1, 2. Yiwuphi umbuzo esizaxoxa ngawo, futhi kungani sizakwenza njalo?

UTSHADILE yini? Nxa kunjalo, umtshado wakho ulentokozo yini kumbe ulezinhlupho ezinengi? Wena lotshade laye alisengabangane yini? Uyaqinisela yini emtshadweni kodwa ungathokozi? Nxa kunjalo, kuliqiniso ukuthi uzizwa udanile ngoba intokozo elalilayo emtshadweni seyaphela. Njengoba ungumKhristu, uyafuna ukuthi umtshado wakho wenze uJehova, uNkulunkulu omthandayo, adunyiswe. Kodwa khathesi izimo zakho zingabe zikudanisa njalo zikuzwisa ubuhlungu. Lanxa kunjalo, ungaphethi ngokuthi isimo sakho kasingeke silungiseke.

² Lamuhla, akhona amaKhristu atshadileyo enza kuhle kodwa ake aba lemitshado engaqinanga njalo engelantokozo. Kodwa athola indlela yokuthi aqinise ubuhlobo bawo. Lawe ungathola ukusuthiseka emtshadweni wakho. Njani?

3, 4. Kungani abatshadileyo bengasondela komunye lomunye nxa bengazama ukusondela kuNkulunkulu? Nika umzekeliso.

³ Wena lotshade laye lizasondela komunye lomunye nxa lingazama ukusondela kuNkulunkulu. Ngani? Cabanga ngomzekeliso wentaba ebanzi phansi njalo ecije phezulu. Indoda imi kwelinye icele lentaba eliseningizimu, owesifazana yena umi ngale kweNtaba, kucele elisenyakatho. Bonke baqalisa ukukhwela intaba. Nxa bonke bengakakhweli okuyangaphi, kuyabe kulebanga elide phakathi kwabo. Kodwa njengoba bonke belokhu bekhwela besiya phezulu, ibanga eliphakathi kwabo lilokhu lisiba lincane.  Uyasibona yini isifundo esiqinisayo esisemzekelisweni lo?

⁴ Umzamo owenzayo ukuze ukhonze uJehova ngokupheleleyo ungaqathaniswa lomzamo oba khona nxa umuntu ekhwela intaba. Njengoba umthanda uJehova, kungathi usuqalisile ukuzama ngamandla ukukhwela intaba. Kodwa nxa wena lotshade laye lingasazwanani, kungafanana lokuthi omunye ukhwela engapha kwentaba kukanti omunye engale kwayo. Kodwa kwenzakalani nxa liqhubeka likhwela lisiya phezulu? Iqiniso yikuthi kungabe kulebanga elikhulu phakathi kwenu nxa liqalisa ukukhwela. Kodwa wena lotshade laye lizabe lilokhu lisondela eduze komunye lomunye nxa lisenza umzamo wokuthi libe seduze loNkulunkulu esingathi yikukhwela lisiya phezulu.  Okuqakathekileyo ukuze wena lotshade laye lisondele komunye lomunye yikuthi lisondele kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa ungakwenza njani lokho?

5. (a)Yiphi indlela esingasondela ngayo kuJehova lakulowo esitshade laye? (b) UJehova uwubona njani umtshado?

⁵ Indlela eqakathekileyo ongaqansa ngayo njengoba kuthintiwe emzekelisweni, yikuthi wena lotshade laye lilalele iseluleko esitholakala eLizwini likaNkulunkulu esimayelana lomtshado. (IHubo 25:4; U-Isaya 48:17, 18) Ngakho-ke cabanga ngeseluleko esitshiwo ngumphostoli uPhawuli. Esithi: “Umtshado kawuhlonitshwe yibo bonke.” (KumaHebheru 13:4, NW) Kutshoni lokhu? Igama elithi “kawuhlonitshwe” litsho okuthile okuqakathekiswayo njalo okuligugu. Yiyo indlela uJehova awubona ngayo umtshado, njengokuthile okuqakathekileyo njalo okuligugu.

6. Isimiso sikaPhawuli kanye lomongo waso mayelana lomtshado sitshengisani njalo kungani kuqakathekile ukugcina lokhu engqondweni?

