1. Kungani bumatima bungatimangalisi tinceku taNkulunkulu?

KUYAKWETFUSA yini kutsi kufanele ulindzele kuhlangabetana ‘nekuhlupheka lokunyenti’ ngaphambi kwekutsi utfole umvuzo wekuphila lokuphakadze? Kungenteka kutsi akukwetfusi. Ngisho nobe umusha ecinisweni nome sekuphele sikhatsi lesidze ukhonta Jehova, uyati kutsi bumatima buyincenye yekuphila kulelive laSathane.—Semb. 12:12.

2. (a) Ngetulu kwetinkinga letitfolwa ngibobonkhe bantfu labanesono, nguluphi luhlobo lwekuhlupheka emaKhristu lahlangabetana nalo? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.) (b) Ngubani lobangela kuhlupheka kwetfu, futsi sikwati njani loko?

² Ngaphandle kwebumatima ‘lobehlela nalabanye bantfu’—lokutinkinga letitsintsa bonkhe bantfu labanesono—emaKhristu ahlangabetana nalolunye luhlobo lwekuhlupheka. (1 Khor. 10:13) Ngukuphi lokuhlupheka? Kuphikiswa lokubuhlungu lokubangelwa kuhlale alalela imiyalo yaNkulunkulu. Jesu watjela balandzeli bakhe watsi: “Sisebenti asisikhulu kunenkhosi yaso. Nangabe bangiphetse kabi mine, bataniphatsa kabi nani.” (Joh. 15:20) Ngubani lobangela lokuphikiswa? NguSathane, loyo liBhayibheli lelimchaza ngekutsi ‘unjengelibhubesi lelibhodlako’ ‘lelifuna kushwabadzela’ bantfu baNkulunkulu. (1 Phet. 5:8) Sathane utawusebentisa nome ngabe yini kute ephule bucotfo bebafundzi baJesu. Cabanga ngaloko lokwenteka kumphostoli Pawula.

3-5. (a) Ngukuphi kuhlushwa Pawula lahlangabetana nako eListra? (b) Inkhulumo yakhe lemayelana nekuhlupheka lokuseta beyikucinisa ngayiphi indlela kukholwa?

³ Pawula wahlushwa kakhulu ngenca yekukholwa kwakhe. (2 Khor. 11:23-27) Lokunye kwako nguloko lokwenteka eListra. Ngemuva kwekwelapha indvodza lebeyisishosha kusukela yatalwa, Pawula naBhanabasi badvunyiswa, batsatfwa njengabonkulunkulu. Kwadzingeka bancenge lesicumbi sebantfu lebesijabule kakhulu kutsi singabakhonti. Ngemuva nje kwesikhashana kwefika baphikisi labangemaJuda futsi basebentisa inkhulumo lengemanga kute bakhohlise labantfu. Ngekushesha nje simo sashintja! Labantfu bagcoba Pawula ngematje futsi bamshiya kuze afe.—Imis. 14:8-19.

⁴ Ngemuva kwekuvakasha eDebe, Pawula naBhanabasi “babuyela eListra, e-Ikhoniyumi, nase-Antiyokhi. Nabefika lapho, bacinisa bafundzi, babakhutsata kutsi babe nekukholwa lokucinile, batsi: ‘EMbusweni waNkulunkulu sitawungena sendlule ekuhluphekeni lokunyenti.’” (Imis. 14:21, 22) Ekucaleni lenkhulumo ingase ibonakale yesabisa. Ngetulu kwaloko, kukhuluma ngekwendlula “ekuhluphekeni lokunyenti” bekungabonakala kucindzetela kunekutsi kukhutsate. Kwenteka njani-ke kutsi Pawula naBhanabasi ‘bacinise bafundzi’ ngenkhulumo lebeyimayelana nekuhlupheka lokunyenti?

⁵ Singayitfola imphendvulo nasibuka emavi aPawula ngekucophelela. Akazange nje atsi: “Kufanele sibeketelele kuhlupheka lokunyenti.” Kunaloko watsi: “EMbusweni waNkulunkulu sitawungena sendlule ekuhluphekeni lokunyenti.” Ngako Pawula wacinisa bafundzi ngekugcizelela umphumela lomuhle wekwetsembeka. Lowo mvuzo awusilo nje liphupho. Kungako Jesu atsi: “Loyo loyawucinisela kudzimate kube sekugcineni, nguye loyawusindziswa.”—Mat. 10:22.

6. Ngumuphi umvuzo lotawutfolwa ngulabo labaciniselako?

⁶ Nasicinisela sitawutfola umvuzo. EmaKhristu lagcotjiwe atawutfola umvuzo wekuphila kwekungafi ezulwini, abuse naJesu. ‘Letinye timvu’ titawutfola kuphila lokuphakadze emhlabeni lapho “kutawuba nekulunga” khona. (Joh. 10:16; 2 Phet. 3:13) Njengobe Pawula asho, sisetawuhlangabetana nekuhlupheka lokunyenti njengobe sisalindzele lomvuzo. Cabanga ngetinhlobo letimbili tekuhlushwa lokungenteka sihlangabetane nato.

