1, 2. Kutheni kusengqiqweni nje ukunikela ingqalelo kumntu ngamnye nakumalungu entsapho?

 EMVA kokuba ebongoze amaSirayeli ukuba azikhethele lowo afuna ukumkhonza, uYoshuwa wathi: “Ke mna nendlu yam, siya kukhonza uYehova.” (Yosh. 24:15) UYoshuwa wayezimisele ukunyaniseka kuThixo, ibe wayeqinisekile ukuba nentsapho yakhe yayiza kunyaniseka. Emva kweminyaka kamva, xa kwakusele kumbovu ukuba iYerusalem itshatyalaliswe, uYeremiya waqinisekisa uKumkani uZedekiya ukuba xa wayenokunikezela kwiBhabhiloni, ‘yena nendlu yakhe babeya kuqhubeka bephila.’ (Yer. 38:17) Ngenxa yokhetho olubi awalwenzayo lo kumkani waphulukana nabafazi noonyana bakhe. Oonyana bakhe babulawa ethe nta amehlo; emva koko amajoni amtyhaphaza amehlo ngaphambi kokuba amthimbele eBhabhiloni.—Yer. 38:18-23; 39:6, 7.

² Kwisiganeko ngasinye abhekisela kuso la mabinzana mabini akekelisiweyo, kukho umntu athetha ngaye ngokungqalileyo. Kodwa kukhankanywa nentsapho yakhe. Yinto esengqiqweni leyo. Mntu ngamnye omdala umele aziphendulele kuThixo. Ukanti, inkoliso yamaSirayeli yayisiba ngamalungu entsapho. Intsapho ibalulekile nakumaKristu. Oku sikubona kakuhle koko sikufunda eBhayibhileni nakoko sikufunda kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu ngokuphathelele umtshato, ukukhulisa abantwana nokuhlonela amalungu entsapho.—1 Kor. 7:36-39; 1 Tim. 5:8.

3, 4. Imeko kaYeremiya yayahluke njani kweyabantu abaninzi, yaye oko kwamnceda njani?

³ Ngomhla wakhe uYeremiya ‘waqhubeka ephila.’ Wasinda xa kwakutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem nakuba imeko yakhe yayahlukile kweyabantu abaninzi. (Yer. 21:9; 40:1-4) UThixo wamxelela ukuba angatshati nokuba angazali bantwana okanye enze ezinye izinto ezaziqhele ukwenziwa ngamaYuda elo xesha.—Funda uYeremiya 16:1-4.

⁴ Ngomhla kaYeremiya nangokwesithethe sakhe, kwakuqhelekile ukutshata uze ube nabantwana. Inkoliso yamadoda angamaYuda yayitshatile, ngoko ishiya ilifa lomhlaba wooyise kuhlanga nentsapho yayo. a (Dut. 7:14) Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke uYeremiya angatshati? Ngenxa yezinto ezaziza kwenzeka, uThixo wamxelela ukuba angazibandakanyi kwizinto ezazidla ngokwenziwa ngabo bazilileyo okanye banemihlali. Wayengamele athuthuzele abo bazilileyo okanye adle nabo emva komngcwabo; yaye wayengafanele abe nenxaxheba kwimitshato yamaYuda. Ezo zihlandlo zokutya nezolonwabo zaziza kuphela kungekudala. (Yer. 7:33; 16:5-9) Indlela awayephila ngayo uYeremiya yayiza kunceda abanye basikholelwe isigidimi sakhe ibe yayigxininisa nendlela owawuza kuba buhlungu ngayo umgwebo ozayo. Yade yafika intlekele awayelumkisa ngayo. Ngaba unokuyicingela indlela ababevakalelwa ngayo abo bagqibela ngokutya abanye abantu ngenxa yemeko ebuhlungu okanye abo babebukele izidumbu zeentsapho zabo zibola? (Funda uYeremiya 14:16; IZili. 2:20.) Ngoko ke, asizange sibekho isizathu sokumsizela uYeremiya ngokungatshati kwakhe. Nakuba ezo nyanga zili-18 zokungqingwa nokubulawa zaziza kubangela abantu baphulukane neentsapho zabo, yena uYeremiya wayeza kusinda ekuphulukaneni neqabane okanye abantwana.

