1. Liliphi ixesha esiphila kulo?

SIPHILA ‘kumaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo.’ Ukususela ngo-1914 xa ‘imihla yokugqibela’ yaqalisayo, iimeko zehlabathi bezisiya zisiba mbi ngakumbi kunakuqala. (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Yaye sinokuqiniseka ukuba ihlabathi liza kuqhubeka lisonakala ngakumbi, ngoba isiprofeto seBhayibhile sithi “abantu abangendawo namabhedengu baya kuhambela phambili ebubini.”—2 Timoti 3:13.

2. Luluphi uhlobo lokuzonwabisa oluthandwayo ngabantu abaninzi? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

² Ngelithi bayazonwabisa, abantu abaninzi namhlanje babukela okanye benze izinto ezinobundlobongela, ukuziphatha okubi, imilingo nobudemon. Ngokomzekelo i-intanethi, iinkqubo zeTV, iimuvi, iincwadi neemagazini zenza ubundlobongela nokuziphatha okubi zibe ngathi zifanelekile. Kwaye indlela yokuziphatha eyayidla ngokubothusa abantu iye yavumeleka kangangokuba isemthethweni kwezinye iindawo. Kodwa oko akuthethi ukuba uYehova uyakholiswa  yindlela enjalo yokuziphatha.—Funda amaRoma 1:28-32.

3. Bacinga ntoni abantu abaninzi ngabo baphila ngemigaqo kaThixo?

³ Nangenkulungwane yokuqala abantu babezonwabisa ngokubukela izinto ezinobundlobongela nezinokuziphatha okubi. Kodwa abalandeli bakaYesu babengakwenzi oko, kuba babephila ngemigaqo kaThixo. Oku “kwabothusa” abantu ababephakathi kwabo. Waba yintoni umphumo? Abantu bawenza intlekisa amaKristu baza bawatshutshisa. (1 Petros 4:4) Nanamhlanje abantu abaninzi babathela nqa abo baphila ngemigaqo kaThixo. Phofu ke iBhayibhile iyasilumkisa ukuba abo balandela umzekelo kaKristu uYesu “nabo baya kutshutshiswa.”—2 Timoti 3:12.

4. Kutheni sifanele singalithandi eli hlabathi?

⁴ Ukuba sifuna ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, “asinako ukulithanda ihlabathi nezinto ezisehlabathini.” (Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 2:15, 16) USathana, “uthixo wale nkqubo yezinto,” ulawula ihlabathi. Ulahlekisa abantu esebenzisa iicawa, oorhulumente, ezorhwebo namajelo okusasaza. (2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Yohane 5:19) Asifuni ukuphenjelelelwa lihlabathi, ngoko masiluphephe unxulumano olubi. IBhayibhile isilumkisa ngokucacileyo isithi: “Ningalahlekiswa. Unxulumano olubi lonakalisa imikhwa elungileyo.”—1 Korinte 15:33.

5, 6. Ngoobani esingamele sinxulumane nabo, yaye ngoba?

⁵ Ukuze sigcine ulwalamano oluhle noYehova, asiyi kunxulumana naye nabani na owenza izinto ezimbi. Oku kuquka abantu abathi banqula uYehova kodwa bakhethe ukungamthobeli. Ukuba abanjalo benza isono esinzulu baze bangaguquki, siyayeka ukunxulumana nabo.—Roma 16:17, 18.

⁶ Abantu badla ngokufuna ukuvuyisa abahlobo babo nokwamkelwa ngabo. Ngoko ukuba sinxulumana nabo bangamthobeliyo uThixo, sisenokuhendeka ukuba senze oko bakwenzayo. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba sinxulumana ngokusondeleyo nabantu abaziphatha kakubi ngokwesini, sisenokufana nabo. Oku kuye kwenzeka kwabanye abazalwana noodadewethu. Yaye abo bangakhange baguquke, baye basuswa kubudlelane. (1 Korinte 5:11-13) Ngaphandle kokuba bayaguquka, imeko yabo isenokufana naleyo yachazwa nguPetros.—Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 2:20-22.

