1, 2. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze amaSirayeli ayi-24 000 aphulukane neentsikelelo? (b) Kutheni eso siganeko samandulo sibalulekile kuthi?

NGAPHAMBI nje kokuba amaSirayeli angene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, amashumi amawaka amadoda aba “neentlobano zokuziphatha okubi neentombi zakwaMowabhi.” Ngenxa yoko, ayi-24 000 abulawa nguYehova. Khawufan’ ucinge—lalisele lisondele ixesha lokuba azuze ilifa ekwakukudala elilindele, kodwa ngenxa yokunikezela kwisilingo, aphulukana nezo ntsikelelo.—Num. 25:1-5, 9.

² Lo mzekelo wabhalelwa “ukulumkisa thina bafikelwe ziziphelo zeenkqubo zezinto.” (1 Kor. 10:6-11) Ekubeni sele iza kuphela ‘imihla yokugqibela,’ sekumbovu ukuba abakhonzi bakaThixo bangene kwihlabathi elitsha elinobulungisa. (2 Tim. 3:1; 2 Pet. 3:13) Noko ke, okubuhlungu kukuba abanye abanquli bakaYehova baye bayeka ukuzikhusela. Baye babanjiswa ngumgibe wokuziphatha kakubi baza bafumana imiphumo ebuhlungu ngenxa yezenzo zabo. Abantu abanjalo basecicini lokuphulukana neentsikelelo ngonaphakade.

3. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba izibini ezitshatileyo zifune ulwalathiso nenkuselo kaYehova? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

³ Ngenxa yokuba ukuziphatha kakubi kuxhaphakile kule  mihla, kubalulekile ukuba amadoda nabafazi bafune ulwalathiso nenkuselo kaYehova, ukuze imigudu yabo yokukhusela imitshato yabo ingabi lilize. (Funda iNdumiso 127:1.) Siza kuthetha ngendlela isibini esinokuwomeleza ngayo umtshato ngokukhusela intliziyo, ngokusondela kuThixo, ngokwambatha ubuntu obutsha, ngokuthethathethana nangokunika amaqabane iimfanelo zomtshato.

4. Yintoni eye yakhokelela amanye amaKristu ekwenzeni isono?

⁴ Inokwenzeka njani into yokuba umKristu ade aziphathe kakubi? Yonke le nto iqala aph’ emehlweni. UYesu wayicacisa ngolu hlobo: “Wonk’ ubani oqhubeka ekhangela umfazi ngokokude amkhanuke sele emkrexezile entliziyweni yakhe.” (Mat. 5:27, 28; 2 Pet. 2:14) AmaKristu amaninzi aye awela ekwenzeni isono, aye azenza buthathaka ngokubukela iphonografi, ukufunda iincwadi ezivuselela inkanuko okanye ngokubukela izinto ezingcolileyo kwi-Intanethi. Amanye aye azonwabisa ngokubukela iimuvi, imidlalo yeqonga neenkqubo zeTV ezibonisa isondo. Amanye aye aya kwimijuxuzo yasebusuku nakwiindawo ezinabantu abadanisa beze (strip shows), okanye kwimizi yoonongogo ekumasajwa kuyo ngenjongo yokwanelisa inkanuko.

5. Kutheni simele sikhusele iintliziyo zethu?

⁵ Ngenxa yokuthanda ukuhoywa ngabantu abangengomaqabane abo, abanye baye baphetha sele benikezela kwisilingo. Kweli hlabathi linabantu abangakwazi ukuzibamba, kulula gqitha ukuba iintliziyo zethu ezinenkohliso nezityhudisayo zitsaleleke kumntu esingatshatanga naye. (Funda uYeremiya 17:9, 10.) UYesu wathi: “Entliziyweni kuphuma iingcinga ezingendawo, ukubulala, ukukrexeza, uhenyuzo.”—Mat. 15:19.

6, 7. (a) Intliziyo enenkohliso inokumbangela ukuba enze ntoni umntu? (b) Sinokukuphepha njani ukuziphatha kakubi?

