1. Kodi Yehova amakokera kwa iye anthu otani, nanga n’chifukwa chiyani anthuwa ayenera kukhala maso?

YESU anati: “Olambira oona adzalambira Atate motsogoleredwa ndi mzimu ndi choonadi, pakuti Atate amafuna oterowo azimulambira.” (Yohane 4:23) Yehova akapeza anthu amene amafuna kumulambira ndi mzimu ndi choonadi, ngati mmene anakupezerani inuyo, amawakokera kwa iye ndi kwa Mwana wake. (Yohane 6:44) Umenewutu ndi mwayi waukulu kwambiri. Komabe, popeza Satana ndi katswiri wa chinyengo, anthu amene amakonda choonadi cha m’Baibulo ‘nthawi zonse ayenera kutsimikiza kuti chovomerezeka kwa Ambuye n’chiti.’—Aefeso 5:10; Chivumbulutso 12:9.

2. Fotokozani mmene Yehova amaonera anthu amene amaphatikiza kulambira koona ndi konyenga.

² Taganizirani zimene zinachitika pafupi ndi phiri la Sinai, pamene Aisiraeli anapempha Aroni kuti awapangire mulungu. Aroni anavomera ndipo anapanga fano la mwana wa ng’ombe n’kuwauza kuti likuimira Yehova. Iye anati: “Mawa kuli chikondwerero cha Yehova.” Zimene anachitazi kunali kuphatikiza kulambira koona ndi konyenga. Ndiye kodi Yehova anasangalala nazo? Ayi, chifukwa iye anapha anthu pafupifupi 3,000 amene analambira fano limeneli. (Ekisodo 32:1-6, 10, 28) Kodi tikuphunzirapo chiyani pamenepa? Ngati tikufuna kuti Mulungu apitirize kutikonda, tiyenera kupewa kukhudza “chinthu chilichonse chodetsedwa” ndipo tiziyesetsa kuteteza choonadi kuti chisakhale chodetsedwa.—Yesaya 52:11; Ezekieli 44:23; Agalatiya 5:9.

3, 4. Kodi n’chifukwa chiyani tiyenera kuganizira mofatsa mfundo za m’Baibulo tisanachite nawo miyambo kapena zikondwerero zilizonse zotchuka?

 ³ Atumwi ankaletsa Akhristu oyambirira kutengera ziphunzitso za ampatuko. Koma n’zomvetsa chisoni kuti iwo atafa, ena amene ankati ndi Akhristu ngakhale kuti sankakonda choonadi, anayamba kutengera miyambo, zikondwerero ndiponso maholide achikunja, ndipo ankati zimenezi zinali zovomerezeka kwa Akhristu. (2 Atesalonika 2:7, 10) Tikambirana zina mwa zikondwerero zimenezi ndipo tiona mmene zikusonyezera mzimu wa dziko, osati wa Mulungu. Kunena mwachidule, zikondwerero za dzikoli zimafanana pa mfundo zotsatirazi: Zimalimbikitsa anthu kutsatira zilakolako za thupi, zimalimbikitsa zikhulupiriro za chipembedzo chonyenga ndi kukhulupirira mizimu. Zinthu zimenezi ndi zizindikiro za “Babulo Wamkulu.” * (Chivumbulutso 18:2-4, 23) Muyenera kukumbukiranso kuti zikondwerero ndi miyambo yambiri yotchuka masiku ano zinachokera ku miyambo ya chipembedzo chonyenga imene Yehova ankanyansidwa nayo. N’zoonekeratu kuti iye amanyansidwabe ndi zikondwerero zangati zimenezi zomwe zimachitika masiku ano. Ifenso tiyenera kunyansidwa ndi zikondwerero zoterezi.—2 Yohane 6, 7.

