1, 2. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ibandla laseKolose langekhulu lokuqala lalihlaselwa? (b) Yisiphi iseluleko esanikezwa abafowethu baseKolose sokubasiza bahlale begxilile?

IBANDLA lobuKristu laseKolose langekhulu lokuqala lalihlaselwa! Abathile ebandleni babedala ukwahlukana ngokugqugquzela ukunamathela eMthethweni KaMose. Abanye babekhuthaza ifilosofi yamaqaba yokuzincisha injabulo. Ephikisa lezi zimfundiso ezingamanga, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala incwadi ekhuthazayo, exwayisa abaseKolose: “Xwayani: mhlawumbe kungase kube khona oyomuka nani njengezisulu zakhe ngefilosofi nangenkohliso eyize ngokwesiko labantu, ngokwezinto zokucathula zezwe hhayi ngokukaKristu.”—Kol. 2:8.

² Uma lawo maKristu agcotshiwe ayegxilisa izingqondo zawo ‘ezintweni zokucathula zezwe,’ ayeyobe afulathela ilungiselelo likaJehova lensindiso. (Kol. 2:20-23) Ukuze awasize alonde ubuhlobo bawo obuyigugu noNkulunkulu, uPawulu wawayala: “Gcinani izingqondo zenu zigxilé ezintweni zaphezulu, hhayi ezintweni zomhlaba.” (Kol. 3:2) Yebo, abafowabo bakaKristu kwakufanele balikhumbule njalo ithemba labo lokuthola ifa elingenakonakala ‘ababegcinelwe lona emazulwini.’—Kol. 1:4, 5.

3. (a) Yiliphi ithemba amaKristu agcotshiwe aligcina ezingqondweni? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoyicabangela kulesi sihloko?

 ³ Ngokufanayo, namuhla amaKristu agcotshiwe agcina izingqondo zawo zigxile eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini nasethembeni lawo lokuba “izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu.” (Roma 8:14-17) Kodwa kuthiwani ngalabo abanethemba lasemhlabeni? Amazwi kaPawulu asebenza kanjani kubo? “Ezinye izimvu” zingazigcina kanjani izingqondo zazo “ezintweni zaphezulu”? (Joh. 10:16) Futhi sonke singazuza kanjani ngokucabangela izibonelo zamadoda athembekile asendulo anjengo-Abrahama noMose, okwathi naphezu kobunzima, agcina izingqondo zawo zigxile ezintweni zaphezulu?

4. Ezinye izimvu zingazigcina kanjani izingqondo zazo zigxile ezintweni zaphezulu?

⁴ Yize ezinye izimvu zingenalo ithemba lasezulwini, nazo zingazigcina izingqondo zazo zisezintweni zaphezulu. Kanjani? Ngokubeka uJehova uNkulunkulu nezithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala ekuphileni kwazo. (Luka 10:25-27) Ukuze senze lokhu, sibheka uKristu njengesibonelo sethu. (1 Pet. 2:21) Njengabafowethu bekhulu lokuqala, sihlushwa imibono engamanga, amafilosofi ezwe nesimo sengqondo sokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo kulesi simiso sezinto sikaSathane. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 10:5.) Njengabalingisi bakaJesu, kudingeka siphaphamele ukuqapha izinto ezinjalo ezingahlasela ingokomoya lethu.

5. Singakuhlola kanjani ukucabanga kwethu ngokuphathelene nokuphishekela izinto ezibonakalayo?

⁵ Ingabe ukuphila kwethu sekuthonywe umbono wezwe wokuphishekela izinto ezibonakalayo? Izinto esizithandayo ngokuvamile zibonakala ngalokho esikucabangayo nesikwenzayo. UJesu wathi: “Lapho umcebo wakho ukhona, yilapho nenhliziyo yakho iyoba khona futhi.” (Math. 6:21) Ukuze sibone lapho inhliziyo yethu isiholela khona, kuhle ukudamane sizihlola. Zibuze: ‘Ngichitha isikhathi esingakanani ngicabanga ngemali? Ingabe ukukhathazeka ngokuchuma kwebhizinisi, ukutshala izimali noma ukulwela ukuba nokuphila okunethezeke kakhudlwana kudla isikhathi sami esiningi? Noma ingabe ngilwela ukulondoloza iso eligxile ezintweni ezingokomoya?’ (Math. 6:22) UJesu wabonisa ukuthi labo abagxila ngokuyinhloko ‘ekuzibekeleleni ingcebo emhlabeni’ babeka ingokomoya labo engozini enkulu.—Math. 6:19, 20, 24.

