1, 2. (a) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ibandla laseKolose ngenkulungwane yokuqala lalisengozini? (b) Sisiphi isiluleko esanikwa amaKristu aseKolose ukuze akhusele ulwalamano lwawo noThixo?

IBANDLA lamaKristu laseKolose ngenkulungwane yokuqala lalisengozini! Ibandla lalahlulelene kuba abanye babekhuthaza ukuba kubanjelelwe kuMthetho kaMoses. Abanye babesithi kuphosakele ukuzonwabisa, nto leyo eyayize nentanda-bulumko yobuhedeni. Ngelokuzama ukulungisa ezi mfundiso zobuxoki, umpostile uPawulos wabhalela amaKolose esithi: “Lumkani, ningathabatheki ziintanda-bulumko nayinkohliso elambathayo esekelwe kwizithethe zabantu, nakwizinto eziziziqalelo zehlabathi, kungekhona kuKristu.”—Kol. 2:8.

² Ukuba loo maKristu athanjisiweyo ayelandela iimbono zabantu, ayeza kuba achasa into yokuba angoonyana bakaThixo. (Kol. 2:20-23) Ukuze awancede akhusele ulwalamano lwawo noThixo, uPawulos wawabongoza wathi: “Gcinani iingqondo zenu zimiliselwe kwizinto zaphezulu, kungekhona kwizinto zasemhlabeni.” (Kol. 3:2) Aba bazalwana bakaKristu babemele  bahlale becinga ngelifa elingenakonakala ‘ababelibekelwe emazulwini.’—Kol. 1:4, 5.

3. (a) Liliphi ithemba amaKristu athanjisiweyo aligcina engqondweni? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo eza kuphendulwa kweli nqaku?

³ Kule mihla, amaKristu athanjisiweyo agcina iingqondo zawo zimiliselwe kuBukumkani bukaThixo nakwithemba analo lokuba ‘ziindlalifa ezimanyene noKristu.’ (Roma 8:14-17) Kodwa kuthekani ngabo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni? Amazwi kaPawulos asebenza njani kubo? ‘Ezinye izimvu’ zingazigcina njani iingqondo zazo zimiliselwe “kwizinto zaphezulu”? (Yoh. 10:16) Singancedakala njani xa sihlolisisa imizekelo yamadoda athembekileyo anjengoAbraham noMoses awathi, nangona kwakunzima, agcina iingqondo zawo zimiliselwe kwizinto zaphezulu?

4. Ezinye izimvu zinokwenza njani ukuze zihlale zicinga ngezinto zaphezulu?

⁴ Nangona ezinye izimvu zingenathemba lokuphila ezulwini, nazo zinokuhlala zicinga ngezinto zaphezulu. Njani? Ngokubeka uYehova uThixo nemisebenzi yoBukumkani kwindawo yokuqala ebomini. (Luka 10:25-27) UKristu ungumzekelo osinceda sikwazi ukuyenza loo nto. (1 Pet. 2:21) Njengakwinkulungwane yokuqala, nanamhlanje kukho iimfundiso zobuxoki, iintanda-bulumko, nabantu abathanda ubutyebi kule nkqubo kaSathana. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 10:5.) Ekubeni sixelisa uYesu, simele sizigade kungabikho nantoni na eyonakalisa ukholo lwethu.

5. Singazihlolisisa njani ukuze sibone enoba asisukelani nobutyebi kusini na?

⁵ Ngaba nathi sesingenwe kukuthanda ukusukelana nobutyebi beli hlabathi? Izinto esizithandayo zibonakala kwizenzo nakwiingcinga zethu. UYesu wathi: “Apho bukhoyo ubuncwane benu, nentliziyo yenu yoba lapho.” (Mat. 6:21) Ukuze sazi ukuba intliziyo yethu isikhokelela phi, kufuneka sihlale sizihlolisisa. Zibuze: ‘Lingakanani ixesha endilichitha ndicinga ngemali? Ngaba ndihlala ndicinga ngeshishini, imali endiyibekel’ ingomso, okanye ukuphila ubomi obutofotofo? Okanye ngaba ndizama ukuhlala ndicinga ngezinto ezakha ukholo?’ (Mat. 6:22) UYesu wathi abo baphilela “ukuziqwebela ubuncwane emhlabeni” babeka ukholo lwabo engozini.—Mat. 6:19, 20, 24.

