1. (a) UJefitha loHana babefanana ngani? (Khangela imifanekiso esekuqaliseni.) (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni lesi?

UJEFITHA wayengumkhokheli webutho olesibindi futhi ohlakaniphileyo. UHana wayengumfazi ozithobayo futhi okhutheleyo. Kuyini ababefanana ngakho abantu laba? Bobabili babekhonza uJehova njalo benza izifungo bazigcwalisa. Isibonelo sabo singasisiza sonke esingabe senze izifungo kuJehova. Kodwa siyini vele isifungo? Kuqakatheke kangakanani ukusigcwalisa? Kuyini esingakufunda kuJefitha loHana? Ake sixoxe ngemibuzo le.

2, 3. (a) Siyini isifungo? (b) IMibhalo ithini ngokuqakatheka kokugcwalisa izifungo?

² Nxa iBhayibhili likhuluma ngesifungo liyabe lisitsho isithembiso umuntu asenza kuNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo angathembisa ukuthi uzanikela ngesipho, ukuthi uzakwenza inkonzo ethile loba ukuthi uzahlala engelazinto ezithile. Akulamuntu obanjwa ngamandla ukuthi enze isifungo, umuntu ngamunye uyazikhethela ngokuthanda kwakhe. Lanxa kunjalo uNkulunkulu ukhangelele ukuthi umuntu angenza isifungo asigcwalise. Phela kuye isifungo sifana lesivumelwano, amazwi abhalwa phansi loba akhulunywa ngumuntu ethembisa ukuthi uzakwenza okuthile loba ukuthi ngeke akwenze.  (Gen. 14:22, 23; Heb. 6:16, 17) IBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi ukwenza isifungo kuNkulunkulu yindaba eqakatheke kakhulu okungamelanga ithathwe lula.

³ UMthetho kaMosi wawusithi ‘nxa indoda isenza isinqumo kuJehova loba isenza izifungo iziphe icala ngokuzimisela, akumelanga yephule isithembiso sayo kodwa kumele isigcwalise ngokwenza konke ekutshiloyo.’ (Nani. 30:2) USolomoni laye wabhala wathi: “Nxa usenza isifungo kuNkulunkulu, ungaphuzi ukusigcwalisa. Kathokozi ngeziwula; gcwalisa isifungo sakho.” (UmTshu. 5:4) UJesu laye wagcizelela ukuthi ukwenza isifungo kayisiyo ndaba yokudlala, wathi: “Kwathiwa kwabendulo, ‘Ungephuli isifungo sakho, kodwa ugcwalise izifungo ozenzileyo eNkosini.’”—Mat. 5:33.

4. (a) Kuyingozi ngani ukwehluleka ukugcwalisa isifungo osenzileyo kuNkulunkulu? (b) Kuyini esizakufunda ngoHana loJefitha?

⁴ Siyabona-ke ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyaziqakathekisa izifungo esizenzayo. Ngakho ukungazigcwalisi kungaphambanisa ubuhlobo bethu laye. UDavida wathi: ‘Ngubani ongaqansa intaba kaJehova na? Ngubani ongema endaweni yakhe engcwele na? Ngulowo . . . ongaphakamiseli umphefumulo wakhe esithombeni loba afunge ngenkohliso.’ (Hubo. 24:3, 4) Yiziphi izifungo ezenziwa nguJefitha loHana njalo kwakulula yini ukuthi bazigcwalise?

5. Yisiphi isifungo esenziwa nguJefitha njalo kwaba layiphi impumela?

⁵ Kwasekuleminyaka eminengi ama-Amoni ebathwalise nzima abako-Israyeli. Ngakho uJefitha wathi esiyakulwa lawo wenza isifungo kuJehova. (Abahlu. 10:7-9) Nanku akutshoyo: “Unganikela ama-Amoni ezandleni zami, loba kuyini okuphuma emnyango wendlu yami ukuba kungihlangabeze lapho ngibuya nginqobile ngivela kuma-Amoni kuzakuba ngokukaJehova.” Lakanye uJefitha wawanqoba ama-Amoni njalo wathi efika emzini wakhe wahlangabezwa yindodakazi yakhe. Yiyo-ke eyayisizakuba yisipho ayezasinika uJehova. (Abahlu. 11:30-34) Kwakulula yini lokhu?

