1-3. (a) Kungani simkweleta uJehova? (b) UMtakuli wethu onothando ufunani kithi?

 ZICABANGE uvaleleke emkhunjini ocwilayo. Bese kuthi lapho nje usuphelelwa ithemba, kufike umtakuli akukhiphele ngaphandle. Kuthi gídi njengoba umtakuli ekukhipha engozini, abese ethi: “Usuphephile-ke manje”! Ubungeke yini uzizwe umkweleta lowo muntu? Ngomqondo ongokoqobo, ubuyomkweleta ukuphila kwakho.

² Lokhu kuthi akukhanyise lokho uJehova asenzele kona. Siyamkweleta ngempela. Phela wenze ilungiselelo lesihlengo, okuthe ngalo sakwazi ukuphunyula esonweni nasekufeni. Sizizwa silondekile ngokwazi ukuthi uma nje sibonisa ukholo kulowo mhlatshelo oyigugu, izono zethu ziyathethelelwa, nekusasa lethu laphakade liqinisekile. (1 Johane 1:7; 4:9) Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 14, isihlengo siyisibonakaliso esiphakeme kakhulu sothando nobulungisa bukaJehova. Yini okufanele siyenze?

³ Kuyafaneleka ukucabanga ngalokho uMtakuli wethu onothando akufunayo kithi. Ngomprofethi uMika uJehova uthi: “Ukutshelile okuhle wena muntu. Yini uJehova ayifuna kuwe? Ufuna kuphela ukuba ubonise ubulungisa, uthande ubuqotho futhi uhambe ngesizotha noNkulunkulu wakho!” (Mika 6:8) Phawula ukuthi enye yezinto uJehova azifuna kithi ukuba ‘sibonise ubulungisa.’ Singabubonisa kanjani?

4. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uJehova ulindele ukuba siphile ngemithetho yakhe yokulunga?

⁴ UJehova ulindele ukuba siphile ngemithetho yakhe yokulungile nokungalungile. Njengoba imithetho yakhe inobulungisa  futhi ilungile, sisuke siphishekela ubulungisa nokulunga uma siyilandela. U-Isaya 1:17 uthi: “Fundani ukwenza okuhle, funani ubulungisa.” IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisinxusa ukuba ‘sifune ukulunga.’ (Zefaniya 2:3) Lisinxusa nokuba “[sigqoke] ubuntu obusha obadalwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu ngokulunga kweqiniso.” (Efesu 4:24) Ukulunga kweqiniso—ubulungisa beqiniso—akunabudlova, akungcolile, futhi akunako ukuziphatha okubi, ngoba lezi zinto ziyakungcolisa okungcwele.—IHubo 11:5; Efesu 5:3-5.

5, 6. (a) Kungani kungewona umthwalo ukuphila ngemithetho kaJehova? (b) IBhayibheli libonisa kanjani ukuthi ukuphishekela ukulunga kuyinto eqhubekayo?

⁵ Ingabe kuwumthwalo ukuphila ngemithetho kaJehova yokulunga? Cha. Inhliziyo esondele kuJehova ayicunulwa yizimfuneko zakhe. Ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu wethu nakho konke ayikho, sifuna ukuphila ngendlela emjabulisayo. (1 Johane 5:3) Khumbula ukuthi uJehova “uyazithanda izenzo zokulunga.” (IHubo 11:7) Ukuze sibulingise ngeqiniso ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu, noma ukulunga kwakhe, kumele sithande lokho uJehova akuthandayo, sizonde lokho akuzondayo.—IHubo 97:10.

⁶ Akulula ukuba abantu abanesono baphishekele ukulunga. Kumele sihlubule ubuntu obudala nemikhuba yabo yesono, sigqoke obusha. IBhayibheli lithi ubuntu obusha “benziwa bube busha” ngolwazi olunembile. (Kolose 3:9, 10) Amazwi athi “benziwa bube busha” abonisa ukuthi ukugqoka ubuntu obusha kuyisenzo esiqhubekayo, esidinga umzamo wokuzimisela. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sizama kangakanani ukwenza okulungile, kunezikhathi lapho isimo sethu semvelo esinesono sisenza sikhubeke ngokucabanga, ngezwi, noma ngesenzo.—Roma 7:14-20; Jakobe 3:2.