7. Luhlobo lolunjani lwekuhlupheka loluchazwa ngekutsi kuhlaselwa lokucondzile?

⁷ Jesu wabiketela watsi: “Bantfu bayawuninikela etinkantolo, banishaye emasinagogeni, futsi niyawumiswa embikwebabusi nasembikwemakhosi.” (Mak. 13:9) Njengobe lamavi asho, lamanye emaKhristu atawuhlangabetana nekuphatfwa kabi, mhlawumbe lokutawubangelwa baholi benkholo nome betepolitiki. (Imis. 5:27, 28) Phindze ucabange ngesibonelo saPawula. Kwamesabisa yini kutsi bekasetawuhlupheka? Cha akuzange.—Fundza Imisebenti 20:22, 23.

8, 9. Pawula wakhombisa njani kutsi abetimisele kucinisela, futsi labanye esikhatsini setfu bakukhombise njani kutimisela lokufana nekwakhe?

⁸ Ngesibindzi Pawula wamelana nekuhlaselwa nguSathane ngalokucondzile, futsi watsi: “Umphefumulo wami awusilutfo kimi, yingci nje nangingacedza indzima yami nemsebenti lengiwunikwe yiNkhosi Jesu, lokukufakaza ngetindzaba letimnandzi temusa waNkulunkulu.” (Imis. 20:24) Kuyacaca kutsi Pawula akazange esatjiswe kuphatfwa kabi. Ngalokwehlukile, abetimisele kucinisela ngisho nome angahlangabetana nani. Lobekubaluleke kakhulu kuye ‘bekukufakaza’ ngalokuphelele nangetulu kwekuhlushwa.

⁹ Lamuhla, bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu labanyenti bakhombise kutimisela  lokufanako. Nasi sibonelo: Kulelinye live, sekuphele iminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-20 labanye BoFakazi babeketelela kuboshwa ngenca yekungatsatsi luhlangotsi. Indzaba yabo ayizange ikhulunywe ngisho nasenkantolo ngobe kulelo live awatekwa emacala ebantfu labangafuni kuya emphini. Nabasejele, bebangavunyelwa kutsi bavakashelwe ngisho natihlobo tabo futsi letinye tiboshwa betishaywa tiphindze tihlushwe nangetindlela letehlukahlukene.

10. Kungani kungakafaneli sesabe kuhlupheka lokuvela singakakulindzeli?

¹⁰ Kuletinye tindzawo, bazalwane betfu babeketelela kuhlushwa lokuvela bangakakulindzeli. Nangabe loko kwenteka kuwe, ungesabi. Cabanga ngaJosefa. Watsengiswa kute abe sigcili, kodvwa Jehova “wamsindzisa kulo lonkhe lusizi lwakhe.” (Imis. 7:9, 10) Jehova angenta lokufanako nakuwe. Ungakhohlwa kutsi “Jehova uyakwati kubakhulula ekulingweni bantfu labatinikele kuye.” (2 Phet. 2:9) Utawuchubeka yini wetsemba Jehova, wati kutsi utakukhulula kulelive lelibi futsi akuvumele kutsi ujabulele kuphila lokuphakadze ngaphansi kweMbuso wakhe? Unetizatfu letinyenti tekwenta njalo futsi ngesibindzi ubeketelele kuhlushwa.—1 Phet. 5:8, 9.

11. Kuhlasela kwaSathane lokubhacile kwehluke njani ekuhlaseleni kwakhe lokucondzile?

¹¹ Lolunye luhlobo lwekuhlushwa lesingahlangabetana nalo kuhlaselwa lokubhacile. Kwehluke njani ekuhlaselweni lokucondzile lokukuphatfwa kabi? Kuhlaselwa lokucondzile kufana nesiphepho lesitsi nasifika siyibhidlite ngekushesha indlu yakho. Kuhlaselwa lokubhacile kufanana nemuhlwa loyidla kancane kancane indlu yakho leyakhiwe ngetingodvo igcine idzilikile. Umuntfu angase angayiboni ingoti yekuhlaselwa lokubhacile kuze kube ngulapho sekonakele kakhulu.

12. (a) Nguyiphi lenye indlela yekuhlasela lokubhacile Sathane layisebentisako, futsi kungani iphumelela? (b) Kudvumateka kwamtsikameta njani Pawula?

