1, 2. (a) Ithemba analo amaKristu enene lahluke njani kwelabantu abakwihlabathi likaSathana? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo ebalulekileyo esiza kuyiphendula?

AMAKRISTU enene anethemba! Sonke, enoba singabathanjiswa okanye “ezinye izimvu,” sikhangele phambili ekuzalisekeni kwenjongo uThixo awayenayo kwasekuqaleni nasekungcwalisweni kwegama likaYehova. (Yoh. 10:16; Mat. 6:9, 10) Loo mathemba yeyona nto ixabisekileyo umntu amele acinge ngayo. Silindele nomvuzo wobomi obungunaphakade, wokuba sibe yinxalenye ‘yamazulu amatsha’ okanye ‘yomhlaba omtsha’ kaThixo. (2 Pet. 3:13) Sikwanethemba lokuba abantu bakaThixo baza kuya beyiqonda inyaniso.

² Abantu abakwihlabathi likaSathana nabo baba nalo ithemba, kodwa babe bengaqinisekanga ngalo. Ngokomzekelo, abantu abaninzi abangcakazayo baba nethemba lokuphumelela, kodwa bangaqiniseki ngaloo nto. Kanti lona ukholo lwenene “lulindelo oluqinisekisiweyo” lwethemba amaKristu analo. (Heb. 11:1) Kodwa ulindelo lwakho unokuqiniseka njani ngakumbi ngalo? Kusinceda njani ukuba nokholo oluqinileyo koko sikuthenjisiweyo?

3. Siyintoni isizathu sokuba amaKristu enene abe nokholo?

³ Abantu abangafezekanga abazalwa benokholo yaye ababi na- lo ngokuzenzekelayo. UmKristu uba nokholo xa evumela umoya  oyingcwele kaThixo usebenze entliziyweni yakhe. (Gal. 5:22) IBhayibhile ayikhe ithi uYehova unalo ukholo okanye kufuneka abe nalo. Kungenxa yokuba uYehova ungusomandla yaye unabo bonke ubulumko, ngoko akukho nto inokumnqanda ekuphumezeni injongo yakhe. UBawo wethu wasezulwini uqiniseke ngokwenene ukuba uza kusisikelela, kangangokuba kuye ingathi sele eyenzile loo nto. Yiloo nto esithi: “Kwenzekile!” (Funda iSityhilelo 21:3-6.) Isizathu sokuba amaKristu abe nokholo kukuba uYehova ‘nguThixo othembekileyo,’ usoloko ekwenza oko akuthembisileyo.—Dut. 7:9.

4. Amadoda namabhinqa awayethembekile awayephila ngaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu ayenaliphi ithemba?

⁴ Isahluko 11 samaHebhere sinoludwe lwamadoda namabhinqa okholo ayi-16. Umbhali waso uthetha ngawo kunye namanye amaninzi ‘awangqinelwa ngokholo lwawo.’ (Heb. 11:39) Onke ‘ayenolindelo oluqinisekisiweyo’ lokuba uThixo wayeza kuvelisa “imbewu” ethenjisiweyo ukuze iphelise imvukelo kaSathana, izalisekise nenjongo uYehova awayenayo kwasekuqaleni. (Gen. 3:15) Aba bathembekileyo bafa ngaphambi kokuba “imbewu” ethenjisiweyo, uYesu Kristu, ivule indlela yokuya kuphila ezulwini. (Gal. 3:16) Nakuba kunjalo, ngenxa yokuba uYehova engasoze athembise aze angenzi, baza kuvuswa baze baphile eparadesi apha emhlabeni befezekile.—INdu. 37:11; Isa. 26:19; Hos. 13:14.

5, 6. UAbraham nentsapho yakhe babejonge phambili entwenini, yaye benza ntoni ukuze babe nokholo oluqinileyo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁵ AmaHebhere 11:13 athi xa ethetha ngabanye ababephila ngaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu: “Bonke aba bafela elukholweni, nangona bengazange bayifumane inzaliseko yazo izithembiso, kodwa bazibona zisekude, bazithakazelela.” Omnye wabo yayinguAbraham. Ngaba lalisoloko lithe thaa engqondweni yakhe ithemba lobomi obumnandi phantsi ‘kwembewu’ ethenjisiweyo? UYesu wawuphendula loo mbuzo xa wathi kwabo babemchasa: “UAbraham uyihlo waphuphuma yimihlali ngethemba lokubona umhla wam, yaye wawubona waza wanemihlali.” (Yoh. 8:56) Kwakunjalo ke nangoSara, uIsake noYakobi nangabanye abaninzi ababekhangele phambili kuBukumkani obabuthenjisiwe, ‘obumakhi nomenzi wabo unguThixo.’—Heb. 11:8-11.

