1. Kanye ngaphambi kokuba umpostile uPetros asweleke, waphefumlelwa ukuba enze ntoni?

 UMPOSTILE UPETROS wayesazi ukuba sele eza kusweleka. Kwiminyaka eminizi ekhonza uYehova ethembekile, wahamba noYesu, waqalisa ukushumayela kubantu abangengomaYuda, waza ekuhambeni kwexesha waba ngomnye wamadoda akwiqumrhu elilawulayo. Kodwa uYehova wamnika nomnye umsebenzi. Malunga no-62-64 C.E., waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale iileta ezimbini eziseBhayibhileni, incwadi yoku-1 neyesi-2 kaPetros. Wayenethemba lokuba emva kokuba eswelekile ezi leta zaziza kuwanceda amaKristu.​—2 Pet. 1:12-15.

2. Kutheni sinokuthi iileta zikaPetros zabhalwa ngexesha elifanelekileyo?

² Xa uPetros wayebhala iileta zakhe, abazalwana noodade ‘babesehlelwa zizinto ezininzi ezibuhlungu.’ (1 Pet. 1:6) Abantu ababengalunganga babefaka iimfundiso zobuxoki nendlela yokuziphatha engcolileyo kwibandla lamaKristu. (2 Pet. 2:1, 2, 14) AmaKristu awayehlala eYerusalem ayesele eza kubona “isiphelo sayo yonke into,” ukutshatyalaliswa kweso sixeko netempile eyayikuso yimikhosi yamaRoma. (1 Pet. 4:7) Ngokuqinisekileyo iileta zikaPetros zawanceda loo maKristu abona ukuba anokuzinyamezela njani iingxaki awayenazo aze alungiselele nawayeseza kuba nazo. b

3. Kutheni simele sizifunde iileta awaphefumlelwa ukuba azibhale uPetros?

³ Nangona uPetros wayezibhalela amaKristu awayephila ngexesha lakhe ezi leta, uYehova wenza ukuba zibe kwiLizwi Lakhe. Ngoko nathi zinokusinceda. (Roma 15:4) Ekubeni siphila kwihlabathi elikhuthaza indlela engcolileyo  yokuziphatha, nathi sineengxaki ezinokwenza kube nzima ukukhonza uYehova. Enye into sesiza kuba kwintlungu engaphezu kwaleyo ayekuyo amaYuda xa kwakutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem netempile yayo. Sikhunjuzwa izinto ezibalulekileyo kwiileta ezimbini zikaPetros. Ziza kusinceda sihlale siyilindile imini kaYehova, siyeke ukoyika abantu size sithandane kakhulu. Zinokunceda nabadala babone izinto abanokuzenza ukuze bawukhathalele kakuhle umhlambi.

4. Ku-2 Petros 3:3, 4 kuboniswa ukuba yintoni enokugungqisa ukholo lwethu?

⁴ Siphila nabantu abangenalo ukholo kwiziprofeto eziseBhayibhileni. Abantu abangasifuniyo banokuhlekisa ngathi kuba sekuyiminyaka sisithi isiphelo siyeza. Abanye abantu bathi soze sifike. (Funda u-2 Petros 3:3, 4.) Xa sisiva umntu esishumayela kuye, esisebenza naye okanye umntu wasekhaya ethetha loo nto, ukholo lwethu lungagungqa. UPetros wasixelela ukuba yintoni enokusinceda.

5. Yintoni eza kusinceda sibe nomonde wokulinda isiphelo seli hlabathi? (2 Petros 3:8, 9)

⁵ Kwabanye abantu kusenokubonakala ngathi uYehova akade alitshabalalise eli hlabathi likhohlakeleyo. Into eyathethwa nguPetros inokusinceda kuba isikhumbuza ukuba indlela uYehova alijonga ngayo ixesha yahluke kakhulu kwesilijonga ngayo. (Funda u-2 Petros 3:8, 9.) Kaloku iminyaka eyi-1 000 ifana nosuku kuye. Unomonde kuba akafuni kutshabalale mntu. Kodwa xa ifika imini yakhe, uza kulitshabalalisa eli hlabathi. Sinenyhweba yokusebenzisa eli xesha lishiyekileyo ukuze sishumayele kubo bonke abantu abasemhlabeni.

6. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze ‘sihlale sicinga’ ngemini kaYehova? (2 Petros 3:11, 12)

⁶ UPetros usikhuthaza ukuba ‘masihlale sicinga’ ngemini kaYehova. (Funda u-2 Petros 3:11, 12.) Sinokuyenza njani loo nto? Ukuba siyakwazi, qho ngosuku sinokucingisisa ngendlela ekuza kuba mnandi ngayo ukuphila kwihlabathi elitsha. Khawube nombono wakho uphefumla umoya oklini, usitya ukutya okusempilweni, usamkela abahlobo nabantu bakowenu abavusiweyo, ufundisa nabantu ababephila kudala ngendlela ezenzeka ngayo izinto ekwakuprofetwe ngazo eBhayibhileni. Loo nto iza kukunceka uhlale uyilindile imini kaYehova, uqiniseke nokuba siphila kwimihla yokugqibela. Ekubeni ‘sinolu lwazi’ ngezinto eziza kwenzeka, ‘asizukulahlekiswa’ ngabantu abafundisa ubuxoki.​—2 Pet. 3:17.

7. Yintoni enokwenzeka xa sisoyika abantu?

⁷ Ekubeni sisazi ukuba imini kaYehova iyasondela, sifuna ukusebenza ngamandla sixelela abantu iindaba ezilungileyo. Kodwa ngamanye amaxesha sisenokoyika ukuyenza loo nto. Ngoba? Kaloku sisenokoyika ukuba baza kuthini. Kwenzeka loo nto kuPetros. Ngobusuku elalixoxwa ngabo ityala likaYesu uPetros woyika ukuthi ungumlandeli wakhe, wamphika kwada kwakathathu esithi akamazi! (Mat. 26:69-75) Kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha lo mpostile wayeka ukoyika waza wathi: “Ningoyiki, ningabi nalo nexhala.” (1 Pet. 3:14) Into eyathethwa nguPetros isenza siqiniseke ukuba sinokuyeka ukoyika abantu.

8. Yintoni enokusinceda singaboyiki abantu? (1 Petros 3:15)

⁸ Yintoni enokusinceda siyeke ukoyika  abantu? UPetros uthi: “Yamkelani ezintliziyweni zenu ukuba uKristu uyiNkosi ibe ungcwele.” (Funda u-1 Petros 3:15.) Le nto ithetha ukuthi mayingaphumi ezingqondweni zethu into yokuba uKristu Yesu yiNkosi noKumkani wethu futhi unamandla. Xa kufuneka uxelele abantu ngeendaba ezilungileyo uze woyike, cinga ngoKumkani wethu. Yiba nombono wakhe elawula ezulwini ejikelezwe ziimiliyon zeengelosi. Nantsi enye into omawungayilibali, unalo ‘lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni’ futhi uza kuba ‘kunye nawe yonke imihla de kube sekuphelisweni kweli hlabathi.’ (Mat. 28:18-20) UPetros uthi ‘masihlale sikulungele’ ukuthethelela ukholo lwethu. Ngaba ufuna ukushumayela ngokungacwangciswanga esikolweni, emsebenzini okanye kwenye indawo? Cinga ukuba unokuyenza nini loo nto uze ulungiselele into oza kuyithetha. Thandazela ukuba nesibindi, ube nethemba lokuba uYehova uza kukunceda uyeke ukoyika.​—IZe. 4:29.

9. Kunini apho uPetros angazange abonise uthando? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

⁹ UPetros wayifunda indlela yokubonisa uthando. Wayekhona xa uYesu wayesithi: “Ndininika umyalelo omtsha, wokuba nithandane.  Nimele nithandane ngale ndlela nam ndinithande ngayo.” (Yoh. 13:34) Sekunjalo, ngenxa yokuba esoyika amaKristu angamaYuda, uPetros wayeka ukutya nabazalwana noodade ababengengawo. Umpostile uPawulos wathi le nto yayisenziwa nguPetros ‘kukuzenzisa.’ (Gal. 2:11-14) UPetros wavuma ukulungiswa nguPawulos waza wafunda kwinto awamxelela yona. Kuzo zombini iileta zakhe wathi ukubathanda abazalwana noodadewethu makungapheleli nje kwindlela esiziva ngayo, kodwa masiyibonise loo nto.

