1. Bantfu labanjani Jehova labadvonsela kuye, futsi kungani kufanele bahlale bakuphaphamele loko lokumtfokotisako?

JESU watsi: ‘Labo labakhonta ngeliciniso, bayawukhonta Babe ngemoya nangeliciniso.’ (Johane 4:23) Lapho Jehova abatfola labo labafuna kumkhonta ngemoya nangeliciniso—njengobe nawe akutfolile—ubadvonsela kuye naseNdvodzaneni yakhe. (Johane 6:44) Asewucabange nje kutsi kulilungelo lelingakanani loko! Labatsandza liciniso leliBhayibheli kufanele ‘bachubeke baciniseka ngalokutfokotisa iNkhosi,’ ngobe Sathane unelikhono lekudukisa.—Efesu 5:10; Sembulo 12:9.

2. Asewuchaze kutsi Jehova ubabheka njani labo labetama kuhlanganisa inkholo yeliciniso nenkholo yemanga.

² Asewucabange ngaloko lokwenteka ngaseNtsabeni iSinayi, ngesikhatsi ema-Israyeli acela Aroni kutsi awentele nkulunkulu. Aroni wavele wavuma, walenta litfole legolide watsi limelele Jehova. Watsi: “Kusasa kutawuba nesibhimbi sekudvumisa Simakadze.” Jehova wakujabulela yini lokuhlanganisa kwabo inkholo yeliciniso nenkholo yemanga? Cha! Ngenca yaloko, wabangela kutsi kubulawe bantfu labangaba ngu-3 000 ngalelolanga, lababekhonte lesitfombe. (Eksodusi 32:1-6, 10, 28) Yini lesingayifundza kulendzaba? Nangabe sifuna kutigcina elutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu, kufanele ‘singatsintsi lutfo lolungcolile,’ futsi kufanele silwele kuvikela liciniso kute lingagcoliswa ngunobe ngabe ngukuphi lokonakele.—Isaya 52:11; Hezekeli 44:23; Galathiya 5:9.

3, 4. Kungani kufanele sitinakisise timiso teliBhayibheli nasihlola emasiko kanye nemikhosi levamile?

 ³ Kuyadzabukisa kutsi ngemuva nje kwekufa kwebaphostoli labebativimba timfundziso tetihlubuki, emaKhristu labengalitsandzi liciniso leliBhayibheli, acala kwemukela emasiko ebantfu lababengakholelwa ebuKhristwini, imikhosi, kanye nemaholidi lababewabita ngekutsi ebuKhristu. (2 Thesalonika 2:7, 10) Njengobe ufundza ngaleminye yalemikhosi, caphela indlela lebonakalisa ngayo umoya welive, hhayi umoya waNkulunkulu. Imvamisa, lemikhosi yelive ifanana ngentfo yinye: Itfokotisa tifiso tenyama, ikhutsate tinkholelo temanga kanye nekusebentelana nemimoya—lokuluphawu ‘lweBhabhulona Lenkhulu.’ * (Sembulo 18:2-4, 23) Khumbula kutsi Jehova watibonela matfupha imikhuba leyenyanyekako yetinkholo tebantfu labebangakholelwa ebuKhristwini, lapho emasiko lamanyenti lesiwabonako lamuhla avela khona. Akungabateki-ke kutsi lemikhosi isanyanyeka kuye nalamuhla. Akukafanele yini kutsi umbono waJehova ngemikhosi lenjalo ube ngulobalulekile kitsi lamuhla?—2 Johane 6, 7.

⁴ NjengemaKhristu eliciniso, siyati kutsi lemikhosi ayimjabulisi Jehova. Kepha kufanele sitimisele nakakhulu kungenti nobe yini letsintsana nayo. Kuhlale sikhumbula kutsi kungani Jehova angayitsandzi lemikhosi, kutawusisita sitimisele nakakhulu kugwema nobe ngabe yini letawusivimbela kutsi sihlale elutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu.

