1. Isintu sizithola sikusiphi isimo esidabukisayo?

AKUKAZE kube injongo kaJehova ukuba isintu sibhekane nemiphumela ewohlozayo yokuguga. Kunalokho, injongo yakhe yayiwukuba abantu bajabulele impilo ephelele ePharadesi. Kodwa manje “yonke indalo iyaqhubeka ibubula kanyekanye futhi isezinhlungwini.” (Roma 8:22) Ucabanga ukuthi kumelwe ukuba uNkulunkulu uzizwa kanjani lapho ebona imiphumela emibi yesono kubantu? Ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu abaningi asebekhulile abanakwa esikhathini sokuphila kwabo abasuke beludinga ngaso kakhulu usizo.—IHu. 39:5; 2 Thim. 3:3.

2. Kungani amaKristu ebazisa ngokukhethekile asebekhulile?

² Abantu bakaJehova bayajabula ngokuba khona kwasebekhulile emabandleni. Siyazuza ekuhlakanipheni kwabo futhi isibonelo sabo sokholo siyasikhuthaza. Abaningi kithi bahlobene noyedwa noma abengeziwe balaba bafowethu nodadewethu asebekhulile esibathandayo. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sihlobene nabo noma cha, siyayikhathalela inhlalakahle yabo. (Gal. 6:10; 1 Pet. 1:22) Kuzosizuzisa sonke ukuhlola indlela uNkulunkulu ababheka ngayo asebekhulile. Sizocabangela nemithwalo yemfanelo yamalungu omkhaya nebandla ngokuphathelene nalaba asebekhulile esibathandayo.

3, 4. (a) Yisiphi isicelo esithinta inhliziyo umlobi weHubo 71 asenza kuJehova? (b) Yini amalungu ebandla asekhulile angayicela kuNkulunkulu?

³ Umlobi ophefumulelwe weHubo 71:9 wancenga uNkulunkulu: “Ungangilahli esikhathini sokuguga; ungangishiyi lapho nje amandla ami ephela.” Kubonakala sengathi leli hubo liqhubekisela phambili iHubo 70, elinombhalo ongenhla othi “ElikaDavide.” Ngakho, cishe isicelo esisencwadini yeHubo 71:9 senziwa uDavide. Wakhonza uNkulunkulu kusukela esemusha waze waguga, futhi uJehova wamsebenzisa kakhulu. (1 Sam. 17:33-37, 50; 1 AmaKh. 2:1-3, 10) Noma kunjalo, uDavide wazizwa enesidingo sokucela uJehova ukuba aqhubeke embonisa umusa.—Funda iHubo 71:17, 18.

⁴ Abaningi namuhla bafana noDavide. Nakuba bekhulile ngeminyaka futhi bebhekene ‘nezinsuku eziyinhlekelele,’ bayaqhubeka benza konke okusemandleni abo ekudumiseni uNkulunkulu. (UmSh. 12:1-7) Abaningi kubo kungenzeka abasakwazi ukwenza konke ababekwenza ezicini ezihlukahlukene zokuphila, kuhlanganise nasenkonzweni. Kodwa nabo bangamncenga uJehova ukuba aqhubeke ebabonisa umusa futhi ebanakekela. Lezi zinceku ezikhulile ezithembekile zingaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyoyiphendula imithandazo yazo. Phela, leyo mithandazo yenanela isicelo esifanelekayo uDavide asenza ephefumulelwe uNkulunkulu.

5. UJehova uzibheka kanjani izinceku zakhe esezikhulile ezithembekile?

⁵ ImiBhalo ikwenza kucace ukuthi uJehova ubazisa kakhulu asebekhulile abathembekile nokuthi ulindele ukuba nezinceku zakhe zibazise. (IHu. 22:24-26; IzAga 16:31; 20:29) ULevitikusi 19:32 uthi: “Kufanele usukume phambi kwempunga, ubonise ukucabangela ixhegu, umesabe uNkulunkulu wakho. NginguJehova.” Yebo, ukwazisa asebekhulile ebandleni kwakuyisibopho esingathi sína ngesikhathi kulotshwa la mazwi, futhi kusenjalo nanamuhla. Nokho, kuthiwani ngokubanakekela ngokuqondile? Kuyisibopho sikabani?

6. Isiphi isibonelo uJesu asibeka ekunakekeleni umzali?

⁶ IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyasitshela: “Hlonipha uyihlo nonyoko.” (Eks. 20:12; Efe. 6:2) UJesu wagcizelela lo myalo ngokulahla abaFarisi nababhali ababenqaba ukondla abazali babo. (Marku 7:5, 10-13) UJesu ngokwakhe wabeka isibonelo esihle. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho esezokufa esigxotsheni, uJesu wacela uJohane, umfundi ayemthanda kakhulu, ukuba amnakekelele unina okubonakala sengathi wayesengumfelokazi ngaleso sikhathi.—Joh. 19:26, 27.

