1. Shano indzaba leseBhayibhelini legcizelela kucabanga lokungemanga lokuncobe labanye bantfu baNkulunkulu. (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

NGALELINYE lilanga ekuseni, Aroni umPhristi Lophakeme wema ngasekungeneni kwelithende laJehova lekuhlangana, aphetse sitja sekushisa imphepho. Khona lapho edvutane, Khora nalamanye emadvodza langu-250 bebanikela imphepho kuJehova, futsi nguloyo naloyo bekaphetse sitja sakhe semphepho. (Num. 16:16-18) Nawusacala kuwabona lamadvodza, bewungacabanga kutsi onkhe atikhonti taJehova letetsembekile. Kodvwa abengafani na-Aroni ngobe abetihlubuki futsi bekafuna kutsatsa sikhundla sekuba baphristi. (Num. 16:1-11) Abetiyenga ngekucabanga kutsi Nkulunkulu utayemukela indlela lamkhonta ngayo. Kodvwa lentfo lamadvodza labekayilindzele beyihlambalata Jehova, lokhonako kufundza loko lokusenhlitiyweni futsi lobekakubona kutentisa kwawo.—Jer. 17:10.

2. Yini Mosi labeyishito, futsi emavi akhe agcwaliseka yini?

² Ngelilanga lelingaphambi kwekutsi bashise lemphepho, Mosi abetsite: “Ekuseni kusasa Simakadze utasikhombisa kutsi ngubani longewakhe.” (Num. 16:5) Ngako-ke Jehova wehlukanisa emkhatsini wetikhonti teliciniso netemanga ngesikhatsi ‘umlilo lowaphuma kuSimakadze udla [Khora nawo] onkhe lamadvodza  labengu-250 labekashisa imphepho.’ (Num. 16:35; 26:10) Ngesikhatsi lesifanako, Jehova wasindzisa Aroni, akhombisa kutsi uyamemukela njengemphristi wakhe nanjengesikhonti sakhe seliciniso.—Fundza 1 Khorinte 8:3.

3. (a) Ngusiphi simo lesavela ngesikhatsi semphostoli Pawula? (b) Ngusiphi sibonelo Jehova lasibeka emakhulwini eminyaka leyendlulile mayelana nekutsatsela tihlubuki sinyatselo?

³ Ngemuva kweminyaka lengaba ngu-1 500, kwavela simo lesifanako ngesikhatsi semphostoli Pawula. Labanye lebebatsi bangemaKhristu bemukela timfundziso temanga kodvwa bebachubeka batihlanganisa nelibandla. Kumuntfu nje lovamile, letihlubuki betingabonakala tifana nalabanye labasebandleni. Kodvwa kuhlubuka kwato kwaba yingoti kakhulu kumaKhristu letsembekile. Letimphisi lebetembetse tikhumba temvu tacala ‘kulimata kukholwa kwalabanye.’ (2 Thim. 2:16-18) Nanobe kunjalo, Jehova akasuye umuntfu longanaki, futsi loko Pawula bekakwati kuloko lakuva ngendlela Nkulunkulu lamtsatsela ngayo sinyatselo Khora nalabo lebebamsekela, lebebatihlubuki emakhulwini eminyaka leyendlulile. Njengobe sicabanga ngaloku, asesihlole indzaba letsite leseBhayibhelini futsi sibone kutsi ngutiphi tifundvo letilusito lesingatitfola kuyo.

4. Nguyiphi intfo Pawula labeciniseka ngayo, futsi wakuveta njani loko nakabhalela Thimothi?

⁴ Pawula abeciniseka kutsi Jehova uyakwati kubona labo labatentisako nabamkhonta, futsi abeciniseka kutsi uyakhona kubona labo labamlalelako. Pawula wayiveta indlela labeciniseka ngayo ngemavi lawasebentisa nakaphefumelelwa kutsi abhalele Thimothi. Ngemuva kwekukhuluma ngendlela tihlubuki lebetibulimata ngayo buhlobo balabanye naNkulunkulu ebandleni, Pawula wabhala: “Nangetulu kwaloko, sisekelo lesicinile saNkulunkulu solo simile, sinaloluphawu: ‘Jehova uyabati labo lababakhe,’ kanye nalolu: ‘Wonkhe umuntfu lobita libito laJehova akalahle kungalungi.’”—2 Thim. 2:18, 19.

