1. Kwakunjani ukuphila kwakho ngaphambi kokuba utadishe iBhayibheli?

 KWAKUNJANI ukuphila kwakho ngaphambi kokuba utadishe iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova? Abaningi bethu bangesaba ngisho nokucabanga ngakho. Imibono yethu nobuntu bethu cishe kwakulolongwe ukucabanga kwalesi simiso sezinto​—lokho izwe elithi kulungile nelithi akulungile. Uma kunjalo, ‘sasingenathemba singenaye uNkulunkulu ezweni.’ (Efe. 2:12) Ukufundelwa iBhayibheli kwakushintsha konke lokho!

2. Yini owayithola njengoba wawufundelwa iBhayibheli?

² Njengoba wawufundelwa iBhayibheli, wathola ukuthi unoBaba osezulwini okuthanda kakhulu. Waqaphela ukuthi ukuze ujabulise uJehova futhi ube yingxenye yomndeni wezikhonzi zakhe, kuzodingeka wenze ushintsho olukhulu endleleni ophila ngayo, obheka ngayo izinto nocabanga ngayo. Kwakuzodingeka ufunde ukuphila ngemithetho yakhe ephakeme.​—Efe. 5:3-5.

3. NgokweyabaseKolose 3:9, 10, yini uJehova afuna siyenze, futhi sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

³ UMdali wethu noBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova, unelungelo lokunquma ukuthi amalungu omndeni wakhe kufanele aziphathe kanjani. Ufuna nokuba ngaphambi kokuba sibhapathizwe, senze umzamo ‘wokuhlubula ubuntu obudala nemikhuba yabo.’ * (Funda eyabaseKolose 3:9, 10.) Lesi sihloko sizosiza abafuna ukubhapathizwa baphendule imibuzo emithathu: (1) Buyini “ubuntu obudala”? (2) Kungani uJehova ethi asibuhlubule? (3)  Singabuhlubula kanjani? Kulabo kithi  asebebhapathiziwe, lesi sihloko sizosisiza sigweme izici ezingenza ubuntu obudala buphinde buvuke.

4. Uziphatha kanjani umuntu obuswa “ubuntu obudala”?

⁴ Umuntu obuswa “ubuntu obudala” uvame ukucabanga nokwenza ngendlela ebonisa ukuthi unesono. Angase azicabangele yena, acasuke kalula, angabongi futhi aqhoshe. Angase ajabulele ukubukela izithombe zocansi ezingcolile nokubukela amamuvi anenkohlakalo nobudlova. Akungabazeki ukuthi unazo ezinye izimfanelo ezinhle, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi zimphatha kabi izinto azishoyo noma azenzayo. Kodwa akanawo umdlandla wokushintsha ukucabanga nokuziphatha kwakhe.​—Gal. 5:19-21; 2 Thim. 3:2-5.

5. Yimuphi umbono olinganiselayo okufanele sibe nawo uma kuziwa ekuhlubuleni ubuntu obudala? (IzEnzo 3:19)

⁵ Ngenxa yokuthi sinesono, ngeke sikwazi ukuyisusa ngokuphelele imicabango emibi enhliziyweni nasengqondweni yethu. Ngezinye izikhathi, sizosho noma senze into esizozisola ngayo. (Jer. 17:9; Jak. 3:2) Kodwa lapho sihlubula ubuntu obudala, asibe sisabuswa indlela yokucabanga nemikhuba ebonisa ukuthi sinesono. Lezo zinto azibe zisaba ingxenye yobuntu bethu.​—Isaya 55:7; funda izEnzo 3:19.

6. Kungani uJehova esinxusa ukuba silahle imicabango engafanele nemikhuba emibi yobuntu obudala?

⁶ UJehova usinxusa ukuba silahle imicabango engafanele nemikhuba emibi ngenxa yokuthi usithanda kakhulu futhi ufuna sikujabulele ukuphila. (Isaya 48:17, 18) Uyazi ukuthi labo abazinikela ezifisweni ezingafanele bazilimaza bona nabanye. Kumzwisa ubuhlungu ukusibona sizilimaza thina nabanye.