6. (a) Kwakulula yini ukuthi uJefitha lendodakazi yakhe bagcwalise isifungo ababesenzile kuNkulunkulu? (b) Ufundeni kuDutheronomi 23:21, 23 loHubo 15:4 mayelana lokugcwalisa izifungo?

⁶ Indodakazi kaJefitha kwakumele iyekhonza ethabanikeli likaJehova ukuphila kwayo konke ukuze igcwalise isifungo esasenziwe nguyise. UJefitha wenza isifungo lesi engacabanganga yini? Hatshi. Kungenzakala ukuthi wayekwazi ukuthi indodakazi yakhe yiyo eyayizaphuma kuqala imhlangabeza esevela empini. Lanxa kunjalo kwakungalula kuJefitha lendodakazi yakhe ukusigcwalisa lesosifungo. IBhayibhili lithi wathi eyibona “wadabula izigqoko zakhe” waba lusizi. Indodakazi yakhe yona yacela ukuyalila ezintabeni ngoba yayingasayikutshada. Ngakho uJefitha wayengasoze abe labazukulu ababezakhulisa usendo lwakhe ngoba wayengelabo abanye abantwana. Loba kunjalo uJefitha wathi: “Ngifunge isifungo kuJehova engingeke ngisephule.” Indodakazi yakhe yamphendula yathi: “Kimi yenza njengoba uthembisile.” (Abahlu. 11:35-39) Siyabona-ke ukuthi basigcina isifungo ababesenzile kuJehova uNkulunkulu lanxa kwakunzima ukwenza njalo.—Bala uDutheronomi 23:21, 23 loHubo 15:4.

7. (a) Yisiphi isifungo esenziwa nguHana? Kwakutheni aze asenze futhi kwaphetha ngani? (b) Isifungo sakhe sasisitshoni kumntanakhe uSamuyeli? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

⁷ UHana laye wasigcwalisa isifungo ayesenze  kuJehova. Wenza isifungo lesi ngesikhathi ekhathazekile ngenxa yokuswela inzalo njalo ethwaliswe nzima ngunyanewabo owayemtshela amazwi ahlabayo nsuku zonke. (1 Sam. 1:4-7, 10, 16) UHana wakhuleka wathi: “Awu, Jehova Somandla, uma ungakhangela nje usizi lwencekukazi yakho ungikhumbule, njalo ungayikhohlwa incekukazi yakho kodwa uyiphe indodana, lapho-ke ngizayinika uJehova okwezinsuku zonke zokuphila kwayo, njalo akulampuco ezake isetshenziswe ekhanda layo.” * (1 Sam. 1:11) Umthandazo kaHana waphendulwa futhi ngemva komnyaka wabeletha indodana. Lanxa uHana wathokoza kakhulu kazange asikhohlwe isifungo ayesenze kuNkulunkulu. Wathi eseyiphethe indodana yakhe ezandleni wathi, “ngamcela kuJehova.”—1 Sam. 1:20.

8. (a) Kwakulula yini ukuthi uHana agcwalise isifungo ayesenzile? (b) Amazwi kaDavida akuHubo 61 akukhumbuzani ngesibonelo siHana?

