1. Sifanele silujonge njani ukholo thina maKristu?

UKHOLO yinto ebalulekileyo kuthi maKristu. Asinguye wonke umntu onalo. (2 Tes. 3:2) Kodwa ke, uYehova unike ngamnye kubanquli bakhe “umlinganiselo wokholo.” (Roma 12:3; Gal. 5:22) Bonke abanalo bafanele bambulele kakhulu ngaloo nto.

2, 3. (a) Unokufumana ziphi iintsikelelo umntu onokholo? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

² UYesu Kristu wathi uYise osemazulwini utsala abantu abasondeze kuye esebenzisa uNyana wakhe. (Yoh. 6:44, 65) Xa umntu ekholelwa kuYesu, utsho abe nethuba lokuxolelwa izono zakhe. Loo nto imnika ithemba lokuba nobuhlobo obungayi kuze buphele noYehova. (Roma 6:23) Yintoni le siyenzileyo ukuze sivavwe ngengaka yona intsikelelo? Kaloku thina sifanelwe nje kukufa, ekubeni sinesono. (INdu. 103:10) Kodwa ikho into entle uYehova ayibonileyo apha kuthi. Ngenxa yobubele obungasifanelanga, uye wavula iintliziyo zethu ukuze zamkele iindaba ezilungileyo. Siqale apho ke ukuba nokholo kuYesu saza saba nenjongo yokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade.​—Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 4:9, 10.

 ³ Kodwa yintoni kanye kanye ukholo? Ngaba luphelele ekuqondeni iintsikelelo uThixo aseza kusithululela zona? Umbuzo obaluleke nangakumbi ngothi, zeziphi izenzo ezinokubonisa ukuba sinalo ukholo?

4. Chaza ukuba kutheni ukholo lungeyonto ephelela nje engqondweni.

⁴ Ukholo luyinto engaphaya kokuqonda nje injongo kaThixo. Lungamandla akhuthaza umntu ukuba enze izinto ezihambisana nokuthanda kukaThixo. Ukukholelwa kwindlela uThixo aza kusindisa ngayo abantu kwenza ikholwa lishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo ebantwini. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Ukuba ulivakalisa esidlangalaleni elo ‘lizwi lisemlonyeni wakho,’ lokuba uYesu uyiNkosi, uze ubonise ukholo entliziyweni yakho lokuba uThixo wamvusa kwabafileyo, uya kusindiswa. Ngentliziyo ubani ubonisa ukholo lobulungisa, kodwa ngomlomo wenza uvumo lwasesidlangalaleni losindiso.”​—Roma 10:9, 10; 2 Kor. 4:13.

5. Kutheni ukholo lubalulekile, kwaye sinokulugcina njani lomelele? Zekelisa.

⁵ Kuyacaca ukuba, ukufumana kwethu ubomi obungunaphakade kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo kuxhomekeke ekubeni nokholo nasekulugcineni lomelele. Into yokuba kufuneka silugcine luqinile ukholo lwethu singayifanisa nokunkcenkceshela isityalo. Ngokwahlukileyo kwizityalo zeplastiki, izityalo zokoqobo zona zihlala zitshintsha. Isityalo esiphilayo siyabuna xa singankcenkceshelwa, okanye sichume xa sisoloko sifumana amanzi. Kwanesityalo ebesichumile sisihle siyafa xa singasankcenkceshelwa. Lunjalo ke nokholo lwethu. Luya kubuna luze lufe ukuba asiluhoyanga. (Luka 22:32; Heb. 3:12) Kodwa ukuba siluhoya ngokwaneleyo, aluyi kufa, kunoko luya kuya “lukhula,” kwaye siya ‘kuphila elukholweni.’​—2 Tes. 1:3; Tito 2:2.

