1, 2. Kutheni ikhampasi isisixhobo esibalulekileyo, yaye inokufaniswa njani nesazela?

 UMATILOSHE ubhexesha inqanawa yakhe etyhubela amaza esithabathaba solwandlekazi; umhambi ubetha ngezikaTshiwo enqumla intlango; umqhubi wenqwelo-moya uyayiqhuba njengoko indanda ngaphezu kweengqimba zamafu azalise isibhakabhaka. Ngaba uyayazi into abafana ngayo aba bantu? Ngamnye kubo, ngandlel’ ithile, unokuba kwenkulu inkathazo ngaphandle kwekhampasi—ngokukodwa ukuba akanabo obunye ubugcisa bale mihla.

² Ikhampasi sisixhobo esingenabugocigoci buninzi, ngokuqhelekileyo iba nobuso obufana nobewotshi kunye nosiba olwalatha emntla. Xa isebenza kakuhle, yaye ngokukodwa xa isetyenziswa nemaphu echanileyo, inokubusindisa ubomi babantu. Ngandlel’ ithile, inokufaniswa nesipho  esixabisekileyo esisiphiwe nguYehova—isazela. (Yakobi 1:17) Ngaphandle kwezazela besiya kulahleka singazazi nokuba siphi na. Isazela sinokusinceda sifumane indlela size sihlale kuyo, ukuba phofu sisisebenzisa kakuhle. Ngoko makhe sisichaze into esiyiyo isazela nendlela esisebenza ngayo. Siza kuxubusha ezi ngongoma: (1) Indlela esinokuqeqeshwa ngayo isazela, (2) isizathu sokuba sifanele sizicingele izazela zabanye abantu, kunye (3) nendlela ukuba nesazela esicocekileyo okunokusiphathela iintsikelelo ngayo.

 3. Lithetha ukuthini igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “isazela,” kwaye lichaza waphi amandla akhethekileyo abanawo abantu?

³ EBhayibhileni, igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “isazela” lithetha “ukuzazi, okanye ukwazi isiqu sakho.” Thina bantu sahlukile kuzo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni, kuba siphiwe nguThixo amandla okuzazi. Siyakwazi ukuthi, ngokungathi kunjalo, sime phaya ecaleni size sizijonge, sikhangele enoba sigqibelele okanye akunjalo kusini na. Izazela zethu zinjengengqina okanye ijaji ehlola izenzo, izimo zengqondo nokhetho esilwenzayo. Sinokusiqhubela ekubeni senze isigqibo esifanelekileyo okanye sisilumkise ekwenzeni isigqibo esiphosakeleyo. Emva koko, sinokusithuthuzela xa siye sakhetha ukwenza okulungileyo okanye sisixhele ngaphakathi xa siye sakhetha ukwenza into engentle.

4, 5. (a) Sazi njani ukuba uAdam noEva babenezazela, yaye kwenzeka ntoni bakungaphulaphuli umthetho kaThixo? (b) Yiyiphi imizekelo ebonisa ukusebenza kwezazela kumadoda athembekileyo awayephila ngaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu?

⁴ La mandla anikwa abantu kwasekudalweni kwabo. UAdam noEva babonakala ukuba babenazo izazela. Loo nto siyibona kwindlela ababa manyonywana ngayo emva kokuba bonile. (Genesis 3:7, 8) Okulusizi kukuba, ukuxhelwa kwabo zizazela kwakufana nokukhalel’ ubisi oluchithekileyo. Babeye bawaphula ngabom umthetho kaThixo. Ngenxa yoko, babesenza into abayaziyo xa babekhetha ukuvukela nokuchasa uYehova uThixo. Ekubeni babefezekile, kwakungekho kubuya mva.

 ⁵ Abantu abaninzi abangafezekanga baye baziphulaphula izazela zabo, abafana noAdam noEva. Ngokomzekelo, indoda eyayithembekile, uYobhi, yakwazi ukuthetha la mazwi: “Ndibambelele kokusesikweni kwam, yaye andiyi kukuyeka; intliziyo yam ayiyi kundingcikiva yonke imihla yam.” a (Yobhi 27:6) Ngokwenene uYobhi wayeyindoda enesazela. Wayesiphulaphula isazela sakhe, esivumela ukuba simkhokele xa esenza izinto naxa esenza izigqibo. Ngenxa yoko, wayenokutsho umlomo ugcwale athi isazela sakhe asimgwebi, asimenzi azive eneentloni okanye enetyala. Makhe sithelekise uYobhi noDavide. Xa uDavide wadelela uSawule, ukumkani owayethanjiswe nguYehova, “kwathi emva koko intliziyo kaDavide yaba buhlungu.” (1 Samuweli 24:5) Ngokuqinisekileyo ukuxhelwa kukaDavide sisazela kwamnceda, kwamfundisa ukuba angaphinde adelele abantu kwakhona.

