1. Sisiphi isabatha esifihlakeleyo abawela kuso ngokulula abantu abangafezekanga?

 “UKUBA unegunya siya kusoloko sikho isabatha esifihlakeleyo.” Loo mazwi embongi yenkulungwane ye-19 abonisa ingozi efihlakeleyo: ukusetyenziswa kakubi kwegunya. Ngelishwa, abantu abangafezekanga basoloko bewela ngokulula kwesi sabatha. Eneneni, ukutyhubela imbali ‘umntu uye walawula umntu yaza yaba kukwenzakala kwakhe.’ (INtshumayeli 8:9) Ukusebenzisa igunya ngokungenaluthando kubazisele iingcinezelo ezingathethekiyo abantu.

2, 3. (a) Yintoni ephawulekayo ngendlela uYehova alisebenzisa ngayo igunya lakhe? (b) Lisenokuquka ntoni igunya lethu, yaye sifanele silisebenzise njani lonke elo gunya?

² Noko ke, akuyiyo na into ephawulekayo ukuba uYehova uThixo, onegunya elingasikelwanga mda, engaze alisebenzise kakubi? Njengoko siphawulile kwizahluko ezandulelayo, usoloko elisebenzisa igunya lakhe ngokuvisisana neenjongo zakhe zothando—enoba ulisebenzisela ukudala, ukutshabalalisa, ukukhusela okanye ukubuyisela. Xa sihlolisisa indlela awasebenzisa ngayo amandla akhe, sishukunyiselwa ukuba sisondele kuye. Ngoko, oko kunokusishukumisela ukuba ‘sibe ngabaxelisa uThixo’ kwindlela thina esilisebenzisa ngayo igunya. (Efese 5:1) Kodwa liliphi igunya thina bantu abangento esinalo?

³ Khumbula ukuba umntu wadalwa “ngokomfanekiselo kaThixo” nangokufana naye. (Genesis 1:26, 27) Ngoko, nathi sinalo igunya—ubuncinane ngomlinganiselo othile. Igunya lethu lisenokuquka amandla okuphumeza okuthile, okusebenza; ukulawula abanye; ukukwazi ukuphembelela abanye, ingakumbi abo basithandayo; amandla omzimba; okanye ubutyebi bezinto eziphathekayo. Ngokuphathelele uYehova,  umdumisi wathi: “Ukuwe umthombo wobomi.” (INdumiso 36:9) Ngoko ke, ngokungqalileyo okanye ngokungangqalanga, uThixo ungumthombo walo naliphi na igunya elifanelekileyo esisenokuba sinalo. Ngoko sifuna ukulisebenzisa ngendlela emkholisayo. Sinokukwenza njani oko?

4, 5. (a) Uyintoni undoqo wokulisebenzisa ngokufanelekileyo igunya, yaye umzekelo kaThixo ukubonisa njani oku? (b) Uthando luya kusinceda njani ukuba silisebenzise ngokufanelekileyo igunya esinalo?

⁴ Oyena ndoqo wokusebenzisa igunya ngokufanelekileyo luthando. Ngaba umzekelo kaThixo uqobo awukubonisi oku? Khumbula ingxubusho engeempawu ezine ezibalaseleyo zikaThixo—amandla, okusesikweni, ubulumko nothando—kwiSahluko 1. Kwezi mpawu zine, luluphi olubalaseleyo? Luthando. Eyoku-1 kaYohane 4:8 ithi: “UThixo uluthando.” Ewe, uthando lububuntu bukaYehova; luphembelela konke akwenzayo. Ngoko ukusetyenziswa kwegunya lakhe kusoloko kuphenjelelwa luthando yaye ekugqibeleni kuba kokokulungelwa kwabo bamthandayo.

⁵ Uthando luya kusinceda nathi ukuba silisebenzise ngokufanelekileyo igunya esinalo. Ngapha koko, iBhayibhile isixelela ukuba uthando “lunobubele” yaye “alufuni ezalo izilangazelelo.” (1 Korinte 13:4, 5) Ngoko, uthando aluyi kusivumela ukuba sibe ngqwabalala okanye sibonise inkohlakalo kwabo sinegunya elithile phezu kwabo. Kunoko, siya kubaphatha ngesidima abanye size sibeke iintswelo neemvakalelo zabo ngaphambi kwezethu.—Filipi 2:3, 4.

6, 7. (a) Luyintoni uloyiko lobuthixo, yaye kutheni olu phawu luya kusinceda ukuba sikuphephe ukulisebenzisa kakubi igunya? (b) Zekelisa unxibelelwano olukhoyo phakathi kokoyika ukungamkholisi uThixo nokumthanda uThixo.

