1, 2. (a) Asho ukuthini amagama olimi lokuqala ahunyushwa ngokuthi “inkazimulo”? (b) Imiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko?

LAPHO uzwa igama elithi, “inkazimulo,” yini efikayo engqondweni yakho? Ingabe ubuhle obumangalisayo bendalo? (IHu. 19:1) Udumo nenkazimulo olunikwa abantu abavelele ngenxa yengcebo yabo, ukuhlakanipha noma izinto abazifezile? EmiBhalweni, amagama olimi lokuqala ahunyushwa ngokuthi “inkazimulo” anomqondo wento enesisindo. Ezikhathini zasendulo—lapho imali yayisenziwa ngamatshe ayigugu—uhlamvu lwemali olunesisindo esikhudlwana lwaluba nenani elikhulu. Amagama ayesetshenziselwa ukudlulisela umqondo wokuba nesisindo agcina eseqondwa ngokomfanekiso njengasho into eyigugu, enhle ngokubabazekayo noma ehlaba umxhwele.

² Nakuba amandla, isikhundla noma idumela lomunye umuntu kungase kusihlabe umxhwele, yini uNkulunkulu ayibhekayo kubantu? Empeleni imiBhalo ikhuluma ngenkazimulo uNkulunkulu ayinika abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, izAga 22:4 zithi: “Umphumela wokuthobeka nokwesaba uJehova yingcebo nodumo nokuphila.” Umfundi uJakobe wabhala: “Zithobeni emehlweni kaJehova, khona-ke uyoniphakamisa.” (Jak. 4:10) Iyiphi inkazimulo noma udumo uJehova ayinika abantu? Yini engasivimba singayitholi? Singabasiza kanjani abanye ukuba bayibambe le nkazimulo?

3-5. Iyiphi inkazimulo uJehova angase asiholele kuyo?

³ Umhubi washo amazwi abonisa ukuthi wayeqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayeyombamba ngesandla sokunene amholele enkazimulweni yangempela. (Funda iHubo 73:23, 24.) UJehova ukwenza kanjani lokhu? UJehova uholela izinceku zakhe ezithobekile enkazimulweni ngokuzinika udumo ngezindlela eziningi. Uzibusisa ngokuzisiza ukuba ziqonde intando yakhe. (1 Kor. 2:7) Labo abalalela izwi lakhe futhi bamthobele ubadumisa ngokubanika ilungelo lokuba nobuhlobo obuseduze naye.—Jak. 4:8.

 ⁴ UJehova ubuye aphathise izinceku zakhe ingcebo ekhazimulayo yenkonzo yobuKristu. (2 Kor. 4:1, 7) Le nkonzo iholela enkazimulweni. Labo abasebenzisa ilungelo lenkonzo abalinikiwe ukuze bamdumise futhi bazuzise abanye, uJehova ubathembisa lokhu: “Abangidumisayo ngiyobadumisa.” (1 Sam. 2:30) Abantu abanjalo badunyiswa ngokunikwa igama elihle noJehova futhi cishe ezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zikhuluma kahle ngabo.—IzAga 11:16; 22:1.

⁵ Liyini ikusasa lalabo ‘abathemba uJehova futhi bagcine indlela yakhe’? Bathenjiswa lokhu: “[UJehova] uyokuphakamisa ukuba udle ifa lomhlaba. Lapho ababi benqunywa, uyokubona.” (IHu. 37:34) Babheke phambili ekujabuleleni udumo olungenakuqhathaniswa lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade.—IHu. 37:29.

6, 7. Kungani abaningi babengafuni ukuba nokholo kuJesu?

⁶ Yini engase isivimbe singayitholi inkazimulo uJehova afuna ukusinika yona? Esinye isizathu singaba ukuhlonipha kakhulu imibono yabantu abangenakho ukuma okuhle noNkulunkulu. Cabanga ngalokho umphostoli uJohane akuloba ngabathile ababenegunya ngosuku lukaJesu: “Abaningi ngisho nakubabusi empeleni baba nokholo [kuJesu], kodwa ngenxa yabaFarisi babengeke bamvume ukuze bangaxoshwa esinagogeni; ngoba babethanda inkazimulo yabantu ngisho nangaphezu kwenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.” (Joh. 12:42, 43) Yeka ukuthi bekuyoba ngcono kanjani ukube labo babusi babengazange banake kakhulu lokho okwakucatshangwa abaFarisi.

