1. Ngubani lodale tonkhe tintfo letiphilako?

UMPHROFETHI JEREMIYA watsi: “Simakadze [Jehova] nguyena Nkulunkulu sibili, unguNkulunkulu lophilako.” (Jeremiya 10:10) Ngetulu kwaloko, Nkulunkulu Jehova unguMdali wato tonkhe tintfo letiphilako. Tidalwa tasezulwini tatsi kuye: “Konkhe kwadalwa nguwe. Konkhe kwenteka ngentsandvo yakho, kwadalwa ngayo.” (Sembulo 4:11) Ihlabelela Nkulunkulu ingoma, iNkhosi Davide yatsi: “Ngobe nguwe umtfombo wekuphila.” (Tihlabelelo 36:9) Ngako-ke, kuphila kusipho lesivela kuNkulunkulu.

2. Yini Nkulunkulu layentako kute asekele kuphila kwetfu?

² Jehova uphindze asekele kuphila kwetfu. (Imisebenti 17:28) Nguye losiniketa kudla, emanti ekunatsa, umoya lesiwuphefumulako, kanye nemhlaba lesiphila kuwo. (Imisebenti 14:15-17) Jehova ukwente loku ngendlela yekutsi kuphila sikujabulele. Kodvwa kute sikujabulele kakhulu kuphila , kudzingeka sifundze futsi sitfobele imiyalo yaNkulunkulu.—Isaya 48:17, 18.

3. Nkulunkulu wakubheka njani kubulawa kwa-Abela?

³ Nkulunkulu ufuna sikuhloniphe kuphila kwetfu nekwalabanye. Sibonelo saloko kutsi emuva ngesikhatsi sabo-Adamu na-Eva, indvodzana yabo, Khayini yatfukutselela kakhulu  umnakabo lomncane Abela. Jehova wecwayisa Khayini watsi, kutfukutsela kwakhe bekutawuholela esonweni lesibi kakhulu. Kodvwa Khayini akazange asinake lesecwayiso. “Wesukela umnakabo, wambulala.” (Genesisi 4:3-8) Jehova wamjezisa Khayini ngalesento sekubulala umnakabo.—Genesisi 4:9-11.

4. EMtsetfweni waMosi, Nkulunkulu wakubonisa njani kubaluleka kwekuphila?

⁴ Ngemuva kweminyaka leyinkhulungwane, Jehova wanika bantfu baka-Israyeli imitsetfo lebeyitabasita kutsi bamkhonte ngendlela layemukelako. Ngesizatfu sekutsi lemitsetfo yaniketwa umphrofethi Mosi, ngaletinye tikhatsi ibitwa ngekutsi nguMtsetfo waMosi. Lomunye waleMitsetfo yaMosi, utsi: “Ungabulali.” (Dutheronomi 5:17) Loku kwabonisa ema-Israyeli kutsi kuphila kubalulekile kuNkulunkulu nekutsi bantfu batsatse kuphila kwalabanye njengalokubalulekile.

5. Kufanele sikubheke njani kukhipha sisu?

⁵ Kutsiwani ngekuphila kwemntfwana longakatalwa? Ngekuya kweMtsetfo waMosi, kubulala umntfwana losesiswini senina kubi. KuJehova, loko kuphila kuligugu. (Eksodusi 21:22, 23; Tihlabelelo 127:3) Loku kusho kutsi kukhipha sisu akukalungi.

6. Kungani kungafanele sitondze labanye bantfu?

⁶ Kuhlonipha kuphila kuhlanganisa kuba nembono lofanele ngalabanye bantfu. LiBhayibheli litsi: “Umuntfu lotondza umzalwane ungumbulali, nani-ke niyati kutsi kute umuntfu longumbulali lonekuphila lokuphakadze.” (1 Johane 3:15) Nangabe sifuna kuphila phakadze, kufanele sikhiphe konkhe kutondzana lesinako ngalabanye bantfu etinhlitiyweni tetfu, ngobe kutondzana lokunjalo kubangela budlova. (1 Johane 3:11, 12) Kubalulekile kutsi sifundze kutsandza labanye bantfu.

