1. Kutheni abantu bakaThixo bengothuki xa bebandezeleka?

NGABA iyakothusa into yokuba usenokuba ‘neembandezelo ezininzi’ ngaphambi kokuba ufumane umvuzo wobomi obungunaphakade? Mhlawumbi ayikothusi. Enoba usafika enyanisweni okanye sele unexesha elide ukhonza uYehova, uyazi ukuba ubunzima yinto elindelekileyo kubomi esibuphila kweli hlabathi likaSathana.—ISityhi. 12:12.

2. (a) Ukongezelela kwiingxaki ezichaphazela bonke abantu abangafezekanga, luluphi olunye uhlobo lwembandezelo ajongana nalo amaKristu? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Ngubani unobangela weembandezelo zethu, ibe siyazi njani loo nto?

² Ngaphandle kobunzima ‘obuqhelekileyo ebantwini’—iingxaki ezichaphazela bonke abantu abangafezekanga—amaKristu ajongene nolunye uhlobo lwembandezelo. (1 Kor. 10:13) Yiyiphi loo mbandezelo? Kukuchaswa ngokuqatha ngenxa yokungagungqi ekuthobeleni imithetho kaThixo. UYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Ikhoboka alikho likhulu kunenkosi yalo. Ukuba banditshutshisile mna, baya kunitshutshisa nani.” (Yoh. 15:20) Ngubani unobangela wale nkcaso? NguSathana, ochazwa eBhayibhileni “njengengonyama egqumayo” ‘efuna ukuqwenga’  abantu bakaThixo. (1 Pet. 5:8) USathana uya kusebenzisa nantoni na ukuzama ukophula ingqibelelo yabafundi bakaYesu. Cinga nje ngento eyenzeka kumpostile uPawulos.

3-5. (a) Wabandezeleka njani uPawulos eListra? (b) Ayesomeleza njani amazwi akhe athetha ngeembandezelo ezizayo?

³ Izihlandlo eziliqela, uPawulos watshutshiswa ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. (2 Kor. 11:23-27) Loo nto yakha yenzek’ eListra. Emva kokuba uPawulos noBharnabhas bephilise indoda eyayisisiqhwala ukususela ekuzalweni kwayo, abantu bafuna ukubanqula. Kwafuneka babongoze eso sihlwele sasinemincili ukuba singayenzi loo nto! Noko ke, kwafika amaYuda angabachasi, aza atyhefa iingqondo zabantu ngokubanyelisa. Kwaqhawuk’ ujing’ abantwana bedlala! Abantu bajika baxuluba uPawulos ngamatye, bamshiya becinga ukuba ufile.—IZe. 14:8-19.

⁴ Ukubuya kwabo eDerbhe, uPawulos noBharnabhas “babuyela eListra naseIkoniyo nakwa-Antiyokwe besomeleza imiphefumlo yabafundi, bebakhuthaza ukuhlala elukholweni, besithi: ‘Simele singene ebukumkanini bukaThixo ngokuphumela kwiimbandezelo ezininzi.’” (IZe. 14:21, 22) La mazwi asenokungavakali ncam. Kaloku, ukwazi ukuba uza kutyhubela “kwiimbandezelo ezininzi” akuvakali njengento ekhuthazayo. Ngoko, kutshiwo njani ukuba uPawulos noBharnabhas ‘bomeleza imiphefumlo yabafundi’ ngokubaxelela ukuba baseza kujongana neembandezelo ezininzi?

⁵ Ukuba siyawaqwalasela la amazwi kaPawulos, sinokuyifumana impendulo. Akazange athi: “Simele sinyamezele iimbandezelo ezininzi.” Kunoko, wathi: “Simele singene ebukumkanini bukaThixo ngokuphumela kwiimbandezelo ezininzi.” Ngoko uPawulos wabomeleza abafundi ngokugxininisa kumvuzo omhle wokuhlala bethembekile. Loo mvuzo asiyontsom’ emini. UYesu wathi: “Lowo uye wanyamezela kwasa ekupheleni ngulowo oya kusindiswa.”—Mat. 10:22.

