1. (a) Yintoni abafana ngayo uYifeta noHana? (Jonga imifanekiso esekuqaleni.) (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo eza kuphendulwa kweli nqaku?

OMNYE wayeyindoda ekhaliphileyo, omnye engumfazi ozithobayo. Omnye wayelijoni elinesibindi, omnye engumgcini wekhaya othobekileyo. Ngaphandle kokukhonza uThixo omnye, yintoni uMgwebi uYifeta kunye nomfazi kaElikana uHana abafana ngayo? Bobabini babenze izifungo kuThixo, ibe bazifezekisa. Bangumzekelo omhle kumadoda namabhinqa anamhlanje awenza izifungo kuYehova. Noko ke, nantsi imibuzo ebalulekileyo: Siyintoni isifungo? Inkulu kangakanani into yokufunga kuThixo? Sinokufunda ntoni kuYifeta noHana?

2, 3. (a) Siyintoni isifungo? (b) IZibhalo zithini ngokwenza izifungo kuThixo?

² Ngendlela esisetyenziswe ngayo eBhayibhileni, isifungo sisithembiso esenziwa ngokuzimisela kuThixo. Umntu sukube ethembisa ukwenza isenzo esithile, ukuphisa ngesipho, ukungenela inkonzo ethile okanye ukungenzi izinto ezithile. Izifungo zenziwa ngokuzithandela, umntu akaqhutywa xa ezenza. Nakuba kunjalo, zingcwele kwaye ziyabophelela kuThixo kuba zifana nesibhambathiso—ingxelo efungelweyo—apho umntu athembisa ukuba uza kwenza okanye akayi kwenza into ethile. (Gen. 14:22, 23; Heb. 6:16, 17) IZibhalo zithi inkulu kangakanani into yokufunga kuThixo?

 ³ UMthetho KaMoses wawusithi: “Xa athe umntu wenza isibhambathiso kuYehova okanye wafunga isifungo sokuwubopha ngesibhambathiso . . . umphefumlo wakhe, makangalaphuli ilizwi lakhe. Makenze ngokwako konke okuphume emlonyeni wakhe.” (Num. 30:2) Kamva, uSolomon waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale athi: “Xa sukuba ubhambathisa isibhambathiso kuThixo, musa ukuthingaza ukusifezekisa, ngokuba akayoliswa ziziyatha. Oko ukubhambathisileyo, kufezekise.” (INtshu. 5:4) NoYesu wabonisa ukubaluleka kwezifungo esithi: “Neva ukuba kwathiwa kwabo bamaxesha amandulo, ‘Uze ungafungi ungenzi, kodwa uze uzifezekise izibhambathiso zakho kuYehova.’”—Mat. 5:33.

4. (a) Inkulu kangakanani into yokwenza isifungo kuThixo? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyifunda ngoYifeta noHana?

⁴ Kucacile ukuba, ukwenza isithembiso kuThixo kuyinto enkulu kuye. Indlela esizithatha ngayo izifungo zethu inokusixabanisa noYehova okanye iqinise ubuhlobo bethu naye. UDavide wathi: “Ngubani na onokunyuka aye entabeni kaYehova, yaye ngubani na onokunyuka endaweni yakhe engcwele? Nguye nabani . . . ongawuphathanga njengongento umphefumlo [kaYehova], nongenzanga sifungo ngenkohliso.” (INdu. 24:3, 4) Benza ziphi izifungo uYifeta noHana, ibe ngaba kwakulula ukuzifezekisa?

5. UYifeta wafunga ngantoni, ibe waba yintoni umphumo?

⁵ UYifeta wasigcina isithembiso awasenzayo kuYehova xa wayesiya kulwa nama-Amoni, awayegrogrisa abantu bakaThixo. (ABagwe. 10:7-9) Ezimisele ukoyisa, uYifeta wenza esi sifungo: “Ukuba uyabanikela oonyana baka-Amoni esandleni sam, kuya kuthi lowo uphumayo, ophuma ngeengcango zendlu yam eze kundihlangabeza xa ndibuya koonyana baka-Amoni ndiseluxolweni, abe ngokaYehova.” Waba yintoni umphumo? Ama-Amoni oyiswa, ibe yaba yintombi kaYifeta ayithanda kakhulu eyeza kumkhawulela ekoyiseni kwakhe. Yiyo eyayiza kuba “ngokaYehova.” (ABagwe. 11:30-34) Yayithetha ntoni loo nto kwintombi yakhe?

