1. UPawulos wabacebisa wathini abazalwana bakhe? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

UMPOSTILE UPAWULOS kusenokwenzeka ukuba wabhala incwadi eyayisiya kumaKristu aseKolose xa wayesele eza kukhululwa entolongweni phakathi ko-60 no-61 C.E. Wawachazela ukuba kwakubalulekile ukuba abe “nokuqiqa kokomoya,” ngamanye amazwi akwazi ukubona izinto ngendlela uYehova azijonga ngayo. (Kol. 1:9) Waqhubeka wathi: “Oku ndikutsho ukuze kungabikho mntu unokunirhwebesha ngeengxoxo ezeyisayo. Lumkani, ningathabatheki ziintanda-bulumko nayinkohliso elambathayo esekelwe kwizithethe zabantu, nakwizinto eziziziqalelo zehlabathi, kungekhona kuKristu.” (Kol. 2:4, 8) UPawulos wawacacisela nesizathu sokuba izinto ezithethwa ngabantu zingachananga nesokuba indlela yokucinga yehlabathi inomtsalane kuthi bantu. Ngokomzekelo, inokwenza umntu azibone enengqondo kwaye ebhetele kunabanye abantu. Le ncwadi wayibhalela abazalwana ukuze abancede bangacingi ngendlela yehlabathi kwaye bangazenzi izinto ezingafanelekanga.—Kol. 2:16, 17, 23.

2. Kutheni siza kufunda ngezinto abantu abadla ngokuzithetha?

² Umntu ocinga ngendlela yehlabathi akayihoyi imigaqo kaYehova okanye uhlekisa ngayo, ibe le ndlela yokucinga inokusosulela  nathi, siphelelwe lukholo. Sonke sikhe sidibane nabantu abanjalo. Sibabona kwiTV nakwi-intanethi kwaye sidibana nabo emsebenzini nasesikolweni. Kweli nqaku, siza kufunda ngendlela esinokuzikhusela ngayo ukuze bangasityhefi ingqondo. Siza kubona izinto ezintlanu ezidla ngokuthethwa ngabantu kwaye sibone nendlela esinokuzichasa ngayo.

3. Badla ngokuthini abantu abaninzi, ibe ngoba?

³ “Andinyanzelekanga ukuba ndikholelwe kuThixo ukuze ndibe ngumntu olungileyo.” Kumazwe amaninzi, baninzi abantu abathi abakholelwa kuThixo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abazange bayiphande into yokuba uThixo ukho okanye akakho, bazithandela nje le yokuzenzela unothanda. (Funda iNdumiso 10:4.) Abanye bazibona benengqondo xa besithi, “Andidingi Thixo mna ukuze ndizenze kakuhle izinto.”

4. Singamphendula sithini umntu othi uThixo akakho?

⁴ Ngaba iyavakala phofu le nto ithethwa ngabantu yokuba uThixo akakho? Ukuba ujonga izinto ezifundiswa esikolweni ngale nto, unokuphela sele ujikelezelwa yintloko. Kodwa xa sithetha inyani ilula le nto. Ukuba indlu ayiziveleli nje ibekho, kubekisela phi ngezinto eziphilayo! Kaloku, eyona seli ekulula ukuyiqonda intsonkothe kakhulu kunayo nayiphi na indlu, kuba yona ikwazi nokuvelisa ezinye. Ngoko iyakwazi ukugcina nokukopa inkcazelo ukuze ivelise ezinye. Ngubani owenza iseli? Nantsi impendulo yeBhayibhile: “Ndlu nganye inomakhi wayo, kodwa lowo wazakhayo zonke izinto nguThixo.”—Heb. 3:4.

5. Sinokumphendula njani umntu othi yena akadingi Thixo ukuze ayazi into elungileyo nengalunganga?

⁵ Sinokumphendula njani umntu othi yena akadingi Thixo ukuze ayazi into elungileyo nengalunganga? ILizwi LikaThixo liyayivuma into yokuba abantu abangamkhonziyo bakhe bazenze kakuhle izinto. (Roma 2:14, 15) Ngokomzekelo, bayabahlonela ibe bayabathanda abazali babo. Kodwa bayithatha phi loo migaqo ukuba abafuni kukholelwa ukuba simele siyive ngoThixo into elungileyo nengalunganga? (Isa. 33:22) Abantu abaninzi abacinga kakuhle, xa bebona izinto ezimbi ezenzekayo, bayavuma ukuba nyhani siyaludinga uncedo lukaThixo. (Funda uYeremiya 10:23.) Ngoko asimele sifune nokuyiva into yokuba ukhona umntu onokuzazi zonke izinto ezilungileyo nezingalunganga engakholelwa kuThixo kwaye engaphili ngemiyalelo yakhe.—INdu. 146:3.