 5. Amazwi akuYeremiya 16:5-9 asebenza njani kumaKristu?

⁵ Ngaba amazwi akuYeremiya 16:5-9 ayasebenza nakuthi? Akunjalo. AmaKristu abongozwa ukuba ‘athuthuzele abo  bakulo naluphi na uhlobo lwembandezelo’ yaye ‘abe nemihlali kunye nabantu abanemihlali.’ (2 Kor. 1:4; Roma 12:15) UYesu waya komnye umtshato waza wafak’ isandla kulonwabo olwalulapho. Phezu kwayo yonke loo nto, zibuhlungu gqitha izinto eziseza kwehlela le nkqubo yezinto ingendawo. AmaKristu asenokujamelana nobunzima yaye abe selusizini. UYesu wabethelela ukuba kufuneka sihlale sikulungele ukwenza nantoni na eya kubangela sikwazi ukunyamezela size sithembeke, kanye njengabazalwana bethu abasabayo kwelakwaYuda ngenkulungwane yokuqala. Ngenxa yoko, ukutshata, ukungatshati, okanye ukuba nabantwana ngumbandela ofuna ukucingisiswa nzulu.—Funda uMateyu 24:17, 18.

 6. Ngoobani abanokungenelwa kwindlela uThixo awamyalela ngayo uYeremiya?

⁶ Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumyalelo uThixo awawunika uYeremiya wokuba angatshati okanye angabi nabantwana? Namhlanje, amanye amaKristu anyanisekileyo akatshatanga okanye akanabantwana. Yintoni amele ayifunde kuYeremiya? Yaye siyintoni isizathu sokuba kwanamaKristu atshatileyo nanabantwana efanele anikele ingqalelo kule nxalenye yobomi bukaYeremiya?

 7. Kutheni sifanele sicingisise nzulu namhlanje ngesibakala sokuba kwakufuneka uYeremiya angabi nabantwana?

⁷ Okokuqala uYeremiya kwakufuneka ahlale engenabantwana.  UYesu akazange ayalele abalandeli bakhe ukuba bangabi nabantwana. Sekunjalo, kuyaphawuleka ukuba wathi “yeha” kubafazi eya kufika imbandezelo yeYerusalem ngowama-66-70 C.E. bemithi yaye beneentsana. Elo yayiza kuba lixesha elinzima gqitha kubo. (Mat. 24:19) Nathi namhlanje sijamelene nembandezelo enkulu ngakumbi kunaleyo. Oku kufanele kuzenze zicingisise nzulu izibini ezingamaKristu ngokuba nabantwana. Ngaba akuvumi ukuba kuya kusiba nzima ngakumbi ukujamelana nala maxesha amanqam? Izibini ziye zavuma ukuba kunzima kakhulu ukukhulisa abantwana abaya ‘kuqhubeka bephila’ de le nkqubo yezinto ifikelele esiphelweni. Ngoxa izibini zimele zigqibe enoba ziza kuba nabantwana kusini na, kubalulekile ukuba zicingisise nzulu ngemeko kaYeremiya. Kodwa kuthekani ngomyalelo kaThixo wokuba uYeremiya angatshati?

 8. Kutheni sinokuthi akuyomfuneko ukuba umntu atshate ukuze amkholise uThixo?

⁸ Xa wayexelela uYeremiya kuba angatshati, uThixo wayengamiseli umthetho ofanele ulandelwe ngabo bonke abakhonzi bakhe. Kuhle ukutshata. Xa wayesungula umtshato uYehova wayenenjongo yokuba abantu bazalise umhlaba yaye wayefuna baneliseke baze babe nemihlali. (IMize. 5:18) Sekunjalo, asingabo bonke ababetshatile. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba xa uYeremiya wayeprofeta kwakukho abantu bakaThixo ababengamathenwa. b Ukongezelela, unokuqiniseka ukuba kwakukho abahlolo  nabahlolokazi. Ngoko yayingengoYeremiya kuphela umnquli owayengenaqabane. Kakade ke, wayenesizathu sokungatshati, njengokuba kunjalo nangamanye amaKristu namhlanje.

 9. Sisiphi isiluleko esiphefumlelweyo esiphathelele umtshato esifanele sicingisise nzulu ngaso?

⁹ Asingawo onke amaKristu atshatayo. Uyazi ukuba uYesu akazange atshate, ibe wathi abanye abafundi baya ‘kukuvulela ithuba’ ukungatshati ezingqondweni nasezintliziyweni zabo. Wabongoza abo banokukwazi ukuhlala bengatshatanga ukuba benjenjalo. (Funda uMateyu 19:11, 12.) Ngoko ke, kuya kuba kokufanelekileyo ukumncoma, kunokuba simhleke lowo uzabalazela ukuhlala engatshatanga ukuze akwazi ukwenza okungakumbi enkonzweni kaThixo. Kuyavunywa ukuba amanye amaKristu akatshati kangangexesha elithile ngenxa yeemeko. Ngokomzekelo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba awalifumani iqabane elifanelekileyo elingumKristu yaye azimisele ukubambelela kwimilinganiselo kaThixo yokutshata “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Kakade ke, abanye abakhonzi bakaThixo abanamaqabane, bangabahlolo okanye abahlolokazi. c Bangaze balibale ukuba uThixo (noYesu) kudala babaxhalabela abantu abangatshatanga.—Yer. 22:3; funda eyoku-1 yabaseKorinte 7:8, 9.