7. NgokweyabaseRoma 12:1, 2, yikuphi ukukhetha okufanele sikwenze?

⁷ Abanye abangane bethu nabomndeni bangase baqale ukuhlekisa ngathi ngenxa yokuthi sizama ukushintsha ubuntu bethu. (1 Pet. 4:3, 4) Bangase bathi sinelungelo lokwenza noma yini esiyithandayo futhi akufanele sivumele abanye basitshele ukuthi senzeni. Kodwa abantu abenqaba imithetho kaJehova basuke bengazilawuli. Empeleni, basuke bevumela ukuthonywa izwe elilawulwa  uSathane. (Funda eyabaseRoma 12:1, 2.) Sonke kumelwe sikhethe: Kuphakathi kokuthi sigcina ubuntu bethu obudala obulawulwa isono nezwe likaSathane, noma sivumela ukuba uJehova asishintshe sibe abantu abangcono kakhulu kwamanje.​—Isaya 64:8.

8. Yini engasisiza sigweme ukucabanga okungafanele nemikhuba emibi?

⁸ UJehova uyazi ukuthi kuzodinga isikhathi nomzamo ukugwema ukucabanga okungafanele nemikhuba emibi. (IHu. 103:13, 14) Nokho, uJehova usebenzisa iZwi lakhe, umoya wakhe nenhlangano yakhe ukuze asiphe ukuhlakanipha, amandla nosizo esiludingayo ukuze sishintshe ubuntu bethu. Akungabazeki ukuthi usekusizile kakade. Manje, ake sixoxe ngezinye zezinyathelo eziwusizo ezizokwenza uthuthuke ekuhlubuleni ubuntu obudala, ufanelekele ukubhapathizwa.

9. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lingakusiza ukuba wenzeni?

⁹ Sebenzisa iBhayibheli ukuze uzihlolisise. IZwi likaNkulunkulu linjengesibuko; lingakusiza uhlole indlela ocabanga, okhuluma nowenza ngayo. (Jak. 1:22-25) Ofunda nawe iBhayibheli namanye amaKristu avuthiwe bangakunika izeluleko. Ngokwesibonelo, bangasebenzisa imiBhalo ukuze bakusize ukwazi ukubona lapho wenza kahle khona nalapho ungenzi kahle khona. Bangakufundisa indlela yokuthola izeluleko eziwusizo ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ezizokubonisa ukuthi ungayinqoba kanjani imikhuba emibi. UJehova naye uhlale ekulungele ukukusiza. Wazi kahle ukuthi kufanele akusize kanjani; uyakwazi okusenhliziyweni yakho. (IzAga 14:10; 15:11) Ngakho, kwenze umkhuba ukuthandaza njalo nokutadisha iZwi lakhe nsuku zonke.

10. Ufundeni endabeni ka-Elie?

¹⁰ Qiniseka ngokuthi imithetho kaJehova ingcono kakhulu. Singazuza kuzo zonke izinto uJehova asicela ukuba sizenze. Labo abaphila ngemithetho yakhe bayazihlonipha, baba nokuphila okunenjongo nenjabulo yangempela. (IHu. 19:7-11) Ngokuphambene, labo abangaphili ngemithetho kaJehova babhekana nemiphumela emibi ehambisana nokwenza imisebenzi yenyama. Phawula lokho okushiwo owesilisa okuthiwa u-Elie mayelana nokwenqaba imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Wakhuliswa abazali abathanda uJehova. Kodwa lapho esemusha, waba nabangane ababi. Waqala ukusebenzisa izidakamizwa, waziphatha kabi futhi waba yisela. U-Elie uthi wazibona esengumuntu onolaka nonodlame. Uthi: “Empeleni ngenza yonke into engangifundiswe ukuba ngingayenzi njengomKristu.” Kodwa u-Elie akazange akukhohlwe ayekufunde esemncane. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, waphinde walitadisha iBhayibheli. Wasebenza kanzima ukuze ayeke imikhuba emibi, wayeseyabhapathizwa ngo-2000. Kumsize kanjani ukuphila ngemithetho kaJehova? U-Elie uthi: “Manje nginokuthula kwengqondo nonembeza ohlanzekile.” * Njengoba le ndaba ibonisa, abantu abenqaba imithetho kaJehova bazilimaza bona. Noma kunjalo, uJehova ukulungele ukubasiza bashintshe.

