1. (a) Khuyini uMahluleli uJafta noHana ebebafana ngakho? (Qala iinthombe ezisekuthomeni.) (b) Sizokuphendula miphi imibuzo esihlokwenesi?

UJAFTA bekamdosi phambili begodu alijoni elinesibindi. UHana yena-ke bekangumma ozithobileko, waba ngumma onesikhathi somzakhe. Bobabili nje benza iimfungo kuZimu begodu bazifeza. Nanyana kunjalo khuyini uMahluleli uJafta nomka-Elikhana uHana ebebafana ngayo? Bobabili bafunga kuZimu, bebazifeza iimfungo zabo. Baziimbonelo zokulingiswa nakuziwa endabeni yokulotjha uJehova. Lokho kwenza kuphakame imibuzo nasi: Isifungo siyinto bani? Ukufunga kuZimu kuqakatheke kangangani? Sifundani-ke kuJafta noHana?

2, 3. (a) Isifungo siyinto bani? (b) Ithini imiTlolo ngokwenza isifungo kuZimu?

² IBhayibheli lithi isifungo sithembiso esiqakatheke khulu umuntu asenza kuZimu. Kungaba kukwenza okuthileko, mhlamunye ukunikela ngesipho, ukungenela umkhakha othileko nofana ukudela ezinye izinto. Umuntu nakenza iimfungo akakatelelwa mumuntu bona azenze. Ziba mnikelo ocwengileko nowenziwa ngesihle emehlweni kaZimu. Iimfungwezi zimlayezo umuntu atjengisa ngazo ukuthi uzokuthembeka kuZimu. (Gen. 14:22, 23; Heb. 6:16, 17) ImiTlolo yona ithini ngokuqakatheka kokwenza iimfungo kuZimu?

³ UmThetho kaMosi wathi: “Lokha indoda yenza isithembiso [“kuJehova, NW”] namkha yenza isifungo sokuzibophelela  ngepilwayo, kufuze ingawephuli amezwayo. Ayenze koke ekukhulumileko.” (Num. 30:2) Ekukhambeni kwesikhathi noSolomoni wasetjenziswa nguZimu bona atlole athi: “Nawenza isithembiso phambi kwakaZimu, ungariyadi ukusifeza. UZimu akathatjiswa ziindlhadlha, ngalokho zalisa isithembiso sakho.” (UMtj. 5:4) UJesu wakubeka ebaleni ukuqakatheka kokwenza isifungo nakathi: “Nizwile bona abantu ekadeni batjelwa kwathiwa: ‘Ungafungi ngamanga, kodwana yenza iimfungo owazenza [“kuJehova, NW”].’”—Mat. 5:33.

4. (a) Ukufunga kuZimu kuyinto ezike kangangani? (b) Thina khuyini esiyifundako kuJafta noHana?

⁴ Indaba le izwakala kuhle-ke nje, ukwenza isifungo kuZimu akusiyinto yokudlala. Nendlela esizithatha ngayo iimfungo zethu inomthelela ebudlelwaneni bethu noJehova. UDavida wathi: ‘Ngubani ongakhuphukela entabeni [“kaJehova, NW”]? Ngubani ongajama endawenakhe ecwengileko na? Ngiloyo . . . ongafungi ikohliso [“ngoJehova, NW”].’ (Rhu. 24:3, 4) UJafta noHana bafunga ngani? Bekulula kangangani ngabo ukufeza iimfungwezo?

5. UJafta wafunga ngani, umphumela wendaba leyo waba yini?

⁵ UJafta wathembeka wafeza isithembiso sakhe ebekasenze kuJehova, wayokulwa nama-Amoni ebewasolo atlhorisana nabantu bakaZimu. (Khok. 10:7-9) Anesifiso sokuhlula epini leyo, wafunga wathi: “Nange [“uJehova, NW”] anganikela ama-Amoni esandleni sami, nanyana yini ephuma emnyango wekumbami ukungihlangabeza ekufikeni kwami, nangibuya ukuyohlula ama-Amoni, kuzakuba [“ngokwakaJehova, NW”].” Umphumela waba yini? Ama-Amoni ahlulwa epini leyo, begodu uyazi ngubani owaphuma wahlangabeza uJafta? Kwaba mntazanakhe. Nguye ebekazakuba [“ngowakaJehova, NW”]. (Khok. 11:30-34) Intwe le beyitjho ukuthini kuye?

