1, 2. Kungani oFakazi bakaJehova bengayithathi lula indlela abagqoka ngayo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

ELINYE iphephandaba laseNetherlands lakhuluma ngendlela abakhokheli bamasonto ababegqoke ngayo komunye umbuthano wabo. Lathi: ‘Wawubona bezigqokele angathi bangekhaya kumbe bayavakatsha, khona kwakusithi kungatshisa wawubona okunye! Kodwa lokhu akwenzakali emihlanganweni yaboFakazi bakaJehova. Uthola abafana lamadoda begqoke amabhatshi lamathayi ikanti amankazana labomama bayabe begqoke iziketi ezilesithunzi lanxa zingezakulezinsuku.’ Abantu abanengi bajayele ukubancoma sibili oFakazi bakaJehova ngoba ‘bagqoka ngokuchumileyo, ngokuhle lokufaneleyo . . . okufanele [labo] abathi bayamkhonza uNkulunkulu.’ (1 Tim. 2:9, 10) Lanxa umphostoli uPhawuli wayekhuluma ngabesifazana, isimiso lesi siyasebenza lasemadodeni angamaKhristu.

² Kuqakathekile ukuthi sigqoke kuhle ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu esimkhonzayo ulendaba lendlela esigqoka ngayo. (Gen. 3:21) Okutshiwo yiMibhalo ngendaba yokugqoka lokuzilungisa kuveza ukuthi uMbusi wendawo yonke ulezimiso zokugqoka okumele zilandelwe yizinceku zakhe. Yikho nxa sikhetha impahla  zokugqoka kumbe indlela esizilungisa ngayo akumelanga sikhethe okuthokozisa thina kuphela. Kodwa kufanele sikhethe okuthokozisa uJehova uMbusi wendawo yonke.

3. UMthetho uNkulunkulu awunika ama-Israyeli usifundisani mayelana lokugqoka?

³ Ngokwesibonelo eMthethweni uNkulunkulu awunika ama-Israyeli kwakulemilayo eyayibavikela ukuthi bangathatheki bacine belandela ukuziphatha kwabantu bezinye izizwe ezazibagqagqele. UMthetho wawutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyakuzonda ukuthi umuntu agqoke ngendlela ezakwenza kungakhanyi ukuthi ungowesifazana kumbe ungowesilisa. (Bala uDutheronomi 22:5.) Wawukubeka kucace ukuthi uNkulunkulu kafuni ukuthi amadoda agqoke njengabafazi kumbe ukuthi abafazi bagqoke njengamadoda loba ukugqoka ngendlela ephicayo kungasabonakali kuhle ukuthi uyindoda loba ungumfazi.

4. Kuyini okunganceda amaKhristu ukuthi agqoke kuhle?

⁴ ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lilezimiso ezisinceda ukuthi sonke sigqoke ngendlela ehloniphekayo kungelani lokuthi sihlala ngaphi, silamasiko bani loba ukuthi umumo womkhathi unjani. Kasidingi kubhalelwa phansi ukuthi kuyini okumele sikugqoke lokungamelanga sikugqoke. Kodwa siqondiswa yizimiso eziseMbhalweni futhi ziyasivumela ukuthi sizikhethele esikufunayo. Asihloleni ezinye izimiso eziseBhayibhilini ezingasisiza ukuthi sikwazi “lokho okuyintando kaNkulunkulu—intando yakhe elungileyo ethokozisayo lepheleleyo” nxa sikhetha impahla esizazigqoka.—Rom. 12:1, 2.

5, 6. Indlela esigqoka ngayo ibathinta njani abanye?

⁵ Umphostoli uPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale isimiso esiqakathekileyo esitholakala ku-2 Khorinte 6:4. (Bala.) Indlela esigqoka ngayo itsho okunengi kulabo abasikhangeleyo njalo abantu abanengi bajayele ukusahlulela ngokukhangela indlela esibukeka ngayo. (1 Sam. 16:7) Ngakho-ke akumelanga siphongugqoka ulutho ngoba siluthanda kumbe silubona lufanele kithi. Kodwa kumele siqondiswe yizimiso eziseLizwini likaNkulunkulu, singagqoki izinto ezibambayo, ezikhanyiselayo loba ezivusa imizwa yabanye. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi akumelanga sigqoke impahla ezitshiya izitho zensitha zisegcekeni kumbe ezikhanyisa ikakhulu ingxenye ethile yomzimba. Phela singagqoka ngaleyondlela sizakwenza abanye bayangeke njalo bathwale nzima ngoba kuyabe sokumele bahlale bekhangele eceleni.