 6. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba isazela sisipho esiphiwe bonke abantu?

⁶ Ngaba esi siphiwo sesazela sinikwa abakhonzi bakaYehova kuphela? Khawufunde la mazwi aphefumlelweyo kampostile uPawulos athi: “Xa sukuba abantu beentlanga abangenawo umthetho besenza ngemvelo izinto zomthetho, aba bantu, nangona bengenawo umthetho, bangumthetho kubo ngokwabo. Bona babonakalisa ukuba umthetho ubhalwe ezintliziyweni zabo, nesazela sabo siyakungqina oko, yaye iingcamango zabo ziyabamangalela okanye zibangxengxezele.” (Roma 2:14, 15) Kwanabo bangazi nowathwethwa ngemithetho kaYehova maxa wambi basenokuqhutywa leli ngqina lingaphakathi kubo ukuba benze izinto ngokwemigaqo kaThixo.

 7. Kutheni izazela zisenokuphazama?

⁷ Kodwa ke, kwezinye iimeko isazela sikhe siphazame. Ngoba?  Kaloku, xa ubeka ikhampasi ecaleni kwentsimbi, usiba lwayo luyajika lwalathe loo ntsimbi kunokuba lwalathe emntla. Kwaye xa umntu oyisebenzisayo enemaphu engachananga, uyaziduba ngokufane ayiphathe. Ngendlela efanayo ke, xa izazela zethu zindlandlathekiswa yiminqweno yentliziyo yokufuna ukuzibeka phambili, zinokusilahlekisa. Yaye ukuba asisetyenziswa ngolwalathiso oluqinisekileyo lweLizwi likaThixo, sisenokungakwazi ukubona into elungileyo nengalunganga kwimiba ebalulekileyo. Lilonke, ukuze izazela zethu zisebenze kakuhle, kufuneka zikhokelwe ngumoya oyingcwele kaYehova. UPawulos wabhala: “Isazela sam singqinelana nam kumoya oyingcwele.” (Roma 9:1) Noko ke, sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba izazela zethu ziyangqinelana nomoya oyingcwele kaYehova? Ngokuziqeqesha.

 8. (a) Intliziyo inokusiphembelela njani isazela, kwaye yintoni efanele ibe ngundoqo xa sisenza izigqibo? (b) Kutheni ukuba nesazela esicocekileyo kungasoloko kwanele kumKristu? (Bona umbhalo osemazantsi.)

⁸ Unokusenza njani isigqibo esisekelwe kwisazela sakho? Kubonakala ngathi abanye abantu baye bakhangele indlela abavakalelwa ngayo bona, bandule ke benze isigqibo. Kamva baye bathi, “Esam isazela sindikhulule.” Umnqweno wentliziyo unokuba namandla, unokude uphembelele kwaneso sazela sakho. IBhayibhile ithi: “Intliziyo inenkohliso kunayo nantoni na yaye iyatyhudisa. Ngubani na onokuyazi?” (Yeremiya 17:9) Ngoko, oko kunqwenelwa ziintliziyo zethu akufanele kube ngoyena ndoqo ekwenzeni izigqibo. Kunoko, masiqale sicinge ngento eya kumkholisa uYehova uThixo. b

 9. Yintoni ukoyika uThixo, yaye kunokuba nayiphi impembelelo kwizazela zethu?

 ⁹ Xa ngokwenene isigqibo esisenzayo sisekelwe kwisazela sethu esiqeqeshiweyo, siya kubonisa indlela esimoyika ngayo uThixo, kunokuba sibonise iminqweno esinayo. Nanku umzekelo. Irhuluneli eyayithembekile uNehemiya yayinegunya lokubiza imali kunye nerhafu kubantu baseYerusalem. Kodwa akazange ayenze loo nto. Ngoba? Kaloku yayilisikizi kwaukuyicinga into yokona ubuhlobo bakhe noYehova ngokugagamela abantu bakhe. Wathi: “Andizange ndenze ngaloo ndlela ngenxa yokoyika uThixo.” (Nehemiya 5:15) Ukumoyika ngokunyanisekileyo uThixo, ukoyika ukumcaphukisa uBawo wethu osezulwini, kubaluleke ngokwenene. Uloyiko olunjalo luya kusenza sifune ulwalathiso kwiLizwi likaThixo xa kufuneka senze izigqibo.