10, 11. (a) Yintoni eyanceda uYeremiya ukuze akwazi ukuhlala engatshatanga? (b) Imizekelo yanamhlanje ibonisa njani ukuba abo bahlala bengatshatanga banokufumana umvuzo ebomini?

¹⁰ UYeremiya wakwazi ukuhlala engatshatanga, kuba wayethembele kwinkxaso kaThixo. Njani? Kaloku khumbula ukuba uYeremiya wayeyoliswa lilizwi likaYehova. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba oko kwamomeleza kwaza kwamqinisekisa ngakumbi kangangamashumi eminyaka njengoko wayenikela ingqalelo kubulungiseleli abuphathiswe nguThixo. Ukongezelela koko, wayebaphepha ngobulumko abo babemgculela ngokungatshati. Wayekulungele ‘ukuhlala yedwa’ kunokuba phakathi kwabantu abanjalo.—Funda uYeremiya 15:17.

 ¹¹ AmaKristu amaninzi angatshatanga—amadoda namabhinqa, enoba aselula okanye akhulile ngeminyaka—axelisa umzekelo omhle kaYeremiya. Amava abanye abonisa indlela ekuluncedo ngayo ukuxakeka kwinkonzo kaThixo, ube nesabelo ngakumbi kwizinto zokomoya. Ngokomzekelo, elinye iNgqina elikhonza kwibandla labathetha isiTshayina lithi: “Ukuba nguvulindlela kwenza umntu aphile ubomi obunenjongo. Ekubeni ndingudade ongatshatanga, ndixakekile yaye oko kuyandinceda ndingaziva ndililolo. Ekupheleni kosuku ngalunye ndiziva ndanelisekile ngenxa yokubona ukuba ubulungiseleli bam bunceda abaninzi. Oku kundivuyisa ngokwenene.” Omnye uvulindlela oneminyaka engama-38 ubudala uthi: “Ndicinga ukuba eyona mfihlelo yolonwabo kukukwazi ukunandipha izinto ezintle ezibangelwa yiyo nayiphi na imeko ozifumana ukuyo.” Omnye umKristu ongatshatanga ohlala kumzantsi Yurophu wathi: “Ngoxa izinto zingakhange zenzeke ngendlela endandicinga ngayo ebomini, ndonwabile yaye ndiya kuqhubeka ndinjalo.”

12, 13. (a) Iyintoni imbono yokwenene yokungatshati nokutshata? (b) Ubomi nesiluleko sikaPawulos sibethelela ntoni ngokungatshati?

¹² Ngaba akunakwenzeka ukuba uYeremiya wayevakalelwa kukuba ubomi bakhe abuyiyo into awayecinga ukuba buza kuba yiyo esakhula? Noko ke, usenokuba wayibona into yokuba kunjalo nakwabo batshatileyo baza banabantwana. Omnye uvulindlela waseSpeyin wathi: “Ndazi abantu abatshatileyo abonwabileyo nabangonwabanga. Ukwazi oku kundenza ndiqiniseke ukuba ulonwabo lwam aluxhomekekanga kwinto yokuba nditshatile okanye anditshatanga.” Akuthandabuzeki ukuba, njengakubantu abaninzi, izinto ezenzeka kuYeremiya zingqina ukuba umntu ongatshatanga unako ukonwaba aze  aneliseke ebomini. Nompostile uPawulos uyakungqina oko kuba wathi: “Kubantu abangatshatanga nabahlolokazi, ndithi kuhle ukuba bahlale benjengam.” (1 Kor. 7:8) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayengumhlolo. Kodwa ke, esikwaziyo kukuba wayengatshatanga xa wayezibhokoxa kwinkonzo yobuvangeli. (1 Kor. 9:5) Ngaba akukho ngqiqweni ukugqiba kwelokuba ukungatshati kwakhe kwaba luncedo? Oko kwakuthetha ukuba ‘ukhonza iNkosi rhoqo ngaphandle kwesiphazamiso,’ yaye ngenxa yoko wafeza okuninzi okulungileyo.—1 Kor. 7:35.