⁶ Nxa sibukeka, sihlanzekile futhi sigqoke ngendlela elesithunzi abantu bazavuma sibili ukuthi siyizinceku zikaJehova uMbusi wendawo yonke. Kungabenza labo bacine sebefuna ukuba yizikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo ukugqoka kuhle kwenza ukuthi abantu bayikhulumele kuhle inhlanganiso le esikuyo. Lanxa sesisekutshumayeleni bazalalela umlayezo onika ukuphila esiyabe sibatshela wona.

7, 8. Kunini lapho okumele sigqoke khona ngendlela ehloniphekayo lelesithunzi?

⁷ Indlela esigqoka ngayo kumele imdumise uNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele, ingabakhubi abafowethu labodadewethu futhi yenze abantu abasemphakathini bahloniphe izindaba ezinhle esizitshumayelayo. (Rom. 13:8-10) Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi sigqoke kuhle ikakhulu nxa sisemihlanganweni yobuKhristu kumbe nxa sisiya ekutshumayeleni. Kumele sigqoke ngendlela ‘efanele [abantu] abathi bayamkhonza uNkulunkulu.’ (1 Tim. 2:10) Indlela abantu abagqoka ngayo iyatshiyana kusiya ngokuthi bahlala ngaphi. Lanxa kunjalo izinceku zikaJehova emhlabeni wonke ziba  leqiniso lokuthi indlela ezigqoka ngayo ayibakhubi abantu emphakathini.

⁸ Bala u-1 Khorinte 10:31. Kumele sigqoke ngendlela ehloniphekayo futhi elesithunzi nxa sisiya emihlanganweni yesiqinti loba eyesabelo, singalingiseli izitayila zabantu bomhlaba lo. Akumelanga sigqoke angathi singekhaya kumbe sigqoke izinto ezingaqedakaliyo lanxa sisemahoteleni ngezikhathi zomhlangano loba siziphumulele nje. Singakubalekela lokhu kuzakuba lula ukuthi sitshele abanye ukuthi singoFakazi bakaJehova futhi kuzasenza sikhululeke ukubatshumayeza.

9, 10. Kungani kumele sicabangisise ngoMbhalo kaFiliphi 2:4 nxa sikhetha okokugqoka?

⁹ Bala uFiliphi 2:4. Kungani kumele amaKhristu azihluphe ngokuthi indlela agqoka ngayo ibathinta njani abanye ebandleni? Ngoba bonke ebandleni bazama ngamandla wonke ukulandela iseluleko lesi esithi: “Kubulaleni konke okungokwemvelo yenu yasemhlabeni: ukuxhwala kobufebe, ukungcola, inkanuko, izifiso ezimbi.” (Kol. 3:2, 5) Akumelanga senze kube nzima ukuthi abafowethu labodadewethu balalele iseluleko lesi. Phela abanye babo bayitshiya imikhuba enjalo kodwa bangabe belokhu belwisana lokuyicitsha ezingqondweni lasezinhliziyweni zabo. (1 Khor. 6:9, 10) Yikho kasifuni ukuthi indlela esigqoka ngayo ibathwalise ijogwe elinzima.

¹⁰ Indlela esigqoka ngayo nxa silabafowethu labodadewethu kumele yenze kucace ukuthi ibandla liyindawo elabantu abahlanzekileyo endabeni zokuziphatha. Sifuna kube njalo nxa sisemihlanganweni loba nxa sizikwejisele.  Lanxa sizikhethela esifuna ukukugqoka, kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi esikukhethayo kungenza kube nzima ukuthi abanye bahlale behlanzekile endleleni abacabanga ngayo labaziphatha ngayo. (1 Phet. 1:15, 16) Uthando lweqiniso “aluziphathi ngokungafanelanga; kaluzifuneli okwalo.”—1 Khor. 13:4, 5, The Holy Bible in Ndebele.

