1, 2. Yikuphi ukukhula wonke amaKhristu okumele akufinyelele? Fanekisa.

NXA umama ohlakaniphileyo ethenga izithelo emakethe, kahlali ekhetha ezinkulu kuphela kumbe lezo ezilentengo ephansi kakhulu. Kodwa ukhangela lezo esezivuthiwe. Ufuna izithelo ezinambithekayo, ezinuka kamnandi njalo ezakha umzimba. Eqinisweni ukhetha izithelo ezikhule ngokugcweleyo, izithelo esezivuthiwe.

² Umuntu osethuthuke waze wazinikela njalo wabhaphathizwa uyaqhubeka ekhula. Injongo yakhe yikukhula aze abe yisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu esivuthiweyo. Kasikhulumi ngokukhula emzimbeni, kodwa sikhuluma ngokukhula okholweni. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhalela amaKhristu ase-Efesu ewatshela ukuthi kwakumele akhule okholweni. Wawakhuthaza ukuthi ‘afinyelele ekumanyaneni ekukholweni lasekwazini iNdodana kaNkulunkulu akhule okugcweleyo, athole isilinganiso sokuphelela okufunyanwa kuKhristu.’—Efe. 4:13.

3. Lalinjani ibandla lase-Efesu futhi lifanana njani labantu bakaJehova lamuhla?

³ Ngesikhathi uPhawuli ebhala incwadi le, ibandla lase-Efesu laselileminyaka  likhona. Abafundi abanengi ababekulo basebethuthuke baba ngamaKhristu avuthiweyo. Lanxa kunjalo, kulabanye okwakusamele baqhubeke befinyelela ukuvuthwa. Kunjalo lakuboFakazi bakaJehova lamuhla. Abafowethu labodadewethu abanengi sebeleminyaka bekhonza uJehova njalo sebethuthuke baba ngamaKhristu avuthiweyo. Kodwa kusegcekeni ukuthi kayisibo bonke abanjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, kulezigidi zabantu ababhaphathizwayo umnyaka ngamunye, ngakho basesekhona okusamele balwele ukuba ngamaKhristu avuthiweyo. Wena ke?—Kol. 2:6, 7.

4, 5. AmaKhristu avuthiweyo ehlukene ngaziphi izindlela, kodwa kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi avuthiwe? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁴ Nxa ungahlolisisa izithelo ezivuthiweyo emakethe uzananzelela ukuthi kayisizo zonke ezifana xathu. Kodwa zikhona izinto ongabona ngazo ukuthi zonke zivuthiwe. AmaKhristu avuthiweyo lawo angabe evela emazweni atshiyeneyo, ekhuliswe ngezindlela ezehlukeneyo, engalingani ngeminyaka, elolwazi olutshiyeneyo futhi amanye angabe ephilile emzimbeni kulamanye. Kanti njalo ubuntu bawo lamasiko kungabe kutshiyene kakhulu. Lanxa kunjalo bonke asebekhulile okholweni baba lobuntu obuhambelanayo obenza kukhanye ukuthi bangamaKhristu avuthiweyo. Njani?

⁵ Kukho konke ukuphila kwayo, inceku kaJehova evuthiweyo ilingisela uJesu owasitshiyela isibonelo ukuze ‘silandele amanyathelo akhe.’ (1 Phet. 2:21) UJesu wathi kuyini okuqakatheke kakhulu? Wathi yikuthanda uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke, ngomphefumulo wonke langengqondo yonke, kanye lokuthanda umakhelwana njengalokhu uzithanda wena. (Mat. 22:37-39) UmKhristu ovuthiweyo uyazama ngazo zonke izindlela ukuthi asebenzise iseluleko lesi empilweni yakhe. Indlela aphila ngayo itshengisa ukuthi uyabuqakathekisa kakhulu ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova lokuthi uyabathanda kakhulu abanye.

6, 7. (a) Yiziphi ezinye izithelo okumele umKhristu ovuthiweyo abe lazo? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani?