5, 6. Abaluleke ngani emavi aPawula latsi “sisekelo lesicinile saNkulunkulu,” futsi kungenteka lamavi amtsintsa njani Thimothi?

⁵ Abaluleke ngani lamavi Pawula lawasebentisa kulombhalo? Ngulona kuphela umBhalo lokhuluma ‘ngesisekelo lesicinile saNkulunkulu.’ LiBhayibheli lisebentisa ligama lelitsi “sisekelo” njengesifaniso ngco setintfo letehlukahlukene. Nasi sibonelo: EBhayibhelini imitsetfo yaNkulunkulu lengashintjashintji lelawula kuhamba kwemhlaba nalewenta uhlale usendzaweni yawo ifaniswa ‘nesisekelo.’ (Hla. 104:5) Nendzima Jesu lanayo ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo yaJehova ifaniswa nesisekelo. (1 Khor. 3:11; 1 Phet. 2:6) Yini Pawula labecabanga ngayo ngesikhatsi abhala ‘ngesisekelo lesicinile saNkulunkulu’?

⁶ Pawula wakhuluma ‘ngesisekelo lesicinile saNkulunkulu’ endzaweni lefanako naleyo lacaphuna kuyo emavi aMosi lamayelana naKhora nalabo labebamsekela, latfolakala kuNumeri 16:5. Kungenteka kutsi Pawula wakhuluma ngetintfo lebetenteke esikhatsini saMosi kute akhutsate Thimothi, futsi amkhumbute kutsi Jehova uyakwati kubona bantfu labavukelako nekubatsatsela sinyatselo. Injongo yaJehova beyingeke iphatanyiswe nguletihlubuki lebetisebandleni njengobe nje beyingazange iphatanyiswe nguKhora emakhulwini eminyaka lebeseyendlulile. Pawula akazange achaze kabanti kutsi simelelani ‘lesisekelo lesicinile saNkulunkulu.’ Kodvwa asingabati kutsi emavi lawasebentisa enta Thimothi waciniseka futsi watetsemba tindlela taJehova.

7. Kungani singaciniseka kutsi Jehova utawenta tintfo ngekulunga nangekwetsembeka?

⁷ Timiso taJehova letiphakeme atishintji. Tihlabelelo 33:11 titsi: “Emasu aSimakadze ayawuhlala emile kuze kube phakadze; nemicabango yakhe iyawuhlala imile kuto tonkhe titukulwane.” Leminye imibhalo  itsi kubusa kwaJehova, lutsandvo lwakhe, kulunga kwakhe kanye nekwetsembeka kwakhe kutawuhlala phakadze. (Eks. 15:18; Hla. 106:1; 112:9; 117:2) Malakhi 3:6 utsi: “Mine, Simakadze, angigucuki.” Ngendlela lefanako, umbhalo waJakobe 1:17 utsi Jehova ‘akagucuki nobe ashintje njengesitfunti.’

8, 9. Ngusiphi sifundvo lesingasifundza ‘kuloluphawu’ lokukhulunywa ngalo emfanekisweni waPawula?

⁸ Umfanekiso waPawula loku-2 Thimothi 2:19 ukhuluma ngesisekelo lesibhalwe emavi latsite, kube shengatsi sibekwe luphawu. Kadzeni, bekuvamile kutsi kubhalwe emavi latsite esisekelweni sesakhiwo, mhlawumbe kute kuchazwe kutsi ngubani losakhile nobe kutsi sabani. Pawula ngumbhali weliBhayibheli wekucala lowasebentisa lomfanekiso. * Loluphawu ‘lolukulesisekelo lesicinile saNkulunkulu’ lunemilayeto lemibili. Wekucala utsi: “Jehova uyabati labo lababakhe,” futsi wesibili utsi: “Wonkhe umuntfu lobita libito laJehova akalahle kungalungi.” Loku kusikhumbuta ngaloko lesikufundza kuNumeri 16:5.—Fundza.

