1, 2. (a) Ngimiphi imibono engafaniko abantu abanayo malungana nekululeko? (b) IBhayibheli isitjelani malungana nekululeko yokuzikhethela, begodu ngimiphi imibuzo esizokucoca ngayo?

NGESIKHATHI azokwenza isiqunto, omunye umma watjho naka amezwi nakakhuluma nomnganakhe: “Ungangenzi bona ngicabange, ngitjela bona ngenzeni. Kubulula lokho.” Umma lo wakubona kungcono ukutjelwa bona enzeni kunokobana asebenzise isipho esiligugu asiphiwe nguJehova. Wena uthini endabeni le? Kghani uyathanda ukuzenzela wena iinqunto namkha nawe uyathanda lokha abanye abantu nabakwenzela isiqunto? Uyiqala njani indaba yekululeko?

² Sele kumakhulu weminyaka abantu baphikisana ngendaba le. Abanye bathi ayikho into ebizwa bona yikululeko, bebatjho nokuthi uZimu uyazi kusesengaphambili indlela esizokwenza ngayo kobunye nobunye ubujamo. Abanye godu bathi ikululeko yamambala ingaba khona kwaphela nange sinekululeko enganamkhawulo. Nanyana kunjalo, bona thina siyizwisise kuhle indaba le, kufuze sihlole lokho okutjhiwo liliZwi lakaZimu, iBhayibheli. Kubayini? Kazi phela iBhayibheli isitjela ngokuthi lokha uJehova nakasidala, wasinikela nekululeko yokuzikhethela, okulikghono lokuzikhethela begodu sizenzele iinqunto sisebenzisa ukuhlakanipha komkhumbulwethu. (Funda uJotjhuwa 24:15.) IBhayibheli godu liphendula nemibuzo enjengethi: Ikululeko yethu yokuzikhethela singayisebenzisa njani? Inga-kghani kunalapho ikhamba ifike khona? Indlela esisebenzisa ngayo  ikululeko yokuzikhethela ilitjengisa njani ithando lethu ngoJehova? Singatjengisa njani ukuthi siyazihlonipha iinqunto abanye abantu abazenzako?

3. Ngisiphi isibonelo uJehova asibekela sona malungana nokusebenzisa ikululeko?

³ UJehova naye unayo ikululeko yokuzikhethela, kodwana indlela ayisebenzisa ngayo, isibekela isibonelo nathi. Ngokwesibonelo, wakhetha isitjhaba sama-Israyeli, wasinikela igama lakhe, ‘isizwe esingesakhe.’ (Dut. 7:6-8) Ukukhethokhu bekungasikho ukutjhapha. UJehova begade azalisa isithembiso asenza ku-Abrahamu umnganakhe emakhulwini weminyaka eyadlulako. (Gen. 22:15-18) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova qobe usebenzisa ikululekwakhe yokuzikhethela ngendlela efaneleko begodu ikhambisana nethando nobulungisa. Lokhu kuyabonakala nasendleleni alungisa ngayo ama-Israyeli ngesikhathi alahla ukukhulekela kweqiniso, akwenza abuyelela. Lokha nawatjengisa ukuthi aphendukile, uJehova ngokuzithandela bekawatjengisa umusa nethando, watjho nanaka amezwi: “Ngizakupholisa ukuhlubuka kwabo. Ngibathande ngomusa.” (Hos. 14:4) Qala bona sibonelo esihle kangangani sokusebenzisa ikululeko bona kuzuze abanye!

4, 5. (a) Ngubani umuntu wokuthoma owafumana isipho sakaZimu sekululeko begodu wasisebenzisa njani? (b) Ngiwuphi umbuzo okufuze umuntu ngamunye azibuze wona?