6. AmaHebhere 11:1 aluchaza ngaziphi iindlela ezimbini ukholo?

⁶ KumaHebhere 11:1 (Yifunde) iBhayibhile iyachaza ukuba yintoni ukholo. Ukholo lujoliswe kwiindidi ezimbini zezinto esingaziboniyo ngamehlo ethu: (1) “Izinto ezithenjiweyo”—esingabala kuzo iziganeko zexesha elizayo ezithenjisiweyo kodwa zibe zingekenzeki, njengokupheliswa kobubi nokufika kwehlabathi elitsha. (2) ‘Izinto zokwenene ezingabonwayo.’ Kule meko, igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ubungqina obucacileyo” lithetha “ubungqina obubambekayo” bento engabonakaliyo ngeliso lenyama, njengobukho bukaYehova uThixo, uYesu Kristu, iingelosi, nemisebenzi ephunyezwa buBukumkani bamazulu. (Heb. 11:3) Sibonisa njani ke ukuba sinethemba kwaye siyakholelwa kwizinto ezingabonwayo ezithethwa liLizwi likaThixo? Ngamazwi nangezenzo​—kaloku ngaphandle kwezi zinto ukholo lwethu aluphelelanga.

7. Umzekelo kaNowa usinceda njani ukuba siqonde oko kuthethwa kukuba nokholo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁷ AmaHebhere 11:7 agxininisa ukholo lukaNowa owathi, “emva kokunikwa isilumkiso sobuthixo sezinto ezingekabonwa, wabonisa uloyiko lobuthixo waza wakha umkhombe wokusindisa indlu yakhe.” UNowa wabonisa ukuba unalo ukholo ngokwakha umkhombe omkhulu. Asiyithandabuzi into yokuba, abamelwane bakhe babembuza ukuba kutheni esakha umkhombe omkhulu kangako. Ngaba uNowa wavala phezulu okanye wabaxelela ukuba ayifuni bona le nto wayeyakha? Nakanye! Ukholo lwakhe lwamenza washumayela ngesibindi waza walumkisa abantu ngomgwebo kaThixo owawusiza. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uNowa ebantwini wayephinda kanye amazwi uYehova awayewathethe  kuye esithi: “Isiphelo senyama yonke sifikile phambi kwam, kuba umhlaba uzele lugonyamelo oluphuma kubo . . . Ndizisa unogumbe wamanzi emhlabeni ukuze onakalise yonke inyama asebenzayo kuyo amandla obomi phantsi kwamazulu. Yonke into esemhlabeni iya kubhubha.” Kwakhona, asithandabuzi ukuba uNowa wachazela abantu ngekuphela kwendlela yokusinda, ephinda amazwi kaThixo athi: “Umele ungene emkhombeni.” Ngoko, uNowa walubonisa nangakumbi ukholo ngokuthi abe ‘ngumshumayeli wobulungisa.’​—Gen. 6:13, 17, 18; 2 Pet. 2:5.

8. Umfundi uYakobi waphefumlelwa ukuba achaze ntoni ngokholo lwamaKristu enene?

⁸ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba incwadi kaYakobi yabhalwa emva nje kokuba umpostile uPawulos elucacise kwincwadi yakhe ephefumlelweyo ukholo. NjengoPawulos, uYakobi wachaza ukuba ukholo lwenene lomKristu alukokukholelwa nje into kube kuphelele apho; kufuneka lukhatshwe zizenzo. Wathi: “Ndibonise ukholo lwakho olungenamisebenzi, mna ndokubonisa ukholo lwam ngemisebenzi yam.” (Yak. 2:18) UYakobi wada wabonisa umahluko phakathi kokukholelwa nje into nokubonisa ukholo. Iidemon ziyakholelwa ukuba uThixo ukho, kodwa azinalo ukholo lwenene. Kunoko, ngenxa yokuba zingenalukholo, zilwa nokufezwa kwenjongo kaThixo. (Yak. 2:19, 20) UYakobi wabonisa indlela ezazahluke ngayo kwindoda  yokholo yamandulo, esithi: “UAbraham ubawo wethu akazange na avakaliswe elilungisa ngemisebenzi emva kokuba wanikela ngoIsake unyana wakhe phezu kwesibingelelo? Uyabona ukuba ukholo lwakhe lwaluhambisana nemisebenzi yakhe, lwaza lwenziwa lwagqibelela ukholo lwakhe ngayo imisebenzi yakhe.” Ukuze ayigxininise into yokuba ukholo lumele luboniswe ngemisebenzi, uYakobi wongeza wathi: “Njengoko umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, ngokunjalo nokholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi lufile.”—Yak. 2:21-23, 26.