⁶ Kodwa siyakuzwisisa ukuthi uthando kayisiso sodwa isithelo somoya okumele umKhristu ovuthiweyo abe laso. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Ezinye izithelo zomoya ezigoqela ubumnene, ukuzithiba lokubekezela lazo ziqakathekile. Zingamsiza ukuthi enelise ukuphatha udaba olunzima engazange acaphuke, lokuthi enelise ukubekezela angathwali imikhono ekhanda lapho edaniswa kabuhlungu. Nxa etaditsha eyedwa, uqhubeka echwayisisa izimiso zeMibhalo ezingamsiza ukuthi ehlukanise okuhle kokubi. Nxa esesenza izinqumo kuba segcekeni ukuthi ungumKhristu ovuthiweyo. Ngokwesibonelo, uyawulalela umzwangedwa wakhe oqeqetshwe liBhayibhili. Utshengisa lokuthi uthobekile ngokuvuma ukuthi izindlela zikaJehova kanye lezimiso zakhe zizahlala zingcono kakhulu kulezakhe. * UmKhristu ovuthiweyo ukukhuthalele kakhulu ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle njalo wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze ibandla limanyane.

⁷ Kungelani lokuthi silesikhathi eside kangakanani sikhonza uJehova, munye ngamunye wethu kumele azibuze ukuthi, ‘Kukhona yini lapho okusamele ngilungisise khona ukuze ngilandele isibonelo sikaJesu eduze, okuzanginceda ukuthi ngiqhubeke ngikhula okholweni?’

8. Singathini ngolwazi lweMibhalo uJesu ayelalo kanye lendlela ayeyizwisisa ngayo?

⁸ UJesu Khristu wayelazi engaliphumputhi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Langesikhathi eleminyaka  engu-12, wayesesenelisa ukuxoxa ngeMibhalo labafundisi ethempelini. “Wonke umuntu owamuzwayo wamangala ngokuzwisisa kwakhe kanye lezimpendulo zakhe.” (Luk. 2:46, 47) Lapho esemdala eqhuba inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, uJesu wabaquma imilomo labo ababemphikisa esebenzisa izimpendulo ezitshaya ekhanda ezazisuka eLizwini likaNkulunkulu.—Mat. 22:41-46.

9. (a) Umuntu ofuna ukukhula okholweni kumele alifunde njani iBhayibhili? (b) Kungani kumele sifunde iBhayibhili?

⁹ UmKhristu ofuna ukukhula okholweni ulandela isibonelo esatshiywa nguJesu, kasuthiseki ngokuba lolwazi lweBhayibhili olungayi ngaphi. Sonke isikhathi uyachwayisisa ajule kulo, ngoba uyakwazi ukuthi “ukudla okuqinileyo ngokwabakhulileyo.” (Heb. 5:14) UmKhristu ovuthiweyo ufuna ‘ukwazi iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.’ (Efe. 4:13) Wena ulaso yini isikhathi sokufunda iBhayibhili nsuku zonke? Ulohlelo lokufunda uwedwa yini? Wenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuthi uhlele isikhathi sokukhonza kwemuli maviki wonke yini? Ngesikhathi utaditsha iLizwi likaNkulunkulu, zama ukudinga izimiso ezizakusiza ukuthi uyizwisise kuhle indlela uJehova acabanga ngayo lazizwa ngayo. Ngemva kwalokho zama ukusebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibhili ekuphileni kwakho, unamathele kuzo nxa usenza izinqumo. Lokhu kuzakwenza uqhubeke usondela kakhulu kuJehova.

10. Ulwazi lomKhristu ovuthiweyo lungamnceda njani empilweni yakhe yansuku zonke?

¹⁰ UmKhristu ovuthiweyo uyakwazi ukuthi ukuba lolwazi kuphela akwanelanga. Kumele akuthande lokho akwaziyo mayelana lezindlela zikaNkulunkulu lezimiso zakhe. Angatshengisa ukuthi uyakuthanda lokhu ngokuqakathekisa izinto ezivumelana lentando kaJehova ekuphileni kwakhe esikhundleni sokuqakathekisa ezakhe izifiso. Akuthandabuzwa lokuthi umKhristu  lo wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuthi ‘alahle’ indlela ayecabanga ngayo layeziphatha ngayo kudala. UmKhristu owenza njalo ugqoka ubuntu obunjengobukaKhristu, “obadalelwa ukuba njengoNkulunkulu ekulungeni okuqotho lobungcwele.” (Bala u-Efesu 4:22-24.) UNkulunkulu wasebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuthi aqondise ukulotshwa kweBhayibhili. Ngakho nxa umKhristu ejulisa ulwazi ngezimiso zeBhayibhili njalo eqhubeka ezithanda, uvumela ukuthi inhliziyo lengqondo yakhe kuqondiswe ngumoya ongcwele. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova bukhule.