⁶ Uthando luhlobene nolunye uphawu olunokusinceda sikuphephe ukulisebenzisa kakubi igunya: uloyiko lobuthixo. Luxabiseke kangakanani olu phawu? IMizekeliso 16:6 ithi: “Ngokoyika uYehova ubani uyemka ebubini.” Ngokuqinisekileyo ukusetyenziswa kakubi kwegunya kuphakathi kweendlela ezimbi esifanele simke kuzo. Ukoyika uThixo kuya kusithintela ukuba  singabaphathi kakubi abo sinegunya phezu kwabo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba siyazi ukuba siza kuphendula kuThixo ngendlela esibaphatha ngayo abanye. (Nehemiya 5:1-7, 15) Kodwa uloyiko lobuthixo lubandakanya okungakumbi kunoko. Amagama antlandlolo aguqulelwe ngokuthi “uloyiko” ngokufuthi abhekisela ekumhloneleni ngokunzulu uThixo. Ngenxa yoko iBhayibhile ikunxulumanisa ukoyika kunye nokumthanda uThixo. (Duteronomi 10:12, 13) Olu loyiko lwentlonelo luquka uloyiko olusengqiqweni lokoyika ukungamkholisi uThixo—kungekhona nje ngenxa yokoyika imiphumo kodwa ngenxa yokuba simthanda ngokunyanisekileyo.

⁷ Ngokomzekelo: Khawucinge ngolwalamano oluhle oluphakathi kwenkwenkwana kunye noyise. Le nkwenkwe iyawubona umdla wokwenene nowothando uyise anawo kuyo. Kodwa le nkwenkwe iyakuqonda oko uyise akulindeleyo kuyo, yaye iyazi ukuba uyise uza kuyohlwaya ukuba ayithobeli. Le nkwenkwe ayityhwatyhwi luloyiko ngenxa kayise. Kunoko, imthanda ngokwenene uyise. Iyakuvuyela ukwenza oko kuya kumkholisa uyise. Kunjalo ke nangoloyiko lobuthixo. Ngenxa yokuba simthanda uYehova, uBawo wethu wasemazulwini, siyoyika ukwenza nantoni na eya kuyenza ibe “buhlungu intliziyo yakhe.” (Genesis 6:6) Kunoko, silangazelela ukuyivuyisa intliziyo yakhe. (IMizekeliso 27:11) Kungenxa yoko le nto sifuna ukulisebenzisa ngokufanelekileyo igunya lethu. Makhe sihlolisise ngokunzulu indlela esinokukwenza ngayo oko.

 8. (a) Liliphi igunya amadoda analo entsatsheni, yaye lifanele lisetyenziswe njani? (b) Indoda inokubonisa njani ukuba iyamhlonela umfazi wayo?

⁸ Kuqala khawucinge ngentsapho. Eyabase-Efese 5:23 ithi: “Indoda iyintloko yomfazi.” Indoda ifanele ilisebenzise njani eli gunya elinikwe nguThixo? IBhayibhile ixelela amadoda ukuba ahlale nabafazi bawo ‘ngokokwazi, ebanika imbeko njengesitya esibuthathaka.’ (1 Petros 3:7) Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “imbeko” lithetha “ukuxabisa, ukuhlonela.” Eli gama likwaguqulelwe nangokuthi “izipho” nokuthi  “ukuxabiseka.” (IZenzo 28:10; 1 Petros 2:7) Indoda emhlonelayo umfazi wayo ayisayi kuze imbethe; yaye ayisayi kuze imhlazise okanye imthobe isidima, imenze azive engento yanto. Kunoko, iyakuqonda ukuxabiseka kwakhe ize imphathe ngentlonelo. Ibonisa ngamazwi nangezenzo zayo—ngasese nasesidlangalaleni—ukuba uxabisekile kuyo. (IMizekeliso 31:28) Indoda elolo hlobo, ayipheleli nje ngokuthandwa nokuhlonelwa ngumfazi wayo, kodwa okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, uThixo uyakholiswa yiyo.

 9. (a) Liliphi igunya abanalo abafazi entsatsheni? (b) Yintoni enokunceda umfazi ukuba asebenzise ubuchule bakhe ekuxhaseni indoda yakhe, yaye oko kunokuba nawuphi umphumo?