⁶ Xa iminqweno engafanelekanga ikhula kwezo ntliziyo zabo zinenkohliso, abantu ababini abancwaseneyo banokuzibona sele bencokola ngezinto abebemele bazincokole namaqabane abo kuphela. Emva koko, bazenzela amathuba okubonana, le nto yabo iman’ ukuba ngathi yenzeka ngamabona-ndenzile, de baxhaphakelane. Okukhona iimvakalelo zabo zikhula, kokukhona beyekelela ekuziphatheni. Njengoko bedlalela ngasesonweni, kuya kusiba nzima ukuzibamba, nangona besazi ukuba loo nto bayenzayo ayilunganga.—IMize. 7:21, 22.

⁷ Bayayilibala imilinganiselo kaYehova njengoko iminqweno ephosakeleyo nezinto abancokola ngazo zibenza babambane ngezandla, bancamisane, baphathaphathane, bacofane ngendlel’ evuselela inkanuko, benze nezinye iimbonakaliso zothando, ebebemele ukuba bazenza kubantu abatshate nabo kuphela. Ekugqibeleni, ‘batsalwa baze bawexulwe ngumnqweno wabo.’ Xa loo mnqweno uthe wakhawula, ‘uzala isono’—ukuziphatha kakubi. (Yak. 1:14, 15) Enjani yona intlekele! Bebenokuyiphepha yonke le nto ukuba bebevumele uYehova ukuba abancede bahlonele umtshato. Kodwa njani?

8. Ukuba ngabahlobo bakaYehova kusikhusela njani ekuziphatheni kakubi?

⁸ Funda iNdumiso 97:10. Ukuba ngabahlobo bakaYehova yeyona ndlela ibalulekileyo yokuzikhusela ekuziphatheni kakubi. Njengoko sifunda ngeempawu ezintle zikaThixo size sizame ukuba  ‘ngabaxelisa uThixo, njengabantwana abaziintanda, siqhubeke sihamba eluthandweni,’ siya kuba namandla okuxhathisa “uhenyuzo nako konke ukungahlambuluki.” (Efe. 5:1-4) Ekubeni besazi ukuba “uThixo uya kubagweba abahenyuzi nabakrexezi,” abantu abatshatileyo baya kusebenza nzima ukuze umtshato wabo ubekeke uze ungadyobheki.—Heb. 13:4.

9. (a) UYosefu wasixhathisa njani isilingo sokuziphatha kakubi? (b) Sifunda ntoni kumzekelo kaYosefu?

⁹ Abanye abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo baye bazenza buthathaka ngokunxulumana nabantu abasebenza nabo abangengomaNgqina emva komsebenzi. Phofu nangexesha lomsebenzi, izilingo zisenokuvela. Kaloku nenzwana enguYosefu yayisemsebenzini xa yabona ukuba inkosikazi yomqeshi wayo imncwasile. Yayimlinga yonke imihla. Ekugqibeleni, ‘yambamba ngesambatho sakhe, isithi: “Ndilale!”’ Kodwa uYosefu wabaleka. Yintoni eyanceda uYosefu wakwazi ukuzikhusela kweso silingo? Kukuzimisela kwakhe ukuba angalonakalisi ulwalamano lwakhe noThixo okwamenza wahlala enyulu yaye ethembekile. Ngenxa yokungagungqi kwakhe, walahlekelwa ngumsebenzi waza wavalelwa entolongweni ngokungekho sikweni, kodwa uYehova wamsikelela. (Gen. 39:1-12; 41:38-43) Enoba kusemsebenzini okanye emfihlekweni, amaKristu kufuneka alumke angazibeki kwiimeko ezilingayo nomntu ongeloqabane lawo.

