1, 2. Kubayini ikhamphasi isisetjenziswa esiqakathekileko, begodu ingafaniswa njani nesazelo?

UMTHAYI ngesikepe ulawula isikepe sakhe emagagasini welwandle elikhulu; umkhambi ngeenyawo uratha emangweni; umtjhayeli wesiphaphamtjhini unqophisa isiphaphamtjhini sakhe esibhakabhakeni sisuka kelinye ihlangothi siya kelinye. Uyazi bonyana abantwaba bafana ngani? Umuntu nomuntu angaba nomraro omkhulu nengabe akanayo ikhamphasi—khulu-khulu nengabe itheknoloji yanamhlanjesi ayikho.

² Ikhamphasi akusiso isisetjenziswa esirareneko, kanengi siba nozibuthe onenalidi ekhombe etlhagwini. Neyiberegiswa kuhle, khulu-khulu neyiberegiswa nebalazwe elinqophileko, ingaphulusa ukuphila. Ngezinye iindlela, ingafaniswa nesipho esiligugu uJehova asinikele sona—isazelo. (KaJakobosi  1:17) Ngaphandle kwesazelo, singalahleka. Nesiberegiswa kuhle singasirhelebha endleleni yethu begodu sisenze sikhambe endleleni yokuphila elungileko. Kwanje akhe sihlole bonyana khuyini isazelo nokobana siberega njani. Ngemva kwalokho sizokucoca ngamaphuzu naka: (1) Indlela esingabandula ngayo isazelo sethu, (2) kubayini kufuze sicabangele izazelo zabanye, (3) indlela isazelo esihle esiletha ngayo iimbusiso.

3. Ngokwelizwi nelizwi litjho ukuthini ibizo lesiGirigi elithi “isazelo,” begodu ngiliphi ikghono lomuntu esiqalise kilo?

³ EBhayibhilini ibizo lesiGirigi elithi “isazelo” ngelizwi nelizwi litjho “ilwazi elingaphakathi kuwe.” Ngokungafani nezinye iimbunjwa zephasini, sinekghono lokuzazi esiliphiwe nguZimu. Ngokomfanekiso, singajama siziqale begodu senze ukwahlulela okulungileko. Siberega njengobufakazi obungaphakathi, namtjhana umahluleli, isazelo sethu sihlahluba izenzo zethu, indlela esizizwa ngayo, nokukhetha kwethu. Sizosinqophisa nesenza iinqunto ezihle namtjhana sisikhalime nesenza iinqunto ezingakalungi. Ngemva kwalokho, ungasibuka nesenze ukukhetha okuhle namtjhana sizwe ubuhlungu ngokukhetha okumbi esikwenzileko.

4, 5. (a) Sazi njani bona bobabili u-Adamu no-Efa gade banesazelo, begodu ukungalaleli kwabo uZimu kwaba namuphi umphumela? (b) Ngiziphi iimbonelo ezitjengisa unembeza oberegako emadodeni athembekileko weenkhathi ezingaphambi kobuKrestu?

⁴ Ikghonweli lafakwa ngaphakathi endodeni nemfazini kusukela ekuthomeni. Bobabili u-Adamu no-Efa batjengisa bona banesazelo. Sibona ubufakazi balokho eenhlonini ababa nazo ngemva kokona kwabo. (Genesisi 3:7, 8) Ngokudanisako, isazelo esitshwenyekileko akhenge sibazuzise. Beqa umthetho kaZimu ngamabomu. Bazi, bakhetha ukuba ziinhlubuki, baphikisana noJehova uZimu. Njengabantu abanganasono, gade bazi bona benzani, begodu akhenge basakwazi ukubuyela kuZimu.

 ⁵ Ngokungafani no-Adamu no-Efa, abantu abanengi abanesono basilalela isazelo sabo. Isibonelo, indoda ethembekileko uJobhi yathi: “Ngibambelela ekungabini namlandu kwami, begodu angekhe ngikulise kukhambe; ihliziyo yami angekhe ingisole kiwo woke amalanga wami.” * (Jobhi 27:6) Kwamambala uJobhi gade ayindoda enesazelo. Gade asilalela isazelo sakhe, asivumela bona sinqophise izenzo neenqunto zakhe. Ngalokho bekangatjho ngokuqiniseka okukhulu bona isazelo sakhe akhenge simsole, ngeenhloni nangokuzizwa anomlandu. Qala umahluko okhona kuJobhi noDavidi. Lokha uDavidi nekatjengisa ukungabi nehlonipho ngoSawula, ikosi kaJehova ezesiweko, “ngemva kwalokho ihliziyo kaDavidi yamsola.” (1 Samuweli 24:5) Ukuba nesazelo esitshwenyekileko mbala kwamzuzisa uDavidi, kwamfundisa bona alise ukudelela okunjalo.