6. Nguwuphi umvuzo oza kufunyanwa ngabo banyamezelayo?

⁶ Ukuba siyanyamezela, siya kufumana umvuzo. KumaKristu athanjisiweyo, loo mvuzo bubomi bokungafi ezulwini nokulawula noYesu. ‘Kwezinye izimvu,’ bubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni, “apho kumi ubulungisa.” (Yoh. 10:16; 2 Pet. 3:13) Njengoko uPawulos watshoyo, okwangoku siseza kudibana neembandezelo ezininzi. Makhe sifunde ngeendlela ezimbini esinokubandezeleka ngazo.

7. Kukuphi ukubandezeleka okunokuchazwa njengokuhlaselwa ngokungqalileyo?

⁷ UYesu wathi: “Abantu baya kuninikela kwiinkundla zasekuhlaleni, yaye niya kubethwa kwizindlu zesikhungu nize nimiswe phambi kweerhuluneli nookumkani.” (Marko 13:9) Njengoko la mazwi esitsho, amany’ amaKristu aya kubandezeleka ngokutshutshiswa enyameni, mhlawumbi ngenxa yeenkokeli zonqulo okanye ezopolitiko. (IZe. 5:27, 28) Masiphinde sihlole umzekelo kaPawulos. Ngaba wayekoyika ukutshutshiswa? Nakanye.—Funda iZenzo 20:22, 23.

8, 9. UPawulos wabonisa njani ukuba unesibindi sokunyamezela, ibe abanye namhlanje baye bayenza njani into efanayo?

⁸ UPawulos waba nesibindi sokunyamezela ukuhlaselwa nguSathana waza wathi: “Andiwugqali njengothandekayo kum umphefumlo wam, ukuba nje kuphela ndinokuligqiba ikhondo lam nobulungiseleli endabamkelayo beNkosi uYesu, ukunikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo kwiindaba ezilungileyo zobubele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo.” (IZe. 20:24)  Kucacile ukuba uPawulos zange oyikiswe kukubandezeleka. Kunoko, wayezimisele ukunyamezela, nokuba sekunzima kangakanani. Eyona nto wayeyixhalabele ‘kukunikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo’ nokuba sekumnyam’ entla.

⁹ Nanamhlanje, baninzi abazalwana noodade abazimisele ngaloo ndlela. Ngokomzekelo, kwelinye ilizwe amany’ amaNgqina anyamezela ukuvalelwa iminyaka emalunga neyi-20 ngenxa yokungathathi cala kwipolitiki. Ityala labo zange lisiwe kwinkundla yamatyala, kuba kwelo lizwe babengavunyelwa abantu ukuba bale ukuthatha icala ngenxa yesazela. Ngoxa besentolongweni, babengavunyelwa ukuba batyelelwe nkqu naziintsapho zabo, ibe abanye babethwa kanobom.

10. Kutheni simele singazoyiki iimbandezelo ezivela ngequbuliso?

¹⁰ Abazalwana bethu kwezinye iindawo banyamezela iimbandezelo ezivela ngequbuliso. Ukuba inokwenzeka loo nto nakuwe, ungoyiki. Kaloku, cinga ngoYosefu. Wathengiselwa ebukhobokeni, kodwa uYehova “wamhlangula kuzo zonke iimbandezelo zakhe.” (IZe. 7:9, 10) UYehova unokukuhlangula nawe. Ungaze ulibale ukuba “uYehova uyakwazi ukubahlangula esilingweni abantu abanozinikelo lobuthixo.” (2 Pet. 2:9) Ngaba uza kuhlala umthemba uYehova, usazi ukuba unokukuhlangula kule nkqubo yezinto ingendawo aze akuvumele ukuba unandiphe ubomi obungunaphakade phantsi koBukumkani bakhe? Unezizathu ezininzi zokumthemba nokuba nesibindi sokunyamezela intshutshiso.—1 Pet. 5:8, 9.

11. Kwahluke njani ukuhlaselwa ngokungangqalanga ekuhlaselweni ngokungqalileyo nguSathana?

¹¹ Olunye uhlobo lokubandezeleka esisenokudibana nalo kukuhlaselwa ngokungangqalanga. Lwahluke njani ekuhlaselweni ngokungqalileyo ngokutshutshiswa enyameni? Ukuhlaselwa ngokungqalileyo kufana nenkanyamba entlitha indlu yakho ize iyitshabalalise ngoko nangoko. Ukuhlaselwa ngokungangqalanga kufana nezinambuzane ekuthiwa ziintubi ezikrekretha indlu yakho kancinci kancinci ide iwe. Xa kunjalo, umntu unokungayiqapheli ingozi aphaphame sele kwaphulwe.

