1-3. (a) Kutheni simtyala nje uYehova? (b) Yintoni uMhlanguli wethu onothando ayifunayo kuthi?

 KHAWUZITHELEKELELE uvaleleke kwinqanawa ezikayo. Xa kanye uphelelwa lithemba, kufika umntu akuhlangule. Hayi indlela okuba sisiqabu ngayo kuwe xa umhlanguli ekususa kuloo ngozi aze athi: “Ukhuselekile ngoku”! Ngaba ubungayi kuvakalelwa kukuba uyamtyala loo mntu? Eneneni, ubuya kuba umtyala ubomi bakho.

² Ngandlel’ ithile, oku kubonisa oko uYehova asenzele kona. Ngokuqinisekileyo siyamtyala. Kaloku, uye walungiselela intlawulelo, ukuze sihlangulwe emandleni esono nokufa. Siziva sikhuselekile sisazi ukuba logama sibonisa ukholo kwelo dini lixabisekileyo, izono zethu zixolelwe, yaye ikamva lethu elingunaphakade linqabisekile. (1 Yohane 1:7; 4:9) Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko 14, intlawulelo iyimbonakaliso ebalaseleyo yothando nokuba sesikweni kukaYehova. Sifanele sisabele njani?

³ Kuhle ukuba siqwalasele oko uMhlanguli wethu onothando akufunayo kuthi. UYehova uthi ngomprofeti uMika: “Ukuxelele, mntundini wasemhlabeni, okulungileyo. Kwaye yintoni ayibizayo kuwe uYehova ngaphandle kokuqhelisela okusesikweni nokuthanda ububele nokuthozama ekuhambeni noThixo wakho?” (Mika 6:8) Phawula ukuba enye yezinto uYehova azifunayo kuthi kukuba ‘siqhelisele okusesikweni.’ Sinokukwenza njani oko?

 4. Sazi njani ukuba uYehova ulindele ukuba siphile ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa?

⁴ UYehova ulindele ukuba siphile ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo yakhe yokulungileyo nokubi. Ekubeni imilinganiselo yakhe isesikweni yaye iyeyobulungisa, siphuthuma okusesikweni  nobulungisa xa siphila ngokuvisisana nayo. UIsaya 1:17 uthi: “Fundani ukwenza okulungileyo; funani okusesikweni.” ILizwi likaThixo lisibongoza ukuba ‘sifune ubulungisa.’ (Zefaniya 2:3) Likwasikhuthaza nokuba “[sambathe] ubuntu obutsha ngokokuthanda kukaThixo ngobulungisa bokwenyaniso.” (Efese 4:24) Ubulungisa bokwenyaniso—okusesikweni kokwenyaniso—akuhambisani nogonyamelo, ukungcola nokuziphatha okubi, kuba ezi zinto azihambisani noko kungcwele.—INdumiso 11:5; Efese 5:3-5.

5, 6. (a) Kutheni kungeloxanduva nje kuthi ukuphila ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo kaYehova? (b) IBhayibhile ibonisa njani ukuba ukuphuthuma ubulungisa kuyinto eqhubekayo?

⁵ Ngaba kuluxanduva kuthi ukuphila ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo kaYehova yobulungisa? Akunjalo. Intliziyo emthandayo uYehova ayiyinyevuleli imilinganiselo yakhe. Ngenxa yokumthanda kwethu uThixo, sifuna ukuphila ngendlela emkholisayo. (1 Yohane 5:3) Khumbula ukuba uYehova “uyazithanda iindlela zobulungisa.” (INdumiso 11:7) Ukuba sifuna ngokwenene ukuxelisa okusesikweni, okanye ubulungisa bobuthixo, simele sikuthande oko uYehova akuthandayo size sikuthiye oko akuthiyileyo.—INdumiso 97:10.

⁶ Akukho lula ngabantu abangafezekanga ukuphuthuma ubulungisa. Simele sibuhlube ubuntu obudala kunye noqheliselo lwabo size sambathe obutsha. IBhayibhile ithi ubuntu obutsha ‘benziwa bube butsha’ ngolwazi oluchanileyo. (Kolose 3:9, 10) Amagama athi “benziwe bube butsha” abonisa ukuba ukwambatha ubuntu obutsha kuyinto eqhubekayo, efuna umgudu wenkuthalo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba sizama ngamandla kangakanani ukwenza okulungileyo, kubakho amaxesha okuba isono siphambukise iingcinga, amazwi nezenzo zethu.—Roma 7:14-20; Yakobi 3:2.