6. Khuyini etjengisa bona isazelo sisipho saso soke isintu?

⁶ Isipho esisisazelwesi siphiwe iinceku zakaJehova kwaphela na? Cabangela amezwi kampostoli uPowula aphefumulelweko: ‘Abatjhili abanawo umthetho kaMosisi; kodwana ngokwemvelo benza lokho okufunwa mthetho, kumthetho kibo, namtjhana banganawo umthetho kaMosisi. Ukuziphatha kwabo kuyatjengisa bona okufunwa mthetho kutloliwe eenhliziyweni zabo. Nezazelo zabo ziyakufakazela lokho, njengombana imikhumbulo yabo ngesinye isikhathi iyabalahla, ngesinye isikhathi iyabavikela.’ (KwebeRoma 2:14, 15) Ngitjho nalabo abangayaziko iimthetho kaJehova ngezinye iinkhathi bangatjhukunyiswa ngufakazi ongaphakathi lo bona benze ngokuvumelana nemilayo kaZimu.

7. Kubayini isazelo singasidukisa ngezinye iinkhathi?

⁷ Nokho, isazelo ngesinye isikhathi singasidukisa. Kubayini  kunjalo? Nengabe ikhamphasi ibekwe hlanu kwakazibuthe angaba nomthelela ongayenza bona ikhombe kelinye ihlangothi kunokobanyana ikhombe etlhagwini. Begodu neyiberegiswa ngaphandle kwebalazwe elinqophileko, ikhamphasi ingaba yinto enganarhelebho. Ngokufanako, nengabe iinhliziyo zethu ezimarhamaru zibe nomthelela khulu kithi, isazelo sethu singasinqophisa endleleni engakalungi. Nengabe siberegiswa ngaphandle kwesinqophiso seLizwi lakaZimu angekhe sikwazi ukuhlukanisa okuhle nokumbi eentweni eziqakathekileko. Kwamambala, bona isazelo sethu siberege kuhle sitlhoga isinqophiso somoya kaJehova ocwengileko. UPowula watlola: “Isazelo sami sifakazelana nami nomoya ocwengileko.” (KwebeRoma 9:1) Nokho, singaqiniseka njani bona isazelo sethu sivumelana nomoya kaJehova ocwengileko? Singenza njalo ngokusibandula.

8. (a) Ihliziyo ingasithinta njani isazelo, begodu khuyini okufuze siyicabangele eenquntweni zethu? (b) Kubayini isazelo esimsulwa singakaneli ngaso soke isikhathi kumKrestu? (Qala umtlolo ophasi.)

⁸ Singasenza njani isiqunto esisekelwe esazelweni? Abanye baziqala ngaphakathi, bahlahlube amazizo wabo, begodu bakhethe lokho abafuna ukukwenza. Bangathi, “Mina akungitshwenyi lokho.” Isifiso sehliziyo singaba namandla khulu, besibe nomthelela esazelweni sethu. IBhayibhili ithi: “Ihliziyo iyakhohlisa ngaphezu kwananyana yini begodu yimbi. Ngubani ongayaziko?” (Jeremiya 17:9) Lokho okufiswa yihliziywethu, akukafuzi bona kube ngikho esikucabangela njengokuqakatheke khulu kithi. Nokho, kokuthoma sifuna ukucabangela lokho okuzokuthabisa uJehova uZimu. *

