1. Kuhlanganisani ukuphenduka?

 LAPHO senza into engalungile, kubalulekile ukuba siphenduke. EBhayibhelini, umuntu ophendukayo ushintsha indlela acabanga ngayo ngento ethile embi ayenzile, ayiyeke leyo nto futhi azimisele ukungayiphindi.—Bheka UHlu Lwezincazelo Zamagama AseBhayibhelini, “UkuPhenduka.”

2. Kungani sonke kudingeka sifunde ngokuphenduka? (Nehemiya 8:​9-11)

² Wonke umuntu ophilayo kudingeka afunde ukuphenduka. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi sonke siyona nsuku zonke. Njengenzalo ka-Adamu no-Eva, ngamunye wethu uzuze isono nokufa njengefa. (Roma 3:23; 5:12) Akekho phakathi kwethu ongathi yena akudingeki aphenduke. Ngisho namadoda anokholo oluvelele, njengomphostoli uPawulu, ayekuthola kunzima ukulwisana nesono. (Roma 7:​21-24) Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi kufanele sihlale sidangele ngenxa yezono zethu? Cha. UJehova unesihe futhi ufuna sijabule. Cabanga ngamaJuda angosuku lukaNehemiya. (Funda uNehemiya 8:​9-11.) UJehova wayengafuni abe lusizi ngenxa yezono ayezenze esikhathini esidlule, kodwa wayefuna ajabule lapho emkhonza. UJehova uyazi ukuthi ukuphenduka kusenza sijabule. Ngakho usifundisa ngokuphenduka. Uma siphenduka ezonweni zethu singaqiniseka ukuthi uBaba wethu onesihe uzosithethelela.

3. Yini esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko?

³ Ake sifunde okwengeziwe ngokuphenduka. Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngezinto ezintathu. Okokuqala, sizofunda ngalokho uJehova akufundisa ama-Israyeli ngokuphenduka. Sizobe sesifunda ngendlela uJehova asiza ngayo izoni ukuba ziphenduke. Okokugcina, sizoxoxa ngokuthi yini eyafundwa abalandeli bakaJesu ngokuphenduka.

 LOKHO UJEHOVA AKUFUNDISA AMA-ISRAYELI NGOKUPHENDUKA

4. Yini uJehova ayifundisa isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ngokuphenduka?

⁴ Ngesikhathi uJehova ehlela isizwe sama-Israyeli, wenza isivumelwano nawo, wawanika imithetho futhi athembisa ukuthi ayezoyilalela leyo mithetho. Uma ayeyilalela imithetho yakhe, wayezowavikela futhi awabusise. Ngokuphathelene naleyo mithetho, wawaqinisekisa ngokuthi: “Lo myalo engikuyala ngawo namuhla awulukhuni kuwe futhi ungakwazi ukuwufinyelela.” (Dut. 30:​11, 16) Kodwa, uma ayengayilaleli imithetho yakhe—ngokwesibonelo, akhethe ukukhonza abanye onkulunkulu—wayengeke awabusise futhi ayezohlupheka. Noma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu wayengaphinde awamukele. ‘Ayengabuyela kuJehova uNkulunkulu [wawo] alalele izwi lakhe.’ (Dut. 30:​1-3, 17-20) Ngamanye amazwi, ayengaphenduka. Uma enza kanjalo, uJehova wayeyosondela kuwo aphinde awabusise.

5. UJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi akabadelanga abantu bakhe? (2 AmaKhosi 17:​13, 14)

⁵ Abantu bakaJehova abakhethiwe badlubulunda ngokuphindaphindiwe. Ngaphezu kokukhonza kwabo izithixo, babenza nezinye izinto ezinyanyekayo. Ngenxa yalokho bahlupheka. Kodwa uJehova akazange abadikile abantu bakhe abanenkani. Wathumela abaprofethi ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuze babanxuse ukuba baphenduke babuyele kuye.—Funda eyesi-2 AmaKhosi 17:​13, 14.

