1-2. Kungani umKristu engase afaniswe nebhilidi elide? (1 Korinte 15:58)

 NGO-1978, eTokyo, eJapane, kwakhiwa ibhilidi elide elinezitezi ezingu-60. Abantu babezibuza ukuthi lizokwazi kanjani ukuqhubeka limile kube kunokuzamazama komhlaba okuningi kangaka kulelo dolobha. Yini eyayizolenza lingadiliki? Onjiniyela baklama leli bhilidi ngendlela yokuba liqine, ngesikhathi esifanayo likwazi ukunyakaza ukuze limelane nokundindizela okubangelwa ukuzamazama komhlaba. AmaKristu afana nalelo bhilidi. Ngayiphi indlela?

² UmKristu kufanele abe ogxilile ngesikhathi esifanayo avumelane nezimo. Kudingeka aqine futhi anganyakaziswa lapho kuziwa ekulaleleni imithetho kaJehova. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:58.) “Uyashesha ukulalela” futhi akagudluki kwakunqumile. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kudingeka abe ‘ocabangelayo,’ noma ovumelana nezimo, uma isimo simvumela noma sifuna ukuba enze kanjalo. (Jak. 3:17) UmKristu osefundile ukuba nalo mbono olinganiselayo uyogwema ukuba nemibono eqine ngokweqile noma ukuyekelela ngokweqile. Kulesi sihloko, sizofunda ngokuthi yini esingayenza ukuze singanyakaziswa. Sizoxoxa nangezindlela ezinhlanu uSathane azama ngazo ukusenza singabi abagxilile, sifunde nokuthi singamelana kanjani nemizamo yakhe.

3. Yimiphi imithetho evela kuMniki-mthetho Ophakeme esencwadini yezEnzo 15:28, 29?

³ Njengoba uJehova enguMniki-mthetho Ophakeme, ubelokhu enikeza abantu bakhe imithetho ecacile. (Isaya 33:22) Ngokwesibonelo, indikimba yekhulu lokuqala yasho izinto ezintathu  amaKristu okumele ame aqine kuzo: (1) angazikhonzi izithixo, akhonze uJehova kuphela, (2) ahloniphe ubungcwele begazi (3) anamathele emithethweni ephakeme yokuziphatha eseBhayibhelini. (Funda izEnzo 15:28, 29.) AmaKristu namuhla angamlalela kanjani uJehova kulezi zinto ezintathu?

4. Sibonisa kanjani ukuthi sizinikele kuJehova kuphela? (IsAmbulo 4:11)

⁴ Asizikhonzi izithixo, sikhonza uJehova kuphela. Wayala ama-Israyeli ukuba azinikele kuye kuphela. (Dut. 5:6-10) Kanti lapho uJesu elingwa uDeveli, washo ngokucacile ukuthi kumele sikhonze uJehova kuphela. (Math. 4:8-10) Ngenxa yalokho, asizikhonzi izithixo. Asibakhonzi nabantu​—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangabaholi benkolo, ababusi, noma osaziwayo kwezemidlalo noma kwezokuzijabulisa​—senze sengathi bangonkulunkulu. Sisekela uhlangothi lukaJehova, sikhonze kuphela lowo ‘owadala zonke izinto.’​—Funda isAmbulo 4:11.

5. Kungani silalela umthetho kaJehova ophathelene nobungcwele bokuphila negazi?

⁵ Silalela umthetho kaJehova ophathelene nobungcwele bokuphila negazi. Kungani? Kungoba uJehova uthi igazi limelela ukuphila, okuyisipho esiyigugu esivela kuye. (Lev. 17:14) Ngesikhathi uJehova eqala ukuvumela abantu ukuba badle inyama, wabayala ukuba bangalidli igazi. (Gen. 9:4) Wawuphinda lo myalo lapho enikeza ama-Israyeli uMthetho KaMose. (Lev. 17:10) Waqondisa nendikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala ukuba ikhiphe umyalo wokuba wonke amaKristu ‘aqhubeke ededa egazini.’ (IzE. 15:28, 29) Sinamathela kulo myalo lapho sinquma ukuthi sizolashwa kanjani. b

6. Yimiphi imizamo esiyenzayo ukuze siphile ngemithetho kaJehova ephakeme yokuziphatha?

⁶ Sinamathela ngokuqinile emithethweni kaJehova ephakeme yokuziphatha. (Heb. 13:4) Esebenzisa inkulumo engokomfanekiso, umphostoli uPawulu useluleka ukuba ‘sibulale’ amalunga emizimba yethu​—okusho ukuthi senze konke okusemandleni ukuze siqede izifiso ezingalungile. Siyakugwema ukubuka noma ukwenza noma yini engasiholela ekuziphatheni kabi ngokocansi. (Kol. 3:5; Jobe 31:1) Lapho sibhekene nesilingo, siwugwema ngokushesha noma yimuphi umcabango noma isenzo esingalimaza ubungani bethu noNkulunkulu.

7. Yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza, futhi kungani?

⁷ UJehova ulindele ukuba ‘silalele ngokusuka enhliziyweni.’ (Roma 6:17) Izinto athi asizenze zihlale zizuzisa thina futhi imithetho yakhe asikwazi ukuyiguqula. (Isaya 48:17, 18; 1 Kor. 6:9, 10) Senza konke esingakwenza ukuze sijabulise uJehova, sibonise nesimo sengqondo esifana nesomhubi, owathi: “Nginqume ukulalela iziqondiso zakho ngaso sonke isikhathi, kuze kube sekugcineni.” (IHu. 119:112) Nokho, uSathane uzokwenza kube nzima ukuba sime siqine. Yiziphi izindlela azisebenzisayo?

8. USathane ulusebenzisa kanjani ushushiso ukuze enze kube nzima ukuba sime siqine?

⁸ Usebenzisa ushushiso. UDeveli wenza sihlaselwe ngokoqobo asebenzise nezigcindezi ukuze kube nzima ukuma siqine. Umgomo wakhe ‘uwukusishwabadela,’ aqede ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. (1 Pet. 5:8) AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala asongelwa, ashaywa, abulawa ngenxa yokuthi ayezimisele ukuma aqine. (IzE. 5:27, 28, 40; 7:54-60) USathane  uyaqhubeka esebenzisa ushushiso nanamuhla. Lokho kubonakala endleleni enesihluku abaphathwa ngayo abafowethu nodadewethu eRussia nakwamanye amazwe nasendleleni abaphikisi abahlasela ngayo abafowethu nodadewethu.

9. Nikeza isibonelo sokuthi kungani kudingeka siqaphe izingcindezi ezicashile.

⁹ Usebenzisa izingcindezi ezicashile. Ngaphandle koshushiso olusobala, uSathane ubuye asebenzise “namaqhinga.” (Efe. 6:11) Cabanga ngesibonelo sikamzalwane okuthiwa uBob owalaliswa esibhedlela ukuze ahlinzwe. Watshela odokotela ukuthi wayengeke neze akwamukele ukufakelwa igazi. Udokotela ohlinzayo wathi uzosihlonipha isinqumo sakhe. Kodwa ngobusuku bangaphambi kokuba ahlinzwe, udokotela obulala izinzwa wafika kuBob ngemva kokuba umndeni wakhe usugodukile. Watshela uBob ukuthi cishe ngeke afakwe igazi kodwa lizoba khona lona uma kwenzeka lidingeka. Mhlawumbe lo dokotela wayecabanga ukuthi uBob uzosishintsha isinqumo sakhe uma umndeni wakhe ungasekho. Kodwa uBob wama waqina wathi bangalinge bamfake igazi.

10. Kungani ukucabanga kwabantu abangayilaleli imithetho kaJehova kuyingozi? (1 Korinte 3:19, 20)

¹⁰ Usebenzisa ukucabanga kwabantu abangayilaleli imithetho kaJehova. Uma sibheka izinto ngendlela abantu abazibheka ngayo, singase singamnaki uJehova nemithetho yakhe. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 3:19, 20.) “Ukuhlakanipha kwaleli zwe” kuvame ukwenza abantu benze ngokwezifiso zabo ezingalungile. AmaKristu ambalwa asePhergamu naseThiyathira athonywa imibono yabantu ababeziphatha kabi nababekhonza izithixo ababehlala kulawo madolobha. UJesu wawanika iseluleko esiqinile womabili la mabandla ngenxa yokubekezelela kwawo ukuziphatha kabi ngokocansi. (IsAm. 2:14, 20) Namuhla, abantu esiphila nabo bangase bazame ukusithonya ukuba samukele imibono yabo engalungile. Amalungu omndeni nabantu esibajwayele bangase bazame ukusenza sizizwe kabi, kube sengathi sikholwe kakhulu, bese besikhuthaza ukuba sithi ukuxegisa. Ngokwesibonelo, bangase bathi ukwanelisa izifiso zethu akusho lutho nokuthi imithetho yeBhayibheli yokuziphatha isiphelelwe isikhathi.