9. Kutjho ukuthini ukusaba uZimu, begodu ukusaba okunjalo kungasithinta njani isazelo sethu?

 ⁹ Nengabe kwamambala isiqunto sisekelwe esazelweni sethu esibanduliweko, sizokutjengisa ukusaba kwethu uZimu, ingasi iimfiso zethu. Cabangela nasi isibonelo esifaneleko. Umbusi othembekileko uNehemiya gade anelungelo lokubhadelisa abantu beJerusalema iimali ezithileko nomthelo. Nokho, yena akhenge afune ukwenza njalo. Kubayini gade angafuni? Gade angafuni ukulahlekelwa mumusa kaJehova ngokugandelela abantu Bakhe. Wathi: “Akhenge ngenze njalo ngombana ngisaba uZimu.” (Nehemiya 5:15) Ukusaba uZimu okunepilo, ukusaba ngehliziyo yoke ukudanisa uBabethu wezulwini kuqakathekile. Ukusaba okunjalo kuzosenza sifune isinqophiso seLizwi lakaZimu nekuneenqunto ekufuze sizenze.

10, 11. Ngimuphi umlayo weBhayibhili oberegako endabeni yokusela utjwala, begodu singasifumana njani isinqophiso sakaZimu endabeni le?

¹⁰ Isibonelo, cabangela indaba yotjwala. Nasi isinqunto inengi eliqalana naso eminyanyeni, Ngisele namtjhana ngingaseli? Kokuthoma, kufuze sizibandule. IBhayibhili ithini ngendaba le? IBhayibhili ayikulahli ukusela utjwala ngokulingeneko. Idumisa uJehova ngesipho sewayini. (AmaRhalani 104:14, 15) Nokho, iBhayibhili iyakulahla ukusela khulu nokubanga itjhada ngebanga lokudakwa. (Luka 21:34; KwebeRoma 13:13) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ibala ukudakwa hlangana nezono ezikulu ezinjengobufebe nokuhlola. *—1 KwebeKorinte 6:9, 10.

¹¹ Isazelo somKrestu sibandulwe ngendlela yokobona akwazi ukuhlukanisa okuhle nokumbi. Nesiqalene nesinqunto sokubana sisele emnyanyeni, sizibuza iimbuzo efana nale: ‘Mnyanya onjani ohleliweko? Kungenzeka bona ungalawuleki  begodu ube netjhada? Khuyini engithanda ukuyenza? Ngirhalela utjwala, ngiphila ngabo, ngibuvumela bona bulawule indlela engiziphatha ngayo nengenza ngayo izinto? Ngiyakwazi ukuzilawula ngilinganisele endleleni engisela ngayo?’ Njengombana sicabanga ngemilayo yeBhayibhili neembuzo eyiphakamisako, senza kuhle ngokuthandazela isinqophiso sakaJehova. (Funda AmaRhalani 139:23, 24) Ngendlela le, simema uJehova bona asinqophise ngomoyakhe ocwengileko. Godu sibandula isazelo sethu bona sivumelane nemilayo kaZimu. Nokho, kunamanye amaphuzu okufuze siwacabangele nesenza iinqunto.

12, 13. Ngimaphi amanye amabanga enza izazelo zamaKrestu zihluke, begodu kufuze siberegelane njani nokungafanokhu?

¹² Ngezinye iinkhathi uzokufumana irara indlela izazelo zamaKrestu ezihluke ngayo. Omunye angafumana umukghwa namtjhana isiko elithileko angalimukeli; kanti omunye angalithabela begodu angaliboni ibanga lokulisola. Isibonelo, endabeni yokusela nibanengi, omunye ukufumana kuthabisa ukusela nabangani abambalwa njengombana bazigedlile ntambama; kanti omunye kungamphatha kumbi. Kubayini kunomehluko onje, begodu kufuze kuzithinte njani iinqunto zethu?

¹³ Kunamabanga amanengi enza bona abantu bahluke. Indlela abakhule ngayo ingabenza bangafani. Isibonelo, abanye bayabazi ubuthakathaka abalwa nabo esikhathini esidlulileko—mhlamunye esikhathini esinengi babhalelwa ukubuhlula. (1 AmaKhosi 8:38, 39) Nekuziwa endabeni yokusela utjwala, abantu abanjalo bangazizwa bangakatjhaphuluki. Nengabe umuntu onjalo ukuvakatjhele, isazelo sakhe singamenza bona abhale ukusela newumupha utjwala. Lokho kuzokuphatha kumbi na? Uzomkatelela bona asele? Awa. Uwazi namtjhana ungawazi  amabangakhe—amabanga angakhetha ukungakutjeli wona ngesikhatheso—ithando ngomnakwenu lizokwenza bona umcabangele.

