1-2. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Thimothi 6:20, uThimothi wayephathisweni?

SIJAYELE ukugcinisa abanye izinto zethu eziligugu. Ngokwesibonelo, singafaka imali yethu ebhanga. Nxa sisenza njalo siyabe sikhangelele ukuthi igcinwe kuhle, ingalahleki kumbe itshontshwe. Yikho siyakuzwisisa ukuthi kutshoni ukuphathisa omunye umuntu into eligugu.

² Bala u-1 Thimothi 6:20. Umphostoli uPhawuli wakhumbuza uThimothi ukuthi uphiwe into eligugu okutsho ulwazi oluqondileyo olumayelana lenhloso kaNkulunkulu ngabantu. Wayephathiswe lesibusiso ‘sokutshumayela ilizwi lesokwenza umsebenzi womvangeli.’ (2 Tim. 4:2, 5) UPhawuli wamkhuthaza ukuthi avikele lokho akuphathisiweyo. Lathi siphathiswe izinto eziligugu. Yiziphi lezozinto njalo kungani kumele sizivikele?

3-4. Kuyini okwenza iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini libe ligugu?

³ UJehova usinike ulwazi oluqondileyo lweqiniso eliligugu elitholakala eLizwini lakhe iBhayibhili. Iqiniso leli liligugu ngoba lisinceda ukuthi sibe ngabangane bakaJehova futhi lisitshengisa ukuthi singenzani ukuze sithokoze empilweni. Nxa singalikholwa iqiniso leli kasisoze sikhohliswe zimfundiso zamanga njalo sizaziphatha ngendlela uNkulunkulu ayifunayo.—1 Khor. 6:9-11.

⁴ Okunye okwenza iqiniso eliseLizwini likaNkulunkulu libe ligugu yikuthi uJehova ulambulela abathobekileyo kuphela ‘abalesifiso sokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo.’ (ImiSeb. 13:48) Abantu laba bayakholwa ukuthi inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo yiyo esetshenziswa nguJehova  ukusifundisa iBhayibhili. (Mat. 11:25; 24:45) Phela kasingeke silizwisise nxa singancediswanga futhi akulanto eligugu ukwedlula ukulizwisisa.—Zaga. 3:13, 15.

5. Kuyini okunye uJehova asiphathise khona?

⁵ UJehova uphinde wasiphathisa isibusiso sokufundisa abantu iqiniso elimayelana laye lalokho akuhlosileyo. (Mat. 24:14) Umlayezo esiwutshumayelayo uligugu kakhulu ngoba wenza abantu benelise ukuba ngamalunga emuli kaJehova futhi ubanceda bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo. (1 Tim. 4:16) Kungelani lokuthi sitshumayela amahola amangaki, sonke siyancedisa emsebenzini lo oqakatheke kulayo yonke. (1 Tim. 2:3, 4) Kuyisibusiso sibili ukusebenza loNkulunkulu!—1 Khor. 3:9.

6. Kwenzakalani kwamanye amaKhristu?

⁶ Amanye amaKhristu aphila ngesikhathi sikaThimothi kawazange asiqakathekise isibusiso sokusebenza loNkulunkulu. UDemasi watshiya uPhawuli ngoba wayethanda umumo lo wezinto. (2 Tim. 4:10) Kukhanya uFigelu loHemogene bayekela ukutshumayela besesaba ukuthi babezahlukuluzwa njengoPhawuli. (2 Tim. 1:15) UHimenewu lo-Alekizanda loFilethu bahlamuka futhi batshiya ukukhonza uJehova. (1 Tim. 1:19, 20; 2 Tim. 2:16-18) Abantu bonke laba babeke bamthanda uJehova kodwa bacina bengasaziqakathekisi izinto eziligugu ayebaphathise zona.

7. USathane uzama njani ukusiphambanisa?

⁷ USathane wenzani ukuze asenze singaqakathekisi amagugu uJehova asiphathise wona? Nanku okunye kwakhona. Usebenzisa inhlelo eziphuma ku-TV, amamuvi, i-inthanethi, amaphephandaba, amabhuku labomagazini ukuze asenze sicabange futhi senze izinto ezizabangela ukuthi sicine singasamthandi uJehova kumbe singasalaleli imilayo yakhe. Uzama ukusethusela esebenzisa lokho abantu abakutshoyo ngathi kumbe ukuhlukuluzwa ukuze siyekele ukutshumayela. Kanti njalo uzama ukusiyenga ukuthi silalele izinto “ezithiwa ‘lulwazi’ zona zingayisilo” ezikhulunywa ngabahlamuki ukuze sitshiye ukukhonza uJehova.—1 Tim. 6:20, 21.