11. Ukuze sime siqine, yini okumele siyigweme?

¹¹ Ngezinye izikhathi singase sicabange ukuthi isiqondiso uJehova asinikeza sona asanele. Singase silingeke nokuba ‘seqele ngale kwezinto ezilotshiwe.’ (1 Kor. 4:6) Abaholi benkolo bangosuku lukaJesu babesenza lesi sono. Ngokwenezela imithetho eyenziwe abantu eMthethweni KaMose, babathwesa umthwalo osindayo abantu abavamile. (Math. 23:4) UJehova usinikeza isiqondiso esicacile ngeZwi lakhe nangenhlangano yakhe. Asikho isidingo sokwenezela eziqondisweni asinikeza zona. (IzAga 3:5-7) Ngakho, aseqeli ngale kwezinto ezibhalwe eBhayibhelini noma sishayele esikholwa nabo imithetho ngezinto ezithinta umuntu siqu.

12. USathane uyisebenzisa kanjani ‘inkohliso eyize’?

¹² Uyasikhohlisa. USathane usebenzisa ‘inkohliso eyize nezinto zokucathula zezwe’ ukuze adukise abantu futhi abahlukanise. (Kol. 2:8) Ekhulwini lokuqala, lezi zinto zazihlanganisa amafilosofi asekelwe ekucabangeni kwabantu, ezimfundisweni zamaJuda ezingasekelwe emiBhalweni nasemfundisweni yokuthi amaKristu kumele agcine uMthetho KaMose. Lezi zinto zazibakhohlisa abantu ngoba zazibenza bangawunaki uMthombo wokuhlakanipha kweqiniso, uJehova. Namuhla, uSathane usebenzisa abezindaba nezinkundla zokuxhumana ukuze asakaze amahemuhemu  angasekelwe ndawo nezindaba ezingamanga ezibhebhezelwa abaholi bezepolitiki. Sizizwile lezi zindaba ezingamanga phakathi nobhubhane lwe-COVID-19. c OFakazi BakaJehova abalalela lezi ziqondiso ezivela enhlanganweni bakugwema ukukhathazeka okungadingekile okwatholwa yilabo abalalela izindaba ezingamanga.​—Math. 24:45.

13. Kungani kumele siqaphe ukuba singaphazamiseki?

¹³ Usebenzisa iziphazamiso. Akumele sikhohlwe ‘izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu.’ (Fil. 1:9, 10) Iziphazamiso zingadla isikhathi sethu esiningi kakhulu, zisenze singazinaki izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu. Izinto ezivamile ekuphileni​—ezinjengokudla, ukuphuza, ukuzilibazisa nomsebenzi wokuziphilisa​—zingaba iziphazamiso uma sigxila kuzo. (Luka 21:34, 35) Ngaphezu kwalokho, zonke izinsuku sizwa izindaba eziphathelene nemibhikisho nezimpikiswano zezepolitiki. Akumele sivumele lezi zinto zisiphazamise. Uma singaqaphile singase siqale ukuthatha uhlangothi ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zethu. USathane usebenzisa zonke lezi zindlela ezibalwe ngenhla ngoba efuna singabe sisazimisela ukwenza okulungile. Ake sibone ukuthi singalwa kanjani nemizamo yakhe, sime siqine.

14. Iyiphi enye yezinto engasisiza sime siqine ohlangothini lukaJehova?

¹⁴ Cabanga ngokuthi kungani wazinikezela kuJehova futhi wabhapathizwa. Wazinikezela futhi wabhapathizwa ngoba wawufuna ukuba ngasohlangothini lukaJehova. Khumbula ukuthi yini eyakusiza waqiniseka ukuthi uthole iqiniso. Wathola ulwazi olunembile ngoJehova, waqala ukumthanda nokumhlonipha njengoBaba wakho wasezulwini. Waba nokholo futhi lokho kwakwenza waphenduka. Inhliziyo yakho yakwenza wayeka imikhuba emibi, waphila ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu. Wajabula lapho uqaphela ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukuthethelele. (IHu. 32:1, 2) Waya emihlanganweni yamaKristu, waqala nokufundisa abanye izinto ezimangalisayo owawusuzifundile. NjengomKristu  ozinikezele wabhapathizwa, manje usuhamba endleleni eholela ekuphileni futhi uzimisele ukuqhubeka uhamba kuyo.​—Math. 7:13, 14.

