1, 2. (a) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi izinto zazimi manzonzo ebandleni laseKholose ekhulwini lokuqala? (b) Abafowethu baseKholose baphiwa siphi iseluleko esasizabanceda ukuthi bangaphambuki?

 IZINTO zazimi manzonzo ebandleni lobuKhristu elaliseKholose ngekhulu lokuqala. Abanye ebandleni basebesenza ukuthi kube lokungazwanani ngoba babefuna abantu banamathele eMthethweni kaMosi. Kwakulabanye futhi ababekhankasela inhlakanipho yabahedeni eyize eyayiphathelane lokuthi akuqondanga ukuthi abantu bazilibazise. Umphostoli uPhawuli wababhalela incwadi eyayibalimukisa ngezimfundiso zamanga lezi, wathi: “Qaphelani kungabi khona olithumbayo ngenhlakanipho eyize lekhohlisayo, eyeyame emdabukweni wabantu lakuzimiso zemvelo yakulo umhlaba kungesikho kuKhristu.”—Kol. 2:8.

² Nxa amaKhristu la agcotshiweyo ayesebeka izingqondo zawo “ezimisweni zalo umhlaba eziyisisusa,” kwasekufanana lokuthi afulathela lokho uJehova ayewalungiselele khona ukuze asindiswe. (Kol. 2:20-23) Yikho uPhawuli wayefuna ukuwanceda ukuthi alondoloze ubuhlobo bawo loNkulunkulu. Wawaxwayisa wathi: “Bekani izingqondo zenu ezintweni eziphezulu, hatshi ezintweni zasemhlabeni.” (Kol. 3:2) Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi amaKhristu la agcotshiweyo kwakumele abeke izingqondo zawo ethembeni ayelalo elokwamukela ilifa elalingeke libole ‘ayeligcinelwe ezulwini.’—Kol. 1:4, 5.

3. (a) Yiliphi ithemba amaKhristu agcotshiweyo alibeka ezingqondweni zawo? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni lesi?

³ Lamuhla amaKhristu agcotshiweyo lawo abeka izinhliziyo zawo eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu ezulwini lasethembeni lawo lokuba ‘yizindlalifa kanye loKhristu.’ (Rom. 8:14-17) Kodwa kuzakwenzakalani kulabo abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni? Amazwi kaPhawuli asebenza njani kubo? “Ezinye izimvu” zingakwenza njani ukuthi zibeke izingqondo zazo “ezintweni eziphezulu”? (Joh. 10:16) Kanti njalo kungasinceda njani ukuthi sifunde ngamadoda asendulo ayethembekile, ngokwesibonelo u-Abhrahama loMosi, ababeka izingqondo zabo ezintweni eziphezulu lanxa bahlangana lobunzima ezimpilweni zabo?

4. Ezinye izimvu zingenzani ukuze zibeke izingqondo zazo ezintweni eziphezulu?

⁴ Lathi abezinye izimvu singabeka izingqondo zethu ezintweni eziphezulu lanxa singelathemba lokuya ezulwini. Singakwenza njani lokhu? Ngokuqakathekisa uJehova uNkulunkulu kanye lemisebenzi yoMbuso ukwedlula zonke izinto. (Luk. 10:25-27) Kanti njalo okungasinceda yikulingisela uKhristu oyisibonelo sethu. (1 Phet. 2:21) Lathi njengabafowethu bekhulu lokuqala siphila emhlabeni obuswa nguSathane ogcwele izimfundiso zamanga, inhlakanipho eyize kanye lokugijimisana lenotho. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 10:5.) Kumele silingisele uJesu ngokuhlala siphapheme, ukuze silumuke loba yini engaphambanisa ubuhlobo bethu loNkulunkulu.

5. Yiyiphi imibuzo esingayisebenzisa nxa sizihlola ukuthi sesigijimisana lenotho yasemhlabeni yini?

⁵ Kambe lathi singabe sesigijimisana lenotho yini njengabanengi emhlabeni lo? Esikuthandayo kukhanya ngalokho esikucabangayo kanye lalokho esikwenzayo. UJesu wathi: “Lapho inotho yakho ikhona, kulapho inhliziyo yakho izakuba khona.” (Mat. 6:21) Okuzasinceda ukuthi sibone okusezinhliziyweni zethu yikuhlala sizihlolisisa. Zibuze imibuzo le: ‘Ngihlala ngicabanga ngemali yini? Isikhathi sami esinengi ngisiqeda ngicabanga ngamabhizimusi engingawavula yini, imali engingayenza kumbe impilo yokukhomba ngophakathi engifuna ukuba layo? Ngenza konke okusemandleni ami yini ukuze ngihlale ngilelihlo eliqakathekisa izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza?’ (Mat. 6:22) UJesu watshengisa ukuthi abaqakathekisa kakhulu ‘ukuzibuthela inotho emhlabeni’ basengozini ngoba ubuhlobo babo loJehova bungaphela loba nini.—Mat. 6:19, 20, 24.

6. Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze sinqobe izinkanuko zethu?

⁶ Isono esizalwa silaso sisenza sifune ukwenza izinto ezithokozisa imizimba yethu. (Bala uRoma 7:21-25.) Nxa umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu ungasebenzi ezimpilweni zethu singacina sesisenza “imisebenzi yobumnyama.” Eminye yakhona ‘ngamadili okuminza lokudakwa, ukuxhwala kokufeba lentokozo yobugangi.’ (Rom. 13:12, 13) Kumele sibeke izingqondo zethu ezintweni eziphezulu ukuze sizinqobe ‘izinto zasemhlabeni,’ okutsho izinkanuko zethu. Kodwa akulula, kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze siphumelele. Yikho umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: “Ngitshaya umzimba wami ngiwenze isigqili.” (1 Khor. 9:27) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi akumelanga siphongulandela izifiso zethu nxa sifuna ukuhlala sisemncintiswaneni oya ekuphileni. Ake sibone ukuthi amadoda amabili asendulo ayethembekile enzani ukuze ‘athokozise uNkulunkulu.’—Heb. 11:6.

7, 8. (a) U-Abhrahama loSara bahlangana labuphi ubunzima? (b) U-Abhrahama wayeyibeke ngaphi ingqondo yakhe?

⁷ U-Abhrahama walalela lapho uJehova emtshela ukuthi athathe imuli yakhe aye elizweni laseKhenani. UJehova wenza isivumelwano lo-Abhrahama ngenxa yokuthi wayelokholo futhi elalela. Wathi kuye: “Ngizakwenza ube yisizwe esikhulu njalo ngizakubusisa.” (Gen. 12:2) Kodwa u-Abhrahama lomkakhe uSara bahlala iminyaka belokhu bengelamntwana. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi uJehova wayesekukhohliwe yini ayekuthembise u-Abhrahama? Phela u-Abhrahama lemuli yakhe babetshiye umuzi wabo kanye lezihlobo zabo e-Uri, idolobho elalinothile elaliseMesophothamiya. Bahamba amakhilomitha adlula 1 600 ukuze bayefika eKhenani. Impilo yayinzima eKhenani ngoba bafika bahlala emathenteni. Kwakuke kube lendlala njalo babeke bahlaselwe yizigebenga. (Gen. 12:5, 10; 13:18; 14:10-16) Kodwa abazange bafise ukubuyela e-Uri lapho ababezihlalele kuhle khona.—Bala uHebheru 11:8-12, 15.

⁸ U-Abhrahama kazange azihluphe ‘ngezinto zasemhlabeni,’ kodwa “wamkholwa uJehova.” (Gen. 15:6) Kuyacaca ukuthi wabeka ingqondo yakhe ezintweni eziphezulu ngoba okwakuqakathekile kuye yizithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. Yikho uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke wambusisa u-Abhrahama ngenxa yokuthi wayelokholo, wathi kuye: “ ‘Khangela emkhathini ubale izinkanyezi—nxa ulamandla okuzibala.’ Wasesithi kuye, ‘Sizakuba njalo isizukulwane sakho.’ ” (Gen. 15:5) Kumele ukuthi lokhu kwamkhuthaza sibili u-Abhrahama. Wayesithi angathi jeqe emkhathini ogcwele izinkanyezi, akhumbule ukuthi uJehova wayemthembise ukuthi uzakwandisa inzalo yakhe. Ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esifaneleyo u-Abhrahama wazalelwa indlalifa, njengokuthenjiswa kwakhe.—Gen. 21:1, 2.