⁴ UJehova nakathoma umsebenzakhe wokudala, wakhetha ukudlulisela ikululeko yokuzikhethela eendalweni zakhe. Isidalwa sokuthoma esathola isiphwesi bekuyiNdodanakhe yokuthoma, “umfanekiso wakaZimu ongabonakaliko.” (Kol. 1:15) Ngitjho nangaphambi kobana eze ephasinapha, uJesu wakhetha ukuthembeka kuBabakhe wangathathi ihlangothi lakaSathana ovukelako. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, nakasephasini uJesu wasebenzisa ikululekwakhe yokuzikhethela wabalekela iinlingo zakaSathana. (Mat. 4:10) Ngokwenza umthandazo osuka ehliziyweni ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu watjengisa bona uzimisele ukwenza intando kaZimu. Wathi: “Baba, nawuthandako susa ikapho le kimapha, nokho kungabi ngentandwami kodwana kwenziwe yakho.” (Luk. 22:42) Kwanga singalingisa uJesu sisebenzise ikululekwethu bona silotjhe uJehova besenze nentandwakhe! Kghani singakghona?

⁵ Iye, singakghona ukulingisa isibonelo sakaJesu ngombana nathi njengaye, senziwa ngomfanekiso kaZimu. (Gen. 1:26) Nanyana kunjalo, thina sikhamba siphelelwe. Asinayo ikululeko elingana neyakaJehova. IliZwi lakaZimu liyasitjela ukuthi ikululekwethu ikhamba iphelelwe begodu kufuze silemuke bona uJehova nguye osibekele izinga esingafikelela kilo. Wenze bona abafazi bathobele amadoda nabentwana bathobele ababelethi. (Efe. 5: 22; 6:1) Ukungaphelelokhu kuyithinta njani indlela esisebenzisa ngayo ikululekwethu? Ipendulo yombuzo lo ingatjengisa bona sizokuphila isiphelani namkha awa.

6. Akhufanekise bona kubayini kufanekela bona ikululekwethu ibe nemikhawulo.

⁶ Inga-kghani ukuba nekululeko enokungapheleli kuyikululeko yamambala? Iye, ngiyo! Kubayini sitjho njalo? Imikhawulo ekhambisana nekululeko ingabavikela abantu. Ngokwesibonelo, singayisebenzisa ikululekwethu yokuzikhethela bona sikhambe sitjhinge edorobheni elikude khulu. Nanyana kunjalo, umbuzo ukukuthi, kghani sizizwa siphephile na lokha nasitjhayela endaweni enganayo imithetho yendlela, lapho woke umuntu atjhaphuluke khona bona angazenzela sakhe isiqunto malungana nokuthi ufuna ukutjhayela ngebelo elingangani, nokuthi ufuna ukukhamba kuliphi ihlangothi lendlela nakatjhayelako? Awa, ngekhe satjho njalo. Imikhawulo iyatlhogeka ukwenzela bona woke umuntu athabele iimbusiso zekululeko yamambala. Ukutjengisa ukuthi kungaba kuhlakanipha lokha nasisebenzisa  ikululeko ngendlela uJehova ayifunako, akhesicoce ngeembonelo eziseBhayibhelini.

7. (a) Ikululeko yokuzikhethela yamenza njani u-Adamu bona ahluke kezinye izinto eziphilako ebezisesimini ye-Edeni? (b) Hlathulula indlela u-Adamu asebenzisa ngayo ikululekwakhe.

⁷ Lokha uZimu nakadala umuntu wokuthoma u-Adamu, wamnikela isipho esifanako naleso asinekela iindalwa zakhe zezulwini, isipho sekululeko. Lokhu kwenza bona u-Adamu ahluke eenlwaneni njengombana zona zinendlelazo yokuphila. Akhesibone indlela u-Adamu asebenzisa ngayo ikululekwakhe ngendlela efaneleko. Iinlwana zadalwa ngaphambi kokudalwa kwabantu. Nanyana kunjalo, uJehova wakhetha bona anikele indodanakhe yokuthoma emumuntu umsebenzi wokuthiya iinlwana. UZimu “waziletha emuntwini ukuze abone bonyana uzithiya amabizo athini.” Ngemva kobana u-Adamu azithiya amagama iinlwana, uJehova akhenge angenele, abe sibhidla mnyanya aqalele phasi ikululeko ka-Adamu yokukhetha. Kunalokho, uJehova waqiniseka bona “lokho umuntu agade azakuthiya isilwana ngakho, bekuzakuba libizo laso.”—Gen. 2:19.

