1, 2. (a) Kutheni abantu ababephila ngexesha likampostile uPawulos babesoloko becinga ngobukhoboka nenkululeko? (b) UPawulos wathi ngubani owayenokubanika inkululeko yenene?

ABANTU baseRoma bexesha labapostile babezidla besithi bawazi kakuhle umthetho, indlela yokugweba nenkululeko. Kodwa ke amaRoma ayesebenzise amakhoboka ukuze afumane loo mandla nozuko awayenalo. Kwakukhe kwakho ixesha apho malunga ne-30 pesenti yabantu baseRoma yayingamakhoboka. Asiyithandabuzi into yokuba abantu abaqhelekileyo, nkqu namaKristu, babesoloko becinga ngobukhoboka nenkululeko.

² Ininzi into ethethwa ngumpostile uPawulos ngenkululeko kwiincwadi zakhe. Kodwa ke eyona nto iphambili awayethetha ngayo yayingekokulungisa izinto zasekuhlaleni okanye indlela yokulawula abantu, njengabantu bomhla wakhe. Kunokuba uPawulos namanye amaKristu bajonge ukukhululwa ngumlawuli ongumntu okanye ngumbutho olwela inkululeko, bakhuthala befundisa abantu iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani BukaThixo nangedini lentlawulelo likaKristu uYesu elingenakuthelekiswa nanto. UPawulos wabonisa abazalwana  bakhe owona Mthombo wenkululeko yenene. Ngokomzekelo, kwincwadi yakhe yesibini eya kumaKristu aseKorinte, wacacisa wathi: “UYehova unguMoya; yaye apho ukhoyo umoya kaYehova, kukho inkululeko.”—2 Kor. 3:17.

3, 4. (a) Yintoni eyabangela uPawulos ade athethe amazwi akweyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 3:17? (b) Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sifumane inkululeko evela kuYehova?

³ Ngaphambilana kule leta yesibini eya kwabaseKorinte, uPawulos wathetha ngozuko uMoses awayenalo xa wayesuka kwingelosi kaYehova kwiNtaba YaseSinayi. Xa abantu bambonayo uMoses, boyika, waza wabufihla ubuso bakhe ngesigqubuthelo. (Eks. 34:29, 30, 33; 2 Kor. 3:7, 13) UPawulos ucacisa athi: “Kodwa xa kukho ukuphethukela kuYehova, isigqubuthelo siyasuswa.” (2 Kor. 3:16) Wayethetha ukuthini uPawulos?

⁴ Njengoko sifundile kwinqaku elingaphambili, nguYehova yedwa onenkululeko epheleleyo nengenamiqathango, kuba unguMdali wazo zonke izinto. Iyavakala ke into yokuba xa umntu ekunye noYehova, ‘nalapho ukhoyo umoya kaYehova,’ kubekho inkululeko. Kodwa ke, ukuze siyifumane le nkululeko, kufuneka ‘siphethukele kuYehova,’ ngamany’ amazwi sisondele kuye. Xa amaSirayeli ayesentlango, izinto uYehova awayewenzela zona ayengazijongi ngendlela kaYehova. Yayingathi iintliziyo neengqondo zawo zigqutyuthelwe kwaye zilukhuni, eyona nto ayeyibona yayikukukhululeka kubukhoboka baseYiputa qha.—Heb. 3:8-10.

5. (a) Injani inkululeko esiyifumana kumoya kaYehova? (b) Sazi njani ukuba inkululeko kaYehova iyafunyanwa nangabantu abasentolongweni? (c) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

⁵ Kodwa ke, inkululeko esiyifumana kumoya kaYehova ingaphaya kokukhululeka ngokoqobo. Iyayogqitha inkululeko elwelwa ngabantu, kuba yona isikhulula ekubeni ngamakhoboka esono nokufa, nakunqulo lobuxoki. (Roma 6:23; 8:2) Yinkululeko nyhani ke leyo! Umntu uyakwazi ukuyifumana loo nkululeko nokuba usentolongweni okanye ulikhoboka. (Gen. 39:20-23) Kwakunjalo kuDade Nancy Yuen noMzalwana uHarold King, abavalelwa iminyaka ngenxa yokholo lwabo. Unokubabukela xa bebalisa amava abo kwiJelo Losasazo LamaNgqina. (Jonga kwindawo ethi, INCOKO NAMAVA > UKUNYAMEZELA IZILINGO.) Kodwa singabonisa njani ukuba siyayixabisa inkululeko yethu? Ibe singayisebenzisa njani ngobulumko le nkululeko?