11, 12. Kuyini okumele sicabangisise ngakho nxa sikhetha impahla yokugqoka?

¹¹ Nxa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zikhetha impahla zokugqoka, ziyakhumbula ukuthi ‘kulesikhathi sezenzakalo zonke lesikhathi sawo wonke umsebenzi.’ (UmTshu. 3:1, 17) Ukutshiyana komumo womkhathi lokuntshintsha kwezigaba zomnyaka kwenza indlela esigqoka ngayo intshintshantshintshe. Kanti njalo izimo zabantu lazo ziyatshiyana ngoba iminwe kayilingani. Kodwa izimiso zikaJehova kazintshintshi.—Mal. 3:6.

¹² Ezindaweni ezitshisayo kungaba nzima kakhulu ukugqoka ngendlela elesithunzi, engasoze ikhube abanye futhi etshengisa ukuthi sikhetha kuhle. Kodwa abafowethu labodadewethu bayajabula kakhulu nxa sizama ukungagqoki izigqoko ezibambayo kumbe ezitshiya umzimba uphandle. (Jobe. 31:1) Kanti njalo nxa siziphumulela olwandle loba sisezindaweni zokubhukutsha, kuhle ukuthi sigqoke impahla ezilesithunzi. (Zaga. 11:2, 20) Lanxa abantu abanengi begqoka impahla zokubhukutsha ezitshiya umuntu eze, thina kumele sigqoke ngendlela edumisa uNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele esimthandayo.

13. Isimiso esiku-1 Khorinte 10:32, 33 singasinceda njani ukuthi sikhethe impahla zokugqoka ezilesithunzi?

¹³ Kulesinye isimiso esiqakathekileyo esingasisiza ukuthi sikhethe impahla ezihloniphekayo. Isimiso lesi yikuba lendaba lomzwangedwa wabanye, kungaba yilabo esikhonza labo kumbe abanye nje emphakathini. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 10:32, 33.) Akumelanga siyithathe lula indaba yokugqoka impahla ezingakhuba abanye. UPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Lowo lalowo wethu kumele athokozise umakhelwana wakhe ngokuhle kuye, ukuze amakhe. Ngoba loKhristu kazithokozisanga.” (Rom. 15:2, 3) UJesu wayeqakathekisa izinto ezazithokozisa abanye ukwedlula lokhu yena ayekuthanda futhi wayekwazi ukuthi ukwenza njalo kuyamthokozisa uNkulunkulu. Yikho lathi kungaba kuhle ukuthi sitshiyane lempahla loba indlela yokugqoka engakhuba abantu esibatshumayezayo lanxa singabe siyithanda kakhulu.

14. Abazali bangabanceda njani abantwababo ukuthi bagqoke ngendlela edumisa uNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ Abazali abangamaKhristu balomlandu wokufundisa abantwababo ukuthi basebenzise izimiso eziseBhayibhilini. Lokhu kungatsho ukuthi bona labantwababo bazimisele ukwenza inhliziyo kaNkulunkulu ithokoze ngokugqoka langozilungisa ngendlela elesithunzi. (Zaga. 22:6; 27:11) Abantwana bafunda ngcono esibonelweni sabazali babo. Yikho abazali kumele babe yisibonelo esihle ukuze basize abantwababo ukuthi bahloniphe uNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele. Lokhu bangakwenza ngokuqeqetsha abantwababo ukuthi bafunde ukukhetha impahla ezilesithunzi. Kumele babakhumbuze lokuthi akufanelanga bakhethe impahla ezibathatha umoya kuphela kodwa okuqakathekileyo yikuthi bakhethe impahla ezizakwenza kukhanye ukuthi bayizinceku zikaJehova uNkulunkulu.

15. Singasithola ngaphi isiqondiso esingasisiza ukuthi sikhethe kuhle impahla esiyigqokayo?

¹⁵ ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisinika iziqondiso  ezingasisiza ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle ezizadumisa uNkulunkulu. Phela izinto esizigqokayo zitshengisa ukuthi vele thina sithandani sibili. Impahla esizithandayo ziyatshiyana futhi leminwe yethu kayilingani. Lanxa kunjalo izigqoko zethu kumele zihlanzeke, zibe lesithunzi, zingakhubi abantu emphakathini futhi zifanele indawo esikuyo.

16. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sizame ngamandla wonke ukudinga izigqoko ezilesithunzi?

¹⁶ Kulezinsuku kunzima kakhulu ukukhetha impahla ezilesithunzi. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ezitolo ezinengi kuthengiswa izigqoko zakulezinsuku ezigijinyiswa ngabantu bomhlaba lo. Yikho kungadingakala ukuthi umuntu ake abhodabhode ukuze athole iziketi lezigqoko ezilesithunzi lamasudu loba amabhulugwe angabambiyo. Kodwa okuhle yikuthi abafowethu labodadewethu bazathokoza kakhulu nxa besibona sigqoka ngendlela enhle futhi ehloniphekayo. Kanti njalo ukwazi ukuthi indlela esigqoka ngayo idumisa uBaba wethu osezulwini kuzasenza sisuthiseke.

17. Kuyini okumele umzalwane acabange ngakho nxa efuna ukugcina indevu?

¹⁷ Kuqondile yini ukuthi abafowethu bagcine indevu? UMthetho kaMosi wawuvumela ukuthi amadoda agcine indevu. Kodwa amaKhristu lamuhla awakho ngaphansi koMthetho kaMosi futhi kawabanjwa ngamandla ukuthi awulandele. (Levi. 19:27; 21:5; Gal. 3:24, 25) Kwezinye izindawo ukugcina indevu zigelwe kuhle kuyamukelwa futhi kuyahlonipheka njalo akwenzi abantu bangalaleli umlayezo woMbuso. Ngitsho labanye abazalwane abakhokhelayo bayazigcina indevu. Lanxa kunjalo abanye abazalwane bangakhetha ukuhlala bengelazo indevu. (1 Khor. 8:9, 13; 10:32) Kanti njalo kwezinye izindawo abantu abakwamukeli ukugcina indevu futhi bakubona kungaqondanga ukuthi amaKhristu azigcine. Ukugcina indevu emphakathini onjalo kungenza umzalwane “abe ngosolekayo” futhi ehluleke ukudumisa uNkulunkulu.—Rom. 15:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2, 7.

18, 19. UMikha 6:8 usisiza njani ukuthi sigqoke ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu?

¹⁸ Kuyasithokozisa ukuthi uJehova kasithwalisi nzima ngemithetho eminenginengi ephathelane lokugqoka kanye lokuzilungisa. Kodwa usivumele ukuthi sisebenzise inkululeko yokuzikhethela esilayo ukuze senze izinqumo ezilengqondo ezihambelana lezimiso eziseMibhalweni. Yikho lasendabeni yokugqoka singatshengisa ukuthi sifuna ‘ukuhamba ngokuzithoba loNkulunkulu wethu.’—Mik. 6:8.

¹⁹ Singakwenza njani lokhu? Ngokuzihlola ngonanzelelo ukuze sibone langabe esikwenzayo kuyahambisana yini lezimiso zikaJehova kanye lobungcwele bakhe. Singakwenza langokuhlonipha imizwangedwa yabanye. Nxa singenza njalo siyabe ‘sihamba ngokuzithoba loNkulunkulu.’

20. Ukugqoka lokuzilungisa kuhle kuzabathinta njani abanye?

²⁰ Sifuna ukuthi indlela esigqoka ngayo yenze kukhanye ebantwini bonke ukuthi sikhonza uJehova. Kanti njalo abafowethu labodadewethu labo kumele bangathandabuzi ukuthi simela uNkulunkulu wethu olungileyo. Ulezimiso ezinhle afuna sizilandele futhi kuyasithokozisa ukuzisebenzisa ekuphileni kwethu. Sibatshayela ihlombe abafowethu labodadewethu abazama ngamandla ukugqoka ngendlela elesithunzi futhi edonsela abantu ukuthi bafune ukufunda iBhayibhili ukuze badumise njalo bathokozise uJehova. Ukuqhubeka sikhetha kuhle impahla yokugqoka kuzadumisa uNkulunkulu ogqoke “inkazimulo lobukhosi.”—Hubo. 104:1, 2.