1, 2. Iyiphi inselele abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababhekene nayo namuhla? (Bheka izithombe ezisekuqaleni.)

ODOKOTELA nabahlengi abaningi basebenza ngabantu abanezifo ezithathelwanayo. Banakekela iziguli ngoba bafuna ukuzisiza. Nokho, kudingeka bazivikele ukuze bangangenwa yizifo abazama ukuzelapha. Ngendlela efanayo, abaningi kithi baphila futhi basebenze nabantu abathonywe indlela yokucabanga nemikhuba engavumelani nobuntu bukaNkulunkulu. Lokho kudala ubunzima.

² Kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, abantu baziphethe ngendlela eyinqaba. Incwadi yesibili umphostoli uPawulu ayibhalela uThimothewu ichaza izinto ezenziwa abantu abahlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu, okuyizinto ezizobonakala nakakhulu njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka. (Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5, 13.) Nakuba singase sishaqeke lapho sibona ukwanda kokwenziwa kwalezi zinto, ukuziphatha okunjalo nendlela yokucabanga yabantu abenza lezi zinto kungasithonya. (IzAga 13:20) Kulesi sihloko sizohlola umehluko okhona phakathi kobuntu babantu abaphila ezweni namuhla nobuntu babantu bakaNkulunkulu. Sizobona nendlela esingazivikela ngayo ezintweni ezimbi ezenziwa  abantu kuyilapho sibasiza bafunde ngoNkulunkulu.

3. Uhlobo olunjani lwabantu olunezimpawu noma izici ezichazwe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:2-5?

³ Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ukuthi “ezinsukwini zokugcina kuyofika izikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.” Wabe esebhala uhlu lwezimpawu noma izici abantu abaphila phakathi nale nkathi ababeyobonakala ngazo. Lolu uhlu olufana nalolo olutholakala kweyabaseRoma 1:29-31, nakuba lolu hlu olusencwadini uPawulu ayibhalela uThimothewu lunamagama angatholakali kweminye imiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki. UPawulu uqala uhlu lwakhe ngamagama athi, “ngoba abantu bayoba . . . ” Nokho, akubona bonke abantu abanalobu buntu obubi. AmaKristu anobuntu obuhluke kakhulu.​—Funda uMalaki 3:18.

4. Ungabachaza kanjani abantu abakhukhumele?

⁴ Ngemva kokuchaza ukuthi abantu abaningi bayoba abazithandayo nabathanda imali, uPawulu wabhala ukuthi bayoba abazazisayo, abazidlayo nabakhukhumele, ngokuvamile okuyizici ezibonakala kubantu abazibona bengcono ngenxa yamakhono, ukubukeka, ingcebo noma isikhundla. Abantu abanobuntu obunjalo bahlale befuna ukubukwa nokunconywa. Esinye isazi sabhala lokhu ngokuphathelene nomuntu okhukhumele, sathi: “Enhliziyweni yakhe kune-altare elincane azikhothamela kulo.” Abanye baye bathi ukukhukhumala kubi kangangokuthi ngisho nabantu abakhukhumele kuyabacasula ukubona umuntu okhukhumele.

5. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuthi ngisho nabantu abathembekile bagcine bekhukhumele?

⁵ Akungabazeki ukuthi uJehova akamfuni umuntu oqhoshayo. Ayanengeka kuye “amehlo aqhoshayo.” (IzAga 6:16, 17) Ukuqhosha kuyasivimba singakwazi ukusondela kuNkulunkulu. (IHu. 10:4) Kuyingxenye yobuntu bukaDeveli. (1 Thim. 3:6) Nokho, ngokudabukisayo, ngisho nezinye zezinceku zikaJehova eziqotho ziye zathonywa ukuqhosha. U-Uziya inkosi yakwaJuda, wathembeka iminyaka eminingi. Nokho, ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuthi, “Kwathi nje lapho esenamandla, inhliziyo yakhe yazidla kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokubangela incithakalo, kangangokuba wenza isenzo sokungathembeki kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe wangena ethempelini likaJehova ukuba ashise impepho e-altare lempepho.” Kamuva, iNkosi uHezekiya nayo yazikhukhumeza, nakuba ingakwenzanga isikhathi eside lokho.—2 IziKr. 26:16; 32:25, 26.