7. Ngoobani esifanele sibakhethe njengabahlobo bethu abasondeleyo?

⁷ Nangona sifuna ukuba nobubele kubantu bonke, asifanele sibe nobuhlobo obusondeleyo nabantu abangamthobeliyo uThixo. Iphosakele into yokuba iNgqina likaYehova elingatshatanga likhethe  ukuhlala naye nabani na ongayihloneliyo nongaphili ngemigaqo kaYehova. Ngokufanayo, akuyi kuba yinto efanelekileyo ukuba iNgqina likaYehova lithandane nomntu ongengomkhonzi kaYehova obhaptiziweyo nothembekileyo. Kubaluleke ngakumbi ukukholisa uThixo kunokwamkeleka ebantwini abangamthandiyo. Simele sibe ngabahlobo abasondeleyo kunye nabo benza ukuthanda kukaThixo kuphela. UYesu wathi: “Nabani na owenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, lo ngumntakwethu nodade wethu noma.”—Marko 3:35.

8. Unxulumano olubi lwawachaphazela njani amaSirayeli amandulo?

⁸ Unxulumano olubi luphumela kwintlekele. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngoko kwenzeka kumaSirayeli. Ngaphambi kokuba afike kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, uYehova wawalumkisa ngabantu ababesele behlala kulo. Wathi: “Uze ungaqubudi koothixo babo, ungabakhonzi, yaye ungenzi nantoni na ngokwemisebenzi yabo kodwa uze ubadilize, uzidilize neentsika zabo ezingcwele. Nize nimkhonze uYehova uThixo wenu.” (Eksodus 23:24, 25) Kodwa amaSirayeli amaninzi awazange ayithobele imithetho kaThixo yaye awazange athembeke kuye. (INdumiso 106:35-39) Waba yintoni umphumo? Kamva, uYehova walugatya uhlanga lwamaSirayeli waza wazikhethela ibandla lamaKristu njengabantu bakhe.—Mateyu 23:38; IZenzo 2:1-4.

9. Kutheni izinto zeli hlabathi zinokuba yingozi?

⁹ Iinkqubo zeTV, iiwebhsayithi kunye neencwadi ezininzi zeli hlabathi zingalonakalisa ulwalamano lwethu noYehova. Ezi zinto azenzelwanga ukunceda amaKristu abe nokholo kuYehova nakwizithembiso zakhe. Kunoko zikhuthaza abantu ukuba bathembe eli hlabathi likaSathana likhohlakeleyo. Ngoko kufuneka silumke kakhulu, ukuze singabukeli, sifunde okanye simamele nantoni na enokusenza sibe ‘neminqweno yehlabathi.’—Tito 2:12.

10. Kuza kwenzeka ntoni kwizinto zeli hlabathi?

¹⁰ Kungekudala ihlabathi likaSathana kunye nezinto zalo ezonakalisayo liza kutshatyalaliswa. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ihlabathi liyadlula nenkanuko yalo kodwa lowo wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo uhleli ngonaphakade.” (1 Yohane 2:17) Ngokufanayo umdumisi wathi: “Abenzi bobubi baya kunqunyulwa.” Wongezelela wathi: “Kodwa abalulamileyo baya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba, baziyolise ngokugqibeleleyo ngobuninzi boxolo.” Kude kube nini? “Amalungisa aya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba, ahlale kuwo ngonaphakade.”—INdumiso 37:9, 11, 29.

