu u-Aroni eme esangweni lethabanikeli likaJehova, ephethe udengezi olulomlilo kanye lempepha. Eduze kwakhe, uKhora kanye lamadoda angu-250 babetshisa impepha phambi kukaJehova, munye ngamunye ephethe udengezi lwakhe lomlilo. (AmaN. 16:16-18) Kwakukhanya angani amadoda la wonke ayizikhonzi zikaJehova eziqotho. Kodwa u-Aroni nguye yedwa owayeqotho, abanye bonke laba babengabahlamuki abazikhukhumezayo ababefuna ukuhlwitha isikhundla sobuphristi. (AmaN. 16:1-11) Babecabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzabemukela, kanti bakhuthe ugatsha. Lokhu kwakuyikudelela uJehova ngoba uyenelisa ukuhlola izinhliziyo njalo uyabubona ubuzenzisi.​—Jer. 17:10.

2. UMosi wayevele etheni, njalo ayekukhulumile kwenzakala yini?

² UMosi wayevele ethe: “Kusasa ekuseni uJehova uzaveza obala ukuthi ngubani ongowakhe.” (AmaN. 16:5) Lakanye kwacaca ukuthi ngobani ababeyizikhonzi zeqiniso lapho ‘kuvela umlilo kuJehova watshaya waqothula [uKhora] lamadoda angu-250 ayenikela ngempepha.’ (AmaN. 16:35; 26:10) UJehova kambulalanga u-Aroni. Yikho-ke kwazicacela ukuthi  ngubani ­owayeyisikhonzi sakhe seqiniso, lokuthi umphristi ayemkhethile ngubani.​—Bala u-1 Khorinte 8:3.

3. (a) Ngesikhathi sikaPhawuli kwenzakalani? (b) Indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo uKhora labalandeli bakhe isitshengisani?

³ Ngemva kweminyaka engu-1 500, ngesikhathi sikaPhawuli, kwaphinda kwaba labanye abahlamuki. Amanye amaKhristu aqalisa ukukholwa izimfundiso zamanga kodwa aqhubeka esebandleni. Umuntu nje oyabe engakhangelisisanga wayengasoze awubone umahluko phakathi kwabahlamuki laba lamanye amaKhristu ebandleni. Kodwa izimfundiso zabo zamanga zazizacina sezixegise ukholo lwamaKhristu athembekileyo. Izimpisi lezi ezazizigqokise isikhumba semvu zaqalisa ‘ukuchitha ukukholwa kwabanye.’ (2 Tim. 2:16-18) Kodwa uJehova uyakhangelisisa konke okwenzakalayo. UPhawuli wayengakuthandabuzi lokhu ngoba wayekwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayeke wajezisa uKhora owayengumhlamuki kanye lababemsekela. Ake sihlole enye indaba eseBhayibhilini ephathelane lalokhu besesibona ukuthi ­singafundani kuyo.

4. Kuyini uPhawuli ayekwazi mhlophe, njalo lapho ebhalela uThimothi watshengisa njani ukuthi wayengakuthandabuzi lokhu?

⁴ UPhawuli wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi uJehova angabubona ubuzenzisi njalo wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uyabazi abamlalelayo. Lokhu sikubona ngamabala awasebenzisayo lapho ephefumulelwa ukuthi abhalele uThimothi. Esekhulume ngokuthi abahlamuki babevele sebechitha ukukholwa kwabanye ebandleni, wathi: “Noma kunjalo isisekelo sikaNkulunkulu esiqinileyo sigxilile, sibekwe uphawu lombhalo lo othi: ‘UJehova uyabazi labo abangabakhe,’ lothi, ‘Bonke abalivumayo ibizo likaJehova kumele badele ububi.’ ”​—2 Tim. 2:18, 19.

5, 6. Umutsho othi “isisekelo sikaNkulunkulu esiqinileyo” usifundisani, njalo kumele ukuthi uThimothi wezwa njani lapho esizwa amazwi la?

⁵ Amabala asetshenziswa nguPhawuli lapho ebhalela uThimothi asifundisani? Umutsho othi “isisekelo sikaNkulunkulu esiqinileyo” uqanjwa kanye kuphela eBhayibhilini. Kwezinye izikhathi lisebenzisa isingathekiso esithi “isisekelo” nxa lichaza izinto ezitshiyeneyo ngokwesibonelo iJerusalema elaliyisigodlo sako-Israyeli wasendulo. (Hubo. 87:1, 2) Kanti njalo uJesu usetshenziswa nguJehova ukuze agcwalise injongo yakhe, yikho eqathaniswa lesisekelo aphinde aqathaniswe lelitshe lengosi. (1 Khor. 3:11; 1 Phet. 2:6) Kuyini okwakusengqondweni kaPhawuli ngesikhathi ebhala ‘ngesisekelo sikaNkulunkulu esiqinileyo’?