⁴ Monga Akhristu oona, timadziwa kuti pali zikondwerero zina zimene Yehova amadana nazo. Koma m’pofunika kutsimikiza mtima kuti tisamachite nawo ngakhale pang’ono zikondwerero zimenezi. Tikambirana chifukwa chake Yehova amadana ndi zikondwerero ngati zimenezi. Ndipo kudziwa zimenezi kungatilimbikitse kutsimikiza mtima kupewa chilichonse chimene chingatilepheretse kuti Mulungu apitirize kutikonda.

5. Kodi tikudziwa bwanji kuti Yesu sanabadwe pa 25 December?

⁵ Baibulo silinena kuti anthu ankakondwerera tsiku limene  Yesu anabadwa. Ndipotu tsiku lenileni limene Yesu anabadwa silikudziwika. Komabe, pali umboni wakuti Yesu sanabadwe pa 25 December. Kumene Yesu anabadwira, nthawi imeneyi kumakhala mvula ndiponso kumazizira kwambiri. * Tikudziwa zimenezi chifukwa Luka analemba kuti Yesu anabadwa ‘abusa akugonera kubusa akuyang’anira nkhosa zawo.’ (Luka 2:8-11) Luka sakanalemba mfundo imeneyi zikanakhala kuti abusa ankachita zimenezi chaka chonse. M’mwezi wa December, ku Betelehemu kumakhala kukugwa mvula ndi chipale chofewa, choncho ziweto ziyenera kuti zinkakhala m’makola ndipo sizikanatheka kuti abusa ‘azigonera kubusa.’ Chinanso n’chakuti, Yosefe ndi Mariya anapita ku Betelehemu chifukwa Kaisara Augusito analamula kuti kukhale kalembera. (Luka 2:1-7) N’zokayikitsa kwambiri kuti Kaisarayu akanalamula anthu amene ankadana ndi ulamuliro wa Roma kupita kumizinda yakwawo m’nyengo ya mvula komanso yozizira kwambiri imeneyi.

6, 7. (a) Kodi zochitika zambiri za pa Khirisimasi zinachokera kuti? (b) Kodi mphatso za pa Khirisimasi zimasiyana bwanji ndi mphatso zimene Akhristu amapatsana?

⁶ Chikondwerero cha Khirisimasi sichinachokere m’Malemba koma chinachokera ku zikondwerero zachikunja za anthu akale, monga chikondwerero cha ku Roma chotchedwa Saturnalia, chimene chinali chokhudza kulambira mulungu wa zaulimi wotchedwa Saturn. Komanso buku lina lachikatolika linanena kuti, anthu olambira mulungu wotchedwa Mithra, pa 25 December ankachita chikondwerero “chokumbukira kubadwa kwa dzuwa lomwe ankati n’losagonjetseka. Khirisimasi inayamba nthawi imene kulambira dzuwa kunali pachimake ku Roma.” Apa n’kuti patatha zaka pafupifupi 300 kuchokera pamene Khristu anafa.—New Catholic Encyclopedia.

 ⁷ Panyengo ya zikondwerero zachikunja zimenezi, anthu ankakhala ndi maphwando ndiponso ankapatsana mphatso. Zimenezi n’zimenenso zimachitika pa Khirisimasi masiku ano. Ndiponso mofanana ndi masiku ano, mphatso zambiri za pa Khirisimasi nthawi imeneyo, sizinkaperekedwa mogwirizana ndi mfundo ya pa 2 Akorinto 9:7. Lemba limeneli limati: “Aliyense achite mogwirizana ndi mmene watsimikizira mumtima mwake, osati monyinyirika kapena mokakamizika, chifukwa Mulungu amakonda munthu wopereka mokondwera.” Akhristu oona amapatsana mphatso chifukwa cha chikondi ndipo sachita kusankha tsiku linalake loti azichitira zimenezi. Komanso sayembekezera kuti munthu amene am’patsa mphatsoyo nayenso awapatse mphatso. (Luka 14:12-14; werengani Machitidwe 20:35.) Komanso, chifukwa chakuti sachita nawo Khirisimasi sakhala ndi nkhawa zimene anthu ambiri amakhala nazo pokonzekera Khirisimasi ndiponso sawononga ndalama.—Mateyu 11:28-30; Yohane 8:32.

