1, 2. (a) Ithemba lamaKristu eqiniso lihluke kanjani ethembeni labantu abasezweni likaSathane? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo ebalulekile esizoxoxa ngayo manje?

YEKA ithemba elihle kakhulu amaKristu eqiniso analo! Sonke, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sigcotshiwe noma ‘singabezinye izimvu,’ sinethemba lokubona ukugcwaliseka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu yasekuqaleni nokungcweliswa kwegama likaJehova. (Joh. 10:16; Math. 6:9, 10) Lelo, ithemba elihle kakhulu umuntu angaba nalo. Silangazelela nomvuzo othenjisiwe wokuphila okuphakade ‘emazulwini amasha’ noma ‘emhlabeni omusha’ kaNkulunkulu. (2 Pet. 3:13) Okwamanje, sifisa ukuba abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqhubeke bechuma ngokomoya.

² Labo abayingxenye yezwe likaSathane nabo banohlobo oluthile lwethemba, kodwa bangase bangaqiniseki ngokugcwaliseka kwalo. Ngokwesibonelo, izigidi zabantu ezigembulayo zingase zibe nethemba lokubamba i-lotto, kodwa aziqiniseki ngokuthi lokho kuzokwenzeka. Ngokuphambene nalokho, ukholo lweqiniso, “luwukulindelwa okuqinisekisiwe” kwethemba lethu lobuKristu. (Heb. 11:1) Nokho, ungase uzibuze, amathemba akho angaqinisekiswa kanjani? Ziyini izinzuzo zokuba nokholo oluqinile kulokho okulindele?

3. Ukholo lweqiniso lobuKristu lusekelwe kuliphi iqiniso?

 ³ Ukholo aluyona imfanelo abantu abanesono abazalwa nayo futhi ayakheki ngokwemvelo. Ukholo lobuKristu luwumphumela wokusebenza komoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu enhliziyweni elalelayo. (Gal. 5:22) IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi uJehova unokholo noma ukuthi uyaludinga. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ungumninimandla onke futhi uhlakaniphe kakhulu, ayikho into engamvimba ekufezeni injongo yakhe. UBaba wethu osezulwini uyaqiniseka ngokufezeka kwezibusiso zakhe ezithenjisiwe kangangokuthi kuye kufana nokuthi sezifezekile. Ngakho uthi: “Sekwenzekile!” (Funda isAmbulo 21:3-6.) Ukholo lobuKristu lusekelwe ekutheni uJehova “unguNkulunkulu weqiniso,” ohlale ekufeza akuthembisile.—Dut. 7:9.

4. Yiliphi ithemba amadoda nabesifazane bokholo bangesikhathi sangaphambi kobuKristu ababenalo?

⁴ Isahluko 11 sencwadi yamaHebheru sinohlu lwamagama angu-16 amadoda nabesifazane bokholo. Umlobi ophefumulelwe wabhekisela kubo nakwabanye abaningi ‘abafakazelwa ngokholo lwabo.’ (Heb. 11:39) Bonke babeqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uyoyiletha ‘inzalo’ ethenjisiwe ukuze ichoboze uSathane nokuvukela kwakhe futhi igcwalise injongo kaJehova yasekuqaleni. (Gen. 3:15) Labo bantu abathembekile bafa ngaphambi kokuba ‘inzalo’ ethenjisiwe, uJesu Kristu, ivule indlela yokuphila ezulwini. (Gal. 3:16) Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yezithembiso zikaJehova ezingasoze zabhuntsha, bayovuswa baphile njengabantu abaphelele emhlabeni oyipharadesi.​—IHu. 37:11; Isaya 26:19; Hos. 13:14.

5, 6. U-Abrahama nomndeni wakhe baligxilisa kuphi ithemba labo futhi bagcina kanjani ukholo lwabo luqinile? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁵ AmaHebheru 11:13 asho lokhu ngabanye abaphila ngezikhathi ezingaphambi kobuKristu: “Bonke laba bafa benokholo, nakuba bengakutholanga ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso, kodwa bazibona zikude, bazamukela futhi bavuma obala.” Omunye walabo bantu kwakungu-Abrahama. Ingabe waligcina licace bhá engqondweni yakhe ithemba elijabulisayo lokuphila ngaphansi ‘kwenzalo’ ethenjisiwe? UJesu wawuphendula lowo mbuzo lapho ethi kubaphikisi bakhe: “U-Abrahama uyihlo wajabula kakhulu ngethemba lokubona usuku lwami, futhi walubona wajabula.” (Joh. 8:56) Lokho kuyiqiniso nangoSara, u-Isaka, uJakobe nangabanye abaningi abagxilisa ithemba labo eMbusweni wesikhathi esizayo, “omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.”​—Heb. 11:8-11.

