1. Khuyini uJesu akugandelelako ngobusuku bakhe bamaswaphela ephasini njengomuntu?

NGOBUSUKU bakhe bamaswaphela asephasini njengomuntu, uJesu watjengisa ukutshwenyeka khulu ngengomuso nehlalakuhle yabalandeli bakhe. Wathandaza kuYise ngendaba le wathi: “Angikubawi bona ubasuse ephasinapha, kodwana ngibawa bona ubaphuluse kosilapheleko. Njengombana nami ngingasingewephasi, nabo abasingebephasi.” (Jwanisi 17:15, 16) Esibaweni esithinta ihliziywesi, uJesu watjengisa kokubili ithando elikhulu ngabalandeli bakhe begodu nokuqakatheka kwamezwi awakhuluma kwabanye babo ngobusukobo. “Anisingebephasi.” (Jwanisi 15:19, NW) Kuyakhanya, bona gade kuqakatheke khulu kuJesu bonyana abalandeli bakhe bazibulunge bahlukile ephasini!

2. Liyini “iphasi” uJesu akhuluma ngalo?

² “Iphasi” uJesu akhuluma ngalo liqaliswe kiso soke isintu esihlukaniswe noZimu, esibuswa nguSathana, nesigqilazwe ukuba marhamaru, nomoya wokuzikhakhazisa ovela kuye. (Jwanisi 14:30; Kwebe-Efesu 2:2; 1 KaJwanisi 5:19) Kwamambala, “ukuthandana nephasi kubunaba kuZimu.” (KaJakobosi 4:4) Nokho, boke labo abafuna ukuhlala ethandweni lakaZimu bangaba njani sephasini kodwana ngesikhathi esifanako bazihlukanise nalo? Sizokucabangela iindlela ezihlanu: ngokuhlala sithembekile eMbusweni kaZimu ongaphasi kwakaKrestu begodu singathathi hlangothi kwezombanganarha zephasi, ukujamelana nomoya wephasi, ukumbatha  nokuzilungisa ngendlela ehloniphekileko, ukubulunga ilihlo lethu lilihle nangokumbatha zoke iinkhali zomoya.

3. (a) UJesu waziqala njani zombanganarha zangesikhathi sakhe? (b) Kubayini singathi abalandeli bakaJesu abazesiweko bakhonza njengabazenda? (Hlanganisa nomtlolo ophasi.)

³ Kunokobana azibandakanye kwezombanganarha zangesikhathi sakhe, uJesu wadzimelela ekutjhumayeleni ngoMbuso kaZimu, ingomuso lakarhulumende wezulwini loyo egade azokuba yiKosi yawo. (Danyela 7:13, 14; Luka 4:43; 17:20, 21) Ngalokho, phambi koMbusi weRoma uPontiyasi Pilato, uJesu wathi: “Umbuso wami awusiwo wephaseli.” (Jwanisi 18:36) Abalandeli bakhe abathembekileko balingisa isibonelo sakhe ngokuthembeka kuKrestu neMbuswenakhe ngokutjhumayela ngoMbuso loyo ephasini. (Matewu 24:14) Umpostoli uPowula watlola, “thina sibazenda bakaKrestu; siyanirabhela ebizweni lakaKrestu sithi: “Buyisanani noZimu.’” *—2 KwebeKorinte 5:20.

4. Woke amaKrestu weqiniso akutjengise njani ukuthembela eMbusweni kaZimu? (Qala ibhoksi elithi, “ Amakrestu Wokuthoma Akhenge Athathe Ihlangothi.”)

⁴ Njengombana abazenda bajamela enye inarha, abazibandakanyi eendabeni zangaphakathi zeenarha abakhonza kizo; abathathi hlangothi. Nokho, abazenda abakwenzako, kusekela urhulumende wenarha abayijameleko. Kungokufanako nangabalandeli bakaKrestu abazesiweko, ‘ikhaya labo elisezulwini.’ (KwebeFilipi 3:20) Eqinisweni, sithokoza ukutjhumayela kwabo ngokuncama ngoMbuso, barhelebhe iingidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zakaKrestu bona ‘zibuyisane noZimu.’  (Jwanisi 10:16; Matewu 25:31-40) Ezinye izimvu zikhonza njengabajameli bakaKrestu, ukusekela abanakwabo lakaJesu abazesiweko. Njengomhlambi obumbeneko basekela uMbuso wobuMesiya, zombili iinqhemezi azizibandakanyi nakancani eendabeni zezombanganarha zephaseli.—Funda U-Isaya 2:2-4.