6. (a) Ngaba kwakulula kuYifeta nentombi yakhe ukufezekisa isifungo awayesenze kuThixo? (b) IDuteronomi 23:21, 23 neNdumiso 15:4 zikufundisa ntoni ngokwenza izifungo kuThixo?

⁶ Ukuze izalisekise isifungo sikayise, intombi kaYifeta kwakuza kufuneka ikhonze uYehova ixesha elizeleyo etempileni. Ngaba uYifeta wayesenze ngokungxama eso sifungo? Akunjalo, wayesazi ukuba yayinokuba yintombi yakhe eza kuphuma endlwini imkhawulele. Nakuba kunjalo, yayisisihlandlo esinzima esi kulo tata nakwintombi yakhe—ikukuzincama kwenene kubo bobabini. Xa uYifeta wayibonayo intombi yakhe, “wazikrazula izambatho zakhe,” esithi intliziyo yakhe ibuhlungu. Intombi yakhe “yabulilela ubunyulu” bayo. Ngoba? UYifeta wayengenanyana, ibe intombi yakhe ekuphela kwayo yayingazukutshata imzalele abazukulwana. Kwakungayi kubakho sizukulwana segama lakhe nawayeza kusishiyela ilifa. Kodwa ke, yayikho eyona nto ibalulekiyo kubo. UYifeta wathi: “Ndiwuvulile umlomo wam kuYehova, andikwazi ukujika.” Intombi yakhe yona yathi: “Yenza kum ngokuvumelana noko kuphume emlonyeni wakho.” (ABagwe. 11:35-39) Ekubeni bobabini babengengomawexu-wexu, babengasoze bayicinge into yokwaphula isifungo esasenziwe kOyena Thixo Uphakamileyo—kungakhathaliseki ukuba kwakuza kufuneka bencame ntoni.—Funda iDuteronomi 23:21, 23; neNdumiso 15:4.

7. (a) UHana wafunga ngantoni, yaye ngoba, ibe kwenzeka ntoni kuye? (b) Sasithetha ukuthini eso sifungo kuSamuweli? (Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.)

 ⁷ UHana ngomnye owathembekayo kwisifungo awayesenze kuYehova. Wasenza eso sithembiso xa wayekwintlungu engathethekiyo ngenxa yokuba ludlolo kwaye enyamezele izithuko ezingapheliyo. (1 Sam. 1:4-7, 10, 16) UHana waphalaza imbilini yakhe kuThixo efunga esithi: “Owu Yehova wemikhosi, ukuba nakanjani na uthe wayikhangela inkxwaleko yekhobokazana lakho waza okunene wandikhumbula, ungalilibali ikhobokazana lakho uze okunene ulinike ikhobokazana lakho inzala eyinkwenkwe, ndiza kuyinikela kuYehova yonke imihla yobomi bayo, nencakuba ayiyi kufika entlokweni yayo.” * (1 Sam. 1:11) Isicelo sikaHana saphendulwa, ibe wazibula ngonyana. Wavuya nyhani! Sekunjalo, akazange asilibale isifungo awasenza kuThixo. Xa wabeleka unyana, wathi: “Ndimcele kuYehova.”—1 Sam. 1:20.

8. (a) Ngaba kwakulula kuHana ukufezekisa isifungo sakhe? (b) Akukhumbuza ntoni amazwi kaDavide akwiNdumiso 61 ngomzekelo kaHana?