11. Yiziphi izinto uJehova azizondayo?

¹¹ Funda ukuzonda lokho uJehova akuzondayo. (IHu. 97:10) IBhayibheli lithi uJehova uyawazonda “amehlo aqhoshayo, ulimi olunamanga nezandla ezichitha igazi elingenacala.” (IzAga 6:16, 17) ‘Uyabenyanya nabantu abanobudlova nabakhohlisayo.’ (IHu. 5:6)  Indlela uJehova azizonda ngayo lezi zinto, waze wabhubhisa bonke abantu ababi ngosuku lukaNowa ngenxa yokuthi babegcwalise umhlaba ngobudlova. (Gen. 6:13) Cabanga nangesinye isibonelo. Ngomprofethi uMalaki, uJehova wathi uyabazonda abenza amacebo ngobuqili ukuze badivose abantu abashade nabo abangonanga lutho. UNkulunkulu akayamukeli inkonzo yabo futhi uyobenza balandise ngokuziphatha kwabo.​—Mal. 2:13-16; Heb. 13:4.

12. Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuzonda okubi’?

¹² UJehova ufuna ‘sikuzonde okubi.’ (Roma 12:9) Igama elithi “zonda” lichaza umuzwa ojulile ngento ethile, ukungafuni nokuyibona, ukuyenyanya. Cabanga nje ukuthi ungazizwa kanjani uma kungathiwa yidla ukudla okubolile. Ukucabanga ngakho nje kukodwa kungakwenza uzizwe kuthi hlanza. Ngendlela efanayo, ngisho nokucabanga nje ngokwenza lokho uJehova athi kubi kufanele kusenyanyise.

13. Kungani kumelwe siqaphe imicabango yethu?

¹³ Qapha imicabango yakho. Imicabango yethu inomthelela kulokho esikwenzayo. Yingakho uJesu asifundisa ukuba siyilahle imicabango engasenza senze isono esibi kakhulu. (Math. 5:21, 22, 28, 29) Sifuna ukumjabulisa uBaba wethu osezulwini, akunjalo? Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani-ke ukuba siyikhiphe ngokushesha engqondweni noma yimiphi imicabango emibi esifikelayo!

14. Esikushoyo kwembulani ngathi, futhi yimiphi imibuzo okufanele siyiphendule?

¹⁴ Lawula okushoyo. UJesu wathi: “Noma yini ephuma emlonyeni ivela enhliziyweni.” (Math. 15:18) Yiqiniso, lokho esikushoyo kwembula lukhulu ngalokho esiyikho ngaphakathi. Ngakho, zibuze le mibuzo: ‘Ingabe ngiyakugwema ukuqamba amanga ngisho noma ukukhuluma iqiniso kuzongifaka enkingeni? Njengoba ngishadile, ngiyaqikelela yini ukuthi angidlali ngomuntu engingashadile naye, ngenze sengathi ngiyamthanda? Ingabe ngikugwema ngazo zonke izindlela ukukhuluma izinto ezingcolile? Ngiphendula ngomoya ozolile yini lapho othile engicasula?’ Kuzokusiza ukucabanga ngaleyo mibuzo. Okushoyo kungase kufaniswe nezitishi ezisengutsheni. Njengoba nje izitishi zibamba ingubo ukuze ihlangane, inkulumo elimazayo yiyo esihlanganisa nobuntu  bethu obudala. Ngakho, uma uzama ngokusemandleni ukuhlukana nokukhuluma izinto ezihlambalazayo, ezingamanga nezingcolile, kuyoba lula ukuhlubula ubuntu obudala.

15. Kusho ukuthini ukubethela ubuntu bethu obudala “esigxotsheni”?

¹⁵ Zimisele ukuthatha isinyathelo esiwujuqu. Umphostoli uPawulu usisiza sibe nesithombe esicacile engqondweni esisisiza sibone ukuthi kumelwe sizimisele kangakanani ukushintsha indlela esiphila ngayo. Wabhala ukuthi kumelwe sibethele ubuntu bethu obudala “esigxotsheni.” (Roma 6:6) Ngamanye amazwi, sifuna ukulandela isibonelo sikaKristu. Kudingeka sibulale imicabango nemikhuba uJehova ayizondayo. Siyoba nonembeza ohlanzekile, sijabulele nokuphila okuphakade kuphela uma sithatha lezo zinyathelo. (Joh. 17:3; 1 Pet. 3:21) Khumbula ukuthi uJehova ngeke ashintshe imithetho yakhe ukuze ivumelane nathi. Kunalokho, kudingeka thina sishintshe lokho esiyikho, sizivumelanise nemithetho yakhe.​—Isaya 1:16-18; 55:9.