12. (a) Yiyiphi enye indlela engangqalanga ahlasela ngayo uSathana, ibe kutheni iphumelela? (b) UPawulos wachaphazeleka njani kukutyhafa?

¹² USathana angathanda ukonakalisa ulwalwamano lwakho noYehova, enoba ukuhlasela ngokungqalileyo okanye ngokungangqalanga. Enye indlela engangqalanga ahlasela ngayo uSathana, kukusityhafisa. NoPawulos wayekhe atyhafe ngamany’ amaxesha. (Funda amaRoma 7:21-24) Ngoku, yenzeka njani into yokuba uPawulos—“indoda yokholo” ekumele ukuba yayililungu lequmrhu elilawulayo lenkulungwane yokuqala—athi ‘ulusizana’? UPawulos wathi uvakalelwa ngolo hlobo ngenxa yokuba wayengafezekanga. Wayefuna ukwenza okulungileyo, kodwa wayebona omnye umthetho usilwa nxamnye naye. Ukuba nakuwe kukhe kube njalo, ngaba awuthuthuzeleki kukwazi ukuba nompostile uPawulos wayenengxaki efanayo?

13, 14. (a) Yintoni ebangela abanye abantu bakaThixo batyhafe? (b) Ngubani ofuna siphelelwe lukholo, ibe kutheni?

¹³ Baninzi abazalwana noodade abakhe batyhafe, baxhalabe mhlawumbi bade bazive bengento yanto ngamanye amaxesha. Ngokomzekelo, omnye uvulindlela okhutheleyo esiza kuthi nguDeborah uthi: “Ndihlala ndicinga ngempazamo endayenzayo, ibe isoloko inditya. Xa ndicinga ngazo zonke iimpazamo endizenzileyo, zindenza ndivakalelwe kukuba akukho namnye umntu onokuze andithande, nkqu noYehova.”

 ¹⁴ Yintoni ebangela abanye abakhonzi bakaYehova abakhutheleyo, njengoDeborah, bakhathazeke? Loo nto isenokubangelwa zizinto ezininzi. Abanye basenokuba bathand’ ukuzigxeka. (IMize. 15:15) Kwabanye, ukukhathazeka kunokubangelwa sisigulo esichaphazela iimvakalelo. Enoba yintoni unobangela, khumbula ukuba ngubani ofuna sivakalelwe ngolo hlobo. Kakade ke, ngubani ofuna sityhafe de sinikezele? Ngubani ofuna wena ugwetyelwe ukufa njengaye? (ISityhi. 20:10) NguSathana kaloku. Enoba uhlasela ngokungqalileyo okanye ngokungangqalanga, injongo kaSathana inye—kukusixhalabisa, aphelise ukholo lwethu size sincame. Abantu bakaThixo basemfazweni!

15. Singabonisa njani ukuba asizimiselanga kutyhafa?

¹⁵ Ungaze uyekelele. Hlala ujonge emvuzweni. UPawulos wathi kumaKristu aseKorinte: “Asiyeki, kodwa kwanokuba umntu esinguye ngaphandle uya esonakala, ngokuqinisekileyo umntu esinguye ngaphakathi wenziwa mtsha kwakhona imihla ngemihla. Kuba nakuba imbandezelo iyeyokomzuzwana yaye incinane, isizisela uzuko olugqwese ngakumbi nangakumbi nolungunaphakade.”—2 Kor. 4:16, 17.

16. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuyixhobela kwangoku imbandezelo?

¹⁶ Njengoko sesibonile, uSathana ngudyakalashe onkone ‘ngamaqhinga.’ (Efe. 6:11) Sonke sifanele senze oko kutshiwo sisibongozo esikweyoku-1 kaPetros 5:9. Le vesi ithi: “Yimani ngokunxamnye [naye], niqinile elukholweni.” Ukuze siyenze loo nto, simele silungise iingqondo neentliziyo zethu, siziqeqeshe kwangoku ukwenza okulungileyo. Makhe siyizekelise kanje le nto: Umkhosi wamajoni usoloko uziqeqesha kwangaphambi kokuba  kufike imfazwe. Kunjalo ke nangomkhosi kaYehova. Asazi ukuba iza kuba njani imfazwe kwixesha elizayo. Ngoko, ngaba asibobulumko ukuba siziqeqeshe kwangoku kuselixesha loxolo? UPawulos wathi kumaKorinte: “Hlalani nizivavanya enoba niselukholweni kusini na, hlalani nizicikida oko nikuko nina ngokwenu.”—2 Kor. 13:5.