⁶ UAbraham nentsapho yakhe benza ntoni ukuze ukholo lwabo luhlale luqinile? Kusenokwenza ukuba bafunda ngoThixo ngokumamela abantu ababethembekile ababebadala kunabo, ngokutyhilelwa nguThixo nangokufunda izinto zamandulo ezazinokuthenjwa. Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba abazange bazilibale izinto abazifundayo. Kodwa babesoloko becinga ngezithembiso zikaThixo nokuba ufuna ntoni kubo yaye babecamngca ngezo zinto. Ngenxa yokuba ayeqinisekile ngethemba lawo, la madoda namabhinqa ayekulungele ukunyamezela nantoni na ukuze angagungqi ekukhonzeni uThixo.

7. Ziintoni uYehova asinike zona ukuze sibe nokholo oluqinileyo, yaye sifanele senze ntoni ngazo?

⁷ Ukuze sigcine ukholo lwethu luqinile, uYehova usinike iLizwi lakhe elipheleleyo, iBhayibhile. Ukuze sibe ‘noyolo’ yaye ‘siphumelele’ kufuneka silifunde rhoqo iLizwi likaThixo, yonke imihla ukuba kunokwenzeka. (INdu. 1:1-3; funda iZenzo 17:11.) Emva koko, kufuneka sicamngce ngezithembiso zikaThixo size senze oko akufunayo njengabakhonzi bakhe bexesha langaphambi kwamaKristu. Esebenzisa “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,” uYehova usinika ukutya okuninzi kokomoya. (Mat. 24:45) Ngoko, xa sizifunda ezi zinto  sizinikwe nguYehova size sihlale sicinga ngoko sikufundileyo, siya kuba njengemizekelo yokholo yamandulo ‘eyayinolindelo oluqinisekisiweyo’ ngethemba loBukumkani.

8. Umthandazo unokuluqinisa njani ukholo lwethu?

⁸ Amangqina exesha langaphambi kwamaKristu ancedwa nangumthandazo ukuze abe nokholo oluqinileyo. Ukholo lwawo lwaya luqina njengoko uThixo ephendula imithandazo yawo. (Neh. 1:4, 11; INdu. 34:4, 15, 17; Dan. 9:19-21) Nathi sinokumchazela uYehova izinto ezisixhalabisayo siqinisekile ukuba uya kusiva aze asomeleze ukuze sinyamezele sivuya. Xa imithandazo iphendulwa nokholo lwethu luya luqina. (Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 5:14, 15.) Ekubeni ukholo luyinxalenye yesiqhamo somoya, kufuneka ‘siqhubeke sicela’ umoya kaThixo njengoko uYesu wathi masenjenjalo.—Luka 11:9, 13.

9. Xa sithandaza, ngoobani abanye esimele sibathandazele?

⁹ Xa sithandaza asimele sicele uThixo ukuba asincede qha. ‘Mininzi kakhulu kunokuba sinokubalisa imisebenzi emangalisayo’ esinokumbulela size simdumise ngayo uYehova yonke imihla! (INdu. 40:5) Kwakhona imithandazo yethu ifanele ibonise ukuba ‘siyabakhumbula abo bakwimixokelelwane yentolongo ngokungathi sibotshwe kunye nabo.’ Sifanele sithandazele abazalwana abasehlabathini lonke, ingakumbi “abo bakhokelayo phakathi [kwethu].” Iya kusichukumisa into yokubona uYehova ephendula imithandazo yethu sonke!—Heb. 13:3, 7.

