1. Kungani izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zingamangali lapho zibhekana nosizi?

INGABE kuyakwethusa ukuthi kumelwe ulindele ukubhekana ‘nezinsizi eziningi’ ngaphambi kokuba uthole umklomelo wokuphila okuphakade? Cishe akunjalo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usanda kulithola iqiniso noma uyinceku kaJehova engumakadebona, uyazi ukuthi ubunzima buyingxenye yokuphila ezweni likaSathane.—IsAm. 12:12.

2. (a) Ngaphandle kwezinkinga ezithinta bonke abantu abangaphelele, iluphi uhlobo losizi amaKristu abhekana nalo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Ubani obangela izinsizi zethu, futhi sazi kanjani?

² Ngaphandle kobunzima ‘obuvamile kubantu’—izinkinga ezithinta bonke abantu abangaphelele—amaKristu abhekana nolunye uhlobo losizi. (1 Kor. 10:13) Yiluphi? Ukuphikiswa kanzima ngenxa yokuthi alalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu ngokungaguquguquki. UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe: “Inceku ayinkulu kunenkosi yayo. Uma beye bashushisa mina, bayonishushisa nani.” (Joh. 15:20) Ubani obangela lokho kuphikiswa? USathane, iBhayibheli elimchaza “njengengonyama ebhongayo” ‘efuna ukushwabadela’ abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (1 Pet. 5:8) USathane uyosebenzisa noma yini ukuze azame ukuphula ubuqotho babafundi bakaJesu. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kumphostoli uPawulu.

3-5. (a) Yiluphi usizi olwehlela uPawulu eListra? (b) Amazwi kaPawulu mayelana nezinsizi zesikhathi esizayo ayeqinisa ngaziphi izindlela?

³ UPawulu washushiswa kaningi ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. (2 Kor. 11:23-27) Esinye salezo zenzakalo senzeka eListra. Ngemva kokuphulukisa indoda eyayizelwe ilunyonga, uPawulu nomngane wakhe uBarnaba badunyiswa njengokungathi bangonkulunkulu. Kwadingeka bancenge isixuku esase sivukwe amadlingozi ukuba singabakhulekeli! Kungakabiphi kwafika abaphikisi abangamaJuda futhi babanyundela ukuze bonakalise izingqondo zabantu. Gwiqiqi izinto zajika! Bona laba bantu bakhanda uPawulu ngamatshe bamshiya becabanga ukuthi ufile.—IzE. 14:8-19.

⁴ Ngemva kokuvakashela eDerbe, uPawulu noBarnaba “babuyela eListra nase-Ikoniyu nase-Antiyokiya, beqinisa imiphefumulo yabafundi, bebakhuthaza ukuba bahlale okholweni, bethi: ‘Kumelwe singene embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinsizi eziningi.’” (IzE. 14:21, 22) La mazwi angaqale ezwakale eyinqaba. Phela, ukucabanga ngokubhekana ‘nezinsizi eziningi’ kungase kubonakale kucindezela, kungakhuthazi. UPawulu noBarnaba ‘babaqinisa kanjani-ke abafundi’ ngala mazwi ayebonisa ukuthi kuzoba nosizi olwengeziwe?

⁵ Singayithola impendulo uma sibhekisisa amazwi kaPawulu. Akazange amane athi: “Kumelwe sikhuthazelele izinsizi eziningi.” Kunalokho wathi: “Kumelwe singene embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinsizi eziningi.” Ngakho uPawulu waqinisa abafundi ngokugcizelela umphumela omuhle wenkambo yokwethembeka. Lowo mvuzo wawungelona utalagu. Ngempela, uJesu wathi: “Lowo okhuthazele kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.”—Math. 10:22.

6. Imuphi umvuzo ozotholwa yilabo abakhuthazelayo?

⁶ Uma sikhuthazela, siyothola umvuzo. KumaKristu agcotshiwe, lowo mvuzo uyoba ukuphila okungenakufa ezulwini njengababusi abakanye noJesu. ‘Kwabezinye izimvu,’ uwukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni ‘okuyohlala kuwo ukulunga.’ (Joh. 10:16; 2 Pet. 3:13) Nokho, njengoba uPawulu ephawulile, okwamanje sisazobhekana nezinsizi eziningi. Cabanga ngezinhlobo ezimbili zobunzima esingase sibhekane nazo.

