1. Yintoni eyabangela uKayin angenzi isigqibo sobulumko, ibe waba yintoni umphumo?

UKAYIN kwakufuneka akhethe phakathi kokulawula iimvakalelo zakhe ezaziza kumenzisa isono, nokuziyeka zimqhubele esenzweni. Enoba wayeza kukhetha yiphi indlela, imiphumo yayiza kutshintsha ubomi bakhe bonke. Siyazi ukuba uKayin zange akhethe kakuhle. Isigqibo nezenzo zakhe zamkhokelela ekubulaleni umntakwabo uAbheli owayethembekile. Eso sigqibo samxabanisa noMdali wakhe.—Gen. 4:3-16.

2. Kubaluleke kangakanani ukukwazi ukukhetha ngobulumko?

² Nathi ke sinazo izinto ekufuneka sikhethe yaye senze izigqibo ngazo. Ezinye zezo zigqibo azingombandela wokufa nokuphila. Kodwa ke, uninzi lwazo, kunye nezinto esizikhethayo, zinganemiphumo ebuhlungu kuthi. Ngenxa yoko, ukukwazi ukwenza izigqibo kunokusinceda siphile ubomi obunenzolo noxolo, kunokuba siphile obuzaliswe ziziphithiphithi, iimpixwano nokuphoxeka.—IMize. 14:8.

3. (a) Yintoni esifanele siyithembe ukuze senze izigqibo zobulumko? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

³ Yintoni eza kusinceda senze izigqibo zobulumko? Ngokuqinisekileyo kufuneka simthembe uThixo, singathandabuzi  ukuba ufuna ukusinceda nokuba angakwazi ukusenza sibe nobulumko. Kukwafuneka sithembele ngeLizwi LikaYehova nendlela enza ngayo izinto, siwathembe amacebiso akhe aphefumlelweyo. (Funda uYakobi 1:5-8.) Xa sisondela ngakumbi kuYehova yaye sisiya silithanda iLizwi lakhe, siye sizithembe iindlela zakhe. Iba ngumkhwa wethu ukwenza izigqibo sisebenzisa iLizwi LikaThixo. Kodwa sinokuyiphucula njani indlela esenza ngayo izigqibo? Yaye ngaba xa sele sikhethile asimele sitshintshe nokuba sekumnyam’ entla?

4. UAdam kwafuneka enze siphi isigqibo, ibe yaba yintoni imiphumo?

⁴ Ukususela ekudalweni kwabo, abantu bekufuneka benze izigqibo ezibalulekileyo. UAdam kwafuneka akhethe phakathi kokumamela uMdali wakhe nokumamela uEva. Wasenza sona isigqibo, kodwa ucinga ntoni ngaso? Umfazi wakhe owayeqhathiwe wamphembelela ukuba akhethe kakubi, nto leyo eyamenza wagxothwa eParadesi waza wafa ekugqibeleni. Eso yayisesisiqalo nje. Sisaqhubeka simhokamhokana nemiphumo yeso sigqibo sika-Adam sibi.

5. Simele sikujonge njani ukuzenzela izigqibo?

⁵ Mhlawumbi bakho abantu abacinga ukuba ubomi ngebumnandi kakhulu ukuba besingazenzeli izigqibo. Ngaba nawe uvakalelwa ngolo hlobo? Khumbula ukuba, uYehova akasenzanga saba ngoomatshini abangakwazi kucinga nokukhetha. IBhayibhile iyasifundisa indlela yokukhetha ngobulumko. Nangona uYehova efuna sizenzele izigqibo, akafuni sizifake engxakini. Makhe sijonge ubungqina baloo nto.

