1. Kufuze sikuqale njani ukukholwa komKrestu?

UKUKHOLWA bubuntu obuqakatheke khulu komunye nomunye umKrestu. Kodwana akusuye woke umuntu onokukholwa. (2 Thes. 3:2) Okuthabisako kukuthi uJehova usinikele ‘isilinganiso [esithileko] sokukholwa.’ (Rom. 12:3; Gal. 5:22) Boke abanawo ummoya lo, kufuze bakuthokoze lokho.

2, 3. (a) Ngiziphi iimbusiso umuntu onokukholwa angazifumana? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo esizoyiphendula?

² UJesu Krestu wathi uBabakhe osezulwini nguye odosela abantu kuye, asebenzisa yena. (Jwa. 6:44, 65) Yeke umuntu nakaba nokukholwa kuJesu angalitjalelwa izono zakhe. Lokho kumbeka emathubeni wokuthi abe netjhebiswano noJehova isiphelani. (Rom. 6:23) Alo yini thina esiyenzileko bona sifumane isipho esihle kangaka? Njengombana sizizoni nje, yinye kwaphela into esifaneleko, kukufa. (Rhu. 103:10) Kodwana uJehova ubone okuthileko okuhle kithi. Ngomusakhe ongakasifaneli, wasivula iinhliziyo bona silalele iindaba ezimnandi. Yeke sathoma saba nokukholwa kuJesu, sinethemba lokuphila okungapheliko.—Funda 1 Jwanisi 4:9, 10.

 ³ Kodwana kuhlekuhle khuyini ukukholwa? Inga-kghani sekumane kusisipho esinaso emkhumbulwenethu uJehova asibekele sona? Okuqakatheke khulu, thina singakutjengisa njani ukukholwa?

4. Hlathulula bona kubayini singekhe satjho bona ukukholwa akusiyinto emane ibe semkhumbulweni womuntu.

⁴ Ukukholwa kutjho okudlula ukumane uzwisise ihloso kaZimu. Kumamandla enza umuntu afune ukwenza intando kaZimu. Ukukholwa kuZimu nokuthi angasisindisa kwenza nokobana umuntu afune ukutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi kabanye. Umpostoli uPowula wahlathulula wathi: “Lokha nawuvuma ngomlomakho bona uJesu uyiKosi, bewukholwe ngehliziywakho bona uZimu wamvusa kabafileko, uzokusindiswa ngombana ukholwa ngehliziyo, ulungisiswe; uvume ngomlomo, usindiswe.”—Rom. 10:9, 10; 2 Kor. 4:13.

5. Kubayini ukukholwa kuqakathekile begodu singakuqinisa njani? Fanekisa.

⁵ Njenganje kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi nasizakuphila ngokungapheliko ephasini lakaZimu, kufuze sibe nokukholwa begodu sisebenze ngamandla bona sikuqinise. Ukukholwa kwethu singakufanisa nesitjalo, sitlhoga amanzi bona sikhule. Angekhe sakufanisa nesitjalo esingaphiliko, isitjalo samambala sikhamba sitjhuguluka. Isitjalo samambala singatjhwabana ngebanga lokungatlhogonyelwa, kuthi nasitlhogonyelwa kuhle sikhulu sibe sihle. Nakwenzeka isitjalo singathelelelwa, singagqina sele sifile. Kunjalo-ke nangokukholwa kwethu. Nasingakutjhejiko nakho kungagqina sele kufile. (Luk. 22:32; Heb. 3:12) Kodwana nasikutlhogomelako, “kuyakhula” ‘besiphile ekukholweni.’—2 Thes. 1:3; Tit. 2:2.