6. Sinokukoyisa njani ukucinga ngezinto ezithandwa yinyama?

⁶ Ukungafezeki kwethu kwenza kube lula ukuthanda izinto ezingalunganga. (Funda amaRoma 7:21-25.) Ngaphandle komoya oyingcwele kaThixo, sinokunikezela ‘kwimisebenzi yobumnyama.’ Isenokuba yimisebenzi ‘enjengeziyunguma neendywala, iintlobano zesini ezingavumelekanga nehambo evakalala.’ (Roma 13:12, 13) Ukuze soyise ukucinga ‘ngezinto zasemhlabeni’—izinto ezithandwa yinyama—simele sihlale sicinga ngezinto zaphezulu. Le nto ifuna umgudu. Yiyo le nto umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Ndiyawuqoba umzimba wam ndize ndiwuphathe njengekhoboka.” (1 Kor. 9:27) Ukuba sifuna ukuphumelela kugqatso lobomi, asimele siyekelele umxakatho! Makhe sifunde izinto ezenziwa ngamadoda amabini athembekileyo ukuze ‘akholise uThixo kakuhle.’—Heb. 11:6.

7, 8. (a) Ziziphi iingxaki abadibana nazo uAbraham noSara? (b) Yintoni uAbraham awayifaka engqondweni yakhe?

⁷ Xa uYehova wayalela uAbraham ukuba afudukele kwilizwe lakwaKanan,  wathobela. Ngenxa yokholo nokuthobela kuka-Abraham, uYehova wenza umnqophiso naye, esithi: “Ndiya kukwenza ube luhlanga olukhulu ndize ndikusikelele.” (Gen. 12:2) Noko ke, kwagqitha iminyaka uAbraham noSara bengenamntwana. Ngaba uYehova wasilibala isithembiso awayesenze kuAbraham? Ngaphezu koko, ubomi babunzima eKanan. UAbraham nentsapho yakhe bashiya ikhaya nezalamane zabo eUre, isixeko esifumileyo saseMesopotamiya. Bahamba umgama ongaphezu kweekhilomitha eziyi-1 600 besiya eKanan, apho bafika bahlala ezintenteni, benyamezele indlala ibe besengozini yokuhlaselwa ngamasela. (Gen. 12:5, 10; 13:18; 14:10-16) Sekunjalo, abazange banqwenele ukubuyela eUre!—Funda amaHebhere 11:8-12, 15.

⁸ Kunokuba acinge ‘ngezinto zasemhlabeni,’ uAbraham ‘wakholwa kuYehova.’ (Gen. 15:6) Ingqondo yakhe wayifaka izinto zaphezulu ngokuthi ahlale ekhangele phambili kwizithembiso zikaThixo. Loo nto yaphumela ekubeni kwenzeke into eyomeleza ukholo luka-Abraham. Oyena Thixo Uphakamileyo wabonakala kuye waza wathi: “‘Khawuncede ukhangele phezulu, emazulwini uze ubale iinkwenkwezi, ukuba uyakwazi ukuzibala.’ Waza ke wathi kuye: ‘Iya kuba ngangazo imbewu yakho.’” (Gen. 15:5) Kumel’ ukuba yamhlaziya nyhani loo nto! Qho xa ejonga phezulu aze abone iinkwenkwezi, wayeza kukhumbula isithembiso sikaYehova sokwandisa inzala yakhe. Ibe lafika ixesha likaThixo lokuba uAbraham afumane indlalifa, kanye njengoko wayethenjisiwe.—Gen. 21:1, 2.