7. Hlobo luni losizi olungase luchazwe ngokuthi ukuhlaselwa okuqondile?

⁷ UJesu wabikezela: “Abantu bayoninikela ezinkantolo zendawo, futhi niyoshaywa emasinagogeni, nimiswe phambi kwababusi namakhosi.” (Marku 13:9) Njengoba lawo mazwi ebonisa, amanye amaKristu ayobhekana nosizi lokushushiswa ngokoqobo, mhlawumbe olugqugquzelwa abaholi bezenkolo noma bezombusazwe. (IzE. 5:27, 28) Ake uphinde ucabange ngesibonelo sikaPawulu. Ingabe kwamethusa ukucabanga ngokuthi uzoshushiswa? Lutho neze.—Funda izEnzo 20:22, 23.

8, 9. UPawulu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayezimisele ukukhuthazela, futhi abanye namuhla bakubonise ngayiphi indlela ukuzimisela okufanayo?

⁸ UPawulu wabhekana ngesibindi nokuhlasela okuqondile kukaSathane futhi wathi: “Umphefumulo wami angiwenzi obaluleke njengokungathi uyigugu kimi, uma nje ngingaqeda inkambo yami nenkonzo engayamukela eNkosini uJesu, yokunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele ngezindaba ezinhle zomusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu.” (IzE. 20:24) Ngokusobala, akuzange kumesabise uPawulu ukucabanga ngokuthi uzoshushiswa. Kunalokho, wazimisela ukukhuthazela, kumnyama kubomvu. Into ayeyikhathalela ngokuyinhloko ‘kwakuwukunikeza ubufakazi obuphelele’ naphezu kwanoma iluphi usizi.

⁹ Namuhla, abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi baye babonisa ukuzimisela  okufanayo. Ngokwesibonelo, kwelinye izwe abanye oFakazi bakhuthazelele iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-20 begqunywe ejele ngenxa yokungathathi-hlangothi. Icala labo alikaze liqulwe ngoba lelo zwe alinalo ilungiselelo lokwenqaba ukuya empini ngenxa kanembeza. Ngesikhathi besejele babenqatshelwa ukuba nezivakashi ngisho namalungu omndeni, futhi ezinye iziboshwa zazishaywa, zihlukunyezwe ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene.

10. Kungani kungafanele sesabe izinsizi ezifika kungazelelwe?

¹⁰ Abafowethu kwezinye izindawo bakhuthazelela izinsizi ezifika kungazelelwe. Uma kungenzeka lokho kuwe, ungesabi. Cabanga ngoJosefa. Wathengiswa ebugqilini, kodwa uJehova “wamkhulula kuzo zonke izinsizi zakhe.” (IzE. 7:9, 10) UJehova angenza okufanayo nakuwe. Ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi ‘uJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokumhlonipha.’ (2 Pet. 2:9) Ingabe uzoqhubeka uthembela kuJehova, wazi ukuthi angakukhulula kulesi simiso sezinto esibi futhi akuvumele uthole ukuphila okuphakade ngaphansi koMbuso wakhe? Unazo zonke izizathu zokwenza kanjalo nezokubhekana noshushiso ngesibindi.—1 Pet. 5:8, 9.

11. Ukuhlasela kukaSathane okucashile kuhluke kanjani kokuqondile?

¹¹ Olunye uhlobo losizi esingase sibhekane nalo luhlanganisa ukuhlasela okucashile. Luhluke kanjani ekuhlaseleni okuqondile kokushushiswa ngokoqobo? Ukuhlasela okuqondile kufana nesishingishane esihlasela edolobheni sibhidlize indlu yakho ngaso leso sikhathi. Ukuhlasela okucashile kona kufana nomuhlwa ongena ungabonakali bese uqala ukudla izingodo zendlu yakho kancane kancane ize ibhidlike. Umuntu angase angayiqapheli ingozi yokuhlasela komuhlwa kuze kube yilapho sekwephuze kakhulu.

12. (a) Iliphi elinye lamaqhinga kaSathane acashile, futhi kungani liphumelela kangaka? (b) Ukudikibala kwamthinta kanjani uPawulu?