10. Ukwambatha ubuntu obutsha kusikhusela njani ekuziphatheni?

¹⁰ Ekubeni ubuntu obutsha ‘budalwe ngokokuthanda kukaThixo ngobulungisa bokwenyaniso nokunyaniseka,’ buyeyona nto ibalulekileyo ukuze umtshato uhlale womelele. (Efe. 4:24) Abo bambatha ubuntu obutsha ‘bayawabhubhisa’ amalungu abo omzimba ‘kuhenyuzo, ukungahlambuluki, inkanuko yesini, umnqweno owenzakalisayo, nokubawa.’ (Funda amaKolose 3:5, 6.) Igama elithi ‘ukubhubhisa’ libonisa ukuba simele silwe nzima ukuze sixhathise iminqweno yenyama. Siya kuphepha nantoni na enokusenza sikhanuke umntu ongeloqabane lethu. (Yobhi 31:1) Njengoko siphila ngokuvisisana nentando kaThixo, sifunda ‘ukwenyanya oko kungendawo’ size ‘sinamathele koko kulungileyo.’—Roma 12:2, 9.

11. Ukwambatha ubuntu obutsha kunokuwomeleza njani umtshato?

¹¹ Ubuntu obutsha ‘bungumfanekiso waLowo wabudalayo,’ uYehova. (Kol. 3:10) Xa amadoda nabafazi bebonakalisa “umsa wemfesane, ububele, ukuthobeka kwengqondo, ubulali, nokuzeka kade umsindo,” umtshato wabo uza komelela baze basikelelwe ngokwenene. (Kol. 3:12) Ibe baya kuvana ngakumbi emtshatweni xa bevumela ‘uxolo lukaKristu lulawule ezintliziyweni zabo.’ (Kol. 3:15) Kuzivuyisa ngokwenene izibini ukuba ‘zibe nomsa omnye komnye’! Xa ‘zikhokela ekuboniseni imbeko omnye komnye,’ zonwaba gqitha.—Roma 12:10.

12. Ziziphi iimpawu ocinga ukuba zibalulekile ukuze nonwabe emtshatweni?

¹² Xa babebuzwa ukuba ziziphi iimpawu ezenza bonwabe emtshatweni wabo, uSid wathi: “Uthando lolona phawu besisoloko sisebenzela kulo. Nobulali bubalulekile.” Inkosikazi yakhe yongezelela isithi: “Kubalulekile nokuba nobubele.  Siye sazama nokuthobeka, nangona bekungasoloko kulula ukwenjenjalo.”

13. Nguwuphi omnye woondoqo ekwenzeni umtshato uzinze, ibe kutheni?

¹³ Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukuthetha ngobubele ngomnye woondoqo ekwenzeni umtshato uzinze. Ibiya kuba buhlungu into yokuba izibini zithethe ngentlonelo engakumbi kubantu ezingabaziyo nakwizilwanyana zasekhaya kunokuba zisenza kumaqabane azo! Xa izibini zigqabhukelana ‘ngobukrakra bolunya nomsindo nengqumbo nokumemeza nokutshabhisa,’ ziwenza buthathaka umtshato wazo. (Efe. 4:31) Kunokuba zisingele phantsi umtshato wazo ngokugxekana okanye ngokuphoxana kabuhlungu, izibini zimele ziwomeleze ngamazwi obubele, athantamisayo nanemfesane.—Efe. 4:32.

14. Ziziphi izinto esimele sikuphephe ukuzenza?

¹⁴ IBhayibhile ithi “kukho ixesha lokuthi cwaka.” (INtshu. 3:7) Kodwa ke loo nto ayithethi kuthi kufuneka siqumbelane, singancokolisani. Enye inkosikazi yaseJamani ithi: “Ukuqumba kunokulikhathaza iqabane lakho.” Noko ke, yongezelela isithi: “Nangona kungasoloko kulula ukuzola xa ukhathazekile, ayilunganga nento yokusuka nje uphuhluke xa uthetha. Xa uthetha ungacinganga okanye usenza into eza kulikhathaza iqabane lakho, wenz’ izinto zibe mbi ngakumbi.” Indoda nomfazi abazicombululi iingxaki zabo ngokushawutana okanye ngokungathethisani. Kunoko, bomeleza umtshato wabo ngokungavumeli ukungavisisani kube yinto yomhla nezolo okanye baxambulisane into engapheliyo.