7. Ngumiphi imikhuba lebonisa kungakuhloniphi kuphila?

⁷ Kutsiwani ngekuhlonipha kuphila kwetfu? Imvamisa bantfu abafuni kufa, kodvwa labanye bafaka kuphila kwabo engotini ngobe nje bafuna kutijabulisa. Sibonelo saloku kutsi labanye babhema ligwayi, insangu, nobe basebentise budlabha tidzakamiva kute batijabulise. Tintfo letifanana  naleti tiyingoti emtimbeni futsi tivame kubabulala bantfu labatisebentisako. Umuntfu lokwenta umkhuba kusebentisa letintfo leti akakubheki njengalokubalulekile kuphila. Yonkhe lemikhuba ayikahlobi emehlweni aNkulunkulu. (Roma 6:19; 12:1; 2 Khorinte 7:1) Kute sikhonte Nkulunkulu ngendlela leyemukelekako kuye, kufanele siyiyekele lemikhuba lemibi. Nobe nje kumatima kwenta njalo, kodvwa Jehova angasinika lusito lesiludzingako. Uyawujabulela umetamo lesiwentako wekuphatsa kuphila kwetfu njengesipho lesiligugu lesivela kuye.

8. Kungani kufanele sicaphele kutsi singakufaki kuphila kwetfu engotini?

⁸ Nangabe sikuhlonipha kuphila, sitawuhlala sicaphela kutsi singatifaki etingotini. Angeke sibe bantfu labanganaki futsi sifake kuphila kwetfu engotini ngobe nje sitijabulisa. Sitakwecwaya kushayela ngebudlabha kanye nemidlalo leyingoti. (Tihlabelelo 11:5) Umtsetfo Nkulunkulu labewunike ema-Israyeli asendvulo utsi: “Nawakha indlu lensha [leneluphahla lolucondzile], ubocaphela kutsi wakhe lutsango [lolunelubondza lolufishane] lolutawutungeleta luphahla lwakho, khona indlu yakho ungetiyehlisela licala lengati ngekutsi kube khona longahle awe kuyo.” (Dutheronomi 22:8) Ngekuvumelana nalesimiso lesikulomtsetfo, kufanele ubeke tintfo letifanana neliladi endzaweni lephephile ekhaya lakho, kute kungabi nemuntfu lotawukhutjwa awe, bese ulimala kabuhlungu. Nangabe unemoto, ciniseka kutsi kuphephile kuyishayela. Indlu nobe imoto yakho akukafanele tibe yingoti kuwe nakulabanye.

9. Nangabe sikuhlonipha kuphila, sitatiphatsa njani tilwane?

⁹ Kutsiwani ngekuphila kwesilwane? Nako kuligugu kuMdali. Nkulunkulu uyakuvumela kutsi sibulale tilwane nangabe sifuna kudla kanye netimphahla nobe nasifuna kutivikela tsine engotini. (Genesisi 3:21; 9:3; Eksodusi 21:28) Nobe kunjalo, kuba nelunya etilwaneni nobe kutibulala ngobe udlala, akukalungi futsi kukhombisa kungasihloniphi sipho lesingcwele lesikuphila.—Taga 12:10.

10. Nkulunkulu ukubonisa njani kutsi kunekuhlangana emkhatsini wekuphila nengati?

¹⁰ Ngemuva kwekuba Khayini asabulele umnakabo Abela, Jehova watsi kuye: “Livi lengati yemnakenu liyakhala kimi, lisemhlabatsini.” (Genesisi 4:10) Nkulunkulu nakakhuluma ngengati ya-Abela, abesho kuphila kwakhe. Khayini abebulele Abela, ngako bekufanele ajeziswe. Kwaba shengatsi ingati ya-Abela, nobe kuphila kwakhe kukhala kuJehova kufuna kuphindziselelwa. Kutsi kuyahlangana kuphila nengati, kwaphindze kwabonakala ngemuva kwaZamcolo waNowa. Ngembi kwaZamcolo, bantfu bebadla titselo, tibhidvo, lokutinhlavu, nalokungemantongomane kuphela. Ngemuva kwaZamcolo, Jehova watjela Nowa nemadvodzana akhe: “Tonkhe tilwane letiphilako tiyawuba kudla kwenu; ngininika kona njengobe nganinika tibhidvo.” Nobe kunjalo, Nkulunkulu wabeka lomtsetfo: “Intfo nje, ningayidli inyama lesenengati [nobe, kuphila kwayo]; loko ngikusho ngobe kuphila kusengatini.” (Genesisi 1:29; 9:3, 4) Ngendlela lesebaleni, Jehova uchumanisa kuphila kwesilwane njengalokuhlobene edvute nengati yaso.