⁸ UHana wathi emkhupha ebeleni uSamuyeli kazange atshone ebalisa, wahle wenza khona kanye ayekuthembise uNkulunkulu. Wamthatha wamhambisa ethabanikeli kuMphristi oMkhulu u-Eli. Wafika ku-Eli wathi: “Ngakhulekela umntwana lo, njalo uJehova usengiphile engakucelayo. Ngakho khathesi sengimnika uJehova. Uzanikwa uJehova impilo yakhe yonke.” (1 Sam. 1:24-28) IBhayibhili lithi, “umfana uSamuyeli wakhula phambi kukaJehova.” (1 Sam. 2:21) Kumele ukuthi lokhu kwakungalula kuHana ngoba wayemthanda kakhulu umntanakhe. Kasithandabuzi ukuthi wayefisa ukuba laye nsuku zonke, ukudlala laye kanye lokumondla. Phela le yinto engafiswa yiloba nguphi umama omthandayo umntanakhe. Loba kunjalo uHana kazange azisole ngesifungo ayesenzile ngoba inhliziyo yakhe yayithokoza ngoJehova.—1 Sam. 2:1, 2; bala iHubo 61:1, 5, 8.

9. Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?

⁹ Sesibonile ukuthi nxa umuntu angenza isifungo kuNkulunkulu kumele asigcwalise. Ngakho asixoxeni ngemibuzo le elandelayo: Yiziphi izifungo ezenziwa ngamaKhristu lamuhla? Kungani kumele sigcwalise izifungo esizenzayo?

10. Yisiphi isifungo esiqakathekileyo esenziwa ngamaKhristu njalo sitshoni?

¹⁰ Isifungo esiqakatheke kakhulu esenziwa ngamaKhristu ngesokuzinikela kuJehova. Lesi yisifungo umuntu asenza eyedwa ngokuthandaza kuJehova, emthembisa ukuthi uzamkhonza ukuphila kwakhe konke kumnyama kubomvu. Ngamanye amazwi lowomuntu ‘uyazidela,’ okutsho ukuthi uyabe esezimisele ukuqakathekisa ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu ukwedlula loba yini. (Mat. 16:24) Kusukela mhlalokho uyabe engasaziphileli yena kodwa esephilela uJehova. (Rom. 14:8) Yikho akumelanga ayithathe lula indaba le. Kumele azimisele njengomhubi owahlabela wathi: “Ngingambonga ngani uJehova ngabo bonke ubuhle bakhe kimi? Ngizazigcwalisa izifungo zami kuJehova phambi kwabo bonke abantu bakhe.”—Hubo. 116:12, 14.

11. Kuyini okwenzakala mhla ubhabhathizwa?

¹¹ Sewazinikela kuJehova yini njalo wabhabhathizwa? Kuhle nxa wakwenza lokhu. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi mhla ubhabhathizwa wabuzwa ukuthi usuzinikele yini kuJehova lokuthi uyakuzwisisa yini  ukuthi “ukuzinikela lokubhabhathizwa kwakho kutshengisa ukuthi usungomunye waboFakazi bakaJehova?” Impendulo yakho ezwakalayo yaba yibufakazi kwababekhona ukuthi usuzinikele njalo usukulungele ukubhabhathizwa. Kumele ukuthi wamthokozisa kakhulu uJehova ngokwenza njalo.

12. (a) Yiphi imibuzo okumele uzibuze yona? (b) UPhetro wathi kumele senzeni ukuze sihlale siqinile ekukhonzeni?

¹² Khumbula ukuthi ukubhabhathizwa yikuqala kwempilo yokukhonza uJehova. Nxa usubhabhathiziwe kumele uqhubeke uphila ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi uzinikele kuNkulunkulu njalo uzimisele ukulalela imithetho yakhe. Yikho kungaba kuhle ukuthi uzibuze imibuzo le: ‘Ngiyathuthuka yini ekukhonzeni selokhu ngabhabhathizwayo? Ngilokhu ngimkhonza ngenhliziyo yonke yini uJehova? (Kol. 3:23) Ngiyathandaza zikhathi zonke yini? Ngilibala nsuku zonke yini iBhayibhili? Ngiyayingena imihlangano yonke yini? Ngikhuthele yini ekutshumayeleni?’ Nxa kuyikuthi kukhona ongasakwenzi kuhle ezintweni lezi lungisisa. Umphostoli uPhetro wathi nxa singengeza ulwazi lokubekezela kanye lokwesaba uNkulunkulu  ekukholweni kwethu ngeke sibe ngabangafezi lutho labangelazithelo.—Bala u-2 Phetro 1:5-8.