8. U-Adamu wayisebenzisa njani kumbi ikululekwakhe, begodu kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

⁸ Kuyadanisa ukuthi u-Adamu khenge umanelise umsebenzi uZimu ebekamnikele wona njengomtlhogomeli wepharadesi ephasinapha. Akhenge aneliswe yikululekwakhe yokobana enze umsebenzi uZimu amnikele wona, njengombana athi: “Belethani nande, nizalise iphasi nilibuse; nibuse phezu kweenhlambi zelwandle, iinyoni zomkayi naphezu kwenyabanyaba yoke ekhamba phezu kwephasi.” (Gen. 1:28) Kunalokho, wakhetha ukuvukela igunya lakaZimu ngokudla isithelo ebekungakafaneli bona asidle. Ukusetjenziswa kumbi kwekululeko le kwadosela ekutheni woke umuntu aqalane neenhlungu bekahlupheke ngebanga laka-Adamu. (Rom. 5:12) Ukwazi imiphumela yesiqunto saka-Adamu kufuze kusenze sifune ukuyisebenzisa kuhle ikululekwethu, ngendlela uJehova afuna bona siyisebenzise ngayo.

9. Ngikuphi ukukhetha uJehova athi abantu bakhe ama-Israyeli kufuze bakwenze, begodu isitjhabesi sasabela njani?

⁹ Ngombana u-Adamu no-Eva khenge balalele, abantwana babo bafunyana ukungapheleli nokufa njengomphumela. Nanyana kunjalo, akhenge sibalahlekele isipho sekululeko yokuzikhethela. Kanti nasiqala indlela uZimu aphatha ngayo ama-Israyeli siyabubona ubufakazi. UJehova wasebenzisa isikhonzi sakhe uMosi bona anikele abantu ikululeko yokuzikhethela ukuthi bayalamukela namkha abalamukeli ilungelo lokuba ngabakhethekileko bakhe. (Eks. 19:3-6) Basabela njani? Ngokuzithandela boke bakhetha ukubizwa ngebizo lakaZimu, boke ngelizwi elilodwa bathi: ‘Koke uJehova akukhulumileko sizakwenza.’ (Eks. 19:8) Kuyadanisa nokho ukuthi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, isitjhabesi, sayisebenzisa kumbi ikululekwaso, sangasifezi isithembiso ebesisenzile. Kwanga nathi singafunda eembonelwenezi, begodu qobe sihlale sisithokozela isipho sethu sekululeko yokuzikhethela ngokuhlala sitjhidelene noJehova nangokwenza koke akufunako kithi.—1 Kor. 10:11.

10. Ngiziphi iimbonelo ezitjengisa ukuthi mbala kungakghoneka ngabantu abanesono bona basebenzise isipho sabo sekululeko ngendlela ezokuletha idumo kuZimu? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

¹⁰ Encwadini yamaHebheru isahluko-11, sifunyana amabizo weenkhonzi zakaZimu ezili-16 ezakhetha ukusebenzisa ikululekwazo ngokwemikhawulo eyabekwa nguJehova. Umphumela walokho waba kukuthi bafunyana iimbusiso begodu nethemba labo lekusasa laqina khulu. Ngokwesibonelo, uNowa watjengisa ukukholwa okukhulu, wakhetha ukulalela uZimu nakamqophisa bona akhe umkhumbi ukuze kusinde yena nomndenakhe kunye nayo yoke inzalo yabantu. (Heb. 11:7) U-Abrahamu noSara bakhetha ukulalela uZimu ngokuzithandela bona abase enarheni yesithembiso. Ngitjho nanyana besele bakhethile ukuthatha ikhambweli, belisesekhona ‘ithuba lokobana babuyele’ edorobheni elinomnotho, idorobho le-Uri. Nanyana kunjalo, benza bona amehlwabo  wokukholwa ahlale ‘ekuzalisekeni kweenthembiso zakaZimu,’ ngombana “bebakhanukela iphasi elingcono.” (Heb. 11:8, 13, 15, 16) UMosi wakhetha ukungabunaki ubukhazikhazi beGibhide “wenyula ukuphathwa makghwakghwa nabantu bakaZimu kunobanyana athabe isikhatjhana esonweni.” (Heb. 11:24-26) Kwanga singalingisa iimbonelwezi zokukholwa, sithokozele isipho sethu sekululeko begodu sisisebenzisele ukwenza intando kaZimu.