11. Kusukela ngesikhatsi saNowa, Nkulunkulu abengakuvumeli kusetjentiswa kwengati ngayiphi indlela?

¹¹ Sikhombisa kutsi siyayihlonipha ingati ngekungayidli. Emtsetfweni Jehova lawuniketa ema-Israyeli, wawayala: “Lotingela inyamatane nome inyoni ledliwako, kufanele aphomphise yonkhe lengati yayo, bese uyigcibedzela ngemhlaba. . . . Ngiko nje ngitsite kuma-Israyeli angayidli ingati nome yasiphi silwane.” (Levithikhusi 17:13, 14) Umtsetfo waNkulunkulu wekungadli ingati yesilwane lowawuniketwe Nowa eminyakeni lengu-800 lebeyengcile, wawusolo usebenta. Umbono waJehova wawucacile: Tinceku takhe kwakufanele tidle inyama kuphela hhayi ingati. Kwakufanele ingati tiyiphomphisele emhlabatsini—njengekungatsi tibuyisela loko kuphila kwaleso silwane kuNkulunkulu.

12. Ngumuphi umyalo lophatselene nengati lowaniketwa ngumoya longcwele ekhulwini lekucala losebenta nalamuhla?

 ¹² Umtsetfo lofananako uyasebenta nakumaKhristu. Baphostoli nalamanye emadvodza labecondzisa balandzeli baJesu ngelikhulu lekucala, bahlangana kutewuncuma kutsi ngumiphi imitsetfo lebeyifanele ilalelwe libandla lebuKhristu. Bafinyelela kunasi sincumo: ‘Umoya longcwele kanye natsi sivumelene ngekutsi singanetfwesi lomunye umtfwalo ngaphandle kwalemiyalo ledzingekile: Ningakudli kudla lokugcoliswe ngekunikelwa etithicweni, ningayidli ingati, ningadli lokucubhelene [silwane lesingakaphomphiswa] nibalekele bugwadla.’ (Imisebenti 15:28, 29; 21:25 catsanisa ne-NW.) Ngako-ke, kufanele ‘singayidli ingati.’ KuNkulunkulu, kungayidli kwetfu ingati kufanana nekubalekela kukhonta tithico nebugwadla.

13. Fananisa kutsi kungani umyalo wekungayidli ingati ufaka ekhatsi nekumpontjelwa yona.

¹³ Lomyalo wekungayidli ingati usho kutsi angeke sivume yini kumpontjelwa ingati? Yebo, angeke sikuvumele. Kute sifananise: Ase sitsi dokotela ukutjele kutsi uyekele kunatsa tjwala. Loko bekuyosho yini kutsi kufanele uyekele kubunatsa ngemlomo kodvwa ubufake emitsanjeni yakho? Cha, akunjalo! Ngendlela lefananako, kungayidli ingati kusho kungayifaki ngalokuphelele emitimbeni yetfu. Ngako umyalo lotsi singayidli ingati usho kutsi angeke sivume lotsite ayifake emitsanjeni yetfu.

14, 15. Nangabe bodokotela batsi umKhristu kufanele ampontjelwe ingati, kufanele enteni, futsi ngasiphi sizatfu?

¹⁴ Kutsiwani lapho umKhristu alimele kabi nobe kufanele ahlinzwe? Ase sitsi bodokotela batsi kufanele ampontjelwe ingati, ngaphandle kwayo utawufa. Kuliciniso kutsi lomKhristu akafuni kufa. Etama kulondvolota kuphila lokusipho saNkulunkulu lesiligugu, utatemukela letinye tindlela tekwelapha letingahlanganisi kusetjentiswa kabi kwengati. Ngako, uyafuna kwelashwa ngaleto tindlela nangabe titfolakala futsi utawemukela tindlela tekwelapha letehlukakahlukene esikhundleni sengati.

¹⁵ Kungaba ngiko yini kutsi umKhristu ephule umtsetfo waNkulunkulu kute aphile nje sikhashana kulelive lelibi? Jesu watsi:  “Lofuna kusindzisa imphilo yakhe, uyawulahlekelwa ngiyo; kepha lolahlekelwa imphilo yakhe ngelibito lami, uyawuyitfola.” (Matewu 16:25) Asifuni kufa. Kodvwa nasetama kusindzisa kuphila kwetfu nyalo ngekutsi sephule umyalo waNkulunkulu, singahle silahlekelwe kuphila lokuphakadze. Kukuhlakanipha kwetsemba kutsi umtsetfo waNkulunkulu ulungile, siciniseke ngalokugcwele kutsi nangabe sifa, uMniki kuphila utasikhumbula asivuse, asibuyisele sipho lesiligugu sekuphila.—Johane 5:28, 29; Hebheru 11:6.

