1, 2. (a) Abanye abantu basabela kanjani lapho bezwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu unenhlangano? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

INGABE uNkulunkulu unayo inhlangano? Abanye bangase bathi: “Awuyidingi inhlangano ezokuqondisa, into oyidingayo nje ubuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu.” Ingabe lo mbono unembile? Amaqiniso abonisani?

² Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngobufakazi bokuthi uJehova, uNkulunkulu wokuhleleka, unguMhleli ongenakuqhathaniswa. Sizofunda nangendlela okufanele sisabele ngayo lapho sithola isiqondiso esivela enhlanganweni kaJehova. (1 Kor. 14:33, 40) Ngekhulu lokuqala C.E. nasosukwini lwethu, imiBhalo iye yasiza ingxenye yenhlangano kaJehova esemhlabeni ukuba yenze umsebenzi omkhulu wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle. Ngenxa yokuthi sinamathela eBhayibhelini futhi sihambisana neziqondiso zenhlangano, sithuthukisa inhlanzeko, ukuthula nobunye balo lonke ibandla.

3. Yini ekwenza uqiniseke ngokuthi uJehova unguMhleli ongenakuqhathaniswa?

³ Indalo ifakazela ukuthi uNkulunkulu unguMhleli ongenakuqhathaniswa. IBhayibheli lithi: “UJehova wasekela umhlaba  ngokuhlakanipha. Ngokuqonda wamisa amazulu aqina.” (IzAga 3:19) Sazi nje kuphela “amaphethelo ezindlela [zikaNkulunkulu], futhi yeka ukuthi okuzwakele ngaye kuwumnyenyezo omncane kangakanani wendaba!” (Jobe 26:14) Nokho lokho okuncane esikwaziyo ngamaplanethi, izinkanyezi nemithala kusishukumisela ukuba sivume ukuthi izinto ezisemkhathini zihlelwe ngendlela emangalisayo. (IHu. 8:3, 4) Imithala inezinkanyezi eziyizigidigidi, konke kuhamba ngendlela ehlelekile. Amaplanethi asesimisweni sethu sonozungezilanga, ajikeleza ilanga sengathi alalela imithetho yomgwaqo! Ngokuqinisekile ukuhleleka okumangalisayo okubonakala endaweni yonke kusisiza sibone ukuthi uJehova, “owenza amazulu ngokuqonda” kanye nomhlaba, uyakufanelekela ukuba simdumise, sibe qotho kuye futhi simkhulekele.—IHu. 136:1, 5-9.

4. Kungani isayensi iye yahluleka ukuphendula imibuzo eminingi?

⁴ Isayensi iye yembula izinto eziningi mayelana nembulunga yonke kanye nomhlaba wethu futhi lokho kuye kwasizuzisa ezicini ezihlukahlukene zokuphila. Kodwa isayensi yehlulekile ukuphendula imibuzo eminingi. Ngokwesibonelo, izazi zezinkanyezi azikwazi ukusitshela ngokuqondile ukuthi indawo yonke yaba khona kanjani noma ukuthi kungani sikule planethi ewuMhlaba esekela izinto eziningi eziphilayo. Abantu ngokuvamile abakwazi ukuchaza ukuthi kungani isintu sinesifiso esinamandla sokuphila phakade. (UmSh. 3:11) Kungani kunemibuzo eminingi kangaka ebalulekile kodwa engaphenduliwe? Ngokwengxenye, kungenxa yokuthi ososayensi abaningi nabanye, bavame ukwenza abantu bacabange ukuthi uNkulunkulu akekho futhi basekela imfundiso yokuziphendukela kwemvelo. Kodwa eNcwadini yakhe, uJehova uphendula imibuzo ekhathaza abantu yonke indawo.

5. Kungaziphi izindlela sincike emithethweni yemvelo?

⁵ Sincike emithethweni yemvelo engashintshi futhi enokwethenjelwa emiswe uJehova. Abantu abasebenza ngogesi, abasebenza ngamapayipi amanzi, onjiniyela, abashayela izindiza, odokotela abahlinzayo​—bonke laba bantu bancike kule mithetho ukuze benze umsebenzi wabo. Ngokwesibonelo, odokotela abahlinzayo bancike eqinisweni lokuthi imizimba yabantu isebenza ngendlela efanayo. Ngenxa yalokho udokotela ohlinzayo akudingeki ukuba athungathe inhliziyo yesiguli. Sonke siyayihlonipha imithetho yemvelo. Ukungawuhloniphi umthetho wamandla adonsela phansi kungasho ukufa kithi!