6, 7. AmaSirayeli kwakufuneka akhethe phakathi kwantoni, yaye kutheni kwakunzima ukuba akhethe ngobulumko? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁶ Xa amaSirayeli afikayo kwilizwe lesithembiso, kwakufuneka akhethe phakathi kwezinto ezimbini: Ukukhonza uYehova okanye abanye oothixo. (Funda uYoshuwa 24:15.) Yayilula loo nto, kodwa yayibalulekile. Yayisenokuba kukufa nokuphila kuwo. Ngexesha laBagwebi, amaSirayeli agqwidiza egqwidizile. Amshiya uYehova aza anqula oothixo bobuxoki. (ABagwe. 2:3, 11-23) Khawucinge nangelinye ixesha kwimbali yabantu bakaThixo apho kwanyanzeleka ukuba bakhethe. Umprofeti uEliya wathi mabakhethe kwezi zinto: Ukukhonza uYehova okanye ukukhonza uthixo wobuxoki uBhahali. (1 Kum. 18:21) UEliya wabakhalimela abantu ngokuthingaza. Mhlawumbi ucinga ukuba kwakulula ukwenza eso sigqibo kuba kusoloko kububulumko yaye kunceda ukukhonza uYehova. Phofu, akakho umntu obhadlileyo onokutsaleleka kuBhahali aze ahlale emkhonza. Nakuba kunjalo, loo maSirayeli ‘ayembaxa.’ Ngobulumko, uEliya wawacenga ukuba akhethe indlela egqwesileyo yokunqula, ukukhonza uYehova.

⁷ Kutheni kusenokuba kwakunzima kula maSirayeli ukwenza isigqibo sobulumko? Okokuqala, ayengasamthembi uYehova kwaye engafuni nokummamela. Ayengenaso isiseko solwazi oluchanileyo okanye ubulumko obuvela kuThixo; kwaye ayengathembelanga ngoYehova. Ukusebenzisa ulwazi oluchanileyo ngekwakuwancedile enza izigqibo zobulumko. (INdu. 25:12) Ngaphezu koko, ayephenjelelwa ngabanye de avume nokuba bawenzele izigqibo. Abantu belo lizwe ababengamkhonzi uYehova bayiphembelela indlela awayecinga ngayo amaSirayeli,  bawenza alandela isihlwele sabahedeni. UYehova wayewalumkise kwangaphambili ukuba ingenzeka into enjalo.—Eks. 23:2.

8. Sesiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esisifunda kumaSirayeli ngokwenza izigqibo?

⁸ Le mizekelo ingasentla isisifundo esicacileyo kuthi. Kusemntwini ngamnye ukuzenzela izigqibo, kwaye ukuze sikhethe ngobulumko, sifanele sisebenzise ulwazi lweZibhalo. AmaGalati 6:5 athi: “Ngamnye uya kuthwala owakhe umthwalo.” Asimele siyinike omnye umntu imbopheleleko yethu yokuzenzela izigqibo. Kunoko, sifanele sizifundele ukwenza okufanelekileyo emehlweni kaThixo size sikhethe ukwenza kona.

9. Kungaba yingozi njani ukuvumela abantu basigqibele?

⁹ Sinokuzifaka njani kwingozi yokuvumela abanye abantu basikhethele? Ukulandela umndilili kunokusenzisa izigqibo ezingafanelekanga. (IMize. 1:10, 15) Sekunjalo, nokuba abantu bangasinyanzela kangakanani na, yimbopheleleko yethu ukulandela izazela zethu eziqeqeshwe yiBhayibhile. Ukuba sivumela abantu basigqibele, kuyafana nokuba sigqiba ekubeni sibe ngabalandeli babo. Ewe kona siya kube sikhethile, kodwa sisenokungena engxakini enkulu.

10. UPawulos kwakufuneka awalumkise ngantoni amaGalati?

¹⁰ Umpostile uPawulos wawalumkisa amaGalati ngobungozi bokuvumela abantu bawenzele izigqibo ngezinto ezifuna wona. (Funda amaGalati 4:17.) Ebandleni kwakukho abazalwana ababefuna ukukhethela abanye kwimicimbi eyayifuna bazikhethele ngenjongo yokubaxabanisa nabapostile. Ngoba? La madoda azicingela odwa ayefuna izikhundla. Ayetsibe uPhungela ngenkqu ibe engayihloneli imbopheleleko yamaKristu yokuzenzela izigqibo.