¹² Sathane ufuna kucedza budlelwane bakho naJehova. Angahle asebentise kuhlasela lokucondzile kwekuphatfwa kabi nobe kancane kancane acedze kukholwa kwakho asebentisa kuhlasela lokubhacile. Indlela lehamba embili yekuhlasela lokubhacile Sathane layisebentisako kudvumateka. Umphostoli Pawula wavuma kutsi naye abedvumateka ngaletinye tikhatsi. (Fundza Roma 7:21-24.) Kungani Pawula—indvodza leyayicinile ekukholweni lokungenteka kutsi beyililunga lesigungu lesibusako sangelikhulu lekucala leminyaka—atibita ngekutsi ‘ungumuntfu lohluphekako’? Pawula watsi wativa ngalendlela ngobe abenesono. Abefuna kwenta lokuhle kodvwa abeva shengatsi lamanye emandla abementa ente lokubi. Nangabe nawe ngaletinye tikhatsi ulwisana nemiva lenjalo, akukudvudvuti yini kwati kutsi ngisho nemphostoli Pawula wabhekana nensayeya lefanako?

13, 14. (a) Yini lebangela kutsi labanye bantfu baNkulunkulu badvumateke? (b) Ngubani lofuna kusibona siwile ekukholweni, futsi kungani?

¹³ Ngaletinye tikhatsi, bazalwane nabodzadze labanyenti bativa badvumatekile, bakhatsatekile futsi bangasilutfo. Sibonelo saloku kutsi lelinye lihlahlandlela lelikhutsele lesitalibita ngekutsi nguDeborah latsi: “Tikhatsi letinyenti ngicabanga ngeliphutsa lengalenta, futsi ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi nangicabanga ngalo ngitiva ngingumuntfu lomubi kakhulu. Nangicabanga ngako konkhe lokubi lengikwentile, ngiva shengatsi kute umuntfu longangitsandza, ngisho naJehova imbala.”

¹⁴ Yini lebangela kutsi letinye tinceku taJehova letikhutsele njengaDeborah tidvumateke? Loko kungabangelwa tizatfu letinyenti. Labanye bangase babe nemkhuba wekucabanga kutsi babantfu labangakalungi nobe kutsi tintfo letentekile ekuphileni kwabo tibuhlungu. (Taga 15:15) Labanye bangaba nemiva lemibi ngesizatfu  sekugula lokutsite lokutsikameta imiva yabo. Kunobe ngabe ngusiphi sizatfu, kufanele sikhumbule kutsi ngubani lofuna sitive ngaleyo ndlela. Vele ngubani lofuna kutsi sidvumateke size siphelelwe ngemandla? Ngubani lofuna kutsi ube nemuva wekulahlwa licala njengaye? (Semb. 20:10) Kuyacaca kutsi nguSathane. Liciniso likutsi ngisho nome angasebentisa kuhlasela lokucondzile nobe kuhlasela lokubhacile, umgomo waSathane ukusenta sikhatsateke, sehlise kukhutsala kwetfu nekusenta siphelelwe ngemandla. Ungakhohlwa kutsi bantfu baNkulunkulu basemphini, balwela kugcina bucotfo babo.

15. Singakhombisa njani kutsi sitimisele kungancotjwa kudvumateka?

¹⁵ Timisele kutsi ungaphelelwa ngemandla, futsi uhlale ucabanga ngemvuzo. Pawula wabhalela emaKhristu aseKhorinte watsi: “Asipheli emandla, kodvwa ngisho nobe umuntfu lesinguye ngephandle ahhohloka, umuntfu lesinguye ngekhatsi uvuselelwa malanga onkhe. Ngobe nanobe kuhlupheka kukwesikhashana futsi kumelula, kitsi kuveta inkhatimulo lebendlula khashane bukhulu nalehlala phakadze.”—2 Khor. 4:16, 17.

16. Kungani kubalulekile kukulungiselela nyalo kubhekana netinhlupheko?

¹⁶ Njengobe sesibonile, Sathane ‘unemachinga’ lamanyenti langawasebentisa. (Ef. 6:11) Ngamunye wetfu kudzingeka alandzele sikhutsato lesiku-1 Phetro 5:9 lesitsi: “Melanani naye, nicine ekukholweni.” Kute sente loko, sidzinga kulungisa tingcondvo netinhlitiyo tetfu, siticeceshe nyalo kute sente lokulungile. Ase sifanekise: Libutfo lemasotja livamise kuceceshwa kamatima kusesele sikhatsi lesidze ngaphambi kwekuya emphini. Kuyintfo lefanako nasemphini yaJehova lesikuyo. Asati kutsi imphi lesiyilwako ingase ifake ekhatsi ini esikhatsini lesitako. Ngako-ke, ngeke yini kube kuhlakanipha kuticecesha  ngalokwenele sisengakabhekani netimo letimatima? Pawula wabhalela baseKhorinte watsi: “Chubekani nitihlola kutsi nisekukholweni yini, chubekani nihlola loko nine leningiko.”—2 Khor. 13:5.