6. Kungani kufanele silindele ukuba abakhulekeli bakaJehova bahleleke?

⁶ Ngempela indawo yonke ihleleke ngokumangalisayo. Ngokuqinisekile, kufanele silindele ukuba uJehova afune abakhulekeli bakhe bahleleke kahle. Eqinisweni uNkulunkulu uye wasinika iBhayibheli ukuze asiqondise. Ukuphila ngaphandle kosizo lwenhlangano kaNkulunkulu kanye nezindinganiso zakhe kungasincisha injabulo futhi kusibangele usizi.

7. Yini ebonisa ukuthi iBhayibheli incwadi ehlelwe kahle?

⁷ IBhayibheli alakhiwa nje iqoqo lezincwadi ezingavumelani zamaJuda namaKristu. Kunalokho, liyincwadi ehlelwe kahle—ephefumulelwe uNkulunkulu. Zonke izincwadi eziseBhayibhelini ziyavumelana. Kusukela encwadini kaGenesise kuya encwadini yesAmbulo, isihloko seBhayibheli esiyinhloko, ukulwelwa kobukhosi bukaJehova nokugcwaliseka kwenjongo yakhe ngomhlaba esebenzisa uMbuso wakhe ngaphansi kokubusa kukaKristu, “inzalo” ethenjisiwe.​—Funda uGenesise 3:15; uMathewu 6:10; isAmbulo 11:15.

8. Kungani singathi ama-Israyeli ayehlelekile?

 ⁸ Abantu bakwa-Israyeli wasendulo babeyisibonelo sokuhleleka. Ngokwesibonelo, ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose ‘kwakunezincekukazi ezazenza inkonzo ehleliwe emnyango wetende lokuhlangana.’ (Eks. 38:8) Ukuthutha kwekamu lakwa-Israyeli kanye netabernakele kwakwenzeka ngendlela ehlelekile. Kamuva, iNkosi uDavide yahlukanisa imisebenzi yamaLevi nabapristi ngendlela ehlelekile nephumelelayo. (1 IziKr. 23:1-6; 24:1-3) Uma ayelalela uJehova, ama-Israyeli ayebusiswa ngokuhleleka, ukuthula nobunye.​—Dut. 11:26, 27; 28:1-14.

9. Yini ebonisa ukuthi ibandla lobuKristu langekhulu lokuqala lalihlekile?

⁹ Ibandla lobuKristu langekhulu lokuqala lalihlelekile futhi lazuza esiqondisweni sendikimba ebusayo, ekuqaleni eyayakhiwa abaphostoli. (IzE. 6:1-6) Kamuva, kwanezelwa abanye abazalwane kuleyo ndikimba ebusayo. (IzE. 15:6) Iseluleko nesiqondiso sasinikezwa ngezincwadi eziphefumulelwe ezazibhalwe amadoda ayengamalungu noma ayesebenzelana ngokuseduze nendikimba ebusayo yangekhulu lokuqala. (1 Thim. 3:1-13; Thithu 1:5-9) Amabandla azuza kanjani ngokulandela isiqondiso sendikimba ebusayo?

10. Yayiba yini imiphumela lapho amabandla angekhulu lokuqala elandela iziqondiso ezazikhishwa indikimba ebusayo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹⁰ Funda izEnzo 16:4, 5. Abazalwane ababemelele indikimba ebusayo babehamba behlanganyela nabanye “izinqumo ezazinqunywe abaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema.” Njengoba amabandla ayelandela lezo ziqondiso, “aqhubeka eqiniswa okholweni futhi anda ngesibalo usuku nosuku.” Ingabe lokhu kulandisa kweBhayibheli kuqukethe isifundo okuwukuhlakanipha ukusisebenzisa enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu namuhla?

11. Amadoda amisiwe kufanele asabele kanjani esiqondisweni asithola enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ Amalungu amaKomiti Amagatsha noma amaKomiti Ezwe, ababonisi besigodi nabadala bamabandla yini okufanele bayenze lapho bethola isiqondiso esivela enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu namuhla? INcwadi kaJehova isiyala ukuba sonke silalele futhi sizithobe. (Dut. 30:16; Heb. 13:7, 17) Umoya wokugxeka nowokuvukela awufuneki enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu ngoba isimo sengqondo esinjalo singaphazamisa uthando, ukuthula nobunye bamabandla. Yiqiniso, akekho umKristu oqotho ongafuna ukubonisa umoya onjengokaDiyotrefe, wokungahloniphi nokungathembeki. (Funda eyesi-3 Johane 9, 10.) Singase sizibuze: ‘Ingabe ngiyalithuthukisa ingokomoya lalabo abasondelene nami? Ingabe ngiyashesha ukwamukela nokusekela isiqondiso esinikezwa abazalwane abaholayo?’

