1. Kuyini okwabangela ukuthi uKhayini ehluleke ukwenza isinqumo esihle njalo lokhu kwaba layiphi impumela?

UKHAYINI kwasekumele akhethe ukuthi uzakwenzani. Wayezalunqanda yini ulaka lwakhe enze okuhle kumbe wayezaluvumela acine enze isono? Loba yikuphi ayezakukhetha kwakuzakuba lempumela eyayingantshintsha impilo yakhe. Kodwa kazange akhethe kuhle ngoba wacina ebulele umfowabo u-Abela futhi isinqumo lesi saphambanisa ubuhlobo bakhe loMdali wakhe.—Gen. 4:3-16.

2. Kunceda ngani ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle?

² Lathi kumele senze izinqumo kungaba ngezincane loba ezinkulu. Lanxa kunjalo izinqumo esizenzayo zingasinceda loba zisilimaze. Ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle kungasenza sihlale sithokoza empilweni kodwa ukukhetha kubi kungenza sihlale sizisola, sidanile njalo sikhathazekile.—Zaga. 14:8.

3. (a) Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni lesi?

³ Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle? Kumele sibe lokholo kuNkulunkulu njalo singathandabuzi ukuthi  uzimisele ukusincedisa ukuze senelise ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle. Kanti njalo kumele sithembe iLizwi likaNkulunkulu kanye lendlela enza ngayo izinto. (Bala uJakhobe 1:5-8.) Lokhu kuzakwenza sisondele kuye futhi simthembe kukho konke esikwenzayo. Kuzakuba lula lokuthi siqale sihlole iLizwi lakhe singakenzi izinqumo. Kodwa singayithuthukisa njani indlela esenza ngayo izinqumo? Nxa sesenze isinqumo kuqondile yini ukuphinda sisintshintshe?

4. Yisiphi isinqumo esenziwa ngu-Adamu njalo sabangelani?

⁴ Kusukela abantu bedalwa bezilokhu zisenziwa izinqumo. Ngokwesibonelo u-Adamu kwakumele akhethe ukuthi uzalalela uMdali wakhe yini loba u-Eva. Manje wenzani? Wavuma ukuyengwa ngumkakhe wasesenza isinqumo esibi kakhulu esabangela ukuthi axotshwe ensimini yase-Edeni futhi acine esefile. Kulapho ezaqala khona izinhlupho njalo lathi silokhu sithwele nzima ngenxa yesinqumo esibi esenziwa ngu-Adamu.

5. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi umuntu azenzele izinqumo?

⁵ Abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi impilo ibizakuba mnandi kakhulu ngabe akudingakali ukuthi senze izinqumo. Wena ubona njani? Khumbula ukuthi uJehova kasidalanga njengemitshina engacabangiyo njalo engenelisiyo ukuzikhethela. IBhayibhili lisitshela lokho esingakwenza ukuze senelise ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle. Kanti njalo uJehova ufuna senze izinqumo ngoba uyakwazi ukuthi kuzasinceda empilweni. Ake sibone ukuthi kungani kuqakathekile lokhu.

6, 7. Yisiphi isinqumo okwakumele senziwe ngama-Israyeli njalo kuyini okwabangela ukuthi ehluleke ukukhetha kuhle? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁶ Ngesikhathi abako-Israyeli sebeselizweni ababelithenjisiwe kwakumele bakhethe ukuthi bazakhonza uJehova yini loba abanye onkulunkulu. (Bala uJoshuwa 24:15.) Lesi kwakuyisinqumo esiqakatheke kakhulu ngoba sasisitsho ukuphila loba ukufa kubo. Kodwa ngesikhathi sabahluleli, abako-Israyeli babesenza izinqumo ezimbi futhi bephambuka kuJehova besiyakhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. (Abahlu. 2:3, 11-23) Langesikhathi sika-Elija abantu bakaNkulunkulu kwakumele benze isinqumo. Umphrofethi u-Elija wabatshela ukuthi bakhethe phakathi kokukhonza uJehova lokukhonza uBhali. (1 AmaKho. 18:21) Kwakungakhanya kulula ukwenza isinqumo lesi ngoba ukukhonza uJehova yikho vele okufaneleyo. Ngakho kwakungelangqondo ukuthi umuntu alingeke loba akhethe ukukhonza uBhali. Kodwa okudanisayo yikuthi abako-Israyeli ‘babeleminakano emibili.’ Lanxa kunjalo u-Elija wabakhuza wasebakhuthaza ukuthi bakhethe ukukhonza uJehova.