6. Yini eyayingabangela ukuba uDavide aqhoshe, kodwa kungani engazange azikhukhumeze?

⁶ Abanye abantu baqhosha ngenxa yokubukeka kahle, ukwaziwa yiningi, ukucula kahle, ukuba namandla, noma ukuba sesikhundleni esiphezulu. UDavide wayenakho konke lokhu esikubalile, kodwa wahlala ethobekile ukuphila kwakhe konke. Ngemva kokubulala uGoliyati nokunikwa indodakazi yeNkosi uSawule ukuba ibe umkakhe, uDavide wathi: “Ngingubani mina futhi zingobani izihlobo zami, umndeni kababa, kwa-Israyeli, ukuba ngibe umkhwenyana wenkosi.” (1 Sam. 18:18) Yini eyasiza uDavide wahlala ethobekile? Ubuntu, amakhono nezinto uDavide aba nazo, wazithola ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu ‘wazehlisa’ noma wazithoba ukuze amnake. (IHu. 113:5-8) UDavide wayazi ukuthi wayengeke abe nalezi zinto ezinhle ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 4:7.

7. Yini ezosisiza sithobeke?

⁷ NjengoDavide, abantu bakaJehova namuhla balwela ukuthobeka. Kusishiya sibambe  ongezansi ukwazi ukuthi uJehova, uMuntu ophakeme kunayo yonke into emhlabeni nasezulwini, uthobekile. (IHu. 18:35) Sizama ukusebenzisa iseluleko esiphefumulelwe esithi: “Gqokani uthando lomzwelo, umusa, ukuthobeka, ubumnene, nokubekezela.” (Kol. 3:12) Siyazi nokuthi uthando “aluzigabisi, aluzikhukhumezi.” (1 Kor. 13:4) Lapho abantu bebona ukuthi sithobekile, bangase badonseleke kuJehova. Njengoba nje amadoda engase adonseleke kuJehova lapho ebona ukuziphatha okuhle kwamakhosikazi awo, abantu bangasondela kuJehova lapho bebona ukuthobeka kwezinceku zakhe.—1 Pet. 3:1.

8. (a) Ukungabahloniphi abazali kubhekwa kanjani namuhla? (b) ImiBhalo ikhuthaza izingane ukuba zenzeni?

⁸ UPawulu wachaza indlela abantu abaphila ezinsukwini zokugcina ababeyophathana ngayo. Wabhala ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina, izingane ngeke zilalele abazali. Nakuba ukuziphatha okunjalo ngezinye izikhathi kwamukeleka kuze ngisho kukhuthazwe ezincwadini, emafilimini nasezinhlelweni zethelevishini namuhla, ukungalaleli kulimaza ukuhleleka kwento ebaluleke kakhulu emphakathini—umndeni. Sekuyiminyaka abantu belazi leli qiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, eGreece ngezikhathi zasendulo, uma owesilisa eshaya abazali bakhe wayelahlekelwa yiwo wonke amalungelo akhe njengesakhamuzi saseGreece; ngokomthetho wamaRoma, icala lokushaya uyihlo lalifana nse nelokubulala umuntu. ImiBhalo YesiHebheru neyamaKristu YesiGreki inxusa izingane ukuba zihloniphe abazali bazo.—Eks. 20:12; Efe. 6:1-3.

9. Yini eyosiza abasebasha ukuba balalele abazali babo?

⁹ Into engasiza izingane zizivikele ethonyeni lokungabalaleli abazali, ukucabanga ngalokho abazali bazo abazenzele kona. Umoya wokwazisa uyokhula lapho ziqonda ukuthi nguNkulunkulu, uBaba wethu sonke, ofuna zilalele. Ngokukhuluma kahle ngabazali babo, abasebasha bangasiza enye intsha ibheke abazali bayo ngendlela efanele. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi, uma abazali bengazibonisi ukuthi bayazithanda izingane zabo, kuyoba nzima ngalezo zingane ukulalela ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, lapho osemusha ebona ukuthi abazali bakhe bamthanda ngempela, uyolwela ukubajabulisa ngisho nalapho elingeka ukuba angalaleli. U-Austin uthi: “Ngisho noma ngokuvamile ngiye ngifise ukwenza izinto ngendlela yami, abazali bami baye babeka imithetho ezwakalayo, bachaza nezizathu zaleyo mithetho futhi ngiyakwazi ukukhuluma nabo noma nini. Lokhu kuye kwangisiza ngalalela. Ngiyabona ukuthi bayangikhathalela futhi lokho kuye kwangenza ngafuna ukubajabulisa.”

