1. Yini eyabangela uKhayini ukuthi athathe isiqunto esingakavuthwa, begodu waba yini umphumela walokho?

UKHAYINI kwafuze akhethe ukuthi yini kuhlekuhle ayifunako bese athathe isiqunto. Kwakufuze akhethe ukuthi kghani uzokuvumela indlela azizwa ngayo imlawule beyimphosele esonweni. Begodu nanyana yini ebekazoyikhetha, bekazakuvuna akutjalileko aqalane nemiphumela yakhona bekayokuhlongakala. Kodwana uKhayini wabhalelwa ukuthatha isiqunto esivuthiweko. Okuzwisa ubuhlungu kukuthi ukuthatha kwakhe isiqunto esingakavuthweso kwabulala umfowabo u-Abela begodu akhenge kuphelele lapho, kodwana godu samenza walahlekelwa buhlobo bakhe noMdali.—Gen. 4:3-16.

2. Kubayini kuqakathekile ukuthi sizifundise ukuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko?

² Nathi kufuze sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi nakuziinqunto zona nakanjani sizozithatha. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziqakathekile namkha awa. Iqiniso kukuthi ezinengi iinqunto esizithathako zingaba nomthelela omkhulu kithi. Yeke kuqakatheke khulu ukuthi sizifundise ukuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko, phela ukuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko kungasenza siphile kamnandi begodu sibe nokuthula esikhundleni sokuthi siphile ipilo ehlangahlangeneko neqeda amandla.—IzA. 14:8.

3. (a) Yini engasisiza bona sithathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo esizokucoca ngayo?

 ³ Alo umbuzo ukukuthi yini engasisiza sithathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko? Okuqakatheke khulu okufuze sibe nakho, kukholelwa kuZimu. Singathomi nakancani singabaze ukuthi angasisiza begodu uyafisa ukusisiza sihlakaniphe. Okhunye godu esikutlhogako, kukholwa koke okutjhiwo liliZwi lakaJehova, sikholwe nokuthi indlelakhe yokwenza izinto iphuma phambili. Nakusiseluleko sakhe sona asisakhulumi ngaso, naso siphuma phambili. (Funda uJakopo 1:5-8.) Yeke nasisolo sitjhidela kuJehova begodu sijayelana nokufunda iBhayibheli, angeze besingabaze nakancani ukuthi ungumahluleli olungileko. Okuhle khulu kukuthi ngaphambi kokuthi sithathe isiqunto, into yokuthoma nje esizoyenza kufuna iseluleko eliZwini lakhe. Alo singazifundisa njani ukuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko? Inga-kghani akukafuzi sisitjhentjhe isiqunto sethu ngitjho nanyana sibona ukuthi sisidosela phasi?

4. U-Adamu ngisiphi isiqunto okwafuze asithathe, begodu ukuthatha kwakhe isiqunto esingakavuthwa kwaletha miphi imiphumela?

⁴ Kusukela kwekuthomeni umuntu adalwa, boke abobaba nabomma kwafuze bathathe iinqunto eziqakathekileko. U-Adamu kwafuze akhethe ukuthi ngubani azomlalela phakathi komDalakhe no-Eva. Abe ayikho enye indlela, nakusiqunto sona bekufuze aphume naso begodu wasithatha. Alo wena ucabangani ngaso? Phela walalela amala awatjelwa mkakhe, begodu lokho kwamenza wathatha isiqunto esamfaka edakeni, ngombana samqothisa ePharadesi, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wahlongakala. Lokho kwavulela yoke imiraro esiyibona namhlanjesi, nathi sisebuhlungwini nje kungebanga lokobana u-Adamu akhenge athathe isiqunto esivuthiweko.

5. Kufuze sikuqale njani ukuthatha iinqunto?

⁵ Abanye abantu bathi ekuphileni ngathana besingathathi iinqunto, bekuzokuba mnandi khulu. Inga-kghani nawe uzizwa njalo? Nangabe kunjalo, ungalibali ukuthi uJehova akhenge asenza bona sifane namarobotho, phela amarobotho akacabangi yeke ngikho neenqunto angeze azithatha. Thina–ke sihlukile, kazi uJehova usebenzisa iBhayibheli bona asifundise ukuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko. Abukho nobucani ubungozi bokuthi uJehova asivumele bona sizithathele iinqunto. Akhesicoce ngananzi iimbonelo ezilandelako.

