1. Siyozuza kanjani uma sikhulekela uNkulunkulu ngendlela efanele?

UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU usikhathalela ngokujulile futhi ufuna sizuze esiqondisweni sakhe sothando. Uma simkhulekela ngendlela efanele, siyojabula futhi sigweme izinkinga eziningi ekuphileni. Siyothola isibusiso nosizo lwakhe. (Isaya 48:17) Nokho, kunezinkolo eziningi ezithi zifundisa iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu. Kodwa zihlukene kakhulu ezimfundisweni zazo ngokuphathelene nokuthi ungubani uNkulunkulu nokuthi yini ayilindele kithi.

2. Singayazi kanjani indlela efanele yokukhulekela uJehova, futhi imuphi umfanekiso osisiza ukuba sikuqonde lokhu?

² Ungayazi kanjani indlela efanele yokukhulekela uJehova? Akudingeki uhlole futhi uqhathanise izimfundiso zazo zonke lezi zinkolo eziningi. Okudingayo nje ukuhlola lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo ngempela ngenkolo yeqiniso. Ake sifanekise: Emazweni amaningi kunenkinga yemali yomgunyathi. Uma unikwa umsebenzi wokuhlunga leyo mali, ungawenza kanjani? Ngokubamba ngekhanda zonke izinhlobo zemali yomgunyathi? Cha. Kungaba ngcono uma ungahlola imali yangempela. Uma sewazi ukuthi imali yangempela injani, ungakwazi ukubona eyomgunyathi. Ngokufanayo, lapho sifunda indlela yokubona inkolo yeqiniso, singakwazi ukubona izinkolo zamanga.

3. NgokukaJesu, yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze samukelwe uNkulunkulu?

 ³ Kubalulekile ukuba sikhulekele uJehova ngendlela ayamukelayo. Abantu abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi zonke izinkolo ziyamjabulisa uNkulunkulu, kodwa iBhayibheli alikufundisi lokho. Akwanele ngisho nokuba umuntu athi ungumKristu. UJesu wathi: “Akuyena wonke umuntu othi kimi, ‘Nkosi, Nkosi,’ oyongena embusweni wamazulu, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaBaba osemazulwini uyongena.” Ngakho-ke, ukuze uNkulunkulu asamukele kumelwe sifunde lokho akufunayo kithi, sikwenze. UJesu wabiza labo abangayenzi intando kaNkulunkulu ngokuthi “abenza okungemthetho.” (Mathewu 7:21-23) Njengemali yomgunyathi, inkolo yamanga ayisizi ngalutho. Okubi nakakhulu ukuthi empeleni iyingozi.

4. Asho ukuthini amazwi kaJesu aphathelene nezindlela ezimbili, futhi indlela ngayinye iholelaphi?

⁴ UJehova unika wonke umuntu emhlabeni ithuba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. Kodwa ukuze sithole ukuphila okuphakade ePharadesi, kumelwe sikhulekele uNkulunkulu ngendlela efanele futhi kwamanje siphile ngendlela ayamukelayo. Ngokudabukisayo, abaningi bayenqaba ukwenza lokho. Kungakho uJesu athi: “Ngenani ngesango elincane; ngoba ibanzi futhi ivulekile indlela eholela ekubhujisweni, baningi abangena ngayo; kanti lincane isango futhi inyinyekile indlela eholela ekuphileni, bambalwa abayitholayo.” (Mathewu 7:13, 14) Inkolo yeqiniso iholela ekuphileni okuphakade. Inkolo yamanga iholela ekubhujisweni. UJehova akafuni namunye ukuba abhubhe, yingakho enika abantu kuyo yonke indawo ithuba lokufunda ngaye. (2 Petru 3:9) Ngempela, indlela esimkhulekela ngayo uNkulunkulu isho ukuphila noma ukufa kithi.

5. Singababona kanjani abantu abasenkolweni yeqiniso?

⁵ Ingatholakala kanjani ‘indlela eya ekuphileni’? UJesu wathi inkolo yeqiniso yayiyofakazelwa indlela abantu  abakuyo abaphila ngayo. Wathi: “Niyobazi ngezithelo zabo. . . . Yonke imithi emihle ithela izithelo ezinhle.” (Mathewu 7:16, 17) Ngamanye amazwi, abantu abasenkolweni yeqiniso babeyobonakala ngezinkolelo zabo nokuziphatha kwabo. Nakuba bengaphelele futhi benza amaphutha, abakhulekeli beqiniso njengeqembu bafuna ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Ake sihlole izici eziyisithupha ababonakala ngazo labo abasenkolweni yeqiniso.