7. (a) Umphostoli uPawulu wanikeza siphi isimiso ngokondla abazali? (b) Uyini umongo wamazwi kaPawulu?

⁷ Umphostoli uPawulu waphefumulelwa ukuba alobe ukuthi amakholwa kufanele ondle abendlu yawo. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 5:4, 8, 16.) Cabangela umongo walokho uPawulu akulobela uThimothewu. UPawulu wayedingida udaba lokuthi obani abangase bafanelekele noma bangakufanelekeli ukusekelwa ibandla ngokwezimali. Wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi ngokuyinhloko abafelokazi asebekhulile kufanele bondliwe izingane zabo, abazukulu nezinye izihlobo ezikholwayo. Lokho kwakuyokwenza ukuba ibandla lingabi nomthwalo ongadingekile wokubasekela ngokwezimali. Nanamuhla, enye yezindlela amaKristu abonisa ngayo “ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu,” ukondla izihlobo zawo eziswele.

8. Kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba iBhayibheli linganikezi izixazululo eziqondile endabeni yokunakekela abazali asebekhulile?

⁸ Ngamafuphi, abantwana abadala abangamaKristu banesibopho sokuqinisekisa ukuthi izidingo ezingokwenyama zabazali babo ziyanakekelwa. UPawulu wayekhuluma ngezihlobo ezingamakholwa, kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi abazali abangewona amalungu ebandla lobuKristu kufanele banganakwa. Iyehluka indlela abantwana abanakekela  ngayo abazali. Izimo azifani. Izidingo, ubuntu nempilo yalabo abahilelekile kuyehluka. Abanye asebekhulile banabantwana abaningi; abanye banoyedwa vo. Abanye bangathembela osizweni olunikezwa uHulumeni; kanti abanye abalutholi. Izinto ezikhethwa yilabo abadinga ukunakekelwa nazo ziyehluka. Ngakho, ngeke kube ukuhlakanipha noma ukubonisa uthando ukugxeka indlela umuntu azama ngayo ukunakekela izihlobo zakhe esezikhulile. Kunoma ikuphi, uJehova angabusisa noma isiphi isinqumo esingokomBhalo futhi asenze siphumelele, into abelokhu eyenza kusukela osukwini lukaMose.—Num. 11:23.

9-11. (a) Iziphi izimo ezinzima abanye abangase babhekane nazo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) Kungani abantwana abadala kungafanele bajahe ukushiya inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele? Bonisa.

⁹ Lapho abantwana sebehlala kude nabazali, kungaba inselele ukunikeza abazali asebekhulile usizo abaludingayo. Ukuwohloka masinyane kwempilo yomzali, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuwa, ukuphuka kwethambo noma esinye isimo esibucayi, kungase kwenze kudingeke ukuba abantwana bavakashele abazali. Ngemva kwalokho, abazali bangase badinge usizo—mhlawumbe lwesikhashana noma lwesikhathi eside. *

¹⁰ Izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele, ezikude namakhaya ngenxa yezabelo zazo ezingokwasezulwini, zingase zibhekane nezimo ezidinga ukuba zenze izinqumo ezinzima kakhulu. Labo abakhonza eBethel, izithunywa zevangeli nababonisi abajikelezayo, bonke babheka izabelo zabo njengeziyigugu, isibusiso esivela kuJehova. Noma kunjalo, uma abazali babo begula, into engafika kuqala engqondweni yabo kungaba ukuthi, ‘Kudingeka sishiye isabelo sethu sibuyele ekhaya siyonakekela abazali.’ Nokho, kuyoba ukuhlakanipha ukukucabangela ngomthandazo ukuthi yilokho yini ngempela abazali abakudingayo noma abakufisayo. Akekho okufanele adele amalungelo enkonzo ngokuxhamazela, futhi kungase kungadingeki ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuwadela. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi le nkinga yempilo ingeyesikhashana, futhi abanye ebandleni abazali abakulo bangase bakujabulele ukusiza?—IzAga 21:5.