11. UJesu waphila labantu abanjani ngesikhathi esemhlabeni?

¹¹ Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni, wayephila labantu abalesono lanxa yena wayephelele. Wakhuliswa ngabazali abalesono njalo wahlala okweminyaka eminengi lezinini ezingabantu abalesono. Ngitsho labalandeli bakhe abaseduze babehlutshwa ngumoya wokuzigqaja lowokufuna ukuphumelela owawugcwele emphakathini wabo. Ngokwesibonelo ngobusuku ayezabulawa ngabo “kwaba lokuphikisana phakathi kwabo mayelana lokuthi ngubani kubo owayebonakala emkhulu kulabo bonke.” (Luk. 22:24) Kodwa uJesu wayelethemba lokuthi abalandeli bakhe abalesono babezakhula okholweni babe ngamaKhristu avuthiweyo njalo babumbe ibandla elimanyeneyo. Yikho waze wathandaza kuYise osezulwini ngalobobusuku ecelela abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi bamanyane ngothando, wathi: “Ukuthi bonke babemunye, Baba, njengoba wena ukimi lami ngikuwe. Sengathi labo bangaba kithi . . . ukuze babe munye njengalokhu thina simunye.”—Joh. 17:21, 22.

12, 13. (a) U-Efesu 4:15, 16 utshengisa njani ukuthi kuqakathekile ukukhuthaza ukumanyana ebandleni? (b) Omunye umzalwane wenzani ukuze alwisane lohlupho ayelalo?

¹² Inceku kaJehova evuthiweyo ikhuthaza ukuthi kube lokumanyana ebandleni. (Bala u-Efesu 4:1-6, 15, 16.) Isifiso sethu yikuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘bahlanganiswe’ njalo babemunye kukho konke. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu liveza ukuthi kumele sithobeke ukuze senelise ukukwenza lokhu. Ngakho umzalwane loba udade ovuthiweyo uyazithoba ukuze akhuthaze ukumanyana lanxa ebona abanye bephambanisa. Wena akuphatha njani amaphutha enziwa ngabanye okhonza labo? Wawenzeni nxa uphathwe kubi ngomunye umuntu ebandleni? Ujayele ukufaka uthango yini phakathi kwakho lalowomuntu okuphambanisileyo ukuze lingasakhulumisani? Kumbe uyazama ukuthi lilungisise indaba ukuze kungabi lokhophe phakathi kwenu? Kulokuthi afake uthango, umKhristu osekhulile okholweni uyawubhula umlilo.

¹³ Cabanga ngalokho okwenziwa ngumzalwane okuthiwa ngu-Uwe. Wayejayele ukucaphuka kakhulu nxa abanye ayekhonza labo babephambanisa. Wasebona kungcono ukuthi ake ahlole impilo kaDavida eBhayibhilini laku-Insight on the Scriptures. Kungani wakhetha uDavida? Uthi: “UDavida wazibonela ngawakhe ezinye izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zisenza izinto ezingahambelani lemibhalo. Ngokwesibonelo iNkosi uSawuli yazama ukumbulala, abanye bazama ukumkhanda ngamatshe futhi weyiswa langumkakhe. (1 Sam. 19:9-11; 30:1-6; 2 Sam. 6:14-22) Kodwa uDavida kazange avumele ukuthi izenzo zabanye zimphambanise, waqhubeka emthanda uJehova. Kanti njalo uDavida wayelenhliziyo elesihawu, into lami okwakumele ngiyisebenzele. Engakufundayo ekutaditsheni kwami kwantshintsha indlela engasengikhangela ngayo amaphutha abafowethu. Khathesi kangisahlali ngibalela abanye amaphutha abo. Kodwa ngenza okusemandleni ami ukuthi ibandla lihlale limanyene.” Lawe uzimisele yini ukwenza ukuthi kube lokumanyana ebandleni?

