1. Lonkhe live linamuphi umbono ngekugcilatwa?

SEKWENDLULE iminyaka lengaba ngu-2 500 umbhali longumGriki abhala watsi: “Kute umuntfu lofuna kuba sigcili.” Bantfu labanyenti lamuhla bayavumelana nemavi alombhali. Nasicabanga ngebantfu labagcilatiwe, sicabanga ngebantfu labacindzetelwe, labaphatfwa kabi futsi labenta umsebenti lozuzisa kuphela labo lababaphetse hhayi bona.

2, 3. (a) Yini lejatjulelwa tisebenti nobe tinceku taKhristu? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto lesitawuyihlola mayelana netisebenti?

² Jesu waveta kutsi bafundzi bakhe bebatawuba tinceku letitfobekile nobe tigcili. EmaKhristu eliciniso awacindzeteleki njengobe atigcili. Ajabulela ludvumo, kwetsenjwa nekuhlonishwa. Ase ucabange ngemavi lashiwo nguJesu sekusele emalanga lambalwa nje kutsi afe, mayelana nalesinye “sisebenti.” Khristu wabiketela kutsi utawabela ‘sisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile’ imisebenti letsite.—Mat. 24:45-47.

³ Incwadzi yaLukha nayo itsi balandzeli baJesu labagcotjiwe ‘batisebenti.’ (Fundza Lukha 12:42-44.) EmaKhristu lamanyenti letsembekile laphilako nyalo, awasiwo emalunga alesisebenti lesetsembekile. Nobe kunjalo, imiBhalo ikhombisa kutsi bonkhe bantfu labakhonta Nkulunkulu banemisebenti lokufanele bayente. Ngumiphi lemisebenti? Kufanele bayitsatse njani? Kute sitfole timphendvulo talemibuto, sitawufundza ngaloko lobekwentiwa tisebenti esikhatsini lesendlulile.

4, 5. Ngumiphi imisebenti lebeyentiwa tisebenti tangesikhatsi lesendlulile? Shano tibonelo.

⁴ Esikhatsini lesendlulile, sisebenti bekuba sigcili lesetsenjwako lebesabelwa kunakekela umuti nobe libhizinisi lemphatsi waso. Leso sisebenti besiba  nemagunya latsite futsi besinakekela letinye tetintfo temphatsi waso letifaka ekhatsi imali naletinye tisebenti. Loku singakubona endzabeni ya-Eliyezeri, lobekanakekela letinye tetintfo ta-Abrahama. Kungenteka kutsi Abrahama watfuma Eliyezeri eMesophothamiya kute ayewukhetsela indvodzana yakhe Isaka umfati. Loyo bekungumsebenti lobalulekile sibili.—Gen. 13:2; 15:2; 24:2-4.

⁵ Umtukulu wa-Abrahama longuJosefa abenakekela umuti waPhotifari. (Gen. 39:1, 2) Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Josefa waba nesakhe sisebenti lesakhetfwa kute sinakekele ‘indlu yaJosefa.’ Lesisebenti semukela bomnakaboJosefa labalishumi. Saba nencenye lebalulekile ngalesikhatsi Josefa avivinya bomnakabo endzabeni lemayelana nendzebe yesiliva ‘lebeyebiwe.’ Kuyacaca kutsi letisebenti betetsenjwa kakhulu.—Gen. 43:19-25; 44:1-12.

6. Ngumiphi imisebenti bazalwane labadzala labangemaKhristu labayentako?

⁶ Ngemuva kwemakhulu eminyaka, umphostoli Pawula wabhala watsi babonisi labangemaKhristu bekufanele babe ‘tisebenti taNkulunkulu.’ (Thit. 1:7) Babonisi lababekwe kutsi beluse “umhlambi waNkulunkulu,” bayawucondzisa futsi bayalihola libandla. (1 Phet. 5:1, 2) Kuliciniso kutsi imisebenti labayentako ayifani. Nasi sibonelo: Babonisi labanyenti labangemaKhristu lamuhla banakekela libandla linye. Babonisi labajikeletako bahambela emabandla lamanyenti. Emalunga eliKomidi leLigatja anakekela emabandla lasemaveni lamanyenti. Nobe kunjalo, bonkhe kufanele bawente ngekwetsembeka umsebenti wabo; bonkhe “bayawulandzisa” kuNkulunkulu.—Heb. 13:17.