12. Yiluphi ushintsho olwenziwe endleleni abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo abamiswa ngayo?

¹² Cabanga ngesinqumo sakamuva esenziwe iNdikimba Ebusayo. Esihlokweni esithi, “Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi” kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-November 15, 2014, kwalungiswa indlela abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo abamiswa ngayo. Lesi sihloko saveza ukuthi indikimba ebusayo yangekhulu lokuqala yagunyaza ababonisi abajikelezayo ukuba bamise amadoda afanelekayo. Besebenzisa leyo nqubo, kusukela ngo-September 1, 2014, ababonisi besigodi bebelokhu bemisa abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo. Umbonisi wesigodi uzama ukubazi kangcono abazalwane abatusiwe nokusebenza nabo enkonzweni yasensimini uma kungenzeka. Uhlola nomndeni womzalwane otusiwe. (1 Thim. 3:4, 5) Indikimba yabadala kanye nombonisi wesigodi  ngokucophelela bacabanga ngezimfuneko ezingokomBhalo zokuba inceku ekhonzayo nokuba umdala.​—1 Thim. 3:1-10, 12, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1-3.

13. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyasisekela isiqondiso esivela kubadala?

¹³ Kudingeka silandele isiqondiso esisekelwe eBhayibhelini esivela kubadala. Laba belusi abaqotho abasenhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu baqondiswa isiqondiso ‘samazwi aphilayo’ esitholakala eNcwadini kaNkulunkulu. (1 Thim. 6:3) Khumbula iseluleko sikaPawulu mayelana nabangahlelekile ebandleni. Abanye abantu ‘babengasebenzi nhlobo kodwa bezigaxa kokungabathinti.’ Ngokusobala abadala babayala kodwa baphikelela nokungasilaleli iseluleko. Ibandla kwakufanele lisebenzelane kanjani nomuntu onjalo? UPawulu wanikeza isiqondiso: “Mgcineni ephawuliwe lowo, niyeke ukuzihlanganisa naye.” Leso seluleko sasilinganisela ukuze umuntu onjalo angaphathwa njengesitha. (2 Thes. 3:11-15) Namuhla, abadala bangase banikeze inkulumo eyisixwayiso ngomuntu ophishekela inkambo elimelela kabi ibandla, njengokuthandana nomuntu ongakholwa. (1 Kor. 7:39) Uzizwa kanjani lapho abadala bebona isidingo sokunikeza inkulumo enjalo? Uma wazi umuntu osesimweni esinjalo uyokugwema yini ukuzihlanganisa naye? Ukukhathalela kwakho ngothando nokuma okuqinile kungenza lowo muntu ashiye inkambo engahlelekile. ^[1]

14. Singakulondoloza kanjani ukuhlanzeka kwebandla?

¹⁴ Singalondoloza ukuhlanzeka okungokomoya kwebandla ngokulandela isiqondiso esiseZwini likaNkulunkulu. Cabanga ngesimo esasisebandleni laseKorinte lasendulo. UPawulu wayeshumayele ngokuzikhandla kulowo muzi futhi wayebathanda ‘abangcwele’ ayekanye nabo. (1 Kor. 1:1, 2) Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba kwamkhathaza ngayo ukulungisa inkinga yokuziphatha okubi okwakubekezelelwa kulelo bandla! UPawulu waqondisa abadala ukuba bamnikele kuSathane umuntu oziphatha kabi—okusho ukuthi kwakumelwe asuswe. Ukuze kulondolozwe ubumsulwa bebandla abadala kwakudingeka ukuba basuse “imvubelo.” (1 Kor. 5:1, 5-7, 12) Lapho sisekela isinqumo sabadala sokususa umenzi wokubi ongaphenduki, sisuke sisiza ekulondolozeni ukuhlanzeka kwebandla futhi lokho kungase kushukumisele owonile ukuba aphenduke futhi afune intethelelo kaJehova.