6. Balujonga njani abantu abaninzi unqulo?

⁶ “Ndingonwaba nokuba andikhonzi.” Abantu abaninzi bayathanda ukuthetha le nto kuba bedikiwe lunqulo kwaye besithi aluncedi nganto. Enye into, iicawa ezininzi zenza abantu bambaleke uThixo ngokubafundisa ngesihogo, ngokufuna izishumi okanye ngokushumayela ipolitiki. Yiloo nto besanda abantu abathi banokonwaba nokuba abakhonzi! Badla ngokuthi, “Ndiyamthanda uThixo, kodwa andifuni kuba nacawa.”

7. Unqulo lwenene lusinceda njani sonwabe?

⁷ Ngaba ingenzeka nyhani na into yokuba umntu onwabe nokuba akakhonzi? Kungenzeka kona ukuba umntu onwabe ukuba akekho kunqulo lobuxoki, kodwa ke soze umntu onwabe kakuhle ukuba akamkhonzi uYehova, ‘uThixo onoyolo.’ (1 Tim. 1:11) Yonke into uThixo ayenzayo sukube inceda abanye abantu. Nabakhonzi bakhe bonwabile kuba benceda abanye abantu. (IZe. 20:35) Ngokomzekelo, cinga  ngendlela unqulo lwenene oluzinceda ngayo iintsapho. Lufundisa ukuba abantu abatshatileyo bamele babekane kwaye bahlonelane, bawujonge njengento engcwele umtshato, bangakrexezi, babaqeqeshe kakuhle abantwana babo kwaye bathandane nyhani. Ngenxa yolu nqulo, siyamanyana emabandleni nasehlabathini lonke.—Funda uIsaya 65:13, 14.

8. UMateyu 5:3 uwuphendula njani umbuzo othi, Yintoni eyenza abantu bonwabe?

⁸ Singathini kumntu othi unako ukonwaba nokuba akamkhonzi uThixo? Nanku umbuzo, Yintoni eyenza abantu bonwabe? Abanye abantu baneliswa yimisebenzi yabo, yimidlalo, nakukwenza izinto abazithandayo. Kanti abanye bona baneliswa kukuhoya iintsapho zabo nabahlobo. Zonke ezi zinto zinako ukusenza sibe noyolo, kodwa ubomi bethu bunenjongo enkulu enokusenza sonwabe ngonaphakade. Thina bantu asifani nezilwanyana, sinokumazi uMdali wethu size simkhonze ngokuthembeka. Sidalwe ngendlela yokuba sonwabe xa simkhonza uThixo. (Funda uMateyu 5:3.) Ngokomzekelo, abakhonzi benene bayonwaba baze bakhuthazeke xa benqula kunye uYehova. (INdu. 133:1) Bamanyene, baphila ngendlela ecocekileyo, ibe banethemba.

9. (a) Bathini abantu ngokulala nomntu ongatshatanga naye? (b) Kutheni iLizwi LikaThixo lingakuvumeli ukulala nomntu ongatshatanga naye?

⁹ “Kutheni kugxekwa nje ukulala nomntu ongatshatanga naye?” Abantu bathi: “Kufuneka sonwabe ebomini. Kutheni kugxekwa nje ukulala nomntu ongatshatanga naye?” Into yokuba amaKristu amele ayamkele into yokulala nomntu ongatshatanga naye ayifanelekanga. Kutheni? Kuba iLizwi LikaThixo aliyivumeli loo nto. * (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseTesalonika 4:3-8.) UYehova unelungelo lokuba asibekele imithetho kuba usidalile. UMthetho wakhe uvumela ukuba ibe yindoda nomfazi etshate naye kuphela ababelana ngesondo. Usibekela le mithetho kuba esithanda. Iyasinceda. Iintsapho eziyithobelayo ziyathandana, ziyahlonelana, kwaye zikhuselekile. UThixo soze ayimele into yokungathotyelwa kwemithetho yakhe.—Heb. 13:4.