 7. Sifanele sikugqale ngayiphi indlela ukusilela kwethu kwimizamo yethu yokuphuthuma ubulungisa?

⁷ Sifanele sikugqale njani ukusilela kwethu kwimizamo yethu yokuphuthuma ubulungisa? Kambe ke, asifuni kubusingela phantsi ubunzulu besono. Kwangaxeshanye, asimele  sinikezele, sivakalelwa kukuba ukusilela kwethu kusenza singakufanelekeli ukukhonza uYehova. UThixo wethu onenceba wenze ilungiselelo lokubabuyisela kuye abo baguquka ngokunyanisekileyo. Khawucinge ngala mazwi akhuthazayo kampostile uYohane: “Ndinibhalela ezi zinto ukuze ningenzi sono.” Kodwa ngokusengqiqweni wongezelela esithi: “Ukanti, ukuba nabani na uthi enze isono [ngenxa yokungafezeki esikuzuz’ ilifa], sinaye umncedi kuBawo, uYesu Kristu.” (1 Yohane 2:1) Ewe, uYehova ulungiselele idini lentlawulelo likaYesu ukuze sikwazi ukumkhonza ngokwamkelekileyo phezu kwako nje ukuba nesono kwethu. Ngaba oko akusishukumiseli ekubeni sifune ukwenza okusemandleni ethu ukukholisa uYehova?

8, 9. Ukuvakaliswa kweendaba ezilungileyo kukubonisa njani ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova?

⁸ Sinokubonisa okusesikweni—eneneni, sixelise okusesikweni kobuthixo—ngokuba nesabelo ngokupheleleyo ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo kwabanye. Kuhlobene njani ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova kunye neendaba ezilungileyo?

⁹ UYehova akayi kuyitshabalalisa le nkqubo ingendawo ngaphandle kokuvakalisa isilumkiso kuqala. Ekuprofeteni kwakhe ngoko kwakuza kwenzeka ngexesha lesiphelo, uYesu wathi: “Kumele kushunyayelwe iindaba ezilungileyo kuzo zonke iintlanga kuqala.” (Marko 13:10; Mateyu 24:3) Ukusetyenziswa kwegama elithi “kuqala” kubonisa ukuba ezinye iziganeko ziya kulandela emva komsebenzi wokushumayela owenziwa ehlabathini lonke. Ezo ziganeko ziquka imbandezelo enkulu exelwe kwangaphambili, eya kuthetha ukutshatyalaliswa kwabangendawo ize ivulele indlela ihlabathi elitsha lobulungisa. (Mateyu 24:14, 21, 22) Ngokuqinisekileyo, akukho namnye unokummangalela ngokufanelekileyo uYehova ngokuthi akabonisanga okusesikweni kwabo bangendawo. Ngokuvakalisa isilumkiso, ubanika ithuba elaneleyo lokutshintsha iindlela zabo ukuze basinde kuloo ntshabalalo.—Yona 3:1-10.

10, 11. Ukuba nesabelo kwethu ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo kukubonisa njani okusesikweni kobuthixo?

 ¹⁰ Ukushumayela kwethu iindaba ezilungileyo kukubonisa njani okusesikweni kobuthixo? Okokuqala, kuyinto efanelekileyo ukuba senze okusemandleni ethu ukunceda abanye bazuze usindiso. Khawucinge nje kwakhona ngomzekeliso wokuhlangulwa kwinqanawa ezikayo. Njengoko ukhuselekile kwiphenyane lokuhlangula, ngokuqinisekileyo ubuya kufuna ukunceda abanye abasesemanzini. Ngokufanayo, sinembopheleleko yokunceda abo basazikayo ‘kumanzi’ eli hlabathi lingendawo. Liyinyaniso elokuba, abaninzi bayasigatya isigidimi sethu. Kodwa logama uYehova eqhubeka enomonde, sinembopheleleko yokubanika ithuba ‘lokufikelela enguqukweni’ baze ngaloo ndlela babe nethemba losindiso.—2 Petros 3:9.