6. Singayinqoba kanjani impi yokulwa nokuthambekela kwenyama?

⁶ Inyama yethu engaphelele yenza sithambekele ekuzitikeni ngezinto ezijabulisa izinzwa zethu. (Funda eyabaseRoma 7:21-25.) Uma umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu ungasebenzi ekuphileni kwethu, singase sizinikele ‘emisebenzini yobumnyama.’ Le misebenzi ingahlanganisa izenzo ezifana ‘nemibuthano exokozelayo nezikhathi zokudakwa, ubuhlobo bobulili obungemthetho nokuziphatha okubi.’ (Roma 13:12, 13) Ukuze sinqobe ekulweni ‘nezinto zomhlaba’—izinto ezikhanga inyama—kumelwe sigcine izingqondo zethu zigxile ezintweni zaphezulu. Ukwenza lokhu kudinga umzamo. Yingakho umphostoli uPawulu athi: “Ngiyawutuba umzimba wami futhi ngiwuphatha njengesigqila.” (1 Kor. 9:27) Ngokungangabazeki, ukuze siqhubeke sisemncintiswaneni wokuphila akufanele sizitotose! Ake sixoxe ngalokho okwenziwa amadoda amabili athembekile asendulo ukuze ‘ajabulise uNkulunkulu.’—Heb. 11:6.

7, 8. (a) Iziphi izinkinga u-Abrahama noSara ababhekana nazo? (b) U-Abrahama wayigxilisa kuphi ingqondo yakhe?

⁷ Lapho uJehova etshela u-Abrahama  ukuba athathe abendlu yakhe baye ezweni laseKhanani, wavuma ngokuzithandela. Ngenxa yokholo nokulalela kuka-Abrahama, uJehova wenza isivumelwano naye, wathi: “Ngizokwenza isizwe esikhulu ngawe futhi ngizokubusisa.” (Gen. 12:2) Nokho, nangemva kweminyaka ethile u-Abrahama nomkakhe uSara, babengakabi nomntwana. Ingabe uJehova wayesesikhohliwe isithembiso ayesenze ku-Abrahama? Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuphila eKhanani kwakungelula. U-Abrahama nabendlu yakhe babeshiye umuzi nezihlobo zabo e-Uri, umuzi ochumayo waseMesophothamiya. Bahamba amakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-1 600 beya eKhanani, bafike bahlala ematendeni, babekezelela indlala futhi babhekana nabaphangi. (Gen. 12:5, 10; 13:18; 14:10-16) Noma kunjalo, babengenaso isifiso sokubuyela ekunethezekeni kwase-Uri!—Funda eyamaHebheru 11:8-12, 15.

⁸ Kunokugxila “ezintweni zomhlaba,” u-Abrahama “waba nokholo kuJehova.” (Gen. 15:6) Yebo, wagxilisa ingqondo yakhe ezintweni zaphezulu ngokunaka izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, ukholo luka-Abrahama lwavuzwa lapho uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke eziveza kuye ethi: “ ‘Ngicela ubheke phezulu emazulwini ubale izinkanyezi, uma ungase ukwazi ukuzibala.’ Waqhubeka wathi kuye: ‘Iyoba ngako inzalo yakho.’ ” (Gen. 15:5) Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwamqinisekisa kanjani lokho! Njalo lapho u-Abrahama ebheka emazulwini agcwele izinkanyezi, wayeyokhumbula isithembiso sikaJehova sokwandisa inzalo yakhe. Ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifanele, u-Abrahama waba nendlalifa, njengoba nje ayethenjisiwe.—Gen. 21:1, 2.

9. Ukulandela isibonelo sika-Abrahama kungasikhuthaza kanjani ukuba sihlale simatasa enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu?

