1, 2. Ngimuphi umgomo woke umKrestu azibekele wona? Akhuze nesibonelo.

AKHESITHI nangu umma wekhaya ufuna ukuthenga iinthelo emarageni. Angakhetha ezinjani? Akazukuthatha nanyana ngiziphi. Uzokukhetha iinthelo ezinuka kamnandi, ozibonako nawe bona ziyadleka. Nazinjalo iinthelwezo vane sithi zivuthiwe.

² Umuntu nasele afunde ngoJehova, wabhajadiswa, uragela phambili nokwakha itjhebiswano noZimu. Nakenza njalo vane sithi ufuna ukuba mKrestu ovuthiweko. Ukuvuthwa esikhuluma ngakho lapha akusikukhula ngeminyaka. Sikhuluma ngokuvuthwa kokuthi umuntu athuthukise ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova. Nompostoli uPowula bekafisa ngathana amaKrestu we-Efesu avuthiwe. Yeke, wawakhuthaza bona abe nyanda yinye ekukholweni. Wawatjela nokuthi arage nokufunda ngoJesu khona ‘azakukhula afikelele ekuzuzeni isilinganiso soke sokuphelela kwakaKrestu.’—Efesu 4:13.

3. Ibandla le-Efesu lifana njani namabandla esikiwo namhlanjesi?

 ³ Ngesikhathi uPowula atlolela ibandla le-Efesu incwadi, besele kuminyaka likhona. Inengi lamalunga webandlelo besele limaKrestu avuthiweko, linesikhathi eside lisebandleni. Kodwana bekusese nabanye abasafufusa ebekufuze bathuthukise ubuhlobo babo noJehova. Kunjalo nanamhlanjesi. Kunabazalwana abanengi abavuthiweko esekusikhathi eside bakhonza uJehova. Kodwana iqiniso kukuthi kunabanye abasaphekwako, asebangakavuthwa kuhle emabandlenethu la. Ngokwesibonelo, kubhajadiswa iinkulungwana zabantu qobe mnyaka. Ngikho sithi kunabantu okusafuze bathuthukele ekuvuthweni. Wena-ke, sebele uvuthiwe na?—Kolose 2:6, 7.

4, 5. AmaKrestu avuthiweko ahluke ngani, kodwana afana ngani woke? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

⁴ Nawungaqala iinthelo ezivuthiweko emarageni, uzokulemuka bona azikavuthwa ngokufana. Ukuthi zivuthiwe zona ziyabonakala, kodwana zihlukile. Anjalo namaKrestu avuthiweko. Awakavuthwa ngokufana ngombana avela eendaweni neenarheni ezihlukahlukeneko. Awalingani nangeminyaka. Athanda nezinto ezingafaniko. Nanyana kunjalo, woke amaKrestu la anokuthileko afana ngakho okutjengisa bona avuthiwe. Khuyini-ke lokho?

⁵ UmKrestu ovuthiweko ukhamba “emtlhaleni” kaJesu. (1 Pitrosi 2:21) UJesu wathi kuqakatheke khulu ukuthi umuntu athande uJehova ngehliziywakhe yoke, ngepilwakhe yoke nengqondwakhe yoke, athande umakhelwanakhe njenganyana azithanda yena. (Matewu 22:37-39) UmKrestu ovuthiweko ulinga ngokusemandlenakhe bona enze ngokwamezwi la. Indlela aphila ngayo izokutjengisa bona itjhebiswano lakhe noJehova nokuthanda abanye abantu kuqakatheke kangangani kuye.

6, 7. (a) UmKrestu ovuthiweko ubonakala njani? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo okufuze sizibuze yona?

⁶ Ithando liphakathi kweenthelo ezinengi zomoya umKrestu ovuthiweko okufuze abe nazo. (Galatiya 5:22, 23) Unomusa, uyazikhalima, abekezele. Iinthelwezi zimenza akghodlhelele, zimenze angadani khulu namkha alahle itewu. Nakazifundelako, umuntu  ovuthiweko uhlolisisa ikambiso yeBhayibheli engamsiza ahlukanise umhlolo nehlama. Yeke, uzakuthi nakasebenzisa ingqondo ebandulwe liBhayibheli athathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko. UmKrestu ovuthiweko uthobekile, uyakholwa ukuthi indlela kaJehova yokwenza izinto incono kayitjhumi kuneyakhe. * (Qala ikwekwezi engenzasi.) Ukhuthele ekutjhumayeleni, enze ngokusemandlenakhe bona ibandla libe nobunye.

⁷ Akunandaba ukuthi sisebenzele uJehova isikhathi eside kangangani, ngamunye wethu kusafuze azibuze ukuthi: ‘Kghani kukhona na lapha kufuze ngilungise khona nangizakukhamba emtlhaleni kaJesu? Kukuphi lapha okufuze ngithuthukise khona?’