9. Lokho okwenziwa ngu-Abhrahama kusinceda njani ukuthi siqhubeke sikhuthele emsebenzini kaNkulunkulu?

⁹ Lathi silindele ukuthi konke uNkulunkulu asithembisa khona kugcwaliseke. (2 Phet. 3:13) Kodwa nxa singayekela ukubeka izingqondo zethu ezintweni eziphezulu, sizabona angani izithembiso lezi seziphuza ukugcwaliseka njalo singacina sesingamavila emisebenzini yobuKhristu. Ngokwesibonelo, kukhona yini owakutshiyayo ukuze ube liphayona kumbe wenze omunye umsebenzi wenkonzo yesikhathi esigcweleyo? Nxa kunjalo siyakuncoma kakhulu. Kodwa wenzani khathesi? Ungakhohlwa ukuthi u-Abhrahama wabeka ingqondo yakhe ‘edolobheni elilezisekelo’ eziqinileyo. (Heb. 11:10) “Wakholwa kuNkulunkulu, njalo kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga.”—Rom. 4:3.

10. Yayinjani impilo kaMosi esakhula?

¹⁰ Omunye owabeka ingqondo yakhe ezintweni eziphezulu nguMosi. Esakhula “wafundiswa kuyo yonke inhlakanipho yamaGibhithe.” Le kwangasimfundo yokudlala. Phela ngaleso sikhathi iGibhithe yayingumbuso omkhulu kulayo yonke emhlabeni njalo uMosi wayehlala khona kanye esigodlweni sikaFaro. Yikho-ke imfundo le yamenza waba ‘ligagu lokukhuluma lokwenza.’ (ImiSeb. 7:22) Kunengi kakhulu uMosi ayengakuthola empilweni. Lanxa kunjalo yena wabeka ingqondo yakhe ezintweni eziqakatheke kakhulu, okutsho ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu.

11, 12. Yiyiphi imfundo uMosi ayeyiqakathekisa kakhulu, njalo kungani sisitsho njalo?

¹¹ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uMosi esasemncane  wafundiswa ngunina uJokhebhedi mayelana loJehova, uNkulunkulu wamaHebheru. Imfundo le wayibona iligugu kakhulu ukwedlula loba yiyiphi inotho. Wayengathola amalungelo kanye lezikhundla ngenxa yokuthi wayelilunga lemuli kaFaro, kodwa wakudela konke lokhu. (Bala uHebheru 11:24-27.) Kuyacaca ukuthi imfundo ayithola kunina lokholo ayelalo kuJehova kwenza ukuthi abeke ingqondo yakhe ezintweni eziphezulu.

¹² UMosi wathola imfundo emangalisayo eGibhithe eyayingamenza abe ngusikhwicamfundo, athole inotho kanye lesikhundla esasingamenza abe ngumuntu odumileyo emphakathini. Lanxa kunjalo wakutshiya konke lokhu. “Wala ukuba aziwe njengendodana yendodakazi kaFaro. Wakhetha ukuphathwa kubi kanye labantu bakaNkulunkulu kulokuba akholise injabulo yesono okwesikhathi esifitshane.” Kusegcekeni ukuthi uMosi wasebenzisa lokho ayekufundiswe ngunina ukuze enze okwakufunwa nguJehova.

13, 14. (a) Kuyini okwanceda uMosi ukuthi enelise ukwenza umsebenzi uJehova ayemgcinele wona? (b) Singamlingisela njani uMosi?

¹³ UMosi wayemthanda kakhulu uJehova kanye labantu bako-Israyeli. Wathi eseleminyaka engu-40 wabona angani sasesifikile isikhathi sokuthi akhulule abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababesebugqilini eGibhithe. (ImiSeb. 7:23-25) Kodwa uJehova wakubona ukuthi sasingakafiki isikhathi sokuthi uMosi aqalise umsebenzi lo. Kwakumele aqale afunde ukuba ngumuntu ozithobayo, obekezelayo, omnene njalo ozithibayo. (Zaga. 15:33) UMosi kwakumele aqeqetshwe ukuze enelise ukulwisana lobunzima kanye lezilingo ezazimlindele. Yikho-ke ukuba ngumalusi okweminyaka ethile kwakuzamnceda ukuthi abe lobuntu obuhle.

¹⁴ Izinto azifunda ngesikhathi engumalusi zamnceda yini uMosi? Ye zamnceda sibili, ngoba iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lithi waba yindoda “ethobeke ukwedlula wonke amadoda asemhlabeni.” (AmaN. 12:3) Wayefunde ukuthobeka okwamnceda ukuthi enelise ukuba lesineke ebantwini abatshiyeneyo njalo ababelezinhlupho ezinkulu. (Eks. 18:26) Lathi siyazidinga izimpawu zobuntu ezizasinceda ukuthi sisinde “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu,” singene emhlabeni omutsha esiwulungiselwe nguNkulunkulu. (Isam. 7:14) Siyenelisa yini ukuphila labantu abalobuntu obutshiyeneyo, okugoqela lalabo labalenhliziyo ezincane? Kufanele sisebenzise amazwi umphostoli uPhetro awatshela amaKhristu ayekhonza lawo, athi: “Tshengisani inhlonipho eqondileyo kwabanye.Thandani ubuzalwane babakholwayo.”—1 Phet. 2:17.