⁸ Kamsinya nje emva kokulunyulwa kukaSamuweli, xa emalunga neminyaka emithathu, uHana wasifezekisa isifungo awayesenze kuThixo. Akazange acinge ukwenza ngenye indlela. Wamsa kuEli owayenguMbingeleli Omkhulu kumnquba owawuseShilo waza wathi: “Ndandithandaza ngokubhekisele kule nkwenkwe ke ukuba uYehova andinike isibongozo endasicelayo kuye. Nam ke, ndibolekise ngayo kuYehova. Yonke imihla yokubakho kwayo.” (1 Sam. 1:24-28) “Inkwenkwe uSamuweli yaqhubeka ikhulela kuYehova.” (1 Sam. 2:21) Kodwa loo nto yayithetha ukuthini kuHana? Wayemthanda nyhani unyana wakhe, kodwa wayengayi kukwazi ukumbona ekhula phambi kwakhe. Cinga nje indlela awayekunqwenela ngayo ukumanga, ukumdlalisa, nokumntyisa—ukwenza zonke izinto umama abengathanda ukuzenza xa ekhulisa umntwana wakhe. Nakuba kunjalo, uHana akazange azisole ngokugcina isifungo awayesenze kuThixo. Intliziyo yakhe yayigcoba ngoYehova.—1 Sam. 2:1, 2; funda iNdumiso 61:1, 5, 8.

9. Yeyiphi imibuzo esafuna ukuphendulwa?

⁹ Ekubeni sibonile ukuba yinto enkulu kangakanani ukufunga kuThixo, makhe sithethe ngale mibuzo: Zeziphi izifungo esinokuzenza njengamaKristu? Yaye simele sizimisele kangakanani ukuzifezekisa?

10. Sesiphi isifungo esibalulekileyo umKristu anokusenza, ibe loo nto iquka ntoni?

¹⁰ Esona sifungo sibalulekileyo umKristu anokusenza sesokuzahlulela kuYehova. Kutheni kunjalo? Kuba emthandazweni wakhe, uthembisa uYehova ukuba uza kumkhonza ubomi bakhe bonke, nokuba sekunzima kangakanani na. Xa siyibeka ngamazwi kaYesu, umntu ‘uyazincama,’ ancame zonke izinto aselungelweni lokuzifumana, afunge ukuba uza kubeka uThixo kuqala ebomini bakhe. (Mat. 16:24) Ukususela ngolo suku uba ‘ngokaYehova.’ (Roma 14:8) Wonke umntu ozahlulelayo umele ayithathe loo nto njengento enkulu, njengokuba nomdumisi watshoyo ngesifungo awasenza kuThixo esithi: “Ndiya kumbuyekeza ngantoni na uYehova ngalo lonke uncedo lwakhe kum? Ndiya kuzifezekisa izibhambathiso zam kuYehova, ewe, phambi kwabo bonke abantu bakhe.”—INdu. 116:12, 14.

11. Yintoni eyenzekayo ngosuku owabhaptizwa ngalo?

 ¹¹ Ngaba sewuzahlulele kuYehova waza wayibonisa loo nto ngokubhaptizwa? Ukuba kunjalo, wenze kakuhle! Khumbula ukuba ngosuku owawubhaptizwa ngalo, phambi kwamangqina, wabuzwa ukuba ngaba sele uzahlulele kuYehova nokuba “uyaqonda na ukuba ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa kwakho kuthetha ukuba ungomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova ahambisana nentlangano kaThixo eyalathiswa ngumoya?” Wavuma usazisa wonke umntu ukuba uzinikele ngokupheleleyo kwaye uyakufaneleka ukuba ubhaptizwe njengomlungiseleli omiselweyo kaYehova. Umele ukuba wavuya nyhani uYehova!

12. (a) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiya kube senza kakuhle xa sizibuza yona? (b) UPetros uthi simele senze ntoni ukuze singapholi?

¹² Kodwa ukubhaptizwa sisiqalo nje. Emva koko, sifuna ukuqhubeka siphila ngendlela ebonisa ukuba sizahlulele kuThixo. Sinokuzibuza le mibuzo: ‘Ndiye ndenza inkqubela engakanani ukususela oko ndibhaptiziwe? Ngaba ndisaqhubeka ndimkhonza uYehova ngentliziyo iphela? (Kol. 3:23) Ngaba ndisathandaza, ndisayifunda iBhayibhile, ndisaya kwiintlanganiso, kwaye ndiya kangangoko kunokwenzeka  entsimini? Okanye ngaba kukho ukuyekelela kwezi zinto?’ Umpostile uPetros wathi asinakuphola ukuba kukholo lwethu siqhubeka sisongeza ulwazi nokunyamezela, nokuzinikela kuThixo.—Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 1:5-8.