14, 15. Ngiziphi izinto isazelo sebandla lekhulu lokuthoma leemnyaka egade lihluke ngazo, begodu uPowula waliyelelisa ngani?

¹⁴ Umpostoli uPowula wabona bona izazelo kanengi zihluka khulu hlangana namaKrestu wekhulu lokuthoma. Emva esikhathineso, amanye amaKrestu gade anomraro ngokudla ukudla okuhlatjelwe iinthombe. (1 KwebeKorinte 10:25) Isazelo sakaPowula akhenge simvimbele bona adle ukudla okunjalo ngokukhamba kwesikhathi egade kuthengiswa emakethe. Kuye, iinthombe gade zingaphili; iinthombe angekhe zibe nokudla okuvela kuJehova begodu okungoKwakhe. Nokho, uPowula wezwisisa bonyana abanye akhenge babe nombono onjengewakhe endabeni le. Abanye kungenzeka bona gade bakhonza iinthombe ngaphambi kobana babe maKrestu. Kibo, nanyana yini egade ihlangene neenthombe beyibaphatha kumbi. UPowula wawurarulula njani umraro lo?

¹⁵ UPowula wathi: “Thina esidzimeleleko ekukholweni kufanele sinyamezelele labo ukukholwa kwabo kungakaqini, singenzi lokho okuthokozisa thina kwaphela. Ngombana noKrestu akakenzi okuthokozisa yena kwaphela.” (KwebeRoma 15:1, 3) UPowula utjho bona kufuze sibeke iintlhogo zabanakwethu qangi kunezethu, njengombana noKrestu enza. Endabeni efanako, uPowula wathi kubhedere bona angayidli inyama kunokobana akhubekise imvu eligugu uKrestu ayifelako.—Funda 1 KwebeKorinte 8:13; 10:23, 24, 31-33.

16. Kubayini labo abanesazelo esibalelako ukwenza okuthileko kufuze bona bangahluleli labo isazelo sabo esihlukileko kwesabo?

¹⁶ Ngakelinye ihlangothi, labo abanesazelo esibalelako ukwenza okuthileko akukafaneli bona bahlulele abanye, bakatelele bona woke umuntu aqale indaba yesazelo ngendlela bona abayiqala ngayo. (Funda KwebeRoma 14:10) Kwamambala, isazelo singaberega njengomahluleli wangaphakathi, ingasi  njengebanga lokwahlulela abanye. Khumbula amezwi kaJesu: “Ningahluleli abanye, khona nani uZimu angazunahlulela.” (Matewu 7:1) Woke umuntu ebandleni kufuze abalekele ipikiswano eendabeni zomuntu mathupha zesazelo. Kunalokho, sifuna iindlela zokuthuthukisa ithando netjhebiswano, sakhane, singabalimazi abanye.—KwebeRoma 14:19.

17. Kwenzekeni ezazelweni zabantu abanengi namhlanjesi?

¹⁷ Umpostoli uPitrosi watlola: “Nibe nesazelo esimsulwa.” (1 KaPitrosi 3:16) Isazelo esimsulwa emehlweni kaJehova uZimu sisipho esikhulu. Asifani nezazelo zabantu abanengi namhlanjesi. UPowula wahlathulula labo “isazelo sabo sesafa sengathi sitjhiswe itshwayo.” (1 KuThimothi 4:2) Isimbi  yokubeka itshwayo itjhisa inyama, iyitjhiye inamabala begodu ingasezwa litho. Abantu abanengi banesazelo esifileko—esinamabala esingasezwa litho kangangobana asisabayelelisi, asisabakhalimi, namtjhana sibenze bezwe ubuhlungu babe neenhloni, sibenze bazisole ngobumbi ababenzileko. “Abantu abanengi namhlanjesi bathabela ukungabi nendaba namazizo wokuba nomlandu.”

18, 19. (a) Ukuzizwa unomlandu namtjhana iinhloni kungaba naziphi iinzuzo? (b) Khuyini esingayenza nengabe isazelo sethu siragela phambili sisibeka umlandu ngezono zangesikhathi esidlulileko esesitjhugulukile kizo?