¹³ UPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba ongezelele enye into: “Abo [batshatayo] baya kuba nembandezelo enyameni yabo.” UThixo waxelela uPawulos ukuba abhale nale nyaniso: ‘Ukuba nabani na uzimisele entliziyweni yakhe ukugcina ubunyulu bakhe, uya kuba wenza kakuhle. Ngenxa yoko kwanalowo unikela ubunyulu bakhe emtshatweni wenza kakuhle, kodwa lowo ungabunikeliyo emtshatweni uya kuba wenza kakuhle ngakumbi.’ (1 Kor. 7:28, 37, 38) UYeremiya akazange awafunde loo mazwi kodwa ubomi awayebuphila kangangamashumi eminyaka bubonisa ukuba ukungatshati akumthinteli umntu ekukhonzeni uThixo. Phofu ke, kunokufak’ isandla ngakumbi kubomi obunenjongo obusekelwe kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Nakuba wayetshatile, uKumkani uZedekiya akazange asithobele isilumkiso sikaYeremiya ukuze ‘ahlale ephila’; ngoxa yena lo mprofeti ungatshatanga wenza izinto ezamnceda ‘wahlala ephila.’

14. Yintoni ebalaseliswa lulwalamano lukaPawulos nentsapho ka-Akwila?

¹⁴ Njengoko kuphawulwe ekuqaleni, inkoliso yamadoda namabhinqa omhla kaYeremiya atshata aza aba neentsapho. Kuyafana ke nangomhla kaPawulos. Alithandabuzeki elokuba, amaKristu amaninzi aneentsapho ayengenakukwazi ukushumayela kwimimandla ekude njengoPawulos, kodwa ayesenza okuninzi kwimimandla ahlala kuyo. Oko kuquka ukuba yintsikelelo kubazalwana noodade abangatshatanga. Khumbula ukuba ukufika kukaPawulos eKorinte, wamkelwa nguAkwila noPrisila emzini wabo baza basebenza kunye ekwenzeni iintente. Kodwa kwakusekho okungakumbi. Ngokuqinisekileyo indlela le ntsapho eyayinobuhlobo ngayo kuPawulos yayihlaziya. Cinga ngezidlo ezimnandi ababezinandipha kunye nangezinye izihlandlo zokunxulumana kwabo. Ngaba uYeremiya wayelufumana unxulumano olunjalo? Ukungatshati kwakhe wayekusebenzisa enkonzweni kaThixo, kodwa sekunjalo asimele sicinge ukuba wayeyinkom’ edla yodwa. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayenxulumana neentsapho ezizinikele enkonzweni kaThixo, mhlawumbi intsapho kaBharuki, kaEbhedi-meleki nezabanye.—Roma 16:3; funda IZenzo 18:1-3.

15. Iintsapho ezingamaKristu zinokuwanceda njani amaKristu angatshatanga?

¹⁵ Nanamhlanje amaKristu angatshatanga ayangenelwa kunxulumano olufana nolwentsapho ka-Akwila noPawulos. Ukuba unentsapho, ngaba uyaqinisekisa ukuba uyanxulumana nabo bangatshatanga? Omnye udade wachaza okusentliziyweni yakhe esithi: “Ihlabathi ndilinikele umva yaye andinqweneli ukuphindela kulo. Sekunjalo, ndisafuna ukunyanyekelwa nokuthandwa. Ndithandazela ukuba uYehova ongezelele ukutya kokomoya nokhuthazo kuthi maKristu angatshatanga. Sifuna ukuxhaswa,  yaye ayisithi sonke abafuna ukutshata. Kodwa kubonakala ngathi singamalolo. Liyinyaniso elokuba sithembele kuYehova, kodwa xa sifuna ukunxulumana nabanye abantu, ngaba sinokuphethukela kwintsapho yethu yokomoya?” Amawaka abazalwana noodade abangatshatanga banokuwuphendula lo mbuzo ngokuthi kunjalo. Bayalufumana unxulumano olunjalo emabandleni abo. Abanxulumani kuphela nabazalwana noodade abangoontanga babo. Ekubeni bebathanda abantu, bayakunandipha ukuba nabahlobo abakubudala obahlukahlukeneyo, kuquka abakhulileyo okanye ulutsha lweentsapho zamaKristu ezikumabandla abo.

