1, 2. (a) Wasenta njani sincumo sakho sekukhonta Nkulunkulu? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto lesingayibuta mayelana nelifa letfu lelivela kuNkulunkulu?

TIGIDZI tebantfu tente sincumo lesihlakaniphile sekukhonta Nkulunkulu Jehova nekulandzela etinyatselweni taJesu Khristu. (Mat. 16:24; 1 Phet. 2:21) Asikutsatseli phansi lokuphila ngekutinikela kuNkulunkulu. Sincumo setfu besingakasekelwa elwatini loluncane lwemibhalo lembalwa, kodvwa besisekelwe ekulitadisheni ngekucophelela liVi laNkulunkulu. Umphumela waloko waba kutsi sifundze tintfo letinyenti leticinisa kukholwa kwetfu letimayelana nelifa Jehova lalibekele labo labangenisa lwati ‘ngaye nangaJesu Khristu lamtfumile.’—Joh. 17:3; Rom. 12:2.

² Kute sichubeke singemaKhristu, kudzingeka sente tincumo letijabulisa Babe wetfu wasezulwini. Ngako-ke, lesihloko sitawucoca ngalemibuto lebalulekile: Liyini lifa letfu? Kufanele silitsatse njani? Singaciniseka njani kutsi siyalitfola lelifa? Yini lengasisita kutsi sente tincumo letihlakaniphile?

3. Nguliphi lifa lelitawutfolwa (a) ngulabagcotjiwe (b) ‘nguletinye timvu’?

³ Kunelinani lelincane lemaKhristu lelilindzele kutfola ‘lifa lelingapheli, lelingenasici, nalelingaphuphi’—lilungelo lelikhulu lekubusa naKhristu ezulwini. (1 Phet. 1:3, 4) Kute batfole lelolifa, kufanele ‘batalwe kabusha.’ (Joh. 3:1-3) Liyini lifa letigidzi ‘taletinye timvu’ taJesu letishumayela tindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso waNkulunkulu kanye nebalandzeli bakhe labagcotjiwe? (Joh. 10:16) Letinye timvu titawutfola lifa labangazange balitfole bo-Adamu na-Eva labenta sono—kuphila phakadze emhlabeni lolipharadisi lote kuhlupheka,  kufa nobe kulila. (Semb. 21:1-4) Ngako-ke, Jesu abengakhona kwetsembisa lesigelekece lesafa kanye naye kutsi: “Ngiyakutjela lamuhla, utakuba nami ePharadisi.”—Luk. 23:43, NW.

4. Ngutiphi tibusiso lesesivele sitijabulela?

⁴ Ngisho nanyalo, kunetincenye letitsite talelifa letfu lesitijabulelako. Ngesizatfu sekutsi sinekukholwa ‘enhlawulweni yaKhristu Jesu,’ sinekuthula futsi sinebuhlobo lobusedvute naNkulunkulu. (Rom. 3:23-25) Siticondza kahle tetsembiso letiligugu letiseVini laNkulunkulu. Ngetulu kwaloko, kuba yincenye yebazalwane bemhlaba wonkhe kusiniketa injabulo lenkhulu. Kusibusiso lesikhulu kuba ngulomunye waboFakazi BaJehova. Kungako silitsandza lelifa letfu.

5. Yini Sathane letame kuyenta kubantfu baNkulunkulu, futsi yini lengasisita kutsi simelane nebucili bakhe?

⁵ Nobe kunjalo, kute silibambisise lelifa letfu leliligugu, kufanele sihlale siwacaphela emachinga aSathane. Kusukela ekucaleni, Sathane abesolo etama kwenta kutsi bantfu baNkulunkulu bente tincumo letitawabalahlekisela lelifa labo. (Num. 25:1-3, 9) Njengobe Sathane ati kutsi kuphela kwakhe sekusedvute, wenta imetamo lemikhulu kute asidukise. (Fundza Sembulo 12:12, 17.) Kute sikhone kuchubeka ‘simelana nebucili baDeveli,’ kufanele sihlale sikhombisa kubonga ngelifa letfu. (Ef. 6:11) Kuloku, sibonelo lesisecwayiso sendvodzana ya-Isaka lengu-Esawu, sisiniketa tifundvo lokufanele sicabange ngato.

6, 7. Abengubani Esawu, futsi nguliphi lifa labetawulitfola?

⁶ Eminyakeni lecishe ibe ngu-4 000 leyendlulile, Isaka naRebheka batala Esawu nemnakabo loliphahla lakhe, Jakobe. Njengobe lamaphahla abekhula, aba nesimilo lesingafani futsi akhetsa nemisebenti lengafani. “Esawu waba ngumtingeli lonelikhono, angumuntfu wasematsafeni,” kantsi ‘Jakobe yena abeyindvodza lengasoleki lehlala emathendeni.’ (Gen. 25:27) Ngekusho kwemhumushi weliBhayibheli Robert Alter, ligama lesiHebheru lelitsi ‘kungasoleki,’ “lisho bucotfo nobe kwetsembeka.”