¹⁸ Eqinisweni, ukuzizwa sinomlandu kuyindlela isazelo sethu esisitjela ngayo bona senze iphoso. Lokha amazizo anjalo nenza isoni bona sitjhuguluke, ngitjho nezono ezikulu zingalitjalelwa. Isibonelo, iKosi uDavidi yazisola ngesono  esikhulu esenzileko, kodwana yalitjalelwa ngokupheleleko ngombana yatjhuguluka ngokusuka ehliziyweni. Ukuhloya kwakhe ubumbi abenzileko nokuzimisela kwakhe ukulalela iimthetho kaJehova kusukela lapho, kwamenza wazibonela ngokwakhe bona uJehova “ulungile begodu ukulungele nokulibalela.” (AmaRhalani 51:1-19; 86:5) Nokho, kuthiwani-ke nengabe amazizo atjhingileko wokuba nomlandu neenhloni ayaphikelela nangemva kokutjhuguluka begodu safumana ukulitjalelwa?

¹⁹ Ngezinye iinkhathi isazelo singabeka isoni umlandu isikhathi eside ngemva kobana amazizo layo angasarhelebhi ngalitho. Ebujamweni obunjalo, kutlhogeka bona siqinisekise ihliziyo esibeka umlandu bona uJehova mkhulu kunamazizo wabo boke abantu. Kufuze sibe nekholo begodu simukele ithando lakhe nokulitjalelwa, njengombana nathi sikhuthaza abanye bona benze njalo. (Funda 1 KaJwanisi 3:19, 20) Ngakelinye ihlangothi, isazelo esimsulwa siletha ukuthula kwangaphakathi, nethabo elingafumaneki bulula ephasineli. Abanengi abakhe babandakanyeka esonweni esikhulu bakubonile ukutjhaphuluka okukhulokhu begodu namhlanje banesazelo esimsulwa njengombana bakhonza uJehova uZimu.—1 KwebeKorinte 6:11.

20, 21. (a) Incwadi le yenzelwe bona ikurhelebhe wenzeni? (b) NjengamaKrestu, ngiyiphi ikululeko esinayo, nokho kufuze bona siyiberegise njani?

²⁰ Incwadi le yenzelwe ukukurhelebha bona ufumane ithabelo, ube nesazelo esimsulwa kiyo yoke imiraro yamalanga wamaswaphela wephasi lakaSathaneli. Kuliqiniso, incwadi le angekhe yahlathulula yoke iimthetho eseBhayibhilini neenkambisolawulo ekutlhogeka bona ucabange ngazo begodu uziberegise eentweni ezenzeka qobe langa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ungalindeli bona iBhayibhili izokunikela imilayo ebulula nekhanyako ngaso soke isikhathi endabeni yesazelo. Umnqopho wencwadi le kukurhelebha bona ufunde begodu ubandule isazelo sakho ngokufunda  bona ungaliberegisa njani iLizwi lakaZimu ekuphileni kwakho kwangamalanga. Ngokungafani noMthetho kaMosisi, “umthetho wakaKrestu” umema abalandeli bawo bona baphile ngesazelo nangemiyalo kunokubanyana baphile ngeemthetho etloliweko. (KwebeGalatiya 6:2) UJehova unikela amaKrestu ikululeko ekhethekileko. Nokho, iLizwi lakhe lisikhumbuza bonyana singaberegisi ikululeko leyo bona ‘ibhibhe okumbi.’ (1 KaPitrosi 2:16) Kunalokho ikululeko enjalo isinikela ithuba elihle lokutjengisa ithando lethu ngoJehova.

²¹ Ngokucabangela ngomthandazo bona ungaphila njani ngendlela ebhedere ngemilayo yeBhayibhili ngemva kwalokho uberegise lokho okuthandazeleko, uzokuragela phambili nekambo eqakathekileko eyathoma lokha newuthoma ukwazi uJehova. ‘Amandlakho wokulemuka’ ayokubandulwa ‘ngokusetjenziswa.’ (KumaHebheru 5:14, NW) Isazelo esibandulwe yiBhayibhili sizokuba yisibusiso ekuphileni kwakho kwangamalanga. Njengekhamphasi enqophisa abakhambi, isazelo sakho sizokurhelebha bona wenze iinqunto ezithabisa uBabethu wezulwini. Le, yindlela eqinisekileko ezokubulunga ethandweni lakaZimu.