6. Abonisa njani amaSirayeli ukuba akayixabisi inkululeko uYehova awanike yona?

⁶ Xa siyibona indlela isipho esibizayo esiza kusinceda ngayo, sitsho simbulele loo mntu usiphe sona. AmaSirayeli awazange ayixabise inkululeko uYehova awayewanike yona xa wawakhulula ebukhobokeni eYiputa. Emva nje kweenyanga ezimbalwa ekhululiwe, akhumbula ukutya neziselo zaseYiputa aza akhalazela ukutya awayekulungiselelwa nguYehova, ade afuna ukubuyela emva eYiputa. Khawufan’ ucinge nje, ayejonga ‘iintlanzi, iikomkomere, iivatala, iilike, amatswele neekinofile,’ njengezibaluleke ngaphezu kokukhululeka ukuba akhonze uThixo wenene, uYehova. Ayisothusi into yokuba uYehova abe nomsindo kakhulu yile nto! (Num. 11:5, 6, 10; 14:3, 4) Masifunde kule nto bazalwana!

7. UPawulos wabonisa njani ukuba uyalisebenzisa icebiso lakhe elikweyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 6:1, ibe thina sinokumxelisa njani?

 ⁷ Umpostile uPawulos ubongoza onke amaKristu ukuba angayithathi lula inkululeko uYehova awaphe yona ngoNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 6:1.) Usayikhumbula indlela uPawulos awayephelelwe lithemba nawayebuhlungu ngayo ngenxa yokuba likhoboka lesono nokufa? Kodwa wathi: “Ndiyambulela uThixo ngaye uYesu Kristu iNkosi yethu!” Ngoba? Wawacacisela amaKristu wathi: “Kuba umthetho womoya lowo onika ubomi ngokumanyene noKristu Yesu unikhulule kumthetho wesono nowokufa.” (Roma 7:24, 25; 8:2) Nathi simele sixelise uPawulos, singayijongi njengento engabalulekanga into yokukhululwa ekubeni ngamakhoboka esono nokufa. Ngenxa yentlawulelo, siyakwazi ukukhonza uYehova ngezazela ezicocekileyo kwaye sivuya.—INdu. 40:8.

8, 9. (a) Usilumkisa athini uPetros ngokusebenzisa inkululeko yethu? (b) Ziintoni ezisenokuba yingxaki kuthi namhlanje?

⁸ Kodwa ke, ukongeza kumbulelo wethu, kufuneka silumkele nokuyisebenzisa kakubi inkululeko yethu. Umpostile uPetros wasilumkisa ukuba singenzi izinto ezimbi esizinqwenelayo sakugqiba siphephele ngenkululeko yethu. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 2:16.) Ngaba le nto ayikukhumbuzi ngento eyenzeka kumaSirayeli entlango? Le nto ingenzeka nakuthi, mhlawumbi kufuneka silumke kakhulu kunawo. USathana nehlabathi lakhe basibonisa impahla yokunxiba neendlela zokuzilungisa ezitsalayo, ukutya neziselo, iindlela zokuzihlaziya nezokuzonwabisa, nezinye nje izinto ezininzi. Abathengisi basebenzisa amaqhinga, bakwenze uzibone ushiyeka ukuba awunazo izinto, kwanokuba awuzidingi. Kulula kakhulu ukuqhathwa ngabo size siyisebenzise kakubi inkululeko yethu!

