1, 2. Yintoni eyabumosha kakhulu ubomi babantu, ibe yaqalwa ngubani?

IIFOWUNI, iiglowubhu, iimoto neefriji zezinye zezinto eziye zabuphucula ubomi babantu. Kanti ezinye ziye zaba yingozi ebantwini, njengemipu, iziqhushumbisi, icuba neebhombu zeathom. Kodwa kukho into ekudala ikho ibe iye yabumosha kakhulu ubomi babantu. Yintoni leyo? Kukuxoka! Ukuxoka kukuthetha into oyaziyo ukuba asiyonyani kuba ufuna ukuqhatha umntu. Ngubani ixoki lokuqala? UYesu Kristu wathi, ‘uMtyholi nguyise wobuxoki.’ (Funda uYohane 8:44.) Waqala nini ukuxoka?

² Waxoka e-Eden kumawaka eminyaka eyadlulayo. Abantu bokuqala, uAdam noEva, babephila kamnandi kwiParadesi ababeyenzelwe nguMdali wabo. Kuthe kusenjalo kwafika uMtyholi. Wayesazi ukuba uThixo wayethe bangatyi ‘kumthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi,’ ukuba batyile baza kufa. Kodwa esebenzisa inyoka wathi kuEva: “Ngokuqinisekileyo anisayi kufa [obu yayibubuxoki bokuqala]. Kuba uThixo uyazi ukuba mhla nithe nadla kuzo aya kuvuleka amehlo enu nize nibe njengoThixo, nazi okulungileyo nokubi.”​—Gen. 2:15-17; 3:1-5.

3. Kutheni sisithi uSathana ukhohlakele, ibe ukuxoka kwakhe kwabangela ntoni?

 ³ USathana ukhohlakele kuba wayesazi ukuba xa uEva etyile kula mthi, wayeza kufa. Loo nto yabangela ukuba uEva noAdam bangamthobeli uYehova, baza ekugqibeleni bafa. (Gen. 3:6; 5:5) Into embi kukuba ngenxa yeso sono basenzayo, “ukufa kwasasazeka kubo bonke abantu.” Phofu, “ukufa kwalawula njengokumkani . . . , nakwabo basono singafani nesika-Adam.” (Roma 5:12, 14) Yiloo nto abantu bengafezekanga ibe bengaphili ubomi obungunaphakade njengokuba uThixo wayefuna. Abantu baphila ‘iminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe, ibe ngenxa yamandla akhethekileyo iba ngamashumi asibhozo.’ Sekunjalo ubomi babo ‘busezinkathazweni nakwizinto ezenzakalisayo.’ (INdu. 90:10) Yonke le ntlungu ibangelwe kukuxoka kukaSathana!

4. (a) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula? (b) INdumiso 15:1, 2 ithi ngubani onokuba ngumhlobo kaYehova?

⁴ UYesu wathi ngoMtyholi: “Akemi enyanisweni, kuba inyaniso ayikho kuye.” USathana usaxoka nangoku, kuba “ulahlekisa umhlaba omiweyo uphela.” (ISityhi. 12:9) Thina asifuni kuqhathwa nguMtyholi. Ngoku makhe siphendule le mibuzo mithathu: USathana ubalahlekisa njani abantu? Kutheni abantu bethanda ukuxoka? Singayithetha njani inyani ngalo lonke ixesha ukuze sihlale sithandwa nguYehova, singafani noAdam noEva?​—Funda iNdumiso 15:1, 2.

5. USathana ubalahlekisa njani abantu namhlanje?

⁵ Umpostile uPawulos wayesazi ukuba sinokungabi “zizisulu zikaSathana, kuba siyawazi amacebo akhe.” (2 Kor. 2:11) Siyazi ukuba eli hlabathi lilawulwa nguMtyholi, unqulo lobuxoki, iipolitiki nezorhwebo. (1 Yoh. 5:19) Yiloo nto ingasothusi into yokuba uSathana needemon besenza abantu abaphetheyo ‘bathethe ubuxoki.’ (1 Tim. 4:1, 2) Ngokomzekelo, abanye abantu abanamashishini baye baxoke xa bethengisa izinto zabo eziyingozi ukuze bafumane imali.

6, 7. (a) Kutheni abefundisi banetyala kakhulu ngokuxoka? (b) Bubuphi ubuxoki okhe wabuva buthethwa ngabefundisi bonqulo lobuxoki?

⁶ Abefundisi banetyala kakhulu kuba benza abantu bangabi nethemba lokuphila ubomi obungunaphakade ngenxa yobuxoki babo. Ukuba umntu uyabumamela obo buxoki, aze enze into uThixo angayifuniyo akazukubufumana ubomi obungunaphakade. (Hos. 4:9) UYesu wayesazi ukuba iinkokeli zonqulo ngexesha lakhe zazinetyala lokuxokisa abantu. Watsho kuzo ngqo wathi: “Yeha nina, babhali nabaFarisi, bahanahanisindini! ngenxa yokuba nityhutyha ulwandle nomhlaba owomileyo ukwenza nokuba mnye abe ngumngeni ebuYudeni, nize nakuba nimzuzile nimenze isisulu seGehena ngokuphindwe kabini kunani.” (Mat. 23:15) UYesu wazigxeka ezo nkokeli zonqulo esithi zifuze utata wazo uMtyholi, ‘ongumbulali.’​—Yoh. 8:44.