6. UJehova wabasebenzisa kanjani abaprofethi bakhe ukuba bafundise abantu bakhe ukubaluleka kokuphenduka? (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁶ UJehova wayevame ukusebenzisa abaprofethi bakhe ukuba baxwayise futhi balungise abantu bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, esebenzisa uJeremiya, uNkulunkulu wathi: “O Israyeli oyisihlubuki, buya . . . Ngeke ngikubukele phansi ngokuthukuthela, ngoba mina ngiqotho . . . Ngeke ngihlale ngicasukile kuze kube phakade. Kuphela nje vuma icala lakho, ngoba uvukele uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho.” (Jer. 3:​12, 13) Esebenzisa uJoweli, uJehova  wathi: “Buyelani kimi ngazo zonke izinhliziyo zenu.” (Joweli 2:​12, 13) Ngo-Isaya wathi: “Zihlanzeni; yekani ukwenza izenzo ezimbi phambi kwami; yekani ukwenza okubi.” (Isaya 1:​16-19) Esebenzisa uHezekeli, uJehova wabuza wathi: “Kukhona yini okungijabulisayo ngokufa komuntu omubi? . . . Angithandi yini ukuba aphenduke ezindleleni zakhe aqhubeke ephila? Ayikho injabulo engiyitholayo ngokufa komuntu, . . . ngakho phendukani, niphile.” (Hez. 18:​23, 32) UJehova uyajabula uma ebona abantu bephenduka ngoba ufuna baqhubeke bephila—phakade! Ngakho uJehova akamane nje ahlale alinde abantu abanesono ukuba bashintshe ngaphambi kokuba aqale ukubasiza. Ake sihlole ezinye izibonelo zalokhu.

7. Esebenzisa indaba yomprofethi uHoseya nenkosikazi yakhe, yini uJehova ayifundisa abantu bakhe?

⁷ Phawula lokho uJehova akufundisa abantu bakhe esebenzisa isibonelo esingokoqobo—isibonelo sikaGomere, inkosikazi yomprofethi uHoseya. Ngemva kokuba ephingile, wamshiya uHoseya wathandana namanye amadoda. Ingabe kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba aphenduke? UJehova, okwaziyo ukubona okusenhliziyweni yomuntu, wathi kuHoseya: “Hamba uphinde uthande owesifazane othandwa enye indoda nophingayo, njengoba nje uJehova ethanda abantu bakwa-Israyeli kuyilapho bona bephendukela kwabanye onkulunkulu.” (Hos. 3:1; IzAga 16:2) Phawula ukuthi inkosikazi kaHoseya yayisaqhubeka nokwenza isono esikhulu. Noma kunjalo, uJehova watshela uHoseya ukuthi aye kuyo, ayithethelele futhi babuyelane. a Ngendlela efanayo, uJehova akazange abadikile abantu bakhe abanenkani. Nakuba babesaqhubeka nokwenza izono ezimbi kakhulu, wayesabathanda futhi waqhubeka ethumela abaprofethi bakhe ukuze abasize baphenduke futhi bashintshe izindlela zabo. Ingabe lesi sibonelo sisho ukuthi uJehova, ‘ongumhloli wezinhliziyo,’ uyozama ukusiza umuntu osaqhubeka nokwenza isono esikhulu ukuba aphenduke? (IzAga 17:3) Ake sibone.

INDLELA UJEHOVA ASIZA NGAYO IZONI UKUBA ZIPHENDUKE

8. Yini uJehova ayenza ukuze asize uKhayini ukuba aphenduke? (Genesise 4:​3-7) (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁸ UKhayini wayeyindodana yokuqala ka-Adamu no-Eva. Wazuza isono kubazali bakhe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli lithi ngaye: “Imisebenzi yakhe yayimibi.” (1 Joh. 3:12) Mhlawumbe yingakho uJehova ‘engazange neze amamukele uKhayini nomnikelo wakhe’ lapho enza umhlatshelo. Kunokuba ashintshe izindlela zakhe, “uKhayini wathukuthela kakhulu futhi wadangala.” Yini uJehova abe eseyenza? Wakhuluma noKhayini. (Funda uGenesise 4:​3-7.) Phawula ukuthi uJehova wakhuluma naye ngendlela enomusa, wamnika ithemba, wamxwayisa nangezingozi zesono. Ngokudabukisayo, uKhayini akazange alalele. Akamvumelanga uJehova ukuba amsize aphenduke. Ngenxa yokuthi uKhayini akamlalelanga uNkulunkulu, ingabe uJehova wayeka ukuzama ukusiza ezinye izoni ukuba ziphenduke? Lutho neze!