6. (a) Bekulula na kuJafta ukufeza isifungo asenza kuZimu ngomntazanakwakhe? (b) UDuteronomi 23:21, 23 neRhubo15:4 zikutjhukumisa bona usiqale njani isifungo sakho?

⁶ Umntazana kaJafta wafeza isifungo sakayise, wayokulotjha uJehova isikhathi esizeleko ethaberinakeli. Kghani isifungwesi uJafta wasenza angakacabangisisi kuhle? Akusinjalo, bekungenzeka nokuthi bekazi bona umntazanakwakhe kungaba nguye ozokuphuma ngendlini ayomhlangabeza. Nanyana kunjalo, bekuyinto ebudisi khulu le kokubili kubaba nendodakazinakhe. Nakathi mehlo suka! Nangu umntazanakhe, uJafta “wadabula izambatho zakhe” wathi uphuke ihliziyo. Umntazanakhe wakhamba ‘wayokulilela ubuntombi bakhe.’ Sikutjho ngaliphi lokho? UJafta bekanganayo indodana, yeke indodakazakhe ngiyo ebeyingatjhada imlethele neenzukulu. Beyingekho enye indlela yokubinga amafa nokuthuthukisa igama lomndenakhe. Nokho lokho bekungatjho litho kangako. UJafta wathi: “Ngirhabe ngakhuluma [“kuJehova, NW”], nje-ke angisakwazi ukujika amezwami.” Umntazanakwakhe wathi kuyise: ‘Baba, nakube uthembise [“uJehova, NW”], yenza lokho okuthembisileko.’ (Khok. 11:35-39) Laba bekuphela kwabantu ebengeze bacabanga ngokuphula isifungo abasenze kuMninimandla woke uZimu ongoPhezukoke, kubhala ngitjho sekumnyama kubovu!—Funda uDuteronomi 23:21, 23; iRhubo 15:4.

7. (a) UHana wafunga ngani begodu zamkhambela njani izinto? (b) Isifungo sakaHana besitjho ukuthini ngoSamyela? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

⁷ UHana ngomunye owathembeka waphilela  isifungo asenze kuJehova. Wenza isifungwesi angaphasi kwegandeleleko elibuhlungu, ayinyumba ngapha akghodlhelelela ukutlitlithekwa okunyenyisako. (1 Sam. 1:4-7, 10, 16) Walilela uZimu ngobuhlungu bakhe wabe wafunga ngokuthi: “[“Jehova, NW”] Mninimandlawoke! Nange nangambala ungaqala ukutshwenyeka kwencekukazakho godu ukhumbule ungakhohlwa incekukazakho bese upha incekukazakho umntwana womsana, ngizambuyisela [“kuJehova, NW”] ipilwakhe yoke notjhefana angathinti ehlokwakhe.” * (1 Sam. 1:11) Isibawo sakaHana samukeleka wabeletha izibulo lakhe lendodana. Wakwakwazela uHana! Khonapho akhenge asilibale isifungo asenza kuZimu. Nakabeletha umsanyanakhe wathi: “Ngimbawe [“kuJehova, NW”].”—1 Sam. 1:20.

8. (a) Bekumphatha njani uHana ukufeza isifungo sakhe? (b) Isibonelo sakaDavida esikuRhubo 61 sikukhumbuzani malungana nezenzo zakaHana?

⁸ Ngemva kokulunyulwa kwakhe uSamyela, sekahlangana neminyaka emithathu, uHana wenza lokho akufunga kuZimu. Akhenge afikelwe ngezinye iingqondo. Wathatha uSamyela wamusa ku-Eli umPhristi oMkhulu ethaberinakeli eTjhilo wafese wathi: “Umsana lo, ngangimthandazela. [“UJehova, NW”] wanginikela engikubawileko kuye. Nami-ke ngimnikela [“kuJehova, NW”].” (1 Sam. 1:24-28) “Umntwana uSamyela wakhulela [“kuJehova, NW”].” (1 Sam. 2:21) UHana bekazizwa njani ngendaba le? Bekamthanda khulu umsanyanakhe, kodwana bengeze asambona nakakhulako. Phela naye kungenzeka bekakhanukela ukugona umsanyanakhe, adlale naye abe amkhulise, akhe ubuhlobo naye okuyinto eyenziwa ngiwo woke umma onethando, othanda ukubona umntwanakhe akhula phambi kwakhe. Kwabhala kunjalo, uHana akhenge azisole ngesifungo sakhe asenze kuZimu. Isifiso sakhe bekukuthabisa uJehova.—1 Sam. 2:1, 2; funda iRhubo 61: 2, 6, 9, [61:1, 5, 8, NW].