6. Ngiziphi iindlela ezimbili umtlolo webeHebheru 11:1 ohlathulula ngazo ukukholwa?

⁶ Ihlathululo yokukholwa eBhayibhelini ifumaneka emtlolweni webeHebheru 11:1. (Wufunde.) Ukukholwa kudzimelele ezintweni ezimbili thina esingaziboniko: (1) Zizinto “esinethemba ngazo” lokho kuhlanganisa izinto uZimu asithembise bona zizokwenzeka, ezinjengokuphela kwephasi elikhohlakelekweli. (2) ‘Nangalokho esingakuboniko.’ Kilokhu, ibizo lesiGirigi elitjhugululwe ngokuthi “kuliqiniso” liqalisele ebufakazini obukwenza ukholwe into ethileko, ngitjho nanyana ingabonakali, njengokuba khona kwakaJehova uZimu, uJesu Krestu, iingilozi, nemisebenzi eyenziwa mBuso kaZimu wezulwini. (Heb. 11:3) Kodwana singatjengisa njani ukuthi sinokukholwa nokuthi sinalo ithemba ezintweni esingaziboniko okukhulunywa ngazo eliZwini lakaZimu? Singatjengisa ngamezwi nangezenzo zethu, ngaphandle kwalokho ukukholwa kwethu akukapheleli.

7. Isibonelo sakaNowa sisisiza njani bona sizwisise okutjhiwo kukuba nokukholwa? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁷ Incwadi yamaHebheru 11:7 ihlathulula ukukholwa kwakaNowa ‘owayeleliswa nguZimu mayelana nesehlakalo ebe singakabonakali, wamukela isiyeleliso wakha umkhumbi ukuze asindise indlu yakhe.’ UNowa watjengisa ukukholwa kwakhe ngokuthi akhe umkhumbi omkhulu. Abomakhelwana bakhe bambuza bona kubayini akha umkhumbi lo. Inga-kghani uNowa azange abaphendule namkha abatjele bona akhebaqale iindaba zabo? Awa, akhenge enze njalo. Ukukholwa kwakhe kwamenza wakhuluma nabo ngesibindi, wabayelelisa ngesahlulelo sakaZimu. Kungenzeka bona uNowa wabatjela  amezwi uJehova amtjela wona: “Sengiqunte bona ngibaphelise bokanyana nje ngombana iphasi ligcwele umguruguru ngenca yabo . . . Mina ngizakunisa umthwalela ephasini bona ngiphelise yoke ipilo engaphasi kwezulu, okuziimbunjwa zoke ezinomphefumulo phezu kwephasi. Koke okusephasini kuzakubhujiswa.” UNowa wabahlathululela bona bangasinda njani, nakilokho wabuyelela amezwi kaZimu: “Kuzakufanela bona ningene emkhunjini” UNowa wabuye watjengisa ukukholwa kwakhe ngokuthi ‘abemtjhumayeli wokulunga.’—Gen. 6:13, 17, 18; 2 Pit. 2:5.

8. UJakopo waphefumulelwa ukuthi akuhlathulule njani ukukholwa komKrestu weqiniso?

⁸ Kungenzeka incwadi kaJakopo yatlolwa ngemva kobana umpostoli Powula atlole ngomlando wokukholwa kwakhe. UJakopo naye wenza njengoPowula, wahlathulula ukuthi ukukholwa komKrestu akusikumane akholwe kodwana kufuze kukhambisane nemisebenzi. Wabuye watlola wathi: “Ngitjengisa ukukholwa kwakho ngaphandle kwemisebenzi, nami ngemisebenzami ngizakutjengisa ukukholwa kwami.” (Jak. 2:18) Wabuya watjengisa umahluko phakathi kokukholwa nokutjengisa ukukholwa. Amadimoni  ayakholwa ukuthi uZimu ukhona, kodwana akakholelwa kuye. Kunalokho enza imisebenzi ephikisana nehloso kaZimu. (Jak. 2:19, 20) UJakopo wathi nakakhuluma ngenye indoda yokukholwa wathi: “Kanti ukhokho wethu u-Abrahamu akhange alungisiswe ngemisebenzi lokha nakanikela ngo-Isaka indodanakhe e-aldarini na? Uyabona-ke bonyana ukukholwa kwasebenza kanye nezenzo zakhe, nokobana ukukholwa kwapheleliswa ngemisebenzi.” Ngokutjho lokho bekatjengisa ukuthi ukukholwa kufuze kutjengiswe ngemisebenzi, wangezelela ngokuthi: “Njengombana nomzimba nawunganammoya ufile, ngokunjalo nokukholwa nakunganamisebenzi kufile.”—Jak. 2:21-23, 26.

