1, 2. Lapho sikhetha ukuthi sizokwenzani ekuphileni, kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ukulalela uMdali wethu? (Bheka izithombe ezisekuqaleni.)

UMA usemusha, cishe uthola izeluleko eziningi ngekusasa lakho. Othisha, abeluleki noma abanye abantu bangakukhuthaza ukuba uthole imfundo ephakeme, ufune nomsebenzi okhokhela kahle. Nokho, uJehova ukweluleka ukuba wenze okuhlukile. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ufuna uzikhandle lapho usafunda isikole ukuze ukwazi ukuziphilisa. (Kol. 3:23) Kodwa lapho unquma ukuthi yini ebalulekile ekuphileni kwakho, ukukhuthaza ukuba uqondiswe yizimiso ezizokusiza uphile ngokuvumelana nenjongo nentando yakhe kulezi zinsuku zokugcina.—Math. 24:14.

² Khumbula nokuthi, uJehova wazi konke, uyazi ukuthi yini ezokwenzeka kuleli zwe nokuthi ukuphela kuzofika nini. (Isaya 46:10; Math. 24:3, 36) Uyasazi nathi—uyazi ukuthi yini esenza saneliseke ngempela futhi sijabule; uyazi nokuthi yini engasidumaza isenze singajabuli. Ngakho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iseluleko somuntu sizwakala sisihle  kangakanani, uma singasekelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu, leso seluleko asihlakaniphile.—IzAga 19:21.

3, 4. Ukulalela iseluleko esibi kwamthinta kanjani u-Adamu no-Eva nenzalo yabo?

³ USathane uyisidalwa sokuqala esanikeza abantu iseluleko esibi. Wazenza umeluleki, watshela u-Eva nomyeni wakhe ukuthi babeyojabula kakhulu uma bezinqumela bona ukuthi bafuna ukuphila kanjani. (Gen. 3:1-6) Nokho, izisusa zikaSathane kwakungezobugovu. Wayefuna u-Adamu no-Eva—kanye nenzalo yabo—bakhonze yena kunokuba bakhonze uJehova. Kodwa kukhona yini ayebenzele khona? NguJehova owayebanike konke ababenakho—wabashadisa, wabanika ikhaya eliyingadi enhle, imizimba ephelele kanye nokuphila okuphakade.

⁴ Ngokudabukisayo, u-Adamu no-Eva abamlalelanga uNkulunkulu, bazihlukanisa naye. Njengoba wazi, imiphumela yaba mibi kakhulu. Njengezimbali ezisusiwe esitshalweni, baqala ukubuna futhi bafa. Izingane zabo nazo zaba nesono futhi zahlupheka. (Roma 5:12) Noma kunjalo, abantu abaningi bakhetha ukungamlaleli uNkulunkulu. Bafuna ukuphila ngendlela abayithandayo. (Efe. 2:1-3) Imiphumela ibonisa ukuthi ‘akukho kuhlakanipha okungamelana noJehova.’—IzAga 21:30.

5. Yini uJehova ayeyazi ngabantu?

⁵ UJehova wayazi ukuthi bakhona abantu ababeyomfuna futhi bamkhonze, kulabo bantu kubalwa nentsha eningi. (IHu. 103:17, 18; 110:3) Uyithanda ngempela intsha enjalo. Ingabe nawe uphakathi kwale ntsha ethandwa uJehova? Uma kunjalo, akungabazeki ukuthi uthola okuningi ‘okuhle’ okuvela kuJehova okukwenza ujabule. (Funda iHubo 103:5; IzAga 10:22) Njengoba sizobona, ‘okuhle’ kuhlanganisa ukudla okungokomoya, abangane abahle, imigomo emihle nenkululeko yangempela.