⁷ Kuyini okwakungabe kusenza ukuthi abako-Israyeli behluleke ukukhetha kuhle? Okokuqala yikuthi babengaselakholo kuJehova njalo bengasamlaleli. Babengasamthembi futhi bengasaziniki isikhathi sokufunda ngaye lenhlakanipho yakhe. Aluba babemthemba futhi befunda ngaye babezakwenza izinqumo ezinhle. (Hubo. 25:12) Okwesibili yikuthi abako-Israyeli bavuma ukuyengwa ngabantu bezinye izizwe ababengamkhonzi uJehova futhi babavumela ukuthi babenzele izinqumo. Ngakho bacina sebelandela  izenzo zabantu labo kanye lemikhuba yabo yokukhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. UJehova wayevele ebaxwayisile ukuthi kwakuzakwenzakala lokhu.—Eks. 23:2.

8. Sifundani kulokho okwenzakala kuma-Israyeli endabeni yokwenza izinqumo?

⁸ Thina sifundani kulokho okwenzakala kuma-Israyeli? Sifunda ukuthi ngamunye wethu kumele azenzele izinqumo kanye lokuthi nxa sifuna ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle kufanele silandele okutshiwo liBhayibhili. UGalathiya 6:5 uthi: “Lowo lalowo kumele athwale umthwalo wakhe.” Yikho umuntu ngamunye kumele azenzele izinqumo, akufanelanga enzelwe ngomunye umuntu. Ukuze wenelise ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle hlola ukuthi uNkulunkulu uthini ubusukhetha ukwenza khona.

9. Kungani kungaqondanga ukuthi abanye basenzele izinqumo?

⁹ Nxa singaphongulandela esikutshelwa ngabanye abantu siyabe sesibavumela ukuthi basenzele izinqumo. (Zaga. 1:10, 15) Kwezinye izikhathi abanye bangasibamba ngamandla ukuthi senze abakufunayo kodwa thina kufanele silandele umzwangedwa wethu ofundiswe liBhayibhili. Nxa singavuma ukuthi abanye basenzele izinqumo siyabe sesilandela izindlela zabo futhi ukwenza njalo kungasiwisela engozini.

10. UPhawuli wabaxwayisa ngani abaseGalathiya?

¹⁰ Umphostoli uPhawuli waxwayisa abaseGalathiya ngengozi yokuvumela ukuthi abanye babenzele izinqumo. (Bala uGalathiya 4:17.) Abanye abazalwane ababesebandleni lelo babefuna ukwenzela abanye izinqumo behlose ukuthi kulandelwe bona hatshi abaphostoli. Lokhu ababekwenza kwakungaqondanga njalo kwakutshengisa ukuthi abayihloniphi inkululeko yokuzikhethela abanye ababelayo.