⁶ Kuliqiniso ukuthi njengoba liyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu, wena lotshade laye selikwazi ukuthi umtshado uligugu njalo ungcwele. UJehova nguye owaqalisa uhlelo lomtshado. (Bala uMathewu 19:4-6.) Kodwa nxa ulezinhlupho emtshadweni, ukwazi ukuthi umtshado uyahlonitshwa akusikho kodwa okumele kukwenze ukuthi wena lotshade laye liphathane ngenhlonipho langothando. Kuyini-ke okungakwenza ukuthi wenze njalo? Nanzelela ukuthi uPhawuli wathini ngodaba lokutshengisa inhlonipho. Akazange athi “umtshado uyahlonitshwa,” kodwa wathi “umtshado kawuhlonitshwe.” UPhawuli wayengavezi nje umbono wakhe, kodwa wayenika iseluleko. * Ukugcina isimiso lesi engqondweni kungakusiza ukuthi uphinde umthande lowo otshade laye.  Kungani kunjalo?

7. (a) Yiphi imilayo eseMibhalweni esiyilalelayo njalo kungani? (b) Yiphi impumela emihle ebakhona ngenxa yokulalela?

⁷ Cabanga okwesikhatshana ngokuthi uyibona njani eminye imilayo eseMibhalweni, enjengowokwenza abafundi kanye lesikhuthazo sokuhlangana ndawonye ukuze sikhonze. (UMathewu 28:19; KumaHebheru 10:24, 25) Kuliqiniso ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi ukulandela imilayo leyo kungaba nzima. Abantu obatshumayezayo bangenqaba ukulalela, kumbe umsebenzi wokuziphilisa owenzayo ungakutshiya udinwe kakhulu okokuthi kunzima ukuthi uye emihlanganweni yobuKhristu. Lanxa kunjalo, uyaqhubeka utshumayela umlayezo woMbuso njalo uyaqhubeka usiya emihlanganweni yobuKhristu. Akulamuntu ongakwekelisa, ngitsho loSathane ngokwakhe! Kungani? Ngenxa yokuthi ukuthanda kwakho uJehova okuvela enhliziyweni yikho okwenza ukuthi ulalele imilayo yakhe. (1 UJohane 5:3) Kube layiphi impumela? Ukwenza umsebenzi wokutshumayela lokuya emihlanganweni kukunika ukuthula kwengqondo njalo lentokozo evela enhliziyweni ngenxa yokwazi ukuthi wenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Imizwa enjalo iyawavuselela amandla akho. (UNehemiya 8:10) Sifundani kulokhu?

8, 9. (a) Kuyini okungasenza silalele iseluleko sokuhlonipha umtshado futhi kungani kunjalo? (b) Yiphi imicijo emibili esizakhuluma ngayo khathesi?

⁸ Njengoba nje ukuthanda kwakho uNkulunkulu kukwenza ukuthi ulalele umlayo wokutshumayela lowokuhlangana labanye lanxa kunzima, yikho-ke ukuthanda kwakho uJehova kungakwenza ukuthi ulalele isixwayiso lesi esiseMbhalweni esithi: “Umtshado kawuhlonitshwe yibo bonke” lanxa lokhu kungakhanya kunzima kakhulu. (KumaHebheru 13:4; AmaHubo 18:29; UmTshumayeli 5:4) Okunye yikuthi imizamo yakho yokutshumayela leyokuhlangana labanye yenza uNkulunkulu adunyiswe, yikho imizamo yakho yokuhlonipha umtshado ingabonwa njalo ibusiswe nguJehova.​—1 KwabaseThesalonika 1:3; KumaHebheru 6:10.

 ⁹ Ngakho-ke ungenza njani ukuze umtshado wakho uhlonipheke? Kumele ubalekele ukwenza izinto ezingaphambanisa umtshado wakho. Okunye okumele ukwenze yikuthatha amanyathelo azaqinisa umtshado wakho.

10, 11. (a) Yikuphi ukuziphatha okwenza umtshado ungahlonitshwa? (b) Yiwuphi umbuzo esingawubuza esitshade laye?

¹⁰ Eyinye inkosikazi engumKhristu yake yathi: “Ngikhuleka kuJehova ukuze angincede ngibekezele.” Ebekezelelani? Uthi: “Umkami ungitshela amazwi abuhlungu. Ngingabe ngingelawo amanxeba akhanyayo kodwa amazwi akhe ahlabayo anjengathi ‘uluhlupho!’ lathi ‘kawulancedo!’ asengilimaze kakhulu enhliziyweni.” Owesifazana lo ukhuluma ngodaba oluhluphayo kakhulu, amazwi ahlabayo emtshadweni.