14. Ngabantu abanjani uJesu abakhethayo ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe?

¹⁴ UJesu Khristu wayelomusa ebantwini bonke nje. Amadoda, abesifazana, abasakhulayo, asebeluphele ngitsho labantwana babekhululeka nxa babelaye. Lanxa kunjalo uJesu wayengaphonguwela nje nxa ekhetha abangane. Watshela abaphostoli bakhe abathembekileyo wathi: “Lingabangane bami uma lisenza lokho engiliyala khona.” (Joh. 15:14) UJesu wakhetha abangane abanjalo phakathi kwabantu abathembekileyo ababemlandela futhi ababekhonza uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke. Abakho abangane ubakhetha phakathi kwabantu abazinikele ukukhonza uJehova yini? Kungani lokhu kuqakathekile?

15. Kungabanceda ngani abasakhulayo ukwakha ubungane lamaKhristu avuthiweyo?

¹⁵ Izithelo ezinengi zivuthwa kuhle nxa zithola ukukhanya kwelanga. Yikho-ke uthando lobuzalwane olufanana lokukhudumala kwelanga lalo lungakusiza ukuthi uthuthuke ube ngumKhristu ovuthiweyo. Mhlawumbe ungosakhulayo futhi ucabanga ngalokho ofuna ukukwenza empilweni. Kungakunceda kakhulu ukujayelana labafowethu labodadewethu asebeleminyaka bekhonza uJehova futhi belondoloza ukumanyana ebandleni. Kungenzakala ukuthi kunengi asebehlangane lakho empilweni lokuthi babekezelela ubunzima ababehlangana labo ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu. Abantu abanjalo bangakunceda ukuthi ukhethe kuhle ongakwenza empilweni. Ukwakha ubungane obuhle lamaKhristu avuthiweyo kungakunceda ukuthi wenze izinqumo ngokuhlakanipha njalo uqhubeke ukhula okholweni.—Bala uHebheru 5:14.

16. Abazalwane asebekhulile ebandleni bamnceda njani omunye udadewethu osakhulayo?

¹⁶ Omunye osakhulayo okuthiwa nguHelga uyasilandisela ukuthi ngomnyaka wakhe wokucina esikolo, abanye ayefunda labo babexoxa ngalokho ababefuna ukukwenza bangaqeda isikolo. Abanengi babo babefuna ukuya eyunivesithi belethemba lokuthi ukwenza njalo kwakuzabasiza ukuthi baphumelele empilweni. UHelga waxoxa labangane abavuthiweyo ebandleni ngodaba lolu. Uthi: “Abanengi engaxoxa labo babebadala kulami, njalo banginceda kakhulu. Bangikhuthaza ukuthi ngingene enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Ngemva kwalokho ngaba liphayona okweminyaka engu-5. Khathesi sekwadlula iminyaka eminengi njalo ngiyajabula kakhulu ukuthi ngasebenzisa ubutsha bami ekukhonzeni uJehova. Kangizisoli lakancane ukuthi ngakhetha ukwenza njalo.”

17, 18. Ukukhula okholweni kungasinceda njani ukuthi siphile ukuphila okulenjongo?

¹⁷ Nxa singazama ukulandela isibonelo esasitshiyelwa nguJesu kukho konke ukuphila kwethu, sizakuba ngamaKhristu akhulileyo okholweni. Sizasondela kakhulu kuJehova futhi isifiso sethu sokumkhonza ngokugcweleyo sizaqhubeka sikhula. Nxa inceku kaNkulunkulu isikhule ngokugcweleyo okholweni, isingumKhristu ovuthiweyo, kuba lula ukuthi imkhonze ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova. UJesu wakhuthaza abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Yenzani ukukhanya kwenu kukhanye phambi kwabantu ukuze babone izenzo zenu ezinhle baze badumise uYihlo osezulwini.”—Mat. 5:16.

¹⁸ Sibonile ukuthi umKhristu ovuthiweyo angasiza ukuthi kube lokumanyana ebandleni. Ukuvuthwa komKhristu kukhanya endleleni asebenzisa ngayo umzwangedwa wakhe oqeqetshwe liBhayibhili. Umzwangedwa wethu ungasinceda njani ukuthi senze izinqumo ezitshengisa ukuhlakanipha? Singatshengisa njani lokuthi siyazihlonipha izinqumo abafowethu abazenza belandela umzwangedwa wabo? Imibuzo le izaphendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.