1, 2. (a) Kungani amaKhristu ekuqakathekisa ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu, njalo lokhu kungenelana njani lokungasekeli ezombusazwe? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Kuyini okuqakathekiswa ngabantu abanengi, kodwa lokhu kungabangelani?

 UBUQOTHO kanye lokungasekeli ezombusazwe kuqakatheke kakhulu kumaKhristu eqiniso kungelani lokuthi yisikhathi sempi loba hatshi. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi bonke abazinikele kuJehova bamthembisa ukuthi bazamthanda, babeqotho kuye njalo bamlalele. (1 Joh. 5:3) Sifuna ukulalela izimiso zikaNkulunkulu ezilungileyo kungelani lokuthi silawaphi amasiko, sihlala ngaphi, sakhulela ngaphi, lokuthi sisuka kuliphi ilizwe. Ukuba qotho kuJehova laseMbusweni wakhe kuqakatheke ukwedlula loba yini enye esingabe siyithanda. (Mat. 6:33) Ukuze amaKhristu enelise ukukwenza lokhu, kumele angangeni ezimpini lasezimpikiswaneni zomhlaba lo.​—Isaya. 2:4; bala uJohane 17:11, 15, 16.

² Abantu abanengi emhlabeni bangazizwa belomlandu wokuqakathekisa ilizwe labo, umhlobo wabo, amasiko loba iqembu lezemidlalo lelizwe lakibo. Kodwa lokhu kujayele ukucina sekubangela ukuthi kube lokuncintisana lenzondano, kwezinye izikhathi kuze kubangele  lokuchitheka kwegazi kanye lokubulalana kwemihlobo. Indlela abantu abalungisa ngayo izindaba lezi ingenza ukuthi impilo yethu kanye leyezimuli zethu ibe nzima ngenxa yokuthi siphila phakathi kwabo. Indlela uNkulunkulu asidale ngayo yenza senelise ukubona nxa izinto zinxele, ngakho izinqumo ezingenziwa ngohulumende kwezinye izikhathi zingasiphatha kubi. (Gen. 1:27; Dute. 32:4) Kumele senzeni nxa sekwenziwe izinqumo ezinjalo? Nxa singananzelelanga lathi singacina sesisekela izimpikiswano lezingxabano zomhlaba lo.

3, 4. (a) Kuyini okwenza amaKhristu angasekeli izimpikiswano zomhlaba lo? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

³ Nxa kusiba lokungezwani ohulumende bangazibamba ngamandla izizalwane zelizwe labo ukuthi zisekele iqembu elithile. Kodwa amaKhristu eqiniso kawavumi ukusekela ezombusazwe. Kasiphatheki ezimpikiswaneni zezombusazwe ezikhona emhlabeni; futhi kasithwali zikhali. (Mat. 26:52) Kasivumi ukuthi loba ngubani asiqilibezele asenze sibone angani enye ingxenye yomhlaba kaSathane ingcono kulenye. (2 Khor. 2:11) Kasizingeni izingxabano zomhlaba lo ngoba thina kasisibo abomhlaba.​—Bala uJohane 15:18, 19.

⁴ Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi silesono, abanye bethu bangabe belokhu besalwisa ukususa imicabango yobuntu obudala ebangela inzondano. (Jer. 17:9; Efe. 4:22-24) Yikho-ke isihloko lesi sizakhuluma ngezimiso ezizasisiza ukuthi silwisane lemicabango enjalo. Sizabona lokuthi singaziqeqetsha njani izingqondo zethu kanye lomzwangedwa ukuze sihlale siqotho eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.

5, 6. UJesu wayiphatha njani imihlobo yabantu etshiyeneyo eyayiselizweni ayehlala kulo, futhi kungani wenza njalo?

⁵ Nxa ungelaqiniso lokuthi kumele uyiphathe njani indaba le, kuhle ukuzibuza ukuthi, ‘UJesu yena ubezakwenzani?’ Ilizwe uJesu ayehlala kulo laligcwele abantu ababesuka ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo; babesuka eJudiya, eGalile, eSamariya lakwezinye izindawo. IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi abantu ababesuka ezindaweni lezi babengawelelani. (Joh. 4:9) Abanye futhi ababengawelelani ngabaFarisi labaSadusi (ImiSeb. 23:6-9), abantu emphakathini labathelisi (Mat. 9:11), kanti njalo lababefundele ezomthetho babengawelelani lalabo ababengawufundelanga. (Joh. 7:49) Ngekhulu lokuqala ama-Israyeli ayebuswa ngamaRoma kodwa abantu bako-Israyeli babewazonda kakhulu. Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJesu walwela iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu njalo wathi insindiso yayizaqala kumaJuda, kodwa kazange akhuthaze abafundi bakhe ukuthi badale izingxabano ngokuzibona bengcono kulabanye. (Joh. 4:22) Esikhundleni salokhu wabakhuthaza ukuthi bathande abantu bonke.​—Luk. 10:27.

