1, 2. (a) Yintoni elalibhekisela kuyo igama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “uzuko”? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo eza kuxutyushwa kweli nqaku?

YINTONI ethi qatha kuwe xa usiva igama elithi “uzuko”? Ngaba bubuhle bendalo kaThixo? (INdu. 19:1) Ngaba ucinga ngozuko olunikwa abantu abazizityebi, abazizilumko okanye abaphumeleleyo? EZibhalweni, igama lesiHebhere elithi “uzuko” lalibhekisela kwinto enobunzima. Mandulo—xa imali yayisenziwa ngamatye anqabileyo njengegolide okanye isilivere—okukhona ingqekembe isiba nzima, kokukhona isiba nexabiso elikhulu. Ngoko amagama adlulisela ingcamango yobunzima ayeqondwa njengabhekisela kwinto exabisekileyo, enobungangamsha okanye enobuhle obumangalisayo.

² Nakuba thina sithabatheka ligunya, isikhundla okanye ludumo lomntu, yintoni yena uThixo ayijongayo ebantwini? IZibhalo zithetha ngozuko uThixo alunika abantu. Ngokomzekelo, iMizekeliso 22:4 ithi: “Umphumo wentobeko nokoyika uYehova bubutyebi, uzuko nobomi.” Yena umfundi uYakobi wathi: “Zithobeni emehlweni kaYehova, yaye uya kuniphakamisa.” (Yak. 4:10) Luyintoni olu zuko uYehova alunika abantu? Yintoni enokusithintela singalufumani? Sinokubanceda njani abanye balufumane?

3-5. Luluphi uzuko asinika lona uYehova?

³ Umdumisi wavakalisa intembelo awayenayo yokuba uYehova wayeza kumbamba ngesandla sakhe sasekunene aze amkhokelele kuzuko lokwenene. (Funda iNdumiso 73:23, 24.) UYehova ubanika njani abantu uzuko? Uye abazukise ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo abakhonzi bakhe abathobekileyo. Ubasikelela ngokubanceda bakuqonde ukuthanda kwakhe. (1 Kor. 2:7) Abo baliphulaphulayo ilizwi lakhe baze bamthobele ubajizeka  ngozuko lokuba nolwalamano olusondeleyo naye.—Yak. 4:8.

⁴ Abakhonzi bakhe uYehova uye wabaphathisa nobuncwane obuzukileyo, ubulungiseleli. (2 Kor. 4:1, 7) Obu bulungiseleli bubazisela uzuko. Kwabo basebenzisa eli lungelo lenkonzo ukuze badumise uYehova ngoxa benceda abanye, uYehova wenza esi sithembiso: “Abo bandibekayo ndiya kubabeka.” (1 Sam. 2:30) Aba bakhonzi bazukiswa ngokuba negama elihle noYehova, ibe nabanye ebandleni bathetha kakuhle ngabo.—IMize. 11:16; 22:1.

⁵ Liliphi ikamva abanalo abo ‘bathembela ngoYehova baze bagcine indlela yakhe’? IBhayibhile ithi kubo: “[UYehova] uya kukuphakamisa uwudle ilifa umhlaba. Xa abangendawo benqunyulwa, uya kubona.” (INdu. 37:34) Bakhangele phambili kuzuko olungenakuthelekiswa nanto olo lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade.—INdu. 37:29.

6, 7. Kwakutheni ukuze abaninzi bangakholwa kuYesu?

⁶ Yintoni enokusithintela ekufumaneni uzuko kuYehova? Enye yazo kukuphulaphula izimvo zabo bangenabuhlobo noThixo. Cinga ngamazwi ompostile uYohane ngabathile ababesegunyeni ngomhla kaYesu: “Abaninzi kwanakubalawuli okunene bakholwa [kuYesu], kodwa ngenxa yabaFarisi babengayi kumvuma yena, ukuze bangagxothwa kwindlu yesikhungu; kuba babethanda uzuko lwabantu ngakumbi kunozuko lukaThixo.” (Yoh. 12:42, 43) Kwakuya kuba bhetele ukuba abo balawuli babenganikelanga ngqalelo kwiimfundiso zabaFarisi.