5. Kungani singaciniseka ngekutsi December 25 akusilo nani lilanga lekutalwa kwaJesu?

⁵ LiBhayibheli alikhulumi ngekugujwa kwelilanga lekutalwa kwaJesu. Empeleni, lilanga lelicondzile lekutalwa kwakhe alatiwa. Nobe kunjalo, siyaciniseka kutsi December 25 akusilo lilanga lekutalwa kwakhe, ngobe uyinyanga yasebusika  lenemakhata kakhulu kulelive latalelwa kulo. * Lukha wabhala kutsi ngesikhatsi Jesu atalwa, “bekunebelusi . . . lababeluse imihlambi yetimvu ebusuku etsafeni.” (Lukha 2:8-11) Kube bekungumkhuba wabo ‘kwelusa imihlambi yetimvu ebusuku etsafeni’ umnyaka wonkhe, loko bekungeke kunakeke. Ngenca yekutsi ebusika litulu lisuke lina futsi likhitsika eBhetlehema, imihlambi iyavikelwa. Ngako-ke belusi bebangeke ‘beluse imihlambi yetimvu ebusuku etsafeni’ esimeni selitulu lesinjalo. Ngetulu kwaloko, Josefa naMariya kwadzingeka kutsi baye eBhetlehema ngobe Khesari Agustusi abekhiphe umyalo wekutsi bonkhe bantfu kufanele babalwe. (Lukha 2:1-7) Kwakungenakwenteka ngaKhesari kutsi akhiphe umyalo wekutsi bantfu labebangakutsandzi kubuswa ngemaRoma bahambe ekhatsi nebusika baye eveni labokhokho babo kumakhata kangaka.

6, 7. (a) Uyini umsuka waKhisimusi? (b) Ngumuphi umehluko lokhona emkhatsini wekupha kwesikhatsi saKhisimusi nekupha kwemaKhristu?

⁶ Umsuka waKhisimusi awutfolakali emiBhalweni, kepha utfolakala emikhosini yakadzeni yebantfu lababengakholelwa ebuKhristwini, njenge-Saturnalia yemaRoma, lokwakungumkhosi lowawentelwa Saturn, nkulunkulu wetekulima. Ngalokufananako, i-New Catholic Encyclopedia itsi tikhonti tankulunkulu labebitwa ngekutsi nguMithra tatigubha December 25 njengelilanga “lekutalwa kwelilanga lelingeke lincotjwe.” “Khisimusi wasungulwa ngesikhatsi kukhontwa kwelilanga kunemandla eRoma,” ngemuva kwemakhulu eminyaka lacishe abe matsatfu Jesu afa.

⁷ Emkhatsini wekugujwa kwalemikhosi, labantfu lababengakholelwa ebuKhristwini babephana tipho bente nemicimbi—lokutintfo letentiwako lamuhla ngaKhisimusi. Njengobe kusentiwa nalamuhla, kuphana tipho ngaKhisimusi kwakungentiwa ngekuvumelana naloko lokushiwo ngu-2 Khorinte 9:7, lotsi: “Lowo nalowo akatincumele yena enhlitiyweni yakhe kutsi utawunikela kangakanani, bese unikela ngekukhululeka, hhayi  ngekusola nangekucindzetelwa. Nkulunkulu utsandza umuntfu lonikela ngenhlitiyo lemhlophe.” EmaKhristu eliciniso aphana ngalokusuka elutsandvweni, awabuki kutsi ngumhlakabani futsi awalindzeli kutsi nawo aphindze aphiwe. (Lukha 14:12-14; fundza Imisebenti 20:35.) Ngetulu kwaloko, abonga kakhulu ngekutsi akhululekile ekubeni matasatasa ngetintfo taKhisimusi nasejokeni lelisindzako lekukweleta, bantfu labanyenti labangena kuko ngalesikhatsi semnyaka.—Matewu 11:28-30; Johane 8:32.