9, 10. Umpostoli uJwanisi usisiza njani bona sizwisise ukuqakatheka kokutjengisa ukukholwa?

⁹ Ngemva kobana kudlule iminyaka ema-30, umpostoli uJwanisi watlola iVangeli lakhe watlola neencwadi ezintathu. Inga-kghani wayithokozela ihlathululo edephileko abanye abatloli beBhayibheli abaphefumulelweko, ekhuluma ngokukholwa komKrestu weqiniso? UJwanisi wasebenzisa ibizo lesiGirigi ngesinye isikhathi elihlathululwa ngokuthi ‘kukholwa’ ukudlula nanyana ngimuphi umtloli weBhayibheli.

¹⁰ Ngokwesibonelo, uJwanisi wahlathulula wathi: “Loyo okholwako eNdodaneni unokuphila okungapheliko; kodwana ongakholwa eNdodaneni ngekhe akubona ukuphila, kodwana uzakuhlala ngaphasi kobukhali bakaZimu.” (Jwa. 3:36) Ukukholwa komKrestu kuhlanganisa nokuthobela umyalo kaJesu. Kanengi uJwanisi bekadzubhula amezwi kaJesu, atjengisa bona ukukholwa yinto eragela phambili.—Jwa. 3:16; 6:29, 40; 11:25, 26; 14:1, 12.

11. Singatjengisa njani ukuthi siyakuthokoza ukwazi iqiniso?

¹¹ Qala bona kusithokozisa kangangani ukwazi ukuthi uJehova usebenzise ummoyakhe ocwengileko bona asivezele iqiniso, nokuthi asivumele sitjengise ukukholwa kwethu eendabeni ezimnandi! (Funda uLukasi 10:21.) Akukafuzi silise ukuthokoza uJehova ngokuthi usitjhideze eduze kwakhe ngeNdodanakhe, ‘umThomisi noMphelelisi wokukholwa kwethu.’ (Heb. 12:2) Bona sitjengise ukuthi siyathokoza ngomusa kaZimu lo, kufuze sihlale siqinisa ukukholwa kwethu ngokuthi sithandaze begodu sifunde iliZwi lakaZimu. —Efe. 6:18; 1 Pit. 2:2.

12. Singakutjengisa ngaziphi iindlela ukukholwa kwethu?

¹² Kufuze siragele phambili sibe nokukholwa eenthembisweni zakaJehova. Kufuze nabanye bakghone ukukubona lokho. Ngokwesibonelo, kufuze siragele phambili sitjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu senze nabafundi. Godu siragele phambili senza “okuhle kibo boke abantu, khulukhulu kilabo abangebokukholwa.” (Gal. 6:10) Sisebenze ngamandla bona ‘sihlubule ubunina obudala nemikhuba yabo,’ begodu sitjheje nanyana yini engehlisa ithando lethu ngoZimu.—Kol. 3:5, 8-10.

13. Kuqakatheke ngani ‘ukukholwa kuZimu,’ begodu kufaniswa nani? Kubayini?

¹³ IBhayibheli ithi: “Ngaphandle kokukholwa, akwenzeki ukumthokozisa uZimu ngombana loyo otjhidela kuZimu kufanele akholwe bona ukhona nokobanyana uyabavuza labo abamfunako.” (Heb. 11:6) IBhayibheli nalihlathulula ‘ukukholwa kuZimu’ lithi “sisekelo” esitlhogekako bona sibe maKrestu weqiniso. (Heb. 6:1) Kilesi sisekelo amaKrestu kufuze ‘angezelele ukukholwa [kwawo].’ Okhunye okuqakathekileko kukuthi ‘[Ahlale] ethandweni  lakaZimu.’—Funda yesi-2 Pitrosi 1:5-7; Jud. 20, 21.

14, 15. Nalimadaniswa nethando, ikholo liqakatheke kangangani?

