1, 2. Uyini umgomo wawo wonke amaKristu? Nikeza isibonelo.

YINI owesifazane ayibhekayo lapho ekhetha izithelo emakethe? Cishe akabheki nje ubukhulu besithelo noma ukungabizi kwaso. Kunalokho, ubheka isithelo esinephunga elimnandi, esingonakele nesilungele ukudliwa. Ufuna isithelo esivuthiwe.

² Ngemva kokuba umuntu efunde ngoJehova futhi wanquma ukubhapathizwa, ubuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu buyaqhubeka bukhula. Umgomo wakhe ukuba umKristu ovuthiwe. Lokhu kuvuthwa akusho ukuba mdala ngeminyaka. Kubhekisela ekukhuleni ngokomoya, okusho ukusondelana kakhulu noJehova. Umphostoli uPawulu wayefuna ukuba amaKristu ase-Efesu avuthwe. Wawakhuthaza ukuba abe munye okholweni futhi aqhubeke efunda ngoJesu ukuze abe ‘amadoda akhule ngokugcwele, esilinganisweni sobukhulu esingesokugcwala kukaKristu.’—Efesu 4:13.

3. Ibandla lase-Efesu lifana kanjani nabantu bakaJehova namuhla?

 ³ Ibandla lase-Efesu lase lineminyaka ethile likhona lapho uPawulu elibhalela incwadi. Abaningi kulelo bandla base bengamaKristu avuthiwe, ayesebhekane nokuningi ekuphileni. Noma kunjalo, kwakunabanye okwakusadingeka babuqinise kakhudlwana ubuhlobo babo noJehova. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi sebekhonze uJehova isikhathi eside futhi sebengamaKristu avuthiwe. Nokho, abanye ebandleni abakafinyeleli kulelo zinga. Ngokwesibonelo, kubhapathizwa izinkulungwane unyaka nonyaka, ngakho abanye kusadingeka bakhulele ekuvuthweni. Kuthiwani ngawe?—Kolose 2:6, 7.

4, 5. AmaKristu avuthiwe ahluke kanjani komunye nomunye, kodwa yini afana ngayo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁴ Uma ubheka izithelo ezivuthiwe emakethe, uyabona ukuthi azifani ncamashi. Noma kunjalo, zinokuthile ezifana ngakho okuzenza zibonakale ukuthi zivuthiwe. Kunjalo nangamaKristu avuthiwe. Awafani ncamashi. Avela emazweni nasezizindeni ezingefani. Awalingani ngeminyaka futhi awathandi izinto ezifanayo. Nokho, wonke amaKristu avuthiwe anezimfanelo ezithile afana ngazo ezenza kubonakale ukuthi avuthiwe. Yiziphi ezinye zalezi zimfanelo?

⁵ UmKristu ovuthiwe ulingisa uJesu futhi ulandela “izinyathelo zakhe eduze.” (1 Petru 2:21) UJesu wathi kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba umuntu athande uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakhe, umphefumulo wakhe nangengqondo yakhe futhi athande umakhelwane wakhe njengoba ezithanda yena. (Mathewu 22:37-39) UmKristu ovuthiwe uzama kanzima ukulalela leso seluleko. Indlela aphila ngayo ifakazela ukuthi ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova nothando lwakhe olujulile ngabanye kubaluleke kakhulu kuye.

6, 7. (a) Yiziphi ezinye izimfanelo abonakala ngazo umKristu ovuthiwe? (b) Yini okufanele sizibuze yona?

⁶ Uthando lumane lungenye yezimfanelo eziningi umKristu ovuthiwe azibonisayo. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Uphinde abonise ubumnene, ukuzithiba nokubekezela. Lezi zimfanelo zingamsiza akhuthazelele izimo ezinzima ngaphandle kokucasuka,  akhuthazelele nokudumazeka ngaphandle kokulahla ithemba. Esifundweni sakhe somuntu siqu, umKristu ovuthiwe uhlale efuna izimiso zeBhayibheli ezimsizayo azi okulungile nokungalungile. Khona-ke, lapho esesebenzisa unembeza wakhe oqeqeshwe yiBhayibheli, uyokwazi ukwenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile. UmKristu ovuthiwe uthobekile, ngakho ukholelwa ukuthi iziqondiso nezindinganiso zikaJehova zihlale zingcono kunezakhe. * Ushumayela izindaba ezinhle ngentshiseko futhi wenza konke angakwenza ekusizeni ibandla lihlale linobunye.

⁷ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sesimkhonze isikhathi eside kangakanani uJehova, ngamunye wethu kufanele azibuze: ‘Ingabe zikhona izinguquko engingazenza ukuze ngilingise uJesu kakhudlwana? Ingabe zikhona izindlela engingathuthukisa ngazo?’