8. UJesu bekalazi kuhle kangangani iBhayibheli?

⁸ UJesu Krestu bekayazi ukusuka nokuhlala imiTlolo. Ngitjho nanyana aneminyaka elitjhumi nambili, bekadzubhula emTlolweni nakakhuluma nabafundisi ethempelini. “Boke abamzwako barareka ngendlela azwisisa ngayo, nangeempendulo zakhe.” (Lukasi 2:46, 47)  Nalokha selakhulile, bekathi nakatjhumayelako alisebenzise kuhle iliZwi lakaZimu nakavala imilomo yamanabakhe.—Matewu 22:41-46.

9. (a) Lihlelo elinjani umKrestu ovuthiweko okufuze abe nalo? (b) Kanti kubayini sisolo sifunda iBhayibheli?

⁹ Nangabe umuntu ufuna ukuba mKrestu ovuthiweko, kufuze alingise uJesu ngokuthi alinge ukulizwisisa kuhle iBhayibheli. Umuntu onjalo urhubhulula arhubhululile, afunane namaqiniso azikileko asemiTlolweni. Lokho ukwenziswa kukuthi wazi kuhle bonyana “ukudla okuqinileko kungokwabavuthiweko.” (Hebheru 5:14, NW) Yeke, ufuna ukuba “nelwazi elinembileko” ngeBhayibheli. (Efesu 4:13, NW) Nawe zibuze-ke ukuthi: ‘Ngilifunda qobe langa na iBhayibheli? Nginalo na ihlelo lokuzifundela mina? Nakukukhulekela komndeni kusesekhona na qobe veke?’ Yeke, nawufunda iBhayibheli, rhubhulula ngokufunda ngeendlela zakaZimu ezingakwenza ucabange bewuzizwe ngendlela uJehova azizwa ngayo. Bese usebenzise iindlelezo nawenza iinqunto. Uqedile nawenze njalo, isikhozi sakho noJehova sizokutjhisa amadamu anamanzi siwatjhiye aziinthuthuru!

10. UmKrestu ovuthiweko uzizwa njani ngesiluleko nangeendlela zakaZimu?

¹⁰ UmKrestu ovuthiweko akabi nelwazi lweBhayibheli kwaphela, kodwana uyazithanda iindlela neenluleko zakaZimu. Lokho ukuveza ngokuba nesifiso sokwenza intando kaZimu kunokuthi enze yakhe intando. Utjhugulula nendlela aphila ngayo, acabanga ngayo nezenzo zakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, ulingisa uJesu ngokwakha ubuntu obutjha “obubunjwe bafuza uZimu, ekulungeni kweqiniso nangokucwengeka.” (Funda u-Efesu 4:22-24.) Kuqakathekile bona singathomi silibale ukuthi phela abatloli beBhayibheli nabazakutlola koke okukilo nje, bebalawulwa mumoya ocwengileko. Yeke, nangabe umKrestu ovuthiweko ufunda iBhayibheli, umoya ocwengileko ungamsiza bona akhule elwazini lakhe, ethandweni netjhebiswanenakhe noJehova.

11. UJesu bekaphila nabantu abanjani nakasephasini?

¹¹ UJesu bekayindoda epheleleko, kodwana bekaphila nabantu abangakapheleli ephasinapha. Ababelethi bakhe, abanakwabo nabodadwabo bebangakapheleli. Nabangani bakaJesu bebanjalo nabo, banokuzikhakhazisa nomrhobholo. Ngokwesibonelo ngobusuku belanga afa ngalo, abafundi bakhe bebaphikisana ngokuthi “ngubani wabo othathwa bona ngomkhulu.” (Lukasi 22:24) Nanyana bangakapheleli banjalo, uJesu bekazi ukuthi abafundi bakhe bebazokuba maKrestu avuthiweko bebakhe nebandla elinobunye. Kibo ubusukobo, uJesu wathandazela bona abafundi bakhe babe nyanda yinye. Nakabawa uYise ngendaba le wathi: “Ngibaphe iphazimulo owanginikela yona khona bazakuba munye njengombana simunye.”—Jwanisi 17:21, 22.

12, 13. (a) Njengombana umKrestu nje uyini umgomakho? (b) Omunye umzalwana ukufunde njani ukuthuthukisa ubunye ebandleni?

¹² UmKrestu ovuthiweko uthuthukisa ubunye ebandleni. (Funda u-Efesu 4: 1-6, 15, 16.) Umgomo wethu njengamaKrestu kukobana ‘sibumbane ndawonye,’ sibambisane ngobunye. Nasizakubambisana sibe munye ngalendlela, kufuze sibe maKrestu athobekileko. UmKrestu ovuthiweko uyalibumba ibandla libe yinto yinye, akanandaba nokungapheleli kwamaKrestu asebandleni. Zibuze-ke: ‘Ngenzani nange ngitjhaphelwa ngumfowethu namkha ngudadwethu? Nange umuntu angilimaza, ngizizwa njani? Ngimbethisa ngomoya na, ngingasamkhulumisi? Namkha ngilinga ukulungisa itjhebiswano lethu?’ UmKrestu ovuthiweko ulwela ukuba sisombululo somraro, kunokobana abe mraro kwabanye abantu.