6, 7. Kungani izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zisekela izimfundiso zazo eBhayibhelini, futhi uJesu wasibeka kanjani isibonelo kulokhu?

⁶ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zisekela izimfundiso zazo eBhayibhelini. IBhayibheli ngokwalo lithi: “Yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu futhi inenzuzo yokufundisa, yokusola, yokuqondisa izinto, yokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu afaneleke ngokugcwele, ayihlomele ngokuphelele yonke imisebenzi emihle.” (2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Ngesikhathi namukela izwi likaNkulunkulu, enalizwa ngathi, anilamukelanga njengezwi labantu, kodwa njengezwi likaNkulunkulu, njengoba nje liyilo ngempela.” (1 Thesalonika 2:13) Ngakho, izinkolelo nemikhuba yabantu abasenkolweni yeqiniso ayisekelwe emibonweni noma emasikweni abantu. Isekelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe, iBhayibheli.

⁷ UJesu Kristu wabeka isibonelo esihle ngokusekela izimfundiso zakhe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Ethandaza kuYise wasezulwini, wathi: “Izwi lakho liyiqiniso.” (Johane 17:17) UJesu wayelikholelwa iZwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi konke ayekufundisa kwakuvumelana nemiBhalo. Wayevame ukuthi: “Kulotshiwe.” (Mathewu 4:4, 7, 10) Ngemva kwalokho wayecaphuna umBhalo. Ngokufanayo, abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla abafundisi imibono yabo. Bakholelwa ukuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi izimfundiso zabo bazisekela ngokuqinile kulokho elikushoyo.

8. Kuhlanganisani ukukhulekela uJehova?

⁸ Abantu abasenkolweni yeqiniso bakhulekela uJehova  kuphela futhi benza igama lakhe laziwe. UJesu wathi: “NguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe umkhulekele, futhi nguye yedwa okumelwe unikele kuye inkonzo engcwele.” (Mathewu 4:10) Ngakho, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu azikhulekeli muntu omunye ngaphandle kukaJehova. Lokhu kukhulekela kuhlanganisa nokwazisa abantu ukuthi lingubani igama likaNkulunkulu weqiniso nokuthi unjani. IHubo 83:18 lithi: “Wena, ogama lakho linguJehova, wena wedwa ungoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.” UJesu wabeka isibonelo ekusizeni abanye ukuba bazi uNkulunkulu, njengoba asho emthandazweni: “Ngilibonakalisile igama lakho kubantu onginike bona ezweni.” (Johane 17:6) Ngokufanayo, abakhulekeli beqiniso namuhla bafundisa abantu ngegama likaNkulunkulu, izinjongo nezimfanelo zakhe.

9, 10. AmaKristu eqiniso abonisana ngaziphi izindlela uthando?

⁹ Abantu bakaNkulunkulu babonisana uthando lwangempela nolungenabugovu. UJesu wathi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:35) AmaKristu okuqala ayenalo lolo thando phakathi kwawo. Uthando olusekelwe ezimisweni zeBhayibheli lunqoba imigoqo yobandlululo, yezenhlalo neyobuzwe futhi luqoqela abantu ndawonye esibophweni esingagqashuki sobuzalwane bangempela. (Kolose 3:14) Amalungu enkolo yamanga awanabo lobo buzalwane bothando. Sikwazi kanjani lokho? Ayabulalana ngenxa yokungezwani kobuzwe noma kobuhlanga. AmaKristu eqiniso awazithathi izikhali ukuze ayobulala abafowabo abangamaKristu noma omunye umuntu. IBhayibheli lithi: “Abantwana bakaNkulunkulu nabantwana bakaDeveli babonakala ngalokhu: Wonke umuntu ongaqhubeki enza ukulunga akaveli kuNkulunkulu nalowo ongamthandi umfowabo. . . . Kufanele sithandane; singafani noKhayini, owayevela komubi futhi wabulala umfowabo.”—1 Johane 3:10-12; 4:20, 21.

¹⁰ Yiqiniso, uthando lwangempela lusho okungaphezu kokugwema ukubulala abanye. AmaKristu eqiniso asebenzisa isikhathi, amandla nempahla yawo ngokungenabugovu ukuze  asizane futhi akhuthazane. (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Ayasizana ngezikhathi zokuhlupheka futhi abaphatha kahle abanye. Empeleni, aphila ngeseluleko seBhayibheli ‘sokwenza okuhle kubo bonke.’—Galathiya 6:10.