17-19. (a) Ziziphi iindlela esinokuzivavanya ngazo? (b) Abantu abaselula banokuzilungiselela njani ukuthethelela iinkolelo zabo esikolweni?

¹⁷ Enye indlela yokulandela icebiso eliphefumlelweyo likaPawulos kukuba sizihlolisise kakuhle. Zibuze imibuzo enjengale: ‘Ngaba ndikukhuthalele ukuthandaza? Xa ndicinezelwa ngoontanga, ngaba ndithobela uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu? Ngaba ndiya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu? Ngaba ndiba nesibindi xa ndithethelela iinkolelo zam? Ngaba ndiyabaxolela abanye abazalwana noodade—njengoko nabo bendixolela? Ngaba ndiyabathobela abo bakhokelayo ebandleni nakwintlangano?’

¹⁸ Phawula ukuba emibini kule mibuzo ithetha ngokuba nesibindi sokumela iinkolelo zethu nokuxhathisa xa sicinezelwa ngoontanga. Ulutsha oluninzi lujongene naloo nto esikolweni. Luye lwafunda ukungaphakuzeli okanye ukungabi nantloni ngenxa yeenkolelo zalo. Kunoko, luthetha ngesibindi. Kuye kwakhutshwa amacebiso asebenzisekayo kwiimagazini zethu. Ngokomzekelo, uVukani! kaJulayi 2009 wathi xa umntwana ofunda naye ekugculela ngokuthi: “Kutheni ningakholelwa nje kwindaleko?” unokuthi: “Kutheni ndimele ndikholelwe kwindaleko? Kwaneenzululwazi ziphikisana zodwa kodwa bekumele ukuba zazi bhetele!” Bazali, qheliselani nabantwana benu ukuze bakuxhobele ukucinezelwa ngoontanga esikolweni.

¹⁹ Kakade ke, akusoloko kulula ukuthetha okanye ukwenza izinto azilindeleyo kuthi uYehova. Emva kosuku olunzima emsebenzini wempangelo, kusenokufuneka sizinyanzele ukuya ezintlanganisweni. Ukuvukela entsimini kusenokufuna uncame ubuthongo basekuseni. Kodwa ke, ukhumbule: Ukuba uziqhelise kwangoku ukuba nemikhwa elungileyo, kuya kuthi xa kufika iimbandezelo ezinkulu, utsho ukwazi ukumelana nazo.

20, 21. (a) Ukucamngca ngentlawulelo kunokukunceda njani ulwe nokutyhafa? (b) Yintoni esimele sizimisele ukuyenza ngeembandezelo?

²⁰ Kuthekani ngokuhlaselwa ngokungangqalanga? Ngokomzekelo, sinokuthini xa sityhafile? Into enokusinceda ngamandla kukucamngca ngentlawulelo. Yiloo nto kanye eyenziwa ngumpostile uPawulos. Ngamanye amaxesha wayeziva elusizana. Kodwa wayesazi ukuba uKristu wafela, kungekhona abantu abafezekileyo, kodwa aboni. Ibe ke noPawulos wayengumoni. Wade wathi: ‘Ndiphila ngokholo kuNyana kaThixo, owandithandayo waza wazinikela ngenxa yam.’ (Gal. 2:20) UPawulos wayamkela intlawulelo. Wayeqonda ukuba intlawulelo yeyokunceda yena siqu.

²¹ Ukucinga ngaloo ndlela—ukuqonda ukuba intlawulelo sisipho sakho esivela kuYehova—kunokukunceda kakhulu. Loo nto ayithethi kuthi uza kuyeka ngokukhawuleza ukutyhafa. Ngomkhamo othile, abanye kusenokufuneka balwe nokuhlaselwa ngokungangqalanga de kufike ihlabathi elitsha. Ukhumbule ke nants’ into: Umvuzo uza kufunyanwa ngabo baxhathisayo. Sikufuphi gqitha nemini ezukileyo yaxa uBukumkani bukaThixo buza kuzisa uxolo nokufezeka ebantwini. Zimisele ukungena kobo Bukumkani—enoba kufuneka utyhubele iimbandezelo ezininzi.