11. (a) Ngisiphi isibusiso esisithabelako ngokuba nekululeko yokuzikhethela? (b) Yini ekutjhukumisela bona usebenzise isipho sakho sokuzikhethela ngendlela efaneleko?

¹¹ Nanyana kungabonakala ngasuthi kubulula khulu ukuvumela bona omunye umuntu asenzele iinqunto, kodwana ukwenza njalo kungasilahlekisela isibusiso esihle kinazo zoke ongazicabanga, isipho sokuzikhethela. Isibusiswesi kukhulunywa ngaso encwadini kaDuteronomi 30:19, 20. (Ifunde.) Ivesi-19 likhuluma ngokukhetha, uZimu athi ama-Israyeli kwakufuze akwenze. Evesini-20 sifunda ngokuthi uJehova wabanikela ithuba lokumtjengisa lokho ebekuseenhliziyweni zabo. Nathi singakhetha ukukhonza uJehova. Iye, kufuze sisebenzise isipho sekululeko uZimu asinikele sona, simtjengise bona simthanda kangangani begodu simlethele iphazimulo nedumo!

12. Yini okungakafuzi bona siyenze ngesipho sethu sekululeko yokuzikhethela?

¹² Akhucabange nganapu ubujamo, uphe umnganakho isipho esihle nesikhethekileko. Kusesenjalo ufumana ukuthi umnganakho isipho sakhweso usilahlile namkha okumbi ukudlula lokho, ulimaze omunye umuntu ngaso! Njeke, cabanga bona uzizwa njani uJehova njengombana aqalile, abona abantu basebenzisa kumbi isipho abanikele sona bona balimaze abanye. Kwamambala, njengombana iBhayibheli latjho bona “ngemihla yokuphela” abantu bazakuba ‘ngabangathokoziko.’ (2 Thim. 3:1, 2) Kwanga singeze sasisebenzisa kumbi isipho uJehova asinikele sona. Kodwana singakubalekela njani ukusisebenzisa kumbi isipho sethu sokuzikhethela?

13. Ngiyiphi indlela esingenza ngayo bona sibalekele ukusebenzisa kumbi ikululekwethu?

¹³ Soke sinekululeko yokuzikhethela, khulukhulu nasiza endabeni yabantu esizihlanganisa nabo, iintayela zokumbatha nokuzilungisa kunye nehlobo lokuzithabisa esilikhethako. Nanyana kunjalo, ikululekwethu le godu ingaba ‘yindlela yokwenza izinto ezingakafaneli’ nasikhetha ukuba ziingqila zeemfiso zenyama yethu namkha nasikhetha ukulandela indlela  yokuphila yephaseli. (Funda yoku-1 Pitrosi 2:16.) Kunokobana sisebenzise ikululekwethu “njengethuba enyameni,” sifuna ukuzimisela bona sikhethe ngendlela ezosisiza sikghone ukulalela nasi iseluleko: “Kwenzeni koke mayelana nedumo lakaZimu.”—Gal. 5:13; 1 Kor. 10:31.

14. Ukuthembela kwethu kuJehova kuhlangana njani nendlela esisebenzisa ngayo ikululekwethu yokuzikhethela?

¹⁴ Enye indlela esingavikela ngayo isipho sethu sekululeko yokuzikhethela kukobana sithembele kuJehova simvumele bona asinqophise. UJehova kazi nguye yedwa ‘osifundisako bona kusikhambele kuhle, usinqophisa nendleleni ekufanele siyikhambe.’ (Isa. 48:17) Kufuze siwavume amezwi aliqiniso nazuzisako, athi: “Umuntu akaziphileli; akusisemuntwini ukuzikhambela nokunqophisa amagadangwakhe.” (Jor. 10:23) Kwanga singakubalekela ukuzithemba thina njengombana kwenza u-Adamu nama-Israyeli angazange athembeke kwekadeni. Kwanga ‘singathembela kuJehova [ngeenhliziyo zethu] zoke.’—IzA. 3:5.