11. Kungani kubalulekile ukwamukela uJesu Kristu njengendlela kaNkulunkulu yokusisindisa?

¹¹ AmaKristu eqiniso amukela uJesu Kristu njengendlela kaNkulunkulu yokusisindisa. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ayikho insindiso kunoma ubani omunye, ngoba alikho elinye igama phansi kwezulu elinikwe ukuba libe phakathi kwabantu okumelwe sisindiswe ngalo.” (IzEnzo 4:12) Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 5, uJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe kwaba isihlengo sabantu abalalelayo. (Mathewu 20:28) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu uyiNkosi emiswe uNkulunkulu eMbusweni wasezulwini ozobusa umhlaba wonke. UNkulunkulu ufuna silalele uJesu, sisebenzise izimfundiso zakhe uma sifuna ukuphila okuphakade. Yingakho iBhayibheli lithi: “Obonisa ukholo eNdodaneni unokuphila okuphakade; ongayilaleli iNdodana ngeke akubone ukuphila.”—Johane 3:36.

12. Kuhlanganisani ukungabi ingxenye yezwe?

¹² Abakhulekeli beqiniso abayona ingxenye yezwe. Ngesikhathi equliswa icala phambi kukaPilatu umbusi waseRoma, uJesu wathi: “Umbuso wami awuyona ingxenye yaleli zwe.” (Johane 18:36) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bahlala kuliphi izwe, abalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso bayizikhonzi zoMbuso wakhe wasezulwini, ngakho abaluthathi nhlobo uhlangothi ezindabeni zezombusazwe. Abahlanganyeli ezimpikiswaneni zezwe. Nokho, abakhulekeli bakaJehova abagxambukeli kulokho abanye abakhetha ukukwenza ngokuphathelene nokujoyina iqembu lezombusazwe, ukungenela ukhetho noma ukuvota. Nakuba abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu beqiniso bengathathi hlangothi kwezombusazwe, bayawulalela umthetho. Ngani? Ngoba iZwi likaNkulunkulu libayala ukuba ‘bazithobe emagunyeni’ ohulumeni. (Roma 13:1) Uma lokho okufunwa uNkulunkulu kungqubuzana nalokho okufunwa ohulumeni, abakhulekeli beqiniso balandela isibonelo sabaphostoli, abathi: “Kumelwe  silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29; Marku 12:17.

13. Abalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso bawubheka kanjani uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi ngenxa yalokho yini abayenzayo?

¹³ Abalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso bashumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengowukuphela kwethemba lesintu. UJesu wabikezela: “Lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiwe ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni  zonke; khona-ke ukuphela kuyofika.” (Mathewu 24:14) Kunokukhuthaza abantu ukuba bathembele kubabusi abangabantu ukuba babaxazululele izinkinga, abalandeli bakaJesu Kristu beqiniso bamemezela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini njengowukuphela kwethemba lesintu. (IHubo 146:3) UJesu wasifundisa ukuba sithandazele lowo hulumeni ophelele lapho ethi: “Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:10) IZwi likaNkulunkulu labikezela ukuthi lo Mbuso wasezulwini “uyochoboza uqede yonke le mibuso [ekhona manje], wona uqobo ume kuze kube nini nanini.”—Daniyeli 2:44.

14. Iliphi iqembu lenkolo okholwa ukuthi lihlangabezana nezimfuneko zokukhulekela kweqiniso?

¹⁴ Uma ucabanga ngalokhu esisanda kukuhlola, zibuze: ‘Iliphi iqembu lenkolo elisekela zonke izimfundiso zalo eBhayibhelini nelenza igama likaJehova laziwe? Iliphi iqembu elibonisa uthando ngendlela efunwa uNkulunkulu, elinokholo kuJesu, elingeyona ingxenye yezwe, nelimemezela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwukuphela kwethemba lesintu? Kuwo wonke amaqembu enkolo emhlabeni, iliphi elihlangabezana nazo zonke lezi zimfuneko?’ Amaqiniso abonisa ngokucacile ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova.—Isaya 43:10-12.

15. Yini uNkulunkulu ayifunayo ngaphandle kokukholwa ukuthi ukhona?

¹⁵ Ukuze ujabulise uNkulunkulu akwanele ukugcina ngokukholwa ukuthi ukhona. Phela iBhayibheli lithi ngisho namademoni ayakholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona. (Jakobe 2:19) Kodwa kusobala ukuthi awayenzi intando yakhe nokuthi akawamukeli. Ukuze uNkulunkulu asamukele, akumelwe sigcine ngokukholwa ukuthi ukhona kodwa kumelwe senze nentando yakhe. Kumelwe futhi sihlukane nenkolo yamanga samukele inkolo yeqiniso.