10, 11. Yiyiphi imigaqo yeBhayibhile eluncedo kumba wokusela utywala, yaye sinokulufumana njani ulwalathiso lukaThixo xa siyisebenzisa?

¹⁰ Masenze umzekelo ngomba wokusela utywala. Nasi isigqibo ekuye kufuneke abaninzi basenze ezimbuthweni, Ndisele na okanye ndingaseli? Okokuqala, sifanele sifumane ulwazi ngalo mba. Yiyiphi imigaqo yeBhayibhile esebenzayo kule nkalo? IBhayibhile ayikwaleli ukubusela ngcathu utywala. Iyamdumisa uYehova ngenxa yesipho esiyiwayini. (INdumiso 104:14, 15) Noko ke, iBhayibhile ithi kuphosakele ukuzinkcinkca ngotywala nokuhamba iziyunguma. (Luka 21:34; Roma 13:13) Ngaphezu koko, ukunxila ikubala phakathi kwezono ezinzulu, eziquka ukuziphatha okubi. c—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.

¹¹ Isazela somKristu siyafunda size silolwe yimigaqo elolu hlobo. Ngoko xa kufuneka senze isigqibo esiphathelele ukusela embuthweni, sizibuza imibuzo enjengale: ‘Yimbutho  enjani le ilungiselelweyo? Ngaba ibonakala ngathi ingaphela sele ingumdudo wamasele, de ibe sisiyunguma? Mna, bubuphi ubuthathaka endinabo? Ngaba ndiyabunxanelwa utywala, ndichewukile bubo, sele bulawula iimvakalelo nendlela endiziphatha ngayo? Ngaba ndiyakwazi ukubulinganisela utywala endibuselayo?’ Xa sicinga ngemigaqo yeBhayibhile nangemibuzo eyiphakamisayo, kuya kuba kuhle ukuba sithandaze, sicele uYehova ukuba asikhokele. (Funda iNdumiso 139:23, 24) Ngale ndlela, siya kube sicela uYehova ukuba asikhokele ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele. Kwakhona siya kube siqeqesha izazela zethu ukuba zingqinelane nemigaqo kaThixo. Kodwa ke ikho enye into esifanele siyihlafunisise xa sisenza izigqibo.

12, 13. Ziziphi ezinye zezizathu ezibangela ukuba izazela zamaKristu zahluke, kwaye sifanele sithini xa zingafani?

¹² Maxa wambi unokothuka ubamb’ ongezantsi xa unokubona indlela izazela zamaKristu ezingafani ngayo. Omnye ufumanisa ukuba umkhwa okanye isithethe esithile siyakhubekisa; ngoxa omnye esithanda yaye engaboni gxeke kuso. Ngokomzekelo, kumba wokusela ezimbuthweni, komnye kuyinto emnandi ukusela nabahlobo abambalwa xa niziphumlele ngengokuhlwa; ukanti omnye ukhubeka abe yinyama xa ebona loo nto. Kutheni kukho umahluko ongako, yaye ufanele uzilawule kangakanani izigqibo zethu?

¹³ Zininzi izinto ezenza ukuba abantu bangafani. Kaloku bakhuliswa ngeendlela ezahlukileyo. Ngokomzekelo, kwabanye isathe thaa ezingqondweni zabo ingxaki eye yabasokolisa kwixesha elidluleyo—nekusenokwenzeka ukuba abazange bayoyise. (1 Kumkani 8:38, 39) Kumba wotywala, abantu abanjalo badla ngokukhawuleza bavundle. Xa umntu onjalo eze kukubuthela ekhayeni lakho, isazela sakhe sisenokumnqanda ukuba angavumi xa umnika utywala, sifanele  ke phofu. Ngaba uza kuqumba wena xa kunjalo? Ngaba uza kumnyanzela? Ungayenzi loo nto. Enoba uyazazi okanye akuzazi izizathu zakhe—ekusenokwenzeka ukuba akangethandi kuzithi paha ebantwini—ukuba uyamthanda umzalwana wakho, uya kumazelela.