⁶ U-Abrahama nomndeni wakhe balugcina kanjani ukholo lwabo luqinile? Cishe bafunda ngoNkulunkulu ngokulalela abantu abadala abanokholo, ngokuthola ukwambulelwa kwaphezulu noma ngokufunda imibhalo yasendulo enokwethenjelwa. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, abazange bakukhohlwe ababekufundile, kunalokho babambelela ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu nasezimfunekweni zakhe futhi bazindla ngazo. Ngenxa yokuthi ithemba labo laliqinisekisiwe, la madoda nabesifazane babekulungele ukubhekana nanoma yibuphi ubunzima ukuze bahlale beqotho kuNkulunkulu.

7. Yimaphi amalungiselelo uJehova asenzele wona ngomusa ukuze sakhe ukholo oluqinile futhi yini okumelwe siyenze ngalawo malungiselelo?

⁷ Ukuze sigcine ukholo lwethu luqinile, ngomusa uJehova uye wasinikeza iZwi lakhe eliphelele iBhayibheli. Ukuze ‘sijabule’ futhi ‘siphumelele’ kumelwe sifunde iZwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku zonke uma kungenzeka. (IHu. 1:1-3; funda izEnzo 17:11.) Ngakho, njengabakhulekeli bakaJehova bangaphambi kobuKristu, kudingeka siqhubeke sizindla ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu futhi sizithobe ezimfunekweni zakhe. UJehova usibusisile nangokudla okungokomoya  okuyinala, esikunikwa “yinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.” (Math. 24:45) Ngakho, lapho sikwazisa lokho esikufunda emalungiselelweni angokomoya uJehova asenzele wona, siyofana nezibonelo zasendulo zokholo ‘ezazililindele ngokuqiniseka’ ithemba lazo loMbuso.

8. Umthandazo ungaluqinisa kanjani ukholo lwethu?

⁸ Umthandazo wadlala indima ebalulekile ekugcineni ukholo lwabantu bangaphambi kobuKristu luqinile. Ukholo lwabo lwaqiniswa njengoba bebona uNkulunkulu ephendula imithandazo yabo. (Neh. 1:4, 11; IHu. 34:4, 15, 17; Dan. 9:19-21) Nathi singachazela uJehova okusikhathazayo sazi ukuthi uyosizwa futhi asiqinise ukuze sikhuthazele ngenjabulo. Lapho imithandazo yethu iphendulwa, ukholo lwethu luyaqina. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 5:14, 15.) Njengoba ukholo luyimfanelo yesithelo somoya, kudingeka ‘siqhubeke sicela’ umoya kaNkulunkulu, njengoba uJesu asikhuthaza ukuba senze kanjalo.​—Luka 11:9, 13.

9. Ngaphezu kokuzithandazela thina, obani abanye okufanele sibathandazele?

⁹ Akufanele sigcine nje ngokuthandazela usizo lukaNkulunkulu. “Miningi kakhulu” ‘imisebenzi emangalisayo’ esingabonga futhi sidumise ngayo uJehova nsuku zonke! (IHu. 40:5) Imithandazo yethu kumelwe ibonise nokuthi ‘siyabakhumbula labo abasezibophweni zasetilongweni njengokungathi siboshwe kanye nabo.’ Kufanele sithandazele nobuzalwane bethu bomhlaba wonke, ikakhulukazi labo “abaholayo phakathi [kwethu].” Izinhliziyo zethu ziyathinteka lapho sibona indlela uJehova aphendula ngayo imithandazo yethu esiyenza ngobunye!​—Heb. 13:3, 7.

10. Iziphi izibonelo esinazo zabakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu abenqaba ukuphula ubuqotho babo, futhi yini eyabanika amandla okwenza lokho?