7. Sati njani kutsi onkhe emaKhristu atisebenti?

⁷ Kutsiwani-ke ngemaKhristu lamanyenti letsembekile langasibo babonisi? Umphostoli Phetro wabhalela onkhe emaKhristu watsi: “Lowo nalowo lowemukele sipho semusa, akasisebentise ekukhonteni labanye njengenceku lenhle yemusa lomnyenti waNkulunkulu.” (1 Phet. 1:1; 4:10) Ngemusa wakhe lomkhulu, Nkulunkulu usiphe sonkhe tipho, emakhono nobe emathalenta latsite lesingawasebentisa kute kuzuze labo lesikholwa nabo. Bonkhe bantfu labakhonta Nkulunkulu batisebenti, futsi batfola ludvumo, kwetsenjwa nemalungelo latsite ngaloko labakwentako.

8. Nguyiphi intfo lebalulekile lokufanele siyikhumbule?

⁸ Nyalo sitawucoca ngetintfo letintsatfu lokufanele tsine njengetisebenti siticabangele. Kwekucala: Sonkhe sibaNkulunkulu futsi kufanele simjabulise. Pawula wabhala: “Anisibo benu, . . . natsengwa ngelinani lelikhulu,” ingati yaKhristu leyinhlawulo. (1 Khor. 6:19, 20) Njengobe sibaJehova, kufanele silalele imiyalo yakhe futsi ayisiwo umtfwalo kitsi. (Rom. 14:8; 1 Joh. 5:3) Siphindze sibe tigcili taKhristu. Njengetisebenti tangesikhatsi lesendlulile, siniketwa inkhululeko leyenele—kodvwa inkhululeko yetfu inemincele. Kufanele sente imisebenti lesiniketwe yona ngendlela lesicondziswe ngayo kutsi siyente. Nobe ngabe ngumuphi umsebenti lesiniketwe wona enhlanganweni yaNkulunkulu, solo sitinceku takhe naKhristu.

9. Jesu wabufanekisa njani budlelwane lobukhona emkhatsini wesisebenti nemphatsi waso?

⁹ Jesu uyasisita kute sicondze budlelwane emkhatsini wemphatsi nesisebenti. Watjela bafundzi bakhe ngesisebenti lesabuya ekhaya ngemuva kwemsebenti welilanga. Umphatsi waso uyasho yini kutsi: “Hlala phansi kucala udle naku kudla”? Cha, akasho njalo, kodvwa utsi: “Faka sidziya sakho, ungilungisele kudla kwami, unginike ngidle nginatse; emvakwaloko-ke nawe utawuhlala phansi udle unatse.” Usebenta njani lomfanekiso waJesu?  “Kanjalo-ke nani nanente konkhe lenitjelwe kutsi nikwente, nibotsi: ‘Sitisebenti letingakafaneli kubongwa, ngobe sente lebesifanele kutsi sikwente.’”—Luk. 17:7-10.

10. Yini lekhombisa kutsi Jehova uyawujabulela umetamo lesiwentako kute simkhonte?

¹⁰ Kuliciniso kutsi Jehova uyawujabulela umetamo lesiwentako kute simkhonte. LiBhayibheli liyasicinisekisa: “Ngobe phela Nkulunkulu akakhetsi, futsi angeke ayikhohlwe imisebenti yenu nelutsandvo lenilukhombise” ngelibito lakhe. (Heb. 6:10) Jehova usicela kutsi sente loko latiko kutsi singakhona kukwenta. Ngetulu kwaloko, nobe ngukuphi lacela kutsi sikwente sikwenta kute kuzuze tsine, futsi angeke kube ngumtfwalo losindzako kitsi. Ngalokuhambisana nemfanekiso waJesu, sisebenti asitijabulisi sona ngekutsi sifune kubeka loko lesikufunako kute kucala. Liphuzu likutsi, nasitinikela kuNkulunkulu, sikhetsa kwenta intsandvo yakhe ite kucala ekuphileni kwetfu. Awuvumelani yini naloko?

11, 12. Njengetisebenti, ngubuphi buntfu lokufanele sibe nabo futsi yini lokufanele siyibalekele?

¹¹ Kwesibili: Njengetisebenti, sonkhe silalela timiso letifananako. Kuliciniso kutsi leminye imisebenti yabelwa bantfu labambalwa ebandleni lebuKhristu. Kodvwa Nkulunkulu ufuna lokufananako kitsi sonkhe. Nasi sibonelo: Njengobe sibafundzi baKhristu futsi siboFakazi BaJehova, sikhutsatwa kutsi sitsandzane. Jesu watsi lutsandvo luluphawu lesibonakala ngalo kutsi singemaKhristu eliciniso. (Joh. 13:35) Lutsandvo lwetfu alugcini kumaKhristu lesikanye nawo. Siphindze sitsandze nalabo lesingakholwa nabo. Sonkhe singakwenta loko futsi kufanele sikwente.

