1, 2. (a) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zilindele ukuthola muphi umklomelo? (b) Yini esisiza ukuba sigxile ekutholeni umklomelo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

NJENGOMPHOSTOLI uPawulu, amaKristu agcotshiwe namuhla anethemba lokuthola “umklomelo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaNkulunkulu.” (Fil. 3:14) Abheke ngabomvu ekubuseni noJesu Kristu eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini nokusebenza naye lapho enza abantu baphelele. (IsAm. 20:6) Yeka umsebenzi omuhle la maKristu abheke phambili kuwo! Kodwa ezinye izimvu zinethemba elihlukile. Zilangazelela ukuthola umklomelo wokuphila phakade emhlabeni—ithemba elijabulisa ngempela.​—2 Pet. 3:13.

² Ukuze asize amaKristu agcotshiwe ukuba ahlale ethembekile futhi athole umklomelo, uPawulu wawanxusa: “Gcinani izingqondo zenu zigxilé ezintweni zaphezulu.” (Kol. 3:2) Kwakufanele alikhumbule njalo ithemba lawo lokuthola ifa ezulwini. (Kol. 1:4, 5) Ngempela, ukuzindla ngezibusiso uJehova azigcinele abantu bakhe kusiza zonke izinceku  zikaNkulunkulu zigxile ekutholeni umklomelo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zinethemba lokuphila emhlabeni noma ezulwini.​—1 Kor. 9:24.

3. UPawulu waxwayisa amaKristu ngaziphi izingozi?

³ UPawulu waphinda waxwayisa amaKristu ngezinto eziyingozi ezingawalahlekisela ngomklomelo. Ngokwesibonelo, wabhalela ibandla laseKolose ngamaKristu mbumbulu ayezama ukuthola umusa kaNkulunkulu ngokusebenzisa uMthetho kunokuwuthola ngokuba nokholo kuKristu. (Kol. 2:16-18) UPawulu wakhuluma nangezinto eziyingozi ezisekhona nanamuhla ezingasilahlekisela ngomklomelo. Ngokwesibonelo, wachaza indlela esingazigwema ngayo izinto ezivusa inkanuko, indlela yokuxazulula izinkinga nesikholwa nabo namalungu omndeni. Iseluleko sakhe ngalezi zinto sibalulekile kithi namuhla. Ngakho, ake sixoxe ngezinto uPawulu axwayisa ngazo ezisencwadini ayibhalela abaseKolose.

4. Kungani inkanuko ingasilahlekisela ngomklomelo?

⁴ Ngemva kokukhumbuza abafowabo ngethemba elihle abanalo, uPawulu wabhala: “Ngakho-ke, bulalani amalungu emizimba yenu asemhlabeni ngokuqondene nobufebe, ukungcola, isifiso sobulili, isifiso esilimazayo, nokuhaha.” (Kol. 3:5) Inkanuko ingaba namandla futhi ingasilahlekisela ngengcebo kaNkulunkulu. Omunye umzalwane owayeselawulwa yinkanuko washo lokhu ngemva kokubuyela ebandleni, “Ngadonswa yisifiso esinamandla kangangokuthi angibanga nawo amandla okwenqaba, kwaze kwaba yilapho sekwephuze kakhulu.”