⁷ Ngesikhatsi bo-Esawu naJakobe baneminyaka lengu-15 budzala, mkhulu wabo Abrahama washona, kodvwa setsembiso Jehova lasenta ku-Abrahama asizange siphelele eteni. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Jehova waphindze wasisho ku-Isaka, waveta kutsi tive tonkhe temhlaba tiyawubusiswa ngesitukulwane sa-Abrahama. (Fundza Genesisi 26:3-5.) Leso setsembiso saveta kutsi Mesiya—‘intalo’ leyetsembekile lokukhulunywa ngayo kuGenesisi 3:15—abetawuvela esitukulwaneni sa-Abrahama. Njengobe Esawu abeyindvodzana lelitubulo ya-Isaka, abenelilungelo lelisemtsetfweni kuleso setsembiso. Esawu abetawutfola lifa lelihle kakhulu. Wakhombisa yini kutsi uyabonga ngalo?

8, 9. (a) Ngusiphi sincumo Esawu lasenta mayelana nelifa lakhe? (b) Eminyakeni leyalandzela, yini Esawu layicaphela ngesincumo sakhe, futsi wenta njani?

⁸ Ngalelinye lilanga ngesikhatsi Esawu abuya kuyewutingela, wabona Jakobe ‘apheke siphuphe.’ Esawu watsi: “Maye, ngilambile! Ngicela sewumane ungiphe lesiphuphe.” Jakobe waphendvula Esawu watsi: “Ngitsengisele lifa lakho lebutubulo, kucala.” Ngusiphi sincumo lesentiwa ngu-Esawu? Wavele watsi: “Linalusito luni kimi lelifa?” Esawu wakhetsa sitjulo kunelilungelo lakhe lekuba litubulo. Kute aciniseke kutsi Esawu umnike ngalokusemtsetfweni lelifa lebutubulo, Jakobe watsi: “Funga kimi kucala.” Esawu wavele wamnika masinyane lifa lakhe lebutubulo. Ngemuva kwaloko, “Jakobe wase unika Esawu lesiphuphe. Esawu wadla,  wanatsa, wasukuma wahamba. Esawu waledzelela kanjalo lifa lebutubulo bakhe.”—Gen. 25:29-34.

⁹ Eminyakeni leyalandzela, ngesikhatsi Isaka asacabanga kutsi utawufa, Rebheka wenta emalungiselelo labetawucinisekisa kutsi Jakobe uyalitfola lifa lebutubulo lelalahlwa ngu-Esawu. Esawu watsi nasabona kutsi wenta sincumo lesibi, wancenga Isaka watsi: “Babe, nami ngibusise. . . . Awukangibekeli yini sakami sibusiso?” Ngesikhatsi Isaka amtjela kutsi abengeke asasishintja sibusiso labesasinike Jakobe, “Esawu wadzatimula wakhala.”—Gen. 27:30-38.

10. Jehova abenamuphi umbono nga-Esawu naJakobe, futsi yini leyabangela loko?

¹⁰ Yini lesingayifundza ngesimo sengcondvo sa-Esawu lesivetwa emiBhalweni? Wakhombisa kutsi kwenetisa tifiso takhe tenyama bekubaluleke kakhulu kuye kunekutfola tibusiso tesikhatsi lesitako lebetitawuvela kulelifa lakhe. Esawu akazange alitsandze lifa lakhe lebutubulo futsi kuyabonakala kutsi abengamtsandzi mbamba Nkulunkulu. Ngetulu kwaloko, akazange ayinake imiphumela tento takhe lebetitawuba nayo esitukulwaneni sakhe. Ngalokwehlukile kuye, Jakobe wakhombisa kubonga lokukhulu ngelifa lakhe. Sibonelo saloko kutsi Jakobe wenta ngekuvumelana nesicondziso sebatali bakhe endzabeni yekukhetsa umfati. (Gen. 27:46–28:3) Ngesizatfu sekutsi Jakobe wenta lesincumo lebesidzinga kutsi abeketele futsi atinikele, ekugcineni waba ngukhokho waMesiya. Nkulunkulu abenamuphi umbono nga-Esawu naJakobe? Jehova wasebentisa umphrofethi Malakhi watsi: “Ngimtsandzile Jakobe, kodvwa Esawu ngamtondza.”—Mal. 1:2, 3.

11. (a) Sibonelo sa-Esawu sibaluleke ngani kitsi njengemaKhristu? (b) Yini leyabangela kutsi Pawula akhulume ngekuphinga endzabeni lehlobene nesento sa-Esawu?