8. Sifundani kulokho okwenzakala kuDaniel?

⁸ Nxa singalalisa inkophe singacina sitshiya iqiniso. Ake sixoxe ngokwenzakala kuDaniel * owayethanda imidlalo yamavidiyo. Uthi: “Ngaqalisa ukudlala imidlalo yamavidiyo ngileminyaka engaba litshumi. Ekuqaliseni ngangidlala imidlalo engasolisiyo, kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngasengidlala elodlakela lelesidimoni.” Wacina esedlala imidlalo le nsuku  zonke okwamahola angaba ngu-15. Uqhubeka esithi: “Ngananzelela ukuthi imidlalo engangiyidlala lesikhathi engangisiqeda ngiyidlala kwakusephambanisa ubungane bami loJehova kancane kancane. Kodwa ngasengizitshele ukuthi lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili kakusebenzi kimi.” Yikho nxa singananzeleli, ezokuzilibazisa zingacina zisenza ukuthi sitshiye ukukhonza uJehova. Nxa lokho kungenzakala, singacina sesilahlekelwa yizinto eziligugu esiziphathiswe nguJehova.

9. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Thimothi 1:18, 19, uPhawuli wakhuthaza uThimothi ukuthi enzeni?

⁹ Bala u-1 Thimothi 1:18, 19. UPhawuli wafanisa uThimothi lesotsha. (2 Tim. 2:3) Kanti njalo wamkhuthaza ukuthi ‘aqhubeke esilwa impi enhle.’ Lapha uPhawuli wayengatsho ukuthi uThimothi ayekulwa lamasotsha. AmaKhristu afanana njani lamasotsha asempini? Kuyini okumele sikwenze njengoba singamasotsha kaKhristu? Kasixoxeni ngezifundo ezinhlanu esizithola emzekelisweni kaPhawuli. Izifundo lezi zisinceda ukuthi siligagadlele iqiniso.

10. Kutshoni ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu njalo kuqakatheke ngani?

¹⁰ Zinikele kuNkulunkulu. Isotsha elihle liqotho. Lilwa nzima ukuze livikele umuntu elimthandayo kumbe into eligugu kulo. UPhawuli wakhuthaza uThimothi ukuthi azinikele kuNkulunkulu okutsho ukuthi abe qotho kuye. (1 Tim. 4:7) Nxa singamthanda kakhulu uNkulunkulu futhi sizinikele kuye, sizazimisela ukugagadlela iqiniso.—1 Tim. 4:8-10; 6:6.

11. Kungani kumele sizifundise ukwenza okulungileyo?

¹¹ Zifundise ukwenza okulungileyo. Isotsha kumele liziqeqetshe ukuze lihlale lilungele impi. UThimothi wahlala eqinile ekukhonzeni ngoba walalela iseluleko sikaPhawuli esiphefumulelweyo sokubalekela izifiso ezimbi, sokuba lobuntu obuhle lesokuhlangana lamanye amaKhristu. (2 Tim. 2:22) Lokho kwakudinga ukuthi azifundise ukwenza okulungileyo. Lathi kumele sizifundise ukwenza okulungileyo ukuze sinqobe izifiso ezimbi. (Rom. 7:21-25) Kufanele sizifundise ukwenza okulungileyo ukuze sikhiphe ubuntu obudala sigqoke obutsha. (Efe. 4:22, 24) Kanti njalo nxa sidiniwe ekupheleni kosuku, kungadinga ukuthi sizibambe ngamandla ukuze siye emhlanganweni webandla.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

12. Singenzani ukuze sibe zingcitshi ekusebenziseni iBhayibhili?

¹² Isotsha kumele liziqeqetshe ukusebenzisa izikhali zalo. Lokhu kufanele likwenze sikhathi sonke ukuze libe yingcitshi ekuzisebenziseni. Lathi kumele sibe zingcitshi ekusebenziseni iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. (2 Tim. 2:15) Imihlangano yethu yebandla iyasifundisa ezinye izindlela esingalisebenzisa ngalo. Kodwa nxa sifuna ukunceda abanye bakholwe ukuthi iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini liligugu sibili, kumele silibale nsuku zonke. Kufanele sibale iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze siqinise ukholo lwethu. Kanti njalo kumele sicabangisise ngalokho esikubalayo njalo sichwayisise emabhukwini ethu ukuze siyizwisise ngendlela eqondileyo iMibhalo futhi siyichasise. (1 Tim. 4:13-15) Nxa singenza njalo sizakwenelisa ukusebenzisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu nxa sifundisa abanye. Kodwa lokhu asingeke senelise ukukwenza nxa singaphongubabalela amavesi kuphela, kumele sibancedise bawazwisise futhi babone ukuthi bangawasebenzisa njani. Ngakho nxa singabala iBhayibhili nsuku zonke  sizakuba zingcitshi ekufundiseni abanye.—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

13. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuHebheru 5:14, kungani kumele siqedisise?