⁹ Njengo-Abrahama, nathi silindele ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. (2 Pet. 3:13) Uma singazigcini izingqondo zethu zigxile ezintweni zaphezulu, ukugcwaliseka kwalezi zithembiso kungabonakala kwephuza bese sehlisa ijubane emisebenzini engokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, kukhona yini ukuzidela okwenzile esikhathini esidlule ukuze ungenele inkonzo yokuphayona noma wandise inkonzo yakho ngandlela-thile? Uma kunjalo, kufanele unconywe. Kodwa yini ongayenza manje? Khumbula, u-Abrahama wawugcina engqondweni “umuzi onezisekelo zangempela.” (Heb. 11:10) “Wabonisa ukholo kuJehova, kwabalelwa kuye njengokulunga.”—Roma 4:3.

10. Kwakunjani ukuphila kukaMose lapho esemncane?

¹⁰ Omunye owagcina ingqondo yakhe igxile ezintweni zaphezulu nguMose. Lapho esemncane, “wafundiswa kukho konke ukuhlakanipha kwabaseGibhithe.” Lena kwakungeyona imfundo evamile. Ngaleso sikhathi iGibhithe laliwumbuso ovelele futhi uMose ehlala emzini kaFaro. Akumangazi-ke ukuthi ngale mfundo yezinga eliphakeme, uMose waba “namandla ngamazwi nangezenzo.” (IzE. 7:22) Cabanga nje ngamathuba ayemvulekele ngenxa yalokhu! Nokho, uMose wayegxilise ingqondo yakhe ezintweni eziphakeme kakhulu—ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu.

11, 12. Iyiphi imfundo uMose ayazisa kakhulu, futhi sazi kanjani?

¹¹ Ngokuqinisekile, lapho uMose esengumntwana, unina uJokebedi wamfundisa ngoNkulunkulu wamaHebheru. UMose walwazisa kakhulu ulwazi ngoJehova futhi walubheka njengoluyedlula kude noma iyiphi ingcebo. Ngakho, wadela amalungelo namathuba ayengaba nawo ngoba ekhulele emzini kaFaro. (Funda eyamaHebheru 11:24-27.) Ngempela, imfundo kaMose engokomoya nokholo kuJehova kwamshukumisela  ukuba agxilise ingqondo yakhe ezintweni zaphezulu.

¹² UMose wathola imfundo yezwe engcono kakhulu yangaleso sikhathi. Kodwa ingabe wayisebenzisela ukuphishekela umsebenzi wokuziphilisa eGibhithe, ukuzakhela igama noma ukuzitholela izinto ezibonakalayo? Cha. Ukube wenza kanjalo, wayengeke ‘enqabe ukubizwa ngokuthi indodana yendodakazi kaFaro, akhethe ukuphathwa kabi nabantu bakaNkulunkulu kunokujabula isikhashana esonweni.’ Ngokusobala, uMose wasebenzisa imfundo yakhe engokomoya ukuze aqhubekisele phambili injongo kaJehova.

13, 14. (a) Yini eyasiza uMose ukuba afanelekele isabelo uJehova ayezomnika sona? (b) NjengoMose, yini okungase kudingeke siyenze?

¹³ UMose wayenesithakazelo esiqotho kuJehova nakubantu baKhe. Eneminyaka engu-40, wacabanga ukuthi wayesekulungele ukusiza ekukhululeni abantu bakaNkulunkulu ekugqilazweni abaseGibhithe. (IzE. 7:23-25) Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba uJehova amnike leso sabelo, kwakusadingeka okwengeziwe kuMose. Kwakufanele ahlakulele izimfanelo ezinjengokuthobeka, ukubekezela, ubumnene nokuzithiba. (IzAga 15:33) UMose wayedinga ukuqeqeshwa okwakuzomlungiselela ukuba akwazi ukukhuthazelela uvivinyo nobunzima ayesazobhekana nabo. Ukuba umalusi wezimvu amashumi athile eminyaka kwakuzomnika ukuqeqeshwa okudingekile ukuze ahlakulele izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu.

¹⁴ Ingabe uMose wafunda ekuqeqeshweni akuthola ngesikhathi engumalusi? Impela wafunda! IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi uMose waba “mnene ukubadlula kude bonke abantu ababesebusweni bomhlaba.” (Num. 12:3) Wayehlakulele ukuthobeka okwamsiza wakwazi ukubekezelela abantu abangafani nezinkinga zabo ezinzima. (Eks. 18:26) Ngokufanayo, nathi kungase kudingeke sihlakulele izimfanelo ezingokomoya eziyosisiza ukuba sidlule “osizini olukhulu” singene ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga. (IsAm. 7:14) Ingabe siyakwazi ukusebenzelana kahle nabantu, ngisho nalabo esicabanga ukuthi bayizififane noma bayashesha ukuzwela? Kuhle silalele amazwi omphostoli uPetru, owanxusa amakholwa akanye naye: “Dumisani abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo, thandani bonke abazalwane.”—1 Pet. 2:17.