¹² USathane angathanda ukuqeda ubuhlobo bakho noJehova, angakuhlasela ngokuqondile ngokukushushisa noma ngokuqeda ukholo lwakho kancane kancane ngokuhlasela okucashile. Elinye lamaqhinga aphumelela kakhulu uSathane awasebenzisayo ukudikibala. Umphostoli uPawulu wavuma ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi wayezizwa edikibele. (Funda eyabaseRoma 7:21-24.) Kungani uPawulu—umuntu owayevutha ngokomoya cishe eyilungu lendikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala—ayengazibiza ngokuthi ‘ungumuntu wosizi’? UPawulu wathi wayezizwa ngale ndlela ngenxa yokungapheleli. Wayefuna ngempela ukwenza okulungile, kodwa wayezwa amanye amandla ayemelana naye. Uma nawe ngesinye isikhathi ulwa nemizwa enjalo, akukududuzi yini ukwazi ukuthi ngisho nomphostoli uPawulu wabhekana nenselele efanayo?

13, 14. (a) Yini ebangela ukuba abanye babantu bakaNkulunkulu badikibale? (b) Ubani ofuna ukubona ukholo lwethu luphela, futhi kungani?

¹³ Ngezinye izikhathi, abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi bazizwa bedikibele, bekhathazekile futhi mhlawumbe bengelutho. Ngokwesibonelo, elinye iphayona elishisekayo esizolibiza ngokuthi uDeborah lithi: “Ngihlale ngicabanga njalo ngephutha engalenza, ngizizwe kabi ngalo ngaso sonke isikhathi. Uma ngicabanga ngakho konke okubi engikwenzile, ngiba nomuzwa wokuthi akekho umuntu oyoke angithande, ngisho noJehova.”

¹⁴ Yini ebangela ukuba ezinye izinceku zikaJehova ezishisekayo njengoDeborah zidikibale? Kungaba izizathu eziningi. Kungenzeka ukuthi ezinye zimane zinomkhuba wokuzenyeza nokucabanga kabi ngezimo zazo. (IzAga 15:15) Kanti kungenzeka nokuthi imizwa engakhi yezinye ibangelwa isifo esisemzimbeni esithinta imizwelo. Noma ngabe imbangela  iyini, kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi ubani ofuna ukusizakala ngaleyo mizwa. Ubani vele ofuna ukuba sidikibale size siphonse ithawula? Ubani ofuna ukuba nawe uzizwe ulahliwe njengaye? (IsAm. 20:10) Akekho omunye, uSathane. Iqiniso liwukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uSathane usebenzisa ukuhlasela okuqondile noma okucashe kakhulu, umgomo wakhe uyefana—ukusenza sikhathazeke, ukunciphisa intshiseko yethu nokusenza siphonse ithawula. Khumbula, abantu bakaNkulunkulu basempini engokomoya!

15. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sizimisele ukungagajwa ukudikibala?

¹⁵ Zimisele ukungayeki ukulwa. Hlale ugxile emvuzweni. UPawulu wabhalela amaKristu aseKorinte: “Asiyeki, kodwa ngisho noma umuntu esinguye ngaphandle ewohloka, ngokuqinisekile umuntu esinguye ngaphakathi wenziwa musha usuku nosuku. Ngoba nakuba usizi lungolomzuzwana futhi lulula, lusivezela inkazimulo enesisindo esidlulele ngokwengeziwe futhi ehlala phakade.”—2 Kor. 4:16, 17.

16. Kungani kubalulekile ukululungiselela manje usizi?

¹⁶ Njengoba sibonile, uSathane ‘unamaqhinga’ amaningi angawasebenzisa. (Efe. 6:11) Kudingeka ukuba umuntu ngamunye kithi alandele iseluleko esikweyoku-1 Petru 5:9: “Melanani naye, niqinile okholweni.” Ukuze senze kanjalo, kudingeka silungise izingqondo nezinhliziyo zethu, siziqeqeshe kwamanje ukwenza okuhle. Ake sifanekise: Ngokuvamile ibutho lizilolonga ngezindlela eziningi ezikhandlayo ngisho nangaphambi kokuba kube khona usongo lwempi. Ibutho likaJehova elingokomoya nalo lenza okufanayo. Asazi ukuthi impi yethu iyohilelani esikhathini esizayo. Khona-ke, ngeke yini kwaba ukuhlakanipha ukuba siziqeqeshe  ngandlela-thile kuseyinkathi yokuthula? UPawulu wabhalela abaseKorinte: “Qhubekani nihlola ukuthi nisokholweni yini, qhubekani nihlola lokho nina ngokwenu eniyikho.”—2 Kor. 13:5.