¹¹ Loko lokushiwo liBhayibheli nga-Esawu kuyasebenta yini kumaKhristu lamuhla? Yebo kuyasebenta. Umphostoli Pawula wecwayisa emakholwa labekanye nawo kutsi acaphele ‘kubete logwadlako, nome lophingako, nome lonaka live njenga-Esawu, lowatsenga kudla ngemalungelo akhe onkhe ebutubulo.’ (Heb. 12:16) Lesecwayiso sisasebenta nakumaKhristu. Kufanele sichubeke sikhombisa kubonga ngetintfo letingcwele kute singehlulwa tifiso tenyama futsi silahlekelwe lifa letfu lelivela kuNkulunkulu. Nobe kunjalo, yini leyabangela Pawula wakhuluma ngekuphinga endzabeni lehlobene nesento sa-Esawu? Kungobe kuba nesifiso senyama lesifana nesa-Esawu kwenta kube melula kutsi umuntfu atijabulise ngetintfo letimbi njengekuphinga bese ulahlekelwa tintfo letingcwele.

12. (a) Sathane utibeka njani tilingo endleleni yetfu? (b) Niketa tibonelo letisemBhalweni letingasisita nasekufanele sente tincumo letilukhuni.

¹² Njengobe sitinceku taJehova, asifuni kutifaka etimeni letisilingako futsi letingasibangela kutsi sitiphatse kabi ngekwelicasi. Esikhundleni saloko, sithantazela kutsi Nkulunkulu Jehova angasivumeli kutsi sihluleke nangabe silingelwa kutsi singamlaleli. (Mat. 6:13) Sathane uchubeka etama kucedza buhlobo betfu naNkulunkulu njengobe tsine setama kulondvolota bucotfo betfu kulelive lelonakele. (Ef. 6:12) Njengobe angunkulunkulu walelive lelibi, Develi uyati kutsi angatisebentisa njani tifiso tetfu tesono ngekusibekela tilingo lavame kutisebentisa kubantfu labanesono. (1 Khor. 10:8, 13) Nasi sibonelo: Ticabange usesimeni lesikuniketa litfuba lekwenetisa sifiso lesitsite ngendlela lengakalungi. Ungenta siphi sincumo? Utawufana yini na-Esawu lowatsi: “Ngicela sewumane ungiphe,” nobe utawumelana nalesilingo futsi usibalekele, njengobe kwenta Josefa indvodzana yaJakobe nakalingwa ngumfati waPhotifari?—Fundza Genesisi 39:10-12.

13. (a) Lamuhla, bantfu labanyenti bamlingise njani Josefa, kodvwa labanye bamlingise njani Esawu? (b) Tibonelo talabo labenta njenga-Esawu tisenta sicaphele siphi sidzingo lesibalulekile?

¹³ Bazalwane nabodzadze labanyenti bake baba setimeni letidzinga kutsi bakhetse emkhatsini wekwenta njenga-Esawu nobe njengaJosefa. Labanyenti benta ngekuhlakanipha futsi bajabulisa inhlitiyo yaJehova. (Taga 27:11) Nobe kunjalo, lamanye emakholwa lesikanye nawo akhetse kwenta njenga-Esawu nawabhekene netilingo futsi alibeka engotini lifa lawo lelivela kuNkulunkulu. Ecinisweni, tincumo letinyenti lokudzingeka tentiwe yikomidi yekwehlulela netekuyekeliswa kuba nguFakazi letentiwa njalo ngemnyaka, tiba ngumphumela wekutiphatsa kabi ngekwelicasi. Kubaluleke kakhulu kutsi silungise tinhlitiyo tetfu nyalo—sisengakangeni etimeni letivivinya bucotfo betfu. (Hla. 78:8) Kunetinyatselo letimbili lesingatitsatsa kute tisivikele etilingweni futsi tisisite kutsi sente tincumo letihlakaniphile.