10. Unokwenza ntoni umKristu ukuze angalali nomntu angatshatanga naye?

¹⁰ ILizwi LikaThixo liyasifundisa indlela esimele senze ngayo ukuze singalali nabantu esingatshatanga nabo. Undoqo kukuba silawule amehlo ethu. UYesu wathi: “Wonk’ ubani oqhubeka ekhangela umfazi ngokokude amkhanuke sele emkrexezile entliziyweni yakhe. Ukuba, ke, iliso lakho lasekunene liyakukhubekisa, linyothule ulilahle kude.” (Mat. 5:28, 29) Ngoko, umKristu akufuneki abukele amanyala okanye amamele umculo onamazwi angcolileyo. Umpostile uPawulos wabhalela abazalwana bakhe wathi: ‘Bhubhisani amalungu enu omzimba asemhlabeni, akhuthaza uhenyuzo.’ (Kol. 3:5) Ukongezelela, simele silawule izinto esizicingayo nesincokola ngazo.—Efe. 5:3-5.

11. Kutheni sinokuzibhaqa sele sifuna imisebenzi ephezulu?

¹¹ “Soze wonwabe ukuba awuyonto kweli hlabathi.” Abantu abaninzi bayasicenga  ukuba sifune imisebenzi ephezulu. Mhlawumbi besithi loo misebenzi iza kusenza abantu, sibe negunya, kwaye sibe zizityebi. Nathi maKristu sinokutyhefeka yile nto, sizibhaqe sele sileqeka emva kwemisebenzi ephezulu.

12. Ngaba kufuneka ube nomsebenzi ophezulu ukuze wonwabe?

¹² Ngaba yinyani ke ukuba umntu uyonwaba xa enomsebenzi omnika igunya nomenza abaluleke? Hayi. Masikhumbule kaloku ukuba ukufuna ukuphatha abantu nokufuna ukuthathelwa phezulu zizinto ezazifunwa nguSathana. Ngaba wonwabile ke? Hayi, unomsindo. (Mat. 4:8, 9; ISityhi. 12:12) Imisebenzi ephezulu yonwabisa kancinci xa siyithelekisa nendlela esonwaba ngayo kukunceda abantu bazi uThixo, baze babe nethemba lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade. Ngaphezu koko kuyakhutshiswana nje kweli hlabathi. Ingulo ufuna ukogqitha omnye, bayamonelana, ibe ekugqibeleni iba ‘kukusukelana nomoya.’—INtshu. 4:4.

13. (a) Umele ubaluleke kangakanani umsebenzi kuthi? (b) Yintoni eyayimenza onwabe uPawulos ngokutsho kwencwadi yabaseTesalonika?

¹³ Ewe bazalwana kufuneka siphangele ukuze siziphilise, ibe akuphosakelanga ukufuna umsebenzi esiwuthandayo. Kodwa umsebenzi awumele ube yeyona nto iphambili ebomini. UYesu wathi: “Akukho bani unokukhonza iinkosi ezimbini; kuba usenokuyithiya enye aze ayithande enye, okanye anamathele kwenye aze ayidele enye. Aninakukhonza uThixo nobuTyebi.” (Mat. 6:24) Xa eyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi ikukukhonza uYehova nokufundisa abantu iLizwi lakhe, sivuya ngendlela engenakuthelekiswa nanto. Umpostile uPawulos wayiva kuye loo nto. Wayekhe wangumntu osezintweni kubuYuda, kodwa wonwaba mhla waqalisa ukwenza abafundi nokubona indlela abantu ababencedwa ngomyalezo ovela kuThixo. (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseTesalonika 2:13, 19, 20.) Soze uwufumane umsebenzi owonwabisa ngolu hlobo.

14. Kutheni sinokuyikholelwa lula into yokuba abantu banokukwazi ukuzilungisa iingxaki?

¹⁴ “Abantu bangakwazi ukuzilungisa iingxaki zabo.” Bungabatyhefa abantu abaninzi obu buxoki. Ngoba? Kaloku ukuba  ibiyinyani le nto, ibiza kuthetha ukuba abamdingi uThixo ibe banokuzenzela unothanda. Enye into, ingaba ngathi yinyani le nto, kuba ngokutsho kwabanye abaphandi, iimfazwe, ulwaphulo-mthetho, izifo nokusokola ziyaphela. Enye ingxelo ithi: “Into eyenza abantu baphucuke kukuba bagqibe ekubeni baphucule ihlabathi.” Ngaba le nto ithetha ukuba abantu bade bakwazi ukuzilungisa izinto ebezibaxaka iminyaka? Ukuze siphenduleke, makhe siziqwalasele ezi ngxaki.