16. Kungani kumelwe uzimisele ukuqhubeka ulwa nezifiso zenyama?

¹⁶ Qhubeka ulwa nezifiso zenyama. Ngisho nangemva kokubhapathizwa, kuzodingeka uqhubeke ulwa nezifiso zenyama. Phawula lokho okwenzeka kowesilisa okuthiwa uMaurício. Esemusha waba yisitabane. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wahlangana nabantu bakaJehova, wayeseqala ukufundelwa iBhayibheli. Ngemva kokwenza izinguquko ekuphileni kwakhe, wabhapathizwa ngo-2002. Nakuba esekhonze uJehova iminyaka eminingi, uMaurício uthi: “Ngiyavuma ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi kuye kwadingeka ngilwe nezifiso ezingalungile.” Akakuvumeli lokho kumdikibalise. Kunalokho uthi: “Kuyangiduduza ukwazi ukuthi uma ngingenzi ngokuvumelana nalezo zifiso, ngizojabulisa uJehova.” *

17. Yini ekukhuthazayo ngendaba kaNabiha?

¹⁷ Thandazela usizo lukaJehova futhi uthembele emoyeni wakhe, hhayi emandleni akho. (Gal. 5:22; Fil. 4:6) Kumelwe sizimisele uma sifuna ukuhlubula ubuntu obudala futhi singaphinde sibugqoke. Cabanga ngokwenzeka kowesifazane okuthiwa uNabiha. Uyise wamlahla lapho eneminyaka eyisithupha. Uthi: “Kwangizwisa ubuhlungu obukhulu.” Njengoba ekhula, uNabiha wayehlale ethukuthele  futhi enolaka. Wayeshushumbisa izidakamizwa, waboshwa, wayesebhadla ejele iminyaka ethile. OFakazi ababeshumayela ejele baqala ukufunda naye iBhayibheli. UNabiha waqala ukwenza izinguquko ezinkulu. Uthi: “Kwakulula ukuba ngiyiyeke eminye imikhuba. Kodwa ukuyeka ukubhema kwangishikilisa.” UNabiha walwa nalo mkhuba kwaze kwaphela unyaka, ekugcineni waphumelela. Wasizwa yini? Uthi: “Okwangisiza kakhulu ukuthandaza njalo kuJehova.” Manje utshela abanye: “Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi uma mina ngakwazi ukwenza ushintsho ukuze ngijabulise uJehova, noma ubani angakwazi!” *

18. Ngokweyoku-1 Korinte 6:9-11, yini izinceku eziningi zikaNkulunkulu ezikwazile ukuyenza?

¹⁸ Ekhulwini lokuqala, abanye babantu besilisa nabesifazane uJehova abakhetha ukuba babuse kanye noKristu babeke bayenza imikhuba emibi. Ngokwesibonelo, babekade beyiziphingi, izitabane namasela. Noma kunjalo, ngosizo lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu bakwazi ukushintsha ubuntu babo. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 6:9-11.) Ngokufanayo namuhla, iBhayibheli selisize izigidi zabantu ukuba benze ushintsho ekuphileni kwabo. * Baye banqoba imikhuba emibi embelwe yajula. Isibonelo sabo sifakazela ukuthi nawe ungabushintsha ubuntu bakho, unqobe nemikhuba emibi ukuze ufanelekele ukubhapathizwa.

19. Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Ngaphezu kokuhlubula ubuntu obudala, abantu abafuna ukubhapathizwa kumelwe benze umzamo wokugqoka ubuntu obusha. Isihloko esilandelayo sizokhuluma ngokuthi singakwenza kanjani lokho, nangokuthi abanye bangasisiza kanjani.