1, 2. (a) Wasenza kanjani isinqumo sakho sokukhonza uNkulunkulu? (b) Imiphi imibuzo esingayibuza ngefa lethu elingokomoya?

ABAYIZIGIDI kithi baye bakhetha ngokuhlakanipha ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu nokulandela izinyathelo zikaJesu Kristu eduze. (Math. 16:24; 1 Pet. 2:21) Asikuthathi kalula lokhu kuphila kwethu kokuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu. Ukukhetha kwethu kwakungasekelwe olwazini olukha phezulu lwemiBhalo embalwa, kodwa ekutadisheni ngokucophelela iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, siye safunda imininingwane eminingi eqinisa ukholo ngefa uJehova alibeke phambi kwalabo ‘abangenisa ulwazi ngaye nangalowo amthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.’—Joh. 17:3; Roma 12:2.

² Ukuze silondoloze ukuma kwethu njengamaKristu, kumelwe senze ukukhetha okujabulisa uBaba wethu osezulwini. Ngenxa yalokho, lesi sihloko sizocabangela le mibuzo ebalulekile: Liyini ifa lethu? Kufanele silibheke kanjani? Singaqinisekisa kanjani ukuthi siyalithola? Yini ezosisiza ukuba sikhethe ngokuhlakanipha?

3. Iliphi ifa eliyotholwa (a) abagcotshiweyo (b) “ezinye izimvu”?

³ Inani elincane lamaKristu libheke phambili ekutholeni “[ifa] elingenakonakala nelingangcolile nelingabuni”—ilungelo eliyigugu lokubusa noKristu ezulwini. (1 Pet. 1:3, 4) Ukuze alithole leli fa, lawa maKristu kumelwe “aphinde azalwe.” (Joh. 3:1-3) Liyini ifa lezigidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaJesu, ezihlanganyela nabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu? (Joh. 10:16) Ezinye izimvu ziyothola ifa u-Adamu no-Eva abona abangazange balithole—ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi okungenakho ukuhlupheka, ukufa noma ukulila.  (IsAm. 21:1-4) Yingakho uJesu athembisa umenzi wobubi owafa naye: “Ngiqinisile ngiyakutshela namuhla, Uyokuba nami ePharadesi.”

4. Iziphi izibusiso esizijabulelayo kwamanje?

⁴ Kwamanje, sijabulela izici ezithile zefa lethu. Ngenxa yokuthi sibonisa ukholo ‘esihlengweni esakhokhwa uKristu Jesu,’ sinokuthula kwangaphakathi nobuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu. (Roma 3:23-25) Siziqonda ngokucacile izithembiso eziyigugu eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuba ingxenye yobuzalwane bomhlaba wonke obunothando kuwumthombo wenjabulo engachazeki. Yeka ukuthi sibusiseke kangakanani ngokuba nelungelo lokuba oFakazi BakaJehova! Yingakho silazisa ifa lethu.

5. Yini uSathane aye wazama ukuyenza kubantu bakaNkulunkulu, futhi yini engasisiza ukuba simelane ngokuqinile namaqhinga akhe?

⁵ Nokho, ukuze sibambelele efeni lethu elimangalisayo, kumelwe sihlale siwaphaphamele amaqhinga kaSathane. Selokhu kwathi nhló uSathane uzama ukuthonya abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba benze ukukhetha okuyobalahlekisela ngefa labo. (Num. 25:1-3, 9) Njengoba eqaphela ukuthi sekuseduze ukuba abhujiswe, useyiqinisile imizamo yakhe yokusidukisa. (Funda isAmbulo 12:12, 17.) Ukuze siqhubeke ‘simelana ngokuqinile namaqhinga kaDeveli,’ kumelwe siqhubeke silazisa kakhulu ifa lethu. (Efe. 6:11) Kule ndaba, isibonelo esiyisixwayiso sika-Esawu, indodana yenzalamizi u-Isaka, sisiphathele izifundo okuhle ukuba sicabangisise ngazo.

6, 7. Wayengubani u-Esawu, futhi iliphi ifa ayezolithola?

⁶ Cishe eminyakeni engu-4 000 edlule, u-Isaka noRebheka bazala amawele u-Esawu noJakobe. Njengoba la mawele ekhula, ayehlukile ngesimo sawo sengqondo nangemisebenzi akhetha ukuyenza. “U-Esawu waba yiphisi, indoda yasendle,” kanti “uJakobe [wayeyindoda] engasoleki, ehlala ematendeni.” (Gen. 25:27) Umhumushi weBhayibheli uRobert Alter uthi igama lesiHebheru elihunyushwe ngokuthi “engasoleki,” “lisikisela ubuqotho noma ngisho ubumsulwa.”