7. Kufanele sikubheke kanjani ukushiyeka lapho sizama ukuphishekela ukulunga?

⁷ Kufanele sikubheke kanjani ukushiyeka lapho sizama ukuphishekela ukulunga? Yebo, ngeke sithande ukunciphisa ububi besono. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, akumele neze siphonse  ithawula, sibe nomuzwa wokuthi amaphutha ethu asenza singakufanelekeli ukukhonza uJehova. UNkulunkulu wethu onomusa wenze ilungiselelo lokubabuyisela emseni wakhe abaphenduka ngobuqotho. Cabanga ngala mazwi omphostoli uJohane aqinisa idolo: “Nginibhalela lezi zinto ukuze ningasenzi isono.” Kodwa ube esebhekana namaqiniso, anezele: “Nokho, uma umuntu enza isono, [ngenxa yokuba nesono esakuzuza ngefa], sinomsizi kuBaba, uJesu Kristu.” (1 Johane 2:1) Yebo, uJehova wenze ilungiselelo lomhlatshelo wesihlengo sikaJesu ukuze simkhonze ngokwamukelekayo naphezu kwesimo sethu sokuba nesono. Ingabe lokho akusenzi sifune ukwenza okusemandleni ethu ukuze sijabulise uJehova?

8, 9. Ukumenyezelwa kwezindaba ezinhle kububonisa kanjani ubulungisa bukaJehova?

⁸ Singabubonisa ubulungisa—empeleni, singabulingisa ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu—ngokuhlanganyela ngokugcwele ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kwabanye. Ubulungisa bukaJehova buhlobana kanjani nezindaba ezinhle?

⁹ UJehova ngeke asiqede lesi simiso esibi engasikhiphanga isixwayiso kuqala. Esiprofethweni sakhe esimayelana nokuyokwenzeka phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela, uJesu wathi: “Izindaba ezinhle kumele zishunyayelwe ezizweni zonke kuqala.” (Marku 13:10; Mathewu 24:3) Ukusetshenziswa kwegama elithi “kuqala” kusho ukuthi umsebenzi wokushumayela womhlaba wonke uyolandelwa ezinye izenzakalo. Lezo zenzakalo zihlanganisa usizi olukhulu olwabikezelwa, oluyosho ukubhujiswa kwababi futhi luvule indlela yomhlaba omusha wokulunga. (Mathewu 24:14, 21, 22) Akekho ngempela ongasola uJehova athi akanabulungisa kwababi. Ngokwenza ukuba kukhishwe isixwayiso, unikeza labo bantu ithuba elanele lokushintsha izindlela zabo bese bephunyula embubhisweni.—Jona 3:1-10.

10, 11. Ukuhlanganyela kwethu ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle kububonisa kanjani ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu?

 ¹⁰ Ukushumayela kwethu izindaba ezinhle kububonisa kanjani ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu? Okokuqala nje, kuyinto enhle ukuba senze okusemandleni ethu ukuze sisize abanye bathole insindiso. Awuphinde ucabange ngalo mfanekiso wokutakulwa emkhunjini ocwilayo. Njengoba usuphephile esikebheni, ngokuqinisekile uyofuna ukusiza abanye abasesemanzini. Ngokufanayo, sinesibopho kulabo abasazabalaza emanzini ayileli zwe elibi. Yiqiniso, abaningi bayawenqaba umyalezo wethu. Kodwa uma nje uJehova esaqhubeka ebekezela, sinesibopho sokubanika ithuba lokuba “bonke baphenduke,” ngokwenza kanjalo babe sethubeni lokusindiswa.—2 Petru 3:9.

