1. Siphila kuyiphi inkathi?

SIPHILA ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ Kusukela ngo-1914, lapho kuqala ‘izinsuku zokugcina,’ izimo zezwe ziye zaba zimbi kunanini ngaphambili. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Asingabazi ukuthi izwe liyoqhubeka liba libi, ngoba isiprofetho seBhayibheli sithi “abantu ababi nabakhohlisi bayoqhubeka besuka kokubi baye kokubi kakhulu.”—2 Thimothewu 3:13.

2. Abantu bathanda ukuzijabulisa kwaluphi uhlobo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

² Abantu abaningi namuhla bazijabulisa ngokubuka noma ukwenza izinto ezinobudlova noma ezinokuziphatha okubi noma ezihilela umlingo nokusebenzelana namademoni. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Internet, izinhlelo zethelevishini, amabhayisikobho, izincwadi nomagazini kuvame ukwenza ubudlova nokuziphatha okubi kubonakale kwamukeleka. Ukuziphatha okwakuvame ukushaqisa abantu sekwamukeleka kakhulu kangangokuthi manje sekusemthethweni  ezindaweni eziningi. Kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi uJehova uyakwamukela ukuziphatha okunjalo.—Funda eyabaseRoma 1:28-32.

3. Abantu abaningi bacabangani ngalabo abaphila ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu?

³ Nasekhulwini lokuqala, abantu babezijabulisa ngokubuka izinto ezinobudlova nokuziphatha okubi. Kodwa abalandeli bakaJesu babehlukile, ngoba babephila ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. Lokhu ‘kwakubakhungathekisa’ abantu ababephila nabo. Kwakuba namuphi umphumela? Babewenza inhlekisa amaKristu futhi bewashushisa. (1 Petru 4:4) Nanamuhla, abantu abaningi bacabanga ukuthi labo abaphila ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu bayinqaba. Eqinisweni, iBhayibheli liyasixwayisa ukuthi labo abalandela isibonelo sikaKristu Jesu “bayoshushiswa.”—2 Thimothewu 3:12.

4. Kungani kungafanele silithande leli zwe?

⁴ Uma sifuna ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu, asinakulithanda “izwe noma izinto ezisezweni.” (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 2:15, 16.) USathane, “unkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto” ulawula izwe. Usebenzisa izinkolo, ohulumeni, izinhlangano zezentengiselwano nemithombo yezindaba ukuze adukise abantu. (2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Johane 5:19) Asifuni ukuthonywa izwe, ngakho kumelwe sigweme abangane ababi. IBhayibheli lisixwayisa ngokucacile: “Ningadukiswa. Ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba emihle.”—1 Korinte 15:33.

5, 6. Obani okungafanele sizihlanganise nabo, futhi ngani?

⁵ Ukuze silondoloze ubuhlobo bethu obuhle noJehova, asikhethi ukuzihlanganisa nanoma ubani ozenza umkhuba izinto ezimbi. Lokhu kuhlanganisa nabantu abathi bakhulekela uJehova kodwa abakhetha ukungamlaleli. Uma abantu abanjalo benza isono esibi futhi bengaphenduki, siyayeka ukuzihlanganisa nabo.—Roma 16:17, 18.

⁶ Ngokuvamile, abantu bafuna ukujabulisa abangane babo nokwamukeleka kubo. Ngakho, uma sizihlanganisa nalabo abangamlaleli uNkulunkulu, singase silingeke senze izinto abazenzayo. Ngokwesibonelo, uma sizihlanganisa kakhulu nabantu abaziphethe kabi ngokobulili, singagcina sesifana nabo. Kuye kwenzeka lokhu kwabanye babafowethu nodadewethu. Labo abangazange baphenduke basuswa ekuhlanganyeleni. (1 Korinte 5:11-13) Uma bengaphenduki, isimo sabo singase sifane naleso esachazwa uPetru.—Funda eyesi-2 Petru 2:20-22.

7. Obani okufanele sikhethe ukuba babe abangane esisondelene nabo?

⁷ Nakuba sifuna ukuba nomusa kuwo wonke umuntu, akufanele sibe abangane  nalabo abangamkhulekeli uNkulunkulu. Kungaba okungalungile ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova ukuthandana nomuntu ongeyona inceku kaJehova ebhapathiziwe nethembekile. Kubaluleke kakhulu ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu kunokwamukelwa abantu abangamthandi. Kufanele sibe abangane kuphela nabantu abenza intando kaNkulunkulu. UJesu wathi: “Noma ubani owenza intando kaNkulunkulu, lowo ungumfowethu nodadewethu nomama.”—Marku 3:35.