⁷ Ngaphambilana kubulungiseleli bakhe, uYesu wasichaza phandle isizathu sokuba abaninzi bengayi kumamkela baze babe nokholo kuye. (Funda uYohane 5:39-44.) Uhlanga lwakaSirayeli lwalusoloko lulindele ukufika kukaMesiya kangangeenkulungwane. Xa uYesu wayeqala ukushumayela, mhlawumbi abanye baqonda ngokusuka kwisiprofeto sikaDaniyeli ukuba yayisele ilixesha lokufika kukaKristu. Kwiinyanga ezithile ngaphambili xa uYohane umBhaptizi wayeshumayela, abaninzi babesithi: “Makube mhlawumbi unguKristu na?” (Luka 3:15) Ngoku uMesiya ekwakukudala bemlindele wayephakathi kwabo efundisa. Kodwa abo babewazi uMthetho zange bamamkele. Echaza isizathu, uYesu wababuza: “Ninokukholwa njani, xa nisamkela uzuko omnye komnye yaye ningafuni uzuko oluvela kokuphela koThixo?”

8, 9. Yenza umzekelo wokukhanya, ubonise ukuba uzuko oluvela ebantwini lunokusenza njani singakuboni ukubaluleka kokufuna uzuko lukaThixo.

⁸ Makhe sithelekise uzuko nokukhanya ukuze siqonde indlela olunokufihlakala ngayo uzuko lukaThixo ngenxa yolo luvela ebantwini. Indalo izaliswe bubuqaqawuli bokukhanya. Cinga ngesihlandlo sokugqibela ubona amawakawaka eenkwenkwezi kwisibhakabhaka esizolileyo. “Ubuqaqawuli beenkwenkwezi” buyamangalisa. (1 Kor. 15:40, 41) Kodwa siba njani eso sibhakabhaka xa usibona ukwidolophu ezaliswe kukukhanya kwezibane? Kaloku, izibane zesitrato, zenza kube nzima ukubona ukukhanya kweenkwenkwezi! Ngaba oku kubangelwa yinto yokuba ukukhanya kwezi zibane kuqaqamba okanye kukuhle ngaphezu kobeenkwenkwezi? Nakanye! Kungenxa yokuba izibane zedolophu sizibonela kufuphi, ibe ziyasisitha singakuboni ukukhanya kwendalo kaYehova. Ukuze sibubone ubuhle beenkwenkwezi ebusuku, simele sikuphephe ukuphazanyiswa zizibane zedolophu.

⁹ Nalo ke uzuko oluvela ebantwini xa siluthanda lunokusenza singakuboni ukubaluleka kokufuna uzuko lokwenene oluvela kuYehova. Abantu abaninzi abasamkeli isigidimi soBukumkani kuba becinga  ukuba abahlobo nezalamane zabo ziza kuthini. Ngaba nabakhonzi abazahluleleyo bakaThixo banokuba nayo le ngxaki? Masithi umfana othile wabelwa ukuba aye kushumayela kwindawo enabantu abaninzi abamaziyo, kodwa bengazi ukuba uliNgqina likaYehova. Ngaba akayi kufuna ukubaleka? Okanye kuthekani xa ubani kuhlekiswa ngaye ngenxa yosukelo analo lokukhonza uYehova? Ngaba uya kuvuma adinyazwe ngabo bangenaluxabiso ngokukhonza uYehova? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba umKristu uye wenza isono esinzulu. Ngaba uya kuzama ukusifihla kuba esoyika indlela aza kujongwa ngayo libandla okanye esoyika ukuphoxa izalamane zakhe? Xa enze isono, ukuba into ebalulekileyo kuye kukulungisa ulwalamano lwakhe noYehova, uya ‘kubizela kuye amadoda amakhulu ebandla’ acele uncedo.—Funda uYakobi 5:14-16.

10. (a) Ukuzixhalabisa ngokugqithiseleyo ngendlela esijongwa ngayo ngabanye kunokusivala njani amehlo? (b) Yintoni esinokuqiniseka ngayo xa sithobekileyo?

¹⁰ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uzabalazela ukuba ngumKristu oqhuba kakuhle kodwa kukho umzalwana osoloko ekululeka. Iziluleko zakhe zinokukunceda xa ungazibethi ngoyaba ngenxa yekratshi, uxhalabele isidima sakho okanye unomgibe wokuzithethelela. Mhlawumbi kukho umsebenzi eniwenzayo nomnye umzalwana. Ngaba intsebenziswano yakho ixhomekeke ekubeni ngubani oza kunconywa ngamacebiso akho nokuzibhokoxa kwakho? Ukuba ukwenye yezi meko, qiniseka ukuba “onomoya othobekileyo uya kufumana uzuko.”—IMize. 29:23.