11. Sinokubanceda njani abanye abantu xa bezenzela izigqibo?

¹¹ Sinokufunda lukhulu kuPawulos ngokuhlonela ilungelo labazalwana lokuzikhethela. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 1:24.) Namhlanje, xa abadala  becebisa abazalwana kwizinto ezifuna umntu azikhethele, bafanele balandele lo mzekelo. Bayakuvuyela ukuxelela abanye abazalwana ngenkcazelo eseBhayibhileni. Kodwa, abadala bamele baqiniseke ukuba abazalwana noodade bayazenzela izigqibo kwimicimbi efuna bona. Iyavakala loo nto, kuba kaloku ngabo abaza kuthwala imiphumo yezo zigqibo. Nasi isifundo esibalulekileyo: Sinokubonisa ukuba sibakhathelele abantu ngokubabonisa amacebiso afumaneka kwimigaqo yeZibhalo. Sekunjalo, abantu banelungelo nembopheleleko yokuzenzela ezabo izigqibo. Xa begqiba ngobulumko, bayancedakala. Kucacile ke, sifanele siyiphephe into yokucinga ukuba sinegunya lokwenzela abanye abazalwana noodade izigqibo nokubakhethela.

12, 13. Kutheni kuyingozi ukulandela intliziyo xa sinomsindo okanye sidimazekile?

¹² Abantu badla ngokuthi: Landela intliziyo yakho. Kodwa ukwenza loo nto kungayingozi. Nezibhalo aziyivumi loo nto. IBhayibhile isilumkisa ukuba singazivumeli iintliziyo zethu ezikhe ziphazame zisilawule okanye siqhutywe ziimvakalelo xa sisenza izigqibo. (IMize. 28:26) Isibonisa imiphumo emibi eyafunyanwa ngabantu abalandela iintliziyo zabo. Ingxaki enkulu ebantwini abangafezekanga kukuba, “intliziyo inenkohliso kunayo nantoni na yaye iyatyhudisa.” (Yer. 3:17; 13:10; 17:9; 1 Kum. 11:9) Ngoko ke, yintoni enokwenzeka kuthi xa sinokuvele silandele iintliziyo zethu?

¹³ Intliziyo yomKristu ibalulekile, kuba siyalelwe ukuba simthande uYehova ngentliziyo iphela, nokuba sithande ummelwane njengokuba sizithanda. (Mat. 22:37-39) Kodwa iZibhalo ezikwisiqendu esidlulileyo zibonisa ubungozi bokuvumela iimvakalelo zilawule indlela esicinga nesenza ngayo. Ngokomzekelo, kunokwenzeka ntoni xa sinokwenza izigqibo sinomsindo? Kusenokwenzeka sesiyazi impendulo ukuba sakha sazenza. (IMize. 14:17; 29:22) Ngaba singakwazi ukwenza izigqibo zobulumko xa sidimazekile? (Num. 32:6-12; IMize. 24:10) Ukhumbule ukuba iLizwi LikaThixo libonisa ukuba kububulumko ukuba ‘likhoboka lomthetho kaThixo.’ (Roma 7:25) Kucacile ukuba, kungalula ukuqhathwa ziimvakalelo zethu ukuba siyazivumela zisilawule xa sisenza izigqibo ezibalulekileyo.

14. Sazi njani ukuba ngamany’ amaxesha kufanelekile ukutshintsha isigqibo esisele sisenzile?

¹⁴ Kufuneka senze izigqibo zobulumko. Kodwa loo nto ayithi simele sibethe ngenqindi phantsi xa kufuneka sitshintshe isigqibo esisele sisenzile. Akho amaxesha apho kuya kusinceda ukuhlola izigqibo zethu size mhlawumbi sizitshintshe. Qaphela indlela uYehova awenza ngayo eNineve ngemihla kaYona. “UThixo oyinyaniso wayibona imisebenzi yabo, ukuba babebuyile endleleni yabo embi; yaye uThixo oyinyaniso wazisola ngentlekele awayethe uza kubazisela yona; waza akayizisa.” (Yona 3:10) Emva kokuba iNineve iguqukile yaza yatshintsha neendlela zayo, noYehova wasitshintsha isigqibo sakhe. Ngokwenjenjalo, wabonisa ukuba uyacinga ngaphambi kokwenza, unomonde kwaye unenkathalo. Ngaphezu koko, uThixo akaqhutywa ngumsindo xa egqiba ngento amakayenze njengabaninzi kuthi.