⁷ Ngasekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe, uJesu wayesibonise ngokucacile isizathu esasiyokwenza abaningi bangamamukeli futhi bangabi nokholo kuye. (Funda uJohane 5:39-44.) Kwase kungamakhulu eminyaka isizwe sakwa-Israyeli silindele ukufika kukaMesiya. Lapho uJesu eqala ukufundisa, kungenzeka ukuthi kunabantu abaqonda ngokwesiprofetho sikaDaniyeli ukuthi isikhathi esimisiwe sokuvela kukaKristu sasesifikile. Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngaphambili, lapho uJohane uMbhapathizi eqala ukushumayela, abanye babethi: “Kungenzeka yini mhlawumbe ukuthi unguKristu na?” (Luka 3:15) Manje uMesiya okwase kuyisikhathi eside elindelwe wayesephakathi kwabo efundisa. Kodwa labo ababenolwazi loMthetho abazange bamamukele. Ebalula isizathu salokho, uJesu wababuza: “Ningakholwa kanjani, lapho namukela inkazimulo komunye nomunye ningayifuni inkazimulo evela kuNkulunkulu okuwukuphela kwakhe na?”

8, 9. Usebenzisa umfanekiso wokukhanya, bonisa indlela inkazimulo yabantu engasithibeza ngayo inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.

⁸ Indlela inkazimulo yomuntu engasithibeza ngayo inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ingacaciswa ngokuqhathanisa inkazimulo nokukhanya. Umkhathi wethu ocwazimulayo ukhazimula kakhulu. Usakhumbula ukugcina kwakho ukubheka isibhakabhaka ngobusuku obucwathile futhi wasibona sigcwele izinkulungwane zezinkanyezi? Iyakhexisa “inkazimulo yezinkanyezi.” (1 Kor. 15:40, 41) Nokho, sibonakala sinjani leso sibhakabhaka lapho usibuka usemgwaqweni wasedolobheni okhanya izibani? Izibani zasedolobheni zenza ukukhanya okuvela ezinkanyezini ezikude kungabonakali! Ingabe lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ukukhanya kwezibani zasemgwaqweni, ezinkundleni zemidlalo nasezakhiweni kunamandla kakhulu noma kuhle kunokukhanya kwezinkanyezi? Cha! Lokhu kubangelwa ukuthi izibani zasedolobheni ziseduze kakhulu nathi ngakho ziphazamisa lokho esingakubona endalweni kaJehova. Ukuze sibone ubuhle besibhakabhaka ebusuku, kumelwe ngandlela-thile sisuse noma sigweme isiphazamiso sokukhanya okwenziwe umuntu.

⁹ Ngokufanayo, uma uhlobo olungafanele lwenkazimulo lungaba seduze kakhulu nezinhliziyo zethu, lungase lusivimbele  ukuba sazise futhi sifune inkazimulo ehlala njalo uJehova afuna ukusinika yona. Abaningi abasamukeli isigijimi soMbuso ngoba besaba lokho abangane nabomndeni abangase bakucabange ngabo. Kodwa, ingabe isifiso sokuthola inkazimulo evela kubantu singathonya ngisho nezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele? Ake sithi insizwa ethile ithola isabelo sokushumayela endaweni eyaziwa kuyo kodwa okungaziwa ukuthi isingomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ingabe iyosenqaba ngenxa yokwesaba? Noma, kuthiwani uma othile egconwa ngenxa yokuphishekela imigomo engokwasezulwini? Ingabe uyovumela labo bantu abangenawo umbono ocacile ongokomoya ukuba bathonye izinqumo zakhe ekuphileni? Noma ake sithi umKristu uye wenza isono esikhulu. Ingabe uyosifihla ngoba esaba ukuthi uyolahlekelwa ukuma kwakhe ebandleni noma ngoba engafuni ukudumaza abantu abamthandayo? Endabeni yomuntu owenze isono, uma kuwukuthi into eyinhloko acabanga ngayo iwukulungisa ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova, ‘uyobiza amadoda amadala ebandleni’ futhi afune usizo lwawo.—Funda uJakobe 5:14-16.

10. (a) Ukukhathazeka ngokweqile ngokuthi abanye bacabangani ngathi kungakufiphaza kanjani ukwahlulela kwethu? (b) Yini esiqinisekiswa ngayo uma senza ngokuthobeka?

¹⁰ Kungenzeka ukuthi sithuthukela ekuvuthweni kobuKristu kodwa bese kwenzeka ukuba omunye esikholwa naye asinike iseluleko. Izinto aziphawule ngobuqotho zingasisiza uma singazami ukuzivikela ngenxa yokuqhosha, ukubalekela ukuphoxeka noma isilingo sokuthethelela esikwenzile. Noma, ake sithi wenza umsebenzi othile nokholwa naye. Ingabe ukusebenza kwenu ndawonye kuyothonywa ukukhathazeka ngokuthi ubani ozothola udumo ngemiqondo emihle oye wayiveza nangokusebenza kwakho ngokuzikhandla? Uma uzithola ukulesi simo, qiniseka ukuthi “othobekile emoyeni uyobamba inkazimulo.”—IzAga 29:23.