11. Yiyiphi indlela esimele sivakalelwe ngayo xa sinconywa, yaye ngoba?

¹¹ Abadala kunye nabazalwana ‘abazabalazela’ ukufumana iimbopheleleko bamele bakulumkele ukufuna ukuzukiswa ngabantu. (1 Tim. 3:1; 1 Tes. 2:6) Umzalwana umele athini xa enconywa ngomsebenzi awenze kakuhle? Ewe kona, akayi kuzimisela ilitye lesikhumbuzo, njengoKumkani uSawule. (1 Sam. 15:12) Kodwa, ngaba uyayamkela into yokuba uncedwe nguYehova ibe uxhomekeke kuye nakwixesha elizayo ukuze aphumelele? (1 Pet. 4:11) Indlela esivakalelwa ngayo xa sinconywa ityhila uzuko esilufunayo.—IMize. 27:21.

12. Yintoni eyathintela amanye amaYuda ekuphulaphuleni isigidimi sikaYesu?

¹² Enye into enokusithintela ekufumaneni uzuko lukaThixo yiminqweno yethu. Iminqweno ephosakeleyo inokusithintela ekuveni inyaniso. (Funda uYohane 8:43-47.) UYesu wachazela amanye amaYuda ukuba ayengasiphulaphuli isigidimi sakhe kuba ‘ethanda ukwenza ngokweminqweno kayise uMtyholi.’

13, 14. (a) Yintoni efunyaniswe ngabaphandi ngokuphulaphula xa kuthetha abantu? (b) Yintoni egqibayo ukuba siza kuphulaphula wuphi?

¹³ Iminqweno yenza siphulaphule izinto esifuna ukuziva kuphela. (2 Pet. 3:5) Ngendlela emangalisayo, uYehova wenza iingqondo zethu zakwazi ukuyivalela ngaphandle zingayiphulaphuli ingxolo esingayifuniyo. Khawunqumame uphulaphule ukuba zingaphi izandi ozivayo ngalo mzuzu. Mhlawumbi ubukade ungeva ukuba zininzi kangako ngaphambili de waphulaphula ufuna ukuziva. Kungenxa yokuba ingqondo yakho ibizivalele ngaphandle ukuze wena ukwazi ukunikela ingqalelo kuloo nto ubuyenza nakuba ubunokukwazi ukuva ezinye izandi zengxolo ekhoyo. Kodwa abaphandi bafumanise ukuba xa kuthetha abantu kuba nzima ukubaphulaphula bonke ngaxeshanye. Oku kuthetha ukuba, xa usiva abantu ababini bethetha ngaxeshanye, umele ukhethe ukuba uza kuphulaphula wuphi. Ukhetho lwakho luya kuxhomekeka ekubeni ufuna ukuphulaphula wuphi. AmaYuda awayefuna  ukwenza ngokomnqweno kayise, uMtyholi, akazange amphulaphule uYesu.

¹⁴ IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba sifumana izigidimi ezivela ‘kwindlu yobulumko nakwindlu yobuyatha.’ (IMize. 9:1-5, 13-17) Zombini, ubulumko nobuyatha zihlala zimemeza zisirhwebeshela kuzo, kuze ke kufuneke senze ukhetho. Siza kuphulaphula liphi icala? Kuxhomekeke ekubeni liliphi icala esifuna ukwenza ukuthanda kwalo. Izimvu zikaYesu ziyaliphulaphula ilizwi lakhe ibe ziyamlandela. (Yoh. 10:16, 27) ‘Zingakwicala lenyaniso.’ (Yoh. 18:37) “Azilazi ilizwi labasemzini.” (Yoh. 10:5) Abalandeli bakhe abathobeke ngolo hlobo bafumana uzuko kuThixo.—IMize. 3:13, 16; 8:1, 18.

15. Kutshiwo njani ukuba iimbandezelo zikaPawulos ‘zazithetha uzuko’ kwabase-Efese?

¹⁵ Ukunyamezela kwethu ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaYehova kunceda nabanye bafumane uzuko. Kwibandla lase-Efese, uPawulos wathi: “Ndiyanicela ukuba ningayekeleli ngenxa yezi mbandezelo zam ngenxa yenu, kuba zona zithetha uzuko kuni.” (Efe. 3:13) Kutshiwo njani ukuba iimbandezelo zikaPawulos ‘zazithetha uzuko’ kwabase-Efese? Ngokuqhubeka kwakhe elungiselela abazalwana bakhe phezu kwazo nje iingxaki, uPawulos wababonisa ukuba ukukhonza uThixo kumele kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kumKristu. Ukuba uPawulos wayenikezele kwezo mvavanyo, abazalwana bakhe babenokucinga ukuba alubalulekanga nganto ulwalamano ababenalo noYehova, ubulungiseleli babo kunye nethemba ababenalo? Ngokunyamezela kwakhe wanceda abazalwana babona ukuba, umntu unokuncama nantoni na ukuze abe ngumlandeli kaKristu.