16. Yini tinceku taNkulunkulu letikhetsa kuyenta mayelana nengati?

¹⁶ Lamuhla tinceku taNkulunkulu letetsembekile tikhetsa kulandzela sicondziso sakhe ngalokuphatselene nengati. Angeke tiyidle nganobe nguyiphi indlela. Ngeke tivume nekwelashwa ngayo. * Tiyati kutsi uMdali wengati uyati kutsi yini letilungele kancono. Wena uyakholwa yini kutsi uyati?

17. Kuma-Israyeli asendvulo, nguyiphi indlela yinye ingati lebeyisetjentiswa ngayo lebeyemukeleka kuNkulunkulu Jehova?

¹⁷ UMtsetfo waMosi wagcizelela yinye indlela yekusebentisa kahle ingati. Mayelana nendlela ema-Israyeli asendvulo lekwakufanele amkhonte ngayo Jehova, wawayala: “Kuphila kwemtimba kusengatini; mine ngininike ingati kutsi ifeze inkonzo yekuhlenga timphilo tenu etikwelilati. Ngobe  yingati lefeza inkonzo yekubuyisana nekuhlenga imphilo.” (Levithikhusi 17:11) Nangabe ema-Israyeli onile, abengatfola intsetselelo ngekunikela ngesilwane nangekubeka incenye yengati yaso e-altare lesethendeni lekukhontela, emveni lelaba lithempeli laNkulunkulu. Ingati beyisetjentiswa kuphela eminikelweni lenjalo.

18. Ngutiphi tinzuzo netibusiso lesingatitfola ngekucitseka kwengati yaJesu?

¹⁸ EmaKhristu eliciniso awekho ngephansi kweMtsetfo waMosi futsi awanikeli ngemihlatjelo yetilwane abeke nengati yesilwane e-altare. (Hebheru 10:1) Nobe kunjalo, kusetjentiswa kwengati e-altare ka-Israyeli wasendvulo kwakufanekisela umhlatjelo wekugcina nalowawuligugu—weNdvodzana yaNkulunkulu, Jesu Khristu. Njengobe sifundzile eSehlukweni 5 salencwadzi, Jesu wanikela ngekuphila kwakhe entela tsine ngekuvumela kutsi ingati yakhe icitseke njengemhlatjelo.  Ngemuva kwaloko wenyukela ezulwini kute anikele kuNkulunkulu ngelinani lengati yakhe leyacitseka kwaba kanye kuphela. (Hebheru 9:11, 12) Loko kwasiniketa sisekelo sekutsetselelwa tono tetfu futsi kwasivulela nelitfuba lekutfola kuphila lokuphakadze. (Matewu 20:28; Johane 3:16) Lena kwakuyindlela lebaluleke kakhulu yekusetjentiswa kwengati. (1 Phetro 1:18, 19) Insindziso siyoyitfola kuphela nasibonisa kukholwa engatini yaJesu leyacitseka.

19. Ngukuphi lokufanele sikwente kute ‘singabi nalo licala lengati kubo bonkhe’?

¹⁹ Simbonga kakhulu Nkulunkulu Jehova ngesipho lesiligugu sekuphila. Akukafanele yini loku kusikhutsate kutsi sitjele labanye ngelitfuba lekutfola kuphila lokuphakadze ngesisekelo sekukholwa emhlatjelweni wesihlengo saJesu? Nasikhatsalela timphilo talabanye njengaNkulunkulu, kuyosenta siwente ngemfutfo nangekhutsalo lomsebenti. (Hezekeli 3:17-21) Nangabe siwenta lomsebenti ngekukhutsala, siyokwati kusho njengobe umphostoli Pawula asho: “Anginacala lengati yenu nonkhe. Ngobe angizange nginifihlele lutfo lwentsandvo yaNkulunkulu.” (Imisebenti 20:26, 27) Kutjela bantfu ngaNkulunkulu nangetinjongo takhe yindlela lekahle yekubonisa kutsi sikutsandza kakhulu kuphila nengati.