5. Ibandla lobuKrestu lihluke njani ku-Israyeli wekadeni, begodu umehluko lo ubonakala njani?

 ⁵ Ukuthembeka kuKrestu akusilo kwaphela ibanga elenza amaKrestu weqiniso angathathi hlangothi. Ngokungafani nama-Israyeli wekadeni, egade anenarha ayiphiwe nguZimu, siyingcenye yobuzalwana bephasi zombelele. (Matewu 28:19; 1 KaPitrosi 2:9) Ngalokho, nengabe besingazibandakanya eenqhemeni zezombanganarha zendawo yangekhethu, kokubili ikululeko yethu yokukhuluma ngomlayezo woMbuso nobunye bethu bobuKrestu bekuzokuba sengozini. (1 KwebeKorinte 1:10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngeenkhathi zepi, besizokulwa nabantu esikholwa nabo, labo esitjelwa bona sibathande. (Jwanisi 13:34, 35; 1 KaJwanisi 3:10-12) Ngebanga elihle, uJesu watjela abafundi bakhe bona bangalwi. Begodu wabatjela nokobana bathande amanababo.—Matewu 5:44; 26:52; qala ibhoksi elithi “ Angizibandakanyi Na Kwezombanganarha?”

6. Ukuzinikela kwakho kuZimu kubuthinta njani ubuhlobo bakho noKhesari?

⁶ NjengamaKrestu weqiniso, sinikele ukuphila kwethu kuZimu, ingasi kunanyana ngimuphi umuntu, eenhlanganweni zabantu, namtjhana zeentjhaba. U-1 KwebeKorinte 6:19, 20 uthi: “Aniziphileli nina kwaphela, wanithenga ngentengo.” Ngalokho, njengombana banikela “uKhesari” ihlonipho emfaneleko, babhadela iimthelo, bazithoba ngendlela uZimu ayivumelako, abalandeli bakaJesu banikela “noZimu lokho okungokwakhe.” (Markosi 12:17; KwebeRoma 13:1-7) Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukukhulekela kwabo, ithando labo lehliziyo yoke begodu nokulalela kwabo ngokuthembeka. Nekutlhogekako, bazimisele nokunikela ngokuphila kwabo ngebanga lokukhonza uZimu.—Luka 4:8; 10:27; funda IZenzo 5:29; KwebeRoma 14:8.

7, 8. Uyini “umoya wephasi,” begodu umoya loyo “uberega” njani emntwini?

⁷ Enye indlela amaKrestu azibulunga ngayo ahlukile  ephasini, kujamelana nomoya omumbi. UPowula watlola: “Asakamukeliswa umoya wephaseli, kodwana samukeliswe umoya ovela kuZimu.” (1 KwebeKorinte 2:12) Wathi kwebe-Efesu: “Ngesikhatheso benisathathekile nikhamba ngokonakala kwephaseli nidoswa phambili mbusi wemimoya emimbi esemkhathini, umoya loyo obusa kilabo abangamthobeliko uZimu.”—Kwebe-Efesu 2:2, 3.

⁸ ‘Umoya’ wephasi awubonakali, mamandla abangela ukungalaleli uZimu begodu athuthukisa lokho “abantu abakubonako nabakufunako.” (1 KaJwanisi 2:16; 1 KuThimothi 6:9, 10) Umoya lo uberegisa “igunya” lawo ephasini ubonakala enyameni enesono, kubudisi ukuwubona, awudeli ufika kiyo yoke indawo njengomoya ojayelekileko. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “uberega” kancani kancani emntwini uveze kuye iimfanelo ezihlukileko kwezakaZimu, ezinjengokuba marhamaru, ukuzikhakhazisa, ukurhalela ukuba ngophambili, nomoya wokungafuni ukubuswa nokuvukela. * Ukuyibeka ngendlela ebulula, umoya wephasi kancani kancani wenza bona iimfanelo zakaDeveli zikhule ehliziyweni yomuntu.—Jwanisi 8:44; IZenzo 13:10; 1 KaJwanisi 3:8, 10.

9. Ngiziphi iindlela umoya wephasi ongangena ngayo emikhumbulweni neenhliziyweni zethu?

⁹ Umoya wephasi ungaba nomrabhu emkhumbulweni nehliziywenakho? Iye, kodwana nengabe ngokungatjheji uwulisa bona wenze njalo. (Funda Izaga 4:23) Umthelela wakhona uthoma kancani, mhlamunye ngabangani abangabonakala bababantu abalungileko, kodwana abangenathando ngoJehova. (Izaga 13:20; 1 KwebeKorinte 15:33) Ungamunya umoya omumbi lo ngeencwadi ezingamukelekiko, iinthombe zokuziphatha okumbi, ngamahlelo weenhlubuki we-Internet, zokuzithabisa ezingakalungi, nezeemdlalo eziphalisana khulu—kwamambala, ngananyana ngubani namtjhana  yini edlulisela umkhumbulo kaSathana namtjhana wephasi lakhe.