⁶ Kungani uJesu engazange alusekele ubandlululo olwalusenziwa ngamaJuda? Kungenxa yokuthi yena loYise kabathathi cele ezimpikiswaneni zomhlaba. Injongo kaJehova yokudala indoda lowesifazana esebenzisa iNdodana yakhe yayingeyokuthi bagcwalise umhlaba. (Gen. 1:27, 28) Wadala abantu ngendlela yokuthi benelise ukuzalana babe yimihlobo etshiyeneyo. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova loJesu kabakhethi, kabalani lokuthi umuntu ungumhlobo bani, usuka kuliphi ilizwe loba ukhuluma luphi ulimi. (ImiSeb. 10:34, 35; Isam. 7:9, 13, 14) Kumele sisilingisele isibonelo sabo esihle.​—Mat. 5:43-48.

7, 8. (a) Kuyini okumele amaKhristu akusekele? (b) Kuyini amaKhristu okumele akwazi mayelana lokulungisa izindaba zombusazwe lezomphakathi?

⁷ Lanxa singasekeli ezombusazwe, ubukhosi bukaJehova bendawo yonke siyabusekela. Impikiswano mayelana lobukhosi bukaJehova yaqalisela e-Edeni lapho uSathane ahlasela khona ukubusa kukaJehova. Khathesi wonke umuntu sekumele azikhethele ukuthi indlela engcono  kulazo zonke yokwenza izinto ngekaNkulunkulu yini loba ngekaSathane. Wena uyalusekela yini uhlangothi lukaJehova ngokukhetha ukulalela imithetho lezimiso zakhe, loba ubona kungcono ukuthi wenze izinto ngeyakho indlela? Uyakukholwa yini ukuthi uMbuso wakhe yiwo wodwa ozalungisa izinhlupho zabantu? Loba ubona angani abantu bayenelisa ukuzibusa?​—Gen. 3:4, 5.

⁸ Izimpendulo zakho zizatshengisa ukuthi uzaphendula njani nxa abanye sebecela ukuzwa umbono wakho ezindabeni ezijayele ukuvusa izimpikiswano. Akulamuhla abezombusazwe labalweli bamalungelo abantu kanye lalabo abalwela untshintsho bezama ukulungisa izindaba ezibangela inzondano. Kungenzeka lokuthi bazimisele futhi balezizatho ezinhle zokwenza njalo. Kodwa amaKhristu ayakwazi ukuthi nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela ongalungisa izinhlupho zabantu njalo yiwo wodwa ozaletha ukulunga kweqiniso. Kumele silindele ukuthi uJehova uzakulungisa konke ngesikhathi sakhe. Ake ucabange ukuthi bekungaba njani aluba umKhristu ngamunye ubengalwela ukuthi izinto zilungiswe ngeyakhe indlela, angithi ibandla belingadabukana phakathi?

9. Yiphi indaba eyaba khona ebandleni laseKhorinte ngekhulu lokuqala, kodwa umphostoli uPhawuli wawatshelani amaKhristu la?

⁹ Kwake kwavuka indaba ebandleni lamaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala eyabangela ukuthi lidabukane phakathi. Abanye abazalwane baseKhorinte babesithi, “Mina ngilandela uPhawuli,” omunye esithi, “Mina ngilandela u-Apholo,” omunye esithi, “Mina ngilandela uKhefasi,” omunye laye esithi, “Mina ngilandela uKhristu.” Lanxa umphostoli uPhawuli wayengakwazi ukuthi kuyini okwakubaxabanisa, indaba le yamkhathaza kakhulu. Wababuza wathi: “Konje uKhristu wahlukanisiwe na?” Indaba le yayingalungiswa njani? UPhawuli wabakhuthaza wathi: “Ngiyalincenga, bazalwane, ngebizo leNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu, ukuba lonke livumelane ukuze kungabi lokudabukana phakathi kwenu kanye lokuthi libe ngabamanyeneyo engqondweni lasemicabangweni.” Lathi lamuhla kumele sibophe ziqine, singavumeli loba yini engabangela ukuthi ibandla lobuKhristu lidabukane phakathi.​—1 Khor. 1:10-13; bala uRoma 16:17, 18.