13. Kuyini okumele kunanzelelwe ngumKhristu ozinikeleyo?

¹³ Nxa usuwenze isifungo sokuthi uzakhonza uJehova akula kubuyela emuva. Yikho nxa umuntu engasafuni ukukhonza uJehova loba ukwenza intando yakhe ngeke athi yena kazange azinikele kumbe athi wayengakwazi akwenzayo ngesikhathi ebhabhathizwa. * Phela wavuma kuJehova laphambi kwabantu ukuthi usezinikele. Ngakho nxa lowomuntu angenza isono uyabe elomlandu kuJehova lasebandleni. (Rom. 14:12) Akumelanga sibe njengalabo uJesu ayebatsho lapho esithi: “Udelile uthando lwakho lwakuqala.” Kodwa sifuna athi: “Ngiyayazi imisebenzi yakho, lothando, lokukholwa, lokubekezela kwakho, lokuthi imisebenzi yakho yokucina minengi kuleyokuqala.” (Isam. 2:4, 19, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Yikho-ke kasizimiseleni ukuqhubeka sikhuthele ekukhonzeni ukuze sithokozise uJehova.

14. Yisiphi esinye isifungo esiqakathekileyo njalo kungani siqakathekile?

¹⁴ Esinye isifungo esiqakathekileyo ngesomtshado. Okwenza siqakatheke yikuthi umtshado ungcwele kuNkulunkulu. Abatshadayo benza isifungo lesi phambi kukaNkulunkulu labantu. Ngokwesibonelo bayathembisa ukuthi bazathandana, baphathane kuhle njalo bahloniphane ingqe nje “[bobabili] besaphila emhlabeni ngokuvumelana lohlelo lukaNkulunkulu lomtshado.” Lanxa abanye bengabe bengawatshongo enjengoba enjalo amazwi la, bayabe besenzile isifungo kuNkulunkulu. Ngemva kwalokho obatshadisayo uyabika ukuthi sebeyindoda lomfazi futhi kuyabe sekumele bahlale ndawonye okwempilo yabo yonke. (Gen. 2:24; 1 Khor. 7:39) UJesu wathi: “Lokho uNkulunkulu asekuhlanganisile akungehlukaniswa muntu.” Kusegcekeni ukuthi abatshadayo akumelanga bacabange ukuthi ukudivosa yindlela yokulungisa inhlupho emtshadweni wabo.—Mak. 10:9.

15. Kungani kungamelanga silingisele abantu bomhlaba lo endabeni yomtshado?

¹⁵ Akumelanga sikhangelele ukuthi izinto zizahlala zitshelela emtshadweni ngoba umtshado ubunjwa ngabantu ababili abalesono. Yikho iBhayibhili lisithi abatshadileyo bazahlangana ‘lezinhlupho’ kwezinye izikhathi. (1 Khor. 7:28) Kodwa okudanisayo yikuthi abantu abanengi emhlabeni lo kabawuhloniphi umtshado. Nxa kungaba lezinhlupho loba ukungazwanani emitshadweni yabo bayakhalala besebekhetha ukudivosa. Kodwa amaKhristu eqiniso kawakwenzi lokhu. Phela ukwenza njalo kufanana lokuqambela uNkulunkulu amanga, into ayizondayo kakhulu. (Levi. 19:12; Zaga. 6:16-19) Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Uthethe na? Ungadingi ukwehlukana.” (1 Khor. 7:27) UPhawuli wakutsho lokhu ngoba wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova uyamzonda umuntu odivosa umkakhe ngobuqili.—Mal. 2:13-16.