11. Singabancedisa njani abanye nxa besenza izinqumo?

¹¹ UPhawuli wasibekela isibonelo esihle endabeni le. Wayenanzelela ukuthi umuntu ngamunye ulelungelo lokuzikhethela. (Bala  u-2 Khorinte 1:24.) Lalamuhla abadala kumele benze okufananayo ikakhulu nxa bencedisa othile ngendaba edinga ukuthi azenzele isinqumo. Okumele bakwenze yikumtshengisa izimiso zeBhayibhili ezingamsiza ukuthi akhethe kuhle. Kabaqali ukwenzela abanye izinqumo ebandleni ngoba bayakwazi ukuthi umuntu ngamunye uzavuna lokho akuhlanyelayo. Lesi yisifundo esihle kithi sonke, akumelanga senzele abanye izinqumo kodwa kufanele sibancedise ukuthi bazwisise izimiso eziseMibhalweni. Yikho kumele siwubalekele umkhuba wokutshela abafowethu labodadewethu okokwenza ngoba balelungelo lokuzenzela izinqumo.

12, 13. Kungani kuyingozi ukwenza izinqumo sizondile loba sidanile?

¹² Kujayelekile ukuzwa abantu besithi, ‘Yenza lokho okutshelwa yinhliziyo yakho.’ Kodwa ukwenza njalo kuyingozi kakhulu futhi iBhayibhili liyakwala. Lona lisikhuthaza ukuthi singavumeli inhliziyo ukuthi isiqondise nxa sisenza izinqumo. (Zaga. 28:26) Kanti njalo kulezibonelo eziseBhayibhilini ezitshengisa impumela ebuhlungu ebakhona nxa umuntu elandela lokho akutshelwa yinhliziyo yakhe. Okunye yikuthi inhliziyo ivele ‘iyakhohlisa okudlula izinto zonke njalo imbi kakhulu.’ (Jer. 3:17; 13:10; 17:9; 1 AmaKho. 11:9) Kodwa kuyini okungenzakala singaphongulandela inhliziyo nxa sisenza izinqumo?

¹³ UJehova ufuna simthande ngenhliziyo yonke njalo sithande labomakhelwane bethu. (Mat. 22:37-39) Kodwa imibhalo esendimeni edlulileyo itshengisa ukuthi kuyingozi ukuvumela imizwa ilawule imicabango kanye lezenzo zethu. Ngokwesibonelo kuyini okungenzakala nxa umuntu engenza isinqumo ezondile? Kungaba lula kakhulu ukuthi enze isinqumo azacina ezisola ngaso. (Zaga. 14:17; 29:22) Kungaba nzima lokuthi umuntu enze isinqumo esihle nxa edanile. (Nani. 32:6-12; Zaga. 24:10) Siyabona-ke ukuthi ukulandela lokho esikutshelwa yinhliziyo nxa sisenza izinqumo kungaba yingozi kakhulu. Yikho kuhle ukusebenzisa izimiso eziseBhayibhilini nxa sisenza izinqumo.—Rom. 7:25.

14. Kuqondile yini ukuntshintsha isinqumo nxa ususenzile?

¹⁴ Kuqakathekile sibili ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi kungadingakala ukuthi untshintshe isinqumo osusenzile. Ngokwesibonelo khumbula ukuthi uJehova wabaphatha njani abantu beNineve ngesikhathi sikaJona. IBhayibhili lithi: “Kwathi uNkulunkulu esebonile abakwenzayo ukuthi baguquka ezindleleni zabo zobubi, wabazwela isihawu kazabe esabehlisela incithakalo ayesonge ngayo.” (Jona. 3:10) UJehova wathi ebona ukuthi abantu beNineve babezimisele ukuphenduka, wantshintsha isinqumo sakhe kasazange ababhubhise. Kwakhanya sibili ukuthi ulesihawu, uthobekile futhi uyazwisisa. Kuyacaca ukuthi uJehova kafanani lathi abantu esenza izinqumo sifuqwa lulaka.