11. Iyiphi indlela okufanele sisabele ngayo enhliziyweni lapho sinconywa, futhi ngani?

¹¹ Ababonisi nalabo ‘abazama ukufinyelela’ ilungelo lokukhonza njengababonisi nabo kufanele baxwaye ukufuna ukudunyiswa abantu. (1 Thim. 3:1; 1 Thes. 2:6) Kufanele asabele kanjani umzalwane lapho enconywa ngobuqotho ngomsebenzi awenze kahle? Cishe ngeke azakhele isikhumbuzo njengoba kwenza iNkosi uSawule. (1 Sam. 15:12) Nokho, ingabe uyaqaphela ukuthi uphumelele kuphela ngenxa yomusa ongafanelwe kaJehova nokuthi noma iliphi ithemba lokuphumelela esikhathini esizayo lisaxhomeke esibusisweni nasosizweni lukaNkulunkulu? (1 Pet. 4:11) Indlela esisabela ngayo enhliziyweni lapho sidunyiswa yembula ukuthi sifuna hlobo luni lodumo.—IzAga 27:21.

12. Yini eyavimbela amaJuda athile ukuba alalele uJesu?

¹² Okunye okungasivimba ukuba sibambe inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu kungaba izifiso zethu. Izifiso ezimbi zingasivimbela ngisho nokuba sizwe iqiniso. (Funda uJohane 8:43-47.) UJesu watshela amaJuda athile ukuthi ayengasilaleli isigijimi sakhe ngoba ‘ayefisa ukwenza izifiso zikayise uDeveli.’

13, 14. (a) Bathini abacwaningi ngendlela ubuchopho obusingatha ngayo inkulumo yomuntu? (b) Yini enquma ukuthi ubani esimlalelayo?

¹³ Lokho esikufisayo kuthonya indlela esizwa ngayo. (2 Pet. 3:5) UJehova wasidala sinekhono elimangalisayo lokungawuzwa umsindo esingawufuni. Ake ume umzuzwana bese ugxila emisindweni ehlukahlukene oyizwayo njengamanje. Cishe eminingi yayo kade ungayizwa. Isimiso sezinzwa sobuchopho bakho besikusiza ukuba ugxile entweni eyodwa nakuba ubungase ukwazi ukuzwa imisindo ehlukahlukene. Kodwa abacwaningi bathole ukuthi ukuhlukanisa imisindo eminingi ngesikhathi esisodwa kuba nzima nakakhulu lapho ulalele umuntu ekhuluma. Lokhu kusho ukuthi  lapho uzwa amazwi amabili akhuluma ngesikhathi esisodwa, kudingeka ukhethe ukuthi iliphi ozogxila kulo. Ukuthi iliphi ozolikhetha kuxhomeke kulelo ofuna ukulilalela. AmaJuda ayefisa ukwenza izifiso zikayise, uDeveli, awazange amlalele uJesu.

¹⁴ Sithola izigijimi ezivela ‘endlini yokuhlakanipha ‘nasendlini yobuwula.’ (IzAga 9:1-5, 13-17) Ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, kokubili ukuhlakanipha nobuwula kuqhubeka kusimemeza, futhi lokho kusho ukuthi kumelwe sikhethe. Esikabani isimemo esiyosamukela? Impendulo ixhomeke ekutheni sifisa ukwenza intando kabani. Izimvu zikaJesu zilalela izwi lakhe futhi zimlandele. (Joh. 10:16, 27) ‘Zisohlangothini lweqiniso.’ (Joh. 18:37) “Azilazi izwi lezihambi.” (Joh. 10:5) Abantu abanjalo abathobekile babamba inkazimulo.—IzAga 3:13, 16; 8:1, 18.

15. Izinsizi zikaPawulu ‘zazisho inkazimulo’ kwabanye ngayiphi indlela?

¹⁵ Ukuphikelela kwethu ekwenzeni intando kaJehova kusiza abanye ukuba babambe inkazimulo. Nakhu uPawulu akulobela ibandla lase-Efesu: “Ngiyanicela ukuba ningayeki ngenxa yalezi zinsizi zami ngenxa yenu, ngoba zisho inkazimulo kini.” (Efe. 3:13) Izinsizi zikaPawulu ‘zazisho inkazimulo’ kwabase-Efesu ngamuphi umqondo? Ukuzimisela kukaPawulu ukuqhubeka ekhonza abase-Efesu naphezu kobunzima kwababonisa ukuthi amalungelo ababewajabulela njengamaKristu ayenesisindo futhi enenani eliphakeme ngokungenakuqhathaniswa. Ukube uPawulu wayeka lapho esosizini, kwakungeke yini lokho kudlulisele kubo umqondo wokuthi ubuhlobo babo noJehova, inkonzo yabo nethemba labo kwakungenanzuzo? Ukukhuthazela kukaPawulu kwaphakamisa ubuKristu futhi kwabonisa ukuthi ilungelo lokuba umfundi liyakufanelekela noma ikuphi ukuzidela.