14. Ngumiphi imibuto lesingacabanga ngayo kute isisite kutsi ‘sitondze lokubi’ bese ‘sibambisisa lokuhle’?

¹⁴ Sinyatselo sekucala sihlanganisa kucabangisisa ngemiphumela yetento tetfu. Kujula kwekubonga lesinako ngelifa letfu lelivela kuNkulunkulu kuya ngekutsi lukhulu kangakanani lutsandvo lwetfu ngaJehova, longuMniki walelifa. Ecinisweni, nangabe sitsandza umuntfu lotsite, asifuni kumvisa buhlungu. Esikhundleni saloko, sifuna kutsi asemukele. Nangabe kunjalo, kuhle kutinika sikhatsi sekucabanga ngekutsi itawuba yini imiphumela yetento tetfu kitsi nakulabanye nasivumela tifiso tenyama letingcolile. Kufanele sitibute: ‘Tento tami titabutsintsa njani buhlobo bami naJehova? Letento letimbi titawutsintsa njani umndeni wami? Titawubatsintsa njani bazalwane nabodzadze ebandleni? Ngitawubakhuba yini labanye?’ (Fil. 1:10) Singaphindze sitibute: ‘Kunengcondvo yini kukhetsa kutijabulisa sikhashana ngetintfo letingangibangela tinkinga? Ngiyafuna yini vele kugcine ngifana na-Esawu, ngekukhala kabuhlungu nasengibona lengikwentile?’ (Heb. 12:17) Kucabanga ngemibuto lenjalo kutawusisita kutsi ‘sitondze lokubi’ bese ‘sibambisisa lokuhle.’ (Rom. 12:9) Lutsandvo lwetfu ngaJehova lutawusenta silibambisise lifa letfu.—Hla. 73:28.

15. Yini letawucinisa tivikelo tetfu kute simelane netintfo letiyingoti ekukhonteni Nkulunkulu?

¹⁵ Sinyatselo sesibili sifaka ekhatsi kucinisa tivikelo tetfu. Jehova usentele emalungiselelo lamanyenti kute acinise tivikelo tetfu etintfweni letikulelive letingaba  yingoti ekumkhonteni. Emalungiselelo akhe afaka ekhatsi kutadisha liBhayibheli, imihlangano yebuKhristu, umsebenti wekushumayela nekuthantaza. (1 Khor. 15:58) Njalo nasitfulula inhlitiyo yetfu kuJehova ngemthantazo futsi siwenta ngekutimisela umsebenti webuKhristu, kusuke kufana nekutsi sicinisa tivikelo tetfu kute simelane netilingo. (Fundza 1 Thimothi 6:12, 19.) Ngekwelizinga lelitsite, kucina kwetivikelo tetfu kuya ngemetamo lesiyentako. (Gal. 6:7) Loku kucaciswe kahle esehlukweni sesibili sencwadzi yeTaga.

16, 17. Singaphumelela njani ekutfoleni likhono lekwenta tincumo letihlakaniphile?

¹⁶ Incwadzi yeTaga sehluko 2 isikhutsata kutsi sitfole kuhlakanipha nelikhono lekucabanga. Letipho tisenta sikhone kukhetsa emkhatsini walokuhle nalokubi, nasemkhatsini wekutibamba nekutenetisa ngetintfo letimbi. Kuphumelela kwetfu kutawuya ngekutsi sinaso yini sifiso sekwenta umetamo. Kute licacise leliciniso lelibalulekile, liBhayibheli litsi: ‘Ndvodzana yami, nangabe wemukela loku lengikufundzisa kona, uyigcine imiyalo yami, ulalele ubambisise kuhlakanipha; inhlitiyo yakho ibe nekucondza. Yebo nangabe ucela lwati, ucele nekucondza; futsi nangabe ukufunisisa njengesiliva, ukumbe njengemcebo lofihliwe. Nawukwenta konkhe loko, utawucondzisisa kutsi kuyini kwesaba Simakadze, utfole nekutsi kuyini kwati Nkulunkulu. NguSimakadze lowephana ngekuhlakanipha; emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma lwati nekucondza.’—Taga 2:1-6.

¹⁷ Kuyacaca kutsi kuphumelela kwetfu ekutfoleni lelikhono lesilidzingako kute sente tincumo letihlakaniphile kuya ngekutsi siyatenta yini tintfo lokukhulunywa ngato kulombhalo weTaga. Nangabe sivumela emavi aJehova asibumbe, nangabe sichubeka sithantazela sicondziso saNkulunkulu futsi nangabe sifuna lwati lwaNkulunkulu, silufune njengemcebo lofihliwe, singaphumelela ekumelaneni netilingo.

18. Yini lotimisele kuchubeka uyenta, futsi leni?

¹⁸ Jehova ubanika lwati, kucondza nekuhlakanipha labo labenta imetamo yekufuna letipho. Nasichubeka sitifuna futsi sitisebentise, sitawusondzela edvute kakhulu kuJehova, longuMniki wato. Ngaleyondlela, buhlobo betfu naNkulunkulu Jehova butawuba sivikelo nasilingwa. Kusondzela edvute naJehova nekumesaba ngenhlonipho kutawusivikela kutsi singatenti tintfo letimbi. (Hla. 25:14; Jak. 4:8) Shengatsi kujabulela buhlobo naJehova nekusebentisa kuhlakanipha kwaNkulunkulu kungasenta sichubeke senta tincumo letitawenta inhlitiyo yaJehova ijabule futsi tilondvolote lifa letfu.