9. Ukulandela umzekelo ka-Abraham kuya kusikhuthaza njani ukuba sihlale sixakeke kukukhonza uThixo?

⁹ NjengoAbraham, nathi sikhangele phambili ekuzalisekeni kwezithembiso zikaThixo. (2 Pet. 3:13) Ukuba iingqondo zethu asizimiliseli kwizinto zaphezulu, kuya kuba ngathi ezi zithembiso azide zizaliseke size siyekelele umxakatho. Ngokomzekelo, ngaba uye wancama izinto ezithile ukuze ube nguvulindlela okanye wenze omnye umsebenzi wenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo? Ukuba kunjalo, wenze kakuhle. Kodwa uqhuba njani ngoku? Khumbula ukuba, uAbraham wahlala ecinga ‘ngesixeko esineziseko zokwenene.’ (Heb. 11:10) “Wabonisa ukholo kuYehova, yaye oko kwabalelwa kuye njengobulungisa.”—Roma 4:3.

10. Babunjani ubomi bukaMoses eselula?

¹⁰ Omny’ umntu owamilisela ingqondo yakhe kwizinto zaphezulu nguMoses. Eselula, “wafundiswa bonke ubulumko bamaYiputa.” Le yayingeyomfundo eyayifunyanwa nokuba ngubani na. Ngaphezu kokuba iYiputa yayilelona lizwe linamandla ngelo xesha, uMoses wayehlala kwaFaro. Ayothusi ke into yokuba ngenxa yemfundo yakhe ephakamileyo, abe “wayenamandla ngamazwi nezenzo zakhe.” (IZe. 7:22) Cinga nje amaqithiqithi awayenokuwafumana ngenxa yaloo nto! Sekunjalo, uMoses wacinga ngeyona nto ibalulekileyo—ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo.

11, 12. Yiyiphi eyona nto yayixabisekile kuMoses, ibe siyazi njani loo nto?

¹¹ Ngoxa wayesemncinci, unina kaMoses, uYokebhede, ngokuqinisekileyo wamfundisa ngoThixo wamaHebhere. KuMoses, eyona nto yayixabisekile, kukwazi uYehova kunokuba sisityebi. Ngenxa yoko, akazange awamkele amalungelo namaqithiqithi awayenokuwafumana kuba engowakwaFaro. (Funda amaHebhere 11:24-27.) Imfundo yobuthixo awayifumanayo uMoses nokholo  lwakhe lwamenza wamilisela ingqondo yakhe kwizinto zaphezulu.

¹² UMoses wafumana eyona mfundo yayiphakamile ngexesha lakhe, kodwa ngaba wayisebenzisela ukufumana umsebenzi eYiputa, ukuzenzela igama okanye ukuzifumanela ubutyebi? Hayi. Ukuba wayenokwenza njalo, wayengenakwala “ukubizwa ngokuba ungunyana wentombi kaFaro, enyula ukuphathwa kabuhlungu kunye nabantu bakaThixo kunokuziyolisa ngesono okwexeshana.” Kucacile ukuba uMoses wasebenzisa imfundo yakhe yobuthixo ukuze asebenzele uYehova.

13, 14. (a) Yintoni eyamncedayo uMoses ukuze afanelekele isabelo awasinikwa nguYehova? (b) NjengoMoses, yintoni ekunokufuneka siyenze?

¹³ UMoses wayenomdla kakhulu kuYehova nakubantu bakhe. Xa wayeneminyaka eyi-40, wacinga ukuba angakwazi ukukhulula abantu bakaThixo kubukhoboka baseYiputa. (IZenzo 7:23-25) Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba uYehova amnike eso sabelo, kwakusekho into eyayifuneka kuMoses. Kwakufuneka azame ukukhulisa iimpawu ezifana nokuthobeka, umonde, ubulali nokuzeyisa. (IMize. 15:33) UMoses kwakufuneka aqeqeshwe ukuze alungele ukunyamezela izilingo nobunzima awayeza kujongana nabo. Ukuba ngumalusi kangangamashumi eminyaka kwakuza kumqeqesha ukuze akhulise ezo mpawu.

