1. Kungani izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zingamangali ngokuthi zingehlelwa yizinhlungu?

 KUYAKWETHUSA yini ukuthi sizadlula “ezinhlungwini ezinengi” singakatholi umvuzo wokuphila okungapheliyo? Kungabe kungakwethusi ngoba uyakwazi ukuthi vele izinhlungu zikhona emhlabeni lo obuswa nguSathane. Kanti njalo azilani lokuthi usaqala ukukhonza uJehova kumbe usuleminyaka eminengi umkhonza.​—Isam. 12:12.

2. (a) Yiziphi ezinye izinhlungu ezingehlela amaKhristu? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Ngubani otshotshozela ukuthi sihlukuluzwe, futhi sikwazi njani ukuthi nguye?

² Izinhlungu ‘zejwayelekile ebantwini’ bonke abazalwa belesono. Kodwa kulezinye izinhlungu ezingahlasela amaKhristu. (1 Khor. 10:13) Yiziphi? Yikuhlukuluzwa ngenxa yokuthi ahlala eqotho kuNkulunkulu njalo alalela imilayo yakhe. UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe wathi: “ ‘Kakula nceku enkulu kulenkosi yayo.’ Nxa bangichukuluza mina, lani bazalichukuluza.” (Joh. 15:20) Ngubani otshotshozela ukuthi sihlukuluzwe? Kusegcekeni ukuthi nguSathane yikho iBhayibhili limfanisa ‘lesilwane esibhongayo esidinga esingamudla’ ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu. (1 Phet.  5:8) USathane uzakwenza loba kuyini ukuze abalandeli bakaJesu bangahlali beqotho. Ake sikhangele okwake kwenzakala kumphostoli uPhawuli.

3-5. (a) UPhawuli wehlelwa yiziphi izinhlungu eListra? (b) Amazwi akhe aphathelane lezinhlungu abaqinisa njani abafundi?

³ UPhawuli wahlukuluzwa kanengi ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. (2 Khor. 11:23-27) Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala eseListra. Esanda kusilisa indoda eyazalwa iyisigoga, ixuku elalilapho lathaba laba manzi te laze laqala ukudumisa uPhawuli lomngane wakhe uBhanaba lisithi bangonkulunkulu. UPhawuli loBhanaba baze benza okokulincenga ixuku leli ukuthi lingakwenzi lokhu ngoba phela lalingasabambeki. Kodwa ngesikhatshana nje abaphikisi abangamaJuda basebethelekile bafika bakhuluma kubi ngoPhawuli loBhanaba. Kwahle kwantshintsha yonke into. Abantu basukela uPhawuli bamkhanda ngamatshe bamtshiya bebona angani usefile.​—ImiSeb. 14:8-19.

⁴ UPhawuli loBhanaba batshumayela eDebhe “basebebuyela eListra, le-Ikhoniyamu le-Antiyokhi beqinisa abafundi njalo bebakhuthaza ukuthi babambelele ekukholweni. Bathi, ‘Kufanele sedlule ezinhlungwini ezinengi ukuze singene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.’ ” (ImiSeb. 14:21, 22) Ekuqaliseni kungakhanya kunzima ukuwazwisisa amazwi la. Phela ukucabanga ngokuthi kwakuzamele bedlule “ezinhlungwini ezinengi” kwakungabakhathaza kulokuthi kubakhuthaze abafundi laba. Amazwi kaPhawuli loBhanaba ayetshengisa ukuthi babezakwehlelwa yizinhlungu ezinengi. Pho-ke kungani kuthiwa ‘baqinisa abafundi’ bona bakhuluma amazwi ayekhanya engathembisi?

⁵ Impendulo singayithola ngokukhangela amazwi kaPhawuli ngelihlo elibukhali. Kazange aphonguthi: “Kufanele sibekezelele izinhlungu ezinengi.” Kodwa wathi: “Kufanele sedlule ezinhlungwini ezinengi ukuze singene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.” Ngakho uPhawuli waqinisa abafundi ngokugcizelela ukuthi nxa babezahlala bethembekile babezathola umvuzo omkhulu. Lokhu kwakungeke kube liphupho nje. UJesu wathi: “Lowo omayo aqine kuze kube sekupheleni uzasindiswa.”​—Mat. 10:22.