¹¹ Ngokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kubo bonke abo sihlangana nabo, sibonisa okusesikweni ngenye indlela ebalulekileyo: Sibonisa ukungabi namkhethe. Khumbula ukuba “uThixo akakhethi buso, kodwa kwiintlanga zonke umntu omoyikayo aze asebenze ubulungisa wamkelekile kuye.” (IZenzo 10:34, 35) Ukuba sifuna ukuxelisa ukuba sesikweni Kwakhe, asimele sibagwebe kwangaphambili abantu. Kunoko, sifanele sabelane ngeendaba ezilungileyo nabanye lungakhathaliseki uhlanga lwabo, isigxina abakuso ekuhlaleni, okanye imeko yabo ngokwemali. Sifanele sinike bonke abaphulaphulayo ithuba lokuva nelokusabela kwiindaba ezilungileyo.—Roma 10:11-13.

12, 13. (a) Kutheni singafanele sikhawuleze ukugweba abanye? (b) Yintoni intsingiselo yesiluleko sikaYesu ‘sokuyeka ukugweba’ ‘nokuyeka ukugwebela isohlwayo’? (Bona kwanombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹² Kwakhona sinokubonisa okusesikweni ngokubaphatha abanye ngendlela uYehova asiphatha ngayo. Kulula kakhulu ukugweba abanye, sibagxeke ngeziphoso zabo yaye sithandabuze iintshukumisa zabo. Kodwa ngubani kuthi obengathanda ukuba uYehova agocagoce iintshukumisa neentsilelo zethu ngeliso elingenanceba? Asiyondlela leyo uYehova asiphatha  ngayo. Umdumisi wathi: “Ukuba ubulinda iziphoso, Ya, Owu Yehova, ngubani na obenokuma?” (INdumiso 130:3) Ngaba asinambulelo kusini na kuba uThixo wethu osesikweni nonenceba ekhetha ukunganikeli ingqalelo kwiintsilelo zethu? (INdumiso 103:8-10) Ngoko, thina sifanele sibaphathe njani abanye?

¹³ Ukuba siyayiqonda indlela yenceba uThixo akubonisa ngayo ukuba sesikweni kwakhe, asisayi kukhawuleza ukugweba abanye kwimibandela engafuni thina okanye engabalulekanga kangako. KwiNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni, uYesu walumkisa ngelithi: “Musani ukugweba ukuze ningagwetywa.” (Mateyu 7:1) Ngokutsho kwengxelo kaLuka, uYesu wongezelela wathi: “Musani ukugwebela isohlwayo, yaye nani aniyi kugwetyelwa isohlwayo.” a (Luka 6:37) UYesu wabonisa ukuba wayeyiqonda into yokuba abantu abangafezekanga banotyekelo lokuthanda ukugweba. Nabani na kwabo babemphulaphule owayenomkhwa wokubagweba ngokungqwabalala abanye wayemele awuyeke.

14. Kungenxa yaziphi izizathu le nto simele ‘siyeke ukugweba’ abanye?

¹⁴ Kutheni simele ‘siyeke ukugweba’ abanye? Esinye isizathu sikukuba, igunya lethu lilinganiselwe. Umfundi uYakobi usikhumbuza esithi: “Kukho mnye ongumniki-mthetho nomgwebi”—uYehova. Ngoko uYakobi ubuza ngokungqalileyo esithi: “Ungubani na ke wena ukuba ugwebe ummelwane wakho?” (Yakobi 4:12; Roma 14:1-4) Ukongezelela, ngenxa yesono kulula kakhulu ngathi ukugweba ngokungafanelekanga. Isimo sengqondo neentshukumisa ezininzi—kuquka umkhethe, ukucaphuka, umona, nokuzenza ilungisa—kunokuyigqwetha indlela esibajonga ngayo abanye abantu. Sineentsilelo ezingakumbi, yaye ukunikel’ ingqalelo kuzo kufanele kusithintele  ukuba singakhawulezi ukugxeka abanye. Asikwazi okusentliziyweni; yaye asinakuzazi zonke iimeko zobuqu zabanye abantu. Ngoko, besingoobani ke thina ukuba sibone iintshukumisa ezimbi zabo sikhonza nabo okanye sigxeke imizamo abayenzayo ekukhonzeni uThixo? Hayi indlela ekulunge ngakumbi ngayo ukuxelisa uYehova ngokuthi sijonge iimpawu ezintle kubazalwana noodade wethu kunokuba sinikel’ ingqalelo kwiintsilelo zabo!