¹⁴ Ngaba ikho into awayifundayo uMoses xa wayengumalusi? Ewe ikhona! ILizwi likaThixo lithi uMoses waba ‘yeyona ndoda ilulamileyo kubantu bonke ababephezu komhlaba.’ (Num. 12:3) Wakukhulisa ukuthobeka kwakhe, nto leyo eyamnceda wakwazi ukuba nomonde ebantwini abahlukahlukeneyo nakwiingxaki zabo ezinzima. (Eks. 18:26) Nathi kusenokufuneka sikhulise iimpawu eziya kusinceda sikwazi ukugqitha “embandezelweni enkulu” siye kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. (ISityhi. 7:14) Ngaba siyasebenzisana nabanye abantu, kuquka nabo babonakala bekhawuleza ukucaphuka? Kuhle sithobele amazwi ompostile uPetros, athi: “Bekani abantu bazo zonke iintlobo, yibani nothando ngomanyano lwabazalwana luphela.”—1 Pet. 2:17.

15, 16. (a) Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba sigcine iingqondo zethu zimiliselwe kwizinto ezilungileyo? (b) Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba amaKristu ahlale enehambo entle?

¹⁵ Siphila ‘kumaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo.’ (2 Tim. 3:1) Ngoko ukuze sihlale siphaphile elukholweni, simele sigcine iingqondo zethu zimiliselwe kwizinto ezilungileyo. (1 Tes. 5:6-9) Makhe sibone ukuba singayenza njani loo nto kwezi zinto zintathu.

¹⁶ Ihambo yethu: UPetros wayeyazi indlela ebaluleke ngayo ihambo entle. Wathi: “Ihambo yenu mayibe ntle phakathi kweentlanga, ukuze, . . . zithi ngokubona imisebenzi yenu emihle, zimzukise uThixo.” (1 Pet. 2:12) Enoba sisekhaya, emsebenzini, esikolweni, xa sizonwabisa okanye sisentsimini, sizama kangangoko sinako ukuba sizukise uYehova ngehambo yethu entle. Yinyaniso kona ukuba, ekubeni singafezekanga, siyazenza iimpazamo. (Roma 3:23) Kodwa ngokuqhubeka ‘sisilwa umlo omhle wokholo,’ sinokukoyisa ukungafezeki kwethu.—1 Tim. 6:12.

17. Sinokuyilandela njani indlela yokucinga kaYesu Kristu? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹⁷ Indlela esicinga ngayo: Eny’ into esondeleyo ekubeni nehambo entle kukucinga ngendlela efanelekileyo.  Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Hlalani ninesi simo sengqondo wayenaso noKristu Yesu.” (Fil. 2:5) Wayenjani uYesu? Wayethobekile. Ukuthobeka kwamenza wazincama kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Eyona nto yayiphambili engqondweni yakhe yayikukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. (Marko 1:38; 13:10) UYesu wayethobela igunya leLizwi likaThixo. (Yoh. 7:16; 8:28) Wayezifundisisa iZibhalo Ezingcwele ukuze akwazi ukuzicaphula, ukuzithethelela nokuzicacisa. Ukuba sithobekile ibe sikukhuthalele ukushumayela nokufunda iBhayibhile, nathi siya kucinga njengoKristu.

18. Yiyiphi indlela ebalulekileyo esingaxhasa ngayo umsebenzi kaYehova?

¹⁸ Ukuxhasa umsebenzi: Yinjongo kaYehova ukuba “egameni likaYesu agobe onke amadolo abo basezulwini nawabo basemhlabeni.” (Fil. 2:9-11) Nakuba ekwisikhundla esiphakamileyo, uYesu uyazithoba kuYise, ibe nathi sifanele sizithobe. (1 Kor. 15:28) Njani? Ngokuxhasa ngentliziyo yethu yonke umsebenzi esiyalelwe ukuba siwenze, ‘ukubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke.’ (Mat. 28:19) Kwakhona, “masenze okulungileyo kubo bonke,” kubamelwane nakubazalwana bethu.—Gal. 6:10.

19. Yintoni esifanele sizimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁹ Siyibulela gqitha into yokuba uYehova esikhumbuza ukuba similisele iingqondo zethu kwizinto zaphezulu! Ukuze siyenze loo nto, simele ‘silubaleke ngonyamezelo ugqatso olubekwe phambi kwethu.’ (Heb. 12:1) Ngamana sonke singasebenza “ngomphefumlo uphela ngokungathi [senzela] uYehova,” ibe uBawo wethu uya kusivuza ngemizamo yethu.—Kol. 3:23, 24.