1. Unqulo lwesithethe luye lwafaniswa njani nonxantathu?

IINKOLELO zonqulo zesithethe zaseAfrika ziye zafaniswa nonxantathu. Phezulu nguThixo, onamandla okomoya agqithiseleyo. Emacaleni ngoothixo abangaphantsi kwakhe, okanye oomoya, abangabakhonzi bakaThixo. Ecaleni kwabo yiminyanya, ekhumbula ize incede iintsapho zayo ezisemhlabeni. Emazantsi ngamandla omoya akumgangatho onganeno: umlingo, ukuvumisa nobugqwirha.

2. Enye intetho yaseAfrika ibonisa njani ukuba iinkolelo zesithethe zinempembelelo elunqulweni?

² Ezi nkolelo zesithethe zibe nempembelelo enamandla nakwezinye iinkonzo eAfrika. Enye intetho yaseAfrika ikubeka ngolu hlobo oku: “Ukunamathela kuNqulo lwethu (lobuKristu okanye lobuSilamsi) akusithinteli ukuba singanquli oothixo belizwe lethu.”

3. Sinokuyifunda phi inyaniso ngabo bahlala kummandla womoya?

³ Ziyinyaniso kangakanani iinkolelo zesithethe zaseAfrika? IBhayibhile isixelela inyaniso ngabo bahlala kummandla womoya.

4. Yintoni ezivumelana ngayo iinkonzo eziphambili zaseAfrika?

⁴ Iinkonzo ezintathu eziphambili zaseAfrika ziyavuma ukuba uThixo ukho yaye wongamile. IBhayibhile imchaza ‘njengoThixo woothixo neNkosi yeenkosi, uThixo omkhulu, onamandla nowoyikekayo.’ (Duteronomi 10:17) AmaSilamsi nawo akholelwa kuThixo omnye owongamileyo. Ngokuphathelele unqulo lwesithethe eAfrika, uNjingalwazi Geoffrey Parrinder uthi: “Inkoliso yabemi baseAfrika ikholelwa kuThixo owongamileyo, uyise woothixo nabantu, umdali wendalo iphela.”

5. Ngawaphi amanye amagama abizwa ngawo uThixo?

⁵ Ukanti, phezu kwako nje ukusasazeka ngokubanzi kwenkolelo ngoThixo, inkoliso yabantu ayinambono icacileyo ngoThixo. Inyathelo lokuqala lokwazi umntu kukwazi igama lakhe. Kukho ukungavisisani ezinkonzweni ngokuphathelele igama likaThixo. Amalungu eNgqobhoko, adla ngokumbiza ngokuba nguThixo, gama elo elithetha “Lowo Unamandla.” AmaSilamsi, athi nguAllah. Abo baqhelisela unqulo lwesithethe bambiza Lowo Wongamileyo ngamagama ahlukahlukeneyo ngokweelwimi zabo. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Concepts of God in Africa, uJohn S. Mbiti udwelisa ngaphezu kwama-500 amagama ahlukeneyo aseAfrika abhekisela kuThixo. Ngokomzekelo, ngolwimi lwesiYorubha (eNigeria), uThixo ubizwa ngokuthi Olodumare; amaKikuyu (eKenya), ambiza ngokuthi  Ngai; yaye amaZulu (eMzantsi Afrika), athi nguNkulunkulu.

6, 7. Ngubani igama likaThixo, yaye silazi njani?

⁶ Yena uThixo uthini ngegama lakhe? Xa uThixo wayalela uMoses ukuba akhokele amaSirayeli ukuphuma eYiputa, uMoses wabuza wathi: “Makwenzeke ke ndifike koonyana bakaSirayeli ndize ndithi kubo, ‘UThixo wookhokho benu undithumile kuni,’ baze bathi kum, ‘Ngubani na igama lakhe?’ Ndothini na kubo?”—Eksodus 3:13.