⁶ Ngesikhathi ekhuluma ‘ngesisekelo sikaNkulunkulu esiqinileyo,’ uPhawuli wasebenzisa amazwi aku-AmaNani 16:5. Amazwi la ayekhulunywe nguMosi njalo ayephathelane loKhora kanye labasekeli bakhe. Yikho-ke kuyacaca ukuthi uPhawuli wayekhuluma ngalokho okwakwenzakale ngesikhathi sikaMosi. Wayefuna ukukhuthaza uThimothi kanye lokumkhumbuza ukuthi uJehova uyenelisa ukubona izenzo zomuntu ohlamukayo, abesemjezisa. UKhora kazange enelise ukuvimbela ukuthi injongo kaJehova iphumelele njalo labahlamuki ababesebandleni lelo babengasoze bayivimbe. UPhawuli kazange akhulume okunengi mayelana lokuthi “isisekelo sikaNkulunkulu esiqinileyo” siyini. Kodwa akuthandabuzwa ukuthi umutsho lo wenza uThimothi wathemba uJehova njalo waba lesibindi.

7. Kuyini okungenza singathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova ulungile njalo uthembekile kukho konke akwenzayo?

⁷ Izimiso zikaJehova eziphakemeyo zimi ziqinile. IHubo 33:11 lithi: “Amacebo kaJehova ami aqinile nini lanini, izinhloso zenhliziyo yakhe kuzo zonke izizukulwane.”  Eminye imibhalo ithi ukubusa kukaJehova, uthando lwakhe, ukulunga kwakhe kanye lokuthembeka kwakhe lakho kumi kuze kube nini lanini. (Eks. 15:18; Hubo. 106:1; 112:9; 117:2) UMalaki 3:6 uthi: “Mina uJehova kangiguquki.” Kanti njalo uJakhobe ­1:17 uthi uJehova ‘kaguquki njengemithunzi etshudukayo.’

8, 9. “Uphawu” okukhulunywa ngalo emzekelisweni kaPhawuli lusifundisani?

⁸ Ku-2 Thimothi 2:19 uPhawuli ukhuluma ngesisekelo esibekwe uphawu oluthile. Endulo kwakujayelekile ukuthi isisekelo sesakhiwo sibhalwe okuthile, mhlawumbe ibizo lomuntu owasakhayo kumbe elomnikazi. Kubo bonke abalobi beBhayibhili, uPhawuli nguye owaqala ukusebenzisa umzekeliso lo. * “Isisekelo sikaNkulunkulu esiqinileyo” silophawu oluthi: “UJehova uyabazi labo abangabakhe,” loluthi: “Bonke abalivumayo ibizo likaJehova kumele badele ububi.” Lokhu kusikhumbuza amazwi aku-AmaNani 16:5.​—Bala.

⁹ “Uphawu” okukhulunywa ngalo emzekelisweni kaPhawuli lusifundisani? AbangabakaNkulunkulu bangaba leqiniso lokuthi imithetho yakhe kanye lezimiso zakhe kusekelwe eqinisweni leli eliqakathekileyo: (1) UJehova uyabathanda abantu abaqotho. (2) UJehova uyabuzonda ububi. Lokhu kuhambelana njani lendaba yokuhlamuka kwababesebandleni ngesikhathi sikaPhawuli?

10. Abathembekileyo babesizwa njani nxa bebona izenzo zabahlamuki?

¹⁰ Kumele ukuthi izenzo zabahlamuki zazimkhathaza kakhulu uThimothi lamanye amaKhristu athembekileyo. Mhlawumbe abanye basebezibuza ukuthi kungani abahlamuki laba bengasuswa ebandleni. Kanti njalo abathembekileyo bangabe babezibuza ukuthi uJehova uyakubona yini ukuthi kulomahluko phakathi kwabo labahlamuki ababengabazenzisi.​—ImiSeb. ­20:29, 30.

11, 12. Kuyini okwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi incwadi kaPhawuli yaluqinisa ukholo lukaThimothi?

¹¹ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi incwadi kaPhawuli yaluqinisa ukholo lukaThimothi. Yamkhumbuza ukuthi u-Aroni wemukelwa nguNkulunkulu ngoba wayethembekile, kodwa kwacina kucaca ukuthi uKhora labangane bakhe babengabazenzisi njalo babhujiswa. Ngamanye amazwi, uPhawuli wayemtshela ukuthi lanxa  kwakulamaKhristu ahlamukayo ebandleni, uJehova wayezabona ukuthi ngobani sibili abangabakhe, njengalokho akwenza ngesikhathi sikaMosi.