¹¹ Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngabazalwane ababili abayizelamani ababekhonza kude nasekhaya. Omunye wayeyisithunywa sevangeli eNingizimu Melika, omunye esebenza endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke eBrooklyn, eNew York. Abazali babo asebekhulile babedinga usizo. La madodana nomkawo babavakashela eMpumalanga Ekude beyobona ukuthi bangabasiza kanjani. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, laba ababekhonza eNingizimu Melika bacabangela ukushiya isabelo sabo babuyele ekhaya. Kwathi kusenjalo, bathola ucingo oluvela kumxhumanisi wendikimba yabadala webandla abazali abakulo. Labo badala babexoxile ngesimo futhi befuna ukuba lezi zithunywa zevangeli ziqhubeke esabelweni sazo ngangokunokwenzeka. Laba badala babeyazisa inkonzo yalo mbhangqwana futhi bezimisele ukwenza okusemandleni ukuze bawusize ekunakekeleni abazali bawo. Wonke umkhaya wakwazisa lokho kukhathalela kothando.

12. Yini okufanele umkhaya wamaKristu ukhathazeke ngayo ngokuphathelene nanoma isiphi isinqumo sokunakekela abazali osenzayo?

¹² Noma iyiphi indlela umkhaya wamaKristu okhetha ukuyisebenzisa ekunakekeleni abazali asebekhulile, bonke abahilelekile kumelwe baqinisekise ukuthi abakwenzayo kulimelela kahle igama likaNkulunkulu. Asifuni neze ukufana nabaholi benkolo bosuku lukaJesu. (Math. 15:3-6) Sifuna ukuba izinqumo zethu zidumise uNkulunkulu futhi zenze ibandla lihlonishwe.—2 Kor. 6:3.

13, 14. Ngokwalokho esikufunda eBhayibhelini, kungani singaphetha ngokuthi amabandla anesibopho sokunakekela amalungu asekhulile?

¹³ Akubona bonke abangasiza izinceku  ezisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele ngendlela okusanda kukhulunywa ngayo. Nokho, isimo esavela ekhulwini lokuqala senza kucace ukuthi amabandla anesibopho sokunakekela izidingo zabafowethu nodadewethu abayisibonelo. IBhayibheli lithi ebandleni laseJerusalema “akekho owayeswele phakathi kwabo.” Akukhona ukuthi bonke babemi kahle ngokwezimali. Kusobala ukuthi babekhona ababenokuncane, kodwa “kwakube sekwabelwa lowo nalowo ngokwesidingo sakhe.” (IzE. 4:34, 35) Kamuva, kwavela isimo esithile ebandleni. Kwabikwa ukuthi ‘kwakunabafelokazi ababenganakwa esabelweni sansuku zonke’ sokudla. Ngakho abaphostoli bayala ukuba kumiswe amadoda afanelekayo enza amalungiselelo okuqinisekisa ukuthi izidingo zabafelokazi zinakekelwa ngokufanele nangokulinganayo. (IzE. 6:1-5) Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ukwaba ukudla kwansuku zonke kwakuyilungiselelo lesikhashana elalenzelwe ukuhlangabezana nezidingo zalabo ababa amaKristu ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. futhi abasala eJerusalema isikhashana ukuze bakheke ngokomoya. Noma kunjalo, indlela abaphostoli abasabela ngayo ibonisa ukuthi ibandla lingasiza ekunakekeleni amalungu alo aswele.

¹⁴ Njengoba sekuphawuliwe, uPawulu wanikeza uThimothewu iziqondiso ezichaza izimo abafelokazi abangamaKristu abangafaneleka kuzo ukuba basizwe ibandla ngezidingo zabo ezingokwenyama. (1 Thim. 5:3-16) Umlobi weBhayibheli ophefumulelwe uJakobe naye wavuma ukuthi amaKristu anesibopho sokunakekela izintandane, abafelokazi nabanye lapho besosizini noma beswele. (Jak. 1:27; 2:15-17) Umphostoli uJohane naye wachaza: “Noma ubani onezinto zaleli zwe zokusekela ukuphila futhi abone umfowabo eswele nokho amvalele umnyango wobubele bakhe besisa, uthando lukaNkulunkulu luhlala ngayiphi indlela kuye?” (1 Joh. 3:17) Uma umKristu ngamunye enesibopho esinjalo kubantu abaswele, akunjalo yini ngamabandla onke?