15, 16. (a) Kungani kusemqoka ukugcina izingqondo zethu zigxile ezintweni ezifanele? (b) Kungani kubalulekile ngamaKristu ukuba alondoloze ukuziphatha okuhle?

¹⁵ Siphila ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ (2 Thim. 3:1) Ngakho-ke ukuze sihlale siphapheme ngokomoya, kumelwe sigcine izingqondo zethu zigxile ezintweni ezifanele. (1 Thes. 5:6-9) Cabanga ngezindlela esingakwenza ngazo lokhu ezicini ezintathu zokuphila kwethu.

¹⁶ Ukuziphatha kwethu: UPetru wakuqaphela ukubaluleka kokuziphatha okuhle. Wathi: “Gcinani ukuziphatha kwenu kukuhle phakathi kwezizwe, ukuze . . . zikhazimulise uNkulunkulu . . . ngenxa yemisebenzi yenu emihle ezingofakazi bayo bokuzibonela.” (1 Pet. 2:12) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sisekhaya, emsebenzini, esikoleni, siyadlala noma sisenkonzweni, senza konke esingakwenza ukuze siyise udumo kuJehova ngokuziphatha kwethu okuhle. Yiqiniso, njengabantu abangaphelele sonke siyawenza amaphutha. (Roma 3:23) Kodwa ngokuqhubeka ‘silwa ukulwa okuhle kokholo,’ singanqoba ekulweni nenyama yethu engaphelele.—1 Thim. 6:12.

17. Singasilingisa kanjani isimo sengqondo uKristu Jesu ayenaso? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹⁷ Isimo sethu sengqondo: Okuhlobene eduze nokulondoloza ukuziphatha kwethu okuhle ukuba nesimo esihle sengqondo. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Yibani  nalesi simo sengqondo esasikhona nakuKristu Jesu.” (Fil. 2:5) Isiphi isimo sengqondo uJesu ayenaso? Wayethobekile. Ukuthobeka kwamenza wazidela enkonzweni yakhe. Ukushumayela kwabanye izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kwakuyinto eza kuqala kuye. (Marku 1:38; 13:10) UJesu wayebheka iZwi likaNkulunkulu njengeliyigunya lokugcina. (Joh. 7:16; 8:28) Wayekukhuthalele ukutadisha imiBhalo Engcwele ukuze akwazi ukuyicaphuna, ukuyivikela nokuyichaza. Ngokuba abathobekile, abashisekayo enkonzweni nasekutadisheni iBhayibheli, indlela yethu yokucabanga iyofana kakhudlwana nekaKristu.

18. Singawusekela ngayiphi indlela ebalulekile umsebenzi kaJehova?

¹⁸ Ukusekela kwethu: UJehova ujonge ukuba “egameni likaJesu wonke amadolo aguqe, awabasezulwini nawabasemhlabeni.” (Fil. 2:9-11) Ngisho nalapho esesikhundleni sakhe esiphakeme, uJesu uyozithoba entandweni kaYise, ngakho nathi kufanele sizithobe kuyo. (1 Kor. 15:28) Kanjani? Ngokuwusekela ngenhliziyo yonke umsebenzi esiyalwe ukuba siwenze—‘ukwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi.’ (Math. 28:19) Sifuna ‘nokwenza okuhle kubo bonke,’ komakhelwane bethu nakubafowethu.—Gal. 6:10.

19. Yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁹ Yeka indlela esikwazisa ngayo ukuthi uJehova usikhumbuza ukuba sigcine izingqondo zethu zigxile ezintweni zaphezulu! Ukuze senze lokhu, kudingeka “siwugijime ngokukhuthazela lo mncintiswano obekwe phambi kwethu.” (Heb. 12:1) Sengathi sonke singasebenza ‘ngomphefumulo wonke njengokungathi senzela uJehova,’ futhi uBaba wethu osezulwini uyoyivuza imizamo yethu eqotho.—Kol. 3:23, 24.