16. Iluphi usizi uPawulu abhekana nalo eListra?

¹⁶ Cabanga ngomphumela intshiseko nokukhuthazela kukaPawulu okwaba nawo. IzEnzo 14:19, 20 ziyabika: “Kwafika amaJuda evela e-Antiyokiya nase-Ikoniyu athonya izixuku, zakhanda uPawulu ngamatshe zamhudulela ngaphandle komuzi [waseListra], zicabanga ukuthi ufile. Nokho, lapho abafundi bemngunga, wavuka wangena emzini. Ngosuku olulandelayo wahamba noBarnaba baya eDerbe.” Zicabange ushaywe waze wayekwa ngoba kucatshangwa ukuthi usufile, kodwa ngakusasa uthatha uhambo lwamakhilomitha ayikhulu, futhi ube ungahambi ngezinto zokuhamba zanamuhla!

17, 18. (a) UThimothewu wayengakulandela eduze ngamuphi umqondo ukuhlupheka kukaPawulu eListra? (b) Ukukhuthazela kukaPawulu kwaba namuphi umphumela kuThimothewu?

¹⁷ Ingabe uThimothewu wayengomunye ‘wabafundi’ abalekelela uPawulu? Ukulandisa kwencwadi yezEnzo akusichazeli ngokuqondile, kodwa kungenzeka wayengomunye  wabo. Cabanga ngalokho uPawulu akuloba encwadini yesibili ayibhalela uThimothewu: “Uye wayilandela eduze imfundiso yami, inkambo yami yokuphila, . . . uhlobo lwezinto ezenzeka kimi e-Antiyokiya [waxoshwa kulo muzi], e-Ikoniyu [bazama ukumkhanda ngamatshe], eListra [wakhandwa ngamatshe], uhlobo lokushushiswa engilubekezelele; kodwa nokho iNkosi yangikhulula kukho konke.”—2 Thim. 3:10, 11; IzE. 13:50; 14:5, 19.

¹⁸ UThimothewu ‘wazilandela eduze’ lezo zenzakalo futhi wayekwazi kahle ukukhuthazela kukaPawulu. Lokhu kwagxila engqondweni kaThimothewu. Lapho uPawulu evakashela eListra, wathola uThimothewu engumKristu oyisibonelo, “ekhulunyelwa kahle abazalwane eListra nase-Ikoniyu.” (IzE. 16:1, 2) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uThimothewu wakufanelekela ukuthwala imithwalo yemfanelo emikhulu.—Fil. 2:19, 20; 1 Thim. 1:3.

19. Ukukhuthazela kwethu kungaba namuphi umphumela kwabanye?

¹⁹ Ukuphikelela kwethu ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu kungaba nomphumela ofanayo kwabanye—ikakhulukazi kwabasebasha, abaningi babo abakhula babe izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziwusizo kakhulu. Abafundi abasebasha abagcini ngokusibheka futhi bafunde ezimfanelweni nasemakhonweni ethu okukhuluma enkonzweni yasensimini kodwa bayazuza nalapho bebona indlela esisingatha ngayo izimo ezicasulayo ekuphileni. UPawulu ‘waqhubeka ekhuthazelela zonke izinto’ ukuze labo abaqhubeka bethembekile ‘bathole insindiso kanye nenkazimulo yaphakade.’—2 Thim. 2:10.

20. Kungani kufanele siqhubeke sifuna inkazimulo evela kuNkulunkulu?

²⁰ Akufanele yini-ke siqhubeke ‘sifuna inkazimulo evela kuNkulunkulu okuwukuphela kwakhe’? (Joh. 5:44; 7:18) Impela kufanele! (Funda amaRoma 2:6, 7.) UJehova ubanika ‘ukuphila okuphakade labo abafuna inkazimulo.’ Ngaphezu kwalokho ‘ukukhuthazela kwethu emsebenzini omuhle,’ kukhuthaza abanye ukuba bahlale begxilile, futhi bazuze phakade. Ngakho-ke, ungavumeli lutho lukuvimbe ukuba ubambe inkazimulo uNkulunkulu ayinikezayo.