⁷ U-Abrahama, umkhulu ka-Esawu noJakobe wafa beneminyaka engu-15 ubudala, kodwa isithembiso uJehova ayesenze ku-Abrahama asizange sife. Kamuva, uJehova wasiphinda ku-Isaka, ebonisa ukuthi zonke izizwe zomhlaba zaziyozibusisa ngenzalo ka-Abrahama. (Funda uGenesise 26:3-5.) Leso sithembiso sembula ukuthi uMesiya—“inzalo” ethembekile eshiwo kuGenesise 3:15—wayeyovela enzalweni ka-Abrahama. U-Esawu wayenelungelo elingokomthetho lokuthola leso sithembiso ngoba wayeyizibulo lika-Isaka. Yeka ifa elimangalisayo ayezolithola! Ingabe wayelazisa?

8, 9. (a) Yini u-Esawu akhetha ukuyenza ngefa lakhe? (b) Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, yini u-Esawu ayiqaphela ngokukhetha kwakhe, futhi wasabela kanjani?

⁸ Ngolunye usuku lapho u-Esawu efika ekhaya evela endle, wabona uJakobe “ebilisa isitshulu esithile.” Wathi kuye: “Ngicela usheshise ungiphe umthamo walokho okubomvu—lokho okubomvu okulapho, ngoba ngikhathele!” Ephendula, uJakobe wathi kuye: “Qale ungithengisele ilungelo lakho lobuzibulo!” U-Esawu wakhetha ukwenzani? Kuyamangalisa ukuthi wathi: “Bunanzuzoni kimi ubuzibulo?” Yebo, u-Esawu wakhetha isitshulu ngaphezu kwelungelo lakhe lobuzibulo! Ukuze enze lokho kuthengiselana kwabo ubuzibulo kube semthethweni, uJakobe waphikelela: “Funga kimi kuqala!” U-Esawu akazange ananaze walidela ilungelo lakhe lobuzibulo. Ngemva kwalokho, “uJakobe wamnika u-Esawu isinkwa nesitshulu sikadali, wadla waphuza. Wabe esesukuma wahamba. Wabudelela kanjalo-ke u-Esawu ubuzibulo.”—Gen. 25:29-34.

⁹ Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, lapho  u-Isaka ecabanga ukuthi wayesezokufa, uRebheka waqinisekisa ukuthi uJakobe uyalithola ngempela ilungelo lobuzibulo u-Esawu alilahla. Lapho u-Esawu eqaphela sekwephuzile ukuthi wayekhethe ngobuwula, wancenga u-Isaka: “Ngibusise nami futhi, baba! . . . Awungigcinelanga mina isibusiso?” Lapho u-Isaka ethi wayengeke akwazi ukushintsha isibusiso ayesesinike uJakobe, “u-Esawu waphakamisa izwi lakhe waqhumuka wakhala izinyembezi.”—Gen. 27:30-38.

10. UJehova wababheka kanjani o-Esawu noJakobe, futhi kungani?

¹⁰ Iziphi izici zesimo sengqondo sika-Esawu eziphawulekayo emiBhalweni? Wabonisa ukuthi ukwanelisa izifiso zakhe ezingokwenyama kwakubaluleke kakhulu kuye kunokuthola izibusiso zesikhathi esizayo ezaziyogeleza zivela efeni lakhe. U-Esawu akazange alazise ilungelo lakhe njengezibulo futhi kusobala ukuthi wayengamthandi ngempela uNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wawushaya indiva umphumela isenzo sakhe esasiyoba nawo enzalweni yakhe. Ngokuphambene, uJakobe walazisa ngokujulile ifa lakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, uJakobe wenza ngokuvumelana nesiqondiso sabazali bakhe lapho ekhetha umfazi. (Gen. 27:46–28:3) Ngenxa yokukhetha kwakhe okwakudinga ukuba abe nesineke futhi azidele, waba ukhokho kaMesiya. UNkulunkulu wababheka kanjani o-Esawu noJakobe? Esebenzisa umprofethi uMalaki, uJehova wathi: “UJakobe ngimthandile, u-Esawu yena ngimzondile.”—Mal. 1:2, 3.

11. (a) Kungani isibonelo sika-Esawu sisebenza kithi njengamaKristu? (b) Kungani uPawulu ahlobanisa isenzo sika-Esawu nobufebe?