⁹ Ngusiphi sifundvo lesingasifundza ‘kuloluphawu’ lokukhulunywa ngalo emfanekisweni waPawula? Sifundza kutsi kubantfu baNkulunkulu, timiso taJehova tingahlanganiswa tibe ngunawa emaciniso lamabili: (1) Jehova uyabatsandza labo labetsembekile kuye, futsi (2) Jehova uyakutondza kungalungi. Lesifundvo sisebenta njani endzabeni yetihlubuki letibakhona ebandleni?

10. Tento tetihlubuki tabatsintsa njani bantfu labetsembekile esikhatsini saPawula?

¹⁰ Kungenteka kutsi Thimothi nalabanye labetsembekile, bebakhatsatekile ngaloko lobekwentiwa tihlubuki ebandleni. Mhlawumbe lamanye emaKhristu abetibuta kutsi kungani bantfu labanjalo bavunyelwa kutsi bachubeke basebandleni. Kungenteka nekutsi bantfu labetsembekile bebatibuta kutsi Jehova bekawubona yini umehluko emkhatsini wekwetsembeka kwabo nekutentisa kwetihlubuki.—Imis. 20:29, 30.

11, 12. Incwadzi yaPawula yakucinisa njani kukholwa kwaThimothi?

¹¹ Asingabati kutsi incwadzi yaPawula yakucinisa kukholwa kwaThimothi ngobe yamkhumbuta ngaloko lokwenteka ngesikhatsi Aroni lobekatsembekile aphakanyiswa, nangesikhatsi Khora nebantfu bakhe lebebatentisa bavetwa loko lebebangiko,  balahlwa futsi bajeziswa. Ecinisweni, Pawula bekaveta kutsi ngisho nobe angaba khona emaKhristu emanga emkhatsini wabo, Jehova abetababona labo lababakhe njengobe nje enta esikhatsini saMosi.

¹² Jehova ngeke aze ashintje, futsi singametsemba. Uyakutondza kungalungi futsi ngesikhatsi lesifanele uyabajezisa bantfu labangaphendvuki labenta lokubi. Njengobe Thimothi ‘abengumuntfu lobita libito laJehova,’ waphindze wakhunjutwa ngemtfwalo labenawo wekungayemukeli imikhuba lengakalungi yemaKhristu emanga. *

13. Yini lesingaciniseka ngayo?

¹³ Ngendlela lefanako, emavi aPawula laphefumulelwe angakucinisa kukholwa kwetfu. Kuyasicinisa kwati kutsi Jehova uyakubona kwetsembeka kwetfu. Kodvwa akusho kutsi ugcina ngekukubona nje kuphela. Esikhundleni saloko, Jehova ubakhatsalela kakhulu labo lababakhe. LiBhayibheli litsi: “Emehlo aSimakadze abuka emhlabeni wonkhe kucinisa labo labatinhlitiyo tabo titinikele kuye ngalokuphelele.” (2 Khr. 16:9) Ngako-ke, singaciniseka kutsi loko lesikwentela Jehova ‘lokuvela enhlitiyweni lemhlophe,’ akusilo lite kuye.—1 Thim. 1:5; 1 Khor. 15:58.