⁹ Nabo abafazi banalo igunya ngomlinganiselo othile entsatsheni. IBhayibhile isixelela ngabafazi abahlonel’ uThixo abathi, ngokuzithoba kwigunya lobuntloko, baphembelela amadoda abo ngendlela entle okanye bawanceda aphepha ukwenza izigqibo eziphosakeleyo. (Genesis 21:9-12; 27:46–28:2) Umfazi usenokuba nengqondo ephaphileyo kunendoda yakhe, okanye usenokuba nobunye ubuchule engenabo yona. Ukanti, ufanele abe “nentlonelo enzulu” ngendoda yakhe yaye ‘ayithobele’ “njengakuyo iNkosi.” (Efese 5:22, 33) Ukucinga ngokukholisa uThixo kunokumnceda umfazi ukuba asebenzise ubuchule bakhe ekuxhaseni indoda yakhe kunokuba ayithobe isidima okanye azame ukuyongamela. Umfazi “osisilumko ngokwenene” ngolo hlobo usebenzisana ngokusondeleyo nendoda yakhe ekwakheni intsapho. Ngaloo ndlela uhlala eseluxolweni noThixo.—IMizekeliso 14:1.

10. (a) Liliphi igunya uThixo alinike abazali? (b) Lithetha ukuthini igama elithi ‘uqeqesho,’ yaye lufanele lunikelwe njani? (Bona kwanombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁰ Kwakhona abazali banegunya abalinikwe nguThixo. IBhayibhile ibongoza isithi: “Boyise, musani ukubacaphukisa abantwana benu, kodwa qhubekani nibakhulisela kwingqeqesho nasekweyiselweni kwengqondo kuYehova.” (Efese 6:4) EBhayibhileni, igama elithi ‘uqeqesho’ lisenokuthetha “ukukhulisa, ukuyalela.” Abantwana kufuneka baqeqeshwe; bayaphumelela xa benikwa ulwalathiso, imida nemiqathango engqalileyo.  IBhayibhile ilunxulumanisa uqeqesho okanye imiyalelo elolo hlobo kunye nothando. (IMizekeliso 13:24) Ngoko, “intonga yengqeqesho” ayifanele isetyenziswe kakubi—ngokweemvakalelo okanye ngokwasemzimbeni. a (IMizekeliso 22:15; 29:15) Uqeqesho olungqongqo nolungqwabalala olungenalo uthando lukukulisebenzisa kakubi igunya lobuzali yaye luyamdakumbisa umntwana. (Kolose 3:21) Kwelinye icala, uqeqesho olulungeleleneyo olunikelwa ngendlela efanelekileyo lunika abantwana ingcamango yokuba abazali babo bayabathanda yaye balikhathalele ikamva labo.

11. Abantwana banokuwasebenzisa njani ngokufanelekileyo amandla abo?

¹¹ Kuthekani ngabantwana? Banokuwasebenzisa njani ngokufanelekileyo amandla abo? IMizekeliso 20:29 ithi: “Ubuhle babafana ngamandla abo.” Ngokuqinisekileyo ayikho indlela elunge ngakumbi abantu abaselula abanokuwasebenzisa ngayo amandla abo kunokukhonza ‘uMdali wabo Ozukileyo.’ (INtshumayeli 12:1) Abaselula bafanele bakhumbule ukuba izenzo zabo zinokuyichaphazela indlela abazali babo abavakalelwa ngayo. (IMizekeliso 23:24, 25) Xa abantwana bebathobela abazali babo aboyika uThixo baze banamathele kwikhondo elilungileyo, bayazivuyisa iintliziyo zabazali babo. (Efese 6:1) Ihambo elolo hlobo ‘iyayikholisa iNkosi.’—Kolose 3:20.

12, 13. (a) Yiyiphi imbono abafanele babe nayo abadala ngegunya labo ebandleni? (b) Zekelisa isizathu sokuba abadala befanele bawuphathe ngokuthantamisa umhlambi.

¹² UYehova ulungiselele abaveleli abakhokelayo ebandleni lamaKristu. (Hebhere 13:17) La madoda afanelekileyo afanele asebenzise igunya lawo alinikwe nguThixo ukuze anikele kumhlambi uncedo olufunekayo. Ngaba isigxina sabadala  sibenza babe negunya lokuwalawula amakholwa angoowabo? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo! Abadala bafanele babe nembono elungeleleneyo neyokuthobeka ngokuphathelele indima yabo ebandleni. (1 Petros 5:2, 3) IBhayibhile ithi kubaveleli: “[Laluseni] ibandla likaThixo, elo walithenga ngegazi lowakhe uNyana.” (IZenzo 20:28) Esi sisizathu esinamandla sokuphatha lungu ngalinye lomhlambi ngokuthantamisa.