8. Tati tetinkhanyeti tamupha yini Jesu tipho ngelilanga lekutalwa kwakhe? Chaza.

⁸ Labanye bangatsi: “Kepha tati tetinkhanyeti atimphanga yini Jesu tipho ngelilanga lekutalwa kwakhe?” Cha! Kuletsa kwato tipho kwakumane nje kuyindlela yekuhlonipha umuntfu lobalulekile, lokwakuyintfo leyayetayelekile ngetikhatsi teliBhayibheli. (1 Emakhosi 10:1, 2, 10, 13; Matewu 2:2, 11) Ecinisweni, atizange tifike ngisho nangebusuku Jesu latalwa ngabo. Ngesikhatsi letafika ngaso, Jesu abengasesilo  luswane lobelubekwe emkhombeni, kepha abesanetinyanga letimbadlwana futsi abesahlala endlini ngaleso sikhatsi.

9. Yini leyenteka emicimbini yekugujwa kwemalanga ekutalwa lokukhulunywa ngayo eBhayibhelini?

⁹ Nobe kutalwa kwemntfwana bekuloku kuyintfo lejabulisako, kepha liBhayibheli alikhulumi ngekutsi tinceku taNkulunkulu tatigumba emalanga ato ekutalwa. (Tihlabelelo 127:3) Tatenta liphutsa yini ngaloko? Cha, ngobe kukhona kugujwa kwemalanga ekutalwa lokubili lokukhulunywa ngako—kwaFaro waseGibhithe nekwaHerodi Antipasi. (Fundza Genesisi 40:20-22; Makho 6:21-29.) Totimbili letigameko tivetwa njengetehlakalo letatingamjabulisi Nkulunkulu—ikakhulukati leso sekutalwa kwaHerodi, lapho Johane umbhabhatisi ajutjwa khona inhloko.

10, 11. EmaKhristu ekucala abekubheka njani kugujwa kwemalanga ekutalwa, futsi kungani?

 ¹⁰ I-The World Book Encyclopedia itsi: “EmaKhristu ekucala abebheka kugujwa kwemalanga ekutalwa njengelisiko lemacaba.” Sibonelo saloko kutsi emaGriki asendvulo abekholelwa kutsi umuntfu nemuntfu unemoya lomvikelako lowawubakhona lapho atalwa, futsi lochubeka umvikela. Incwadzi letsi The Lore of Birthdays itsi: “Lomoya unebuhlobo lobuyimfihlo nankulunkulu lowatalwa ngelilanga latalwa ngalo loyo muntfu.” Ngetulu kwaloko, sekusikhatsi lesidze emalanga ekutalwa ahlotjaniswa nekufundvwa kwetinkhanyeti kanye nekufundvwa kwendlela letime ngayo.

¹¹ EmaKhristu ekucala abengagwemi nje kuphela emasiko ekugubha emalanga ekutalwa ngobe avela emacabeni futsi anemsuka wekusebentelana nemimoya, kepha abewagwema nangenca yetimiso tawo tekutiphatsa. Kungani sisho njalo? Laba kwakubantfu labatfobekile futsi labazitsile, labebangabuki kutalwa kwabo njengentfo lebaluleke kangangekutsi kwakufanele igujwe. * (Mikha 6:8; Lukha 9:48) Kunaloko, bebadvumisa Jehova futsi bambonga ngesipho sekuphila labebanikete sona. *—Tihlabelelo 8:3, 4; 36:9; Sembulo 4:11.

12. Lilanga letfu lekufa lingaba njani ncono kunelilanga lekutalwa?

¹² Bonkhe labo labafa betsembekile kuNkulunkulu baba senkhumbulweni yakhe, futsi likusasa labo licinisekisiwe. (Jobe 14:14, 15) Incwadzi yeMshumayeli 7:1 itsi: “Libito lelihle lincono kunemakha lamnandzi, nelilanga lekufa lincono kunelekutalwa.” “Libito” letfu ligama lesitentela lona kuNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwetfu konkhe kwekwetsembeka. Kungako-ke kuphela kwelilanga emaKhristu lakhutsatwa kutsi alikhumbule  alihlanganisi kutalwa, kepha lihlanganisa kufa—kufa kwaJesu, loyo “libito” lakhe liholela ensindzisweni.—Lukha 22:17-20; Hebheru 1:3, 4.