8. Kodi okhulupirira nyenyezi anam’patsa Yesu mphatso pokondwerera kubadwa kwake? Fotokozani.

 ⁸ Kodi okhulupirira nyenyezi anam’patsa Yesu mphatso pokondwerera kubadwa kwake? Ayi. Mphatso zimene anapereka zinali zongosonyeza ulemu kwa munthu wofunika kwambiri ameneyu. Ndipo umenewu unali mwambo wotchuka pa nthawiyo. (1 Mafumu 10:1, 2, 10, 13; Mateyu 2:2, 11) Ndipotu, sanapereke mphatsozi pa tsiku limene Yesu anabadwa. Nthawi imene okhulupirira nyenyezi anafika ndi mphatsozi, Yesu sanali wakhanda koma anali atatha miyezi yambiri ndipo ankakhala m’nyumba, osati modyera ng’ombe.

9. Kodi n’chiyani chinachitika pa zikondwerero zokumbukira tsiku lobadwa zimene zinatchulidwa m’Baibulo?

⁹ Ngakhale kuti nthawi zonse anthu amasangalala mwana  akabadwa, Baibulo silinena kuti pali mtumiki wa Mulungu aliyense amene anakondwererapo tsiku lake lobadwa. (Salimo 127:3) Kodi zinangochitika mwangozi kuti olemba Baibulo asalembe zimenezi? Ayi. Tikutero chifukwa Baibulo limatchula zikondwerero ziwiri zokumbukira tsiku lobadwa. Chikondwerero cha Farao wa ku Iguputo ndi cha Herode Antipa. (Werengani Genesis 40:20-22; Maliko 6:21-29.) Komabe, Baibulo limasonyeza kuti zikondwerero zonsezi zinali zoipa. Makamaka cha Herode Antipa amene anadula mutu wa Yohane M’batizi pa chikondwererochi.

10, 11. Kodi Akhristu oyambirira ankaiona bwanji nkhani yokondwerera tsiku lobadwa, ndipo n’chifukwa chiyani?

¹⁰ Buku lina linati Akhristu oyambirira, “ankakhulupirira kuti mwambo wokondwerera tsiku lobadwa ndi wachikunja.” (The World Book Encyclopedia) Mwachitsanzo, anthu akale a ku Girisi ankakhulupirira kuti munthu aliyense akamabadwa, pamafika mzimu winawake umene umateteza munthuyo pa moyo wake wonse. Buku lina linatinso anthu a ku Girisi, ankakhulupirira kuti mzimu umenewu “umakhala pa ubale winawake ndi mulungu amene anabadwa pa tsiku limene munthuyo wabadwa.” Kuyambira kale, kukondwerera tsiku lobadwa kumagwirizana kwambiri ndi kukhulupirira nyenyezi.—The Lore of Birthdays.

¹¹ Atumiki a Mulungu akale sankakondwerera masiku obadwa chifukwa ankadziwa kuti zimenezi zinachokera kwa okhulupirira mizimu ndi anthu ena achikunja. Komanso, iwo ayenera kuti sankachita nawo zikondwerero zimenezi chifukwa chakuti ankayendera mfundo za Mulungu. N’chifukwa chiyani tikutero? Anthu amenewa anali odzichepetsa ndipo ankaona kuti kubadwa kwawo sichinali chinthu chofunika kwambiri choti n’kukondwerera. * (Mika 6:8; Luka 9:48) M’malomwake, iwo ankalemekeza Yehova ndipo ankamuthokoza chifukwa  chowapatsa mphatso yamtengo wapatali ya moyo. *—Salimo 8:3, 4; 36:9; Chivumbulutso 4:11.