9. Ngimiphi imibuzo ekufuze iphendulwe?

⁹ Indaba seyiyakhanya malungana nokuthi kuqakatheke kanganani ukwenza isifungo kuZimu, yeke asicoce ngemibuzo nasi: Mhlobo bani weemfungo thina maKrestu esingazenza? Kufuze sizimisele kangangani ukuphilela iimfungo zethu?

10. Ngisiphi isifungo esiqakathekileko umKrestu angasenza, begodu lokho kubandakanyani?

¹⁰ Lesi ngesinye seemfungo eziqakathekileko umKrestu angazenza, ukunikela uJehova ipilwakho. Sikutjho ngaliphi lokho? Umuntu uthandaza ayedwa emsithelweni, athembise uJehova ukuthi uzomlotjha ipilwakhe yoke ngitjho nanyana sekubhala. Lokha umuntu nakalalela amezwi kaJesu, ‘uyazidela’ athembise uZimu ukuthi uzokwenza intandwakhe qangi ngaphezu kwananyana yini enye. (Mat. 16:24) Kusukela mhlokho umuntu loyo ‘sekaphilela [“uJehova, NW”].’ (Rom. 14:8) Umuntu ozinikela kuZimu kufuze angasiqaleli phasi isifungo sakhe, kufuze alingise isibonelo somrhubi owathi: “Yini lokho engingakhokhela ngakho [“uJehova, NW”], ngalokho okuhle angenzele khona na? Ngizakugcwalisa iimfungo zami [“kuJehova, NW”], iye, phambi kwabantu bakhe boke.”—Rhu. 116:12, 14.

11. Khuyini eyenzeka ngelanga owabhajadiswa ngalo?

¹¹ Sewumnikele na uJehova ipilwakho  wabe watjengisa nangokubhajadiswa ngamanzi? Nakunjalo wenze kuhle! Usalikhumbula ilanga owabhajadiswa ngalo, ujame phambi kwabofakazi, wabuzwa ukuthi sewumnikele uJehova ipilwakho na wabe wazwisisa nokuthi “ukuzinikela nokubhajadiswa kwakho kutjho bonyana sewunguFakazi kaJehova ozivumelanisa nommoya kaZimu olawula ihlangano.” Ukuvuma kwakho phambi kwabantu kufakazela ngokupheleleko ukuzinikela kwakho, wakubeka nebaleni ukuthi uyakufanelekela ukubhajadiswa ube mtjhumayeli kaJehova. Yeke isenzo sakhweso samthabisa khulu uJehova!

12. (a) Ngimiphi imibuzo ekungaba kuhle ukuthi sizibuze yona? (b) UPitrosi wathi ngibuphi ubuntu ekufuze sibuhlole kithi?

¹² Nokho, ukubhajadiswa kuligadango lokuthoma. Sisafuna ukuraga nokuphila ngendlela esafunga ngayo, sihlale sithembekile kuZimu. Kungenzeka sizibuze: ‘Itjhebiswano lami noZimu lijame njani solo ngabhajadiswako? Ngisamlotjha ngehliziywami yoke na uJehova? (Kol. 3:23) Ngisathandaza, ngifunde iliZwi lakaZimu, ngiye nesifundweni bengiye nesimini ngendlela engingakghona ngayo na? Kghani senginande nginyefisa emsebenzini kaZimu?’  Umpostoli uPitrosi wakhe wathi nasifuna ukubalekela indaba yokunyefisa le, kufuze singezelele ilwazi ngokukholwa kwethu, sikghodlhelele besithembeke.—Funda 2 Pitrosi 1:5-8.