⁹ Icebiso likaPetros liyasebenza nakwezinye izinto ezibalulekileyo ebomini, njengaxa ukhetha imfundo nomsebenzi. Ngokomzekelo, kule mihla ulutsha luqhutywa ngasemva ukuba lupase kakuhle ukuze lukwazi ukungena kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo aziwayo. Luye luxelelwe ukuba yimfundo ephakamileyo eza kuluvulela amathuba okufumana imisebenzi ebhatala kakuhle neyenziwa ngabantu abaphezulu, ibe ludla ngokuboniswa amanani aveza umahluko phakathi kwemivuzo yabantu abanezidanga nabantu abangenazo. Ulutsha lunokuyibona ngathi yeyona ndlela le xa lusenza izigqibo eziza kuba nefuthe kubomi balo bonke. Ulutsha nabazali balo lumele lukhumbule ntoni?

10. Yintoni esifanele siyikhumbule xa sisebenzisa inkululeko ukwenza izigqibo kwizinto ezifuna thina?

¹⁰ Abanye abantu banokucinga ukuba, kuba ukhetho ilolwabo, bangenza nantoni na abayifunayo ukuba nje izazela zabo ziyabavumela. Mhlawumbi bacinga ngamazwi awathethwa nguPawulos ngokutya kumaKristu aseKorinte, esithi: “Kutheni inkululeko yam ifanele igwetywe ngesazela somnye umntu?” (1 Kor. 10:29) Yinyani kona ukuba, umntu kufuneka azikhethele ngokwakhe kwizinto ezifana nemfundo nomsebenzi, kodwa kufuneka sikhumbule ukuba inkululeko yethu isikelwe umda nokuba zonke izigqibo esizenzayo ziba nemiphumo ekugqibeleni. Ngenxa yeso sizathu, uPawulos watshayelela ngamazwi athi: “Zonke izinto zisemthethweni [okanye zivumelekile]; kodwa asizizo zonke izinto eziyingenelo.  Zonke izinto zisemthethweni; kodwa asizizo zonke izinto ezakhayo.” (1 Kor. 10:23) La mazwi asinceda sibone nyhani ukuba kukho izinto ezibaluleke ngaphezu kokhetho lwethu xa sisenza izigqibo kuzo zonke izinto esizenzayo ebomini bethu.

11. Yintoni injongo yokuba sikhululwe?

¹¹ Xa uPetros wasilumkisa ukuba singayisebenzisi kakubi inkululeko, wachaza nesizathu sokuba sikhululwe. Wasibongoza ukuba siyisebenzise “njengamakhoboka kaThixo.” Ngoko eyona njongo yokuba uYehova asikhulule ngoYesu esonweni nasekufeni, kukuba sizinikele kuye “njengamakhoboka kaThixo.”

12. Sifunda ntoni kuNowa nentsapho yakhe?

¹² Eyona ndlela yokuzikhusela ukuze singayisebenzisi kakubi inkululeko yethu, kwaye singakhotyokiswa kukufuna izinto zehlabathi, kukuxakeka zizinto zikaYehova. (Gal. 5:16) Masenze umzekelo ngoNowa nentsapho yakhe. Babephila nabantu abanobundlobongela nababeziphethe kakubi. Sekunjalo abazange banqwenele okanye bazame ukufumana izinto ababenazo abantu ababephila nabo. Benza njani? Bakhetha ukuzixakekisa ngokwenza yonke into uYehova awayebayalele ukuba bayenze, bakha umkhombe, baqokelela ukutya kwabo nokwezilwanyana baza balumkisa nabantu. “Wenza ke uNowa njengako konke oko uThixo abemyalele kona. Wenza kanye njengoko.” (Gen. 6:22) Waba yintoni umphumo? UNowa nentsapho yakhe basinda xa kwakutshatyalaliswa.—Heb. 11:7.

13. Ngowuphi umsebenzi uYesu awawuthunywayo waza naye wathuma abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawenze?

¹³ UYehova usiyalele ukuba senze ntoni namhlanje? Thina bafundi bakaYesu siyayazi into uThixo asithume yona. (Funda uLuka 4:18, 19.) Namhlanje abantu abaninzi bamfanyekiswe nguthixo weli hlabathi ibe bangamakhoboka  onqulo, obutyebi nawepolitiki. (2 Kor. 4:4) Nathi sifanele senze njengoYesu, sincede abantu bazi baze bakhonze uYehova, uThixo wenkululeko. (Mat. 28:19, 20) Awululanga lo msebenzi, ibe neengxaki zawo zininzi. Kwamanye amazwe abantu baya bephelelwa ngumdla, abanye bade bachase. Nanku umbuzo umntu amele azibuze wona, ‘Ngaba andinakusebenzisa inkululeko yam ukuze ndiwuxhase nangakumbi umsebenzi woBukumkani?’

