1-2. (a) USathana uye wabaqhatha njani abantu? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

USATHANA, ‘uyise wobuxoki,’ waqalisa ukuqhatha abantu ukususela kwixesha lika-Adam noEva. (Yoh. 8:44) Obu buxoki buquka iimfundiso zobuxoki ezingokufa nezingento eyenzekayo emntwini emva kokuba eswelekile. Kukho amasiko amaninzi ngenxa yezi mfundiso zobuxoki ezingokufa. Ngenxa yaloo nto, abazalwana noodadewethu abaninzi kuye kwafuneka ‘balulwele nzima ukholo’ xa kusweleke umntu entsatsheni okanye ekuhlaleni.​—Yude 3.

² Ukuba le nto iyenzeka nakuwe, yintoni enokukunceda ungagungqi kwinto ethethwa yiBhayibhile ngokufa? (Efe. 6:11) Ungamthuthuzela uze umkhuthaze njani umKristu onyanzelwa ukuba enze la masiko angafunwayo nguThixo? Eli nqaku liza kuthetha ngendlela uYehova asinceda ngayo. Okokuqala, makhe sijonge ukuba ithini iBhayibhile ngokufa.

3. Yintoni eyenzekayo emva kokuba uSathana exokile?

³ UThixo wayengafuni ukuba abantu bafe. Kodwa ukuze uAdam noEva baphile ngonaphakade, kwakufuneka bathobele umyalelo kaYehova olula, othi: “Wona umthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi uze ungadli kuwo, kuba mhla uthe wadla kuwo uya kufa ngokuqinisekileyo.” (Gen. 2:16, 17) Emva koko, uSathana wabangela iingxaki. Wathetha noEva esebenzisa inyoka, wathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo anisayi kufa.” Okubuhlungu kukuba uEva wabukholelwa obo buxoki waza wasitya isiqhamo. Emva koko, nomyeni wakhe wasitya eso siqhamo. (Gen. 3:4, 6) Ngale ndlela, abantu baba nesono baza bafa.​—Roma 5:12.

4-5. Bobuphi obunye ubuxoki uSathana awabufundisayo ngokufa?

⁴ Yenzeka laa nto uThixo wayeyithethile. UAdam noEva bafa. Kodwa uSathana zange ayeke ukuxoka ngokufa.  Ethubeni, wafundisa obunye ubuxoki ngokufa. Obunye ubuxoki awabufundisayo kukuba umzimba uyafa kodwa wona umphefumlo awufi, mhlawumbi uya kwelemimoya. Ukususela kudala ukuza kutsho kule mihla yethu abantu abaninzi baye balahlekiswa ziindlela ezahlukeneyo zobu buxoki.​—1 Tim. 4:1.

⁵ Kutheni abantu abaninzi bebukholelwa ubuxoki bukaSathana? USathana uyazi ukuba abantu baziva njani ngokufa ibe usebenzisa obu buxoki ukuze abaqhathe. Sasidalelwe ukuphila ngonaphakade, yiloo nto singakufuni ukufa. (INtshu. 3:11) Ukufa sikujonga njengotshaba.​—1 Kor. 15:26.

6-7. (a) Ngaba uSathana ukwazile ukuyifihla inyaniso ngokufa? Cacisa. (b) IBhayibhile isinceda njani singaboyiki abantu abaswelekileyo?

⁶ Nangona uSathana ezame kangangoko anako ukuxoka ngokufa inyaniso iye yavela. Abantu abaninzi ngoku bayazi ukuba iBhayibhile ithi kwenzeka ntoni xa umntu eswelekile, bayazi nokuba baza kuvuka ibe baxelela nabanye abantu. (INtshu. 9:5, 10; IZe. 24:15) Ezi nyaniso ziyasithuthuzela ibe zisinceda singoyiki size siqiniseke ngento eyenzekayo xa umntu eswelekile. Ngokomzekelo, asiboyiki abantu abaswelekileyo ibe asinaxhala lokuba kuza kwenzeka into embi kubo. Siyazi ukuba abasaphili ibe abanakubenzakalisa abantu. Bafana nomntu oleleyo. (Yoh. 11:11-14) Siyazi nokuba abantu abaswelekileyo abazi ukuba basweleke ixesha elingakanani. Ngoko eluvukweni, nabantu abasweleka kudala baza kucinga ukuba basandul’ ukufa.