¹¹ Ngokushumayela izindaba ezinhle kubo bonke esibabonayo, sisuke sibonisa ubulungisa nangenye indlela ebalulekile: Sibonisa ukungakhethi. Khumbula ukuthi “uNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo nowenza okulungile uyamukeleka kuye.” (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Uma sifuna ukulingisa ubulungisa baKhe, akumele sahlulele abantu. Kunalokho, kufanele sibatshele izindaba ezinhle kungakhathaliseki ukuthi baluhlanga luni, ukuthi isimo sabo senhlalo sinjani, noma bami kanjani ngokwezimali. Ngokwenza kanjalo siyobe sinikeza bonke abayosilalela ithuba lokuzwa futhi basabele ezindabeni ezinhle.—Roma 10:11-13.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kungafanele sigijimele ukwahlulela abanye? (b) Sisho ukuthini iseluleko sikaJesu sokuba ‘siyeke ukwahlulela’ nokuba ‘siyeke ukulahla’? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

¹² Ubulungisa singabubonisa nangokuphatha abanye ngendlela uJehova asiphatha ngayo. Akuve kulula ukwahlulela abanye, sigxeke amaphutha abo, singabaze nezisusa zabo. Kodwa ukhona yini kithi ongathanda ukuba uJehova acusumbule izisusa zethu namaphutha ethu ngendlela engenaluzwela? Akasiphathi kanjalo uJehova. Umhubi wathi:  “O Jah, ukube ububheka amaphutha, Jehova ubani obengama?” (IHubo 130:3) Asijabuli yini ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wethu onobulungisa nesihe ukhetha ukunganamatheli emaphutheni ethu? (IHubo 103:8-10) Kufanele sibaphathe kanjani-ke abanye?

¹³ Uma sisiqonda isihe sobulungisa bukaNkulunkulu, ngeke sigijimele ukwahlulela abanye ezindabeni ezingasithinti ngempela noma ezingabalulekile. ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu waxwayisa: “Yekani ukwahlulela ukuze ningahlulelwa.” (Mathewu 7:1) Ngokwalokho okwabhalwa uLuka, uJesu wanezela: “Yekani ukulahla, nani anisoze nalahlwa.” a (Luka 6:37) UJesu wabonisa ukuthi uyazi ukuthi abantu abanesono bathanda ukwahlulela abanye. Noma ibaphi ezilalelini zakhe ababenomkhuba wokwahlulela kabi abanye kwakumele bayeke.

14. Kungani kumele ‘siyeke ukwahlulela’ abanye?

¹⁴ Kungani kumele ‘siyeke ukwahlulela’ abanye? Okokuqala, kungoba igunya lethu lilinganiselwe. Umfundi uJakobe uyasikhumbuza: “Munye kuphela onguMniki-mthetho noMahluleli”—uJehova. UJakobe ube esebuza engagwegwesi: “Ungubani ukuba wahlulele umakhelwane wakho?” (Jakobe 4:12; Roma 14:1-4) Okunye futhi ukuthi isimo sethu sokuba nesono singenza kube lula ukuba izahlulelo zethu zingabi nabulungisa. Ziningi izimo zengqondo nezisusa ezingathuntubeza indlela esibheka ngayo abanye abantu—ezihlanganisa ubandlululo, ukuzazisa, umona, nokuzibona komuntu elungile. Kukhona nokunye esilinganiselwe kukho, futhi ukucabangisisa ngakho kufanele kusivimbe singagijimeli ukuthola amaphutha kwabanye. Asikwazi ukufunda izinhliziyo; singeke futhi sazazi zonke izimo zabantu. Singobani-ke pho thina  ukuba sithi esikholwa nabo banezisusa ezimbi noma sigxeke imizamo yabo enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu? Yeka ukuthi kungcono kanjani ukulingisa uJehova ngokucinga okuhle kubafowethu nodadewethu kunokuba sigxile emaphutheni abo!