15. Iziphi izici ezingase zihileleke endabeni yokusiza abafowethu nodadewethu asebekhulile?

¹⁵ Kwamanye amazwe, uhulumeni uhlinzeka asebekhulile ngempesheni, izinhlelo zezenhlalakahle nangezisebenzi ezinakekela asebekhulile emakhaya abo. (Roma 13:6) Kwezinye izindawo, azikho lezi zinkonzo. Ngakho, ukuthi lungakanani usizo izihlobo nebandla okudingeka balunikeze asebekhulile kuyehluka kuye ngezimo zendawo. Uma abantwana abakholwayo behlala kude nabazali, kungase kube nomthelela osizweni abangase bakwazi ukulunikeza. Abantwana bayokwenza kahle ngokukhuluma ngokukhululekile nabadala bebandla abazali abakulo ukuze baqinisekise ukuthi wonke umuntu uyasiqonda isimo salo mkhaya. Ngokwesibonelo, abadala bangase bakwazi  ukusiza abazali ukuba bazi ngezinhlelo zikahulumeni noma zezenhlalakahle ezikhona futhi bazuze kuzo. Kungase futhi kube nezinto abaziphawulayo—njengezincwadi zezikweletu ezingavuliwe noma imithi engasetshenziswa ngendlela efanele bese beqaphelisa abantwana abadala ngazo. Ukuxoxisana okunjalo okushukunyiswa izisusa ezinhle nomusa kungavimbela isimo ukuba singabi sibi kakhulu futhi kungaholela ekutholakaleni kwezixazululo eziwusizo. Ngokusobala, abasizi nabeluleki abasendaweni, ababa ‘amehlo’ abantwana ngempela, bangasiza ekunciphiseni ukukhathazeka komkhaya.

16. Amanye amaKristu awasiza kanjani amalungu ebandla asekhulile?

¹⁶ Eshukunyiswa uthando ngalaba bafowethu nodadewethu asebekhulile abathandekayo, amanye amaKristu aye anikela ngokuzithandela ngesikhathi nangamandla awo ekunakekeleni izidingo zabo angase akwazi ukuzinakekela. Akwenza umgomo ukuwakhathalela ngokukhethekile amalungu ebandla asekhulile. Amanye awo abelana nabanye ebandleni imisebenzi futhi ashintshane ekunakekeleni asebekhulile. Nakuba eqaphela ukuthi ezawo izimo aziwavumeli ukuba abe senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, ayakujabulela ukusiza abantwana balabo bazali ukuba bahlale ngangokunokwenzeka enkonzweni abayikhethile. Yeka ukuthi laba bafowethu babonisa umoya omuhle kanjani! Yiqiniso, umusa wabo awusho ukuthi labo bantwana abasenaso isibopho sokwenza okusemandleni ekunakekeleni abazali babo.

17, 18. Isimo sengqondo sinayiphi indima ekunakekeleni asebekhulile?

¹⁷ Bonke abahilelekile ekunakekeleni asebekhulile kumelwe balwele ukukwenza kube okujabulisa ngangokunokwenzeka. Uma unengxenye kulokhu, yenza konke okusemandleni ukuba uhlale unomoya omuhle. Abanye ukukhula kubenza badikibale, noma ngisho bacindezeleke. Ngakho-ke, kungase kudingeke ukuba wenze umzamo owengeziwe ekwaziseni nasekukhuthazeni laba bafowethu nodadewethu asebekhulile ngokugcina izingxoxo zakho nabo zakha. Kudingeka banconywe labo abanomlando omuhle wenkonzo yokwethembeka. UJehova akakukhohlwa lokho abakwenzile enkonzweni yakhe futhi nabafowabo abakukhohlwa.—Funda uMalaki 3:16; amaHebheru 6:10.

¹⁸ Ngaphezu kwalokho, imisebenzi enzima yansuku zonke ingenziwa ibekezeleleke kangconywana lapho asebekhulile nababanakekelayo beba namahlaya ngezikhathi ezifanele. (UmSh. 3:1, 4) Abaningi asebekhulile bayaqikelela ukuba bangafuni izinto ngokungadingekile. Bayaqaphela ukuthi isimo sabo sengqondo singase sithinte indlela abanakekelwa nabavakashelwa ngayo. Kuvamile ukuzwa abantu abavakashela asebekhulile bethi, “Bengivakashele umkhulu noma ugogo ngithi ngiyomkhuthaza, kodwa yimi engibuye ngikhuthazekile.”—IzAga 15:13; 17:22.

19. Imuphi umbono abancane nabadala abangaba nawo ngekusasa?

¹⁹ Silangazelela usuku okuyophela ngalo ukuhlupheka nemiphumela yokungapheleli. Okwamanje, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu kumelwe zigcine ithemba lazo ligxile kokuphakade. Siyazi ukuthi ukuba nokholo ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu kusenza singantengantengi ezikhathini zokucindezeleka noma zosizi. Ngenxa yalolo kholo, “asiyeki, kodwa ngisho noma umuntu esinguye ngaphandle ewohloka, ngokuqinisekile umuntu esinguye ngaphakathi wenziwa musha usuku nosuku.” (2 Kor. 4:16-18; Heb. 6:18, 19) Nokho, ngaphezu kokulondoloza ukholo oluqinile ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu, yini engakusiza ukwazi ukufeza imithwalo yemfanelo yokunakekela asebekhulile? Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngezinto ezimbalwa ezisikiselwayo eziwusizo.