¹³ Akhesikhulume ngo-Uwe. Esikhathini esidlulileko, imitjhapho yabazalwana beyimkhuba imkhubile. Wazitjela bona uzakufunda ngoDavida. Wathatha i-Insight on the Scriptures neBhayibheli wathoma wafunda ngoDavida. Kubayini akhetha ukufunda ngoDavida? Ngombana abanye babantu bakaZimu bakhe bamtjhaphela. Ngokwesibonelo, iKosi uSawula yakhe yafuna ukumsusa uDavida ngaphasi komthunzi welanga. Kunabanye ebebafuna nokumkghadlha ngamatje. Nomkakhe mbala, khewamhleka ubudlhadlha. (1 Samyela 19:9-11; 30:1-6; 2 Samyela 6:14-22) UDavida bekahlala amthanda uJehova, amthembile. Yeke, khenge abe nendaba ukuthi abanye bamenzani. Bekanesirhawu ebantwini nanyana aqalene nezinto ezinjalo. Manje, u-Uwe walemuka ukuthi naye kufuze abe njalo. Wathi nakafunda iBhayibheli wabona ukuthi kufuze atjhugulule indlela azizwa ngayo ngemitjhapho yabazalwana. Bekafuze alise ukusolo azindla ngemitjhaphwabo khona azokuthuthukisa ubunye ebandleni. Inga-kghani nawe mgomakho loyo?

14. UJesu bekanabangani abanjani?

¹⁴ UJesu bekanaka woke umuntu. Bekanaka amadoda nabafazi, abadala nabancani, ngitjho nabentwana bebazizwa kamnandi nabanoJesu. Kodwana bekangasimngani wananyana ngubani. Bekabakhetha kuhle abangani bakhe. Nakatjela abapostoli bakhe wathi: “Niziinini zami [nibangani bami] nanenza lokho enginiyala ngakho.” (Jwanisi 15:14) Abangani wabakhetha ebantwini ebebamlandela ngehliziyo yoke, nebebathanda ukulotjha uJehova. Wena-ke banjani abangani bakho? Bayamthanda na uJehova ngehliziywabo yoke? Kubayini kuqakathekile ukukhetha abangani abanjalo?

15. Abantu abatjha bafundani ngokuba nabangani abavuthiweko?

¹⁵ Iinthelo ezinengi zivuthwa kuhle nazitjhiswa lilanga. Kuyafana-ke, nomKrestu nakazokuvuthwa utjhiswa lithando labanye abazalwana. Kghani useselisokana namkha intombi efuna ukuthatha  isiqunto esivuthiweko ngepilwayo? Nangabe kunjalo, khetha abangani esele kukade basebenzela uJehova, abathuthukisa ubunye ebandleni. Kungenzeka bahlangene nemiraro epilwenabo, bakghodlhelela ekusebenzeleni kwabo uJehova. Yeke, bangakusiza ukhethe ipilo ebhedere khulu. Nawuhlala unabo isikhathi esinengi, bangakusiza uthathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko, nawe ukhulele ekuvuthweni.—Funda amaHebheru 5:14.

16. AmaKrestu asele akhulile amsize njani omunye udade osesemutjha?

¹⁶ UHelga ukhumbula nakafunda ibanga lamaswaphela esikolweni. Ebekafunda nabo bebakhuluma ngalokho abafuna ukukwenza nabaqeda isikolo. Inengi labo belifuna ukuya eyunivesithi khona lizakuphumelela epilweni. Kodwana udade lo wakhuluma nabangani bakhe asele bayile ngeminyaka ebandleni. Uthi: “Abanengi babangani bami bakhulu kunami, kodwana bangisize khulu. Bangikhuthaza ukuthi ngisebenzele uZimu isikhathi esizeleko. Sebele ngiphayone iminyaka emihlanu yoke. Nakukhamba iminyaka, khenge ngizisole bona bengisaphayonelani ngisesemutjha. Nanje angizisoli nakancani.”

17, 18. Ngiyiphi indlela ehle khulu yokusebenzela uJehova?

¹⁷ Nasilingisa uJesu siyakhula ekubeni maKrestu avuthiweko. SinoJehova siba njengomncamo nerhara, nesifiso sokumlotjha sivuthe njengomlilo. Umuntu umlotjha kuhle khulu uJehova nakavuthiweko. UJesu nakakhuthaza abafundi bakhe wakhe wathi: “Ngokunjalo akukhanye ukukhanya kwenu phambi kwabantu ukuze babone imisebenzenu emihle badumise uYihlo osezulwini.”—Matewu 5:16.

¹⁸ Sifundile ukuthi umKrestu ovuthiweko uyipilara eliqinileko elisekela ibandla. Nokuthi nasizakuthi umuntu uvuthiwe, vane awusebenzisa kuhle unembezakhe. Kanti unembeza lo umsiza njani umuntu bona athathe iinqunto ezivuthiweko? Sibahlonipha njani abonembeza babanye abantu? Asiphendule imibuzo le esihlokweni esilandelako.