15. Yimaphi amazwi nempatho engavunyelwe kubakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu, futhi kungani?

¹⁵ Kuthiwani ngamalungu emindeni yethu? Ngokudabukisayo, ezweni namuhla ukwahlulela okungenamusa kwenzeka endaweni okufanele ngabe iyisidleke sokuthula—ekhaya. Kuvamile ukuzwa ngabayeni, amakhosikazi, noma abazali abahlukumezayo abajezisa amalungu emindeni yabo ngokuwajikijela njalo ngamazwi abuhlungu noma ngokuwahlukumeza ngamazwi noma ngokuwashaya. Kodwa amazwi ahlabayo, ukubhuqa okulimazayo, nokuhlukumeza akuvunyelwe  kubakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu. (Efesu 4:29, 31; 5:33; 6:4) Iseluleko sikaJesu sokuba ‘siyeke ukwahlulela’ futhi ‘siyeke ukulahla’ asiyeki ukusebenza uma sisekhaya. Khumbula ukuthi ukubonisa ubulungisa kuhilela nokuphatha abanye ngendlela uJehova asiphatha ngayo. Futhi uNkulunkulu wethu akalokothi asikhakhabise noma asiphathe ngokhahlo. Kunalokho, ‘uyabathanda kakhulu’ labo abamthandayo. (Jakobe 5:11) Yeka isibonelo esihle sokuba sisilingise!

16, 17. (a) Yini uJehova ayilindele kubadala? (b) Yini okumele yenziwe uma isoni singabonisi kuphenduka okuqotho, futhi kungani?

¹⁶ Sonke sinomthwalo wokubonisa ubulungisa, kodwa abadala ebandleni lobuKristu banomthwalo okhethekile kulokhu. Phawula incazelo engokwesiprofetho ‘yezikhulu,’ noma abadala, eyalotshwa ngu-Isaya: “Bheka! Inkosi iyobusa ngenjongo yokulunga, nezikhulu ziyobusa ngenjongo yobulungisa.” (Isaya 32:1) Yebo, uJehova ulindele ukuba abadala babonise ubulungisa. Bangakwenza kanjani lokhu?

¹⁷ La madoda afanelekayo ngokomoya azi kahle ukuthi ubulungisa, noma ukulunga, kudinga ukuba ibandla ligcinwe lihlanzekile. Ngezinye izikhathi, abadala baye baphoqeleke ukuba bahlulele amacala obubi obukhulu obenziwe. Lapho bahlulela, bayakhumbula ukuthi ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu bufuna kuboniswe isihe uma kungenzeka. Ngakho, baye bazame ukusiza isoni ukuba siphenduke. Kodwa kuthiwani uma isoni singabonisi kuphenduka okuqotho naphezu kwemizamo enjalo yokusisiza? Ngenxa yobulungisa obuphelele, iZwi likaJehova lithi kuthathwe isinyathelo esinqala: “Susani umuntu omubi phakathi kwenu.” Lokho kusho ukumxosha ebandleni. (1 Korinte 5:11-13; 2 Johane 9-11) Kuyabadabukisa abadala uma kudingeka bathathe isinyathelo esinjalo, kodwa bayaqaphela ukuthi siyadingeka ukuze balonde ukuhlanzeka kwebandla ngokomoya nangokokuziphatha. Noma sebesithathile, baba nethemba lokuthi ngelinye ilanga isoni siyosanguluka, sibuyele ebandleni.—Luka 15:17, 18.

18. Abadala bakhumbulani lapho benikeza abanye iseluleko esisekelwe eBhayibhelini?

 ¹⁸ Ukubonisa ubulungisa kuhilela nokunikeza iseluleko esisekelwe eBhayibhelini uma sidingeka. Yebo, abadala abacingi amaphutha kwabanye. Abajahi nokulungisa abanye. Kodwa esikholwa naye angase ‘athathe isinyathelo okungesona ngaphambi kokuba aqaphele.’ Ukukhumbula ukuthi ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu abunalo unya futhi bunozwela kuyokwenza abadala ‘bazame ukumlungisa ngomoya omnene umuntu onjalo.’ (Galathiya 6:1) Ngakho, abadala ngeke basithethise isoni noma basikhahle. Kunalokho, iseluleko esinikezwa ngothando siyamkhuthaza owelulekwayo. Ngisho nalapho kufaneleka ukusola othile—ukubeka obala imiphumela yenkambo ewubuwula—abadala bayakhumbula ukuthi abakholwa naye owenze isono uyimvu emhlanjini kaJehova. b (Luka 15:7) Uma kusobala ukuthi isisusa seseluleko noma sokusola sihle futhi sinikezwa ngothando, cishe siyomlungisa owenze isono.