16. Yiyiphi imbandezelo eyafunyanwa nguPawulos eListra?

¹⁶ Khawucinge ngendlela abancedwa ngayo abazalwana yinzondelelo nokunyamezela kukaPawulos. IZenzo 14:19, 20 zithi: “AmaYuda afika evela kwa-Antiyokwe naseIkoniyo aza azeyisela izihlwele, yaye zamxuluba uPawulos zaza zamrhuqela ngaphandle kwesixeko[saseListra], zicinga ukuba ufile. Noko ke, xa abafundi bamngqongayo, wavuka waza wangena esixekweni. Yaye ngemini elandelayo wemka noBharnabhas baya eDerbhe.” Ungayicingela indlela ekwakunzima ngayo kuPawulos ukuhamba iikhilomitha ezili-100 ngenyawo emva nje kosuku olunye ebethiwe, kucingwa ukuba ufile!

17, 18. (a) Yiyiphi indlela amele ukuba uTimoti waziva ngayo iimvavanyo zikaPawulos eListra? (b) Umzekelo kaPawulos wokunyamezela wamnceda njani uTimoti?

¹⁷ Ngaba uTimoti wayekho kwabo ‘bafundi’ banceda uPawulos? Ingxelo yeZenzo ayitsho phandle, kodwa kusenokwenzeka.  Khangela oko kwabhalwa nguPawulos kwincwadi yakhe yesibini kuTimoti: “Wena uyilandele ngokusondeleyo imfundiso yam, ikhondo lam lobomi, . . . uhlobo lwezinto ezenzeka kum kwa-Antiyokwe [ukugxothwa esixekweni], eIkoniyo [ilinge lokumgibisela ngamatye], eListra [ukuxulutywa], uhlobo lweentshutshiso endizinyamezeleyo; ukanti kuzo zonke iNkosi yandihlangula.”—2 Tim. 3:10, 11; IZe. 13:50; 14:5, 19.

¹⁸ UTimoti ‘wazilandela ngokusondeleyo’ ezo ziganeko ibe wayelwazi kakuhle unyamezelo lukaPawulos. Oku kwazika engqondweni kaTimoti. Xa uPawulos watyelela eListra, wafumanisa ukuba uTimoti ungumzekelo omhle ebandleni, “kwakunikelwa ingxelo entle ngaye ngabazalwana eListra naseIkoniyo.” (IZe. 16:1, 2) Emva kwexesha, uTimoti wakulungela ukuthwala iimbopheleleko ezingakumbi.—Fil. 2:19, 20; 1 Tim. 1:3.

19. Ukunyamezela kwethu kunokubanceda njani abanye?

¹⁹ Ukunyamezela kwethu sisenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, kunokubanceda abanye—ngakumbi abaselula, uninzi lwabo oluya kukhula lube ngabakhonzi abaxabisekileyo bakaThixo. Abaselula abaneli nje ukusibukela baze bafunde indlela nobuchule bokuthetha xa sisentsimini, kodwa kuyabanceda ukubona indlela esihlangabezana ngayo neenzingo zobomi. UPawulos ‘waqhubeka enyamezela zonke izinto’ ukuze bonke abahlala bethembekile ‘bazuze usindiso kunye nozuko olungunaphakade.’—2 Tim. 2:10.

20. Kutheni simele siqhubeke sifuna uzuko oluvela kuThixo?

²⁰ Ngaba ke asimele siqhubeke ‘sifuna uzuko oluvela kokuphela koThixo’? (Yoh. 5:44; 7:18) Kuya kuba bubulumko ukwenjenjalo! (Funda eyabaseRoma 2:6, 7.) UYehova ubanika ‘ubomi obungunaphakade abo bafuna uzuko.’ Ngapha koko, ‘ukunyamezela kwethu kumsebenzi olungileyo’ kukhuthaza abanye bahlale beqinile baze bafumane ubomi obungunaphakade. Ngoko, ungavumeli nantoni na ikuthintele ekufumaneni uzuko lukaThixo.