14. Ngukuphi kukhonta lokungemukeleki kuJehova?

¹⁴ Kubalulekile nekwati kutsi Jehova akabemukeli bantfu labamkhonta ngekutentisa. Njengobe ‘emehlo akhe abuka emhlabeni wonkhe,’ uyakhona kubabona labo ‘labangakatinikeli kuye ngalokuphelele.’ Taga 3:32 titsi: “Umuntfu [lokhohlisako] usinengiso kuSimakadze.” Loku kufaka ekhatsi umuntfu lotentisako, ente shengatsi uyalalela kantsi wenta tono esitse. Nanobe umuntfu lokhohlisako angabayenga labanye bantfu kwesikhashana, kodvwa Jehova uyasicinisekisa ngemandla akhe nangekulunga kwakhe kutsi “umuntfu lofihla tono takhe angeke aphumelele.”—Taga 28:13; fundza 1 Thimothi 5:24; Hebheru 4:13.

15. Yini lokufanele siyibalekele, futsi ngani?

¹⁵ Bantfu baJehova labanyenti batinikele kuye ngebucotfo. Kungaba yintfo lemangalisako nangabe ngemabomu, lotsite ebandleni acala kukhonta Nkulunkulu ngendlela lengemukeleki. Nobe kunjalo, nangabe loko kwenteka ngesikhatsi saMosi nangesikhatsi kusandza kusungulwa libandla lebuKhristu, kungenteka nalamuhla. (2 Thim. 3:1, 5) Kodvwa-ke, loko kusho kutsi kufanele siwasole yini lamanye emaKhristu, sicabange kutsi awaketsembeki kuJehova? Cha akusinjalo! Kungaba liphutsa lelikhulu kusola bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu. (Fundza Roma 14:10-12; 1 Khorinte 13:7.) Ngetulu kwaloko, kuba nemkhuba wekusola bucotfo balabanye ebandleni kungalimata buhlobo betfu naNkulunkulu.

16. (a) Yini sonkhe lesingayenta kute kutentisa kungakheki etinhlitiyweni tetfu? (b) Ngutiphi tifundvo lesingatitfola ebhokisini lelitsi “ Chubekani Nitihlola . . . ”?

¹⁶ UmKhristu ngamunye kufanele ‘ahlole tento takhe.’ (Gal. 6:4) Njengobe sinesono, sihlale sisengotini yekuba nemikhuba lekhombisa kutsi asisicotfo, ngisho nobe singakahlosi. (Heb. 3:12, 13) Ngako kufanele sitihlole njalo tisusa tetfu tekukhonta Jehova. Singatibuta: ‘Jehova ngimkhonta ngobe ngimtsandza yini futsi ngikhumbula kutsi uphakeme? Nobe nginaka kakhulu tibusiso lengilindzele kutitfola ePharadisi?’ (Semb. 4:11) Asingabati kutsi sonkhe singazuza ngekuhlola tento tetfu nangekususa nobe ngukuphi kutentisa lokungenteka kutsi kukhona etinhlitiyweni tetfu.

17, 18. Kungani kufanele sibe cotfo futsi setsembeke ekukhonteni kwetfu Jehova?

¹⁷ Nasetama kuba cotfo futsi setsembeka ekukhonteni kwetfu Nkulunkulu, sitfola  tibusiso letinyenti. Umhlabeli watsi: “Ubusisiwe umuntfu Nkulunkulu langambaleli tiphambuko takhe, lonenhlitiyo lete inkhohliso.” (Hla. 32:2) Ngako-ke, labo labasusa konkhe kutentisa etinhlitiyweni tabo bajabula kakhulu, futsi batawuba nelitfuba lekutfola injabulo lengapheli esikhatsini lesitako.

¹⁸ Ngesikhatsi lesifanele, Jehova utawubenta babonakale bonkhe bantfu labenta lokubi nobe labaphila imphilo lemphacambili, awente ucace “umehluko emkhatsini walabalungile nalababi, ngisho emkhatsini walabo labakhonta Nkulunkulu nalabo labangamkhonti.” (Mal. 3:18) Kwanyalo, kuyasicinisa kwati kutsi “emehlo aJehova akulabalungile, netindlebe takhe tisekuncuseni kwabo.”—1 Phet. 3:12.