1. UJehova wathi kuyini okwakuzakwenzakala esikhathini esiphila kuso?

UJEHOVA wakhuluma ngalokho okwakuzakwenzakala ngesikhathi esiphila kuso wathi: “Amadoda alitshumi aphuma kuzo zonke izindimi lezizwe azagagadlela umphetho wengubo yomJuda oyedwa athi, ‘Wothi sihambe lawe ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.’” (Zek. 8:23) ‘UmJuda’ okukhulunywa ngaye lapha umela labo uNkulunkulu abagcobe ngomoya ongcwele. Babizwa langokuthi ‘ngu-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’ (Gal. 6:16) “Amadoda alitshumi” amela labo abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini. Bayakwazi ukuthi abagcotshiweyo bakhethwe nguJehova njalo bakubona kuyisibusiso ukumkhonza bekanye labo.

2. “Amadoda alitshumi” ‘ahamba’ njani labagcotshiweyo?

² Lanxa kungeke kwenzakale ukuthi abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni bawazi wonke amabizo alabo abagcotshiweyo, * bangenelisa ‘ukuhamba labo.’ Bangakwenza njani lokhu? IBhayibhili lithi ‘amadoda alitshumi azagagadlela umphetho wengubo yomJuda oyedwa athi, “Wothi sihambe lawe ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.”’ Lanxa evesini le kukhulunywa ‘ngomJuda oyedwa’ akutshiwo umuntu oyedwa kodwa kutshiwo abanengi. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi umJuda lo umela lonke iqembu labagcotshiweyo. Abangagcotshwanga bakhonza uJehova ndawonye labagcotshiweyo.  Kodwa abababoni bengabakhokheli babo ngoba bayakwazi ukuthi uJesu nguye uMkhokheli wabo.​—Mat. 23:10.

3. Yiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula esihlokweni lesi?

³ Kulemibuzo abanye abangazibuza yona njengoba kulamanye amaKhristu agcotshiweyo alokhu esemhlabeni. Owokuqala, abagcotshiweyo kumele babe ngabantu abanjani? Owesibili, kumele sibaphathe njani abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni? Owesithathu, kumele sikhathazeke yini nxa inani labantu abadlayo lilokhu likhwela? Imibuzo le izaphendulwa esihlokweni lesi.

4. Yisiphi isixwayiso esiku-1 Khorinte 11:27-29 okumele abagcotshiweyo bacabangisise ngaso njalo kungani?

⁴ Abagcotshiweyo kumele bacabangisise ngesixwayiso esitholakala ku-1 Khorinte 11:27-29. (Bala.) Kuyini okungenza kuthiwe umKhristu ogcotshiweyo udle eSikhumbuzweni “engafanelanga”? Yikudla isinkwa lokunatha iwayini yena ebengalaleli imithetho kaJehova. (Heb.  6:4-6; 10:26-29) Abagcotshiweyo bayakunanzelela ukuthi kumele bahlale bethembekile nxa befuna ukuthola ‘umvuzo wokubizwa ezulwini, lowo uNkulunkulu abapha wona ngoKhristu uJesu.’​—Flp. 3:13-16.

5. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo kumele abe ngabantu abanjani?

⁵ Umoya ongcwele kaJehova unceda izinceku zakhe ukuthi zithobeke hatshi ukuthi zizigqaje. (Efe. 4:1-3; Kol. 3:10, 12) Yikho abagcotshiweyo abaziboni bengcono kulabanye. Bayakwazi ukuthi ukugcotshwa kwabo akutsho ukuthi uJehova ubanika umoya ongcwele omnengi kulezinye izinceku zakhe. Abazitsheli ukuthi balizwisisa kakhulu iBhayibhili ukwedlula abanye. Kanti njalo kabaqali ukutshela omunye umuntu ukuthi laye usegcotshiwe lokuthi sekumele aqalise ukudla eSikhumbuzweni. Kodwa bayazithoba bevuma ukuthi uJehova nguye kuphela okhetha labo abazaphila ezulwini.

6. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Khorinte 4:7, 8, abagcotshiweyo kumele baziphathe njani?

⁶ Lanxa abagcotshiweyo bekubona kuyisibusiso ukukhethwa ukuthi bayephila ezulwini kabakhangelelanga ukuthi abanye babaphathe angani baqakatheke kakhulu. (Flp. 2:2, 3) Bayakwazi lokuthi ngesikhathi uJehova ebagcoba kazange enze kwaziwe ngabanye abantu. Yikho umuntu ogcotshiweyo kamangali nxa abanye bengakukholwa masinyane ukuthi ugcotshiwe. Uyananzelela ukuthi iBhayibhili lisikhuthaza ukuthi singaphangisi ukukholwa loba ngubani othi uNkulunkulu umuphe umsebenzi oqakathekileyo. (Isam. 2:2) UmKhristu ogcotshiweyo kafuni ukuthi abantu bamqakathekise kakhulu yikho kasoze abatshele ukuthi ugcotshiwe eqala nje ukwazana labo. Kanti njalo kasoze ahambe ezitshaya isifuba ngakho.​—Bala u-1 Khorinte 4:7, 8.