5. Singazivikela kanjani ezimweni eziyingozi?

⁵ Kubaluleke nakakhulu ukuqapha lapho sisesimweni esingenza kube nzima ukulalela izindinganiso zikaJehova zokuziphatha. Ngokwesibonelo, kuwukuhlakanipha ngabathandanayo ukuba zisuka nje bazibekele imithetho ngezinto ezinjengokuthintana, ukuqabulana noma ukuba bodwa. (IzAga 22:3) Izimo eziyingozi zingavela lapho umKristu ehamba ngomsebenzi noma kudingeke asebenze nomuntu wobulili obuhlukile. (IzAga 2:10-12, 16) Uma kwenzeka uba kuleso simo, yisho ukuthi unguFakazi kaJehova, ziphathe ngendlela ehloniphekile, ukhumbule ukuthi ukuzidlisa satshanyana kungaba nemiphumela emibi. Singaba sengozini enkulu uma sicindezelekile futhi sibuthakathaka. Ngezikhathi ezinjalo singase sifise ukuba nomuntu ozosenza sizizwe sithandwa. Kangangokuthi singase sikulangazelele ukusekelwa ngokomzwelo size sivumele ukunakwa yinoma ubani. Uma lokho kungase kwenzeke kuwe, namathela kuJehova nakubantu bakhe, lokho kuzokusiza ungalahlekelwa umklomelo.​—Funda iHubo 34:18; izAga 13:20.

6. Yini okufanele siyikhumbule lapho sikhetha ezokuzijabulisa?

⁶ Ukuze sibulale inkanuko nezifiso ezimbi kudingeka sigweme ukuzijabulisa ngezinto ezivusa inkanuko. Izinto eziningi zokuzijabulisa namuhla zifana nalokho okwakwenziwa eSodoma naseGomora. (Jude 7) Ezentengiselwano zithuthukisa imibono yazo yendlela yokuziphatha ngokuveza ukuziphatha okubi njengento enhle engenamiphumela ebuhlungu. Kufanele sihlale siqaphile, sikhethe ngokucophelela lokho esizijabulisa ngakho namuhla. Kudingeka sikhethe uhlobo lokuzijabulisa olungeke lusiphazamise ekutholeni umklomelo.​—IzAga 4:23.

7. Yiziphi izinkinga esingase sibe nazo ebandleni lobuKristu?

⁷ Sonke siyavuma ukuthi kuyisibusiso  ukuba ingxenye yebandla lobuKristu. Ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu emihlanganweni yethu, nendlela enothando nenomusa esisekelana ngayo isisiza sigxile ekutholeni umklomelo. Noma kunjalo, ngezinye izikhathi, ukungaboni ngasolinye kungenza amalungu ebandla angazwani. Uma sihluleka ukuxazulula izinkinga ezinjalo singagcina sesinenzondo.​—Funda eyoku-1 Petru 3:8, 9.

8, 9. (a) Yiziphi izimfanelo ezingasisiza sithole umklomelo? (b) Yini engasisiza sihlale sinokuthula lapho umKristu esizwisa ubuhlungu?

⁸ Singayigwema kanjani intukuthelo ukuze singalahlekelwa umklomelo? UPawulu wanxusa amaKristu aseKolose: “Njengabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu, abangcwele nabathandwayo, gqokani uthando lomzwelo, umusa, ukuthobeka, ubumnene, nokubekezela. Qhubekani nibekezelelana futhi nithethelelana ngokukhululekile uma umuntu enesizathu sokukhononda ngomunye. Njengoba nje uJehova anithethelela ngokukhululekile, yenzani kanjalo nani. Kodwa, ngaphezu kwazo zonke lezi zinto, gqokani uthando, ngoba luyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.”​—Kol. 3:12-14.

⁹ Uthando nomusa kungasisiza sithethelelane. Ngokwesibonelo, uma umKristu esikanye naye esho noma enza into esizwisa ubuhlungu, singazama ukukhumbula isikhathi lapho nathi sikhulume noma senza into ebuhlungu. Lokho kuzokwenza ukuba sazise uthando nomusa wabafowethu nodadewethu abathethelela amaphutha ethu. (Funda umShumayeli 7:21, 22.) Siwazisa kakhulu umusa kaKristu ngokuhlanganisa abakhulekeli beqiniso ukuze babe nobunye. (Kol. 3:15) Sonke sithanda uNkulunkulu oyedwa, sishumayela umyalezo owodwa futhi sinezinkinga eziningi ezifanayo. Ukuba nomusa nokuthandana kusenza sibe munye sigxile ekutholeni umklomelo.

10, 11. (a) Kungani kuyingozi ukuba nomona? (b) Singakugwema kanjani ukuba nomona ongasenza silahlekelwe umklomelo?