6, 7. Ngiziphi iinqunto ama-Israyeli ebekufuze azithathe, begodu yini ebeyikwenza kube budisi ukuthi athathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁶ Ama-Israyeli nasekahlala eNarheni yesiThembiso kwaba nesiqunto esiqakatheke khulu ebekufuze asithathe. Bekufuze akhethe bona azokulotjha uJehova namkha abosingazimu. (Funda uJotjhuwa 24:15.) Isiquntweso singabonakala simamanzi amancani. Iqiniso kukuthi besiqakathekile, ngombana besitjho ukuphila nokufa kiwo. Kodwana ama-Israyeli akhetha ukungamlotjhi uJehova, begodu lokho akwenza abuyelela ngesikhathi sabaKhokheli. Afulathela uJehova akhohlisana wodwa ayokulotjha abosingazimu. (Khok. 2:3, 11-23) Nangesikhathi somphorofidi u-Eliya nakhona kwafuze nakanjani athathe isiqunto. Umphorofidi u-Eliya wabatjela indlebukuzwa ukuthi nakukukhetha khona kufuze bakhethe bona bazokulotjha uJehova namkha usingazimu uBhali na. (1 Kho. 18:21) Okuhle kukuthi u-Eliya wabakhalimela ngendababo yokufaka inyawo ngapha elinye libe ngaphaya. Mhlamunye nawe ungatjho uthi awa mina angibuboni ubudisi esiquntwinesi, ngombana ukulotjha uJehova kuhlala kukuhlakanipha begodu kusiza. Nalapho uzabe uyiphethe khona, ngombana vele akekho umuntu ovuthiweko ongafisa ukulotjha uBhali. Nanyana kunjalo ama-Israyeli lawo ‘bewafuna ukukhamba eendleleni ezimbili nezingafaniko.’ Nokho u-Eliya wahlakanipha, wakhuthaza abantu ukuthi balandele indlela esezingeni eliphezulu yokulotjha, ekungeyakaJehova.

⁷ Kodwana yini ebeyithwesa ama-Israyeli ilitje  ekutheni angathathi isiqunto esivuthiweko? Kokuthoma, bewangasamkholwa uJehova angasafuni nokulalela ilizwi lakhe. Nelwazi leqiniso namkha ukuhlakanipha kwakaJehova bewanganakho, angasamthembi noJehova. Phela ngathana bewanelwazi bengeze athoma athathe iinqunto ezingakavuthwa. (Rhu. 25:12) Begodu avumela nabanye abantu bona awakhohlise bebawathathele neenqunto. Kazi ama-Israyeli bewakhelene nabantu abangamlotjhi uJehova, yeke abantwabo bakhohlisa ama-Israyeli bawenza bona alandele inengi. UJehova watjho kade ukuthi into enjalo ingenzeka.—Eks. 23:2.

8. Yini esiyifunda kuma-Israyeli nakuziwa endabeni yokuthatha iinqunto?

⁸ Kunengi khulu esikufunda eendabeni esisanda ukuzidembezi. Sifundile ukuthi angeze sakubalekela ukuthatha iinqunto, kodwana nasizakuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko kufuze sithembele elizwini lakaZimu. Incwadi yebeGalatiya 6:5 ithi: “Ngombana omunye nomunye kufanele athwale umthwalo wakhe.” Yeke asingathomi sibawe abanye abantu bona basithathele iinqunto ngitjho nanyana kungathiwa kwenze njani. Kunokuthi senze njalo, asifundeni ukuthi yini uZimu afuna siyenze.

9. Ingaba yini ingozi nange sivumela abanye abantu bona basithathele iinqunto?

⁹ Ingasikakarela njani ingozi yokubawa abanye abantu ukuthi basithathele iinqunto? Kufuze sihlale sazi ukuthi nasingavumela abangani bethu bona basidose ngeempumulo, lokho kungasenza sithathe iinqunto ezingakavuthwa. (IzA. 1:10, 15) Kodwana kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abanye abantu balinga kangangani ukusigandelela, iqiniso okungakafuzi sililibale ngelokuthi kufuze sisebenzise unembezethu obandulwe liBhayibheli bona usisize endabeni le. Yeke nanyana kunini nasithatha isiqunto, akukafuzi sivumele abanye abantu basithathele iinqunto. Ngombana nakungasinjalo kuzabe kutjho khona ukuthi sesithoma “ukulandela bona.” Yeke nasingakhetha ukulandela abantu, kufuze sazi ukuthi lokho kuzokuba nemiphumela eyingozi.

10. UPowula walikhalimela ngani ibandla leGalatiya?

¹⁰ Umpostoli uPowula watjela ibandla leGalatiya indlebukuzwa, wabakhalimela ngendaba yokuthi umuntu avumele abanye abantu bamthathele iinqunto. (Funda beGalatiya 4:17.) Phela abanye ebandlenelo bebangena  iindaba zabanye abantu bafuna ukubathathela isiqunto sokuthi bangalaleli abapostoli. Bebasithathaphi isibindi sokwenza into enje? Kazi abantwaba bebamarhamaru, banjalo nje bafunana neenkhundla ngaphanangapha. Bebangakathobeki, kungakho bebangalihloniphi ilungelo labafowabo lokuzithathela iinqunto.