15. Yintoni enokusenza sitshintshe isigqibo?

 ¹⁵ Ngamany’ amaxesha kunokuba kuhle ukuba sitshintshe into ebesiyikhethile okanye isigqibo esisenzileyo. Kusenokuba njalo xa iimeko zitshintsha. UYehova wayezitshintsha izigqibo zakhe ngamanye amaxesha xa iimeko zitshintsha. (1 Kum. 21:20, 21, 27-29; 2 Kum. 20:1-5) Inkcazelo entsha inokuba sisizathu esivakalayo sokutshintsha izigqibo zethu. UKumkani uDavide waxokiswa ngomzukulwana kaSawule uMefibhoshete. Xa kamva wayivayo inyaniso, wasitshintsha isigqibo sakhe. (2 Sam. 16:3, 4; 19:24-29) Kububulumko ukuba nathi senze njalo ngamanye amaxesha.

16. (a) Ngawaphi amacebiso anokusinceda senze izigqibo zobulumko? (b) Kutheni sifanele sizihlole izigqibo esizenzileyo, ibe sifanele siyenze njani loo nto?

¹⁶ ILizwi LikaThixo liyasicebisa ukuba singangxami xa sisenza isigqibo esibalulekileyo. (IMize. 21:5) Xa sithatha ixesha size sicinge kakuhle ngazo zonke izinto ezibandakanyekileyo eziphathelele eso sigqibo, siya kutsho siphumelele. (1 Tes. 5:21) Ngaphambi kokwenza isigqibo, intloko-ntsapho imele iphande kwiZibhalo nakwiimpapasho kuqala, ifumane noluvo lwamalungu entsapho yayo. Khumbula ukuba uThixo wabongoza uAbraham ukuba amamele inkosikazi yakhe. (Gen. 21:9-12) Nabadala bamele baziphe ixesha lokuphanda. Ibe ukuba bangamadoda acinga kakuhle nathozamileyo, abasoze boyike ukuba baza kudelelwa xa kukho inkcazelo entsha efikayo kuze kufuneke batshintshe isigqibo abasele besenzile. Bafanele bakulungele ukutshintsha indlela abacinga ngayo nezigqibo abazenzileyo xa kufanelekile, ibe sonke simele silandele loo mzekelo. Loo nto iya kukhuthaza uxolo nocwangco ebandleni.—IZe. 6:1-4.

17. Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze siphumelele nangakumbi xa sisenza izigqibo?

¹⁷ Ezinye izigqibo zinzima kunezinye. Xa zinjalo ke zifuna ukucingisiswa kakuhle, ibe loo nto isenokuthatha ixesha. Amanye amaKristu kufuneka enze isigqibo sokuba atshate na, nesokuba atshate bani. Esinye isigqibo esibalulekileyo esinokuza neentsikelelo ezininzi sesokuba umntu angaqalisa nini yaye njani kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Kwizinto ezinjengezi, kubalulekile ukumthemba ngokupheleleyo uYehova ukuba usikhokela ngobulumko. (IMize. 1:5) Ngenxa yoko, kubalulekile ukufunda iBhayibhile engowona mthombo ufanelekileyo wamacebiso size sithandaze sicele uYehova asikhokele. Singayilibali into yokuba unokusenza sibe nobuntu obufunekayo ukuze senze izigqibo ezivisisana nokuthanda kwakhe. Xa kufuneka wenze izigqibo ezibalulekileyo, ziqhelise ukuzibuza le mibuzo: ‘Ngaba esi sigqibo siza kubonisa indlela endimthanda ngayo uYehova? Ngaba siza kuyenza yonwabe kwaye ibe seluxolweni intsapho yam? Yaye ngaba siza kubonisa ukuba ndinomonde nobubele?’

18. Kutheni uYehova elindele ukuba sizenzele izigqibo?

¹⁸ UYehova akasinyanzeli ukuba simthande nokuba simkhonze. Sithi abazikhetheleyo. Kuba esinike inkululeko yokuzikhethela, uyayihlonela imbopheleleko nelungelo lethu ‘lokuzikhethela’ enoba siza kukhonza yena na. (Yosh. 24:15; INtshu. 5:4) Kodwa ulindele ukuba sizenze ezinye izigqibo esifikelele kuzo ngokulandela ukhokelo lwakhe. Xa siyithemba indlela kaYehova yokwenza izinto nemigaqo asinike yona, sinokwenza izigqibo zobulumko size sizinze kuzo zonke iindlela zethu.—Yak. 1:5-8; 4:8.