⁷ Nanamhlanje zininzi iinkokeli zonqulo. Zibizwa ngokuba ngabefundisi,  oorabhi nangezinye iindlela. Nazo ‘zithintela inyaniso’ ekwiLizwi LikaThixo ibe ziye ‘zananisa [okanye zatshintsha] inyaniso kaThixo ngobuxoki.’ (Roma 1:18, 25) Zifundisa ubuxoki bokuba “okhe wasindiswa, uhlala esindisiwe,” umntu unomphefumlo ongafiyo, ukuvela ngokutsha, uThixo akanangxaki ngokuthandana nokutshata kwendoda nenye indoda okanye ibhinqa nelinye ibhinqa.

8. Bobuphi ubuxoki obuseza kuthethwa ngabantu beepolitiki, kodwa thina simele senze ntoni?

⁸ Abeepolitiki baye balahlekisa abantu ngokuxoka. Baseza kuxoka kakhulu kuba baza kuthi “luxolo nonqabiseko!” Kodwa ke kuza kuthi besaxoka, ‘intshabalalo yequbuliso ibafikele ngephanyazo.’ Ngoko singaze siqhathwe ngabo benza ngathi imini kaYehova ayizukufika. Kuba thina ‘sazi kakuhle ukuba imini kaYehova iza kanye njengesela ebusuku.’​—1 Tes. 5:1-4.

9, 10. (a) Kutheni abantu bexoka, ibe kuye kwenzeke ntoni? (b) Ngaba bangamqhatha noYehova?

⁹ Xa kwenziwe into entsha yeteknoloji yaza yathandwa, kuye kwenziwe ezininzi. Kuyafana ke nangokuxoka. Abantu abaninzi bayathanda ukusasaza ubuxoki, kangangokuba ayingobantu badumileyo kuphela abalahlekisa abantu. Omnye umbhali, kwinqaku lakhe elithi, “Why We Lie” wathi “abantu bayathanda ukuxoka kangangokuba sele iyindlela abaphila ngayo.” Baxoka ukuze bazikhusele, naxa befihla iimpazamo okanye izinto ezimbi abazenzileyo. Eli nqaku liphinda lithi, “kulula ngabanye abantu ukuba baxoke, kubantu abangabaziyo, kubantu abasebenza nabo, kubahlobo babo, nakwizizalwana zabo.”

¹⁰ Yintoni eye yenzeke xa abantu bexoka kangaka? Baye bayeke ukuthembana, baze baxabane. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngendlela ekuba buhlungu ngayo xa umfazi ekrexeza, aze afihle loo manyala ngokuxoka. Okanye xa indoda imphatha kakubi umfazi nabantwana bayo xa ingabonwa, ize yenze ngathi iyabathanda xa iphambi kwabantu. Abantu abanamaqhinga ngolo hlobo abanakumfihlela nto uYehova, kuba “zonke izinto zize yaye zibhencekile emehlweni” akhe.​—Heb. 4:13.

11. Umzekelo ombi ka-Ananiyas noSafira usifundisa ntoni? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹¹ Ngokomzekelo, iBhayibhile ithi, ngexesha labapostile uSathana wenza enye indoda nomfazi wayo banesibindi sokuxokisa uThixo. UAnaniyas noSafira balicinga eli qhinga kuba befuna ukuqhatha abapostile. Bathengisa umhlaba wabo kodwa abayizisa yonke imali kubapostile. Babefuna ukuzenza bahle ebandleni ngokungathi banobubele kakhulu. Kodwa uYehova wawabona loo maqhingana abo waza wababulala.​—IZe. 5:1-10.

12. Aza kuphelela phi amaxoki angaguqukiyo? Ngoba?

¹² Uza kuwenza ntoni amaxoki uYehova? Inye indawo aza kuphelela kuyo uSathana nawo onke amaxoki afana naye, ‘lidike lomlilo.’ (ISityhi. 20:10; 21:8; INdu. 5:6) Ngoba? Kaloku, kuYehova amaxoki anjalo afana nqwa nabo bonke abanye abantu abenza izinto azenyanyayo.​—ISityhi. 22:15.

13. Ngaba uYehova ukhe axoke, ibe sifanele senze ntoni thina?

 ¹³ UYehova ‘akafani nabantu kuba yena akaxoki.’ Phofu, ‘akunakwenzeka ukuba axoke.’ (Num. 23:19; Heb. 6:18) ‘UYehova uyalucaphukela ulwimi oluxokayo.’ (IMize. 6:16, 17) Ukuze asithande, kufuneka sithethe inyani. Yiloo nto ‘singaxokisani.’​—Kol. 3:9.

14. (a) Sahluke njani kubantu beecawa? (b) Khawucacise eyona nto siyifunda kuLuka 6:45.