16. Ziziphi izinto ezincinane onokuzenza ukuze uhlaziye amaKristu angatshatanga asebandleni lakho?

¹⁶ Usenokubahlaziya abangatshatanga ngokuba maxa  wambi ucebe ukuba kunye nabo kwizinto enizenza entsatsheni, njengoNqulo Lwentsapho. Ukunandipha isidlo sentsapho kunye nomzalwana nodade ongatshatanga kunokuthetha okungakumbi. Ngaba unokucela ukusebenza naye entsimini? Kuthekani ngokumcela ukuba asebenze nentsapho yakho xa ilungisa iHolo yoBukumkani okanye uye naye ezivenkileni ngamaxesha athile? Ezinye iintsapho ziye zacela umhlolo, umhlolokazi okanye uvulindlela ongatshatanga ukuba aye nazo endibanweni okanye kwiholide. Unxulumano olunjalo luye lwangqineka luhlaziya ngokwenene.

17-19. (a) Kutheni abantwana kufuneka balungelelane xa becinga ngendlela yokunyamekela abazali babo abakhulileyo okanye abanesiphene? (b) Sisiphi isifundo esisifumana kwindlela uYesu awamnyamekela ngayo unina?

¹⁷ Enye into esinokuyicinga ngokuphathelele abazalwana noodade abangatshatanga kukunyamekela abazali abakhulileyo. Ngemihla kaYesu, amaYuda athile adumileyo ayesenza amaqhinga okungabanyamekeli abazali bawo. Ayesithi ukunyamekela iimbopheleleko zawo zonqulo kubaluleke ngaphezu kweembopheleleko azinikwe nguThixo zokunyamekela abazali. (Marko 7:9-13) Akufanele kube njalo kwiintsapho zamaKristu.—1 Tim. 5:3-8.

¹⁸ Kuthekani ke xa abazali abakhulileyo benabantwana abaninzi abangamaKristu? Ukuba omnye wabo bantwana akatshatanga, ngaba kunyanzelekile ukuba ibe nguye onyamekela abazali? Omnye udade waseJapan wabhala: “Bendingathanda kona ukutshata, kodwa ngenxa yokuba ndinembopheleleko yokunyamekela abazali, andinakutshata. Ndiqinisekile ukuba uYehova uyaluqonda uxinezeleko olubangelwa kukunyamekela abazali nentlungu yabantu abangatshatanga.” Ngaba kusenokwenzeka ukuba lo dade unabantakwabo noodadewabo abagqiba kwelokuba mayibe nguye onyamekela abazali babo bengakhange bakuxubushe naye oko? Oku kuyafana nemeko kaYeremiya  owayenabantakwabo ababengamphathanga kakuhle.—Funda uYeremiya 12:6.

¹⁹ UYehova uyabazi abantu abangatshatanga yaye unovelwano ngabo bahlangabezana neemeko ezinzima. (INdu. 103:11-14) Kodwa ke, abazali abakhulileyo okanye abanesiphene ngabazali kubo bonke abantwana babo, kungekuphela nje kwabo bangatshatanga. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye abantwana babo batshatile yaye banabantwana. Sekunjalo, oko akumele kubenze bayeke ukuthanda abazali babo, okanye kubakhulule kwiimbopheleleko zabo zobuKristu zokubanyamekela. Siyazi ukuba xa uYesu wayeza kubethelelwa kwisibonda sentuthumbo, wayeyazi imbopheleleko awayenayo yokunyamekela unina. (Yoh. 19:25-27) IBhayibhile ayimiseli mithetho ngendlela abamele babambisane ngayo abantwana ekunyamekeleni abazali babo abakhulileyo okanye abaneziphene; ingatsho nokuba ngabantwana abangatshatanga abanembopheleleko engakumbi yokubanyamekela. Onke amalungu entsapho amele ahlale phantsi aze axubushe ngokusengqiqweni ngendlela aza kukwenza ngayo oku, ekhumbula umzekelo owamiselwa nguYesu xa wayenyamekela unina.

20. Uvakalelwa njani ngokunxulumana nabantu abangatshatanga abasebandleni lakho?

²⁰ Ephefumlelwe uYeremiya wathi: “Abayi kuba safundisana ngamnye iqabane lakhe nomnye umntakwabo, besithi, ‘Mazini uYehova!’ kuba bonke baya kundazi.” (Yer. 31:34) Nathi namhlanje sinandipha olo lwalamano lubalaseleyo kwibandla lamaKristu, kuquka nolo lwabazalwana noodade abangatshatanga. Alithandabuzeki elokuba, sonke sifuna ukubahlaziya abo bangatshatanga ukuze ‘baqhubeke bephila.’