13. Khuyini ekufanele ilemukwe mKrestu ozinikeleko nobhajadisiweko?

¹³ Nasele ufunge kuZimu, akusekho ukubuyela emva. Nange umuntu enza isifungo sokulotjha uJehova nesokuphila njengomKrestu, akakwazi ukujika athi kuhlekuhle yena nakabhajadiswako bekasamane enza nje. * Kuhlekuhle ihloswakhe bekukukwenza kucace bona yena uzinikele kuZimu ngokupheleleko. Ngalokho-ke uzoziphendulela phambi kwakaJehova nebandleni ngananyana ngisiphi isono esimbi angasenza. (Rom. 14:12) Singathomi ‘silahlekelwe lithando lethu lokuthoma.’ Kunalokho sifuna uJesu athi kithi: “Ngiyayazi imisebenzakho, ithando nokukholwa kwakho, ukulotjha nokunyamezela kwakho nokuthi imisebenzakho idlula yokuthoma.” (IsAm. 2:4, 19) Ngathana soke singahlala sifeza iimfungo esazenza kuJehova ngombana lokho kuzomthabisa.

14. Ngisiphi isifungo sesibili esiqakathekileko umuntu angasenza begodu lokho kubandakanyani?

¹⁴ Isifungo sesibili naso esingesiqakatheke khulu umuntu angasenza ngesomtjhado. Sikutjho ngaliphi? Umtjhado ucwengile. Umkhwenyana nomakoti benza iimfungo zabo zomtjhado phambi kwakaZimu nabantu. Bathembisana ukuthandana, ukuthokozisana, ukuhloniphana, baqinise ngokuthi “bobabili bazakwenza njalo ikani basaphila ndawonye ephasini ngokuya ngehlelo lakaZimu lomtjhado.” Abanye kungenzeka azange batjho amezwi afana poro nala, kodwana kusese ngisweso nabo bafunge kuZimu. Sebabizwa ngokuthi yindoda nomfazi, nomtjhadwabo uzokuba sibopho sepilwabo yoke. (Gen. 2:24; 1 Kor. 7:39) “Yeke,” amezwi kaJesu athi, “lokho okuhlanganiswe nguZimu akungabi nomuntu ozakwahlukanisa,” athinta woke umuntu, akukhathaliseki ukuthi yindoda, mfazi nanyana kungaba ngubani. Yeke, iinthandani nazitjhadako kufuze zikubeke eenhliziyweni zabo bonyana isehlukaniso akusiyinto ongayikhetha.—Mar. 10:9.

15. Kubayini kungakafaneli silingise abantu bephasi endleleni esiwuqala ngayo umtjhado?

¹⁵ Kuyaziwa ukuthi awukho umtjhado onganayo imiraro. Umtjhado omunye nomunye wakhiwa zizoni ezimbili. Ngikho iBhayibheli lithi abatjhadako ‘bazokuqalana nemiraro’ ngasikhathi. (1 Kor. 7:28) Kubuhlungu ukwazi ukuthi inengi labantu ephasini esiphila kilweli banombono ongasimuhle ngomtjhado. Nakunyukelako emtjhadweni, bamane babeke phasi bebasukele nabalingani abatjhade nabo. Leyo-ke akusiyindlela yobuKrestu. Umuntu ophula isifungo somtjhadwakhe usuke aleye amala kuZimu. UZimu uwanyenyile amala! (Lev. 19:12; IzA. 6:16-19) UPowula wathi nange ‘utjhadile ungatlhali.’ (1 Kor. 7:27) UPowula wakutjhwiso kukuthi bekazi kuhle bonyana uJehova ukuzonda kangangani ukuhlukanisa okungasekelwa mitlolo.—Mal. 2:13-16.