16. Yini okufanele yenziwe ngokuhlanganyela enkolweni yamanga?

¹⁶ Umphostoli uPawulu wabonisa ukuthi akufanele  sihlanganyele enkolweni yamanga. Wabhala: “‘Phumani phakathi kwabo, nizihlukanise,’ kusho uJehova, ‘futhi niyeke ukuthinta into engcolile’; ‘ngizonamukela.’” (2 Korinte 6:17; Isaya 52:11) Ngakho-ke amaKristu eqiniso agwema noma yini ehlangene nenkolo yamanga.

17, 18. Liyini “iBhabhiloni Elikhulu,” futhi kungani kuphuthuma ‘ukuphuma kulo’?

¹⁷ IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi zonke lezi zinhlobo eziningi kangaka zenkolo yamanga ziyingxenye ‘yeBhabhiloni Elikhulu.’ * (IsAmbulo 17:5) Leli gama lisikhumbuza umuzi wamandulo iBhabhiloni, lapho kwaqala khona inkolo yamanga ngemva kukaZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa. Izimfundiso nemikhuba eminingi egcwele enkolweni yamanga manje, yaqala kudala eBhabhiloni. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu baseBhabhiloni babekhulekela onkulunkulu abangoziqu-zintathu noma abangomthathu emunye. Namuhla, imfundiso eyinhloko yezinkolo eziningi uZiqu-zintathu. Kodwa iBhayibheli lifundisa ngokucacile ukuthi kunoNkulunkulu oyedwa weqiniso, uJehova, nokuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNdodana yakhe. (Johane 17:3) AbaseBhabhiloni babekholelwa nawukuthi abantu banomphefumulo ongafi oshiya umzimba ngemva kokufa nokuthi ungahlupheka endaweni yokuhlushwa. Namuhla, inkolelo yokungafi komphefumulo noma yomoya ongahlupheka esihogweni somlilo ifundiswa yizinkolo eziningi.

¹⁸ Njengoba ukukhulekela kwaseBhabhiloni lasendulo kwasakazeka emhlabeni wonke, iBhabhiloni Elikhulu lanamuhla lingabizwa kufanele ngokuthi umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. UNkulunkulu wabikezela ukuthi lo mbuso wenkolo yamanga uzokuwa ngokuzumayo. (IsAmbulo 18:8) Uyabona ukuthi kungani kubalulekile ukuba uzehlukanise nazo zonke izingxenye zeBhabhiloni Elikhulu? UJehova uNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba ‘uphume kulo’ ngokushesha isikhathi sisekhona.—IsAmbulo 18:4.

19. Uyozuzani ngokukhonza uJehova?

 ¹⁹ Ngenxa yesinqumo sakho sokushiya inkolo yamanga, abanye bangase bayeke ukuzihlanganisa nawe. Kodwa ngokukhonza uJehova nabantu bakhe uyozuza okungaphezulu kakhulu kwalokho okungakulahlekela. Njengabafundi bakaJesu bokuqala abashiya ezinye izinto bamlandela, uyothola abafowenu nodadewenu abaningi abangokomoya. Uyokuba ilungu lomkhaya omkhulu womhlaba wonke wezigidi zamaKristu eqiniso ayokubonisa uthando lwangempela. Uyokuba nethemba elimangalisayo lokuphila phakade “esimisweni sezinto esizayo.” (Marku 10:28-30) Mhlawumbe ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, labo abakulahlile ngenxa yezinkolelo zakho bayokuhlola lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo, nabo babe abakhulekeli bakaJehova.

20. Libaphatheleni ikusasa labo abasenkolweni yeqiniso?

²⁰ IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzosiqeda maduzane lesi simiso sezinto esibi, esikhundleni saso alethe izwe elisha lokulunga ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso wakhe. (2 Petru 3:9, 13) Yeka ukuthi kuyoba izwe elimangalisa kanjani lelo! Futhi kuleso simiso esisha sokulunga, kuyobe kunenkolo eyodwa kuphela, indlela eyodwa yokukhulekela. Ingabe akuyona yini inkambo yokuhlakanipha ukuthatha izinyathelo ezidingekayo ukuze uzihlanganise nabakhulekeli beqiniso khona manje?