8. Iliphi ithonya abangane ababi ababa nalo kuma-Israyeli asendulo?

⁸ Ukuba nabangane ababi kuholela enhlekeleleni. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kuma-Israyeli. Ngaphambi kokuba afike eZweni Lesithembiso, uJehova wawaxwayisa ngabantu ababevele behlala lapho. Wathi: “Ungabakhothameli onkulunkulu bawo futhi unganxenxwa ukuba ubakhonze, ungenzi lutho olufana nezinto zawo, kodwa uyozidiliza nakanjani futhi uyozibhidliza nakanjani izinsika zawo ezingcwele. Niyokhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.” (Eksodusi 23:24, 25) Kodwa ama-Israyeli amaningi awazange azilalele iziyalezo zikaNkulunkulu futhi awazange athembeke kuye. (IHubo 106:35-39) Kwaba namuphi umphumela? Kamuva uJehova wasilahla isizwe sakwa-Israyeli futhi esikhundleni saso wakhetha ibandla lobuKristu ukuba libe isizwe sakhe.—Mathewu 23:38; IzEnzo 2:1-4.

9. Kungani imithombo yaleli zwe ingaba ingozi?

⁹ Ukwaziswa okuningi okutholakala emithonjeni yezindaba yaleli zwe, njengezinhlelo zethelevishini, izingosi ze-Internet nezincwadi, kungabulimaza ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. Ukwaziswa okunjalo akuklanyelwanga ukusiza amaKristu ukuba abe nokholo kuJehova nasezithembisweni zakhe. Kunalokho, kukhuthaza abantu ukuba bathembele ezweni likaSathane elibi. Ngakho, kudingeka siqikelele ukuba singakhethi ukubuka, ukufunda noma ukulalela noma yini engasenza sibe “nezifiso zezwe.”—Thithu 2:12.

10. Kuzokwenzekani ngemithombo yezindaba yaleli zwe?

¹⁰ Maduze, izwe likaSathane nemithombo yalo yezindaba eyingozi kuzobhujiswa. IBhayibheli lithi: “Izwe liyadlula, kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.” (1 Johane 2:17) Ngokufanayo, umhubi wahlabelela: “Abenzi bokubi bazonqunywa.” Wabe esenezela: “Kodwa abamnene bayodla ifa lomhlaba, futhi ngempela bayothola injabulo enkulu ngokuchichima kokuthula.” Isikhathi esingakanani? “Abalungile bayokudla ifa lomhlaba, futhi bayohlala kuwo kuze kube phakade.”—IHubo 37:9, 11, 29.

11. UNkulunkulu usisiza kanjani ukuba sihlale sithembekile kuye?

¹¹ Ngokungafani nezwe likaSathane, inhlangano kaJehova isisiza ukuba siphile ngendlela eholela ekuphileni okuphakade. UJesu wathandaza kuJehova: “Lokhu kusho ukuphila okuphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo omthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) UJehova usebenzisa inhlangano yakhe ukuze asinikeze konke esikudingayo  ukuze simazi. Ngokwesibonelo, sinendathane yomagazini, izincwajana, izincwadi, ama-video nezingosi ze-Internet ezisisiza ukuba siqhubeke sikhonza uNkulunkulu. Inhlangano yakhe ihlela nemihlangano eqhutshwa njalo emabandleni angaphezu kuka-110 000 emhlabeni wonke. Esikufunda eBhayibhelini kuleyo mihlangano nakwemikhulu kuqinisa ukholo lwethu kuJehova nasezithembisweni zakhe.—Hebheru 10:24, 25.

12. Chaza umyalo weBhayibheli wokushada “kuphela eNkosini.”

¹² AmaKristu afuna ukushada kudingeka aqikelele ukuthi akhetha ukuzihlanganisa nobani. IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyasixwayisa: “Ningaboshelwa ejokeni nabangakholwa. Ngoba kunabudlelwane buni ukulunga nokungalungi na? Noma, ukukhanya kunasabelo sini nobumnyama?” (2 Korinte 6:14) IBhayibheli litshela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ukuba zishade “kuphela eNkosini,” okungukuthi, zishade kuphela nomuntu ozinikezele nobhapathiziwe ophila ngezindinganiso zikaJehova. (1 Korinte 7:39) Lapho ushada nomuntu onjalo, othanda uJehova, uyoba nomngane oyokusiza ukuba uhlale uthembekile kuNkulunkulu.

13. Imuphi umyalo ophathelene nomshado uNkulunkulu awunika ama-Israyeli?

¹³ UJehova uyazi ukuthi ikuphi okusilungele kangcono, futhi umyalo wakhe wokushada “kuphela eNkosini” awumusha neze. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho uJehova akutshela ama-Israyeli ngabantu ababengamkhonzi. Esebenzisa uMose, wawayala: “Akumelwe wakhe ubuhlobo bomshado nazo. Indodakazi yakho akumelwe uyinike indodana yakhe, nendodakazi yakhe akumelwe uyithathele indodana yakho. Ngoba iyophendula indodana yakho ingabe isangilandela, ngokuqinisekile bakhonze abanye onkulunkulu; intukuthelo kaJehova iyonivuthela impela, futhi ngokuqinisekile akubhuqe ngokushesha.”—Duteronomi 7:3, 4.