14, 15. Yiyiphi into eyayidala iiyantlukwano kwizazela zabo babekwibandla lamaKristu ngenkulungwane yokuqala, kwaye yintoni eyanconyelwa nguPawulos?

¹⁴ Umpostile uPawulos wayiphawula into yokuba izazela zamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala zazahluke kakhulu. Ngelo xesha, amanye amaKristu ayekhathazwa kukutya okubingelelwe kwizithixo. (1 Korinte 10:25) Isazela sikaPawulos sasingamkhathazi ngokutya ukutya okunjalo xa kuthe kamva kwathengiswa ezimarikeni. Ngendlela yena awayebona ngayo, izithixo zazingoonomgogwana nje; kukutya ezazikuthatha phi oko, inguYehova nje owayekudalile? Sekunjalo, uPawulos waqonda ukuba abanye babengaboni ngasonye naye kulo mba. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye babo babephuma kunqulo-zithixo ngaphambi kokuba babe ngamaKristu. Elabo lalisithi, nantoni eyayikhe yanento yokwenza nonqulo-zithixo yayinuk’ umzondo. Yayiza kuthiwani ke loo nto?

¹⁵ UPawulos wathi: “Ngoko, thina bomeleleyo sifanele sithwale ubuthathaka babo bangomelelanga, singazikholisi thina ngokwethu. Kuba kwanoKristu akazange azikholise yena ngokwakhe.” (Roma 15:1, 3) UPawulos waqiqa ngelithi sifanele sibeke iimfuno zabazalwana bethu ngaphambi kwezethu, ngendlela uKristu awenza ngayo. Kwenye ingxubusho enxibelelene nale, uPawulos wathi uxolele ukungayiphathi kwaukuyiphatha inyama kunokuba akhubekise imvu exabisekileyo nefelwe nguKristu.—Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 8:13; 10:23, 24, 31-33.

16. Kutheni abo banezazela ezingqongqo bengafanele babagwebe abo bazazela zingafaniyo nezabo?

¹⁶ Kwelinye icala, abo banezazela ezingqongqo abafanele babagxibhe abanye, bebanyanzela ukuba bajonge izinto  ezixhomekeke kwizazela ngendlela bona abazibona ngayo. (Funda amaRoma 14:10) Kaloku isazela sakho sisebenza kakuhle xa sigweba wena, hayi abanye. Khumbula amazwi kaYesu athi: “Musani ukugweba ukuze ningagwetywa.” (Mateyu 7:1) Wonk’ ubani ebandleni ufanele akuphephe ukudal’ iimbambano ngezinto ezixhomekeke kwizazela zabantu. Kunoko, masikhuthazeni uthando nomanyano, sakhane kunokuba siqwengane.—Roma 14:19.

17. Kwenzeke ntoni kwizazela zabantu abaninzi namhlanje?

¹⁷ Umpostile uPetros wabhala: “Yibani nesazela esilungileyo.” (1 Petros 3:16) Isazela esicocekileyo emehlweni kaYehova uThixo siyintsikelelo yokwenene. Sahlukile kwizazela  zabantu abaninzi namhlanje. UPawulos wakha wathetha ngabantu “abazazela zabo ziphawulwe ngokungathi kungentsimbi yokutshisela.” (1 Timoti 4:2) Intsimbi yokutshisela iyayitshisa inyama, iyishiye ineziva kwaye indindisholo. Abantu abaninzi izazela zabo, ngokungathi kunjalo, zifile—zineziva yaye zindindisholo kangangokuba azisakhuphi zilumkiso, azisaqhankqalazi, azisabenzi babe neentloni okanye bazive bebuhlungu xa benze isono. Namhlanje abaninzi bade babe ngathi bathi kwizazela zabo: “Tshotsh’ ufe.”

18, 19. (a) Kunceda ngantoni ukuziva unetyala okanye uneentloni? (b) Yintoni esinokuyenza xa izazela zingayeki ukusixhela ngezono zexesha elidluleyo esisele siguqukile kuzo?