10. Umphostoli uPhawuli watshengisa njani ukuthi amaKhristu akumelanga asekele izimpikiswano zomhlaba lo?

¹⁰ UPhawuli wakhuthaza amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ukuthi angazihluphi ngezinto zasemhlabeni kodwa ahlale ekhumbula ukuthi ayizakhamizi zasezulwini. (Flp. 3:17-20) * Kwakumele abe ngabameli bakaKhristu. Abameli bamazwe kabazigaxi ezindabeni zelizwe abasebenzela kulo, ngenxa yokuthi bona kumele babeqotho kwelabo ilizwe. (2 Khor. 5:20) AmaKhristu alethemba lokuphila emhlabeni lawo ayizizalwane zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, ngakho akumelanga azigaxe ezindabeni zomhlaba lo.

11, 12. (a) Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi umKhristu ahlale eqotho eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu? (b) Yisiphi isilingo omunye umKhristu aba phakathi kwaso, njalo wasinqoba njani?

¹¹ Ezindaweni ezinengi emhlabeni, abantu bakhelene eduze. Bamanyene ngenxa yembali yabo, amasiko lolimi lwabo futhi bayazigqaja kakhulu ngezinto lezi. Ezindaweni ezinjalo amaKhristu kumele aqeqetshe izingqondo zawo lomzwangedwa wawo ukuze akwazi ukuthi enze njani nxa sokuvuka izindaba zokuziqhenya ngolimi loba ngamasiko. Bangakwenza njani lokhu?

¹² Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaMirjeta, * osuka esigabeni esiselizweni elalibizwa ngokuthi yiYugoslavia. Wakhula etshelwa ukuthi abantu baseSerbia kayisibobantu. Kodwa wathi esefundile  ukuthi uJehova kakhethi lokuthi uSathane nguye obangela ukuthi abantu bazondane ngemihlobo, walwisa ukuthi asuse ubandlululo ayelalo ngabanye abantu. Kodwa ngesinye isikhathi kwaba lokulwisana kwemihlobo endaweni yakibo. UMirjeta wezwa inzondo ayelayo isiqalisa ukuvuka futhi, okwenza kwabanzima ukuthi atshumayeze abantu baseSerbia. Kodwa waphinda wananzelela ukuthi inzondo enjalo yayingasoze iphongunyamalala nje egoqe izandla. Ngakho wancenga uJehova ukuthi amsize anqobe isilingo lesi njalo athuthukise inkonzo yakhe abe liphayona. Uthi: “Senginanzelele ukuthi ukukhuthalela inkonzo kuyangisiza kakhulu. Nxa ngisekutshumayeleni ngiyazama sibili ukuba lothando njengoJehova, njalo lokhu kwenze inzondo yami yancibilika.”

13. (a) Kwenzakalani kuZoila, njalo wenzani ngakho? (b) Thina singafundani endabeni kaZoila?

¹³ Esinye isibonelo ngesikaZoila owazalelwa eMexico, kodwa khathesi usebandleni elise-Europe. Wananzelela ukuthi ebandleni leli kwakulabanye abazalwane ababevela kwamanye amazwe aseLatin America ababehlala bekhuluma amazwi ahlabayo bechothoza ilizwe ayevela kulo, amasiko akibo kanye lomculo wakibo. Kunguwe wawuzakwenzani? Kuliqiniso ukuthi inkulumo ezinjalo zazimzwisa ubuhlungu uZoila. Kodwa okuhle kakhulu yikuthi wacela uJehova ukuthi amncedise ukuze enelise ukuzibamba nxa esefikelwa lulaka. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi labanye phakathi kwethu balokhu belwisana lesimo esifanana lesikaZoila. Kasifuni ukukhuluma loba ukwenza izinto ezingenza ukuthi abanye abantu bazibone sebengcono kulabanye, loba senze ukuthi kube lokudabukana phakathi kwabazalwane kumbe phakathi kwabanye abantu nje.​—Rom. 14:19; 2 Khor. 6:3.