9, 10. Umpostile uYohane usinceda njani ukuba sibone ukubaluleka kokubonisa ukholo?

⁹ Kwiminyaka engaphezu kweyi-30 kamva, umpostile uYohane wabhala iNcwadi Yevangeli nezinye iincwadi ezintathu. Ngaba waqonda ukuba babethetha ukuthini kanye abanye ababhali beBhayibhile ababephefumlelwe ukuba bacacise ukholo lwamaKristu enene? Kaloku akakho omnye umbhali weBhayibhile owasebenzisa isenzi sesiGrike ngamany’ amaxesha esiguqulelwa ngokuthi “bonisa ukholo” njengoYohane.

¹⁰ Ngokomzekelo, uYohane wachaza wathi: “Lowo ubonisa ukholo kuNyana unobomi obungunaphakade; lowo ungamthobeliyo uNyana akayi kububona ubomi, kodwa ingqumbo kaThixo ihleli phezu kwakhe.” (Yoh. 3:36) Ukubonisa ukholo komKristu kuquka ukuthobela imiyalelo kaYesu. UYohane wayedla ngokucaphula amazwi kaYesu ukuze abonise ukuba ukubonisa ukholo yinto emele iqhubeke.—Yoh. 3:16; 6:29, 40; 11:25, 26; 14:1, 12.

11. Sinokumbulela njani uYehova ngokwazi kwethu inyaniso?

¹¹ Ngokwenene simele simbulele uYehova ngokusebenzisa umoya wakhe oyingcwele ukuze asityhilele inyaniso nangokusinceda sizikholelwe iindaba ezilungileyo! (Funda uLuka 10:21.) Singaze siyeke ukumbulela ngokusitsalela kuye esebenzisa uNyana wakhe, ‘onguMmeli Oyintloko noMgqibelelisi wokholo lwethu.’ (Heb. 12:2) Ukuze icace indlela esimbulela ngayo ngobubele bakhe obungasifanelanga, sifanele siqhubeke siluqinisa ukholo lwethu ngokuthandaza nangokufunda iLizwi lakhe.—Efe. 6:18; 1 Pet. 2:2.

12. Sifanele sibonise ngaziphi iindlela ukuba sinokholo?

¹² Sifanele singayeki ukubonisa ukuba sinokholo kwizithembiso zikaYehova. Simele siyenze icace loo nto nakwabanye abantu. Ngokomzekelo, siyaqhubeka sishumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo kwaye sisenza nabafundi. Ibe siyaqhubeka sisenza “okulungileyo kubo bonke, ngokukodwa kwabo bahlobene nathi elukholweni.” (Gal. 6:10) Senza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze ‘sihlube ubuntu obudala kunye noqheliselo lwabo,’ silumkela nantoni na enokonakalisa ubuhlobo bethu noYehova.—Kol. 3:5, 8-10.

13. Kubaluleke ngantoni ukuba “nokholo kuThixo,” ibe kufaniswa nantoni yaye ngoba?

¹³ IBhayibhile ithi: “Ngaphandle kokholo akunakwenzeka ukumkholisa kakuhle, kuba lowo uzayo kuThixo umele akholwe ukuba ukho nokuba ungumvuzi wabo bamfuna ngenyameko.” (Heb. 11:6) ILizwi likaThixo lithi ukuba “nokholo kuThixo” yinxalenye ‘yesiseko’ esifunekayo ukuze nabani na kuthi abe ngumKristu wenene kwaye aqhubeke enguye. (Heb. 6:1) AmaKristu amele “ongezelele” kukholo lwawo ezinye iimpawu ezibalulekileyo ukuze ‘azigcine kuthando lukaThixo.’—Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 1:5-7; Yude 20, 21.

14, 15. Luluphi uphawu olubaluleke ngakumbi phakathi kothando nokholo?

¹⁴ Ababhali beencwadi zeBhayibhile  abangamaKristu bakugxininisa ukubaluleka kokholo ngokuthetha ngalo kakhulu. Alukho olunye uphawu lwamaKristu ekuthethwa kaninzi ngalo njengokholo. Ngaba loo nto ithetha ukuba ukholo lolona phawu lwamaKristu lubalulekileyo?