11. UThixo usinceda njani ukuze sihlale sithembekile kuye?

¹¹ Ngokungafaniyo nehlabathi likaSathana, intlangano kaYehova isinceda siphile ngendlela ekhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade. UYesu wathandaza kuYehova esithi: “Oku kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, nangalowo umthumileyo, uYesu Kristu.” (Yohane 17:3) UYehova usebenzisa intlangano yakhe ukusinika yonke into esiyidingayo ukuze simazi. Ngokomzekelo  sinenqwaba yeemagazini, iincwadana, iincwadi, iividiyo neWebhsayithi esinceda siqhubeke sikhonza uThixo. Intlangano yakhe ilungiselela neentlanganiso rhoqo kumabandla angaphezu kwe-110 000 ehlabathini lonke. Izinto esizifundayo ngeBhayibhile kwezo ntlanganiso nakwiindibano ezinkulu, zomeleza ukholo lwethu kuYehova nakwizithembiso zakhe.—Hebhere 10:24, 25.

12. Cacisa umyalelo weBhayibhile wokutshatela “kuphela eNkosini.”

¹² AmaKristu afuna ukutshata afanele alumke kakhulu xa ekhetha abantu anokunxulumana nabo. ILizwi likaThixo lisilumkisa ngolu hlobo: “Musani ukubotshwa edyokhweni kunye nabangakholwayo. Kuba bunabudlelane buni na ubulungisa nokuchas’ umthetho? Okanye kunakwabelana kuni na ukukhanya nobumnyama?” (2 Korinte 6:14) IBhayibhile ixelela abakhonzi bakaThixo ukuba batshate “kuphela eNkosini,” nto leyo ethetha ukutshata kuphela nomntu ozahluleleyo nobhaptiziweyo nophila ngemigaqo kaYehova. (1 Korinte 7:39) Xa utshata nomntu onjalo, umntu omthandayo uYehova, uya kuba neqabane eliza kukunceda uhlale uthembekile kuThixo.

13. Nguwuphi umyalelo uThixo awawunika amaSirayeli ngomtshato?

¹³ UYehova uyakwazi okusifaneleyo, yaye umyalelo wakhe wokutshatela “kuphela eNkosini” awuyonto yangoku. Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngoko uYehova wakuxelela amaSirayeli ngabantu ababengamkhonzi. Esebenzisa uMoses wayalela wathi: “Uze ungendiselani nazo. Intombi yakho uze ungayiniki unyana wakhe, nentombi yakhe uze ungayithabatheli unyana wakho. Kuba iya kumtyekisa unyana wakho ekundilandeleni, baze ngokuqinisekileyo bakhonze thixo bambi; uvuthe umsindo kaYehova kuni, aze ngokuqinisekileyo akubhubhise ngokukhawuleza.”—Duteronomi 7:3, 4.

14, 15. Yintoni eyenzekayo kuSolomon ngenxa yokungawuhoyi umyalelo kaYehova?

¹⁴ Emva nje kokuba uSolomon engukumkani kwaSirayeli, wathandazela ubulumko yaye uYehova wawuphendula umthandazo wakhe. Ngoko uSolomon waye waduma njengomlawuli onobulumko wohlanga oluphumelelayo. Ukumkanikazi waseSheba wamangaliswa kakhulu bubulumko bukaSolomon kangangokuba wade wathi kuye: “Ugqwesile ngobulumko nempumelelo kwizinto eziviweyo endiye ndaziphulaphula.” (1 Kumkani 10:7) Kodwa umzekelo kaSolomon usifundisa nento esenokwenzeka xa umntu engawuhoyi umyalelo kaThixo aze atshate nomntu ongamkhonziyo uYehova.—INtshumayeli 4:13.

¹⁵ Nangona uYehova wayemsikelele  uSolomon, akazange awuthobele umyalelo kaThixo ocacileyo. USolomon “wayethanda abafazi basemzini abaninzi” ababengamkhonzi uYehova yaye kamva waba nabafazi abayi-700 namashweshwe ayi-300. Waba yintoni umphumo? Xa wayesele emdala uSolomon, abafazi bakhe ‘benza intliziyo yakhe yatyekela ekulandeleni oothixo babo, . . . yaye uSolomon wenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova.’ (1 Kumkani 11:1-6) Unxulumano olubi lwamphembelela, waza wayeka ukuthembeka kuYehova. Ukuba oku kwenzeka kuSolomon, kunokwenzeka nakubani na. Yiloo nto singayicingi nokuyicinga into yokutshata nomntu ongamthandiyo uYehova!