16. IBhayibhili lithini ngokudivosa kanye lokwehlukana?

¹⁶ UJesu waveza ukuthi sinye kuphela isizathu esingenza ukuthi abatshadileyo badivose. Wathi lokhu kungenziwa nxa omunye efebile futhi omunye wakhe engafuni ukumxolela. (Mat. 19:9; Heb. 13:4) Ukwehlukana khona kuyavunyelwa yini? IBhayibhili  licacile lasendabeni le. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 7:10, 11.) Akulasizatho esiqanjwayo eBhayibhilini esingenza umuntu ehlukane lomunye wakhe. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi umKhristu angabona kungcono ukuthi ehlukane lomunye wakhe ikakhulu nxa emhlukuluza njalonje. Omunye angakhetha ukwenza lokhu nxa esevinjelwa ukukhonza uJehova ngumkakhe osehlamukile. *

17. Kuyini okunganceda abatshadileyo ukuthi baqinise umtshado wabo?

¹⁷ Nxa abatshadileyo bangafika ebadaleni befuna ukuncediswa ngezinhlupho abalazo, abadala kumele bababuze ukuthi bake bayibukela ndawonye yini ividiyo ethi, Luyini Uthando Lweqiniso? lokuthi bake balifunda yini ibhukwana elithi, Kungenzakala Yini Ukuthi Imuli Yenu Ithokoze? Izinto lezi zilezimiso ezincede abanengi ukuthi baqinise imitshado yabo. Abanye abatshadileyo bathi: “Ukufunda ibhukwana leli kuyincedile imuli yethu futhi khathesi sesithokoza kakhulu.” Omunye udadewethu oseleminyaka engu-22 etshadile njalo owaphosa wehlukana lomkakhe wathi: “Ividiyo le ifike ngesikhathi sibili ngoba izinto bezingasahambi kuhle phakathi kwami lomkami. Kodwa khathesi izinto sezingcono kakhulu.” Nxa kuyikuthi utshadile, zama ukusebenzisa izimiso zikaJehova. Ungenza njalo uzabe usigcinile isifungo sakho somtshado futhi uzathokoza kakhulu.

18, 19. (a) Kuyini okwenziwe ngabazali abanengi lamuhla? (b) Sitshoni isifungo esenziwa yilabo abasenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke?

¹⁸ Ukunanzelele yini okunye uJefitha loHana ababefanana ngakho? Izifungo abazenzayo zavulela abantwababo ithuba lokuyakwenza inkonzo engcwele ethabanikeli. Lo kwakungumsebenzi othokozisayo kakhulu. Lalamuhla abazali abanengi bakhuthaze abantwababo ukuthi bangene enkonzweni yesikhathi sonke kanye lokuthi baqakathekise ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Siyabancoma kakhulu ngalokhu abakwenzileyo.—Abahlu. 11:40; Hubo. 110:3.

¹⁹ Sikhuluma nje kulaboFakazi abedlula 67 000 abasenkonzweni le. Abanye baseBhetheli, emsebenzini wokwakha, abanye ngababonisi beziqinti, abanye bayafundisa ezikolo zenhlanganiso, abanye ngamaphayona aqakathekileyo labanali ikanti abanye basemawolu emihlangano loba ezakhiweni okuqhutshelwa kuzo izikolo zenhlanganiso. Bonke bafunga ukuthi bazakwenza loba yiwuphi umsebenzi abawunikwayo lokuthi bazahlala bengelazinto ezinengi empilweni njalo ngeke benze imisebenzi yokuziphilisa. Bayakwazi ukuthi okuqakathekileyo ngumsebenzi abawenzayo hatshi bona. Bayananzelela lokuthi kuqakathekile ukugcwalisa isifungo abasenzayo ingqe nje belokhu besenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke.

20. Kumele senzeni ngezifungo esizenzileyo futhi kungani?

²⁰ Yisiphi isifungo owasenzayo kulezi ezintathu esixoxe ngazo? Sithemba ubonile ukuthi akumelanga usithathe lula isifungo osenzileyo. (Zaga. 20:25) Ukwehluleka ukusigcwalisa kungaphambanisa ubuhlobo bakho loJehova. (UmTshu. 5:6) Ngakho zimisele ukwenza njengomhubi owahlabela wathi: “Lapho-ke ngizahlala ngihlabela indumiso ebizweni lakho ngigcwalise izifungo zami insuku ngensuku.”—Hubo. 61:8.