15. Isifundisani incwadi yebeGalatiya 6:5?

¹⁵ Okhunye okufuze sikwenze njengombana sinekululeko yokuzikhethela kukobana sihloniphe ilungelo labanye lokuzenzela zabo iinqunto. Njengombana soke sinesipho sekululeko yokuzikhethela, angekhe senze iinqunto ezifanako. Lokhu kuliqiniso ngitjho nasendabeni yendlela esiziphatha ngayo nekulotjheni kwethu uZimu. Khumbula ikambiso ekwebeGalatiya 6:5. (Ifunde.) Nasikhumbula bona omunye nomunye kufanele “athwale umthwalo wakhe,” sizolihlonipha nelungelo labanye lokusebenzisa isipho sabo sekululeko yokuzikhethela.

16, 17. (a) Yini eyenza bona ikululeko yokuzikhethela ibangele ipikiswano eKorinte? (b) UPowulu wazilungisa njani iindaba, begodu lokhu kusifundisani thina ngamalungelo wabanye wokwenza iinqunto?

¹⁶ Akhesicoce ngesibonelo seBhayibheli esiveza unobangela wokobana sihloniphe ilungelo labafowethu nabodadwethu lokuzenzela zabo iinqunto eendabeni ezithinta isazela. AmaKrestu weKorinte akhe ahlukana phakathi ngendaba yokuthi kufuze idliwe na inyama ebeyihlatjelwe abosingazimu, bese ngemva kwalokho ifakwa eentolo bona abantu bayithenge bebayidle. Abanye nababeka iinzathu zabo bathi: ‘Siyazi bona usingazimu akasililitho ephasini, yeke inyama singayidla ngesazela esitjhaphulukileko.’ Nanyana kunjalo, abanye ekhe balotjha abosingazimu ngaphambili, baba namazizo wokuthi nabangayidla inyama leyo, lokho kuzokuba sisenzo sokukhulekela. (1 Kor. 8:4, 7) Le bekuyindaba ebudisi tle! Kangangobana beyisongela ngitjho nokuthula kwebandla. UPowula wawasiza njani amaKrestu weKorinte bona afumane umbono kaZimu endabeni le?

¹⁷ Kokuthoma, uPowulu wakhumbuza amahlangothi womabili bona ukudla ngekhe kwawatjhideza kuZimu. (1 Kor. 8:8) Walandelisa ngokubayelelisa bona bangavumeli ‘ikululekwabo’ bona ‘ibe sikhubekiso kababuthakathaka.’ (1 Kor. 8:9) Akhenge abatjhiye ngaphandle nalabo abanonembeza othinteka msinya, wathi nabo akukafuzi bahlulele labo abakhetha ukudla inyama le. (1 Kor. 10:25, 29, 30) Yeke, endabeni eqakathekileko le ebandakanya ukukhulekela, umKrestu ngamunye bekufuze azenzele sakhe isiqunto ngonembezakhe. Kghani nathi akukafuzi na sihloniphe ilungelo labafowethu nabodadwethu lokuzenzela iinqunto zabo?—1 Kor. 10:32, 33.

18. Uzokutjengisa njani bona wena uyasithabela isipho sakho sekululeko?

¹⁸ UJehova usinikele isipho sekululeko yokuzikhethela kunye nekululeko yamambala. (2 Kor. 3:17) Sisithabela tle isiphwesi ngombana sisivumela bona senze iinqunto ezitjengisa uJehova bona simthanda kangangani. Kwanga singaragela phambili sitjengisa bona siyasithabela isiphwesi ngokusisebenzisa ngendlela ephazimulisa uZimu begodu siragele phambili nokuhlonipha indlela abanye abasebenzisa ngayo ikululekwabo.