15. Ngamazwi nempatho enjani engafunekiyo phakathi kwabanquli bakaThixo, yaye ngoba?

¹⁵ Kuthekani ngamalungu eentsapho zethu? Ngelishwa, kwihlabathi lanamhlanje ukugwebana kabukhali maxa wambi kwenzeka kwindawo ebekufanele ukuba yeyoxolo—ikhaya. Akunqabanga ukuva ngamadoda, abafazi, okanye abazali abaxhaphazayo, “ababandezela” amalungu eentsapho zabo ngokuwaxhaphaza rhoqo ngamazwi nangokwasemzimbeni. Kodwa  amazwi enkohlakalo, ukugculela ngokuqatha, nokuxhaphaza akufuneki phakathi kwabanquli bakaThixo. (Efese 4:29, 31; 5:33; 6:4) Isiluleko sikaYesu ‘sokuyeka ukugweba’ ‘nokuyeka ukugwebela isohlwayo’ asiyeki ukusebenza xa sisekhaya. Khumbula ukuba ukubonisa okusesikweni kubandakanya ukuphatha abanye ngendlela uYehova asiphatha ngayo. Yaye uThixo wethu akaze asiphathe ngqwabalala okanye ngenkohlakalo. Kunoko, “unomsa omkhulu nenceba” kwabo bamthandayo. (Yakobi 5:11) Onjani wona ukumangalisa umzekelo nathi esifanele siwuxelise!

16, 17. (a) Yintoni uYehova ayilindeleyo kubadala? (b) Yintoni efanele yenziwe xa umoni esilela ukubonisa inguquko yokwenene, yaye ngoba?

¹⁶ Sonke sinembopheleleko yokubonisa okusesikweni, kodwa abadala abakwibandla lamaKristu ngabona banembopheleleko enkulu kule nkalo. Phawula indlela abachazwa ngayo “njengeenkosana,” okanye abadala, kwisiprofeto esabhalwa nguIsaya esithi: “Khangela! Ukumkani uya kulawula ngobulungisa; zona iinkosana, ziya kulawula njengeenkosana zokusesikweni.” (Isaya 32:1) Ewe, uYehova ulindele ukuba abadala bakhonze ngokusesikweni. Banokukwenza njani oku?

¹⁷ La madoda afanelekayo ngokomoya azi kakuhle ukuba okusesikweni, okanye ubulungisa, kubandakanya ukugcina ibandla licocekile. Maxa wambi, abadala kuye kufuneke bagwebe amatyala eziphoso ezinzulu. Xa besenjenjalo, bakhumbula ukuba okusesikweni kobuthixo kumele kubenze babonise inceba apho kunokwenzeka. Ngenxa yoko bazama ukumkhokelela enguqukweni umoni. Kodwa kuthekani ukuba umoni uyasilela ukubonisa inguquko yokwenene phezu kwayo nje imigudu yokumnceda? Ngokusesikweni okugqibeleleyo, iLizwi likaYehova liyalela ukuba kuthatyathwe inyathelo eliqatha, lisithi: “Mshenxiseni umntu ongendawo phakathi kwenu.” Oko kuthetha ukumgxotha ebandleni. (1 Korinte 5:11-13; 2 Yohane 9-11) Abadala abakuvuyeli ukuthabatha eli nyathelo, kodwa bayaqonda ukuba kuyimfuneko ukuze kugcinwe ibandla licocekile ngokokuziphatha nangokomoya. Sekunjalo,  bathemba ukuba ngenye imini umoni lowo uya kubuyela ezingqondweni aze abuyele ebandleni.—Luka 15:17, 18.

18. Yintoni abayikhumbulayo abadala xa benikela kwabanye isiluleko esisekelwe eBhayibhileni?

¹⁸ Kwakhona ukukhonza ngokusesikweni kuquka ukunikela isiluleko esisekelwe eBhayibhileni xa kukho imfuneko. Noko ke, abadala abaziphandi iziphoso kwabanye. Yaye abaxhakamfuli thuba ngalinye elivelayo ukuze banikele isiluleko. Kodwa ubani othile esikhonza naye ‘usenokuqutyulwa sisiphoso.’ Ukukhumbula ukuba okusesikweni kobuthixo akukho ngqwabalala kuya kushukumisela abadala ekubeni “[bazame] ukumlungisa umntu onjalo ngomoya wobulali.” (Galati 6:1) Ngoko ke, abadala abayi kumngxolisa lowo unxaxhayo okanye bathethe kabukhali naye. Kunoko, isiluleko esinikelwa ngothando siyamkhuthaza lowo sibhekiswa kuye. Kwanaxa benikela isiluleko esingqalileyo—beyichaza ngokuphandle imiphumo yekhondo elingelolabulumko—abadala bakhumbula ukuba lowo bakhonza naye oye wanxaxha uyimvu yomhlambi kaYehova. b (Luka 15:7) Xa isiluleko isesothando, kusenokwenzeka ukuba simlungise lowo unxaxhayo.