¹³ Qedisisa. Isotsha kumele lihlale lilungele ingozi futhi liyibalekele nxa ingaba khona. Lathi kumele sikwazi ukuthi kuyini okungasilimaza besesisenza okuthile ukuze sizivikele. (Zaga. 22:3; bala uHebheru 5:14.) Ngokwesibonelo kufanele sikhethe kuhle izinto esizilibazisa ngazo. Ezinye inhlelo eziphuma ku-TV zitshengisa abantu beziphatha kubi. Akumelanga sizilibazise ngezinto ezinjalo ngoba zingenza sicine singasamthandi uJehova. Siyakwazi ukuthi uyakuzonda ukuziphatha okunje lokuthi ukubukela inhlelo zakhona kungasilimaza kuphinde kuzwise abanye ubuhlungu.—Efe. 5:5, 6.

14. Ukuqedisisa kwamnceda njani uDaniel?

¹⁴ UDaniel esike sakhuluma ngaye wacina enanzelela ukuthi ukudlala imidlalo yamavidiyo elodlakela lesidimoni kwasekumphambanisa. Yikho wachwayisisa esebenzisa i-Watchtower Library ukuze alwisane lohlupho lwakhe. Kwamnceda njani lokhu? Wayekela ukudlala imidlalo yamavidiyo engaqondanga futhi watshiyana labangane ayedlala labo. Uthi: “Kulokuthi ngitshone endlini ngidlala imidlalo yamavidiyo ngasengiphuma phandle ngenze ezinye izinto kumbe ngibe labangane bebandleni.” Khathesi uDaniel uyaphayona futhi ungumdala webandla.

15. Kungani izinto ezikhulunywa ngabahlamuki ziyingozi?

¹⁵ Lathi njengoThimothi kumele sinanzelele ukuthi izinto ezingamanga ezikhulunywa ngabahlamuki ziyingozi. (1 Tim. 4:1, 7; 2 Tim. 2:16) Ngokwesibonelo bangazama ukufafaza amanga ngabazalwane bethu kumbe ukusenza singayithembi inhlanganiso kaJehova. Amanga anjalo angaxegisa ukholo lwethu futhi akumelanga siwakholwe ngoba afafazwa ‘ngabantu abalengqondo ezixhwalileyo futhi abangalizwisisiyo iqiniso.’ Inhloso yabo yikuqalisa “izimpikiswano kanye lokuphikisana ngamazwi.” (1 Tim. 6:4, 5) Bafuna siwakholwe amanga abo njalo singabathembi abafowethu labodadewethu.

16. Kuyini okungamelanga sivume ukuthi kusiphambanise?

¹⁶ Xwaya izinto ezingakuphambanisa. UThimothi kwakumele aqakathekise kakhulu inkonzo yakhe kulokuthi avumele  izinto zomhlaba zimphambanise njengoba ‘wayelisotsha elihle likaKhristu uJesu.’ (2 Tim. 2:3, 4) Lathi njengoThimothi akumelanga sibe lesifiso sokubuthelela izinto zomhlaba. ‘Inotho elamandla okuyenga’ ingenza sicine singasamthandi uJehova, singasaliqakathekisi iLizwi lakhe futhi singaselasifiso sokutshela abanye ngalo. (Mat. 13:22) Yikho akumelanga sizidingele izinto ezinengi empilweni kodwa kumele sisebenzise isikhathi lamandla ethu ‘ukuqhubeka sifuna kuqala uMbuso.’—Mat. 6:22-25, 33.

17-18. Singabuvikela njani ubungane bethu loJehova?

¹⁷ Hlala uzilungiselele. Isotsha kumele lihlele ukuthi lizakwenzani ukuze lizivikele. Nxa sifuna ukuvikela lokho uJehova asiphathise khona kumele sibaleke masinyane singabona ingozi. Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi senze njalo? Kumele sihlele ukuthi sizakwenzani.

¹⁸ Ngokwesibonelo, kwezinye indawo abantu abasembuthanweni bajayele ukutshelwa umbuthano ungakaqalisi ukuthi babone ukuthi yiwuphi umnyango oseduzane labo abangaphuma ngawo. Lokhu kwenzelwa ukuthi benelise ukuphuma masinyane nxa kungaba lengozi. Lathi kumele sihlele ukuthi sizakwenzani nxa singathi siku-inthanethi loba sibukele i-TV kuthutshe abantu abaziphatha kubi, udlakela kumbe izinto zabahlamuki. Nxa singahlala sizilungiselele sizabalekela izinto ezingaphambanisa ubungane bethu loJehova futhi sihlale simsulwa emehlweni akhe.—Hubo. 101:3; 1 Tim. 4:12.

19. Yiziphi izibusiso esizazithola nxa singavikela izinto eziligugu uJehova asiphe zona?

¹⁹ Kumele sizivikele izinto eziligugu esiziphiwe nguJehova. Izinto lezi liqiniso eliligugu eliseBhayibhilini kanye lesibusiso sokutshela abanye ngalo. Nxa singavikela izinto lezi sizakuba lomzwangedwa omsulwa, siphile ukuphila koqobo njalo sithokoze ngoba siyabe sincedisa abanye ukuthi babemazi uJehova. UJehova uzasincedisa ukuthi sivikele lokho asiphathise khona.—1 Tim. 6:12, 19.