13, 14. Uyini umsuka wemkhosi lovamile wema-Easter?

¹³ Nobe umkhosi wema-Easter uvetwa njengeliholidi lekugujwa kwekuvuka kwaJesu, kepha liciniso likutsi usuka enkholweni yemanga. Ngekwalo ligama lelitsi Easter, lihlobene neligama lelitsi Eostre, nobe Ostara, nkulunkulukati wema-Anglo-Saxon, lokungunkulunkulu wentsatsakusa kanye newentfwasahlobo. Kepha kwenteka njani kutsi emacandza kanye nabologwaja kugcine sekuhlobene nema-Easter? I-Encyclopædia Britannica itsi: “Emacandza bekaloku aluphawu lolubalulekile lwemphilo lensha kanye neluvuko,” kantsi bologwaja bona bebasetjentiswa njengeluphawu lwentalo. Ngako-ke kuyacaca kutsi vele ema-Easter alisiko lentalo lelibhaciswe laba shengatsi kugujwa kwekuvuka kwaKhristu. *

¹⁴ Angakuvumela yini Jehova kutsi kusetjentiswe lisiko lelingcole kangaka kute kukhunjulwe ngalo kuvuswa kweNdvodzana yakhe? Cha angeke akuvumele. (2 Khorinte 6:17, 18) Ngetulu kwaloko, imiBhalo ayisiyali nobe ayisitjeli kutsi sikhumbule kuvuswa kwaJesu. Ngako-ke kulikhumbula lelilanga futsi sisebentisa lilanga lema-Easter, kubi nakakhulu.

15. Uyini umsuka waNcibijane?

¹⁵ Lomunye umkhosi lovame kakhulu nguNcibijane. Usukela kuphi lomkhosi? Ngekwe-The World Book Encyclopedia, “Ngemnyaka wa-46 C.E. umbusi wemaRoma Julius Caesar wabeka lilanga lamhlaka 1 January laba nguNcibijane. Ngako emaRoma  anikela lelilanga kunkulunkulu wemasango, wetivalo, kanye neweticalo longuJanus. Ngako inyanga ya-January yetsiwa isuselwa kuJanus, lobekanebuso lobubili, lobunye lobabubuke emuva kantsi lobunye bubuke embili.” Lilanga kanye nemasiko lahlobene naNcibijane ayehluka emaveni ngemave. Kulamanye emave kudla kakhulu kanye nekudzakwa ngiko lokuhamba embili ngalelolanga. Nobe kunjalo, incwadzi yemaRoma 13:13 iseluleka itsi: “Asitiphatse ngalokufanele njengalabahamba emini, hhayi ngekumita nangekudzakwa, hhayi ngekuphinga nangekugwadla, hhayi ngekucabana nangemona.” *

16, 17. (a) Kungani emaKhristu lalungiselela umshado kufanele awahlolisise emasiko laphatselene nemshado asendzaweni yakubo, ngekusebentisa timiso teliBhayibheli? (b) Ngalokucondzene nemasiko lanjengekuphonsa lilayisi nobe lokunye kudla, yini emaKhristu lokufanele ayikhumbule?

¹⁶ Madvutane, “kungeke kuphindze kuvakale kuwe [Bhabhulona Lenkhulu] liphimbo lemyeni nelamakoti.” (Sembulo 18:23) Kungani kunjalo? Lesinye sizatfu kungenca yekusebentisa kwalo imimoya, lokungawungcolisa umshado kusukela ngelilanga labo lababili labashada ngalo.—Makho 10:6-9.