10, 11. (a) Yiziphi izici ezibonisa ukuthi abantu abathandani? (b) AmaKristu eqiniso abathanda kangakanani abantu?

¹⁰ UPawulu uchaza nezinye izici ezibonisa ukuthi abantu abathandani. Ngemva kokukhuluma ‘ngokungalaleli abazali,’ ube esekhuluma ‘ngabangabongiyo’ okuyindlela yokucabanga ebonakala kulabo abangenakho ukwazisa ngezenzo zomusa ababoniswe zona. Abantu babeyoba abangathembeki. Ngeke bafune isivumelwano, bebonisa ukungafisi ukwenza ukuthula nabanye abantu. Bayoba abahlambalazi nabakhapheli, basho izinto ezibuhlungu nezilimazayo ngabanye abantu ngisho nangoNkulunkulu. Kuyoba khona abanyundeli, labo abasho izinto ezihloselwe ukonakalisa idumela labanye abantu. *

 ¹¹ Ngokungafani nabantu abangenalo uthando namuhla, labo abakhonza uJehova babathanda ngempela abanye abantu. Lokhu bekulokhu kuyiqiniso. UJesu wathi ukuthanda umakhelwane, i-a·ga’pe, wumthetho wesibili ngobukhulu eMthethweni kaMose, obaluleke kunawo owokuthanda uNkulunkulu. (Math. 22:38, 39) UJesu waphinde wathi ukuthandana kuyoba uphawu amaKristu eqiniso ayobonakala ngalo. (Funda uJohane 13:34, 35.) Lolo thando lobuKristu lwaluyoboniswa ngisho nasezitheni.—Math. 5:43, 44.

12. UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabathanda abantu?

¹² UJesu wabonisa ukuthi ubathanda ngempela abantu. Waya emadolobheni ahlukahlukene, etshela abantu izindaba ezinhle ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Welapha izimpumputhe, izimungulu, abanochoko kanye nezithulu. Wavusa nabantu abafile. (Luka 7:22) UJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yesintu, ngisho noma abantu abaningi babemzonda. Uthando lukaJesu lulubonisa kahle uthando lukaYise. Kuwo wonke umhlaba, oFakazi BakaJehova balingisa uJehova ngokuthanda abantu.

13. Indlela esithanda ngayo abantu ingabasiza kanjani abanye basondele kuJehova?

¹³ Lapho sibonisa abantu ukuthi siyabathanda, lokho kungabenza badonseleke kuBaba wethu osezulwini. Ngokwesibonelo, indoda eThailand yathinteka lapho ibona indlela abazalwane ababethandana ngayo emhlanganweni wesifunda. Lapho iphindela emzini wayo, yacela ukuba ifundelwe iBhayibheli kabili ngesonto. Yashumayeza zonke izihlobo zayo, kwathi ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha yafunda iBhayibheli okokuqala phambi kweningi eHholo LoMbuso. Ukuze sihlole indlela esithanda ngayo abanye, singase sizibuze: ‘Ingabe ngenza konke okusemandleni ukuze ngisize abantu emndenini, ebandleni nasenkonzweni? Ingabe ngizama ukubheka abanye ngendlela uJehova ababheka ngayo?’

14, 15. Yibuphi ubuntu bobulwane obuboniswa abaningi, kodwa abanye baye bashintsha kanjani?

¹⁴ Ubuntu babantu abaphila kulezi zinsuku zokugcina bunikeza amaKristu izizathu ezengeziwe zokudeda kubo. Abantu abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu ngeke babe  nothando lokuhle, ezinye izinguqulo zithi “bayozonda okuhle” noma “ngeke bakuthande okulungile.” Ngeke bazithibe, bayoba nolaka. Abanye bayoba nenkani, noma bangabi nandaba.