⁷ UThixo waphendula wathi: “Uze uthi koonyana bakaSirayeli, ‘UYehova uThixo wookhokho benu . . . undithumile kuni.’ Lilo elo igama lam kuse kwixesha elingenammiselo, yaye sisikhumbuzo sam eso kwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana.” (Eksodus 3:15) Eli gama likaThixo livela ngaphezu kwezihlandlo ezingama-7 000 eBhayibhileni, nangona abanye abaguquleli beBhayibhile beye basebenzisa isibizo esithi “Thixo” okanye “Nkosi” endaweni yalo.

8. Unjani uYehova, yaye yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze akholiswe sithi?

⁸ Unjani kanye kanye uYehova? Ungumoya, ungusomandla, yaye uzukile. Wongamile, yaye akanakulinganiswa nanto. (Duteronomi 6:4; Isaya 44:6) UYehova wathi kuMoses: “Mna Yehova uThixo wakho ndinguThixo ofuna uzinikelo olupheleleyo.” Ngamany’ amazwi, ukuze uYehova akholiswe sithi, simele sinqule yena yedwa. Akafuni sinqule nantoni na okanye nabani na ongomnye.—Eksodus 20:3-5.

9. Kutheni sinokuthi uYesu akalingani noYehova?

⁹ Namhlanje kukho ukudideka okukhulu ngokuphathelele ukuba ungubani uYesu. Amalungu amaninzi eNgqobhoko akholelwa ukuba uYesu uyinxalenye kaBathathu Emnye “Ongcwele.” Kodwa iBhayibhile ayifundisi ukuba uThixo ungabantu abathathu emnye. Yaye ayifundisi ukuba uYesu uyalingana noYehova. UYesu ngokwakhe wathi: “UBawo mkhulu kunam.”​—Yohane 14:28.

10. Wayephi uYesu ngaphambi kokuza kwakhe emhlabeni?

¹⁰ IBhayibhile ifundisa ukuba ngaphambi kokuba uYesu aphile njengomntu emhlabeni, wayephila ezulwini njengesidalwa somoya esomeleleyo. Kanye njengokuba uYehova wadala uAdam noEva emhlabeni, ngoko wadala nabantu bomoya ezulwini. UYesu wayengumntu wokuqala womoya uYehova awamdalayo.​—Yohane 17:5; Kolose 1:15.

11. Kwenzeka njani ukuze uYesu azalwe njengomntu?

¹¹ Kwiminyaka emalunga nama-2 000 eyadlulayo, uYehova wabufudusela kwisibeleko sentombi enyulu egama linguMariya ubomi besi sidalwa somoya. Ingelosi uGabriyeli yathi kuye: “Uya kukhawula esibelekweni sakho uze uzale unyana, umbize ngokuba nguYesu igama lakhe. Kwaye uya kulawula njengokumkani . . . , yaye ubukumkani bakhe abuyi kuba nasiphelo.”​—Luka 1:31, 33. *

12. Sisiphi esinye isizathu sokuza kukaYesu emhlabeni?

¹² Ngoko uYesu wazalwa, wakhula waba yindoda, waza wafundisa abantu ngokuthanda nangenjongo kaYehova. Wathi kwirhuluneli engumRoma: “Ndizalelwe oku, yaye ndizele oku ehlabathini, ukuze ndiyingqinele inyaniso.” (Yohane 18:37) Ngokuhlolisisa oko uYesu wakufundisayo, sinokufunda inyaniso ngokuthanda nangenjongo kaThixo. Sinokufunda indlela esinokumkholisa ngayo uThixo.

13. Sisiphi isizathu sesibini sokuza kukaYesu emhlabeni?

¹³ Isizathu sesibini sokuza kukaYesu emhlabeni yayikukunikela ngobomi bakhe njengomntu ukuba bube yintlawulelo yoluntu.  (Mateyu 20:28) Wakwenza oku ukuze sibe nokukhululeka kwisono esasizuza ilifa kukhokho wethu uAdam. Ngenxa yoko, sasiya kukwazi ukuphila ngonaphakade. Umpostile uYohane wabhala wathi: “UThixo walithanda kakhulu ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.”​—Yohane 3:16.