15. Kuyini okungenza ukuthi sintshintshe isinqumo esiyabe sisenzile?

¹⁵ Zingaba khona izizatho ezingenza umuntu antshintshe isinqumo ayabe esenzile.  Ngezinye izikhathi lokhu kungabangelwa yikuntshintsha kwezimo. UJehova laye wayentshintsha izinqumo zakhe nxa izimo zingaguquka. (1 AmaKho. 21:20, 21, 27-29; 2 AmaKho. 20:1-5) Okunye okungabangela lokhu lulwazi ongabe usulutholile. Lokhu kwake kwenzakala kuDavida. Watshelwa amanga ngoMefibhoshethi umzukulu kaSawuli kodwa wathi esezwe iqiniso ngaleyondaba wantshintsha isinqumo ayesenzile. (2 Sam. 16:3, 4; 19:24-29) Lathi kwezinye izikhathi kungaba kuhle ukuthi sikwenze lokhu.

16. (a) Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle? (b) Ungasintshintsha yini isinqumo nxa ususenzile?

¹⁶ ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisixwayisa ukuthi singabi lamawala nxa sisenza izinqumo eziqakathekileyo. (Zaga. 21:5) Manje kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi siphumelele endabeni le? Yikuhlala phansi sihlolisise konke okuphathelane lesinqumo esingabe sifuna ukusenza. (1 Thes. 5:21) Inhloko yemuli kufanele ihlole iMibhalo kanye lamabhuku adindwa yinhlanganiso ingakenzi izinqumo njalo ixoxisane lamalunga emuli ukuze izwe imibono yawo. Khumbula ukuthi uJehova wake watshela u-Abhrahama ukuthi alalele umkakhe uSara. (Gen. 21:9-12) Abadala labo kumele bachwayisise nxa besenza izinqumo. Ukuzithoba lokuzwisisa kuzabanceda ukuthi bangesabi ukuntshintsha isinqumo abasenzileyo nxa sebethole ulwazi olutsha futhi akumelanga babone angathi ukwenza njalo kuzabayangisa. Kumele bazimisele ukuntshintsha nxa kufanele futhi lathi kumele silingisele isibonelo sabo. Lokhu kuzakwenza kube lokuthula lokumanyana ebandleni.—ImiSeb. 6:1-4.

17. Kuyini okungakusiza ukuthi uphumelele nxa usenza izinqumo?

¹⁷ Ezinye izinqumo esizenzayo zinkulu kakhulu njalo kungadingakala ukuthi sicabangisise ngazo futhi sithandaze kuJehova ukuze asisize. Ngokwesibonelo abanye kumele bakhethe ukuthi bazatshada yini lokuthi bazatshada lobani. Ikanti abanye kumele benze isinqumo sokuthi bazaqalisa nini inkonzo yesikhathi esigcweleyo. Kuqakathekile ukuthemba uJehova, ukumlalela kanye lokumvumela ukuthi akuqondise nxa usenza izinqumo ezinjengalezi. (Zaga. 1:5) Ngakho ukubala iBhayibhili lokuthandaza kuJehova kungakunceda ukuthi wenelise ukukhetha kuhle. Kanti njalo ungakhohlwa ukuthi uJehova angakusiza ukuthi ube lezithelo zomoya ezidingakalayo ukuze wenze izinqumo ezimthokozisayo. Nansi imibuzo okumele uzibuze yona sonke isikhathi nxa usenza isinqumo esiqakathekileyo: ‘Isinqumo lesi sizatshengisa yini ukuthi ngiyamthanda uJehova? Sizakwenza kube lokumanyana lentokozo emulini yami yini? Sizatshengisa yini ukuthi ngilomusa lesineke?

18. Kungani uJehova ekhangelele ukuthi sizenzele izinqumo?

¹⁸ UJehova kasibambi ngamandla ukuthi simkhonze kumbe ukuthi simthande. Ngamunye wethu ulelungelo lokuzikhethela ukuthi uyafuna ukumkhonza yini loba hatshi. (Josh. 24:15; UmTshu. 5:4) Lanxa kunjalo ukhangelele ukuthi sifeze izinqumo esizenzayo. Ukuba lokholo kuJehova lokulandela izimiso asinike zona kungasisiza ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle njalo siphumelele kukho konke esikwenzayo.—Jak. 1:5-8; 4:8.