15. Yeyiphi inkcazelo ebonisa indlela ezinkulu ngayo iingxaki zabantu?

¹⁵ Iimfazwe: Iimfazwe ezimbini zehlabathi zabulala abantu abamalunga ne-60 miliyoni. Ukususela kwiMfazwe Yehlabathi II, abantu abakhange bakwazi ukuzithintela iimfazwe. Kuthe kusiba ngu-2015, abantu abamalunga ne-65 miliyoni babe sebeshiye amakhaya abo ngenxa yemfazwe nokuphathwa kakubi. Kuqikelelwa ukuba bayi-12,4 miliyoni abantu abaye bashiya amakhaya abo ngo-2015 kuphela. Ulwaphulo-mthetho: Nangona ezinye iintlobo zolwaphulo-mthetho zihlile kwezinye iindawo, ezinye ezifana nokubiwa kwenkcazelo nemali ngeintanethi, ukubethwa ekhaya, nobugrogrisi zinyuke ngendlela eyothusayo. Ukongezelela, abantu abaninzi bakholelwa ukuba urhwaphilizo luye lwaqatsela emhlabeni wonke. Abantu abakwazi kuluphelisa ulwaphulo-mthetho. Izifo: Ezinye izifo baye bakwazi ukuzinyanga abantu. Kodwa ingxelo eyakhutshwa ngo-2013 yathi abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezisithoba baye bafa bengekafiki nakwiminyaka eyi-60 ngenxa yesifo sentliziyo, isitrowukhu, umhlaza nesifo seswekile. Ukusokola: Ngokutsho kweBhanki Yehlabathi, inani labantu abasokola ngokugqithiseleyo eAfrika kuphela linyuke lasuka ku-280 miliyoni ngo-1990 laya kutsho ku-330 miliyoni ngo-2012.

16. (a) Kutheni ibuBukumkani BukaThixo kuphela obunokulungisa iingxaki zabantu? (b) UIsaya nomdumisi baprofeta ngaziphi iintsikelelo eziza kuziswa buBukumkani?

¹⁶ Uqoqosho nepolitiki yale mihla zilawulwa ngabantu abazicingela bodwa. Kucacile ke ukuba abanakukwazi ukuphelisa iimfazwe, ulwaphulo-mthetho, izifo, nokusokola—buBukumkani BukaThixo kuphela obuza kukwazi. Cinga ngezinto uYehova aza kuzenzela bantu. Iimfazwe: UBukumkani BukaThixo buza kuncothula iingcambu ezibangela iimfazwe ezinjengokuzicingela wedwa, urhwaphilizo, ukuthanda ilizwe, unqulo lobuxoki, nkqu noSathana lowo. (INdu. 46:8, 9) Ulwaphulo-mthetho: UBukumkani BukaThixo sele buqalile ukufundisa izigidi zabantu ukuba zithandane kwaye zithembane, ibe akekho urhulumente okwaziyo ukuyenza le nto. (Isa. 11:9) Izifo: UYehova uza kubenza bantu bakhe babe yimiqabaqaba. (Isa. 35:5, 6) Ukusokola: UYehova uza kukuphelisa ukusokola baze abantu bakhe basondele kuye kwaye babe nayo yonke into abayidingayo, baphile ubomi obubhetele kunabo nabuphi na ubutyebi bangoku.—INdu. 72:12, 13.

17. Ungenza njani ukuze ungacingi ngendlela yehlabathi?

¹⁷ Xa usiva abantu bethetha izinto ezikushiya unamathandabuzo, phanda uze uncokole nomnye umKristu onamava ngaloo nto. Zibuze ukuba kutheni loo nto ingakutyhefa, kutheni ingachananga, nokuba ungayiphikisa njani. Bazalwana sonke singakwazi ukuzikhusela singacingi ngendlela yehlabathi, ukuba senza le nto uPawulos awayichazela ibandla laseKolose: “Qhubekani nihamba ngobulumko ngakwabo bangaphandle . . . ukuze nikwazi ukuphendula bonke ngabanye.”—Kol. 4:5, 6.