10. Singajamelana njani nomoya wephasi?

¹⁰ Singajamelana njani nomoya wephasi oyingozi sizibulunge ethandweni lakaZimu? Kwaphela ngokwamukela amalungiselelo kaJehova angokomoya nangokuthandazela qobe umoya ocwengileko. UJehova mkhulu kunoDeveli nephasi elimbi elibuswa nguSathana. (1 KaJwanisi 4:4) Qala bona  kuqakatheke kangangani kobana sihlale eduze kwakaJehova ngomthandazo!

11. Umoya wephasi ube namuphi umthelela endleleni abantu abambatha ngayo?

¹¹ Itshwayo langaphandle lomoya obusa umuntu yindlela ambatha nazilungisa ngayo begodu nokuhlwengeka. Eenarheni ezinengi, abantu abasambathi ngendlela ehloniphekileko kangangobana esinye isikhulumi sethelevitjhini sathi msinyana abantu abathengisa ngedini bazabe bakhamba hlubule. Ngitjho nabantazanyana abangakabi matlawana babanjwe mumukghwa lo—“bambatha iimbatho eziveza umzimba, ezinganasithunzi,” kwatjho elinye iphephandaba. Omunye umukghwa kumbatha butjhapha okutjengisa umoya wokuvukela nokutlhoga isithunzi nokuzihlonipha.

12, 13. Ngiyiphi ikambisolawulo okufuze inqophise indlela esimbatha nesizilungisa ngayo?

¹² Njengeenceku zakaJehova, sifuna ukubonakala sihloniphekile, okutjho ukumbatha ngendlela ehlwengileko, ehle nefanele isenzakalo. Ngaso soke isikhathi, ukubonakala kwethu kufuze kutjengise “ukuhlonipheka nokuvuthwa,” okukhambisana “nemisebenzi emihle” efanele woke—umuntu omduna namtjhana omsikazi—“othi uhlonipha uZimu.” Yiqiniso, into esitshwenyeka ngayo, akusikho ukufuna bona kutjhejwe thina, kodwana ‘kuhlala ethandweni lakaZimu.’ (1 KuThimothi 2:9, 10; KaJuda 21) Kwamambala, sifuna bona ukuzikghabisa kwethu okukhulu kube ‘okwangaphakathi . . . , okuqakathekileko phambi kwakaZimu.’—1 KaPitrosi 3:3, 4.

¹³ Khumbula godu bonyana indlela esimbatha nesizilungisa ngayo ingaba nomthelela endleleni abanye abaqala ngayo ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ibizo lesiGirigi elithi “ukuhlonipheka,” neliberegiswa ngendlela enqophileko, liveza umkhumbulo wokuhlonipha amazizo namtjhana iimbono  yabanye. Ngalokho-ke umnqopho wethu kufuze ube kuqala izazelo zabanye njengeziqakathekileko kunezethu. Ngaphezu kwakho koke, sifuna ukuletha idumo kuJehova nebantwini bakhe nokuzibonakalisa siziinkhonzi zakaZimu, senze “koke ze kudunyiswe uZimu.”—1 KwebeKorinte 4:9; 10:31; 2 KwebeKorinte 6:3, 4; 7:1.

14. Malungana nokubonakala nokuhlanzeka kwethu, ngimiphi iimbuzo okufuze sizibuze yona?

¹⁴ Ukumbatha, ukuzilungisa nokuhlanzeka kwethu kuqakatheke khulu nesisekonzweni yesimini namtjhana emihlanganweni yobuKrestu. Zibuze: ‘Ukubonakala nokuhlanzeka kwami kudosa amehlo ngendlela eyeqileko? Kubaphathisa iinhloni abanye? Ngiqala amalungelo wami endabeni le njengaqakatheke khulu kunokufanelekela amalungelo wekonzo ebandleni?’—AmaRhalani 68:6; KwebeFilipi 4:5; 1 KaPitrosi 5:6.