¹¹ Kubuhlungu kakhulu nxa amaKhristu atshadileyo etshelana amazwi abuhlungu endlini, enza kube lamanxeba angalapheki lula enhliziyweni! Kusobala ukuthi umtshado olabantu ababili abatshelana amazwi abuhlungu kawuhlonipheki. Umtshado wakho unjani odabeni lolu? Enye indlela yokwazi lokhu yikuthi ubuze otshade laye ukuthi, “Amazwi ami enza uzizwe njani?” Nxa otshade laye esithi izikhathi ezinengi amazwi akho amzwisa ubuhlungu enhliziyweni, kumele uzimisele ukuntshintsha isimo ukuze sibe ngcono.​—KwabaseGalathiya 5:15; bala u-Efesu 4:31.

12. Ukukhonza kothile kungaba njani ngokungancediyo emehlweni kaNkulunkulu?

¹² Hlala ukhumbula ukuthi indlela osebenzisa ngayo ulimi lwakho emtshadweni wakho ithinta ubuhlobo bakho loJehova. IBhayibhili lithi: “Uma umuntu ecabanga ukuthi uyakholwa kodwa engabambi ulimi lwakhe okuqinileyo, uyazikhohlisa njalo lokholo lwakhe luyize.”  (UJakhobe 1:26) Okukhulumayo kuyingxenye yokukhonza kwakho. IBhayibhili kaliwusekeli umbono wokuthi okwenzakala endlini kakuqakathekanga ingqe nje umuntu esithi ukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ungazikhohlisi. Le kakusiyo ndaba yokudlala ngayo. (Bala u-1 Phetro 3:7.) Ungaba lamakhono lentshiseko kodwa nxa ulimaza otshade laye ngokumtshela amazwi ahlabayo, uyabe utshengisa ukungawuhloniphi umtshado njalo uNkulunkulu angahle abone ukukhonza kwakho njengokungancediyo.

13. Umuntu otshadileyo angamzwisa njani ubuhlungu lowo atshade laye?

¹³ Abatshadileyo kumele futhi bananzelele ukuthi abazwisani ubuhlungu benhliziyo ngezindlela ezicatshileyo. Cabanga ngezibonelo ezimbili: Udade ongatshadanga uhlala etshayela ucingo indoda engumKhristu etshadileyo ecela uncedo ngokuthile, njalo bakhulume isikhathi eside. Umzalwane ongumKhristu ongatshadanga uhlala exoxa isikhathi eside lodade otshadileyo njalo lokhu ukwenza kanengi. Labo abatshadileyo abasezimweni lezo bangabe bengacabangi lutho olubi, kodwa izenzo zabo zibaphatha njani abatshade labo? Owesifazana othile osesimweni esinjalo uthi: “Kungizwisa ubuhlungu ukubona umkami esipha omunye udade ebandleni isikhathi esinengi njalo emnakekela. Kungenza ngizizwe ngingaqakathekanga.”

14. (a) Yiwuphi umlayo okuGenesisi 2:24? (b) Kuyini okumele sizibuze khona?

¹⁴ Kuyazwisiseka ukuthi lo otshadileyo kanye labanye abasesimweni esifananayo emitshadweni yabo bezwa ubuhlungu. Abatshade labo kabalandeli umlayo kaNkulunkulu oqakathekileyo ngomtshado othi: “Indoda izadela uyise lonina imanyane lomkayo.” (UGenesisi 2:24) Kuliqiniso ukuthi labo abatshadileyo bazabahlonipha abazali babo kodwa uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu yikuthi kumele banakekele kuqala abatshade labo. Ngendlela efananayo, amaKhristu ayabathanda labo abakholwa labo kodwa kumele banakekele kuqala abatshade labo.  Ngakho nxa amaKhristu atshadileyo esiba lesikhathi esinengi kakhulu kumbe ejayelana kakhulu lalabo abakholwa labo, ikakhulu labo abangatshadanga labo, benza umtshado wabo ube lezinhlupho. Leso yiso yini isizathu esenza wena lotshade laye lingabi lobuhlobo obuhle? Zibuze ukuthi, ‘Ngiyamnika yini engitshade laye isikhathi, ukunakekela kanye lothando oluvele lungolwakhe?’

15. NgokukaMathewu 5:28, kungani kumele amaKhristu atshadileyo abalekele ukujayelana kakhulu labangatshadanga labo?

 ¹⁵ Okunye futhi yikuthi amaKhristu atshadileyo adlalela emlilweni nxa ejayelana kakhulu lamaKhristu angatshadanga lawo. Kuyadanisa ukuthi amanye amaKhristu atshadileyo acina esekhangwa yilabo ajayelane labo okudlulisileyo. (UMathewu 5:28) Ngenxa yalokho, imizwa enjalo yenze kwaba lokuziphatha okubi okwenza umtshado ungahlonitshwa. Cabanga ngalokho okwatshiwo nguPhawuli ngalolu daba.