10. Yintoni enokusenza ‘sibathande nyhani’ abazalwana noodade? Cacisa. (1 Petros 1:22)

¹⁰ UPetros uthi sifanele ‘sibathande nyhani’ abazalwana noodade. (Funda u-1 Petros 1:22.) ‘Kukuthobela inyaniso’ okusinceda sibathande ngaloo ndlela. Kuloo nyaniso sifunda ukuba “uThixo akakhethi.” (IZe. 10:34, 35) Asinakuthi siyawuthobela umyalelo kaYesu ukuba kukho abantu esibathandayo ebandleni, kube kukho esingabathandiyo. Yinyani kona ukuba basenokuba khona abazalwana okanye oodade esivana kakhulu nabo, njengokuba kwakunjalo nangoYesu. (Yoh. 13:23; 20:2) Kodwa uPetros uthi simele sizame ngamandla ‘ukubathanda abazalwana’ noodade, ngendlela esibathanda ngayo abantu esizalana nabo.​—1 Pet. 2:17.

11. Kuthetha ukuthini ‘ukubathanda kakhulu ngokusuk’ entliziyweni’ abazalwana noodade?

¹¹ UPetros usikhuthaza ukuba ‘sithandane kakhulu ngokusuk’ entliziyweni.’ ‘Ukumthanda kakhulu’ umntu ekuthethwa ngako kule vesi kukumthanda nokuba akukho lula ukuyenza loo nto. Ngokomzekelo, siza kuthini xa sikhathazwa ngumzalwana okanye ngudade? Sisenokufuna ukuphindisa kunokuba simbonise ukuba siyamthanda. Kodwa uPetros wafunda kuYesu ukuba uThixo akafuni siziphindezele. (Yoh. 18:10, 11) Wathi: “Sanukubuyisela ububi ngobubi okanye nimthuke umntu onithukayo. Kunoko thethani naye kakuhle, ukuze nisikelelwe.” (1 Pet. 3:9) Xa ubathanda kakhulu abazalwana bakho, uza kukwazi ukuba nobubele nokubacingela, nkqu nabo bakukhathazileyo.

12. (a) Yeyiphi enye into okuza kusinceda siyenze ukuthanda ngokusuk’ entliziyweni? (b) Njengokuba kubonisiwe kwividiyo yesiNgesi ethi Preserve the Precious Gift of Unity, yintoni ozimisele ukuyenza?

¹² Kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala uPetros uthi ‘masithande ngokusuka entliziyweni.’ Uthando olunjalo “logquma izono ezininzi.” (1 Pet. 4:8) Mhlawumbi wayekhumbula isifundo sokuxolela awasifundiswa nguYesu kwiminyaka eyadlulayo. Ngelo xesha mhlawumbi uPetros wayecinga ukuba ulunge kakhulu xa esithi yena unokumxolela “kude kube kasixhenxe” umzalwana wakhe. Kodwa uYesu wamfundisa ukuba axolele “kude kube kayi-77.” Wayethetha ukuba kwakufuneka angabali, futhi eso sifundo sasisiza nakuthi. (Mat. 18:21, 22) Ukuba akukho lula kuwe ukuyenza le nto sukutyhafa. Kubo bonke abakhonzi bakaYehova abanesono kukhe kube nzima ukuxolela. Into ebalulekileyo ngoku kukuba wenze konke okusemandleni akho ukuze ukwazi ukumxolela umzalwana wakho. c

13. Ziintoni ezinokwenza kube nzima kubadala ukwalusa abazalwana noodade?

¹³ Ngokuqinisekileyo uPetros zange ayilibale into awayixelelwa nguYesu emva  kokuba evusiwe, esithi: “Yalusa amatakane am.” (Yoh. 21:16) Ukuba ungumdala, uyazi ukuba lo myalelo uyasebenza nakuwe. Kunokuba nzima kumdala ukufumana ixesha lokwenza lo msebenzi ubalulekileyo. Abadala kufuneka baqiniseke ukuba iintsapho zabo zifumana yonke into eziyidingayo, wonke umntu uziva ethandwa, baze bazincede zibe ngabahlobo bakaYehova. Bakhuthele kumsebenzi wokushumayela naxa belungiselela iintetho abaza kuzinikela kwiintlanganiso, kwiindibano zesiphaluka nezengingqi. Abanye bakwiiKomiti Zokunxibelelana Nezibhedlele okanye bakwiSebe Lasekuhlaleni Lokuyila/​Lokwakha. La madoda axakeke nyhani.