¹⁰ KumaHebheru isahluko 11, umphostoli uPawulu uchaza izilingo izinceku eziningi zikaNkulunkulu ezingabizwa ngamagama ezabhekana nazo. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli ukhuluma ngabesifazane bokholo abashonelwa amadodana abo kodwa kamuva abe esevuswa. Ube esekhuluma ngabanye abangafunanga “ukwamukela ukukhululwa ngesihlengo esithile, ukuze bazuze uvuko olungcono.” (Heb. 11:35) Nakuba singenakuqiniseka ngokuthi uPawulu wayekhuluma ngobani, abanye, njengoNabhoti noZakariya, bakhandwa ngamatshe ngenxa yokulalela uNkulunkulu nokwenza intando yakhe. (1 AmaKh. 21:3, 15; 2 IziKr. 24:20, 21) Ngokucacile uDaniyeli nabangane bakhe babenethuba ‘lokwamukela ukukhululwa’ ngokuphula ubuqotho babo. Esikhundleni salokho, ukholo lwabo emandleni kaNkulunkulu lwabenza bakwazi ‘ukuvala imilomo yezingonyama’ futhi ‘bamisa amandla omlilo.’​—Heb. 11:33, 34; Dan. 3:16-18, 20, 28; 6:13, 16, 21-23.

11. Yiziphi izilingo abanye abaprofethi abazikhuthazelela ngenxa yokholo lwabo?

¹¹ Ngenxa yokholo lwabo, abaprofethi abanjengoMikhaya noJeremiya “bathola ukulingwa ngokuhlekwa usulu . . . nangamatilongo.” Abanye, njengo-Eliya, “bazulazula ezingwadule nasezintabeni nasemihumeni nasemiphandwini yomhlaba.” Bonke bakhuthazela ngoba babenokulindela “okuqinisekisiwe kwezinto ezithenjwayo.”—Heb. 11:1, 36-38; 1 AmaKh. 18:13; 22:24-27; Jer. 20:1, 2; 28:10, 11; 32:2.

12. Ubani owasibekela isibonelo esivelele sokukhuthazelela izilingo, futhi yini eyamsiza ukuba enze kanjalo?

¹² Ngemva kokuchaza amadoda nabesifazane bokholo abehlukahlukene, uPawulu waqokomisa isibonelo esivelele kunazo zonke—iNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu. AmaHebheru 12:2 athi: “Ngenxa yenjabulo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe wakhuthazelela isigxobo sokuhlushwa edelela ihlazo, futhi useye wahlala phansi ngakwesokunene sesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu.” Ngempela  kufanele ‘sicabangisise’ ngesibonelo sikaJesu sokholo lapho sibhekene nezilingo ezinzima. (Funda amaHebheru 12:3.) NjengoJesu, amaKristu okuqala afela ukholo, njengomfundi u-Antipase, enqaba ukuphula ubuqotho bawo. (IsAm. 2:13) Ayothola umvuzo wokuphila ezulwini​—okuludlula kude le “uvuko olungcono” amadoda okholo asendulo ayebheke phambili kulo. (Heb. 11:35) Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile uMbuso uzaliwe ngo-1914, bonke abagcotshiwe abathembekile, ababelele ekufeni, bavuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini njengezidalwa zomoya ukuze bahlanganyele noJesu ekubuseni kwakhe abantu.​—IsAm. 20:4.

13, 14. Yiziphi izilingo uRudolf Graichen abhekana nazo, futhi yini eyamsiza wakhuthazela?

¹³ Izigidi zabakhulekeli baNkulunkulu namuhla zilandela isibonelo sikaJesu ngokugcina ithemba lazo licace bhá futhi azivumeli izilingo zenze ukholo lwazo lube buthaka. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaRudolf Graichen owazalelwa eJalimane ngo-1925. Ukhumbula izithombe zokulandisa kweBhayibheli ezazilenga ezindongeni emzini wakubo. Wabhala, “Esinye isithombe sasibonisa impisi newundlu, izinyane lembuzi nengwe, ithole nengonyama​—konke kuhlezi ngokuthula kuholwa umfana omncane.  . . . Izithombe ezinjalo zagxila engqondweni yami.” (Isaya 11:6-9) Naphezu kokushushiswa ngonya iminyaka eminingi, okokuqala amaNazi Gestapo, kamuva yi-Communist Stasi yaseMpumalanga Jalimane, uRudolf wagcina ukholo lwakhe emhlabeni oyipharadesi luqinile.