¹⁴ Abatloli beBhayibheli abamaKrestu bagandelela ukuqakatheka kokuba nokukholwa ngokuthi bakubuyelele iinkhathi ezinengi. Abukho obunye ubuntu okukhulunywa ngabo iinkhathi ezinengi kangaka. Kghani lokho kutjho ukuthi ukukholwa kuqakatheke ukudlula koke umKrestu angaba nakho?

¹⁵ Nakamadanisa ukukholwa nethando uPowula wathi: ‘Nanginokukholwa okutjhidisa iintaba, kodwana nginganathando, angisililitho.’ (1 Kor. 13:2) UJesu wahlathulula ithando lakaZimu nakazakubuza athi: “Ngimuphi umyalo ongomkhulu emthethweni na?” (Mat. 22:35-40) Ithando ngilo eliveza obunye ubuntu umKrestu anabo, kuhlanganise nokukholwa. IBhayibheli ithi: “Ithando likholwa yoke into.” Lisenza sibe nethemba ezintweni uZimu azitjhwileko eliZwini lakhe leqiniso.—1 Kor. 13:4, 7.

16, 17. Ukukholwa nethando kuhlanganiswe njani emiTlolweni, kodwana yini eqakatheke khulu, begodu kubayini?

¹⁶ Ngebanga lokuqakatheka kokukholwa nethando, abatloli beBhayibheli abamaKrestu bakhuluma ngobuntobu iinkhathi ezinengi, bakhuluma ngabo emutjhweni munye. UPowula wakhuthaza abafowabo wathi kufuze “sembathe isivikelasifuba sokukholwa nethando.” (1 Thes. 5:8) UPitrosi yena watlola wathi: “Niyamthanda [uJesu] nanyana ningakhange nimbone; niyakholwa kuye nanyana ningamboni njenganje.” (1 Pit. 1:8) UJakopo wabuza abafowabo abazesiweko wathi: “UZimu akakakhethi abachakileko bephaseli kobana banothe ngokukholwa, babe ziindlalifa zombuso awuthembisa labo abamthandako na?” (Jak. 2:5) UJwanisi watlola wathi: “Nje-ke naku umyalo: Kufuze sikholwe ebizweni leNdodanakhe uJesu Krestu begodu sithandane njengombana asiyala.”—1 Jwa. 3:23.

¹⁷ Ukukholwa kuqakathekile kodwana ukuqakatheka kwezinto uZimu asithembise zona kuzokuphelelwa sikhathi ngombana zizabe zizalisekile zoke njalo. Kodwana nakulithando lona, angeze laphela, sizokuragela phambili sithanda uZimu nabomakhelwana bethu. Ngikho uPowula atlola wathi: “Nje-ke okuthathu lokhu kujamile: ukukholwa, ithemba nethando. Kodwana okungaphezu kwakho koke lithando.”—1 Kor. 13:13.

18, 19. Ngiwuphi umfanekiso omuhle wokukholwa esiwubonako namhlanjesi? Ngubani okufuze athokozwe ngalokho?

¹⁸ Emalangenethu la, abantu bakaJehova bebasolo batjengisa ukukholwa kwabo emBuswenakhe. Lokho kwenza kwahlonywa ipharadesi elingokomfanekiso elinabantu abangaphezu kweengidi ezibunane. Kuyindawo ezele ngabantu abanobuntu obenziwa mummoya kaZimu. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Lo mfanekiso omuhle wokukholwa komKrestu weqiniso nethando!

¹⁹ Akakho umuntu ongathi yena angaba nobuntobo ngokwakhe ukuhlakanipha. NguZimu osisiza sibe nobuntobu. Umsebenzi omuhle lo uletha ‘isikhumbuzo [kuJehova], kube sibonakaliso sanini nanini, nesingeze satjhabalaliswa’ (Isa. 55:13) Kwamambala “kusisipho sakaZimu” begodu “ngabasindisiweko ngokukholwa” abasifumanako. (Efe. 2:8) Ipharadesi lethu elingokomfanekisweli liragela phambili likhula, bekube kula iphasi loke lizele ngabantu abapheleleko, abalungileko, nabathabileko badumisa ibizo lakaJehova. Kwanga singaragela phambili siba nokukholwa eenthembisweni zakaJehova.