19. Yiziphi izinqumo abadala okudingeka bazenze, futhi kufanele zisekelwephi?

¹⁹ Abadala kuye kudingeke benze izinqumo ezithinta abakholwa nabo. Ngokwesibonelo, abadala baye bahlangane bacabangele ukuthi abanye abazalwane ebandleni bayakufanelekela yini ukutuswa ukuba babe abadala noma izinceku ezikhonzayo. Abadala bayakwazi ukubaluleka kokungakhethi. Bavumela izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu zokumiswa okunjalo zibaqondise ekwenzeni izinqumo, bangathembeli emizweni yabo siqu. Ngokwenza kanjalo benza “ngaphandle kokubandlulula noma ukukhetha.”—1 Thimothewu 5:21.

20, 21. (a) Abadala bazama ukuba yini, futhi kungani? (b) Yini abadala abangayenza ukuze basize “abacindezelekile”?

 ²⁰ Abadala babonisa ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu nangezinye izindlela. Ngemva kokubikezela ukuthi abadala bayokhonza “ngenjongo yobulungisa,” u-Isaya waqhubeka: “Ngamunye kubo uyoba njengendawo yokucashela umoya, indawo yokucashela isiphepho esinemvula, njengemifudlana yamanzi ezweni elingenamanzi, njengomthunzi wedwala elikhulu ezweni elomile.” (Isaya 32:1, 2) Ngakho abadala bazama ukududuza abakhulekeli abakanye nabo nokubenza baqabuleke.

²¹ Namuhla, njengoba kunezinkinga eziningi ezithena amandla, abaningi badinga isikhuthazo. Badala, yini eningayenza ukuze nisize “abacindezelekile”? (1 Thesalonika 5:14) Balaleleni ngozwela. (Jakobe 1:19) Kungenzeka ukuthi badinga ukuxoxa nomuntu abamethembayo ngokukhathazeka okusezinhliziyweni zabo. (IzAga 12:25) Baqinisekiseni ukuthi bayadingeka,  bayaziswa, futhi bayathandwa—yebo, bathandwa nguJehova nabafowabo nodadewabo. (1 Petru 1:22; 5:6, 7) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ningathandaza nabo futhi nibathandazele. Ukuzwa umdala ebathandazela ngokusuka enhliziyweni kungabaduduza kakhulu. (Jakobe 5:14, 15) UNkulunkulu wobulungisa ngeke angayiqapheli imizamo yenu yothando yokusiza abacindezelekile.

22. Singabulingisa ngaziphi izindlela ubulungisa bukaJehova, futhi umphumela ube yini?

²² Ngempela, sisondela nakakhulu kuJehova ngokulingisa ubulungisa bakhe! Lapho sisekela imithetho yakhe yokulunga, lapho sazisa abanye ngezindaba ezinhle ezisindisa ukuphila, nalapho sigxila ebuhleni babanye kunokuba sicinge amaphutha abo, sisuke sibonisa ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu. Badala, lapho nivikela ukuhlanzeka kwebandla, lapho ninikeza iseluleko esakhayo esingokomBhalo, lapho nenza izinqumo ezibonisa ukungakhethi, nalapho nikhuthaza abadangele, nisuke nibonisa ubulungisa bukaNkulunkulu. Kumele ukuba kuyithokozisa kakhulu inhliziyo kaJehova uma ebuka phansi esemazulwini abone abantu bakhe bezama okusemandleni abo ‘ukubonisa ubulungisa’ ekuhambeni noNkulunkulu wabo!