16. Yisiphi isixwayiso uPhawuli asiphayo ngokuphathelane lomtshado?

¹⁶ Ngemva nje kokuthi uPhawuli esenike isixwayiso esithi “umtshado kawuhlonitshwe” waqhubeka exwayisa esithi: ‘Umbheda womtshado kawungangcoliswa, ngoba uNkulunkulu uzazehlulela izifebe leziphingi.’ (KumaHebheru 13:4, NW) UPhawuli wasebenzisa umutsho othi “umbheda womtshado” lapho ekhuluma ngokuya emacansini. Ubuhlobo obunjalo buyabe ‘bungangcolanga’ nxa busenziwa ngabantu abatshadileyo kuphela. Ngakho amaKhristu alalela amazwi aphefumulelweyo athi: ‘Thokoza ngomfazi wobutsha bakho.’​—IZaga 5:18.

17. (a) Kungani umbono wabantu abasemhlabeni ungasebenzi kumaKhristu? (b) Singasilandela njani isibonelo sikaJobe?

¹⁷ Labo abaya emacansini lalabo abangatshadanga labo batshengisa ukungahloniphi okukhulu imithetho kaNkulunkulu yokuziphatha. Kuliqiniso ukuthi abanengi lamuhla babona ukuphinga njengento ejayelekileyo. Kodwa amaKhristu akumelanga antshintshe umbono wawo ngokuphinga ngenxa yalokho abanye abantu abakucabangayo. Bayaqaphela ukuthi ekucineni, ‘nguNkulunkulu ozakwahlulela izifebe labo bonke abayiziphingi.’ (KumaHebheru 10:31; 12:29) AmaKhristu eqiniso alandela umbono kaJehova kuloludaba. (Bala uRoma 12:9.)  Khumbula ukuthi uJobe wathi: ‘Ngenze isivumelwano lamehlo ami.’ (UJobe 31:1) Ukuze abalekele ukuthatha inyathelo elingakhokhelela ekuphingeni, amaKhristu eqiniso alawula amehlo awo njalo awahawukeli umuntu angatshadanga lawo.​—Bona Isengezo esithi “Lokho IBhayibhili Elikutshoyo Ngokuchitha Umtshado Kanye Lokwehlukana Okwesikhatshana.“

18. (a) UJehova ukubona kukubi kangakanani ukuphinga? (b) Ukuphinga lokukhonza izithombe kufanana ngayiphi indlela?

¹⁸ UJehova ukubona kukubi kanganakanani ukuphinga? UMthetho kaMosi usinceda ukuthi sibone indlela uJehova azizwa ngayo ngodaba lolu. Ko-Israyeli, ukuphinga lokukhonza izithombe kwakuphakathi kwezono ezazisenza ukuthi umuntu ajeziswe ngokubulawa. (ULevi 20:2, 10) Uyakubona yini ukuthi ukuphinga lokukhonza izithombe kufanana njani? UmIsrayeli owayekhonza isithombe wayesephula isivumelwano sakhe loJehova. Ngendlela efananayo, umIsrayeli owayephinga wayesephula isivumelwano sakhe latshade laye. Bobabili babetshengisa ukungathembeki. (U-Eksodusi 19:5, 6; UDutheronomi 5:9; bala uMalaki 2:14.) Bonke babesenyanyeka kuJehova, uNkulunkulu othembekileyo.​—IHubo 33:4.

19. Kuyini okungaqinisa ukuzimisela komKhristu ukuthi angaphingi, njalo kungani?

¹⁹ Kuliqiniso ukuthi amaKhristu awakho ngaphansi koMthetho kaMosi. Kodwa ukukhumbula ukuthi ko-Israyeli wasendulo ukuphinga kwakubonwa njengento embi kakhulu kungenza ukuthi umKhristu azimisele ukuthi angaphingi. Kungani kunjalo? Cabanga ngalokhu: Ungangena yini esontweni, uguqe njalo ukhuleke phambi kwesithombe? Ungahle uthi ‘ngeke!’ Kodwa ungalingeka yini nxa kuyikuthi uthenjiswe imali enengi kakhulu? Ungahle uphendule ngokuthi ‘kangingeke!’ Kuliqiniso ukuthi umcabango wokungathembeki kuJehova ngokukhonza isithombe uyenyanyeka kumKhristu weqiniso. Ngendlela efananayo, amaKhristu kumele awenyanye umcabango wokungathembeki kuJehova uNkulunkulu kanye lakulabo abatshade labo lanxa angahle alingeke kangakanani ukuthi one.  (IHubo 51:1, 4; KwabaseKholose 3:5) Kasifuni ukuthi senze loba yini engenza uSathane athokoze kumbe yenze uJehova lohlelo lomtshado olungcwele kudelelwe kakhulu.