⁷ Ngokuqinisekileyo uyavuma ukuba into echazwa yiBhayibhile ngabantu abaswelekileyo icacile, ilula ibe iyaqondakala. Yahluke kakhulu kubuxoki bukaSathana! Obu buxoki abulahlekisi abantu kuphela kodwa bungcolisa negama loMdali wethu. Ukuze siwuqonde kakuhle umonakalo owenziwe nguSathana, siza kuphendula le mibuzo: Ubuxoki bukaSathana bulingcolise njani igama likaYehova? Buye babenza njani abantu bacinga ukuba akubalulekanga ukukholelwa kwintlawulelo kaKristu? Bubabangele njani abantu basezintlungwini?

8. Ngokutsho kukaYeremiya 19:5, ubuxoki bukaSathana ngokufa bulingcolisa njani igama likaYehova?

⁸ Ubuxoki bukaSathana ngokufa buyalingcolisa igama likaYehova. Obo buxoki  buquka imfundiso yokuba abantu abaswelekileyo batshiswa esihogweni. Iimfundiso ezinjengezi ziyalingcolisa igama likaThixo! Njani? Ezi mfundiso zenza abantu bacinge ukuba uThixo oluthando ukhohlakele njengoSathana. (1 Yoh. 4:8) Le nto ikwenza uzive njani? Okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, imenza azive njani uYehova? Ngaphezu koko, akafuni ukuba abantu baphathwe kakubi nangayiphi na indlela.​—Funda uYeremiya 19:5. 

9. Ubuxoki ngokufa bubenze njani abantu bacinga ukuba akubalulekanga ukukholelwa kwintlawulelo kaKristu ekuthethwa ngayo kuYohane 3:16 naku15:13?

⁹ Ubuxoki obuthethwa nguSathana ngokufa buye benza abantu bacinga ukuba akubalulekanga ukukholelwa kwintlawulelo kaKristu. (Mat. 20:28) Enye into axoka ngayo uSathana kukuba abantu banomphefumlo ongafiyo. Ukuba bekunjalo, wonke umntu ebeza kuphila ngonaphakade. Bekungazi kuba yimfuneko ukuba uYesu asifele ukuze sifumane ubomi obungunaphakade. Khumbula ukuba idini lentlawulelo libonisa ukuba uYehova noYesu bayasithanda ibe akukho mntu unokusithanda ukodlula bona. (Funda uYohane 3:16; 15:13.) Khawufane ucinge indlela uYehova noNyana wakhe abaziva ngayo ngale mfundiso yenza intlawulelo ibonakale ngathi ayibalulekanga!

10. Ubuxoki bukaSathana bubabangele njani abantu basezintlungwini?

¹⁰ Ubuxoki bukaSathana bubangele abantu basezintlungwini. Abazali abasentlungwini yokuswelekelwa ngumntwana basenokuxelelwa ukuba uthathwe nguThixo, mhlawumbi ukuze abe yingelosi ezulwini. Ngaba obu buxoki bukaSathana buyabathuthuzela aba bazali okanye bubenza babe buhlungu ngakumbi? Imfundiso yobuxoki yokutshiswa esihogweni iye yasetyenziselwa ukohlwaya abantu. Le nto iye yenziwa ngokuthi batshiswe epalini abantu abaphikisana neemfundiso zecawa. Incwadi ethetha ngeNkundla yaseSpeyin ithi abantu ababephikisana necawa babetshiswa ukuze beve ukuba kunjani esihogweni nokuze baguquke ngaphambi kokuba bafe baze bangabi saya esihogweni. Kwiindawo ezininzi abantu baye bazive benyanzelekile ukuba babakhonze abantu abaswelekileyo, babahloniphe okanye bafune ukwenzelwa izinto ezintle ngabo. Abanye bayenza le nto ukuze bangonzakaliswa ngabantu abaswelekileyo. Okubuhlungu kukuba ukukholelwa obu buxoki bukaSathana akubathuthuzeli ngokwenene abantu. Endaweni yoko, bubenza babe nexhala okanye boyike.

11. Abantu esizalana nabo okanye abahlobo basenokuzama njani ukusinyanzela ukuba senze amasiko angawafuniyo uThixo?

¹¹ Ukuthanda uThixo neLizwi lakhe iBhayibhile, kusinceda sikwazi ukumthobela uYehova naxa abantu esizalana nabo okanye abahlobo bethu bezama ukusinyanzela ukuba senze amasiko angawafuniyo uThixo. Basenokuzama ukusihlaza, mhlawumbi ngokuthi besingamthandi okanye besingamhloniphi lowo uswelekileyo. Okanye basenokuthi xa singawenzi la masiko sisenokubangela abantu abaswelekileyo bonzakalise abaphilayo. Singayimela njani inyaniso eseBhayibhileni? Khawucinge ngendlela onokuyisebenzisa ngayo le migaqo yeBhayibhile siza kuthetha ngayo.