¹⁷ Emasiko ayehluka kuye ngemave. Lamanye emasiko angase abonakale afaneleka futsi ete umsuka weBhabhulona, nobe imikhuba lelindzeleke kutsi yente labo labashadako nobe labamenyiwe babe ‘nenhlanhla.’ (Isaya 65:11) Leminye yalemikhuba ihlanganisa kuphonswa kwelilayisi nobe lokunye kudla. Lomkhuba kungenteka unemsuka wenkholelo yekutsi kudla kungacosha imimoya lengcolile futsi kuvikele makoti nemkhwenyane ekulimaleni. Ngetulu kwaloko, lilayisi beliloku lihlotjaniswa nentalo, nenjabulo, kanye nemphilo lendze. Kuyacaca-ke kutsi labo labafuna kutigcina elutsandvweni lwaNkulunkulu batawuwabalekela emasiko lanjalo.—Fundza 2 Khorinte 6:14-18.

18. Ngutiphi timiso teliBhayibheli lekufanele ticondzise labo labahlela kushada nalabo labamenyiwe?

 ¹⁸ Kuyafanana nangetinceku taJehova, nato tiyayigwema imikhuba yelive lengase icedzele imishado kanye nemadzili ayo sitfunti sebuKhristu, nobe lengase ikhube bonembeza balabanye. Sibonelo saloko kutsi tiyakugwema kuniketa tinkhulumo letiphukutako nobe letiphatselene nekuya ecasini, futsi tigwema nemahlaya nobe kukhuluma ngetintfo letingase tibangele labo labashadako nobe labanye emahloni. (Taga 26:18, 19; Lukha 6:31; 10:27) Tiphindze tigweme emadzili labukisako, langakazitsi, kepha lakhombisa “kutigabisa lokulite ngetintfo takulomhlaba.” (1 Johane 2:16) Nangabe uhlela umshado, ungakhohlwa kutsi Jehova ufuna lelilanga lakho lelikhetsekile libe sikhumbuto lesijabulisako, hhayi sekutisola. *

19, 20. Yini leshiwo ngulenye incwadzi mayelana nemsuka wekwenta i-toast, futsi kungani lomkhuba ungemukeleki kumaKhristu?

¹⁹ Kwenta i-toast kungumkhuba lovamile kulelive lesiphila kulo lamuhla. I-International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture yanga-1995 itsi: “Kwenta i-toast . . . kungumkhuba lowawentiwa endvulo, lapho bonkulunkulu bebatselelwa lokutsite lokungemanti langcwele . . . futsi umuntfu abecela lokutsite kubo ngekusho umthandazo lomfishane nangekusho tilokotfo letinhle, njengekutsi ‘uphile sikhatsi lesidze!’ nobe ‘ube nemphilo lenhle!’”

²⁰ Kuyavunywa, bantfu labanyenti abakutsatsi kwenta i-toast njengesento lesihambisana nenkholo nobe inkholelo lelite. Nobe kunjalo, umkhuba wekuphakamisela tingilazi letineliwayini etulu, ungase ubhekwe njengekucela sibusiso ‘ezulwini’—ngendlela lengavumelani naloko lokushiwo yimiBhalo.—Johane 14:6; 16:23. *

21. Ngumiphi imikhosi emaKhristu latawuyigwema nobe ingaphatselani nenkholo, futsi kungani?

²¹ Lamanye emave abonisa kuhhohloka lokukhulu kwetimiso talelive lalamuhla—lokubangelwa ngalokucondzile nobe ngalokungakacondzi yiBhabhulona Lenkhulu—ngekusekela imigidvo leyentiwa minyaka yonkhe nobe ema-Mardi Gras, lokuyimigidvo lenemidanso lengcolile futsi lekhutsata bunkonkoni. Kuyafaneleka yini kutsi umuntfu ‘lotsandza Jehova’ aye emigidvweni lenjalo nobe ayibukele? Kwenta kwakhe kanjalo kungabonisa yini kutsi ukutondza mbamba lokubi? (Tihlabelelo 1:1, 2; 97:10) Kuhle kakhulu kutsi silingise sibonelo semhlabeleli, lowathandaza watsi: “Fulatselisa emehlo ami ekubukeni tintfo letingenamsebenti.”—Tihlabelelo 119:37.