15. Kubayini iLizwi lakaZimu lingabeki irhelo lemilayo yokumbatha, ukuzilungisa, nokuhlanzeka?

¹⁵ IBhayibhili aliwabekeli amaKrestu irhelo lemilayo yokumbatha, ukuzilungisa, nokuhlanzeka. UJehova akasidimi ikululeko yokuzikhethela namtjhana ukuberegisa amandlethu wokucabanga. Kunalokho, ufuna bona sibe babantu abavuthiweko ababeregisa imilayo yeBhayibhili begodu “asebajayele ukusebenzisa umkhumbulo wabo, asebanakho  ukuhlukanisa okuhle nokumbi.” (KumaHebheru 5:14) Ngaphezu kwakho koke, ufuna bona sibuswe lithando—ithando ngoZimu nangomakhelwana. (Funda uMarkosi 12:30, 31) Ngaphakathi kwemikhawulo le, kuneendlela ezihlukahlukeneko zokumbatha nokuzilungisa. Ubufakazi balokhu bubonakala eembaleni ehlukahlukeneko yeembatho, ebantwini bakaJehova abanengi abathabileko nanyana kukuphi lapho bahlangene khona ephasini.

16. Umoya wephasi uphikisana njani neemfundiso zakaJesu, begodu ngimiphi iimbuzo okufuze sizibuze yona?

¹⁶ Umoya wephasi uyadukisa begodu wenza iingidi ziqale imali nezinto eziqalekako bona zithabe. Nokho, uJesu wathi: “Ngitjho namtjhana umuntu anezinto ezinengi, ipilo yakhe ayibanjwa zizinto anazo.” (Luka 12:15, NW) Namtjhana gade angatjho bona sizidime izinto ngokweqileko, uJesu wafundisa  bona ukuphila nethabo lamambala kutholwa ngilabo “abatlhagako emoyeni” nalabo ababulunga ilihlo labo ‘lilihle,’ mumuntu othembekileko eentweni ezingokomoya. (Matewu 5:3; 6:22, 23) Zibuze: ‘Kwamambala ngiyakukholelwa lokho uJesu akufundisako, namtjhana ‘uyise lamanga’ ube nomthelela kimi? (Jwanisi 8:44) Amezwami, iimnqopho, izinto eziza qangi ekuphileni kwami nendlela yami yokuphila zingiveza ngimumuntu onjani?’—Luka 6:45; 21:34-36; 2 KaJwanisi 6.

17. Yitjho ezinye iimbusiso ezithabelwa ngilabo ababulunga ilihlo labo lilihle.

¹⁷ UJesu wathi: “Ubuhlakani bakaZimu bubonakala ukuba liqiniso ngemivuzo yabo.” (Matewu 11:19) Cabangela eminye yemivuzo ethabelwa ngilabo ababulunga ilihlo labo lilihle. Bafumana ukuqabuleka kwamambala ekonzweni yoMbuso. (Matewu 11:29, 30) Babalekela ukugandeleleka ngokweqileko emkhumbulweni nemazizweni. (Funda 1 KuThimothi 6:9, 10) Banelisekile ngokuba nezinto abazitlhogako ekuphileni, banesikhathi esinengi semndenabo nabangani bamaKrestu. Lokho kubenza balale kamnandi. (UMtjhumayeli 5:12) Bathabela ukupha, benza njalo ngananyana ngiyiphi indlela abangakwazi ukwenza ngayo. (IZenzo 20:35) ‘Ithemba labo landile’ begodu banokuthula kwangaphakathi nokwaneliseka. (KwebeRoma 15:13; Matewu 6:31, 32) Kwamambala iimbusiswezi azimedeki!

18. IBhayibhili ilihlathulula njani inaba lethu, iindlela zalo, nehlobo lepi esiyilwako?

¹⁸ Labo abazibulunga ethandweni lakaZimu bafumana ukuvikeleka ngokomoya kuSathana ofuna ukumuka amaKrestu, ingasi ithabo kwaphela, kodwana ukuwamuka ukuphila okungapheliko. (1 KaPitrosi 5:8) UPowula wathi: “Ngombana asilwi nabantu nje, kodwana siqalene nemimoya emimbi esemkhathini; amanaba wethu ziinkhulu, nababusi, neemphathimandla zephaseli elisebumnyameni.”  (Kwebe-Efesu 6:12) Ibizo “asilwi” lilinganisa bona ipi yethu akusiyo esiyilwa simaqalanga—njengokungathi sisemsitheleni ovikelekileko—kodwana sibambene ngeenhluthu. Ngaphezu kwalokho amabizo ‘ababusi,’ ‘iimphathimandla zephaseli,’ atjengisa bona ukuhlaselwa okuvela endaweni yemimoya engabonakaliko kuhlophiswe kuhle khulu begodu kunomnqopho.