11. Singabasiza njani abanye lokha nabenza iinqunto zabo mathupha?

¹¹ UPowula wabeka isibonelo esihle khulu endabeni le, walihlonipha ilungelo labafowabo lokuzithathela iinqunto. (Funda 2 Korinte 1:24.) Abadala nabo-ke kufuze balingise uPowula lokha nabeluleka amalunga webandleni ngendaba yeenqunto okufuze bazithathele zona. Kwabo kubakhumbuza ukuthi iBhayibheli lithini bese bayitjhiyele emntwini loyo. Lokho kunengqondo khulu, ngombana umuntu kufuze aqalane nemiphumela yesiqunto azosithatha. Isifundo esiqakathekileko esisifunda endabeni le ngilesi: Kunokuthi sithathele abanye iinqunto, asicoceni nabo ngalokho okutjhiwo liBhayibheli. Bese siphelele lapho, isiqunto ngesabo. Nabathatha isiqunto esivuthiweko, bazabe bazisiza bona. Yeke asihlukaneni nokucabanga ukuthi sinelungelo lokuthathela abafowethu nabodadwethu iinqunto.

12, 13. Kubayini kuyingozi ukuthatha iinqunto nasithukuthele namkha sidanile?

¹² Abantu abanengi bathi: Lalela ihliziywakho. Iqiniso kukuthi ukwenza njalo kuyingozi khulu begodu akukhambisani neBhayibheli. Phela iBhayibheli lithi nasithatha iinqunto akukafuzi silalele iinhliziyo nemizwethu, kazi nasinje sinesono. (IzA. 28:26) Libuye lisitjele nangabantu abalalela iinhliziyo zabo, litjho ukuthi bavuna abakutjalileko. Umraro wakosodiye endabeni le kukuthi, “ihliziyo imkhohlisi ngaphezu kwakho koke begodu yonakele khulu.” (Jor. 3:17; 13:10; 17:9; 1 Kho. 11:9) Alo yini-ke engenzeka kithi nasingavumela iinhliziyo zethu zisidose ngepumulo?

¹³ Ihliziyo yinto eqakatheke khulu emKrestwini, phela kufuze sithande uJehova nomakhelwanethu ngazo zoke iinhliziyo zethu. (Mat. 22:37-39) Kungebangelo imiTlolo esesigabeni esidlule kiso iseluleka ngokuthi singathomi sivumele imizwa isilawule beyisenze singacabangi kuhle. Akhuzibuze naku umbuzo, yini engenzeka nange ungathatha iinqunto amaphaphu aphezulu namkha uthukuthele? Nangabe khewasithatha isiqunto uthukuthele, wazi kuhle khulu ukuthi lokho kungabangelani. (IzA. 14:17; 29:22) Ithiwani-ke yokuthatha isiqunto udanile? (Num. 32:6-12; IzA. 24:10) Ungalibali ukuthi iliZwi lakaZimu lithi ‘nasingaba makhoboka emthethweni kaZimu,’ sizokuhlakanipha tle! (Rom. 7:25) Yeke nasingavumela imizwa isilawule nasithatha iinqunto, sizabe sizifaka emrarweni omkhulu.

14. Sazi njani ukuthi ngasikhathi kuyatlhogeka ukutjhentjha isiqunto?

¹⁴ Soke sifuna ukuthatha iinqunto ezivuthiweko. Kodwana lokho akutjho ukuthi akukafuzi sitjhentjhe iinqunto esele sizithethe. Ngasikhathi kuyatlhogeka bona siqalisise iinqunto esizithetheko, begodu nakutlhogekako sizitjhentjhe. UJehova usibekela isibonelo esihle khulu endabeni le, phela wasitjhugulula isiqunto sakhe ngabantu beNiniva yangemihla kaJona. Kubayini asitjhugulu? “UZimu wabona izenzo zabo, nangendlela baphenduke ngayo ebukhohlakalini babo, wabarhawukela azange asababhubhisa njengombana agade atjhwile.” (Jona 3:10) Yeke uZimu wathi nakabona bonyana nokho abantwaba baphendukile, naye watjhugulula isiqunto sakhe. Koke lokhu kusitjela ukuthi uJehova uthobekile, uhluzekile begodu unezwela. Begodu okukarisa khulu kukuthi akathathi isiqunto ngebanga lokuthi kunento emthukuthelisileko ngesikhatheso namkha ngendlela azizwa ngayo.