14. (a) Yintoni eyenzekayo kuYesu emva kokufa kwakhe njengomntu? (b) Siyintoni isigxina sikaYesu ezulwini ngoku?

¹⁴ Emva kokufa kwakhe njengomntu, uYesu wavuselwa ezulwini, apho waqhubeka ephila kwakhona njengesidalwa esinamandla somoya. (IZenzo 2:32, 33) Kamva, uYehova wamnika “ulawulo nesidima nobukumkani, ukuze zonke izizwana neentlanga neelwimi zimkhonze.” (Daniyeli 7:13, 14) UYesu wenziwa uKumkani onamandla amakhulu; unguKumkani karhulumente kaYehova wasezulwini. Kungekudala uza kuwabonakalisa amandla akhe emhlabeni wonke.

15. Zadalwa nini yaye phi iingelosi?

¹⁵ AsingoYehova noYesu kuphela abahlala kummandla womoya. UYehova wadala ezinye izidalwa zomoya, iingelosi. UGabriyeli, owathetha noMariya, yenye yazo. Iingelosi azizange ziqale ngokuphila njengabantu emhlabeni. Zadalwa ezulwini kude kudala ngaphambi kokudalwa kwabantu emhlabeni. (Yobhi 38:4-7) Kukho izigidi zeengelosi.​—Daniyeli 7:10.

16. Kutheni abantu bengafanele banqule iingelosi?

¹⁶ Ezi ngelosi zithembekileyo azifuni ukuba sinqule zona. Kangangezihlandlo ezibini, xa umpostile uYohane wazama ukunqula iingelosi, zamkhalimela zathi: “Lumka! Ungakwenzi oko! . . . Nqula uThixo.”​—ISityhilelo 19:10; 22:8, 9.

17. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba iingelosi ziyakwazi ukukhusela abakhonzi bakaThixo, yaye kutheni kukhuthaza nje oku?

¹⁷ Iingelosi azisabonakali ebantwini bakaThixo emhlabeni, njengoko zabonakalayo ekuhlanguleni kwazo abapostile bakaYesu entolongweni. (IZenzo 5:18, 19) Noko ke, ukuba uYehova simnqula ngokuvisisana neLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile, sinokuqiniseka ukuba imikhosi enamandla nengabonakaliyo yeengelosi iya kusikhusela. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ingelosi kaYehova imisa inkampu macala onke kwabo bamoyikayo, ize ibahlangule.” (INdumiso 34:7; 91:11) Kutheni kufanele kusikhuthaze nje oku? Kungenxa yokuba kukho iintshaba eziyingozi kummandla womoya ezifuna ukusitshabalalisa!

18. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze enye ingelosi ivukele uThixo? (b) Ngawaphi amagama eyanikwa wona le ngelosi ivukelayo?

¹⁸ Asizizo zonke iingelosi zikaThixo ezahlala zithembekile kuye. Ezinye zamvukela. Zazenza iintshaba zikaThixo neentshaba zabantu emhlabeni. Kwenzeka njani oku? Zonke izidalwa eziziingelosi uYehova awazidalayo zazingamalungisa yaye zilungile. Noko ke, omnye  waba nyana bafezekileyo bomoya wafuna ukuba abantu banqule yena waza wenza ngokuvisisana naloo mnqweno wakhe ungendawo. Eso sidalwa somoya sanikwa igama elinguSathana, elithetha “Lowo Umelene [noThixo].” Ukwabizwa nangokuba nguMtyholi, gama elo elithetha “Umhlebi,” ekubeni ethetha ubuxoki obungendawo ngoYehova.