6. Yiwuphi umvuzo esizawuthola nxa singama siqine?

⁶ Lathi sizathola umvuzo nxa singama siqine. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo azathola umvuzo wokuphila okungelakufa ezulwini esebusa loJesu. “Ezinye izimvu” zona zizathola umvuzo wokuphila okungapheliyo emhlabeni omutsha ozakuba ‘likhaya lokulunga.’ (Joh. 10:16; 2 Phet. 3:13) Kodwa uPhawuli wakucacisa ukuthi singakawutholi umvuzo lo sizedlula ezinhlungwini ezinengi. Ake sixoxe ngemihlobo emibili yezinhlungu ezingasehlela.

7. Chaza ukuthi ngokunjani ukuhlaselwa okumgceke.

⁷ UJesu wathi: “Lizanikelwa kubaphathi bezindawo litshaywe emasinagogweni. Ngenxa yami lizamiswa phambi kwababusi lamakhosi.” (Mak. 13:9) Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi ezinye izinhlungu ezingehlela amanye amaKhristu yikuhlukuluzwa okungabe kutshotshozelwa ngabakhokheli benkolo kumbe ngabezombangazwe. (ImiSeb. 5:27, 28) Ake sibuyele endabeni kaPhawuli. Kwakumesabisa yini ukucabanga ngokuthi laye wayengahlukuluzwa? Ngitsho lakancane.​—Bala imiSebenzi 20:22, 23.

8, 9. UPhawuli wakutshengisa njani ukuthi wayezimisele ukuma aqine, njalo abanye lamuhla bakwenza njani lokhu?

⁸ UPhawuli waba lesibindi sokulwisana lokuhlasela kukaSathane okumgceke, waze wathi: “Kungenani, eyami impilo ngiyibona ingasulutho kimi, uba kodwa lokhu ngingaliqeda ibanga ngiwufeze lomsebenzi iNkosi uJesu engiphe wona—umsebenzi wokufakaza ivangeli lomusa kaNkulunkulu.”  (ImiSeb. 20:24) Kuyacaca ukuthi uPhawuli kazange esabe ukuthi wayengahlukuluzwa. Wayezimisele ukuma aqine loba sekutheni. Ayekuqakathekisa kakhulu ‘yikufakaza,’ lanxa izinhlungu ezinengi zazingamehlela.

⁹ Yikho kanye okwenziwa ngabafowethu labodadewethu abanengi lamuhla. Ngokwesibonelo kwelinye ilizwe sekuleminyaka engaba ngamatshumi amabili abanye oFakazi bevalelwe ejele ngenxa yokuthi bala ukungenela kwezombangazwe. Icala labo kalizange lithonisiswe ngoba elizweni lelo babengalalelwa abantu ababesala ukungenela kwezombangazwe ngenxa yomzwangedwa wabo. Ngesikhathi besejele, babengavunyelwa lokuvakatshelwa ngabangakibo njalo ezinye izibotshwa zazitshaywa futhi zihlukuluzwa ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo.

10. Kungani kungamelanga sizesabe izinhlungu ezingasijuma?

¹⁰ Lakwezinye izindawo abazalwane bayaqinisela lanxa bejunywa yizinhlungu. Nxa lokhu kungakwehlela akumelanga wesabe. Cabanga ngoJosefa. Wathengiswa wayakuba yisigqili, kodwa uJehova “wamophula kuzozonke izinhlupho zakhe.” (ImiSeb. 7:9, 10) Lawe uJehova angakophula. Ungakhohlwa ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukuhlenga abantu abamesabayo ekulingweni.” (2 Phet. 2:9) Yikho-ke uJehova uzakuhlenga emhlabeni lo omubi njalo uzakunika ithuba lokukholisa ukuphila okungapheliyo nxa sekubusa uMbuso wakhe. Uzaqhubeka umthemba yini? Kumele umthembe sibili njalo ube lesibindi nxa uhlukuluzwa.​—1 Phet. 5:8, 9.

11. Ukuhlasela kukaSathane ngezindlela ezicatshileyo kutshiyene njani lokuhlasela okumgceke?

¹¹ Ezinye izinhlungu ezingasehlela yikuhlaselwa ngezindlela ezicatshileyo. Lokhu kutshiyene njani lokuhlaselwa okumgceke? Ukuhlaselwa okumgceke kufanana lesiphepho esifika lapho ohlala khona sibhidlize indlu yakho ngesikhatshana nje. Kodwa ukuhlaselwa ngezindlela ezicatshileyo kufanana lomuhlwa otshabalalisa indlu yakho kancane kancane ize idilike. Lokhu uyabe ungakunanzeleli indlu ize iwe.

12. (a) Yiyiphi enye indlela yokuhlasela kukaSathane okucatshileyo, njalo kungani imsebenzela kuhle? (b) Kuyini okwakusenza ukuthi uPhawuli adane?