15. Yini engasenza sitjhentjhe isiqunto ebesele sisithethe?

¹⁵ Iqiniso kukuthi kuzokuba nesikhathi ekuphileni  lapho kuzokufuze sitjhentjhe khona isiqunto ebesele sisithethe. Lokho kungabangelwa mhlamunye kutjhentjha kwento ethileko ekuphileni kwethu. Phela noJehova naye wazitjhentjha iinqunto zakhe, akwenziswa kutjhentjha kobujamo. (1 Kho. 21:20, 21, 27-29; 2 Kho. 20:1-5) Nathi-ke kungaba nelwazi elitjha elingasenza bona sitjhentjhe iinqunto ebesele sizithethe. Lokho kwenzeka eKosini uDavida, ekuthomeni yafumana ilwazi elinamala phakathi ngomzukulu kaSawula uMefi-Bhotjhethi. Bese kwathi kamva ikosi le yafumana ilwazi leqiniso, yenzani ngemva kwalokho? Yatjhentjha isiqunto ebesele isithethe. (2 Sam. 16:3, 4; 19:24-29) Nathi ngasikhathi kungafuze senze soneso.

16. (a) Yini enye engasisiza bona sithathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko? (b) Kufuze siziqale njani iinqunto esele sizithethe, begodu kubayini?

¹⁶ IliZwi lakaZimu lisilukela bona singawalazeli nasithatha iinqunto eziqakathekileko. (IzA. 21:5) Yeke kuhle ukuthi ngaphambi kokusithatha isiquntweso, sicabangisise ngaso besifumane nelwazi elinabileko ngendaba leyo, ngombana nasingenza njalo sizokuphumelela. (1 Thes. 5:21) Yeke nehloko yomuzi nayo ngaphambi kokuthi ithathe isiqunto, akukafuzi iwalazele. Kodwana kufuze ithathe isikhathi yenze irhubhululo eBhayibhelini neencwadini zehlangano kaZimu, kungaba kuhle godu nokuthi ibawe imibono yamalunga womndeni. Kukhe kwaba nesikhathi lapho u-Abrahamu angavumelani khona nomkakhe, uZimu wathi u-Abrahamu akenze into etjhiwo mkakhe. (Gen. 21:9-12) Abadala nabo kufuze benze irhubhululo ngaphambi kokuthatha iinqunto. Nabathobekileko begodu bahluzekile angeze basaba ukutjhentjha isiqunto esele basithethe ngombana batjho basaba ukuthi isithunzi sabo sizakwehla. Nakunesiqunto esele basithethe, kodwana babona ukuthi kufuze basitjhentjhe. Kufuze benze njalo, begodu nathi soke ngilokho okufuze sikwenze. Lokho kungenza ibandla libe nokuthula nokuhleleka.—IzE. 6:1-4.

17. Yini engasenza siphumelele lokha nasithatha iinqunto?

¹⁷ Iinqunto azilingani, kuneziqakatheke khulu kunezinye. Eziqakathekileko akukafuzi siphuphuruzele nasizithathako, ngombana zitlhoga isikhathi, ukucabangisisa besithandaze nangazo. Phela amanye amaKrestu kufuze aqunte ukuthi azokutjhada namkha awa, nakhibe ayatjhada azokutjhada nobani. Esinye isiqunto esitlhoga ukuthi umuntu acabangisise ngaso ngaphambi kokuthi asithathe, kulokha umuntu nakafuna ukulotjha uZimu isikhathi esizeleko. Nakuziwa eendabeni ezinjalo kuqakatheke khulu ukuthi umuntu athembe uJehova, azi nokuthi uzomsiza bona akhethe kuhle. (IzA. 1:5) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuqakatheke khulu bona sithembele eBhayibhelini, ngokuthi silifunde begodu sithandaze bona sifumane isinqophiso sakaJehova. Nasenze iinqunto ezikhambisana nentandwakhe, uJehova uzosihlomisela ngobuntu obuzosisiza bona siphumelele. Lokha nawuzokuthatha isiqunto esiqakathekileko, kujayele ukuzibuza imibuzo nasi: ‘Isiqunto engisithathakwesi sizokutjengisa na bona ngiyamthanda uJehova? Kghani sizokuletha ukuthula kunye nethabo emndeninami? Sizokutjengisa na ukuthi ngimumuntu okghodlhelelako begodu nobacabangelako abanye abantu?’

18. Kubayini uJehova alindele bona sizithathele zethu iinqunto?

¹⁸ UJehova akasikateleli bona simthande begodu simlotjhe. Leso-ke siqunto sethu. Khumbula godu bona usinikele ikululeko yokuzikhethela, yeke uyayihlonipha ikululekwethu yokuzikhethela nelungelo lethu lokuqunta bona sizomlotjha namkha awa. (Jotj. 24:15; UMtj. 5:4) Nanyana kunjalo, usalindele bona sinamathele eenquntwini esizithetheko begodu sikhambisane neenqophiso zakhe. Nasikholelwa endleleni kaJehova yokwenza izinto neenkambisweni asinikele zona, singakghona ukuthatha iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko begodu sizokuhlala siqinile kizo zoke iindlela zethu.—Jak. 1:5-8; 4:8.