19. Kwakutheni ukuze uSathana athuthumbise uYobhi, yaye wakwenza njani oko?

¹⁹ USathana unyanzela abantu ukuba bamthelele ekuvukeleni uThixo. Khawucinge nje ngoko wakwenzayo kumkhonzi othembekileyo kaThixo uYobhi. UYobhi wayeyindoda esisityebi kakhulu. Wayeneegusha ezingama-7 000, iinkamela ezingama-3 000, iinkomo ezili-1 000, neemazi zamaesile ezingama-500. Kwakhona wayenabantwana abalishumi nezicaka ezininzi. Okokuqala, uSathana wabulala imfuyo kaYobhi kunye nezicaka zakhe. Wandula ke wabangela kwabakho “umoya omkhulu” owadiliza indlu waza wabulala bonke abantwana bakaYobhi. Emva koko, uSathana wamthuthumbisa uYobhi “ngamathumba abuhlungu ukususela entendeni yonyawo lwakhe ukuya elukakayini lwentloko yakhe.”​—Yobhi 1:3-19; 2:7.

20. (a) Wavuzwa njani uYobhi ngokuthembeka kwakhe? (b) Nangona uYobhi wahlala ethembekile kuThixo, yintoni aye wayenza uSathana kwabanye abantu abaninzi?

²⁰ Phezu kwaso nje eso silingo siqatha, uYobhi wahlala ethembekile kuThixo. Ngoko uYehova wamphilisa waza ‘wakongeza ngokuphindiweyo konke oko wayenako uYobhi.’ (Yobhi 42:10) USathana akazange aphumelele ukwaphula ingqibelelo kaYobhi, kodwa uye waphumelela ekutyekiseni abanye abantu abaninzi kuThixo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ihlabathi liphela lisemandleni ongendawo.”​—1 Yohane 5:19.

21. (a) USathana wawubonisa njani umnqweno wakhe wokufuna ukunqulwa? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu ale ukunqula uSathana?

²¹ USathana ufuna sinqule yena. Oku kwabonakala ngokucacileyo xa weyelinga uYesu phantse kwiminyaka engama-2 000 eyadlulayo. IBhayibhile ithi: “UMtyholi wamthabatha [uYesu] wamsa kwintaba ephakame ngokungaqhelekanga, waza wambonisa zonke izikumkani zehlabathi nozuko lwazo, wathi kuye: ‘Zonke ezi zinto ndokunika ukuba uthe wawa phantsi wanqula kum.’” UYesu akazange avume, esithi: “Hamb’ umke, Sathana! Kuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, ‘NguYehova uThixo wakho omele umnqule, yaye nguye yedwa omele unikele inkonzo engcwele kuye.’” (Mateyu 4:8-10) UYesu wayewazi ngokucacileyo umthetho kaYehova, yaye akazange akwenze oko kwakufunwa nguSathana.

22. Yintoni iidemon eziyenzileyo ebantwini?

²² Ezinye iingelosi zamthelela uSathana ekuvukeleni uThixo. Ezi ngelosi ziziidemon zikwaziintshaba zabantu emhlabeni. Zikhohlakele yaye zinogonyamelo. Mandulo, zenza abantu baba zizimumu neemfama. (Mateyu 9:32, 33; 12:22) Abanye zabenza bagula okanye bamkelwa ziingqondo. (Mateyu 17:15, 18; Marko 5:2-5) Zada zathuthumbisa kwanabantwana.​—Luka 9:42.

23. (a) Yintoni oomoya abangendawo abayifunayo ebantwini? (b) Yintoni uSathana needemon abaye bakhohlisa abantu ukuba bayenze?

²³ NjengoSathana, aba moya bangendawo nabo bafuna ukunqulwa. Kunokuba bakugatye ukunqulwa ngabantu—ngenxa yokuqonda ukuba nguYehova kuphela ofanele anqulwe—bayakulangazelela, bayakufuna, bade bakukhuthaze. Ngokusebenzisa inkohliso, ubuxoki noloyiko, uSathana needemon baye benza ukuba abantu babanqule. Kambe ke, asingabo bonke abantu abaziyo ukuba banqula uSathana needemon zakhe. Inkoliso yabantu ingothuka yakufumanisa ukuba inkonzo yayo izukisa uSathana. Ukanti, iBhayibhile ilumkisa ngelithi: “Izinto iintlanga ezizibingelelayo zizibingelela kwiidemon, kungekhona kuThixo.”​—1 Korinte 10:20.