8. UJesu wayeyazi futhi eyiqonda kangakanani imiBhalo?

⁸ UJesu Kristu wayeyazi futhi eyiqonda kahle imiBhalo. Ngisho nalapho eseneminyaka  engu-12, wasebenzisa imiBhalo lapho ekhuluma nabafundisi ethempelini. “Bonke ababemlalele babelokhu bemangele ngenxa yokuqonda kwakhe nezimpendulo zakhe.” (Luka 2:46, 47) Kamuva, lapho eshumayela, walisebenzisa ngekhono iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze azivale umlomo izitha zakhe.—Mathewu 22:41-46.

9. (a) Isiphi isimiso sokutadisha umKristu ovuthiwe anaso? (b) Kungani sitadisha iBhayibheli?

⁹ Umuntu ofuna ukuba umKristu ovuthiwe ulingisa isibonelo sikaJesu futhi ufuna ukuqonda iBhayibheli ngokusemandleni akhe. Uhlale ehlola imiBhalo ukuze athole amaqiniso ajulile, ngoba uyazi ukuthi “ukudla okuqinile kungokwabantu abavuthiwe.” (Hebheru 5:14) UmKristu ovuthiwe ufuna ukuba ‘nolwazi olunembile’ lweBhayibheli. (Efesu 4:13) Ngakho zibuze: ‘Ingabe ngilifunda nsuku zonke iBhayibheli? Ingabe nginaso isimiso sesifundo somuntu siqu? Ingabe ngiba nakho ukukhulekela komkhaya isonto ngalinye?’ Lapho utadisha iBhayibheli, funa izimiso ezingakusiza ukuba wazi indlela uJehova acabanga ngayo nazizwa ngayo. Yibe ususebenzisa lezo zimiso lapho wenza izinqumo. Lokho kuzokusiza ukuba usondelane nakakhulu noJehova.

10. UmKristu ovuthiwe uzizwa kanjani ngeseluleko nangezimiso zikaNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ UmKristu ovuthiwe kumelwe angagcini nje ngokwazi lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo. Kumelwe athande iseluleko nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ube esebonisa lolo thando ngesifiso sakhe sokwenza intando kaJehova kunokuba enze eyakhe. Uze ashintshe ngisho nendlela aphila ngayo, acabanga ngayo nenza ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ulingisa uJesu futhi ahlakulele ubuntu obusha, “obadalwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu ngokulunga kweqiniso nokuthembeka.” (Funda eyabase-Efesu 4:22-24.) Kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze aqondise abalobi beBhayibheli. Ngakho lapho umKristu etadisha iBhayibheli, umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu uyamsiza ukuba akhule olwazini, othandweni nasebuhlotsheni bakhe noJehova.

11. Yini uJesu abhekana nayo ngesikhathi esemhlabeni?

¹¹ UJesu wayengumuntu ophelele. Nokho, ngesikhathi esemhlabeni, uJesu wayephila nabantu abangaphelele. Abazali bakhe, abafowabo nodadewabo babengaphelele. Ngisho nabalandeli bakaJesu ababesondelene naye babonisa izimfanelo ezinjengokuqhosha nobugovu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngobusuku obandulela ukufa kwakhe, abafundi bakhe babephikisana “ngokuthi ubani kubo owayebonakala emkhulu kunabo bonke.” (Luka 22:24) Naphezu kokucabanga kwabo kokungapheleli, uJesu wayazi ukuthi ngokushesha abafundi bakhe babezoba amaKristu avuthiwe futhi bakhe ibandla elinobunye. Ngabo lobo busuku, uJesu wathandazela ukuba babe nobunye. Wacela uYise wasezulwini ukuba bonke babe munye, wathi: “Njengoba nje wena, Baba, umunye nami futhi nami ngimunye nawe.” Wanezela: “Ukuze babe munye njengoba nje nathi simunye.”—Johane 17:21, 22.

12, 13. (a) Uyini umgomo wethu njengamaKristu? (b) Omunye umzalwane wakufunda kanjani ukuthuthukisa ubunye?

 ¹² UmKristu ovuthiwe uthuthukisa ubunye ebandleni. (Funda eyabase-Efesu 4:1-6, 15, 16.) NjengamaKristu, umgomo wethu ‘uwukuhlanganiswa ndawonye ngokuvumelanayo,’ okusho ukusebenza ndawonye ngobunye. Ukuze kube nalobu bunye, umKristu kumelwe athobeke. Ngisho nalapho ephazanyiswa ukungapheleli kwabanye, umKristu ovuthiwe uyazikhandla ukuze alondoloze ubunye bebandla. Ngakho, zibuze: ‘Ngisabela kanjani lapho umzalwane noma udade enza iphutha? Ngizizwa kanjani lapho othile engizwisa ubuhlungu? Ingabe ngivame ukuyeka ukumkhulumisa? Noma ngiyazama yini ukubuyisana naye?’ UmKristu ovuthiwe ulwela ukulungisa inkinga kunokuba yena abe yinkinga kwabanye.