¹³ Sinokukuzekelisa ngolu hlobo oku. Masithi umhlobo osenyongweni ukucela ukuba umgcinele into ethile exabisekileyo. Uyazi ukuba umhlobo wakho uhlawule ixabiso elikhulu ngaloo nto. Ngaba ubungayi kuyiphatha ngononophelo nangenyameko? Ngokufanayo, uThixo uphathise abadala imbopheleleko yokunyamekela into exabiseke ngokwenene: ibandla, amalungu alo afaniswa nezimvu. (Yohane 21:16, 17) UYehova uzixabisile izimvu zakhe—eneneni, uzixabise kangangokuba wazithenga ngegazi elixabisekileyo loNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, uYesu Kristu. Alikho ixabiso elingaphezu kwelo uYehova abenokulihlawulela izimvu zakhe. Abadala abathobekileyo bayakukhumbula oko baze bakubonakalise kwindlela abaziphatha ngayo izimvu zikaYehova.

14. Ulwimi lunawaphi amandla?

¹⁴ IBhayibhile ithi: “Ukufa nobomi kusemandleni olwimi.” (IMizekeliso 18:21) Eneneni, ulwimi lunokudala umonakalo omkhulu. Ngubani kuthi ongazange ahlatywe yintetho engenangqiqo okanye egxekayo? Kodwa ulwimi lukwanawo namandla okuphilisa. IMizekeliso 12:18 ithi: “Ulwimi lwezilumko luyaphilisa.” Ewe, amazwi akhuthazayo anokuba njengesithambiso esihlaziyayo nesiphilisayo entliziyweni. Khawuqwalasele nje imizekelo embalwa.

15, 16. Sinokulusebenzisa ngaziphi iindlela ulwimi ukukhuthaza abanye?

¹⁵ Eyoku-1 kwabaseTesalonika 5:14 ibongoza isithi: “Yithuthuzeleni imiphefumlo edandathekileyo.” Ewe, kwanabakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova maxa wambi basenokudandatheka.  Sinokubanceda njani abanjalo? Bancome ngokungqalileyo nangokunyanisekileyo ukuze ubancede babone indlela abaxabiseke ngayo emehlweni kaYehova. Yabelana nabo ngamazwi akhuthazayo aseBhayibhileni abonisa ukuba uYehova ubanyamekela yaye ubathanda ngokunyanisekileyo abo ‘baphuke intliziyo nabamoya utyumkileyo.’ (INdumiso 34:18) Xa sisebenzisa amandla olwimi lwethu ekuthuthuzeleni abanye, sibonisa ukuba sixelisa uThixo wethu onemfesane, “obathuthuzelayo abo badakumbileyo.”—2 Korinte 7:6.

¹⁶ Kwakhona sinokusebenzisa amandla olwimi lwethu ukukhuthaza abanye. Ngaba ubani othile okholwa naye ulahlekelwe ngothandekayo ekufeni? Amazwi ovelwano abonisa inyameko yethu anokuyithuthuzela intliziyo esentlungwini. Ngaba umzalwana okanye udade okhulileyo uvakalelwa kukuba akaloncedo? Ulwimi olunovelwano lunokubaqinisekisa abo bakhulileyo ukuba baxabisekile. Ngaba kukho ubani othile ophethwe sisifo esinganyangekiyo? Amazwi obubele athethwe emnxebeni okanye ubuso ngobuso anokumomeleza lowo ugulayo. Hayi indlela amele ukuba uvuya ngayo uMdali wethu xa sisebenzisa amandla olwimi ekuthetheni amazwi ‘alungele ukwakha’!—Efese 4:29.

17. Yiyiphi indlela ebalulekileyo esinokulusebenzisa ngayo ulwimi lwethu ukunceda abanye, yaye kutheni sifanele sikwenze oko?

 ¹⁷ Ayikho indlela ebaluleke ngakumbi yokusebenzisa amandla olwimi kunokwabelana nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. IMizekeliso 3:27 ithi: “Musa ukwala nokulungileyo kwabo kuselungelweni labo ukukufumana, xa kusemandleni esandla sakho ukukwenza.” Kuselungelweni labanye ukuba sabelane nabo ngeendaba ezilungileyo ezisindisa ubomi. Kuya kuba kokungafanelekanga ukusigcina kuthi isigidimi esingxamisekileyo athe uYehova wasinika sona ngesisa. (1 Korinte 9:16, 22) Kodwa uYehova ulindele ukuba sibe nesabelo ngomkhamo ongakanani kulo msebenzi?