12. Kodi tsiku lomwalira limaposa bwanji tsiku lobadwa?

¹² Anthu onse okhulupirika kwa Mulungu akamwalira adzaukitsidwa chifukwa Mulungu amawakumbukira. (Yobu 14:14, 15) Lemba la Mlaliki 7:1 limati: “Mbiri yabwino imaposa mafuta onunkhira, ndipo tsiku lomwalira limaposa tsiku lobadwa.” “Mbiri yabwino” imeneyi ndi imene timapanga chifukwa chotumikira Mulungu mokhulupirika. Chochititsa chidwi n’chakuti mwambo umene Akhristu analamuliridwa kuti azichita ndi wokumbukira imfa ya Yesu, amene “dzina” lake lapamwamba kwambiri, n’lofunika kuti tidzapulumuke. Koma Akhristu sanalamulidwe kuti azikumbukira kubadwa kwake.—Aheberi 1:3, 4; Luka 22:17-20.

13, 14. Kodi n’chifukwa chiyani Akhristu oona sachita nawo mwambo wa Isitala?

¹³ Isitala ndi mwambo umene matchalitchi Achikristu amachita pokumbukira kuuka kwa Khristu. Koma kodi Khristu analamula anthu kuti azikumbukira kuuka kwake? Ayi. Mabuku a mbiri yakale amanena kuti Akhristu oyambirira sankachita nawo Isitala. Komanso ankakhulupirira kuti mwambowu ndi wachikunja. Buku lina limanena kuti: “M’Chipangano Chatsopano mulibe lemba lililonse losonyeza kuti anthu ankakondwerera Isitala. . . . Panalibe nthawi inayake yapadera imene Akhristu oyambirira ankaiona kuti inali yopatulika.”—Encyclopœdia Britannica.

¹⁴ Monga taonera, mwambo wa Isitala unachokera ku chikunja. Ndiye kodi mukuganiza kuti Yehova angavomereze kuti anthu azichita mwambo wachikunja umenewu ponamizira kuti akukumbukira kuuka kwa Mwana wake? Ayi, sangavomereze.  (2 Akorinto 6:17, 18) Ndipotu m’Malemba mulibe lamulo lonena kuti anthu azikumbukira kuuka kwa Yesu. Anthu amene amachita Isitala n’kumati akukumbukira kuuka kwa Yesu amakhumudwitsa kwambiri Mulungu.

15, 16. (a) N’chifukwa chiyani Akhristu amene akufuna kulowa m’banja ayenera kufufuza ngati miyambo yaukwati ya kwawo ili yogwirizana ndi mfundo za m’Baibulo? (b) Kodi Akhristu ayenera kuganizira chiyani pa nkhani ya miyambo yaukwati monga kuwaza mpunga kapena zinthu zina?

¹⁵ Mawu a Mulungu amati posachedwapa “mawu a mkwati ndi a mkwatibwi sadzamvekanso [m’Babulo Wamkulu].” (Chivumbulutso 18:23) Chifukwa chiyani amatero? Chifukwa cha zochita zake zamizimu zimene zingaipitse banja kuyambira pa tsiku laphwando la ukwati.—Maliko 10:6-9.

¹⁶ Padziko lonse, anthu amatsatira miyambo yosiyanasiyana yaukwati. Komatu miyambo ina imene imaoneka ngati yabwinobwino, iyenera kuti inachokera ku miyambo ya ku Babulo. Miyambo imeneyi cholinga chake amati n’kubweretsa ‘mwayi’ kwa akwati ndi anthu obwera paphwando la ukwati. (Yesaya 65:11) Mwambo umodzi woterewu ndi wowaza mpunga kapena zinthu zina. Mwambo umenewu uyenera kuti unachokera pa chikhulupiriro chakuti chakudya chimasangalatsa mizimu ndipo chimapangitsanso kuti isavulaze akwati. Komanso, kwa nthawi yaitali anthu akhala akukhulupirira kuti mpunga uli ndi mphamvu zothandiza anthu kubereka, kukhala osangalala komanso kukhala ndi moyo wautali. N’chifukwa chaketu aliyense amene akufuna kuti Mulungu apitirize kumukonda, ayenera kupewa miyambo yodetsa ngati imeneyi.—Werengani 2 Akorinto 6:14-18.