16. Liliphi icebiso iBhayibhile elinika umntu otshate nomntu ongakholwayo?

¹⁶ Kuthekani ukuba umntu uba ngumkhonzi kaYehova ngoxa etshate nomntu ongakholwayo? IBhayibhile ithi: “Nina bafazi, wathobeleni amadoda enu, ukuze kuthi, nokuba kukho kuwo angalithobeliyo ilizwi, azuzeke ngaphandle kwelizwi ngenxa yehambo yabafazi bawo.” (1 Petros 3:1) Kakade ke, oku kubhekisela nakwindoda enomfazi ongamkhonziyo uYehova. ILizwi likaThixo liyibeka icace le nto: Yiba yindoda okanye umfazi olungileyo uze usebenzise imigaqo kaThixo emtshatweni. Xa iqabane lakho libona ukuba utshintshile wangumntu obhetele, nalo lisenokufuna ukukhonza uYehova. Oku kuye kwenzeka kwizibini ezininzi.

17, 18. Yintoni eyanceda uNowa wasinda kuNogumbe, yaye yintoni eyanceda amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala asinda ekutshatyalalisweni kweYerusalem?

¹⁷ Unxulumano olubi lunokubangela ukuba ungamthobeli uYehova, kodwa unxulumano oluhle lungakunceda uthembeke kuye. UNowa ngumzekelo omhle kuthi. Wayephila ngexesha apho ‘ububi bomntu babandile emhlabeni’ yaye “zonke iingcamango zentliziyo yakhe zityekele ebubini ngalo lonke ixesha.” (Genesis 6:5) Abantu babengendawo kakhulu kangangokuba uYehova wagqiba ekubeni abatshabalalise. Kodwa uNowa wayengafani nabo. IBhayibhile ithi “wayeyindoda elilungisa” ‘eyahamba noThixo oyinyaniso.’—Genesis 6:7-9.

¹⁸ UNowa wayenganxulumani nabantu abangamthandiyo uYehova. Ekunye nentsapho yakhe babexakekile besakha umkhombe yaye ‘wayengumshumayeli wobulungisa.’ (2 Petros 2:5) UNowa, umfazi wakhe noonyana bakhe abathathu kunye nabafazi babo babephembelelana kakuhle. Babezixakekise ngokwenza izinto ezikholisa uThixo, yaye loo nto yabangela ukuba basinde kuNogumbe. Sonke namhlanje siyinzala yabo, ngoko simele sibe nombulelo ngenxa yokuba uNowa nentsapho yakhe bamthobela uYehova baza baluphepha unxulumano olubi. Ngendlela efanayo, amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayenganxulumani nabantu abangamthandiyo uYehova. Amthobela aza asinda xa iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswayo ngo-70 C.E.—Luka 21:20-22.

19. Yintoni eya kusinceda sihlale sithembekile kuYehova?

¹⁹ NjengoNowa, intsapho yakhe namaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, asinxulumani naye nabani na ongamthandiyo uYehova. Sinezigidi zabazalwana noodade abathembekileyo abanokuba ngabahlobo bethu. Baza kusinceda ‘sime siqinile elukholweni’ ngala maxesha anzima. (1 Korinte 16:13; IMizekeliso 13:20) Khawucinge nje indlela ekuya kuba mnandi ngayo ukusinda xa kupheliswa eli hlabathi lingendawo size siphile kwihlabathi elitsha likaYehova! Kubaluleke nyhani ukuba siphephe unxulumano olubi kwangoku!