14. Yintoni enokunceda abadala bawaluse umhlambi? (1 Petros 5:1-4)

¹⁴ UPetros wakhuthaza abanye abadala esithi: “Waluseni umhlambi kaThixo.” (Funda u-1 Petros 5:1-4.) Ukuba ungumdala siyazi ukuba uyabathanda abazalwana noodade futhi uyafuna ukubalusa. Kodwa ngamanye amaxesha usenokubona ngathi awunakukwazi ukuyenza le nto kuba uxakeke kakhulu okanye udinwe kakhulu. Unokwenza ntoni? Xelela uYehova. UPetros wathi: “Nabani na onceda abantu makabancede exhomekeke kumandla avela kuThixo.” (1 Pet. 4:11) Abazalwana noodade banokuba neengxaki ezingenakulungiseka kakuhle kweli hlabathi. Khumbula ukuba uYesu Kristu, ‘ongumalusi omkhulu’ unokubanceda bhetele kunawe. Loo nto unokuyenza ngoku nakwihlabathi elitsha. Eyona nto uThixo ayicelayo kubadala kukuthanda abazalwana noodade, babaluse baze babe ‘ngumzekelo kumhlambi.’

15. Omnye umdala uwalusa njani umhlambi? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹⁵ Omnye umzalwana ekudala engumdala, uWilliam, uyayiqonda indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukwalusa umhlambi. Ukuqala kwekhorona, uWilliam nabanye abadala babeqiniseka ukuba qho ngeveki bathetha nabo bonke abavakalisi abakumaqela abo entsimi. Xa echaza isizathu uthi: “Abazalwana noodade abaninzi babehleli bodwa emakhaya becinga. Ngoko kwakunokuba lula ukucinga ngezinto eziza kubenza batyhafe.”  Xa umzalwana okanye udade enengxaki, uWilliam ummamela kakuhle ukuze ayiqonde into ayidingayo okanye anexhala layo. Uye azame ukukhangela iimpapasho okanye iividiyo anokuzisebenzisa kwiwebhsayithi yethu ukuze amncede ngazo. Uthi: “Ngoku kufuneka saluse nyhani kunakuqala. Sisebenza nzima xa sinceda abantu abangengomaNgqina bamazi uYehova; ngoko kufuneka senze into efanayo xa sisalusa umhlambi ukuze siwuncede ungaze uyishiye inyaniso.”

16. Sinokuzisebenzisa njani izinto esizifunde kwiileta zikaPetros?

¹⁶ Sithethe ngezinto ezimbalwa esizifunde kwiileta ezimbini eziphefumlelweyo zikaPetros. Mhlawumbi ubhaqe into ekufuneka usebenzele kuyo. Ngokomzekelo, ungathanda ukuhlala ucingisisa ngendlela ekuza kuba mnandi ngayo kwihlabathi elitsha? Ngaba uzimisele ukushumayela ngokungacwangciswanga emsebenzini, esikolweni okanye kwenye indawo? Ngaba uyazibona iindlela onokulubonisa ngazo uthando kubazalwana noodade ngaphezu kokuba usenza? Badala, ngaba nizimisele nyhani ukwalusa izimvu zikaYehova? Ukuba uyiphendula ngokunyanisekileyo le mibuzo, usenokubona ukuba kukho izinto ekufuneka uzilungise, kodwa mayingakutyhafisi loo nto. “INkosi inobubele,” iza kukunceda ukwazi ukuyilungisa into ekufuneka uyilungise. (1 Pet. 2:3) Nantsi into asiqinisekisa ngayo uPetros: “UThixo . . . uza kuniqeqesha ngokupheleleyo. Uza kuniqinisa, anomeleze, aze anenze nizinze.”​—1 Pet. 5:10.

17. Xa sivumela uYehova asiqeqeshe size singanikezeli, kuza kwenzeka ntoni?

¹⁷ UPetros wakhe waziva engafanelekanga ukuba kunye noNyana kaThixo. (Luka 5:8) Kodwa uYehova noYesu bamnceda wasebenza nzima ukuze ahlale engumlandeli kaKristu. Ngenxa yaloo nto, uYehova wamvumela ukuba ‘angene eBukumkanini obungunaphakade beNkosi noMsindisi wethu uYesu Kristu.’ (2 Pet. 1:11) Yaba yintsikelelo nyhani leyo. Ukuba ufana noPetros, awunikezeli, uze uvumele uYehova akuqeqeshe ngokupheleleyo, nawe uza kusikelelwa ngobomi obungunaphakade. Uza ‘kusindiswa ngenxa yokholo lwakho.’​—1 Pet. 1:9.