17. Kodi ndi mfundo za m’Baibulo ziti zimene mwamuna ndi mkazi amene akufuna kuchita ukwati komanso anthu oitanidwa ayenera kutsatira?

¹⁷ Atumiki a Yehova amapewanso miyambo ina imene ingapangitse kuti nkhani ndi phwando la ukwati wawo zikhale ngati zachikunja kapenanso miyambo imene ingakhumudwitse ena. Mwachitsanzo, Akhristu akapemphedwa kulankhula paukwati, amapewa kulankhula mawu onyoza, olaula komanso  nthabwala zimene zingachititse manyazi akwati ndiponso anthu ena. (Miyambo 26:18, 19; Luka 6:31; 10:27) Amapewanso kuchita maphwando aukwati odzionetsera kwambiri amene sasonyeza kudzichepetsa koma amangosonyeza “kudzionetsera ndi zimene munthu ali nazo pa moyo wake.” (1 Yohane 2:16) Ngati mukufuna kuchita ukwati musaiwale kuti Yehova amafuna kuti tsiku laukwati wanu lidzakhale lapadera kwambiri, loti mukamalikumbukira muzidzasangalala osati kunong’oneza bondo. *

18, 19. Kodi buku lina limanena kuti mwambo wowombanitsa matambula unayamba bwanji, ndipo n’chifukwa chiyani mwambo umenewu uli wosaloledwa kwa Akhristu?

¹⁸ Mwambo wotchuka umene umachitika pa maukwati kapena pa zikondwerero zina ndi wowombanitsa mabotolo kapena matambula. Buku lina limene linalembedwa m’chaka cha 1995 linati: “Zikuoneka kuti mwambo wowombanitsa matambula . . . ndi mwambo umodzi wachikunja umene watsala pa miyambo yakale imene inkatsatiridwa popereka nsembe kwa milungu. Nsembe zimenezi zinali magazi kapena vinyo . . . ankapereka nsembezi pofuna kudalitsidwa. Popempha madalitsowo iwo ankapemphera mwachidule kuti ‘mukhale ndi moyo wautali’ kapena ‘mukhale ndi thanzi labwino.’”—International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture.

¹⁹ N’zoona kuti anthu ambiri sadziwa kuti kuwombanitsa mabotolo kapena matambula ndi mwambo wa chipembedzo chonyenga kapena mwambo wosonyeza kukhulupirira mizimu. Mwambo wokweza m’mwamba matambula a vinyo umatanthauza kupempha madalitso “kumwamba” kapena kuti kwa mizimu. Koma zimenezi si zogwirizana ndi zimene Malemba amanena.—Yohane 14:6; 16:23. *

20. Kodi Akhristu ayenera kupewa zikondwerero zofala ziti ngakhale zitakhala zosakhudzana ndi chipembedzo chonyenga, ndipo n’chifukwa chiyani ayenera kutero?

²⁰ Masiku ano, makhalidwe abwino alowa pansi kwambiri. Babulo Wamkulu ndi amene akuchititsa zimenezi. Ndipo chifukwa cha zimenezi, mayiko ena akhazikitsa maphwando osiyanasiyana kumene anthu amavina monyanyira ndipo nthawi zina maphwandowa amakhala olimbikitsa khalidwe logonana pakati pa amuna kapena akazi okhaokha. Kodi n’zoyenera kuti munthu ‘wokonda Yehova’ azipezeka kapena kuonerera maphwando amenewa? Kodi kuchita zimenezi kungasonyeze kuti iye amadanadi ndi zoipa? (Salimo 1:1, 2; 97:10) Ndi bwino kutengera maganizo a wamasalimo amene anapemphera kuti: “Chititsani maso anga kuti asaone zinthu zopanda pake.”—Salimo 119:37.