¹⁵ Xa wayethelekisa ukholo nothando, uPawulos wabhala wathi: “[Ndingade ndibe] ndinalo nokholo lokususa iintaba, kodwa ukuba andinalo uthando, ndiyinto engento.” (1 Kor. 13:2) UYesu wayigxininisa into yokuba uthando lubaluleke ngakumbi kunokholo xa wayephendula umbuzo othi: “Nguwuphi owona myalelo mkhulu eMthethweni?” (Mat. 22:35-40) Uthando luhambisana neempawu ezininzi zamaKristu, kuquka ukholo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Uthando . . . lukholelwa izinto zonke.” Lunokholo kwizinto ezithethwe nguThixo kwiLizwi lakhe eliyinyaniso.—1 Kor. 13:4, 7.

16, 17. Ukholo nothando zigxininiswa njani kwiZibhalo, kodwa yeyiphi eyona ibalulekileyo kuzo, yaye ngoba?

¹⁶ Ngenxa yokubaluleka kokholo nothando, ababhali beencwadi zeBhayibhile abangamaKristu bazigxininisa kaninzi ezi mpawu zimbini, ibe babedla ngokuzibeka kwisivakalisi okanye kwivesi enye. UPawulos wabongoza abazalwana bakhe ukuba banxibe “isigcina-sifuba sokholo nothando.” (1 Tes. 5:8) UPetros wathi: “Nakuba ningazange nimbone [uYesu], niyamthanda. Nakuba ningakhangelanga kuye ngoku, kodwa nibonisa ukholo kuye.” (1 Pet. 1:8) UYakobi yena wababuza oku abazalwana bakhe abathanjisiweyo: “UThixo wanyula amahlwempu eli hlabathi ukuba abe zizityebi elukholweni neendlalifa zobukumkani, awabuthembisayo kwabo bamthandayo, akunjalo?” (Yak. 2:5) Kanti uYohane yena wathi: “Lo ngumyalelo wakhe [uThixo], ukuba sibe nokholo egameni loNyana wakhe uYesu Kristu yaye sithandane, kanye njengoko wasiyalelayo.”—1 Yoh. 3:23.

¹⁷ Nangona ukholo lubalulekile, zikho iinkalo zolu phawu eziza kuphelelwa xa kuzaliseka izithembiso zikaThixo naxa sizibona zisenzeka izinto esinethemba lazo thina maKristu. Kodwa kuya kufuneka siye simthanda uThixo nabamelwane bethu nasemva kokuba zizalisekile izithembiso esizilindeleyo. Yiloo nto uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Zintathu izinto eziya kuhlala zihleli, lukholo, nethemba, nothando; kodwa eyona inkulu kuzo luthando.”—1 Kor. 13:13.

18, 19. Yeyiphi indlela olubonakala ngayo ukholo kule mihla, kwaye ngubani omele azukiswe ngayo?

¹⁸ Kule mihla, abantu bakaYehova baye babonisa ukuba bayakholelwa kuBukumkani bukaThixo obumiselweyo. Umphumo ube bubukho beparadesi yokomoya ekho mbombo zone zomhlaba nenabemi abangaphezu kwezigidi ezisibhozo. Kule paradesi, isiqhamo somoya kaThixo sikho kuyo yonke indawo. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Ngokwenene amaKristu abonisa ukholo nothando!

¹⁹ Akakho umntu onokuzingomb’ isifuba ngale nto. NguThixo wethu oyenze yaphumelela. Lo msebenzi mhle kangaka “ludumo kuYehova, . . . umqondiso ongayi kunqunyulwa ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” (Isa. 55:13) Ngokwenene “kusisipho sikaThixo” ukuba ‘sisindiswe ngokholo.’ (Efe. 2:8) Iparadesi yethu yokomoya iza kuqhubeka ikhula de umhlaba wonke uzaliswe ngabantu abafezekileyo, abangamalungisa nabonwabileyo, lize igama likaYehova lizukiswe ngonaphakade. Ngamana singaqhubeka sibonisa ukuba sinokholo kwizithembiso zikaYehova!