¹⁴ Yintoni enye eyahlula amaKristu kubantu beecawa? ‘Sithetha inyaniso.’ (Funda uZekariya 8:16, 17.) UPawulos uyayichaza: “Siyazincomela njengabalungiseleli bakaThixo . . . ngentetho eyinyaniso.” (2 Kor. 6:4, 7) UYesu wathi abantu banje: “Umlomo uthetha ngokuphuphuma kwentliziyo.” (Luka 6:45) Ngoko ke, ukuze umntu angaxoki kufuneka inyani iqale ihlale phaya entliziyweni yakhe. Uya kutsho athethe inyani kwizinto ezincinci nezinkulu—kubantu angabaziyo, asebenza nabo, abahlobo nezalamane zakhe. Makhe sithethe ngezinye izinto ezinokubonisa ukuba sizama ukuthetha inyani kwinto yonke.

15. (a) Kutheni kububudenge nje ukuzenza into ongeyiyo? (b) Yintoni enokunceda ulutsha lungalandeli ootshomi ababi? (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁵ Makhe sithi ungumntwana kwaye ufuna ukuthandwa ngootshomi bakho. Qiniseka ukuba awufani nabanye abazenza into abangeyiyo. Ungacinga ukuba bangcwele xa bekunye neentsapho zabo okanye besebandleni, kodwa baba yenye into xa bekunye neetshomi zabo zehlabathi okanye besebenzisa iiwebhsayithi zokuncokola. Bayathuka, banxibe impahla eveza umzimba, bamamele umculo ongcolileyo, basele kakhulu okanye batshaye iziyobisi, babe namakhwenkwe okanye amantombi, okanye benze izinto ezimbi nakakhulu. Ngamaxoki la, axokisa abazali, ibandla noThixo. (INdu. 26:4, 5) UYehova uyabona xa ‘simkhonza nje ngemilebe, kodwa iintliziyo zethu zikude’ gqitha kuye. (Marko 7:6) Eyona nto ibhetele sinokuyenza nantsi: “Intliziyo yakho mayingabamoneli aboni, kodwa yoyika uYehova imini yonke.”​—IMize. 23:17. *

16. Yiyiphi inyani ofanele uyithethe xa ufaka ifomu yokuba nguvulindlela okanye yokuya eBheteli?

 ¹⁶ Masithi ufuna ukuba nguvulindlela othe ngxi okanye ufuna ukuya eBheteli. Xa ugcwalisa ifomu, qiniseka ukuba uthetha inyani xa uphendula imibuzo ngempilo, indlela ozonwabisa ngayo kunye nendlela oziphethe ngayo. (Heb. 13:18) Ufanele wenze ntoni ukuba ukhe wenza into engcolileyo okanye ekrokrisayo waza awabaxelela abadala? Thetha nabo, ukuze ungathi ukhonza ube utyiwa sisazela.​—Roma 9:1; Gal. 6:1.

17. Ufanele wenze ntoni xa abantu abasitshutshisayo bekubuza ngabazalwana?

¹⁷ Ufanele wenze ntoni ukuba urhulumente akavumi sishumayele ngokukhululekileyo uze ubizwe uhlatywe ngemibuzo? Ngaba ufanele uchaze yonke into le ngabazalwana bakho? Wenza ntoni uYesu xa wayehlatywa ngemibuzo nguPilato? UYesu wayesazi ukuba iBhayibhile ithi kukho “ixesha lokuthi cwaka nexesha lokuthetha,” ibe wavala umlomo wakhe! (INtshu. 3:1, 7; Mat. 27:11-14) Xa ukwimeko enjalo, kubhetele uzithulele ukuze ungafaki abazalwana bakho engxakini.​—IMize. 10:19; 11:12.

18. Ufanele wenze ntoni xa abadala bekubuza ngomntu othile owenze isono esinzulu ebandleni?

¹⁸ Ufanele wenze ntoni xa usazi ukuba umntu othile ebandleni wenze isono esinzulu? Abadala abanomsebenzi wokugcina ibandla licocekile basenokukubuza ukuba wazi ntoni ngale nto. Uza kuthini xa ingumhlobo okanye isalamane sakho esenze le nto? IBhayibhile ithi: ‘Ingqina elinyanisekileyo lithetha inyaniso.’ (IMize. 12:17; 21:28) Ngoko xelela abadala yonke into oyaziyo, ungafihli nto okanye uxoke. Kufuneka bazi yonke into ukuze bazi ukuba loo mntu wonileyo uza kuncedwa njani ukuze axolelwe nguYehova.​—Yak. 5:14, 15.

19. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁹ Umdumisi uDavide wathandaza esithi: “Uyayoliswa kukuba nenyaniso ngaphakathi.” (INdu. 51:6) Wayesazi ukuba ukuthetha inyani kusuka entliziyweni. AmaKristu ‘athetha inyaniso omnye komnye’ kuyo yonke into. Enye indlela esibonisa ngayo ukuba singabalungiseleli bakaThixo kukuxelela abantu inyaniso yakhe entsimini. Kwinqaku elilandelayo siza kuthetha ngendlela esinokuyenza ngayo le nto.