6. Kungani kufanele wanelise isidingo sakho esingokomoya, futhi uJehova usanelisa kanjani?

⁶ Ngokungafani nezilwane, wena unesidingo esingokomoya esinganeliswa kuphela uMdali wakho. (Math. 4:4) Lapho ulalela uNkulunkulu, uthola ukuqonda, ukuhlakanipha nenjabulo. UJesu wathi, “Bayajabula abaqaphela isidingo sabo esingokomoya.” (Math. 5:3) UNkulunkulu wanelisa isidingo sakho esingokomoya ngeZwi lakhe nangokudla okuningi okungokomoya asinika kona ‘ngenceku ethembekile neqondayo.’ (Math. 24:45) Sithola ukudla okuhlukahlukene okunempilo!—Isaya 65:13, 14.

7. Yiziphi izinzuzo ozithola ngokudla ukudla okungokomoya okuvela kuNkulunkulu?

⁷ Ukudla okungokomoya uNkulunkulu akunika kona kukwenza ube nokuqonda futhi uhlakaniphe, okukuvikela ngezindlela eziningi. (Funda izAga 2:10-14.) Ngokwesibonelo, lezi zimfanelo zikwenza ubone izimfundiso zamanga ezinjengokuthi uNkulunkulu akekho. Zikuvikela emangeni athi imali nokuba nezinto kuwumthombo wenjabulo. Zikusiza ubone futhi ugweme izifiso ezimbi nokuziphatha ngendlela elimazayo. Ngakho, qhubeka ufuna ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu nekhono lokucabanga, ukubheke njengokuyigugu. Lapho uba nalezi zimfanelo uyozibonela ngawakho ukuthi uJehova uyakuthanda futhi ukufunela okungcono kakhulu.—IHu. 34:8; Isaya 48:17, 18.

8. Kungani kufanele usondele kuNkulunkulu manje, futhi lokhu kuyokuzuzisa kanjani esikhathini esizayo?

 ⁸ Maduze lonke izwe likaSathane lizobhujiswa futhi nguJehova kuphela ongasivikela. Kungenzeka kufike isikhathi lapho siyoncika ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu ukuze sithole into esizoyidla. (Hab. 3:2, 12-19) Ngakho, manje yisikhathi sokuba sisondele kuBaba wethu osezulwini futhi simethembe nakakhulu. (2 Pet. 2:9) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, uma wenza lokhu uyozizwa njengomhubi uDavide owathi: “Ngimbeké njalo uJehova phambi kwami. Ngeke ngintengantengiswe, ngoba yena ungakwesokunene sami.”—IHu. 16:8.

9. (a) NgokukaJohane 6:44, yini uJehova ayenzayo? (b) Yini enhle ngokuhlangana nabanye oFakazi?

⁹ UJehova udonsa labo abavumela ukuba babe amalungu omndeni wakhe ongokomoya, ngesineke udonsela abanhliziyo ziqotho enkolweni yeqiniso. (Funda uJohane 6:44.) Lapho uhlangana okokuqala nomuntu ongamkhonzi uJehova, yini oyaziyo ngalowo muntu? Ngaphandle kwegama lakhe nendlela abukekayo ngayo, kuncane kakhulu okwaziyo ngaye. Nokho, kuhlukile uma uhlangana okokuqala nomuntu omaziyo futhi omthandayo uJehova. Ngisho noma lowo muntu enesizinda esihlukile, izwe, ubuzwe noma isiko, kuningi kakhulu okwaziyo ngaye futhi naye kuningi akwaziyo ngawe.

10, 11. Yini abantu bakaJehova abafana ngayo, futhi lokhu kusizuzisa kanjani?

¹⁰ Ngokwesibonelo, nisheshe nizwe ‘ulimi oluhlanzekile’ lweqiniso nobabili enilukhulumayo. (Zef. 3:9) Ngenxa yalokho, uyazi ukuthi yini omunye uFakazi ayikholelwayo ngoNkulunkulu, ukuziphatha kanye nethemba lekusasa, uma sibala nje okumbalwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lezi yizinto ezibalulekile ongazazi ngomuntu, izinto ezikwenza umethembe. Yizo futhi ezenza kwakheke ubungane obuhle nobuhlala njalo.

¹¹ Usuke ungenzi ihaba lapho uthi njengomkhulekeli kaJehova, unabangane  abangcono kakhulu futhi basemhlabeni wonke. Ukuthi nje awukahlangani nabaningi kubo. Obani abanye ngaphandle kwabantu bakaJehova abanalesi sipho esiyigugu kangaka?