¹⁴ Esinye isilingo esinzima uRudolf abhekana naso kwaba ukushona kukamama wakhe amthandayo, owabulawa yisifo sezintwala ekamu lokuhlushwa laseRavensbrück, nokubona ukholo lukayise luya luba buthaka futhi ekugcineni uyise wasayina ifomu elithi akaseyena omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngemva kokukhululwa ejele, uRudolf waba nelungelo lokukhonza njengombonisi wesigodi wabe esemenyelwa eSikoleni saseGileyadi. Wabelwa ukuyokhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli eChile lapho afika wakhonza khona njengombonisi wesigodi. Izilingo zikaRudolf zazingakapheli. Ngemva konyaka eshade noPatsy naye owayeyisithunywa sevangeli, indodakazi yabo ewusana yashona. Kamuva umkakhe amthandayo, owayeneminyaka engu-43 nje kuphela naye washona. URudolf wabekezelela zonke lezi zilingo futhi nakuba esegugile futhi egula wayekhonza njengephayona elivamile nanjengomdala lapho indaba yakhe yokuphila ivela kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-August 1, 1997, amakhasi 20-25. ^[1]

15. Yiziphi izibonelo esinazo njengamanje zoFakazi BakaJehova abakhuthazelela ushushiso ngenjabulo?

¹⁵ OFakazi BakaJehova bayaqhubeka bejabula ethembeni labo naphezu koshushiso olunzima ababhekene nalo. Ngokwesibonelo, abazalwane nodade abaningi bavalelwe emajele e-Eritrea, e-Singapore, naseSouth Korea, ezimweni eziningi lokhu kubangelwa ukuthi benza ngokuvumelana namazwi kaJesu okungaphathi inkemba. (Math. 26:52) Phakathi kwamakhulu abafowethu aboshiwe, singabala u-Isaac, uNegede noPaulos asebeboshwe e-Eritrea iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20! Nakuba benqatshelwe ilungelo labo lokunakekela abazali babo asebekhulile nelokushada, laba bazalwane baye baqhubeka beqotho naphezu kokuphathwa kabi kakhulu. Indlela ababukeka ngayo njengoba bevezwe engosini yethu ethi jw.org ibonisa ukuthi baye bagcina ukholo lwabo luqinile. Ngisho nabaqaphi basejele sebeyabahlonipha.

16. Ukholo oluqinile lungakuvikela kanjani?

¹⁶ Abantu bakaJehova abaningi abakabhekani nezimo ezidinga ukuba bakhuthazelele ushushiso olunzima. Ukholo lwabo luye lwavivinywa ngezindlela ezihlukile. Abaningi kuye kwadingeka bakhuthazelele ukuhlupheka noma izimpi zombango noma izinhlekelele zemvelo. Abanye bafana noMose nezinzalamizi ngoba baye badela ukuphila kwaleli zwe okuntofontofo noma udumo. Balwa kanzima ukuze bamelane nokulingeka ukuba baphile ukuphila kokuphishekela izinto ezibonakalayo nokokuzicabangela bona. Yini ebenza bakwazi ukwenza lokho? Uthando lwabo ngoJehova nokholo lwabo oluqinile esithembisweni sokuthi uzolungisa konke ukungabi nabulungisa futhi avuze izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ngokuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha lokulunga.​—Funda iHubo 37:5, 7, 9, 29.

17. Yini ozimisele ukuyenza futhi yini okuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Kulesi sihloko, sibone indlela ukuzindla ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu nokuthandaza njalo okuyogcina ngayo ukholo lwethu luqinile. Lokho kuyobangela ukuba sikhuthazelele izilingo zokholo njengoba sigxila ethembeni lethu lobuKristu ‘ngokulindela okuqinisekisiwe.’ Kodwa incazelo yeBhayibheli yokholo ihilela okungaphezu kwalokho njengoba isihloko esilandelayo sizobonisa.