10. Ngabaphi abakhonzi bakaThixo ekuthethwe ngabo abayimizekelo yokungalahli iinkolelo zabo, ibe yintoni eyabomelezayo?

¹⁰ KumaHebhere 11 umpostile uPawulos uthetha ngobunzima abakhonzi bakaThixo abaninzi angababizanga ngamagama abaye babunyamezela. Ngokomzekelo, lo mpostile uthetha ngamabhinqa okholo awaswelekelwa ngoonyana bawo kodwa baphinda bavuswa kamva. Emva koko uthetha ngabanye ‘abantu abathuthunjiswa ngenxa yokuba bengafumananga kukhululwa ngentlawulelo, ukuze bafikelele uvuko olulunge ngakumbi.’ (Heb. 11:35) Nangona singenakuqiniseka ukuba uPawulos wayethetha ngoobani, abanye, njengoNabhoti noZekariya baxulutywa ngamatye bafa ngenxa yokumamela uThixo nokwenza oko akufunayo. (1 Kum. 21:3, 15; 2 Kron. 24:20, 21) UDaniyeli nabahlobo bakhe babenethuba lokwamkela ‘ukukhululwa’ ngokuthi balahle iinkolelo zabo. Endaweni yoko, ukholo lwabo kumandla kaThixo lwabenza, ngokungathi kunjalo, “bavingca imilomo yeengonyama,” baza “baphelisa amandla omlilo.” —Heb. 11:33, 34; Dan. 3:16-18, 20, 28; 6:13, 16, 21-23.

11. Abanye abaprofeti banyamezela buphi ubunzima ngenxa yokholo lwabo?

¹¹ Ekubeni babenokholo, abaprofeti abafana noMikaya noYeremiya “basifumana isilingo sabo ngokwenziwa intlekisa . . . neentolongo.” Abanye abanjengoEliya “babebhadu-bhadula ezinkqantosini nasezintabeni nasemiqolombeni nasemingxunyeni yomhlaba.” Bonke banyamezela kuba ‘babenolindelo oluqinisekisiweyo lwezinto ezithenjiweyo.’—Heb. 11:1, 36-38; 1 Kum. 18:13; 22:24-27; Yer. 20:1, 2; 28:10, 11; 32:2.

12. Ngubani owaba ngowona mzekelo ugqwesileyo wokunyamezela iimvavanyo, ibe wancedwa yintoni?

¹² Emva kokuba ethethe ngamadoda namabhinqa okholo, uPawulos wathetha ngowona mzekelo ugqwesileyo, iNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu. AmaHebhere 12:2 athi: “Ngenxa yovuyo olwalubekwe phambi kwakhe wasinyamezela isibonda sentuthumbo, elidela ihlazo, waza wahlala phantsi  ngasekunene kwetrone kaThixo.” Sifanele ‘siwuqwalasele ngokusondeleyo’ umzekelo wokholo kaYesu owanyamezela ezona mvavanyo zinzima. (Funda amaHebhere 12:3.) NjengoYesu, amaKristu amandulo awafela ukholo lwawo, afana nomfundi uAntipas, awazange avume ukuzilahla iinkolelo zawo. (ISityhi. 2:13) Ayeza kufumana umvuzo wokuvuselwa ezulwini, ibe olo vuko lulugqwesa lee “uvuko olulunge ngakumbi” amadoda okholo akudala ayekhangele phambili kulo. (Heb. 11:35) Bonke abathanjiswa abathembekileyo ababelele ekufeni, bavuselwa ezulwini bezizidalwa zomoya emva kokuba uBukumkani buzelwe ngo-1914 ukuze balawule abantu kunye noYesu.—ISityhi. 20:4.

13, 14. Zeziphi iimvavanyo ezehlela uRudolf Graichen, yaye yintoni eyamnceda wanyamezela?

¹³ Abakhonzi bakaThixo abaninzi bale mihla baxelisa umzekelo kaYesu ngokujonga ntsho kwithemba labo nangokungavumeli iimvavanyo zilwenze buthathaka ukholo lwabo. Khawucinge ngalo mzekelo kaRudolf Graichen owazalelwa eJamani ngo-1925. Wakhumbula imifanekiso yamabali eBhayibhile eyayixhonywe edongeni  kowabo. Wabhala wathi: “Omnye umfanekiso wawubonisa ingcuka nemvana, itakane, ithole lenkomo nengonyama, zonke ziseluxolweni, ziqhutywa yinkwenkwana. . . . Andinakuze ndiyilibale loo mifanekiso.” (Isa. 11:6-9) Nangona watshutshiswa kabuhlungu iminyaka emininzi, ngamaGestapo nangamaKomanisi aseMpuma Jamani, uRudolf wahlala enokholo oluqinileyo kwiparadesi esemhlabeni.