¹⁸ Enyanisweni, xa siziva sibuhlungu kusenokwenzeka ukuba izazela zethu ziyasichazela ukuba senze into ephosakeleyo. Xa loo mvakalelo isenza umoni aguquke, nkqu nesona  sono sakha salisikizi sinokuxolelwa. Ngokomzekelo, uKumkani uDavide waziva ebuhlungu ngesono esimanyumnyezi awayesenzile, kodwa waxolelwa ngenxa yokuba eguquke ngentliziyo epheleleyo. Ukuthiya kwakhe ikhondo elibi nokuzimisela ukuthobela imithetho kaYehova ukususela ngaloo mzuzu kwamenza wazibonela ukuba uYehova “ulungile yaye ukulungele ukuxolela.” (INdumiso 51:1-19; 86:5) Kodwa kuthekani ukuba umntu usaqhubeka eziva ebuhlungu yaye eneentloni kwanasemva kokuba eguqukile yaye exolelwe?

¹⁹ Ngamany’ amaxesha isazela siye sibe qatha, simxhele umoni kwanasemva kwexesha elide idlule injongo yaso. Kwiimeko ezinjalo, kusenokufuneka siqhubeke siyiqinisekisa intliziyo yethu ezigwebayo ukuba uYehova mkhulu kunazo zonke iimvakalelo zabantu. Kufuneka silukholelwe yaye silwamkele uthando nokuxolela kwakhe, ngendlela esikhuthaza abanye ukuba balwamkele ngayo. (Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 3:19, 20) Kwelinye icala, isazela esicociweyo sisenza sibe noxolo lwangaphakathi, sizole kwaye sichulumance, nto leyo ongenakufane uyibone kweli hlabathi. Abaninzi ababekhe benza izono ezinkulu baye basifumana esi siqabu simyoli, ibe namhlanje banezazela ezikhululekileyo njengoko bekhonza uYehova uThixo.—1 Korinte 6:11.

20, 21. (a) Ibhalelwe ukusinceda ngantoni le ncwadi? (b) NjengamaKristu, yiyiphi inkululeko esinayo, kodwa sifanele siyisebenzise njani?

²⁰ Le ncwadi ibhalelwe ukuba ikwenze uvuye, ube nesazela esikhululekileyo kule mihla yokugqibela iseleyo yenkqubo yezinto kaSathana ezaliswe ziinkathazo. Ewe, ayinakukwazi ukuxubusha yonke imithetho nemigaqo yeBhayibhile ofuna ukucinga ngayo nofuna ukuyisebenzisa kwiimeko ezikuvelelayo suku ngalunye. Ukongezelela koko, sukulindela ukufunzwa ngemithetho kwimiba ephathelele isazela. Injongo yale ncwadi kukufundisa nokulola isazela sakho ngokufunda indlela yokusebenzisa iLizwi likaThixo kubomi  bemihla ngemihla. “Umthetho kaKristu” wahlukile kuMthetho kaMoses, kuba wona uthi abo bawulandelayo mabaphile ngezazela nangemigaqo kunoba baphile ngemithetho ebhaliweyo. (Galati 6:2) Ngale ndlela uYehova usinika inkululeko engummangaliso. Noko ke, iLizwi lakhe liyasikhumbuza ukuba singaze sisebenzise loo nkululeko “njengesigqubuthelo sobubi.” (1 Petros 2:16) Kunoko, loo nkululeko isinika ithuba lokubonisa uYehova indlela esimthanda ngayo.

²¹ Ukuba unokucingisisa ngenyameko ngeyona ndlela ilungileyo yokuphila ngemigaqo yeBhayibhile uze uzisebenzise izigqibo ozenzileyo, iya kuhambela phambili laa nto wayiqalisayo xa wawufunda ngoYehova okokuqala. ‘Amandla akho okuqonda’ aya kuqeqesheka “ngokuwasebenzisa.” (Hebhere 5:14) Isazela sakho osiqeqeshe ngeBhayibhile siya kuba yintsikelelo kuwe yonke imihla logama usadl’ amazimba. Njengekhampasi ekhokela umntu obetha ngezikaTshiwo entlango, isazela sakho siya kukunceda wenze izigqibo ezikholekileyo kuYihlo osezulwini. Le yindlela eqinisekisiweyo yokuzigcina eluthandweni lukaThixo.