7. Kuyini okungamelanga kwenziwe ngabagcotshiweyo njalo kungani?

⁷ Abagcotshiweyo kababoni angani kumele babe lobudlelwano labanye abagcotshiweyo kuphela, angathi bangamalunga eqembu eliqakatheke kakhulu. Kabahambi bedinga abanye abagcotshiweyo ukuze baxoxe ngokugcotshwa kwabo kumbe babumbe amaqembu okufunda iBhayibhili bebodwa. (Gal. 1:15-17) Ibandla lingehlukana nxa abagcotshiweyo bangenza izinto ezinjalo. Bayabe sebephikisana lomoya ongcwele ngoba wona unceda abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi babe lokuthula njalo bamanyane.​—Rom. 16:17, 18.

8. Kungani kumele sinanzelele indlela esiphatha ngayo labo abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

⁸ Kumele sibaphathe njani abafowethu labodadewethu abagcotshiweyo? Akuqondanga ukuthi sincome kakhulu omunye umuntu lanxa engumfowabo kaKhristu ogcotshiweyo. (Mat. 23:8-12) Nxa iBhayibhili likhuluma ngabadala bebandla lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘silingisele ukholo lwabo’ kodwa kalitsho ukuthi senze umuntu abe ngumkhokheli wethu. (Heb. 13:7) Kuliqiniso ukuthi iBhayibhili lithi abanye “kufanele bahlonitshwe ngokuphindiweyo.” Kayisikho ukuthi bahlonitshwa ngenxa yokuthi bagcotshiwe kodwa bahlonitshwa ngoba ‘bakhokhela ngendlela enhle’ njalo ‘basebenza nzima befundisa futhi bekhuluma.’ (1 Tim. 5:17) Nxa singabaphakamisa abagcotshiweyo kumbe sibancome kakhulu bangaba lenhloni. * Okubi kakhulu yikuthi singabangela ukuthi bazikhukhumeze. (Rom. 12:3) Akulamuntu ongafuna ukwenza loba yini engabangela ukuthi omunye wabafowabo bakaKhristu abagcotshiweyo enze iphutha elikhulu kangako.​—Luk. 17:2.

9. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabahlonipha abagcotshiweyo?

⁹ Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabahlonipha labo abagcotshwe nguJehova? Akumelanga sibabuze ukuthi bagcotshwa njani. Lokhu akuqondananga lathi yikho asilalungelo lokwazi ngakho. (1 Thes. 4:11; 2 Thes. 3:11) Akumelanga sicabange ukuthi nxa umuntu egcotshiwe sekusitsho ukuthi umkakhe, abazali loba amanye amalunga emuli yakhe lawo agcotshiwe. Ukugcotshwa ayisilolifa umuntu angalitshiyelwa ngabangakibo. UNkulunkulu nguye omgcobayo. (1 Thes. 2:12) Kanti njalo akumelanga sibuze imibuzo engazwisa abanye ubuhlungu. Ngokwesibonelo, akumelanga sibuze udade olomkakhe ogcotshiweyo ukuthi uzizwa njani ngokuthi kasoze aphile lomkakhe emhlabeni olipharadayisi. Phela siyaqiniseka ukuthi emhlabeni omutsha uJehova ‘uzasuthisa izidingo zakho konke okuphilayo.’​—Hubo. 145:16.

10. Ukuxwaya ‘ukuncoma abanye ngamanga’ kusivikela njani?

¹⁰ Nxa singaphathi abagcotshiweyo njengabaqakatheke kakhulu kulabanye siyabe sizivikela. Kungani sisitsho njalo? IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi kungenzakala abanye abagcotshiweyo behluleke ukuhlala bethembekile. (Mat. 25:10-12; 2 Phet. 2:20, 21) Nxa singaxwaya ukuncoma kakhulu abanye kasisoze silandele muntu, kungaba ngogcotshiweyo, owaziwa kakhulu loba oselesikhathi eside ekhonza uJehova. (Jud. 16) Kasisoze siyekele ukukhonza uJehova kumbe siphelelwe lukholo lwethu nxa lowomuntu engamtshiya loba engayekela ukuthembeka kuye.