9. UJehova wamsiza kanjani uDavide ukuba aphenduke?

⁹ UJehova wayeyithanda kakhulu iNkosi uDavide. Waze wathi ‘ingumuntu ojabulisa inhliziyo yami.’ (IzE. 13:22) Kodwa uDavide wenza izono ezinyanyekayo, ezihlanganisa ukuphinga nokubulala. NgokoMthetho KaMose, kwakufanele abulawe. (Lev. 20:10; Num. 35:31) Noma kunjalo, uJehova wangenelela  wambonisa umusa. b Wathumela umprofethi uNathani ukuba avakashele inkosi, ngisho noma uDavide ayengakazibonisi izimpawu zokuphenduka. UNathani wasebenzisa umfanekiso ukuze athinte inhliziyo kaDavide. Ethinteke ngempela, uDavide waphenduka. (2 Sam. 12:​1-14) Wabhala ihubo elithinta inhliziyo elabonisa ukuthi wayephenduke ngempela. (IHu. 51, umbhalo ongenhla) Lelo hubo liduduze izoni eziningi, lazikhuthaza ukuba ziphenduke. Asijabuli yini ngokuthi ngothando uJehova wasiza inceku yakhe ethandekayo uDavide ukuba iphenduke?

10. Uzizwa kanjani ngesineke sikaJehova nangendlela athethelela ngayo abantu abanesono?

¹⁰ UJehova uyasizonda isono futhi akasivuni nanganoma iyiphi indlela. (IHu. 5:​4, 5) Nokho, uyazi ukuthi sonke siyizoni futhi ngenxa yokuthi uyasithanda ukhetha ukusisiza silwe nesono. Uhlale ezama ukusiza ngisho nezoni ezimbi kakhulu ukuba ziphenduke futhi zisondele kuye. Kuyaduduza ngempela ukwazi lokho! Njengoba sicabanga ngesineke sikaJehova nangendlela asithethelela ngayo, sizimisele ukuhlale sithembekile kuye nokusheshe siphenduke lapho senza isono. Manje ake sixoxe ngokunye ibandla lobuKristu elafundiswa kona ngokuphenduka.

YINI EYAFUNDWA ABALANDELI BAKAJESU NGOKUPHENDUKA?

11-12. Yimuphi umfanekiso uJesu awusebenzisa ukuze asifundise ukuthi uJehova uyakulangazelela ukusithethelela? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

¹¹ Ngekhulu lokuqala C.E., kwase kuyisikhathi sokufika kukaMesiya. Njengoba kubonisiwe esihlokweni esidlule, uJehova wasebenzisa uJohane uMbhapathizi noJesu Kristu ukuze afundise abantu ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuphenduka.—Math. 3:​1, 2; 4:17.

¹² Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe, uJesu wafundisa abantu ukuthi uBaba wakhe uyakulangazelela ukusithethelela lapho sona. Lokho wakwenza ngendlela ephawulekayo lapho elandisa umfanekiso wendodana yolahleko. Le nsizwa yakhetha ukuziphatha kabi okwesikhathi esithile. Noma kunjalo, ‘yasanguluka’  yabuyela ekhaya. Wenzenjani ubaba wayo? UJesu wathi lapho le ndodana “isekude, uyise wayibona wayihawukela, wagijima wayanga ngothando wayiqabula.” Le ndodana yayihlose ukubuza ukuthi ingakwazi yini ukuba yisisebenzi endlini kayise, kodwa uyise lapho ekhuluma ngayo wathi “le ndodana yami,” waphinde wayamukela njengelungu lomndeni. Uyise wathi: ‘Ibilahlekile, manje isitholakele.’ (Luka 15:​11-32) Ngesikhathi uJesu esezulwini ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni, ngokuqinisekile wambona uBaba wakhe ezibonisa uzwela izoni eziningi eziphendukayo. Le ndaba eyalandiswa uJesu isithinta inhliziyo ngempela futhi iyasibonisa ukuthi unesihe kangakanani uBaba wethu, uJehova!