12. Ngawaphi amasiko angawafuniyo uThixo?

¹² Zimisele ‘ukuzahlula’ kwiinkolelo nakumasiko angawafuniyo uThixo. (2 Kor. 6: 17) Abantu abaninzi kwiCaribbean bakholelwa ukuba xa umntu eswelekile uba sisiporho ibe usenokwenzakalisa abantu ababemphethe kakubi. Enye imbekiselo ithi esi “siporho sisenokubangela iingxaki ekuhlaleni.” Kwezinye iindawo eAfrika, xa kukho umntu oswelekileyo kuye kugqunywe izipili, neefoto ziyaguqulwa zize zijongiswe edongeni. Ngoba? Abanye bathi abantu abaswelekileyo akufuneki bazibone, enoba bazibona esipilini okanye kwiifoto zabo! Thina bakhonzi bakaYehova, asiwakholelwa ibe asiwenzi amasiko axhasa ubuxoki bukaSathana!​—1 Kor. 10:21, 22.

13. Ngokutsho kukaYakobi 1:5, yintoni omele uyenze xa ungaqinisekanga ngesiko elithile?

¹³ Ukuba awuqinisekanga ngesiko elithile, thandaza kuYehova uze ucele ubulumko. (Funda uYakobi 1:5) Emva koko phanda kwiincwadi zethu. Ukuba kuyimfuneko, buza kubadala abakwibandla lakho. Abazukuchazela into omele uyenze kodwa baza kukubonisa imigaqo yeBhayibhile, njengale kuthethwa ngayo apha. Xa uzenza ezi zinto, uza kuqeqesha ‘amandla akho okuqonda’ ibe la mandla aza kukunceda ukwazi “ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi.”​—Heb. 5:14.

14. Ziintoni esimele sizenze ukuze singabakhubekisi abantu?

¹⁴ “Zonke izinto zenzeleni uzuko lukaThixo. Kuphepheni ukuba zizikhubekiso.” (1 Kor. 10:31, 32) Xa sigqiba ukuba silenze isiko elithile okanye singalenzi, simele sizicingele izazela zabanye ingakumbi amaKristu. Kaloku, asifuni kukhubekisa mntu! (Marko 9:42) Asifuni nokukhubekisa abantu abangengomaNgqina. Ngenxa yokuba sibathanda, siza kuthetha ngembeko nabo ibe loo nto izukisa uYehova. Asifuni kuxabana nabantu okanye sigxeke amasiko abo. Ungayilibali into yokuba uthando lunamandla! Xa sibathanda abantu, siza kubacingela size sibahloniphe ibe loo nto isenokwenza nabo basichasayo bayeke.

15-16. (a) Kunceda ngantoni ukuzichaza kwangaphambili ukuba uliNgqina LikaYehova? Yenza umzekelo. (b) EyabaseRoma 1:16 isinceda njani?

¹⁵ Bachazele ekuhlaleni ukuba uliNgqina LikaYehova. (Isa. 43:10) Ukuba uswelekelwe, abantu ozalana nabo nabamelwane basenokucaphuka kakhulu ukuba awulenzi isiko elithile. Kanti ukuba uzichaze kwangaphambili ukuba ukhonza uYehova, izinto zisenokungabi mbi kangako. UFrancisco ohlala eMozambique,  uthi: “Xa mna nenkosikazi yam, uCarolina, safunda inyaniso, sachazela iintsapho zethu ukuba asizuphinda sikhonze abantu abaswelekileyo. Kwafuneka simele isigqibo sethu emva kokuba kusweleke usisi kaCarolina. Xa kusweleke umntu apha ekuhlaleni, kuye kwenziwe umcimbi wokuhlamba isidumbu. Emva koko, oyena mntu usondeleyo kulo mntu uswelekileyo umele alale kwindawo ekuchithwe kuyo amanzi ekuhlanjwe ngawo isidumbu kangangeentsuku ezintathu. La masiko enzelwe ukuxolisa abantu abaswelekileyo. Abantu bakuloCarolina babefuna alale kule ndawo kwakuchithwe kuyo amanzi.”