14, 15. Yini eyenzeka kuSolomoni ngoba ewushaye indiva umyalo kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ Ngemva nje kokuba ebe inkosi yakwa-Israyeli, uSolomoni wathandaza ecela ukuhlakanipha futhi uJehova wawuphendula umthandazo wakhe. Ngakho, uSolomoni waduma njengombusi ohlakaniphile wesizwe esiphumelelayo. Empeleni, indlovukazi yaseSheba yahlatshwa umxhwele kakhulu ukuhlakanipha kukaSolomoni kangangokuthi yathi: “Ngokuhlakanipha nokuchuma udlulele ngalé kwezinto engizizwile.” (1 AmaKhosi 10:7) Kodwa isibonelo sikaSolomoni sisifundisa nalokho okungenzeka lapho umuntu ewushaya indiva umyalo kaNkulunkulu  futhi eshada nomuntu ongamkhonzi uJehova.—UmShumayeli 4:13.

¹⁵ Nakuba uJehova ayembusisile, uSolomoni akawulalelanga umyalo ocacile kaNkulunkulu. ‘Wathanda abafazi abaningi bezinye izizwe’ ababengamthandi uJehova, futhi wagcina enamakhosikazi angu-700 nezancinza ezingu-300. Kwaba namuphi umphumela? Lapho esekhulile, abafazi bakhe “base beyichezukisile inhliziyo yakhe ukuba ilandele abanye onkulunkulu, . . . uSolomoni waqala ukwenza okubi emehlweni kaJehova.” (1 AmaKhosi 11:1-6) Abangane ababi bamthonya, akazange aqhubeke ethembekile kuJehova. Uma lokhu kwenzeka kuSolomoni, kungenzeka nakunoma ubani. Yingakho singakucabangi ngisho nokukucabanga ukushada nomuntu ongamthandi uJehova!

16. Isiphi iseluleko iBhayibheli elisinikeza umuntu oshade nomuntu ongakholwa?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani ngomuntu oba umkhulekeli kaJehova eseshade nomuntu ongakholwa? IBhayibheli lithi: “Bafazi, zithobeni kubayeni benu, ukuze kuthi, uma bekhona abangalilaleli izwi, bazuzwe ngaphandle kwezwi ngokuziphatha kwabafazi babo.” (1 Petru 3:1) Yiqiniso, lokhu kuyasebenza nasendodeni uma umkayo engeyena umkhulekeli kaJehova. IZwi likaNkulunkulu licacile: Yiba umyeni noma inkosikazi enhle, usebenzise izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zomshado. Khona-ke, lapho umuntu oshade naye ephawula ukuthi usushintshe waba umuntu  ongcono, naye angase afune ukukhonza uJehova. Lokhu kuye kwenzeka emibhangqwaneni eminingi.

17, 18. Yini eyasiza uNowa ukuba asinde kuZamcolo, futhi yini eyasiza amaKristu ekhulwini lokuqala ukuba asinde ekubhujisweni kweJerusalema?

¹⁷ Abangane ababi bangakuthonya ukuba ungamlaleli uJehova, kodwa abangane abahle bangakusiza ukuba wethembeke kuye. UNowa uyisibonelo esihle kithi. Waphila ngesikhathi “ububi bomuntu [budlangile] emhlabeni futhi konke ukuthambekela kwemicabango yenhliziyo yakhe kukubi ngaso sonke isikhathi.” (Genesise 6:5) Abantu babebabi kakhulu kangangokuthi uJehova wanquma ukulibhubhisa lelo zwe elibi. Kodwa uNowa wayehlukile. IBhayibheli limbiza ngokuthi “wayeyindoda elungile” ‘eyahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso.’—Genesise 6:7-9.

¹⁸ UNowa akazange azihlanganise nabantu ababengamthandi uJehova. Yena nomndeni wakhe bazigcina bematasa bakha umkhumbi, futhi wayebuye abe “umshumayeli wokulunga.” (2 Petru 2:5) UNowa nomkakhe, amadodana akhe amathathu nomkawo, baba abangane abahle komunye nomunye. Bazigcina bematasa ngezinto ezijabulisa uNkulunkulu, futhi ngenxa yalokho, basinda kuZamcolo. Thina sonke namuhla siyinzalo yabo, ngakho kufanele sibonge ngokuthi uNowa nomndeni wakhe balalela uJehova, bagwema abangane ababi. Ngendlela efanayo, amaKristu ekhulwini lokuqala awazange azihlanganise nabantu ababengamthandi uJehova. Amlalela futhi asinda lapho iJerusalema libhujiswa ngo-70 C.E.—Luka 21:20-22.

19. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sihlale sithembekile kuJehova?

¹⁹ NjengoNowa nomndeni wakhe kanye namaKristu ekhulu lokuqala, asizihlanganisi nanoma ubani ongamthandi uJehova. Sinezigidi zabafowethu nodadewethu abathembekile esingakhetha ukuba abangane babo. Bayosisiza ukuba ‘sime siqinile okholweni,’ phakathi nalezi zikhathi ezinzima. (1 Korinte 16:13; IzAga 13:20) Cabanga nje ukuthi kuyoba kuhle kanjani ukusinda ekupheleni kwaleli zwe elibi futhi siphile ezweni elisha likaJehova! Akuve kubalulekile ukubagwema kwamanje abangane ababi!