12. Yimiphi imigomo engokomoya ongazibekela yona?

¹² Funda uMshumayeli 11:9–12:1. Ingabe ikhona imigomo engokomoya ozama ukuyifinyelela? Kungenzeka uzama ukufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke. Mhlawumbe uzama ukuthuthukisa ikhono lokukhuluma nelokufundisa. Kunoma yikuphi, lapho ubona imiphumela emihle—noma lapho abanye bekuncoma—uzizwa kanjani? Akungabazeki ukuthi lokho kukwenza ujabule. Uzizwa ngaleyo ndlela ngoba wenza intando kaNkulunkulu ize kuqala kuwe futhi ulingisa uJesu.—IHu. 40:8; IzAga 27:11.

13. Kungani ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kungcono kunokufuna izinto zaleli zwe?

¹³ Lapho ugxila ekwenzeni umsebenzi kaJehova, wenza umsebenzi owanelisa ngempela ngoba ukuphila kwakho kuba nenjongo. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Yibani ngabagxilile, abangenakunyakaziswa, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi, nazi ukuthi umshikashika wenu awulona ize eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 15:58) Umuntu ogxila ekufuneni ingcebo nokuvelela, ngisho noma angaphumelela kangakanani, ekugcineni ukuphila kwakhe kuba yize. (Luka 9:25) INkosi uSolomoni yazibonela ngokwayo ukuthi lokhu kuyiqiniso.—Roma 15:4.

14. Yini ongayifunda kuSolomoni?

¹⁴ Njengoba ayecebe kunabo bonke abantu futhi enamandla, uSolomoni wazanelisa ngakho konke okujabulisa inhliziyo. Wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Manje woza, ngikulinge ngokujabula. Futhi, bona okuhle.” (UmSh. 2:1-10) Wazakhela izindlu, wenza izingadi namapaki, wathola nanoma yini ayeyifisa. Wazizwa kanjani ngemva kwalokho? Anelisekile? Ejabule? Egculisekile? Akudingeki siqagele. USolomoni ngokwakhe wasitshela. Wathi: “Ngaphendukela kuyo yonke imisebenzi yami izandla zami ezaziyenzile . . . , konke kwakuyize . . . kwakungekho lutho oluyinzuzo.” (UmSh. 2:11) Leso yisifundo esibaluleke ngempela! Ingabe uzosilalela?

15. Kungani ukholo lubalulekile, futhi luzuzisa kanjani, njengoba kuvezwe encwadini yeHubo 32:8?

¹⁵ UJehova akafuni ufunde kabuhlungu ekuphileni. Kudingeka ube nokholo ukuze umlalele futhi wenze intando yakhe ize kuqala ekuphileni kwakho. Lolo kholo lubalulekile futhi alusoze lwakudumaza. UJehova akasoze alukhohlwe ‘uthando olubonisa kulo igama lakhe.’ (Heb. 6:10) Ngakho, zikhandle ukuze ube nokholo oluqinile futhi uzibonele ngokwakho ukuthi uBaba wakho osezulwini uyakukhathalela.—Funda iHubo 32:8.

16. Kungani kufanele sibheke inkululeko njengebalulekile futhi siyisebenzise kahle?

¹⁶ UPawulu wabhala: “Lapho kunomoya kaJehova khona, kukhona inkululeko.” (2 Kor. 3:17) UJehova uyayithanda inkululeko futhi wakwenza ukuba nawe uyithande. Ngesikhathi esifanayo ufuna uyisebenzise kahle inkululeko yakho ngoba lokho kuyokuvikela. Mhlawumbe kunentsha oyaziyo ebukela izithombe zabantu abanqunu nabenza ucansi, eziphatha kabi, edlala imidlalo eyingozi, ebhema izidakamizwa nedakwayo. Leyo ntsha ingase ithole injabulo yesikhashana  ngokwenza lezi zinto. Kodwa ngokuvamile kuba buhlungu lapho ingenwa yizifo, iba imilutha noma igcine ifile. (Gal. 6:7, 8) Kuyacaca ukuthi “inkululeko” yayo iwukuzikhohlisa.—Thithu 3:3.