13. Yintoni amele ayiqonde umKristu ozahluleleyo waza wabhaptizwa?

¹³ Akukho kubuya ngamva kwisifungo sethu, sirhoxise isithembiso esisenze kuThixo. Ukuba umntu udiniwe kukukhonza uYehova okanye ukuphila njengomKristu, akanakuthi wayengazahlulelanga yena ibe ukubhaptizwa kwakhe akusasebenzi. * Eyona ibalulekileyo kukuba wayethe uzinikele ngokupheleleyo kuThixo. Uya kuphendula kuYehova nakwibandla ngazo naziphi na izono azenzayo. (Roma 14:12) Ngamana kungangaze kuthiwe kuthi “uye walushiya uthando owawunalo kuqala.” Kunoko, sinqwenela uYesu athi: “Ndiyazazi izenzo zakho, nothando nokholo nobulungiseleli nonyamezelo lwakho, nokuba izenzo zakho zamva zingaphezulu kwezo zangaphambili.” (ISityhi. 2:4, 19) Ngamana singaqhubeka sizimisela ukufezekisa isifungo sethu sokuzahlulela ukuze sivuyise uYehova.

14. Sesiphi isifungo sesibini ngokubaluleka esinokwenziwa ngumntu, ibe ngoba?

¹⁴ Isifungo sesibini ngokubaluleka esinokwenziwa ngumntu sesomtshato. Kutheni kunjalo? Kuba umtshato ungcwele. Umtshakazi nomyeni benza izifungo zomtshato phambi kukaThixo namangqina. Baye bathembise ukuba baza kuthandana, banyamekelane baze bahlonelane, ibe baza kukwenza oko “logama nje besaphila kunye emhlabeni ngokuvisisana nelungiselelo likaThixo lomtshato.” Abanye kusenokwenzeka abazange batsho la mazwi ngqo, sekunjalo bafunga phambi koThixo. Kuye kwaziswe ukuba batshatile, yaye umtshato wabo umele uhlale uhleli. (Gen. 2:24; 1 Kor. 7:39) Xa siyibeka ngamazwi kaYesu sinokuthi: “Ngoko ke, oko uThixo akubophelele ngedyokhwe ndawonye makungahlukaniswa mntu”—enoba ngumyeni okanye ngumfazi okanye nguye nabani na ke phofu. Ngenxa yoko, abantu abatshatayo bamele batshate besazi ukuba akufuneki bawuqhawule umtshato.—Marko 10:9.

15. Kutheni amaKristu engamele awuthathe njengento engenamsebenzi umtshato?

¹⁵ Ewe kona, awuzange wabakho umtshato ongenazingxaki. Yonke imitshato idibanisa abantu ababini abangafezekanga. Yiloo nto iBhayibhile isithi abantu abatshatileyo ngamanye amaxesha “baya kuba nembandezelo.” (1 Kor. 7:28) Okulusizi kukuba, abantu abaninzi kweli hlabathi abawukhathaleli umtshato. Xa bengevani, bayancama baze babashiye apho abayeni okanye amakhosikazi abo. Kodwa ke, amaKristu awafanelanga ayenze le nto. Ukwaphula isifungo somtshato yintw’ enye nokuxokisa uThixo, ibe uThixo uwathiyile amaxoki! (Lev. 19:12; IMize. 6:16-19) Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Ubotshelelwe emfazini na? Yeka ukufuna ukukhululeka.” (1 Kor. 7:27) UPawulos wayefanele ukutsho kuba wayesazi ukuba uYehova uyakucaphukela ukuqhawula umtshato ngondlela mnyama.—Mal. 2:13-16.