18. Yintoni uYehova ayilindeleyo kuthi?

¹⁸ Uthando lwethu ngoYehova lusishukumisela ukuba sibe nesabelo ngokuzeleyo kubulungiseleli bamaKristu. Yintoni uYehova ayilindeleyo kuthi ngokuphathelele oku? Nayiphi na inxaxheba esinokuba nayo, ingakhathaliseki imeko yethu ebomini: “Nayiphi na into eniyenzayo, yenzeni ngomphefumlo uphela ngokungathi niyenzela uYehova, kungekhona abantu.” (Kolose 3:23) Xa wayechaza owona mthetho mkhulu, uYesu wathi: “Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela nangamandla akho ephela.” (Marko 12:30) Ewe, uYehova ulindele ukuba ngamnye wethu amthande yaye amkhonze ngomphefumlo uphela.

19, 20. (a) Ekubeni umphefumlo uquka intliziyo, ingqondo namandla, kutheni ezi zinto zikhankanyiwe nje kuMarko 12:30? (b) Kuthetha ukuthini ukukhonza uYehova ngomphefumlo uphela?

¹⁹ Kuthetha ukuthini ukukhonza uThixo ngomphefumlo uphela? Umphefumlo ubhekisela kumntu ephela, kuquka onke amandla akhe omzimba nawengqondo. Ekubeni umphefumlo uquka intliziyo, ingqondo namandla, kutheni nazo ezi zinto zikhankanyiwe kuMarko 12:30? Khawucinge nje ngalo mzekeliso. Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, umntu wayenokuzithengisa yena (umphefumlo wakhe) ebukhobokeni. Kodwa, ikhoboka lalisenokungayikhonzi inkosi yalo ngentliziyo iphela; lalisenokungawasebenzisi onke amandla alo omzimba nawengqondo ekuphumezeni izilangazelelo zenkosi yalo. (Kolose 3:22) Ngoko, kucacile ukuba uYesu wazikhankanya ezi zinto ukuze agxininise ukuba simele sizibhokoxe ngokupheleleyo enkonzweni yethu kuThixo. Ukukhonza uThixo ngomphefumlo uphela kuthetha ukuzibhokoxa, sisebenzise amandla ethu ngokupheleleyo enkonzweni yakhe.

²⁰ Ngaba ukukhonza ngomphefumlo uphela kuthetha ukuba sonke simele sichithe ixesha namandla alinganayo kubulungiseleli? Akunakwenzeka oko, kuba iimeko zethu azifani. Ngokomzekelo, umntu oselula osempilweni entle nowomeleleyo emzimbeni usenokukwazi ukuchitha ixesha elingakumbi  ekushumayeleni kunalowo ungenamandla ngenxa yobudala. Umntu ongatshatanga ongenazo iimbopheleleko zentsapho usenokukwazi ukwenza okungakumbi kunalowo ufanele anyamekele intsapho. Ukuba amandla neemeko zethu ziyasivumela ukuba senze okungakumbi kubulungiseleli, hayi indlela esifanele sibe nombulelo ngayo! Noko ke, asifanele sibagxeke abanye, sizithelekise kunye nabo. (Roma 14:10-12) Kunoko, sifanele amandla ethu siwasebenzisele ukukhuthaza abanye.

21. Yiyiphi eyona ndlela ibhetele neyona ibalulekileyo yokusebenzisa amandla ethu?

²¹ UYehova umisele umzekelo ogqibeleleyo ekusebenziseni amandla akhe ngokufanelekileyo. Sifuna ukumxelisa ngokomkhamo esinokuwufikelela njengabantu abangafezekanga. Sinokuwasebenzisa ngokufanelekileyo amandla ethu ngokubaphatha ngesidima abo sinegunya elithile phezu kwabo. Ukongezelela, sifuna ukuwuphumeza ngomphefumlo uphela umsebenzi wokushumayela osindisa ubomi uYehova asinike wona ukuba siwenze. (Roma 10:13, 14) Khumbula ukuba, uyamkholisa uYehova ngokwenza okusemandleni akho—ngomphefumlo wakho uphela. Ngaba intliziyo yakho ayikushukumiseli ukuba wenze konke okusemandleni akho ekukhonzeni uThixo oqondayo nonothando ngolo hlobo? Le yeyona ndlela ibhetele okanye ebaluleke ngakumbi yokusebenzisa amandla akho.