15. Kungani ukutadisha nokuzindla kuzuzisa?

¹⁵ Tadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu, uzindle ngalo. Njengoba nje isihlahla singama siqine uma sinezimpande ezijulile, nathi singahlala siqinile uma ukholo lwethu lugxile eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Njengoba isihlahla sikhula, izimpande zaso zijula nakakhulu futhi zisabalale nakakhulu. Lapho sitadisha bese siyazindla, siqinisa ukholo lwethu futhi siqiniseka nakakhulu ukuthi izindlela zikaNkulunkulu zinhle kunazo zonke. (Kol. 2:6, 7) Cabanga ngokuthi iziqondiso, izeluleko nesivikelo sikaJehova kwazisiza kanjani izinceku zakhe esikhathini esidlule. Ngokwesibonelo, uHezekeli wanakisisa lapho ingelosi ikala ithempeli ayelibona embonweni. Lo mbono wamqinisa uHezekeli futhi thina usifundisa izifundo ezibalulekile ezimayelana nendlela yokusekela imithetho kaJehova yokumkhonza ngendlela emsulwa. d (Hez. 40:1-4; 43:10-12) Nathi singazuza lapho sizinika isikhathi sokutadisha nokuzindla ngezinto ezijulile eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu.

16. Inhliziyo egxilile yamvikela kanjani uBob? (IHubo 112:7)

¹⁶ Yiba nenhliziyo egxilile. INkosi uDavide yathi ayisoze yayeka ukuthanda uJehova. Lapho ihlabelela yathi: “Inhliziyo yami igxilile, Nkulunkulu.” (IHu. 57:7) Nathi singaba nayo inhliziyo egxilile, emethemba ngokuphelele uJehova. (Funda iHubo 112:7.) Cabanga ukuthi lokho kwamsiza kanjani uBob, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni. Lapho etshelwa ukuthi igazi lizoba seduze uma kwenzeka kudingeka balifake, waphendula ngokushesha wathi uma nje bezozama ukumfakela igazi, uzohamba ngaso leso sikhathi. Kamuva uBob wathi: “Ngangingangabazi nakancane ukuthi yini engizoyenza futhi ngangingakhathazekile ngokuthi kuzokwenzekani.”

17. Yini esiyifunda kokwenzeka kuBob? (Bheka nesithombe.)

 ¹⁷ UBob wakwazi ukuma aqine ngenxa yokuthi isinqumo sokuma aqine wayesenze kusasele isikhathi eside aye esibhedlela. Okokuqala, wayefuna ukujabulisa uJehova. Okwesibili, wakutadisha ngokucophelela lokho okushiwo iBhayibheli nezincwadi zethu ezisekelwe kulo mayelana nobungcwele bokuphila negazi. Okwesithathu, wayeqiniseka ukuthi ukulandela iziqondiso zikaJehova kwakuyoletha izinzuzo ezihlala njalo. Nathi singaba nenhliziyo egxilile kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekene naluphi uvivinyo.

18. Isibonelo sikaBharaki sisifundisa kanjani ukuba sithembele kuJehova? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

¹⁸ Thembela kuJehova. Cabanga ngendlela uBharaki aphumelela ngayo ngenxa yokwethemba isiqondiso sikaJehova. Nakuba abantu bakuleli zwe babengenawo amahawu noma imikhonto, uJehova wamyala ukuba ayolwa namabutho ahlomile enduna yempi yamaKhanani, uSisera. (AbaHl. 5:8) Umprofethikazi uDebora watshela uBharaki ukuba ehlele ethafeni ukuze ayohlangana noSisera nezinqola zakhe zempi ezingu-900. Nakuba kwakuzoba nzima kakhulu ukuba ama-Israyeli alwe nezinqola ezinejubane endaweni eyithafa, uBharaki walalela. Lapho amasosha ehla eNtabeni iThabori, uJehova wenza ukuba line imvula enkulu. Izinqola zikaSisera zabhajwa odakeni, uJehova wamenza wanqoba uBharaki. (AbaHl. 4:1-7, 10, 13-16) Ngokufanayo, uJehova uyosenza sinqobe uma simethemba futhi sisethemba nesiqondiso asinikeza ngenhlangano yakhe.​—Dut. 31:6.

19. Kungani ufuna ukuhlala ugxilile?

¹⁹ Uma nje sisaphila kuleli zwe, siyoqhubeka silwela ukuhlala sigxilile. (1 Thim. 6:11, 12; 2 Pet. 3:17) Kwangathi singazimisela ukuba singajikijelwa ngapha nangapha ushushiso, izingcindezi ezicashile, ukucabanga kwabantu abangayilaleli imithetho kaJehova, ukukhohliswa neziphazamiso. (Efe. 4:14) Kunalokho, masime siqine, sigxile ekuzinikeleni kwethu kuJehova futhi singanyakaziswa ekulaleleni imiyalo yakhe. Ngesikhathi esifanayo kudingeka sivumelane nezimo. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngokuthi uJehova noJesu bayizibonelo eziphelele zokuvumelana nezimo.