13-14. Yini umphostoli uPetru ayifunda ngokuphenduka, futhi yini ayifundisa abanye ngakho? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹³ Umphostoli uPetru wafunda lukhulu kuJesu ngokuphenduka nokuthethelela. UPetru wayevame ukwenza amaphutha futhi uJesu wayemthethelela ngokukhululekile. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokuba uPetru eyiphike kathathu iNkosi yakhe, wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu ngalokho ayekwenzile. (Math. 26:​34, 35, 69-75) Kodwa ngemva kokuba uJesu esevusiwe, wabonakala kuPetru—cishe ngasese. (Luka 24:​33, 34; 1 Kor. 15:​3-5) Akungabazeki ukuthi kuleso senzakalo, uJesu wamthethelela lowo mphostoli ophendukile futhi wamqinisekisa ukuthi wayemthethelele.—Bheka uMarku 16:7.

¹⁴ Njengoba uPetru ayeseqonda kahle ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuphenduka nokuthethelelwa, kwase kulula ngaye ukufundisa abanye ngakho. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile kudlule umkhosi wePhentekoste, uPetru wachazela isixuku samaJuda angakholwa ukuthi ayebulale uMesiya. Noma kunjalo, ngothando wawanxusa wathi: “Ngakho phendukani futhi niguquke ukuze kusulwe izono zenu, ukuze  izinkathi zokuqabuleka zifike zivela kuJehova uqobo.” (IzE. 3:​14, 15, 17, 19) Ngakho uPetru wabonisa ukuthi ukuphenduka kwenza isoni siguquke—sishintshe indlela engalungile esicabanga ngayo nesenza ngayo—silandele indlela entsha ejabulisa uNkulunkulu. Umphostoli wabonisa nokuthi uJehova wayeyozisula izono zawo, noma azenze zinyamalale unomphela. Kamuva, ngemva kweminyaka eminingi, uPetru waqinisekisa amaKristu: “UJehova . . . uyanibekezelela ngoba akafisi ukuba kubhubhe ngisho noyedwa, kodwa ufisa ukuba bonke baphenduke.” (2 Pet. 3:9) Yithemba elihle ngempela lelo kumaKristu lapho enza isono—ngisho nezono ezinkulu!

15-16. (a) Umphostoli uPawulu wakufunda kanjani ukuthethelela? (1 Thimothewu 1:​12-15) (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁵ Bambalwa abantu abake badinga ukuphenduka nokuthethelelwa ukwedlula uPawulu. Wayebashushisa ngonya abalandeli bakaKristu abathandekayo. Cishe amaKristu amaningi ayecabanga ukuthi wayengasoze nanini aphenduke. Kodwa uJesu ovusiwe wayengenawo nhlobo lowo mbono wabantu oyiphutha. Yena noBaba wakhe babona izimfanelo ezinhle kuPawulu. UJesu wathi: “Lo muntu uyisitsha sami engisikhethile.” (IzE. 9:15) UJesu waze wenza ngisho nesimangaliso ukuze asize uPawulu aphenduke. (IzE. 7:58–8:3; 9:​1-9, 17-20) Ngemva kokuba umKristu, uSawulu—kamuva owaziwa ngokuthi umphostoli uPawulu—wayevame ukubonga ngendlela aboniswa ngayo umusa nesihe. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 1:​12-15.) Lo mphostoli ogcwele ukubonga wathi: “UNkulunkulu ngomusa wakhe uzama ukukuholela ekuphendukeni.”—Roma 2:4.

¹⁶ Lapho uPawulu ezwa ngendaba eyihlazo emayelana nokuziphatha okubi eyenzeka ebandleni lobuKristu laseKorinte, walusingatha kanjani lolo daba? Indlela alusingatha ngayo lolo daba isifundisa lukhulu ngendlela uJehova asiyala ngayo ngothando nangokubaluleka kokubonisa isihe. Sizoxoxa kabanzi ngaleyo ndaba esihlokweni esilandelayo.