¹² USathane ufuna ukubuqeda ubuhlobo bakho loJehova. Lokhu angakwenza ngokuhlasela okumgceke ekuhlukuluza, kumbe ngokutshabalalisa ukholo lwakho kancane kancane esebenzisa izindlela ezicatshileyo. Enye indlela ecatshileyo emsebenzela kuhle kakhulu yikwenza umuntu adane. Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi laye wayeke adane kwezinye izikhathi. (Bala uRoma 7:21-24.) Kungenzeka ukuthi wayelilunga lequla elibusayo langekhulu lakuqala. Pho kuyini okwakungenza indoda le eyayilokholo oluqine kangaka icine isizibiza ngokuthi ‘iyisinothongwana’? Ithi okwakuyenza idane yikuthi yayilesono. UPhawuli wayefisa sibili ukwenza okulungileyo, kodwa wayesizwa kulokuthile okwakumdonsela emuva. Nxa lawe uyake udane, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kuyakududuza ukuthi kayisuwe wedwa.

13, 14. (a) Kuyini okubangela ukuthi abanye abantu bakaNkulunkulu badane? (b) Ngubani ofuna ukubhidliza ukholo lwethu njalo ukwenzelani lokhu?

¹³ Kwezinye izikhathi abafowethu labodadewethu abanengi bayake badane, bakhathazeke kumbe bazizwe bengasilutho. Ngokwesibonelo elinye iphayona elikhutheleyo esizalibiza ngokuthi nguDeborah lithi: “Kanenginengi ngifikelwa ngumcabango wokuthile engiyabe ngikuphambanisile, ube ulokhu ungidla, ngizwe ubuhlungu kakhulu. Nxa ngicabanga konke engakuphambanisayo ngicina sengibona angani vele akulamuntu ongangithanda, ngitsho laye uJehova sibili.”

¹⁴ Kuyini okwenza ezinye izikhonzi zikaJehova ezikhutheleyo zikhathazeke kangaka? Lokhu kungabangelwa yizinto ezinengi. Abanye bangabe bezikhangelela phansi njalo  behlala becabanga ngezinto ezibuhlungu ezenzakala ezimpilweni zabo. (Zaga. 15:15) Kanti njalo kwabanye imicabango le ingabe ibangelwa yikugula okwenza umuntu ahlulukelwe. Kungelani lokuthi lokhu kubangelwa kuyini kumele singakhohlwa ukuthi kulomuntu ofuna sihlale sidanile. Ubona angani ngubani ofuna udane uze ukhalale ukukhonza? Kusegcekeni ukuthi nguSathane. Uyakwazi ukuthi usezabhujiswa yikho ufuna lawe ungabi lethemba njengaye. (Isam. 20:10) Kungelani lokuthi usebenzisa ukuhlasela okumgceke kumbe okucatshileyo, akuhlosileyo yikuthi asenze sikhathazeke, sicine sesingamavila ekukhonzeni size sikhalale lokukhalala. Singatsho siphinde ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu balwa impi enzima ukuze bavikele ukholo lwabo.

15. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sizimisele ukuthi singehlulwa yikudana?

¹⁵ Zimisele ukuqhubeka usilwa, ungakhalali. Hlala ucabanga ngomvuzo ozawuthola. UPhawuli wabhalela amaKhristu aseKhorinte wathi: “Kasilahli themba. Lanxa ngaphandle sicikizeka, kodwa ngaphakathi senziwa sibe batsha izinsuku zonke. Ngoba ukukhanya kwethu lezinhlupheko zethu ezincane ezesikhatshana zisizuzela inkazimulo elaphakade enkulu kulazo zonke.”​—2 Khor. 4:16, 17.

16. Kungani kuqakathekile ukulungiselela izinhlungu zingakafiki?

¹⁶ Sesibonile ukuthi uSathane ‘ulamacebo’ amanengi kakhulu awasebenzisayo. (Efe. 6:11) Sonke kumele silandele iseluleko esiku-1 Phetro 5:9 esithi: “Menqabeni, liqinile ekukholweni.” Ukuze senelise ukwenza lokhu kumele silungise izingqondo zethu lezinhliziyo, sizifundise khathesi ukuthi senze izinto ezilungileyo. Lokhu singakufananisa lamasotsha. Amasotsha ajayele ukuqeqetshwa okuzwayo sibili lanxa kungelasitha esikhanya singahlasela. Yikho-ke, ukuba  yizikhonzi zikaJehova kufanana lokuba ngamasotsha. Kasikwazi ukuthi sizahlangana lani empini le yokuvikela ukholo lwethu. Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi sihle silungiselele okuzwayo izinhlungu zingakafiki. UPhawuli wabhalela abaseKhorinte wathi: “Zihloleni ukuba libone langabe lisekukholweni; zihloleni.”​—2 Khor. 13:5.