16. Lithini iBhayibheli ngokuhlukanisa umtjhado nokuhlala ngokuhlukana?

¹⁶ UJesu wafundisa ukuthi ukuhlukanisa umtjhado kuvumeleke kwaphela nange umlingani ongasimlandu akhetha ukungalibaleli umlinganakhe ohlobongileko. (Mat. 19:9; Heb. 13:4) Ithiwani-ke yokuhlala  ngokuhlukana nomuntu otjhade naye? Nakilokhu iBhayibheli ikubeke kwakhanya. (Funda 1 Korinte 7:10, 11.) IBhayibheli alinayo imibandela endabeni yokuhlala ngokuhlukana. Khonapho amanye amaKrestu atjhadileko athatha obunye ubujamo njengeenzathu zokuhlala ngokuhlukana. Njengalokha ipilo namkha ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova busengozini. *

17. Abatjhadikazi bangawenza njani umtjhadwabo uhlale unobunye?

¹⁷ Akhesithi othileko ubawa abadala bebandla bonyana bamluleke ngemiraro yomtjhado, abadala bazabe benza kuhle nababawa abatjhadikazabo ukuthi babukele i-vidiyo ethi, Luyini Uthando Lweqiniso? Bebafunde ndawonye ibrotjha ethi, Umndenakho Ungathaba. Bazabe bakwenzelani lokho? Bazokwenza ngebanga lokhuthi amathulusi la aneendlela ezisize abantu abanengi baqinisa imitjhadwabo. Abanye abatjhadikazi bathi: “Solo sithome ukufunda ibrotjha le umtjhadwethu uthabisa ngendlela erarako.” Omunye umma oneminyaka ema-22 atjhadile obesele kusele kancani ukuthi atlhale uthi: “Sobabili besibhajadisiwe kodwana besingaboni izinto ngelihlo linye. Ividiyo le ifike ngesikhathi! Nje sesenza kuhle khulu njengabatjhadikazi.” Nange utjhadile linga ngakho koke ukusebenzisa iinkambiso zakaJehova emtjhadwenakho. Ukwenza njalo kuzokusiza uphilele iimfungo zomtjhadwakho uthabile!

18, 19. (a) Ababelethi abanengi abamaKrestu khuyini abayenzileko? (b) Bakhulunyelwa njani labo abasekonzweni yesikhathi esizeleko?

¹⁸ Khewayitjheja indlela uJafta noHana ebebafana ngayo? Abantwababo bobabili bazinikela emsebenzini ocwengileko ethaberinakeli. Lokho bekutjho ukwaneliseka epilweni. Nanamhlanje amaKrestu amanengi ababelethi akhuthaze abantwababo bona bangenele ikonzo yesikhathi esizeleko bebasebenzise nepilwabo ekulotjheni uZimu. Boke abenza njalo kufuze babukwe.—Khok. 11:40; Rhu. 110:3.

¹⁹ Sikhuluma nje kunaboFakazi bakaJehova ababalelwa pheze eenkulungwaneni ezima-67 000 ePhasini loke aseKonzweni yesiKhathi esiZeleko. Abanye basebenza eBethel, abanye bakezokwakha nofana bayajikeleza, abanye batlhogomeli bomsebenzi wokutjhumayela, amaphayona, namkha iinthunywa zevangeli nabasebenza emaWolweni weMihlangano abanye basebenza emakhiweni weenKolo zeBhayibheli zehlangano. Boke njalo abantwaba bazibophe ngaphasi “kwe-Vow of Obedience and Poverty,” bazibophezele ukwenza nanyana yini ephathelene neendaba zomBuso kaZimu. Baphila ipilo elula, begodu bazikhethele ukungenzi imisebenzi ebhadelako bangakavunyelwa. Abantwaba abathathelwa phezulu kodwana imisebenzabo ngiyo ethathelwa phezulu. Bayakutjheja ukuqakatheka kokuphila ngokuzithoba esifungweni sabo ikani basekonzweni yesikhathi esizeleko.

20. Khuyini ekufuze siyenze ‘ilanga nelanga’ begodu kubayini kunjalo?

²⁰ Zingakhi iimfungo esicoce ngazo ozenze kuZimu, kghani wenze sinye, zombili nofana uzenze zontathu njalo? Mhlamunye sewazi kuhle ukuthi iimfungo akusiyinto ongayithatha lula. (IzA. 20:25) Nange ubhalelwa ukwenza ngendlela ofunge ngayo kuJehova, lokho kungaletha imiphumela ebuhlungu khulu! (UMtj. 5:6) Yeke, ‘asidumiseni ibizo lakaJehova isikhathi soke besizalise neemfungo zethu.’—Rhu. 61:9, [61:8, NW].