¹¹ Ingabe lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngo-Esawu kuyasebenza kumaKristu namuhla? Ngempela. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa ayekholwa nabo ukuba baqaphele ukuba “kungabikho sifebe nanoma ubani ongazazisi izinto ezingcwele, njengo-Esawu owaphana ngamalungelo akhe njengezibulo ewenana ngesidlo esisodwa.” (Heb. 12:16) Leso sixwayiso sisasebenza nakumaKristu. Kumelwe silondoloze ukuzazisa kwethu izinto ezingcwele ukuze singanqotshwa izifiso zenyama bese silahlekelwa ifa lethu elingokomoya. Nokho, kungani uPawulu ahlobanisa isenzo sika-Esawu nobufebe? Kungenxa yokuthi uma umuntu enesimo sengqondo esingokwenyama esinjengesika-Esawu cishe uyozidela izinto ezingcwele ukuze anelise izifiso ezingafanele ezinjengobufebe.

12. (a) USathane uzibeka kanjani izilingo phambi kwethu? (b) Nikeza izibonelo ezingokomBhalo ezingasisiza lapho kudingeka senze izinqumo ezinzima.

¹² Njengezinceku zikaJehova, ngokuqinisekile asizithungathi izimo ezilingayo ezingasiholela ekuziphatheni okubi ngokobulili.  Kunalokho, sicela uJehova uNkulunkulu ngomthandazo ukuba angasivumeli siwele ekulingweni lapho othile esilingela esenzweni sokungamlaleli uNkulunkulu. (Math. 6:13) Kodwa uSathane ulokhu ezama ukusenza buthaka ngokomoya njengoba silwela ukulondoloza ubuqotho bethu kuleli zwe elonakele. (Efe. 6:12) Njengonkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto esibi, uDeveli uyazi ukuthi angazisebenzisa kanjani izifiso zethu zokungapheleli ngokubeka phambi kwethu izilingo ezivamile kubantu abangaphelele. (1 Kor. 10:8, 13) Ngokwesibonelo, zicabange usesimweni esikunika ithuba lokwanelisa isifiso esithile ngokuziphatha okubi. Uyokhetha ukwenzani? Ingabe uyofana no-Esawu, uthi: ‘Shesha! Nginike!’ Noma, ingabe uyomelana naleso silingo futhi usibalekele njengoba kwenza uJosefa, indodana kaJakobe, owalingwa umkaPotifari?—Funda uGenesise 39:10-12.

13. (a) Namuhla, abaningi baye benza kanjani njengoJosefa, kodwa abanye baye benza kanjani njengo-Esawu? (b) Izibonelo zalabo abenza njengo-Esawu zisisiza ukuba siqaphele siphi isidingo esibalulekile?

¹³ Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi baye babhekana nezimo okwakudingeka bakhethe kuzo ukuthi bayokwenza njengo-Esawu noma njengoJosefa yini. Abaningi baye benza ngokuhlakanipha futhi bajabulisa inhliziyo kaJehova. (IzAga 27:11) Nokho, lapho bebhekene nesilingo, abanye esikholwa nabo baye bakhetha ukwenza njengo-Esawu, babeka ifa labo elingokomoya engcupheni. Eqinisweni, ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili kuyimbangela yamacala amaningi okwahlulela nokususwa kwabaningi ekuhlanganyeleni unyaka ngamunye. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuyilungisa kwamanje inhliziyo yethu—singakabi esimweni esivivinya ubuqotho bethu! (IHu. 78:8) Okungenani kunezinyathelo ezimbili esingazithatha eziyosivikela ekulingweni futhi kamuva zisisize sikhethe ngokuhlakanipha.

14. Ukucabanga ngamiphi imibuzo okungasisiza ukuba ‘senyanye okubi, sibambelele kokuhle’?

¹⁴ Isinyathelo sokuqala sihilela ukucabanga ngemiphumela yezenzo zethu. Ukujula kokwazisa kwethu ifa lethu elingokomoya kuxhomeke kakhulu ekujuleni kothando esinalo ngoJehova uMuphi waleli fa. Kakade, uma sithanda othile, asifuni ukumzwisa ubuhlungu. Kunalokho, silwela ukuzenza samukeleke kuye. Njengoba kunjalo, senza kahle ngokuzinika isikhathi sokucabanga ngemiphumela engaba khona kithi nakwabanye uma sivuma ukunqotshwa izifiso zenyama ezingcolile. Kufanele sizibuze: ‘Isenzo sami sobugovu siyobuthinta kanjani ubuhlobo bami noJehova? Leso senzo esingalungile siyoba namuphi umphumela emndenini? Siyobathinta kanjani abafowethu nodadewethu ebandleni? Kungenzeka yini ngikhube abanye?’ (Fil. 1:10) Eminye imibuzo esingazibuza yona yile: ‘Ingabe injabulo yemizuzu embalwa etholakala ngokwanelisa isifiso esingalungile ingcono kunobuhlungu benhliziyo obuyobangelwa ukukhetha kwami? Ingabe ngempela ngifuna ukugcina sengikhala kabuhlungu njengo-Esawu, lapho sengiqaphela engikwenzile?’ (Heb. 12:17) Ukucabanga ngemibuzo enjengale kuyosisiza ukuba ‘senyanye okubi, sibambelele kokuhle.’ (Roma 12:9) Ikakhulu uthando esinalo ngoJehova oluyosishukumisela ukuba sibambelele efeni lethu.—IHu. 73:28.