14, 15. Yintoni abaye bagqiba ukuyenza abantu bakaYehova abaninzi? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹⁴ Iyasikhuthaza into yokuba amaKristu amaninzi eye abona ukuba ixesha liphelile, ancama izinto ezininzi aza angena kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. (1 Kor. 9:19, 23) Amanye awo akhonza kwiindawo ahlala kuzo; amanye afudukele kwiindawo ezidinga abazalwana. Ingxelo ibonisa ukuba kule minyaka mihlanu idluleyo ngokomlinganiselo inani loovulindlela abathe ngxi liye lanyuka laya ngaphezu kwe-1 100 000, ibe ngeli xesha bangaphezu kwe-250 000 abantu abaye baba ngoovulindlela. Ngokwenene bayisebenzisa ngobulumko inkululeko yabo ukuze bakhonze uYehova!—INdu. 110:3.

¹⁵ Yintoni encede aba bazalwana noodadewethu basebenzisa kakuhle inkululeko yabo? Masenze umzekelo ngoJohn noJudith abaye bakhonza kumazwe aliqela kule minyaka iyi-30 idluleyo. Bakhumbula ukuba xa kwakuqala iSikolo Senkonzo Yobuvulindlela ngo-1977, eyona nto yayikhuthazwa yayikukufuduka uye kukhonza apho kufuneka abavakalisi abangakumbi. Ukuze bangatshintshi kwinto ababezimisele kuyo, uJohn uthi watshintsha imisebenzi kaninzi ukuze baphile ngezinto ezimbalwa. Bathi kwakunjani ngaloo minyaka? UJohn uthi: “Awukho umsebenzi obhetele endakha ndawenza kunalo. UYehova wafana notata kum. Ngoku ndiwaqonda kakuhle amazwi akuYakobi 4:8 athi: ‘Sondelani kuThixo, naye uya kusondela kuni.’ Ndabona ukuba ndiyifumene into ebendiyifuna, ubomi obanelisayo.”

16. Abanye abazalwana baye bayisebenzisa njani inkululeko yabo ngobulumko?

¹⁶ Abanye abazalwana abafani noJohn noJudith, iimeko zabo azibavumeli ukuba babe kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ixesha elide. Nakuba kunjalo, abanye baye basebenzise amathuba okuncedisa kumsebenzi wokwakha wentlangano ehlabathini jikelele. Ngokomzekelo, xa bekusakhiwa ikomkhulu lamaNgqina eWarwick, eNew York, abazalwana noodade abamalunga ne-27 000 baye bancedisa, abanye bancedisa iiveki ezimbini, abanye unyaka nangaphezulu. Abaninzi bayeke izinto zabo baya kukhonza apho. Sinokufunda kubo ukusebenzisa inkululeko yethu esiyinikwe nguThixo ukuze sidumise kwaye sizukise uYehova, uThixo wenkululeko!

17. Baza kufumana eziphi iintsikelelo abantu abayisebenzisa ngobulumko inkululeko abayinikwe nguThixo?

¹⁷ Siyayibulela into yokuba simazi uYehova kwaye sikhululwe lunqulo lwenene. Ngamana indlela esikhetha ngayo ingabonisa ukuba siyayixabisa loo nkululeko. Kunokuba sidlale ngayo okanye siyisebenzise kakubi, masiyisebenzise ukuze sikhonze uYehova kangangoko sinako. Ukuba siyayenza le nto, siza kufumana ezi ntsikelelo uYehova asithembise ngazo: “Indalo ngokwayo iya kukhululwa ekukhotyokisweni kukonakala ize ibe nenkululeko ezukileyo yabantwana bakaThixo.”—Roma 8:21.