¹⁴ Ezinye izinto ezibuhlungu kakhulu ezamehlelayo uRudolf, kukuswelekelwa ngumama wakhe, owabulawa sisifo setyphus ekwinkampu yoxinaniso eRavensbrück, nokubona utata wakhe esiya ephelelwa lukholo kangangokuba wade watyobela namaphepha athi akaselilo iNgqina likaYehova. Emva kokukhululwa kukaRudolf entolongweni wavuyiswa lilungelo lokuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka waza kamva waya nakwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi. Wafumana isabelo sokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli eChile waza waba ngumveleli wesiphaluka kwakhona. Kodwa wayesalindelwe zezinye iimvavanyo. Emva konyaka etshate noPatsy, naye owayengumthunywa wevangeli, usana lwabo lwasweleka. Kamva, noPatsy, umkakhe awayemthanda kunene, wasweleka eneminyaka eyi-43 kuphela. URudolf wazinyamezela zonke ezi mvavanyo yaye, nangona wayoluphele kwaye egula, wayesenguvulindlela othe ngxi nomdala xa ibali lakhe lobomi laphuma kwiMboniselo kaAgasti 1, 1997, kwiphepha 20-25. ^[1]

15. Yeyiphi imizekelo yale mihla yamaNgqina kaYehova anyamezele intshutshiso evuya?

¹⁵ Ngenxa yethemba analo, amaNgqina kaYehova aqhubeka evuya ngoxa etshutshiswa ngokukrakra. Ngokomzekelo, abazalwana noodade abaninzi bavalelwe ezintolongweni e-Eritrea, kuMzantsi Korea naseSingapore ngenxa yokuba besenza ngokuvumelana namazwi kaYesu athi mabangalithabathi ikrele. (Mat. 26:52) Abanye babo nguIsaac, uNegede noPaulos abasele bevalelwe entolongweni ngaphezu kweminyaka eyi-20 e-Eritrea. Nangona bengakwazi ukuxhasa abazali babo nokutshata, kwaye bephethwe kakubi, aba bazalwana abagungqi elukholweni lwabo. Xa ubajonga ku-jw.org/xh ubabona apha ebusweni ukuba luqinile ukholo lwabo. Bahlonelwa nangoonogada bentolongo.

16. Lunokukukhusela njani ukholo oluqinileyo?

¹⁶ Abantu bakaYehova abaninzi abazange bakhe banyamezele intshutshiso ekrakra. Ukholo lwabo luye lwavavanywa ngezinye iindlela. Abanye baye banyamezela iindlala, iimfazwe zamakhaya neentlekele zemvelo. Abanye njengoMoses nabanye oosolusapho, baye bancama ubomi obutofotofo nodumo. Balwa nzima ukuze baphephe ukuthanda ubutyebi nokuzicingela bodwa. Bancedwa yintoni? Kukuthanda uYehova nokuba nokholo oluqinileyo kwisithembiso sokuba uya kuphelisa konke ukungaphathwa ngobulungisa, aze avuze abakhonzi bakhe abanyanisekileyo ngobomi obungunaphakade kwihlabathi elitsha elinobulungisa.—Funda iNdumiso 37:5, 7, 9, 29.

17. Uzimisele ukwenza ntoni, yaye liza kuthetha ngantoni inqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁷ Kweli nqaku sibonile ukuba ukuthandaza nokucingisisa rhoqo ngezinto uThixo asithembise zona kuya kuluqinisa ukholo lwethu. Oko kuya kusinceda sinyamezele xa ukholo lwethu luvavanywa size sisoloko sicinga ngethemba lethu ‘sinolindelo oluqinisekisiweyo.’ Kodwa iBhayibhile ayipheleli apha xa icacisa ukholo, kwaye inqaku elilandelayo liza kubonisa oko.