¹² Kudzingeka nekutsi sitiphatse kahle. Sifuna kukubalekela kutiphatsa netindlela tekuphila letiphambene naloko lokushiwo liVi laNkulunkulu. Pawula wabhala: “Tingwadla, nalabakhonta tithico, netiphingi, nalabadvuna labalalanako, nemasela, nalababukhali, netidzakwa, nalabetfukako, netigebengu, bangeke balidle lifa lembuso waNkulunkulu.” (1 Khor. 6:9, 10) Kudzinga imetamo lemikhulu kugcina timiso taNkulunkulu letilungile. Nobe kunjalo, kwenta leyo metamo kubalulekile futsi kusiletsela tibusiso letinyenti letifaka ekhatsi kuphila ngendlela lekahle, budlelwane lobuhle nalabanye nekwemukelwa nguNkulunkulu.—Fundza Isaya 48:17, 18.

13, 14. Ngumuphi umsebenti onkhe emaKhristu lokufanele awente, futsi kufanele siwutsatse njani?

¹³ Khumbula kutsi sisebenti besiniketwa umsebenti lotsite. Natsi sinawo. Siniketwe sipho lesiligugu—lwati lweliciniso. Nkulunkulu ufuna kutsi siluhlanganyele nalabanye. (Mat. 28:19, 20) Pawula wabhala: “Kufanele satiwe kutsi sitikhonti taKhristu nebaphatsi betimfihlakalo taNkulunkulu.” (1 Khor. 4:1) Pawula abati kutsi umsebenti labephatsiswe wona wawufaka ekhatsi kunakekela ‘timfihlakalo taNkulunkulu,’ nobe emaciniso eliBhayibheli futsi bekufanele awendlulisele ngekwetsembeka kulabanye njengobe abecondziswe yiNkhosi, Jesu Khristu.—1 Khor. 9:16.

¹⁴ Kushumayela labanye, yintfo lenhle lesingayenta. Kuliciniso kutsi timo tetfu atifanani. Angeke sonkhe sente lokulinganako emsebentini wekushumayela, futsi Jehova uyakucondza loko. Lokubalulekile kutsi sente konkhe lokusemandleni etfu kulomsebenti. Nasenta njalo, sisuke sikhombisa kutsi sinelutsandvo ngaNkulunkulu nangabomakhelwane betfu.

15-17. (a) Yini leyenta kubaluleke kutsi sisebenti setsembeke? (b) Ngumuphi umfanekiso Jesu lawusho nakakhuluma ngemiphumela yekungetsembeki?

¹⁵ Kwesitsatfu, lokuhlobene naletintfo  letimbili lesisandza kucoca ngato, nguloku: Kufanele setsembeke, setsenjwe. Sisebenti kungenteka sibe nebuntfu lobuhle nemakhono, kodvwa bekutawuba ngulokungenamsebenti nasingakawutsatsi njengalobalulekile umsebenti lesiniketwe wona nobe singaketsembeki kumphatsi waso. Kwetsembeka kubalulekile kute ube sisebenti lesiphumelelako. Khumbula loko lokwabhalwa nguPawula: “Baphatsi kufuneka kutsi batfolakale betsembekile.”—1 Khor. 4:2.

¹⁶ Nangabe setsembekile, sitawutfola umvuzo, futsi siyaciniseka ngaloko. Nangabe singaketsembeki, angeke siwutfole. Loko sikubona kuloko lokwashiwo nguJesu emfanekisweni wemathalenta. Tisebenti ‘letayitalisa’ ngekwetsembeka imali yemphatsi wato tabongwa kakhulu futsi tabusiswa. Lesisebenti lesingazange siwente umsebenti lebesiphatsiswe wona kwatsiwa ‘sibi’ ‘siyavilapha’ futsi sisisebenti ‘lesingenalusito.’ Lelithalenta lesasiniketwe lona latsatfwa sase silahlelwa ngephandle.—Fundza Matewu 25:14-18, 23, 26, 28-30.

¹⁷ Kulesinye simo, Jesu wakhuluma ngemiphumela yekungetsembeki. Watsi: “Kwake kwaba khona indvodza leyayisicebi lesasinendvuna. Sase sitjelwe kutsi lendvuna ihlaphata imali yaso. Sayibita lendvuna satsi: ‘Yini loku lengikuvako ngawe? Ngikhombise kutsi imphahla yami uyiphatsa kanjani, ngobe ungeke uchubeke ube yindvuna yami, nawuhamba ngalolunyawo!’” (Luk. 16:1, 2) Njengobe lesisebenti sasidlabhatise imali yemphatsi waso, lomphatsi wasicosha. Sifundza sifundvo lesibalulekile kulendzaba. Asifuni nakancane kungetsembeki kuloko lesicelwe kutsi sikwente.