19. Hlathulula iinhlabano zepi ezingokomoya zamaKrestu.

¹⁹ Nokho, naphezu kokuba buthakathaka nokulinganisela kwesintu, singathumba. Njani? Ngokuhloma “zoke iinhlabano zakaZimu.” (Kwebe-Efesu 6:13) Ukuhlathulula iinhlabanezo, Kwebe-Efesu 6:14-18 ifundeka bunje: “Hlalani nilindile, iqiniso kube libhande okubotjhwe ngalo amadini wenu, ukulunga kube sivikelo senu sesifuba. Iinyawo zenu ziqine nilungele ukukhambisa iindaba ezimnandi zokuthula! Ngaso soke isikhathi phathani isihlangu esikukholwa, khona nizakwazi ukuzivikela, lokha oMumbi nanihlaselako ngemisubela evutha umlilo, niwubhule. Yemukelani iphuluso, ibe yingwani yokuvikela ihloko. Umoya ocwengileko anihlomise ngesilembe esililizwi lakaZimu. Yenzani lokho ngokuthandaza nokurabhela uZimu, nithandaza ngeenkhathi zoke.”

20. Ubujamo bethu buhluke njani kwebesotja lamambala?

²⁰ Njengombana zililungiselelo lakaZimu, iinhlabano ezingokomoya nakanjani zizosivikela, nengabe sizimbatha ngaso soke isikhathi. Ngokungafani namasotja wamambala, aba neenkhathi ezide ipi ingekho, amaKrestu asepini yokufa nokuphila enganakho ukuphumula leyo engazukujama bekube kulapho uZimu atjhabalalise iphasi lakaSathana begodu avalele imimoya emimbi ngemgodini onganamkhawulo. (ISambulo 12:17; 20:1-3) Ngalokho ungaphelelwa mamandla nengabe ulwa nobuthakathaka namtjhana iinkanuko ezimbi, ngombana soke kufuze ‘sidubuze’ [sidule] iimzimbethu bona sihlale sithembekile kuJehova. (1 KwebeKorinte 9:27) Kwamambala, lokha nesingalwiko kulapho ekufuze sitshwenyeke khona!

21. Singathumba njani epini yethu engokomoya?

 ²¹ Ngaphezu kwalokho, angekhe sathumba ngamandlethu epini le. Ngikho uPowula asikhumbuza bona kufuze sithandaze kuJehova ngomoya “ngeenkhathi zoke.” Ngesikhathi esifanako, kufuze silalele uJehova ngokufunda iLizwi lakhe nangokuzihlanganisa “namasotja” esinawo ngeenkhathi zoke, ngombana asikho sodwa epini le! (KuFilimoni 2; KumaHebheru 10:24, 25) Labo abathembekileko kizo zoke iingcenyezi abazokuthumba kwaphela kodwana bazokwazi nokuvikela ikholo labo neliphikiswako.

22, 23. (a) Kubayini kufuze sihlale sikulungele ukuvikela ikholo lethu, begodu ngimiphi iimbuzo okufuze sizibuze yona? (b) Ngisiphi isihloko esizokudenjwa esahlukweni esilandelako?

²² UJesu wathi: “Njengombana anisingebephasi, iphasi lizonihloya.” (Jwanisi 15:19, NW) Ngalokho, amaKrestu kufuze akulungele ukuvikela ikholo lawo enze njalo ngehlonipho nangomusa. (Funda 1 KaPitrosi 3:15) Zibuze: ‘Ngiyezwisisa bona kubayini aboFakazi bakaJehova ngezinye iinkhathi benza ngendlela ehlukileko embonweni ojayelekileko? Nengiqalene nobudisi bokuba ngohlukileko embonweni ojayelekileko, ngiyaqiniseka bona lokho okutjhiwo yiBhayibhili nenceku ethembekileko kulungile? (Matewu 24:45; Jwanisi 17:17) Nengabe kufuze ngenze okulungileko emehlweni kaJehova, angikazimiseli ukuba ngohlukileko kwaphela, kodwana ngiyazikhakhazisa ngakho?’—AmaRhalani 34:2; Matewu 10:32, 33.

²³ Nokho, ikhanuko yethu yokuba ngabahlukileko ephasini ilingwa ngeendlela ezinengi ezifihlekileko. Isibonelo, njengombana kutjengiswe ngaphambilini, uDeveli ulinga ukuyenga iinceku zakaJehova ezisephasini ngokuzithabisa kwephasi. Singazikhetha njani zokuzithabisa ezihlanzekileko ezizositjhiya siqabulekile begodu sinesazelo esihlwengileko? Isihlokweso sizokudenjwa esahlukweni esilandelako.