15. Singakulondoloza kanjani ukuthula ebandleni?

¹⁵ Kunenye inkinga okwakudingeka ukuba ilungiswe eKorinte. Abanye abazalwane babemangalela abakholwa nabo enkantolo. UPawulu wababuza umbuzo osangulukisayo: “Kungani ningavumi ukuba noniwe?” (1 Kor. 6:1-8) Kuye kwaphakama izimo ezifanayo nanamuhla. Ngezinye izikhathi, ukuthula phakathi kwabazalwane kuye kwaphazamiseka ngenxa yebhizinisi elingaphumelelanga okuye kwaholela ekulahlekelweni imali futhi mhlawumbe kwaba nezinsolo zokukhwabanisa. Abanye baye bamangalela abafowabo enkantolo, kodwa iNcwadi kaNkulunkulu isisiza sibone ukuthi kungcono ukulahlekelwa kunokuletha isihlamba egameni likaNkulunkulu noma ukuphazamisa ukuthula kwebandla. ^[2] Ukuze sixazulule izinkinga ezinkulu nokungaboni ngaso linye kufanele sisebenzise iseluleko sikaJesu. (Funda uMathewu 5:23, 24; 18:15-17) Lapho senza kanjalo, sikhuthaza ubunye emndenini wabakhulekeli bakaJehova.

16. Kungani kufanele silindele abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba babe nobunye?

¹⁶ INcwadi kaNkulunkulu iyabonisa ukuthi  kungani kufanele silindele ukuba abantu bakhe babe nobunye. Umhubi wahlabelela: “Bheka! Yeka ukuthi kuhle futhi kumnandi kanjani ngabazalwane ukuba bahlale ndawonye ngobunye!” (IHu. 133:1) Lapho elalela uJehova, ama-Israyeli ayehlelekile futhi enobunye. Ebikezela ngekusasa labantu bakhe uNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngiyobamisa ngobunye, njengomhlambi esibayeni.” (Mika 2:12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova wabikezela esebenzisa umprofethi uZefaniya: “Ngiyokwenza izizwe ukuba zishintshele olimini oluhlanzekile [iqiniso elingokomBhalo], ukuze zonke zibize igama likaJehova, ukuze zimkhonze zilinganisene ihlombe nehlombe.” (Zef. 3:9) Yeka indlela esilazisa ngayo ilungelo esinalo lokukhonza uJehova ngobunye!

17. Ukuze balondoloze ubunye nokuhlanzeka kwebandla, abadala kufanele bawasingathe kanjani amacala okwenziwa kobubi?

¹⁷ Ukuze ubunye nokuhlanzeka kulondolozwe ebandleni abadala kumelwe basingathe izindaba zokwahlulela ngokushesha nangothando. UPawulu wayazi ukuthi uthando lukaNkulunkulu alulawulwa imizwelo futhi akakushalazeli ukwenziwa kobubi. (IzAga 15:3) Ngakho uPawulu akazange anqikaze ukuloba incwadi yokuqala kwabaseKorinte, enamazwi aqinile nabonisa uthando. Incwadi yesibili kwabaseKorinte, eyalotshwa ezinyangeni ezalandela, ibonisa ukuthi kwaba nentuthuko ngenxa yokuthi abadala basisebenzisa isiqondiso somphostoli. Uma umKristu ethatha isinyathelo okungesona ngaphambi kokuba aqaphele, amadoda afanelekayo kufanele azame ukumlungisa ngomoya omnene.​—Gal. 6:1.

18. (a) Iseluleko esitholakala eZwini likaNkulunkulu sawasiza kanjani amabandla angekhulu lokuqala? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Kuyacaca ukuthi iseluleko esiphefumulelwe esiseNcwadini kaNkulunkulu sasiza amaKristu angekhulu lokuqala aseKorinte nawakwezinye izindawo ukuba alondoloze ukuhlanzeka, ukuthula nobunye emabandleni awo. (1 Kor. 1:10; Efe. 4:11-13; 1 Pet. 3:8) Umphumela walokho waba ukuthi abafowethu nodadewethu bangaleso sikhathi bakwazi ukufeza okuningi enkonzweni. Eqinisweni, uPawulu wayengasho ukuthi izindaba ezinhle ‘zazishunyayelwe kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.’ (Kol. 1:23) Namuhla, ulwazi ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ezinhle lusakazwa emhlabeni wonke ngenxa yemizamo yalabo abayingxenye yenhlangano yabantu abashumayela ngobunye. Isihloko esilandelayo sizonikeza obunye ubufakazi bokuthi laba bantu balazisa kakhulu iBhayibheli futhi bazimisele ukudumisa iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova.​—IHu. 71:15, 16.