¹⁰ Izibonelo eziyisixwayiso eziseBhayibhelini sizikhumbuza ukuthi umona ungasilahlekisela ngomklomelo. Ngokwesibonelo, uKhayini waba nomona ngomfowabo u-Abela wabe esembulala. UKhora, uDathani no-Abhiramu baba nomona ngoMose base bemelana naye. INkosi uSawule yaba nomona ngoDavide ngenxa yokuphumelela kwakhe empini yabe isizama ukumbulala. Yingakho iZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Lapho kukhona khona umhawu nokubanga, kukhona isiyaluyalu nayo yonke into embi.”​—Jak. 3:16.

¹¹ Uma sihlakulela ukuba nothando nomusa ngeke sibe nomona. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Uthando luyabekezela futhi lunomusa. Uthando alunamhawu.” (1 Kor. 13:4) Ukuze sigweme ukuba nomona kumelwe sizame ukubheka izinto ngendlela uNkulunkulu azibheka ngayo. Kumelwe sibheke abafowethu nodadewethu njengamalungu omzimba owodwa kaKristu. Lokhu kuzosisiza sizwelane, ngokuvumelana neseluleko seBhayibheli: “Uma ilungu likhazinyuliswa, wonke amanye amalungu ajabula kanye nalo.” (1 Kor. 12:16-18, 26) Ngakho, kunokuthi sibe nomona, siyojabula lapho abanye bebusiswa. Ake ucabange ngesibonelo sendodana yeNkosi uSawule, uJonathani. Akabanga nomona lapho uDavide egcotshwa ukuba abe inkosi elandelayo. Kunalokho, wamkhuthaza uDavide. (1 Sam. 23:16-18) Thina, singaba yini nomusa nothando njengoJonathani?

12. Yisiphi iseluleko esingokomBhalo esizosisiza sithole umklomelo njengomndeni?

¹² Ukusebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli  kungenza umndeni ujabule, ube nokuthula futhi uthole umklomelo. Yisiphi iseluleko engokomBhalo uPawulu asinika imindeni engamaKristu eKolose? Wathi: “Nina bafazi, zithobeni kubayeni benu, ngoba kuyafaneleka eNkosini. Nina madoda, qhubekani nithanda omkenu futhi ningabathukutheleli kakhulu. Nina bantwana, lalelani abazali benu kukho konke, ngoba lokhu kuyajabulisa kakhulu eNkosini. Nina bobaba, ningabathukuthelisi abantwana benu, ukuze bangadangali.” (Kol. 3:18-21) Cishe uzovuma ukuthi namanje ukusebenzisa iseluleko sikaPawulu esingokomBhalo kuyabazuzisa abayeni, amakhosikazi nezingane.

13. Inkosikazi engumKristu ingamzuza kanjani umyeni wayo ongamkhonzi uJehova?

¹³ Kuthiwani uma uyinkosikazi futhi unomuzwa wokuthi umyeni wakho ongamkhonzi uJehova akakuphathi kahle? Ingabe ukukhononda ngendlela akuphatha ngayo kuzokwenza izinto zibe ngcono? Ngisho noma ukukhononda kwakho kungaphumelela, umnyeni wakho uyolamukela yini iqiniso ngenxa yesenzo sakho? Mancane amathuba alokho. Kodwa uma uhlonipha ubunhloko bomyeni wakho, ungenza umndeni ube nokuthula, udumise uJehova futhi ungase wenze umyeni wakho akhulekele uNkulunkulu weqiniso; ngaleyo ndlela nobabili  nibe sethubeni lokuthola umklomelo.​—Funda eyoku-1 Petru 3:1, 2.