11. Kuyini obekusenzakala ngenani lalabo abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni?

¹¹ Okweminyaka eminengi inani labadlayo eSikhumbuzweni lalilokhu lisehla. Kodwa eminyakeni esanda kwedlula inani leli belikhwela minyaka yonke. Kumele kusikhathaze yini lokhu? Hatshi. Ake sixoxe ngokuthi kungani kungamelanga sikhathazeke.

12. Kungani kungamelanga sikhathazeke ngenani lalabo abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni?

 ¹² “UJehova uyabazi abangabakhe.” (2 Tim. 2:19) Abazalwane ababala inani lalabo abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni kabafanani loJehova ngoba bona abakwazi ukuthi ngobani sibisibili abagcotshiweyo. Ngakho inani lelo ligoqela lalabo abacabanga ukuthi bagcotshiwe bona bengagcotshwanga. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye ababesidla bayekela ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Abanye bangabe bengaphilanga kuhle engqondweni besebecabanga ukuthi bazabusa loKhristu ezulwini. Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi kasingeke sikwazi sibili ukuthi bangaki abagcotshiweyo abasele emhlabeni.

13. IBhayibhili liyatsho yini ukuthi kuzabe kulabagcotshiweyo abangaki emhlabeni ngesikhathi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kuqalisa?

¹³ Abagcotshiweyo bazabe bekhona emagumbini womane omhlaba ngesikhathi uJesu ezobathatha ukuthi baye ezulwini. (Mat. 24:31) IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi ngezinsuku zokucina kuzabe kusele abagcotshiweyo abalutshwana emhlabeni. (Isam. 12:17) Kodwa kalitsho ukuthi bangaki abazabe besele ngesikhathi ukuhlupheka okukhulu kuqalisa.

14. URoma 9:11, 16 uthi kuyini okumele sikuzwisise ngokukhethwa kwabagcotshiweyo?

¹⁴ UJehova nguye okhethayo ukuthi ubagcoba nini abantu. (Rom. 8:28-30) Waqalisa ukukhetha abagcotshiweyo ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu. Kukhanya angathi ngesikhathi sabaphostoli wonke amaKhristu eqiniso ayegcotshiwe. Eminyakeni eyalandelayo inengi lalabo ababesithi balandela uKhristu babengamaKhristu amanga. Lanxa kunjalo, ngalesosikhathi uJehova wagcoba abalutshwana ababengamaKhristu  eqiniso. Babenjengengqoloyi uJesu athi izakhula phakathi kokhula. (Mat. 13:24-30) Ezinsukwini zokucina uJehova ubelokhu ekhetha abantu abazabumba i-144 000. * Yikho nxa uNkulunkulu efuna ukukhetha abanye ukuphela kungakafiki akumelanga sisole ukuhlakanipha kwakhe. (Bala uRoma 9:11, 16.) * Kumele sinanzelele, singenzi njengezisebenzi uJesu akhuluma ngazo komunye umzekeliso wakhe. Zakhonona kumqhatshi wazo ngendlela aphatha ngayo izisebenzi ezaqhatshwa ngehola lokucina.​—Mat. 20:8-15.

15. Yibo bonke yini abagcotshiweyo ababumba ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’ okukhulunywa ngayo kuMathewu 24:45-47? Chasisa.

¹⁵ Kayisibo bonke abalethemba lokuya ezulwini ababumba ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo.’ (Bala uMathewu 24:45-47.) Njengasesikhathini sabaphostoli, uJehova loJesu balokhu besebenzisa abazalwane abalutshwana ukuthi banike abanengi ukudla kumbe babafundise. Ngesikhathi sabaphostoli, malutshwana amaKhristu agcotshiweyo asetshenziswa ukuthi alobe iMibhalo YamaKhristu YesiGrikhi. Lalamuhla malutshwana amaKhristu agcotshiweyo aphiwe umsebenzi wokunika abantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘ukudla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.’

16. Ufundeni esihlokweni lesi?

¹⁶ Sifundeni esihlokweni lesi? UJehova ukhethe ukunika inengi labantu bakhe ukuphila okungapheliyo emhlabeni waphinda wakhetha abalutshwana ukuthi bayephila ezulwini bebusa loJesu. Unika ‘umJuda’ kanye ‘lamadoda alitshumi’ umvuzo njalo ukhangelele ukuthi amaqembu la womabili alalele imithetho efananayo njalo ahlale ethembekile. Bonke abasemaqenjini la kumele baqhubeke bethobekile. Kumele bamkhonze bendawonye futhi bemanyene. Kanti njalo kumele bazimisele ukugcina ibandla lilokuthula. Ukuphela sekuseduze yikho kasiqhubekeni sikhonza uJehova njalo silandela uKhristu ‘singumhlambi owodwa.’​—Joh. 10:16.