14. AmaKhristu angaqeqetsha njani ingqondo kanye lomzwangedwa wawo ukuze abone abanye ngendlela uJehova ababona ngayo?

¹⁴ Indlela owakhuliswa ngayo kumbe lapho owakhulela khona kwakwenza wabona angani ilizwe loba indawo yakini ingcono kulezinye yini? Ulokhu ulayo yini imicabango enjalo? UmKhristu akumelanga avumele ukuthi indlela athanda ngayo ilizwe lakhe iphambanise indlela abona ngayo abanye. Kodwa ungenzani nxa ungananzelela ukuthi ulokhu ubakhangelela phansi abantu abavela kwamanye amazwe, abalamasiko atshiyene lawakho, abakhuluma olunye ulimi loba abomunye umhlobo? Okungakunceda yikucabangisisa ngokuthi uJehova uthini ngobandlululo langokuzigqaja ngelizwe lakini. Kungaba kuhle lokuthi uchwayisise ngendaba le lokunye okuhambelana layo nxa utaditsha uwedwa loba ekukhonzeni kwemuli. Thandaza lakuJehova umcele akusize ukuthi ubone abanye ngendlela yena ababona ngayo.​—Bala uRoma 12:2.

15, 16. (a) Abanye bazasiphatha njani nxa siqhubeka siqotho kuNkulunkulu? (b) Abazali bangabasiza njani abantwababo ukuthi bahlale beqotho kuJehova?

¹⁵ Kwezinye izikhathi umzwangedwa wabantu bakaJehova ungabavimbela ukuthi benze izinto ezenziwa ngabanye, kungaba yizihlobo, omakhelwana, abantu abasebenza labo, abafunda labo kumbe abanye nje. (1 Phet. 2:19, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Kodwa akumelanga sesabe ukuzehlukanisa labo! UJesu wayevele exwayisile ukuthi umhlaba uzasizonda singazehlukanisa lawo ngakho akumelanga kusimangalise nxa sekusenzakala. Abantu abanengi abasiphikisayo kabazwisisi ukuthi kungani amaKhristu kungamelanga angene ezindabeni zomhlaba lo. Kodwa kithi yindaba eqakatheke kakhulu.

¹⁶ Nxa sifuna ukuba qotho kuJehova kumele sihlale sibambelele kuye lanxa sisethuselwa. (Dan. 3:16-18) Ukwesaba abantu akulakuthi ungakanani, kodwa abasakhulayo yibo abangakuthola kunzima kakhulu ukuba yindlubu ewele ephokweni. Ngakho-ke, ungathikazi ukuncedisa abantwabakho nxa belohlupho ezindabeni eziphathelane lokuhlonipha ifulegi kumbe  ukuphatheka emikhosini yesizwe. Xoxa labo ngesikhathi sokuKhonza Kwemuli, ubancede bazwisise ukuthi kungani kungamelanga baphatheke ezintweni lezi. Basize lokuthi benelise ukuchaza abakukholwayo ngendlela ecacileyo langenhlonipho. Lokhu kuzabenza babe lesibindi sokumelana lezinhlupho lezi. (Rom. 1:16) Nxa kusenza, lawe ungayakhuluma lababalisi babo ubachazele ukuthi kungani bengaphatheki ezintweni lezi.

17. Kuyini okungamelanga sikwenze, futhi ngani?

¹⁷ Kuyazwisiseka ukuthi umuntu angalithanda kakhulu ilizwe akhulele kulo, amasiko akhona, ulimi lwakhona, kanye lokudla okutholakala kulo. Kodwa-ke akumelanga sizitshele ukuthi okwethu yikho okungcono kulokwabanye. Zonke izinto ezidalwe nguJehova zenziwe zaba yimihlobo etshiyeneyo ukuze impilo ibemnandi. (Hubo. 104:24; Isam. 4:11) Pho ngubani osengaqina ngokuthi eyakhe indlela yokwenza izinto ingcono kuleyabanye?

18. Yiziphi izibusiso esizazithola nxa singalingisela uJehova endabeni yokungakhethi?

¹⁸ UNkulunkulu ufuna abantu bayo yonke imihlobo bathole ulwazi lweqiniso oluqondileyo kanye lokuphila okuphakade. (Joh. 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:3, 4) Ukuvuma ukuthi abantu balemibono etshiyeneyo kuzasenza sibe ngabantu abangcono kakhulu njalo sizahlala simanyene lamanye amaKhristu. Kumele sibe leqiniso lokuthi kasingeneli ezindabeni zomhlaba ukuze sihlale siqotho kuJehova. Kasifuni lakancane ukusekela amaqembu ezombusazwe. Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngokusikhulula emhlabeni lo obuswa nguSathane ogcwele inzondano, ukuzigqaja lemikhuba yokuncintisana! Yikho-ke kasizimiseleni ukulondoloza ukuthula okufanana lalokho okwatshiwo ngumhubi lapho esithi: “Bheka kuhle, kuyabukeka kangakanani nxa abazalwane behlezi ndawonye ngokuzwana!”​—Hubo. 133:1.