20. Kuyini esekwenzakale kweminye imitshado? Nika umzekeliso.

²⁰ Phezu kokuthi ubalekele ukuziphatha ngendlela engenza ukuthi umtshado ungahlonitshwa, yiwaphi amanyathelo ongawathatha ukuze uvuselele indlela ohlonipha ngayo umkakho? Ukuze uphendule, fananisa umtshado lendlu. Phinda ufananise amazwi alomusa, izenzo ezinhle, kanye lamanye amazwi okuhlonipha abatshadileyo abawatshelanayo njengezinto zokucecisa ezenza indlu ibukeke. Nxa lizizwa lisondelene, umtshado wenu ufanana lendlu ececiswe ngezinto ezilemibala emihle njalo ezikwenza ufune ukuba kuyo. Nxa uthando lwakho lungaphola, izinto lezo ezokucecisa zinyamalala kancane kancane, zitshiye umtshado wakho ungasemuhle njengendlu engaceciswanga. Njengoba ufisa ukulalela umlayo kaNkulunkulu othi “umtshado kawuhlonitshwe,” uzazama ukwenza ukuthi umtshado wakho ubengcono. Iqiniso yikuthi into eligugu futhi ehlonitshwayo ikufanele ukulungisiswa loba ukuvuselelwa. Ungakwenza njani lokhu? ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Indlu yakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha, imiswe ngokuzwisisa; amakamelo ayo agcwaliswe ngolwazi, agcwaliswe ngemiceciso yakude eligugu.” (IZaga 24:3, 4) Cabanga ukuthi amazwi la angasetshenziswa njani emtshadweni.

21. Singawuqinisa njani kancane kancane umtshado wethu? (Bona lebhokisi elithi “ Ngingawuthuthukisa Njani Umtshado Wami?“)

²¹ Ubuntu obunjengothando lweqiniso, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kanye lokholo oluqinileyo buphakathi kwezinto ‘eziligugu’ ezisemtshadweni othokozisayo. (IZaga 15:16, 17; 1 UPhetro 1:7) Ubuntu lobu benza umtshado uqine. Kodwa unanzelele yini ukuthi amakamelo okukhulunywe ngawo embhalweni ocatshunwe phezulu agcwaliswe njani ngezinto eziligugu?  “Ngolwazi.” Kuliqiniso ukuthi nxa ulwazi lweBhayibhili lusetshenziswa lulamandla okuntshintsha indlela abantu abacabanga ngayo njalo luvuselele indlela abathandana ngayo. (KwabaseRoma 12:2; KwabaseFiliphi 1:9) Ngakho nxa wena lotshade laye lihlala phansi ndawonye njalo lixoxa ngombhalo weBhayibhili kumbe isihloko esisekelwe eBhayibhilini esikwamanye amabhuku akhuluma ngomtshado, kuba sengathi lihlola umceciso omuhle ongenza indlu yenu ibenhle. Nxa ukuthanda kwakho uJehova kuyikho okukwenza ukuthi usebenzise iseluleko oyabe usanda kusihlola, kuba sengathi uletha ukucecisa lokho ‘emakamelweni’ endlu yakho. Umpumela uba yikuthi isimo sothando esake saba khona emtshadweni wenu singaphinda sibe khona futhi.

22. Yikuphi ukusuthiseka esingaba lakho nxa singalwela ukuba lengxenye ekuqiniseni umtshado wethu?

²² Kungathatha isikhathi eside njalo lomzamo omkhulu ukuze izinto lezo zokucecisa ziphinde zibonakale futhi. Kodwa nxa ungalwela ukuthi wenze indima yakho, uzasuthiseka kakhulu ngenxa yokwazi ukuthi ulalela umlayo weBhayibhili othi: “Hloniphanani okudlula ukuzihlonipha kwenu.” (KwabaseRoma 12:10; IHubo 147:11) Okwedlula konke yikuthi ukuzama kwakho ngenhliziyo yonke ukuhlonipha umtshado wakho kuzakwenza uhlale usethandweni lukaNkulunkulu.