15. Ukukhuphelana imbilini kunokuwomeleza njani umtshato?

¹⁵ Umtshato womelela ngakumbi xa izibini zizipha ixesha lokukhuphelana imbilini. Kubalulekile ukucinga ngento esiza kuyithetha, kodwa ke singayilibali nendlela yokuyithetha. Ngoko ke, nangamaxesha  anzima, kufuneka uyenze umkhwa wakho into yokuthetha ngobubele, ivakale loo nto kwithoni yelizwi lakho nakumagama owasebenzisayo. Loo nto iya kwenza kube lula kwiqabane lakho ukuba likumamele. (Funda amaKolose 4:6.) Indoda nomfazi banokuwenza ube luqilima umtshato wabo xa bethetha ilizwi ‘elilungele ukwakha njengoko kusenokuba yimfuneko, ukuze liwanike oko kukholekileyo’ amaqabane abo.—Efe. 4:29.

16, 17. Kutheni kubalulekile ukucingela iimvakalelo zeqabane neemfuno zalo zesondo?

¹⁶ Enye indlela izibini ezinokuwomeleza ngayo umtshato wazo kukubeka izilangazelelo zeqabane kuqala. (Fil. 2:3, 4) Amadoda nabafazi bamele bacingele iimvakalelo neemfuno zesondo zamaqabane abo.—Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 7:3, 4.

¹⁷ Okulusizi kukuba, abanye abantu abatshatileyo abakuthandi ukwenza izimbo zothando okanye ukwabelana ngesondo, ibe amanye amadoda acinga ukuba indoda ethantamisayo ithambile. IBhayibhile ithi: “Nina madoda, qhubekani nihlala nabo ngokokwazi.” (1 Pet. 3:7) Indoda kufuneka iqonde ukuba iimfanelo zomtshato azipheleli nje kwisondo. Umfazi udla ngokukunandipha ngakumbi ukwabelana ngesondo xa umyeni wakhe ebonisa ukuba uyamthanda nangamanye amaxesha. Xa bobabini becingelana, baya kuzanelisa kakuhle iimvakalelo neemfuno zokwenyama.

18. Amadoda nabafazi banokuwomeleza njani umtshato wabo?

¹⁸ Nangona ukukrexeza kungathetheleleki, ukungathantamisi kusenokuba negalelo ekubeni iqabane liye kufuna uthando nokwaneliswa komnye umntu. (IMize. 5:18; INtshu. 9:9) Ngoko ke, iBhayibhile ibongoza izibini ezitshatileyo isithi: “Musani ukubandezana [iimfanelo zomtshato], ngaphandle kokuba kungokuvumelana okwexesha elimisiweyo.” Ngoba? “Ukuze uSathana anganihendi ngenxa yokuswela kwenu ukuzeyisa.” (1 Kor. 7:5) Ibiya kuba yintlekele ukuba isibini besinokuvumela uSathana asebenzise ‘ukuswela kwaso ukuzeyisa’ ukuze enze omnye waso anikezele esilingweni aze akrexeze! Xa iqabane lifuna ‘kungekhona ingenelo yalo, kodwa eyomnye umntu,’ lize linike iqabane lalo iimfanelo zomtshato kuba lilithanda, kungekhona nje ukugqithisa usana kunina, umtshato unokutsho womelele.—1 Kor. 10:24.

19. Yintoni esimele sizimisele ukuyenza, ibe kutheni?

¹⁹ Sele sisondele kwihlabathi elitsha elinobulungisa. Ngenxa yoko, ukunikezela kwiminqweno yenyama kunokusizisela intlekele, njengoko kwaba njalo kumaSirayeli ayi-24 000 kuMathafa akwaMowabhi. Emva kokuchaza ngeso siganeko sibuhlungu, iLizwi likaThixo lisilumkisa lisithi: “Lowo ucinga ukuba umile makalumke angawi.” (1 Kor. 10:12) Ngoko ke, kubaluleke nyhani ukuba someleze imitshato yethu ngokuhlala sithembekile kuBawo wethu osezulwini nakumaqabane ethu. (Mat. 19:5, 6) Ngoku lelona xesha lokuba ‘senze unako-nako ukuze ekugqibeleni asifumane singenabala, singenasiphako yaye siseluxolweni.’—2 Pet. 3:13, 14.