18. Yini leyenta kungabi kuhle kutifananisa nalabanye?

¹⁸ Ngamunye wetfu angatibuta: ‘Ngiwutsatsa njani umsebenti lengiwentako?’ Tinkinga tingahle tibe khona nasitifananisa nalabanye. LiBhayibheli liyaseluleka: “Akube ngulowo atihlolele wakhe umsebenti, khona uyawuba nekutibonga ngekwakhe yedvwana, hhayi ngekwalomunye umuntfu.” (Gal. 6:4) Esikhundleni sekutsi sicatsanise loko lesikwentako nalokwentiwa ngulabanye, kufanele sinake loko tsine lesinemandla ekukwenta. Loko kutasivikela singatigcabhi futsi kutasenta singadvumateki. Nasihlola timo tetfu, kufanele sati kutsi tingashintja. Mhlawumbe ngenca yemphilo, kukhula ngeminyaka nobe leminye imisebenti sesiyehluleka kwenta konkhe lebesikwenta esikhatsini lesendlulile. Kulolunye luhlangotsi, singahle sikwati kwenta lokunyenti kunaloko besikwenta. Nangabe kunjalo, yini lengasenta singetami kutfutfukisa umsebenti lesiwentako?

19. Ngusiphi sizatfu lokufanele sisente singadvumateki nangabe singalitfoli lilungelo lelitsite?

¹⁹ Lokunye lesifuna kukunaka, ngimisebenti lesiyentako naleyo lesinesifiso sekuyenta. Nasi sibonelo: Umzalwane angaba nesifiso sekuba ngulomdzala welibandla nobe sekwetfula tinkhulumo emihlanganweni lemincane nalemikhulu. Kuhle kusebenta matima kute kukufanele kunikwa leyo misebenti, kodvwa akukafaneli sive buhlungu nangabe singayitfoli ngesikhatsi lesifisa ngaso. Ngenca yetizatfu lokungenteka asitati, leminye imisebenti singahle siyitfole ngemuva kwesikhatsi lesitsite. Khumbula kutsi Mosi bekubonakala shengatsi sewukulungele kuhola ema-Israyeli awakhiphe eGibhithe, kodvwa kwadzingeka kutsi eme kudzimate kwendlule iminyaka lengu-40. Loku kwamniketa sikhatsi lesenele sekutsi abe nebuntfu lobebudzingeka kute ahole labantfu labanenkhani futsi labebavukela.—Imis. 7:22-25, 30-34.

20. Ngusiphi sifundvo lesisitfola kulokuhlangenwe nako kwaJonathani?

²⁰ Ngalesinye sikhatsi, kungenteka singayitfoli nhlobo imisebenti letsite. Kwenteka lokufanako nakuJonathani. Abeyindvodzana yaSawula futsi aseluhlwini lwekuba yinkhosi yaka-Israyeli. Nobe kunjalo, Nkulunkulu wakhetsa Davide, lijaha lebeliselisha, kutsi abe yinkhosi. Wativa njani Jonathani ngaloko? Wasemukela leso sincumo waphindze wamsekela Davide ngisho nobe loko kwakufaka kuphila kwakhe engotini. Jonathani watsi kuDavide: “Wena utawuba yinkhosi ka-Israyeli, mine nje ngitawuba wesibili kuwe.” (1 Sam. 23:17) Yini loyifundzako kulendzaba? Jonathani wasemukela simo labekakuso, akalingisanga uyise futsi akazange abe nemona ngaDavide. Esikhundleni sekutsi sibe nemona ngaloko labanye lokungenteka babelwe kutsi bakwente, sonkhe kufanele sinake futsi sente umsebenti lesiniketwe wona. Singaciniseka kutsi emhlabeni lomusha, tonkhe tifiso tetinceku taJehova tiyawugcwaliseka.

21. Kufanele siwutsatse njani umsebenti wetfu?

²¹ Ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi asikhumbule kutsi njengetisebenti letetsenjwako asisito tigcili letihlohlobetelwa kutsi tisebentele inkhosi letigcilatako. Kitsi kunemehluko lomkhulu. Nkulunkulu usiniketa ludvumo futsi uyasetsemba njengobe senta lomsebenti longeke uphindze wentiwe wekushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi kulamalanga ekugcina kulelive lelibuswa nguSathane. Njengobe senta njalo, siba nenkhululeko lenkhulu yekubona kutsi sitawenta njani umsebenti wetfu. Shengatsi singaba tisebenti letetsembekile, futsi sijabulele lilungelo lekukhonta loyo loMkhulu kunato tonkhe tintfo kuyo yonkhe indzawo.