21. Kodi ndi zikondwerero zotani zimene Mkhristu ayenera kusankha yekha kuchita kapena kusachita nawo?

²¹ Pa nthawi ya zikondwerero zadziko, Mkhristu ayenera kusamala kuti asachite chilichonse chimene chingasonyeze kuti akuchita nawo. Paulo analemba kuti: “Kaya mukudya kapena kumwa kapena mukuchita china chilichonse, chitani zonse ku ulemerero wa Mulungu.” (1 Akorinto 10:31; onani bokosi lakuti, “ Kusankha Zinthu Mwanzeru.”) Komabe, ngati mwambo kapena chikondwerero chinachake si chogwirizana ndi miyambo ya chipembedzo chonyenga, si chokhudza ndale kapena si chosonyeza kukonda kwambiri dziko lako, ndipo si chotsutsana ndi mfundo za m’Baibulo, Mkhristu aliyense angasankhe yekha kuchita kapena kusachita nawo. Iye ayeneranso kuganizira mmene ena amaonera mwambo kapena chikondwerero chimenechi posafuna kuwakhumudwitsa.

22, 23. Kodi tingatani kuti tizifotokozera anthu malamulo olungama a Yehova mogwira mtima?

²² Anthu ambiri amaona kuti masiku a zikondwerero zotchuka amawapatsa mpata wocheza ndi mabanja komanso anzawo. Choncho ngati wina chifukwa chosatimvetsa, atanena kuti zimene  timakhulupirira pa nkhani imeneyi sizisonyeza chikondi komanso n’zonyanyira, tingamufotokozere mwaulemu kuti Mboni za Yehova zimadziwa kuti kucheza ndi banja komanso mabwenzi n’kofunika. (Miyambo 11:25; Mlaliki 3:12, 13; 2 Akorinto 9:7) Chaka chonse timacheza ndi anthu amene timawakonda. Koma chifukwa chakuti timakonda Mulungu ndiponso malamulo ake olungama, sitimafuna kuti miyambo imene Mulungu amadana nayo iwononge kucheza kwathuko.—Onani bokosi lakuti, “ Kulambira Koona Kumasangalatsa Kwambiri.”

²³ Mboni zina zathandizapo anthu amene amafunadi kudziwa zenizeni pa nkhaniyi, pogwiritsa ntchito mfundo za m’Mutu 16 wa buku la Kodi Baibulo Limaphunzitsa Chiyani Kwenikweni? * Komabe, kumbukirani kuti cholinga chathu si kugonjetsa anthu ndi mfundo zathu ayi, koma timafuna kuti anthuwo ayambe kulambira koona. Choncho, muyenera kukhala aulemu, oleza mtima ndiponso “nthawi zonse mawu anu azikhala achisomo, okoma ngati kuti mwawathira mchere.”—Akolose 4:6.

24, 25. Kodi makolo angathandize bwanji ana awo kulimbitsa chikhulupiriro chawo ndi kukonda kwambiri Yehova?

²⁴ Monga atumiki a Yehova timaphunzitsidwa bwino kwambiri. Timadziwa chifukwa chimene timakhulupirira ndi kuchita zinthu zina komanso chifukwa chimene sitichitira zinthu zina. (Aheberi 5:14) Choncho, makolo muziphunzitsa ana anu kuti azigwiritsa ntchito mfundo za m’Baibulo. Mukamachita zimenezi ndiye kuti mukulimbitsa chikhulupiriro chawo, mukuwathandiza kuti anthu akawafunsa za chikhulupiriro chawo aziyankha kuchokera m’Malemba, komanso mukuwathandiza kumvetsa kuti Yehova amawakonda.—Yesaya 48:17, 18; 1 Petulo 3:15.

²⁵ Anthu onse amene amalambira Mulungu “ndi mzimu ndi choonadi” amapewa zikondwerero zosagwirizana ndi Malemba. (Yohane 4:23) Komanso amayesetsa kukhala okhulupirika m’zochita zawo zonse. Masiku ano, anthu amaona kuti kukhala okhulupirika n’kosathandiza. Koma monga mmene tionere m’mutu wotsatira, zonse zimene Mulungu amafuna kuti tizichita zimakhala zothandiza nthawi zonse.