17-19. (a) Singazihlola njani? (b) Abasakhulayo bangazilungiselela njani ukuze bavikele ukholo lwabo nxa besesikolo?

¹⁷ Okunye esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyasilalela iseluleko sikaPhawuli esaphefumulelwayo yikuzihlolisisa. Yikho-ke zibuze ukuthi: ‘Ngithandaza kokuphela yini? Nxa abanye bengiyenga ukuthi ngenze okuthile okungahambelani lalokho okufunwa nguNkulunkulu, ngilalela yena yini kumbe bona? Ngiyalova yini emihlanganweni? Ngilaso yini isibindi sokutshela abanye lokho engikukholwayo? Kambe ngiyazama yini ukubekezela nxa engikhonza labo bephambanisa, njengoba labo bebekezela nxa lami ngiphambanisa? Ngiyabalalela yini abakhokhelayo ebandleni engikulo kanye lalabo abakhokhelayo enhlanganisweni kaJehova esemhlabeni wonke?’

¹⁸ Emibuzweni ephezulu kulemibili ephathelane lokuba lesibindi sokukhuluma lokho esikukholwayo kanye lokulwisana lokuyengwa ngabantu abafuna senze okubi. Banengi kakhulu abasakhulayo esikhonza labo abahlangana lalokhu esikolo. Kodwa sebelesibindi njalo kabalanhloni zokuchaza lokho abakukholwayo. Kulamacebo amanengi angabaphathisa aphuma kumamagazini ethu. Ngokwesibonelo i-Awake! kaJuly 2009 yathi nxa umuntu ofunda laye angakubuza athi: “Yindaba ungakholwa ukuthi izinto zemvelo zazenzakalela?” wena ungaphonguthi: “Kungani kumele ngikukholwe? Phela labezesayensi kabavumelani lakho, lanxa kuyibo izingcitshi zakhona!” Bazali, lingayekeli ukuba lezikhathi zokulungiselela lilabantwabenu ukuze nxa sebesesikolo bakwazi ukuthi bangabaphendula njani abafunda labo.

¹⁹ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kakulula ukuba lesibindi sokukhuluma ngalokho okukholwayo loba ukwenza ezinye izinto ezifunwa nguJehova. Lanxa sidinwe sifile sivela emsebenzini kuyabe kumele siqinisele siye emhlanganweni. Kanti njalo nxa ubuthongo busamnandi kungaba nzima ukuvuka ekuseni siye enkonzweni. Kodwa khumbula lokhu: Nxa ungazijayeza ukwenza zonke izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza, uzakwenelisa ukulwisana lezinhlungu ezinzima ezingasehlela esikhathini esizayo.

20, 21. (a) Ukucabangisisa ngenhlawulo kungasinceda njani ukuthi silwisane lokudana? (b) Kuyini okumele sizimisele ukukwenza?

²⁰ Singalwisana njani lokuhlasela okucatshileyo? Ngokwesibonelo kuyini esingakwenza nxa sidanile? Okungasinceda kakhulu yikucabangisisa ngenhlawulo. Yikho kanye okwenziwa ngumphostoli uPhawuli. Lanxa wayeke adane kwezinye izikhathi, wayekuzwisisa ukuthi uKhristu wafela abantu abayizoni hatshi abangelasono. Laye wayengomunye wezoni lezo. Yikho waze wabhala ukuthi: “Ngiphila ngokukholwa eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu, eyangithandayo njalo yazinikela ngenxa yami.” (Gal. 2:20) Kuyazicacela ukuthi uPhawuli wayamukela inhlawulo. Wayekubona ukuthi inhlawulo le yayinceda yena ngokwakhe.

²¹ Yikho-ke lawe kungakusiza kakhulu ukubona ukuthi inhlawulo iyisipho uNkulunkulu asiphe wena. Lokhu akutsho ukuthi ukudana kuzahle kunyamalale njengenkungu. Kungenzakala ukuthi abanye bethu balwisane lokuhlasela lokhu okucatshileyo kuze kufike umhlaba omutsha. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi ukuqinisela yikho okuzakwenza uthole umvuzo. Sekuseduze kakhulu ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ulethe ukuthula njalo ususe isono ebantwini abathembekileyo. Ngakho-ke, zimisele ukungena eMbusweni lanxa ungadlula ezinhlungwini ezinengi.