¹⁶ Wathini uFrancisco nenkosikazi yakhe? UFrancisco uthi: “Asizange sivume ukulenza eli siko kuba siyamthanda uYehova ibe sifuna ukumvuyisa. Bacaphuka kakhulu abantu bakuloCarolina. Bathi asibahloniphi abantu abaswelekileyo baza bathi abazuphinda baze kusibona okanye basincede. Ekubeni sasibachazele ukuba asibakhonzi abantu abaswelekileyo, zange sithethe ngale nto ngoxa babenomsindo. Abanye babo bade basithethelela besithi sasitshilo ukuba asizenzi ezi zinto. Ethubeni bayeka ukuba nomsindo ibe saphinda savana. Abanye babo beza endlini yethu ukuze bazokucela iincwadi ezifundisa ngeBhayibhile.” Singaze sibe neentloni zokuyithethelela inyaniso engokufa.​—Funda eyabaseRoma 1:16. 

17. Yintoni enokusinceda sithuthuzele abantu abaswelekelweyo?

¹⁷ Xa omnye umKristu eswelekelwe, simele sizame kangangoko sinako ukuba ‘liqabane lokwenyaniso. . . , umzalwana ozalelwe ixesha lokubandezeleka.’ (IMize. 17:17) Singalilo njani “iqabane lokwenyaniso,” ingakumbi xa umzalwana okanye udade osentlungwini yokuswelekelwa enyanzelwa ukuba enze isiko angalifuniyo uThixo? Khawucinge ngale migaqo mibini yeBhayibhile enokusinceda sithuthuzele abantu abaswelekelweyo.

18. Yintoni eyabangela uYesu alile, ibe sifunda ntoni kuye?

¹⁸ “Lilani kunye nabantu abalilayo.” (Roma 12:15) Sisenokungayazi eyona  nto masiyithethe kumntu oswelekelweyo. Xa besibona silila baza kuqonda ukuba sibakhathalele nyhani. Xa umhlobo kaYesu, uLazaro waswelekayo, uMariya, uMarta nabanye bamlilela. Emva kweentsuku ezine uYesu wafika. Nangona wayesazi ukuba uza kumvusa uLazaro, “zasuka zathi waxa iinyembezi” kuye. (Yoh. 11:17, 33-35) Ukulila kukaYesu kusibonisa ukuba uYehova waba buhlungu xa kwasweleka uLazaro. Xa uMariya noMarta babona uYesu elila, ngokuqinisekileyo babona ukuba ubathanda nyhani ibe loo nto yabathuthuzela. Ngokufanayo, xa abazalwana bethu bebona ukuba siyabathanda batsho babone ukuba abekho bodwa kodwa banabahlobo ababakhathaleleyo.

19. Singayisebenzisa njani iNtshumayeli 3:7 xa sithuthuzela umKristu osentlungwini yokuswelekelwa?

¹⁹ “Ixesha lokuthi cwaka nexesha lokuthetha.” (INtshu. 3:7) Enye indlela yokuthuthuzela umKristu osentlungwini yokuswelekelwa kukummamela kakuhle. Mmamele njengoko echaza indlela aziva ngayo, ungakhubeki xa ‘amazwi akhe ekukubhuda.’ (Yobhi 6:2, 3) Mhlawumbi ukhathazekile kuba kukho izinto abantu azalana nabo abangengawo amaNgqina abafuna azenze. Ngoko, thandaza kunye naye. Mcele ‘umphulaphuli wemithandazo’ ukuba amnike amandla aze amncede akwazi ukucinga kakuhle. (INdu. 65:2) Fundani iBhayibhile kunye ukuba iimeko ziyavuma. Nisenokufunda nenqaku elikwiincwadi zethu elithetha ngentlungu yokuswelekelwa, njengebali lobomi elikhuthazayo.

20. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?

²⁰ Isivuyisa nyhani into yokwazi inyaniso ngabantu abaswelekileyo, nokwazi ukuba kwixesha elizayo baza kuvuka! (Yoh. 5:28, 29) Simele sibonise ngendlela esithetha nesizenza ngayo izinto ukuba siyimela ngesibindi inyaniso ibe simele sichazele nabanye ngayo qho sifumana ithuba. Kwinqaku elilandelayo siza kuthetha ngenye indlela uSathana ayisebenzisayo ukuze enze abantu bangayazi inyaniso. Loo ndlela kukusebenzelana nemimoya. Siza kubona ukuba kutheni simele singazonwabisi okanye senze nantoni na enokwenza nokusebenzelana nemimoya.