17, 18. (a) Ukulalela uNkulunkulu kusikhulula kanjani? (b) Yayihluke kanjani inkululeko u-Adamu no-Eva ababenayo kuleyo esinayo namuhla?

¹⁷ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, bangaki abantu obaziyo abaye bagula ngenxa yokuthi balalela iBhayibheli? Ngempela, ukulalela uJehova kuyasiphilisa futhi kuyasikhulula. (IHu. 19:7-11) Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho uyisebenzisa kahle inkululeko yakho—okungukuthi, ukulalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu—ubonisa uNkulunkulu nabazali bakho ukuthi bangakunika inkululeko eyengeziwe. Empeleni, kuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba ekugcineni izinceku zakhe ezithembekile zibe nenkululeko ephelele, iBhayibheli eliyichaza ngokuthi ‘yinkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’—Roma 8:21.

¹⁸ U-Adamu no-Eva babenayo leyo nkululeko. Ensimini yase-Edene, ikhona yini imingcele uNkulunkulu ayeyibekile? Yebo, uwodwa kuphela. Kwakungamelwe badle isithelo sesihlahla esisodwa. (Gen. 2:9, 17) Ingabe lowo mngcele wawuhlukumeza futhi ucindezela? Lutho neze! Wuqhathanise nemithetho eminingi abantu abaye baphoqwa ukuba bayifunde futhi bayilalele.

19. Sifundiswa ngaziphi izindlela ukuba abantu abakhululekile?

¹⁹ UJehova usebenzelana nezinceku zakhe ngendlela ehlakaniphile. Kunokuba asinike imithetho eminingi, ngesineke usifundisa ukuba silalele umthetho wothando. Ufuna siphile ngokuvumelana nezimiso zakhe futhi sizonde okubi. (Roma 12:9) Isibonelo esihle salokhu sisibona eNtshumayelweni kaJesu yaseNtabeni, ngoba kuyo uJesu wachaza izisusa zezenzo ezimbi. (Math. 5:27, 28) NjengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uKristu uyoqhubeka esifundisa ezweni elisha ukuze indlela esibheka ngayo ukulunga nokungabi namthetho ifane neyakhe ncamashi. (Heb. 1:9) Uyokwenza imizimba nezingqondo zethu kuphelele. Cabanga nje, ngeke sisabhekana nemiphumela ebuhlungu yesono. Ekugcineni, uyojabulela ‘inkululeko ekhazimulayo’ uJehova akuthembise yona.

20. (a) UJehova uyisebenzisa kanjani inkululeko yakhe? (b) Ungazuza kanjani esibonelweni sikaNkulunkulu?

²⁰ Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ngeke sibe nenkululeko engenamingcele. Iyobe ibuswa ukuthanda uNkulunkulu nabantu. Empeleni uJehova usicela ukuba simlingise. Unenkululeko engenamingcele, nokho uye wakhetha ukuqondiswa uthando lapho esebenzelana nabantu. (1 Joh. 4:7, 8) Kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi singaba nenkululeko ephelele kuphela lapho sinothando olunjengolukaNkulunkulu.

21. (a) UDavide wayezizwa kanjani ngoJehova? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²¹ Uyakujabulela yini konke “okuhle” uJehova akunike khona, njengentilibathwa yokudla okungokomoya, abangane abahle, imigomo enenjongo kanye nethemba lokuthola inkululeko ephelele? (IHu. 103:5) Uma kunjalo, uyozizwa njengomhubi owasho lokhu encwadini yeHubo 16:11: “Uyongenza ngiyazi indlela yokuphila. Ukujabula uze waneliseke kusebusweni bakho; kukhona okujabulisayo esandleni sakho sokunene kuze kube phakade.” Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngamanye amaphuzu amahle atholakala encwadini yeHubo 16. Azosisiza sibone ukuthi singakuthola kanjani ukwaneliseka kwangempela ekuphileni.