17-19. (a) Singazihlola ngaziphi izindlela? (b) Izingane zingakulungiselela kanjani ukuvikela ukholo lwazo esikoleni?

¹⁷ Enye indlela esingalalela ngayo iseluleko sikaPawulu esiphefumulelwe iwukuzihlola ngobuqotho. Zibuze imibuzo enjengale: ‘Ingabe ngiyaphikelela emthandazweni? Lapho ngibhekene nokucindezela kontanga, ingabe ngilalela uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu? Ingabe ngiba khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu? Ingabe ngikhuluma ngesibindi ngezinkolelo zami? Ingabe ngiyazama ukubekezelela amaphutha engikholwa nabo—njengoba nje nabo bebekezelela awami? Ngiyazithoba yini kwabaholayo ebandleni engikulo nakulabo abaphathiswe umthwalo wokuhola ebandleni lomhlaba wonke?’

¹⁸ Phawula ukuthi emibili yale mibuzo iphathelene nokuvikela izinkolelo zethu ngesibindi nokumelana nokucindezela kontanga. Kuye kwadingeka ukuba intsha yethu eningi ibhekane nalokho lapho isesesikoleni. Iye yafunda ukungesabi noma ukungabi namahloni ngezinkolelo zayo. Kunalokho, ikhuluma ngesibindi. Omagazini bethu banyathelise amacebiso awusizo kule ndaba. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Phaphama! ka-July 2009 isikisela ukuthi uma ofunda naye ekubuza: “Kungani ungakholelwa ekuziphendukeleni kwemvelo?” ungamane uphendule ngokuthi: “Kungani kufanele ngikholelwe ekuziphendukeleni kwemvelo? Ososayensi abavumelani ngakho, nakuba kufanele ngabe bangochwepheshe bale mfundiso!” Bazali, qinisekani ukuthi niba nezikhathi zokuprakthiza nezingane zenu ukuze zilungele ukubhekana nokucindezelwa ontanga okunjalo esikoleni.

¹⁹ Kuyavunywa, akulula njalo ukukhuluma noma ukwenza ezinye izinto uJehova azilindele kithi. Ngemva kosuku olude emsebenzini kungase kudingeke sizihudule ukuze siye emhlanganweni webandla. Ukuvuka ekuseni ukuze siye ensimini kungase kudinge ukuba siyikhahlele ngempela ingubo. Kodwa khumbula: Lapho kuvela izinkinga ezinkulu esikhathini esizayo, uyobe usesimweni esingcono kakhulu sokubhekana nazo uma uye wahlakulela isimiso esihle esingokomoya kusengaphambili.

20, 21. (a) Ukuzindla ngesihlengo kuyosisiza kanjani ukuba silwe nemizwa engakhi? (b) Ikuphi ukuzimisela okufanele sibe nakho mayelana nezinsizi?

²⁰ Kuthiwani ngokuhlasela okucashile? Ngokwesibonelo, singayinqoba kanjani imizwa yokudikibala? Enye yezindlela ezinamandla zokwenza lokhu ukuzindla ngesihlengo. Yilokho umphostoli uPawulu akwenza. Wayeyazi indlela ayezizwa ngayo ngezinye izikhathi—wayezizwa engumuntu wosizi. Kodwa wayazi nokuthi uKristu wafela izoni hhayi abantu abaphelele. UPawulu naye wayengomunye walezo zoni. Empeleni, wabhala: “[Ngiphila] ngokholo eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu, eyangithanda futhi yazinikela ngenxa yami.” (Gal. 2:20) Yebo, uPawulu wasamukela isihlengo. Wasiqaphela njengesisebenza kuye siqu.

²¹ Ukuba nombono ofanayo—ukubheka isihlengo njengesipho uJehova asenzele wena—kungakusiza kakhulu. Lokhu akusho ukuthi ukudikibala kuyophela ngaso leso sikhathi. Ngokwezinga elithile, abanye kithi kungase kudingeke balwe nalokhu kuhlasela okucashile kuze kufike izwe elisha. Kodwa khumbula: Umvuzo uyotholwa yilabo abangakhathali. Asive siseduze nalolo suku olukhazimulayo lapho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyoletha khona ukuthula futhi ubuyisele bonke abantu abathembekile ekupheleleni. Zimisele ukungena kulowo Mbuso—ngisho noma kungaba ngezinsizi eziningi.