15, 16. (a) Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale sibeke izingqondo zethu ezintweni eziphezulu? (b) Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi amaKhristu aziphathe kuhle?

¹⁵ Siphila ‘ezikhathini ezinzima.’ (2 Tim. 3:1) Yikho-ke kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale sibeke izingqondo zethu ezintweni eziphezulu ukuze sihlale siphapheme njalo siseduze loJehova. (1 Thes. 5:6-9) Ake sikhangele izinto ezintathu ezitshengisa ukuthi singakwenza njani lokhu.

¹⁶ Ukuziphatha kwethu: UPhetro wakubona ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuziphatha kuhle. Yikho wathi: ‘Philani impilo elungileyo phakathi kwabangakholwayo ukuze babone izenzo zenu ezilungileyo babonge uNkulunkulu.’ (1 Phet. 2:12) Kumele sizame sibili ukukhazimulisa uJehova ngokuziphatha kwethu okuhle, kungelani lokuthi singekhaya, sisemsebenzini, esikolo, enkonzweni kumbe siyazilibazisa. Siyakwazi ukuthi sonke siyaphambanisa ngoba singabantu abalesono. (Rom. 3:23) Kodwa  nxa siqhubeka ‘sisilwa ukulwa okuhle kokukholwa,’ singazinqoba izifiso ezimbi esingabe silazo.—1 Tim. 6:12.

17. Singamlingisela njani uJesu Khristu? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹⁷ Indlela esicabanga ngayo: Okungasinceda kakhulu ukuthi siziphathe kuhle sonke isikhathi yikuba lemicabango emihle. Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: “Isimo sengqondo yenu kumele sifanane lesikaKhristu uJesu.” (Flp. 2:5) UJesu wayengumuntu othobekileyo. Ukuthobeka kwakhe yikho okwamenza wazidela ukuze enze umsebenzi wokutshumayela. Wayehlala ecabanga ngokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Mak. 1:38; 13:10) Kanti njalo wayengakhulumi lokho ayekucabanga, kodwa wayesebenzisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. (Joh. 7:16; 8:28) Wayeyitaditsha okuzwayo iMibhalo engcwele ukuze enelise ukuyisebenzisa nxa ekhuluma, ayivikele nxa isetshenziswa kubi njalo ayichasise. Sizakuba lemicabango enjengekaKhristu nxa sizithoba, sisebenza gadalala enkonzweni njalo sihlala silitaditsha iBhayibhili.

18. Yikuphi okuqakathekileyo esingakwenza ukuze umsebenzi kaJehova uqhubekele phambili?

¹⁸ Esikwenzayo: UJehova ufuna ukuthi “amadolo wonke aguqe ebizweni likaJesu, ezulwini lasemhlabeni.” (Flp. 2:9-11) Lanxa uJesu esephiwe isikhundla esiphezulu, uzaqhubeka esenza intando kaYise ngokuzithoba. (1 Khor. 15:28) Thina singamlingisela njani? Ngokusebenza ngenhliziyo yonke emsebenzini ‘wokwenza abafundi ezizweni zonke’ esilaywe ukuthi siwenze. (Mat. 28:19) Kanti njalo sifuna ‘ukwenza okulungileyo ebantwini bonke,’ okutsho ukwenza okuhle kubomakhelwana bethu lakubafowethu.—Gal. 6:10.

19. Kumele sizimisele ukwenzani?

¹⁹ Kumele sibonge kakhulu ukuthi uJehova uyasikhumbuza ukuthi sihlale sibeke izingqondo zethu ezintweni eziphezulu. Lokhu singakwenza ‘ngokugijima ngokubekezela kulo umjaho ophawulelwe thina.’ (Heb. 12:1) Sonke kasisebenzeni ‘ngenhliziyo yethu yonke, njengokusebenzela iNkosi.’ Singenza njalo uBaba wethu osezulwini uzabusisa yonke imizamo esiyenzayo.—Kol. 3:23, 24.