¹⁵ Abaningi ababenobuntu obunjalo bobulwane baye bashintsha ukuphila kwabo. Lolu shintsho lwabikezelwa esiprofethweni seBhayibheli. (Funda u-Isaya 11:6, 7.) Kulo mBhalo sifunda ngezilwane zasendle, njengezimpisi namabhubesi, eziphila ngokuthula nezilwane ezifuywayo njengamawundlu namankonyane. Phawula ukuthi lokhu kuzola kuyoba khona “ngoba umhlaba ngokuqinisekile uyogcwala ulwazi ngoJehova.” (Isaya 11:9) Ngenxa yokuthi izilwane azikwazi ukufunda ngoJehova, ukugcwaliseka okungokomoya kwalesi siprofetho kwenzeka kubantu bakaNkulunkulu.

16. IBhayibheli liye labasiza kanjani abantu bashintsha ukuphila kwabo?

¹⁶ Kunabantu ababenobuntu obusabekayo befana nezimpisi kodwa manje baphila ngokuthula nabanye. Ungafunda izindaba zabo zokuphila esihlokweni esiwuchungechunge esithi “IBhayibheli Lishintsha Ukuphila,” esitholakala ku-jw.org/zu. Labo abaye bafunda ngoJehova futhi bamkhonza abafani nalabo abanesimo sokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kodwa bewaphika amandla ako, abenza sengathi bakhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa baphile ngendlela ephikisana nentando kaNkulunkulu. Kunalokho, bagqoka “ubuntu obusha obadalwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu ngokulunga kweqiniso nokuthembeka.” (Efe. 4:23, 24) Njengoba abantu befunda ngoNkulunkulu, babona isidingo sokuphila ngokuvumelana nemithetho yakhe. Lokho kubenza bashintshe izinkolelo, indlela yokucabanga nokuziphatha kwabo. Ukwenza ushintsho olunjalo akulula, kodwa kungenzeka ngenxa yokuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu uyobasiza labo abanesifiso esiqotho sokwenza intando yakhe.

17. Singakugwema kanjani ukuthonywa yilabo abanobuntu obubi?

¹⁷ Umehluko phakathi kwalabo abakhonza uNkulunkulu nalabo abangamkhonzi uya uphawuleka kakhulu. Thina esikhonza uNkulunkulu kumelwe siqaphe singathonywa ukucabanga okubi kwabanye abantu. Ngokuhlakanipha silalela iseluleko esiphefumulelwe esikweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:2-5, sokubafulathela abantu abanjalo. Kuyavunywa ukuthi ngeke sikwazi ukubagwema ngokuphelele abantu abanobuntu obubi. Kungase kudingeke sisebenze nabo, sifunde nabo esikoleni noma sihlale nabo. Kodwa singakubalekela ukuthonywa indlela abacabanga ngayo nokulingisa imikhuba yabo. Lokho singakwenza ngokuqinisa ubuhlobo bethu noJehova, ngokutadisha iBhayibheli nokusondela eduze nalabo abazimisele ukukhonza uJehova.

18. Indlela esikhuluma nesiziphatha ngayo ingabasiza kanjani abanye bafunde ngoNkulunkulu?

¹⁸ Kumelwe silwele nokusiza abantu bafunde ngoJehova. Funa amathuba okushumayela, cela uJehova akusize usho into efanele ngesikhathi esifanele. Kufanele sibatshele abantu ukuthi singoFakazi BakaJehova. Lokho kuyobangela ukuba ukuziphatha kwethu okuhle kudumise uJehova, esikhundleni sokuthi kudunyiswe thina. Siye saqeqeshwa ukuba “silahle ukungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu nezifiso zezwe nokuba siphile ngokuhluzeka kwengqondo nokulunga nangokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu phakathi nalesi simiso samanje sezinto.” (Thithu 2:11-14) Uma siziphatha ngendlela efunwa uJehova, abantu bayosibona futhi abanye bangaze bathi: “Sizohamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”—Zak. 8:23.