¹² UJehova kaguquki njalo uthembekile. Uyabuzonda ububi njalo uyabajezisa ngesikhathi esifaneleyo abantu ababi abangaphendukiyo. UThimothi wabona lokuthi nxa wayengomunye ‘wabalivumayo ibizo likaJehova,’ kwakumele angavumi ukuyengwa ngamaKhristu la ahlamukayo. *

13. Kuyini esingakuthandabuziyo?

¹³ Amazwi kaPhawuli aphefumulelwayo angaqinisa ukholo lwethu. Okokuqala, kuyasikhuthaza kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyabubona ubuqotho bethu. Kodwa kaphongubona atshiye kunjalo. Ulendaba kakhulu lalabo abangabakhe. IBhayibhili lithi: “Amehlo kaJehova athungatha umhlaba wonke ukuze aqinise labo abanhliziyo zabo zizimisele kuye.” (2 ImiLan. 16:9) Yikho-ke kasithandabuzi ukuthi lokho esikwenzela uJehova ‘ngenhliziyo emhlophe’ akusilo ize.​—1 Tim. 1:5; 1 Khor. 15:58.

14. Yikuphi ukukhonza okuzondwa nguJehova?

¹⁴ Sithola isixwayiso esihle sokuthi uJehova uyakuzonda kakhulu ukukhonza okulobuzenzisi. Uyananzelela lokuthi ngobani ‘abanhliziyo zabo zizimisele kuye” ngoba ‘amehlo akhe athungatha umhlaba wonke.’ IZaga 3:32 zithi: ‘UJehova uyamenyanya umuntu oxhwalileyo, kumbe ongumkhohlisi’ ngokwesibonelo ozitshaya umuntu olalelayo ngapha esenza isono ecatshile ensitha. Lanxa umuntu okhohlisayo engaphumelela ukuqhubeka eqila abantu, uJehova olamandla njalo olokulunga uthi: “Lowo ofihla iziphambeko zakhe kayikuphumelela.”​—Zaga. 28:13; bala u-1 Thimothi 5:24; KumaHebheru 4:13.

15. Kuyini okungamelanga sikwenze, njalo kungani kungamelanga senze njalo?

¹⁵ Abantu bakaJehova abanengi baqotho ekukhonzeni kwabo. Kukalutshwana ukuthola ebandleni kulomuntu ozama ukuqila uJehova. Kodwa nxa kwaba labanye abazama ukumqila ngesikhathi sikaMosi lasebandleni lamaKhristu okuqala, kutsho ukuthi lalamuhla bangabakhona. (2 Tim. 3:1, 5) Lanxa kunjalo, kuqondile yini ukuthi singabathembi esikhonza labo, sihlale sizibuza ukuthi baqotho kuJehova kumbe bangabakhohlisi. Akuqondanga sibili! Siyabe siphambanisa nxa sesibacabangela okubi abafowethu labodadewethu, singela labufakazi. (Bala uRoma 14:10-12; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 13:7.) Okubi kakhulu yikuthi nxa singahlala sizitshela ukuthi abanye abenza kuhle ebandleni bangabakhohlisi, singaphambanisa ubuhlobo bethu loNkulunkulu.

16. (a) Kumele senzeni ukuze singacini sisiba ngabakhohlisi? (b) Yiyiphi imicijo esingayifunda ebhokisini elithi

¹⁶ UmKhristu munye ngamunye kumele ‘ahlole izenzo zakhe.’ (Gal. 6:4) Kungenzakala ukuthi singaziboni ukuthi sesisiba ngabakhohlisi ngenxa yokuthi sazalwa silesono. (Heb. 3:12, 13) Yikho-ke kumele sihlale sizihlola. Lokhu singakwenza ngokuzibuza imibuzo enjengale: ‘UJehova ngimkhonza ngenxa yokuthi ngiyamthanda yini? Kanti njalo ngimkhonza ngenxa yokuthi ngifuna abe nguMbusi wami yini? Kumbe ngimkhonzela ukuthola izibusiso asithembisa ukuthi sizazithola ePharadayisi?’ (Isam. 4:11) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kungasinceda sonke ukuhlola izenzo zethu, besesisusa izinsalela zobuzenzisi ezinhliziyweni zethu.

17, 18. Kungani kumele sibe qotho ekukhonzeni kwethu uJehova?

¹⁷ Sizathola izibusiso ezinengi nxa singazama ngamandla wonke ukuhlala siqotho.  Umhubi wathi: “Ubusisiwe umuntu osono sakhe kasinakwa nguJehova njalo ongelankohliso emoyeni wakhe.” (Hubo. 32:2) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abaqotho bayathokoza khathesi njalo balethemba lokuthola intokozo engapheliyo kwelizayo.

¹⁸ Ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, uJehova uzabaveza egcekeni abazenza abalungileyo bona besenza okubi becatshile ensitha. Lokhu kuzawucacisa “umahluko phakathi kwabalungileyo lababi, phakathi kwalabo abamkhonzayo uNkulunkulu lalabo abangamkhonziyo.” (Mal. 3:18) Khathesi kuyasikhuthaza ukwazi ukuthi “amehlo eNkosi aphezu kwabalungileyo, lezindlebe zayo ziyayilalela imikhuleko yabo.”—1 Phet. 3:12.