19. Ziziphi izigqibo ekuye kufuneke ukuba abadala bazenze, yaye bamele bazisekele entwenini izigqibo ezinjalo?

¹⁹ Ngokufuthi kuye kufuneke ukuba abadala benze izigqibo ezichaphazela abo bakhonza nabo. Ngokomzekelo, ngamathuba athile abadala bayahlanganisana ukuze bahlolisise enoba abanye abazalwana ebandleni bayafaneleka kusini na ukuba banganconyelwa njengabadala okanye izicaka zolungiselelo. Abadala bayakwazi ukubaluleka kokungabi namkhethe. Bavumela imilinganiselo kaThixo ibalathise ekwenzeni uncomelo olunjalo, bengathembeli nje kwiimvakalelo zabo zobuqu. Ngoko ‘abaqali bagwebe, kuba abanamkhethe.’—1 Timoti 5:21.

20, 21. (a) Yintoni abadala abazabalazela ukuyenza, yaye ngoba? (b) Yintoni abanokuyenza abadala ukuze bancede “imiphefumlo edandathekileyo”?

 ²⁰ Abadala babonisa okusesikweni nangezinye iindlela. Emva kokuxela kwangaphambili ukuba abadala babeza kukhonza ‘ngokusesikweni,’ uIsaya wahlabela mgama wathi: “Ngamnye uya kuba njengendawo yokuzimela umoya nendawo yokuzifihla esiphangweni, abe njengemisinga yamanzi kwilizwe elingumqwebedu, nanjengomthunzi wengxondorha enkulu kwilizwe elibharhileyo.” (Isaya 32:2) Ngoko, abadala bazabalazela ukubakhuthaza nokubahlaziya abo banqula kunye nabo.

²¹ Namhlanje, njengoko sithwaxwa ziingxaki ezisidandathekisayo, abaninzi bethu bakufuna ngokwenene ukukhuthazwa. Badala, yintoni eninokuyenza ukuze nincede “imiphefumlo edandathekileyo”? (1 Tesalonika 5:14) Baphulaphuleni ngovelwano abanjalo. (Yakobi 1:19) Basenokuba bafuna ukwabelana nothile abamthembayo ngoko ‘kuxhalabisa’ intliziyo yabo.  (IMizekeliso 12:25) Baqinisekiseni ukuba bayafunwa, baxatyisiwe, yaye bayathandwa—ewe, nguYehova kwanangabazalwana noodade abakhonza nabo. (1 Petros 1:22; 5:6, 7) Ukongezelela, usenokuthandaza kunye nabo okanye ubathandazele. Ukuva umdala ebathandazela ngokusuk’ entliziyweni kunokubakhuthaza ngokwenene. (Yakobi 5:14, 15) UThixo wokusesikweni uya kunivuza ngemigudu yenu yothando yokunceda abo badandathekileyo.

22. Ziziphi iindlela esinokukuxelisa ngazo ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova, yaye uyintoni umphumo woko?

²² Enyanisweni, sisondela ngakumbi kuYehova ngokuxelisa ukuba sesikweni kwakhe! Xa sinamathela kwimilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa, xa sisabelana nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo ezisindis’ ubomi, naxa sikhetha ukunikel’ ingqalelo kwiimpawu ezintle abanye abanazo kunokuba sijonge iziphoso zabo, sibonisa okusesikweni kobuthixo. Badala, xa nigcina ibandla licocekile, xa ninikela isiluleko esakhayo esingokweZibhalo, xa nisenza izigqibo ngokungenamkhethe, naxa nikhuthaza abo badandathekileyo, nibonisa okusesikweni kobuthixo. Hayi indlela okumele ukuba kuyivuyisa ngayo intliziyo kaYehova xa ekhangela phantsi esemazulwini aze abone abantu bakhe bezama ngokusemandleni abo ‘ukuqhelisela okusesikweni’ ekuhambeni kwabo noThixo wabo!