¹³ Cabanga ngesibonelo sika-Uwe. Esikhathini esidlule, wayevame ukuvumela ukungapheleli kwabafowabo nodadewabo ukuba kumcasule. Wabe esenquma ukusebenzisa iBhayibheli ne-Insight on the Scriptures ukuze afunde ngokuphila kukaDavide. Kungani akhetha uDavide? Kungenxa yokuthi uDavide naye waba nezinkinga nezinye zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, iNkosi uSawule yazama ukubulala uDavide, abanye kubantu babefuna ukumkhanda ngamatshe kanti nomkakhe imbala wamhleka. (1 Samuweli 19:9-11; 30:1-6; 2 Samuweli 6:14-22) Kodwa naphezu kwalokho abanye ababekwenza kuye, uDavide wayemthanda futhi emethemba uJehova. UDavide wabonisa nesihe. U-Uwe uyavuma ukuthi naye kwakudingeka enze okufanayo. Ekutadisheni kwakhe iBhayibheli, wafunda ukuthi kwakudingeka ashintshe indlela ayezizwa ngayo ngokungapheleli kwabafowabo. Kwakudingeka ayeke ukukhumbula amaphutha abo futhi athuthukise ubunye ebandleni. Ingabe nawe unomgomo ofanayo?

14. UJesu wabakhetha kanjani abangane bakhe?

¹⁴ UJesu Kristu wayenobungane. Amadoda nabesifazane, abadala nabancane ngisho nezingane imbala, zazikhululeka uma zinoJesu. Kodwa wabakhetha ngokucophelela abangane abaseduze. Watshela abaphostoli bakhe: “Ningabangane bami uma nenza lokho enginiyala ngakho.” (Johane 15:14) UJesu wakhetha abangane bakhe abaseduze phakathi kwalabo ababemlandela ngokwethembeka, ababethanda futhi bekhonza uJehova. Ingabe ukhetha abangane abathanda uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo? Kungani lokhu kubalulekile?

15. Abasha bangazuza kanjani ngokuba nobungane namaKristu avuthiwe?

¹⁵ Izinhlobo eziningi zezithelo zivuthwa kangcono uma zifudunyezwa yilanga. Ngendlela efanayo, uthando olufudumele lwabafowethu nodadewethu lungakusiza ube umKristu ovuthiwe. Ingabe usemusha  futhi uzama ukunquma ukuthi uzokwenzani ngokuphila kwakho? Uma kunjalo, kuwukuhlakanipha ukukhetha abangane osekuyisikhathi bekhonza uJehova futhi abakhuthaza ubunye ebandleni. Kungenzeka sebeke baba nezinkinga ekuphileni kwabo futhi bakhuthazelela izingqinamba ezithile njengoba bekhonza uJehova. Bangakusiza ukhethe ukuphila okungcono. Uma uchitha isikhathi nabo, bangakusiza wenze izinqumo ezihlakaniphile futhi ukhule njengomKristu.—Funda eyamaHebheru 5:14.

16. Asebekhulile kwelinye ibandla bamsiza kanjani omunye udade lapho esemusha?

¹⁶ UHelga ukhumbula ukuthi ngonyaka wakhe wokugcina esikoleni, iningi lezingane ayefunda nazo ekilasini lalikhuluma ngemigomo yalo yesikhathi esizayo. Eziningi zazo zazifuna ukuya enyuvesi ukuze zibe nekusasa eliqhakazile. Nokho, uHelga wakhuluma nabangane abavuthiwe ebandleni. Uthi: “Abaningi babo babebadala kunami, futhi bangisiza kakhulu. Bangikhuthaza ukuba ngingenele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngemva kwalokho, ngakwazi ukuchitha iminyaka emihlanu ngikhonza njengephayona. Manje, ngemva kweminyaka eminingi, ngiyajabula ngokuthi ngasebenzisa ubusha bami enkonzweni kaJehova. Angizisoli ngokwenza kanjalo.”

17, 18. Singamkhonza kanjani uJehova kangcono?

¹⁷ Lapho silingisa uJesu, siyothuthukela ekubeni amaKristu avuthiwe. Siyosondela kakhulu kuJehova, kanti nesifiso sethu sokumkhonza siyokhula. Uma umuntu evuthiwe, umkhonza kangcono uJehova. UJesu wakhuthaza abalandeli bakhe: “Ukukhanya kwenu makukhanye phambi kwabantu, ukuze babone imisebenzi yenu emihle bese benika uYihlo osemazulwini inkazimulo.”—Mathewu 5:16.

¹⁸ Sifundile ukuthi umKristu ovuthiwe angaba kanjani ithonya elinamandla lokuhle ebandleni. UmKristu ubonisa ukuvuthwa kwakhe nangendlela asebenzisa ngayo unembeza wakhe. Unembeza wethu ungasisiza kanjani senze izinqumo ezihlakaniphile? Futhi singabahlonipha kanjani onembeza babanye? Le mibuzo izophendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.