14. Umyeni ongumKristu kufanele enzeni uma umkakhe ongamkhonzi uNkulunkulu engamhloniphi?

¹⁴ Kuthiwani uma ungumyeni futhi unomuzwa wokuthi umkakho ongamkhonzi uNkulunkulu akakuhloniphi? Ubengakuhlonipha yini uma umphoqa ngenkani ukuba akuhloniphe mhlawumbe ngokumthethisa ukuze umbonise ukuthi ubani indoda? Cha. UNkulunkulu ulindele ukuba ulingise uJesu ngokuba yinhloko enothando. (Efe. 5:23) UJesu uyinhloko enothando futhi unesineke lapho ehola ibandla lakhe. (Luka 9:46-48) Ngokulingisa isibonelo sikaJesu, umyeni angase enze umkakhe akhonze uNkulunkulu weqiniso.

15. Umyeni ongumKristu ubonisa kanjani ukuthi uyamthanda umkakhe?

¹⁵ IBhayibheli lithi kubayeni: “Qhubekani nithanda omkenu futhi ningabathukutheleli kakhulu.” (Kol. 3:19) Umyeni onothando uhlonipha umkakhe ngokulalela imibono yakhe nangokumqinisekisa ngokuthi zibalulekile izinto umkakhe amtshela zona. (1 Pet. 3:7) Nakuba engeke enze konke umkakhe akufunayo, uyawucabangela umbono womkakhe ngaphambi kokuba enze isinqumo. (IzAga 15:22) Umyeni onothando akamphoqi umkakhe ukuba amhloniphe ngenkani. Kunalokho wenza izinto ezizokwenza umkakhe amhloniphe ngokuzenzakalelayo. Umyeni othanda umkakhe nezingane zakhe cishe uzoba nomndeni ojabulayo nokhonza uJehova futhi uthole umklomelo.

16, 17. Njengosemusha, ungakugwema kanjani ukucasukela abazali bakho ngokweqile?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani uma usemusha futhi unomuzwa wokuthi abazali bakho abakuqondi futhi abafuni ujabule? Lokho kungase kukwenze ungabaze ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova kuyindlela engcono yokuphila. Kodwa uma uvumela ukucasuka kukwenze uyeke ukukhonza uJehova, ngokushesha uzobona ukuthi abekho abanye abantu abakuthanda ngempela njengabazali bakho abesaba uNkulunkulu nabantu basebandleni.

¹⁷ Ukube abazali bakho bebengakukhuzi, ubungeke yini uzibuze ukuthi bakuthanda ngempela? (Heb. 12:8) Mhlawumbe yindlela abazali bakho abakuyala ngayo ongayithandi. Kunokuba ukhathazeke ngokuthi bakuyala kanjani, zama ukuqonda ukuthi kungenzeka kunesizathu esenza bakuyale ngaleyo ndlela. Ngakho beka umoya phansi bese ugwema ukuba nehaba lapho bekuyala. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Noma ubani ogodla amazwi akhe unolwazi, nomuntu onokuqonda unomoya ozolile.” (IzAga 17:27) Kwenze umgomo wakho ukuba umuntu ovuthiwe osamukela kahle iseluleko, ozuza kuso ngaphandle kokukhathazwa yindlela esinikezwe ngayo. (IzAga 1:8) Kuyisibusiso ukuba nabazali abamthanda ngempela uJehova. Ngokuqinisekile bazokusiza ukuba uthole umklomelo.

18. Kungani uzimisele ukugxila ekutholeni umklomelo?

¹⁸ Kuyajabulisa ngempela ukucabanga ngomklomelo esizowuthola kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuthola ukuphila okungenakufa ezulwini noma ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Yithemba eliqinisekisiwe esilinikwa uMdali ngokwakhe. Mayelana nomhlaba oyiPharadesi, uNkulunkulu uthi: “Umhlaba ngokuqinisekile uyogcwala ulwazi ngoJehova.” (Isaya 11:9) Wonke umuntu oyophila emhlabeni uyofundiswa uNkulunkulu. Lowo, umklomelo okumelwe siwulwele. Ngakho gxila kulokho uJehova akuthembisile futhi ungavumeli lutho lukulahlekisele ngomklomelo!