15. Yini eyosiqinisa ukuze simelane namathonya afaka ingokomoya lethu engozini?

¹⁵ Isinyathelo sesibili sihlanganisa ukuziqinisa. UJehova usenzele amalungiselelo amaningi okusiqinisa ukuze simelane namathonya ezwe afaka ingokomoya lethu engozini. Amalungiselelo akhe ahlanganisa isifundo seBhayibheli, imihlangano yobuKristu, inkonzo yasensimini nomthandazo. (1 Kor. 15:58) Ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho sithulula isifuba sethu kuJehova nalapho sihlanganyela ngokugcwele enkonzweni  yobuKristu, kunjengokungathi siyaziqinisa ezilingweni. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:12, 19.) Ngokwezinga elikhulu, ukuthi siyoqina kangakanani kuxhomeke kulokho esikwenzayo ukuze sihlale siqinile. (Gal. 6:7) Lokhu kuqokonyiswe esahlukweni sesibili sencwadi yezAga.

16, 17. Singaphumelela kanjani ekuzuzeni ikhono lokukhetha ngokuhlakanipha?

¹⁶ Isahluko 2 sencwadi yezAga sisikhuthaza ukuba sizuze ukuhlakanipha nekhono lokucabanga. Lezi zipho zisisiza ukuba sikhethe phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile, phakathi kokuzithiba nokuzitika. Kodwa ukuthi sizophumelela yini kuxhomeke ekuzimiseleni kwethu ukwenza umzamo. Ligcizelela leli qiniso elibalulekile, iBhayibheli lithi: “Ndodana yami, uma uwamukela amazwi ami futhi uyilonda kuwe imiyalo yami, ukuze unake ukuhlakanipha ngendlebe yakho, ukuze uthambekisele inhliziyo yakho ekuqondeni; uma, ngaphezu kwalokho, umemeza ufuna ukuqonda futhi uzwakalisa izwi lakho ufuna ikhono lokwahlukanisa, uma uqhubeka ukufuna njengokungathi ufuna isiliva, futhi uqhubeka ukuhlwaya njengokungathi uhlwaya ingcebo efihliweyo, uma wenza kanjalo uyokuqonda ukumesaba uJehova, futhi uyoluthola ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu. Ngoba uJehova unikeza ukuhlakanipha; emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ulwazi nokuqonda.”—IzAga 2:1-6.

¹⁷ Kuyacaca ukuthi ukuphumelela kwethu ekuzuzeni ikhono elidingekayo lokukhetha ngokuhlakanipha kuxhomeke ekutheni siyahlangabezana yini nemibandela esencwadini yezAga. Singaphumelela ekumelaneni nezilingo uma sivumela amazwi kaJehova alolonge umuntu esinguye ngaphakathi, uma siphikelela ekuthandazeleni isiqondiso sikaNkulunkulu, futhi uma siqhubeka sifuna ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu njengokungathi sifuna amatshe ayigugu afihliweyo.

18. Yini ozimisele ukuqhubeka uyenza, futhi ngani?

¹⁸ UJehova ubanika ulwazi, ukuqonda, ikhono lokwahlukanisa nokuhlakanipha labo abenza umzamo wokufuna lezi zipho. Lapho sizikhandla ekuzifuneni nasekuzisebenziseni, siyosondelana kakhulu noMuphi wazo, uJehova. Lobo buhlobo obuseduze noJehova uNkulunkulu buyoba isivikelo lapho sizithola sibhekene nesilingo. Ukusondela kuJehova nokumesaba okunenhlonipho kuyosivikela ekwenzeni okubi. (IHu. 25:14; Jak. 4:8) Kwangathi ukujabulela ubuhlobo esinabo noJehova nokusebenzisa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe kungasishukumisela ukuba siqhubeke senza ukukhetha okuyojabulisa inhliziyo kaJehova futhi kuqaphe ifa lethu.