16. Ithini iBhayibhile ngokuqhawula umtshato nangokwahlukana?

¹⁶ UYesu wafundisa ukuba iZibhalo zivumela umntu akhululeke kwisifungo somtshato kuphela xa lowo umsulwa ekhetha ukungamxoleli okrexezileyo. (Mat. 19:9; Heb. 13:4) Kuthekani ngokwahlukana? IBhayibhile iyenza icace nale.  (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 7:10, 11.) IBhayibhile ayisiniki zizathu zamkelekileyo zokwahlukana. Amanye amaKristu atshatileyo aye abone ezinye iimeko njengezizathu zokwahlukana, njengaxa ubomi bawo busesichengeni kakhulu okanye kunzima ukuba aqhubeke engamaKristu ngenxa yokuxhatshazwa ngabayeni okanye ngamakhosikazi awexukileyo. *

17. Angenza njani amaKristu atshatileyo ukuze umtshato wawo ungapheli?

¹⁷ Xa abantu abatshatileyo becela amacebiso kubadala ngeengxaki zomtshato, abadala baya kuba benza kakuhle ukubabuza ukuba bagqibele nini ukubukela ividiyo ethi Luyintoni Uthando Lokwenene? nokufunda incwadana ethi Ninako Ukonwaba Entsatsheni. Ngoba? Kuba ezi zixhobo zinemigaqo kaThixo encede abaninzi baqinisa imitshato yabo. Enye indoda nenkosikazi yayo bathi: “Ukususela oko siye safunda le ncwadana, sonwabe kakhulu kunakuqala emtshatweni wethu.” Omnye udade, ethetha ngomtshato wakhe weminyaka eyi-22 owawusele uphela, wathi: “Sibhaptiziwe sobabini, kodwa sasingaboni ngasonye. Le vidiyo yafika ngexesha elifanelekileyo! Noko siphucule ngoku.” Ngaba utshatile? Yenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuze usebenzise imigaqo kaYehova emtshatweni wakho. Ukwenza njalo kuya kukunceda ufezekise isifungo sakho somtshato—wonwabile!

18, 19. (a) Baye benza ntoni abanye abazali abangamaKristu? (b) Sesiphi isifungo esenziwa ngabakwinkonzo ekhethekileyo yexesha elizeleyo?

¹⁸ Uye wayibona enye into ababefana ngayo uYifeta noHana? Izifungo zabo zenza ukuba intombi kaYifeta nonyana kaHana bazinikele kwinkonzo ekhethekileyo emnqubeni. Obo yaba bobona bomi banelisayo. Namhlanje, abazali abaninzi abangamaKristu baye bakhuthaza abantwana babo ukuba bangenele inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, kwaye ukukhonza uThixo kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kubomi babo. Siyabancoma abo bazali.—ABagwe. 11:40; INdu. 110:3.

¹⁹ Sithethanje kukho amalungu amalunga ne-67 000 eQela LamaNgqina KaYehova Akwinkonzo Ekhethekileyo Yexesha Elizeleyo Ehlabathi Lonke. Abanye bakwinkonzo yaseBheteli, bayakha, bangabaveleli beziphaluka, bangabahlohli, oovulindlela abakhethekileyo, abathunywa bevangeli, banyamekela izakhiwo zeeHolo Zendibano okanye zezikolo zeBhayibhile. Bonke baphantsi kwe-“Sifungo Sokuthobela Nokuphila Ubomi Obuphantsi,” bevuma ukwenza nawuphi na umsebenzi abawunikwayo ukuze baqhubele phambili umsebenzi woBukumkani, bangasukeli ubutyebi, kwaye bangenzi msebenzi wengqesho ngaphandle kwemvume. Yinkonzo yabo ejongwa njengekhethekileyo, hayi bona. Bayaqonda ukuba kubalulekile ukufezekisa isifungo abasenzileyo logama besekwinkonzo ekhethekileyo yexesha elizeleyo.

20. Yintoni esimele siyenze “imihla ngemihla,” yaye ngoba?

²⁰ Zingaphi izifungo ozenzileyo kuThixo kwezi sifunde ngazo—sinye, zibini okanye zontathu? Umele ukuba uyaqonda ngoku ukuba izifungo zakho akumele uzithathe lula. (IMize. 20:25) Ongayenziyo into abeyithembise uYehova nongazifezekisiyo izifungo zakhe uza kugagana neembila zithutha. (INtshu. 5:6) Ngoko ke ‘masiliculele uncuthu lwengoma igama likaYehova ngonaphakade, ukuze sizifezekise izibhambathiso zethu imihla ngemihla.’—INdu. 61:8.