17-19. (a) Ngutiphi tindlela lesingatihlola ngato? (b) Labasebasha bangase bakulungiselele njani kuvikela kukholwa kwabo nabasesikolweni?

¹⁷ Lenye indlela lesingasilalela ngayo seluleko lesiphefumulelwe saPawula kutsi sitihlolisise. Tibute imibuto lefana nalena: ‘Ngithantaza njalo yini? Nangibhekene nekucindzetelwa bontsanga, ngilalela Nkulunkulu yini njengobe angumbusi kunekutsi ngilalele bantfu? Ngiya njalo yini emihlanganweni yebuKhristu? Ngiba naso yini sibindzi sekukhuluma ngaloko lengikukholelwako? Ngiyetama yini kuwatsetselela emaphutsa ebazalwane bami njengobe nabo bawatsetselela ami? Ngiyabalalela yini labo labaholako ebandleni nalabo labetfweswe umtfwalo wekucondzisa emabandla lasemhlabeni wonkhe?’

¹⁸ Naka kutsi imibuto lemibili imayelana nekukumelela ngesibindzi loko lesikukholelwako kanye nekumelana nekucindzetelwa bontsanga. Labanyenti labasebasha kudzingeka bakwente loku nabasesikolweni. Bafundze kutsi bangabi nemahloni nobe bative bahlazekile ngetinkholelo tabo. Esikhundleni saloko, bakhuluma ngesibindzi. Tindlela letitsite letingabasita nababhekene nesimo lesinjalo tishicilelwe kubomagazini betfu. Sibonelo saloku kutsi i-“Phaphama!” yaJuly 2009 incoma kutsi nangabe lotsite lofundza naye akubuta atsi: “Kungani ungakholelwa ekutigucukeleni kwemvelo?” ungavele nje umphendvule utsi: “Kungani kufanele ngikholelwe ekutigucukeleni kwemvelo? Ngisho nabososayensi abavumelani ngalendzaba, kantsi ngibo lokufanele ngabe bayati kahle!” Batali, cinisekani kutsi niyaphrakthiza nebantfwana benu kute bakulungele kubhekana nekucindzetelwa lokunjengaloku kubontsanga yabo esikolweni.

¹⁹ Kuliciniso kutsi akusimelula ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi kukhuluma nobe kwenta letinye tintfo Jehova latsi asitente. Ngemuva kwelilanga lelidze sisemsebentini, kungase kudzingeke kutsi sitihudvule nasiya emihlanganweni. Kuvuka ekuseni kute uye emsebentini wekushumayela kungase kudzinge kutsi udzele butfongo bakho lobumnandzi embhedzeni wakho lontofontofo. Kodvwa khumbula: Nakufika tilingo letinkhulu esikhatsini lesitako, utawuba sesimeni lesikahle sekubhekana nato nangabe watakhela luhlelo loluhle lwekwakha buhlobo bakho naNkulunkulu kusenesikhatsi.

20, 21. (a) Kuzindla ngenhlawulo kungasisita njani kutsi silwisane nemiva lengakalungi? (b) Yini lokufanele sitimisele kuyenta mayelana netinhlupheko?

²⁰ Kutsiwani ngekuhlaselwa lokubhacile? Singalwisana njani nemiva yekudvumateka? Indlela lenemandla kakhulu yekwenta loko kuzindla ngenhlawulo. Nguloko lokwentiwa ngumphostoli Pawula. Bekati kutsi ngaletinye tikhatsi abetiva acindzetelekile. Kodvwa bekati nekutsi Khristu wafa, wafela toni, hhayi bantfu labete sono. Pawula naye abengulomunye waletoni. Ecinisweni wabhala watsi: ‘Ngiphila ngekukholwa eNdvodzaneni yaNkulunkulu, leyangitsandza futsi yatinikela ngenca yami.’ (Gal. 2:20) Pawula wayemukela inhlawulo, futsi wabona kutsi isebenta kuye.

²¹ Umbono lofanako wekutsatsa inhlawulo njengesipho losinikwe nguJehova ungakusita kakhulu. Loko akusho kutsi kudvumateka kutawuvele nje kutiphelele. Ngelizinga lelitsite, labanye betfu kungase kudzingeke kutsi balwisane nekuhlaselwa lokubhacile kudzimate kufike umhlaba lomusha. Kodvwa khumbula: Umvuzo utawutfolwa ngulabo labangaphelelwa ngemandla. Sekusedvute kakhulu kutsi kufike lilanga lelibalulekile lapho uMbuso waNkulunkulu utawuletsa kuthula futsi ubangele kutsi bonkhe bantfu labetsembekile babe bete sono. Timisele kungena kuloyo Mbuso ngisho nome ungabhekana nekuhlupheka lokunyenti.