22. Kunini lapho umKhristu atawutincumela nganembeza wakhe kutsi ahlanganyele yini emkhosini lotsite nobe cha?

²² Ngelilanga lekugujwa kwemaholidi elive, umKhristu kufanele acaphele kutsi indlela lenta ngayo ayibaniketi bantfu umcondvo wekutsi naye uyahlanganyela kulokugujwa kwalamaholidi. Pawula wabhala: “Nome niyadla, nome niyanatsa, nome nentani-ke lokunye, konkhe akwentelwe ludvumo lwaNkulunkulu.” (1 Khorinte 10:31; fundza libhokisi lelitsi “ Kwenta Tincumo Letihlakaniphile.”) Ngakulokunye, nangabe lisiko nobe liholidi lingahambisani nenkholo yemanga, tepolitiki, futsi lingephuli timiso teliBhayibheli, esimeni lesinjalo umKhristu ngamunye utawutentela sincumo sakhe kutsi utawuhlanganyela yini nobe cha. Ngesikhatsi lesifananako, kufanele acabangele nendlela labanye labatawuphatseka ngayo, kute angabi sizatfu sekukhubeka kubo.

23, 24. Singabuniketa njani bufakazi mayelana netimiso taJehova letilungile?

²³ Bantfu labanyenti batsatsa emalanga emaholidi ladvumile njengematfuba ekuhlangana ndzawonye njengemindeni kanye nebangani. Ngako-ke, nangabe lomunye anembono loliphutsa  wekutsi kuma kwetfu lokusekelwe emiBhalweni kuyecisa, nobe akukhombisi lutsandvo, ngemusa singamchazela kutsi boFakazi BaJehova bakutsatsa njengalokubalulekile kuhlangana kwemndeni kanye nebangani. (Taga 11:25; Umshumayeli 3:12, 13; 2 Khorinte 9:7) Sijabulela kuhlangana kanye nebudlelwane nalabo lesibatsandzako minyaka yonkhe, kepha ngenca yekutsi sitsandza Nkulunkulu kanye netimiso takhe letilungile, asifuni kona imibutsano lenjalo ngekuyihlanganisa nemasiko lamenyanyisako.—Fundza libhokisi lelitsi “ Kukhonta Kweliciniso Kuletsa Injabulo Lenkhulu.”

²⁴ Labanye boFakazi baye baphumelela kakhulu lapho bacoca nalabanye ngemaphuzu lasesehlukweni 16 sencwadzi letsi Lifundzisani Mbambambamba LiBhayibheli? * Kepha kufanele sikhumbule kutsi umgomo wetfu kuzuza tinhlitiyo tebantfu, hhayi kubabonisa kutsi basephutseni. Ngako-ke kufanele ube nenhlonipho nemoya lophansi, futsi ‘kukhuluma kwakho kube nemusa ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi, ukunandzise njengeluswayi ekudleni.’—Kholose 4:6.

25, 26. Batali bangabasita njani bantfwana babo kute bakhule elukholweni nasekutsandzeni Jehova?

²⁵ Njengetinceku taJehova, sifundziswe kahle. Siyati kutsi kungani sikholelwa futsi senta tintfo letitsite, kantsi futsi siphindze sati nekutsi kungani letinye taletintfo sitigwema. (Hebheru 5:14) Ngako-ke, batali, fundzisani bantfwana benu kute bacondze timiso teliBhayibheli. Ngekwenta kanjalo, niyawube nakha lukholo lwabo, nibasita kutsi babaphendvule ngemiBhalo labo lababuta ngetinkholelo tabo, futsi nibacinisekisa ngelutsandvo lwaJehova.—Isaya 48:17, 18; 1 Phetro 3:15.

²⁶ Bonkhe labo labakhonta Nkulunkulu ‘ngemoya nangeliciniso’ abagwemi nje kuphela imikhosi lengavumelani nemiBhalo, kepha balwela kwetsembeka kuto tonkhe tici tekuphila. Lamuhla, linyenti lebantfu licabanga kutsi kwetsembeka kuyintfo lengeke seyenteke. Kepha njengobe sitawubona esehlukweni lesilandzelako, tindlela taNkulunkulu tihlala tinguletincono kakhulu.