1, 2. (a) Yimiphi imibono engafani abantu abanayo ngenkululeko yokuzikhethela? (b) IBhayibheli lisifundisani mayelana nenkululeko yokuzikhethela futhi yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo?

LAPHO kudingeka enze isinqumo esithinta yena, owesifazane othile wathi kumngane wakhe: “Ungangibuzi imibuzo, vele ungitshele ukuthi ngenzeni. Yilokho okulula kimi.” Lona wesifazane wayekuthola kungcono ukutshelwa ukuthi enzeni kunokuba asebenzise isipho sakhe esiyigugu asinikwe uMdali wakhe, isipho senkululeko yokuzikhethela. Kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe uyakuthanda ukuzenzela izinqumo noma uncamela ukuba abanye bakunqumele? Uyibheka kanjani inkululeko yokuzikhethela?

² Sekuphele amakhulu eminyaka abantu bephikisana ngale ndaba. Abanye bagomela ngokuthi ayikho into eyinkululeko yokuzikhethela—bathi zonke izenzo zethu zinqunywa uNkulunkulu kusengaphambili. Abanye bathi singaba nenkululeko yokuzikhethela yangempela uma sinenkululeko ephelele. Nokho, ukuze siyiqonde kahle le ndaba, kumelwe sifunde iZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. Kungani? Ngoba lembula ukuthi uJehova wasidala saba nenkululeko yokuzikhethela, okuyikhono nenkululeko yokuzenzela izinqumo ezihlakaniphile. (Funda uJoshuwa 24:15.) IBhayibheli liphinde liphendule imibuzo enjengokuthi: Kufanele siyisebenzise kanjani inkululeko yethu yokuzikhethela? Ingabe inayo imingcele? Indlela esisebenzisa ngayo inkululeko yethu yokuzikhethela ikubonisa  kanjani ukujula kothando lwethu ngoJehova? Singazihlonipha kanjani izinqumo zabanye?

3. Yisiphi isibonelo esibekwa uJehova endleleni asebenzisa ngayo inkululeko yakhe?

³ UJehova kuphela onenkululeko ephelele, kodwa indlela ayisebenzisa ngayo iyisibonelo kithi. Ngokwesibonelo, wanquma ukuba isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sibizwe ngegama lakhe, sibe “impahla [yakhe] ekhethekile.” (Dut. 7:6-8) Lesi kwakuyisinqumo esicatshangelwe kahle. UJehova wayegcwalisa isithembiso ayesenze emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili kumngane wakhe u-Abrahama. (Gen. 22:15-18) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova uhlale esebenzisa inkululeko yakhe ngokuvumelana nezimfanelo zakhe zothando nobulungisa. Lokhu kubonakala endleleni ahlulela ngayo ama-Israyeli, ayekushiya ngokuphindaphindiwe ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Lapho ama-Israyeli ezisola ngokusuka enhliziyweni, ngokuzithandela uJehova wawabonisa uthando nomusa, wathi: “Ngizokuphulukisa ukungathembeki kwabo. Ngizobathanda ngokuzithandela.” (Hos. 14:4) Yeka isibonelo esihle sokusebenzisa inkululeko yakhe ukuze kuzuze abanye!

4, 5. (a) Ubani owasithola kuqala isipho sikaNkulunkulu senkululeko yokuzikhethela futhi wasisebenzisa kanjani? (b) Yimuphi umbuzo okumelwe sizibuze wona?

⁴ Lapho uJehova edala, ngothando wakhetha ukunikeza izidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphile inkululeko yokuzikhethela. Isidalwa sokuqala esathola lesi sipho yiNdodana yakhe eyizibulo, ‘engumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu ongabonakali.’ (Kol. 1:15) Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni, uJesu wakhetha ukuhlala eqotho kuYise futhi akazange ahlanganyele ekuvukeleni kukaSathane. Kamuva lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, wasebenzisa inkululeko yakhe yokuzikhethela ukuze amelane nezilingo ezivela eSitheni esikhulu. (Math. 4:10) Emthandazweni oqotho awenza ngaphambi kokuba afe, uJesu wakuqinisekisa ukuzimisela kwakhe ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Wathi: “Baba, uma uthanda, susa le ndebe kimi. Noma kunjalo, makungenzeki intando yami, kodwa eyakho.” (Luka 22:42) Kwangathi singalingisa uJesu futhi sisebenzise inkululeko yethu yokuzikhethela ukuze sidumise uJehova senze intando yakhe! Ingabe lokho kunganzeka ngempela?

⁵ Yebo, singasilingisa isibonelo sikaJesu, ngoba nathi senziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. (Gen. 1:26) Nokho, inkululeko yethu inemingcele. Asinayo inkululeko ephelele njengoJehova. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lichaza ukuthi inkululeko yethu inemingcele futhi kumelwe siyihloniphe imingcele uJehova asibekele yona. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amakhosikazi kufanele athobele abayeni bawo nezingane zithobele abazali bazo. (Efe. 5:22; 6:1) Le mingcele iyithinta kanjani indlela esisebenzisa ngayo inkululeko yethu yokuzikhethela? Impendulo yalo mbuzo ingasho ukuphila okuphakade.

6. Bonisa ukuthi kungani kufaneleka ukuba inkululeko yethu ibe nemingcele.

⁶ Ingabe ukuba nenkululeko yokuzikhethela enemingcele kuyinkululeko yangempela? Yebo! Kungani sisho lokho? Imingcele ebekelwe inkululeko yabantu ingabavikela. Ngokwesibonelo, singase sikhethe ukushayela siye edolobheni elikude. Nokho, ingabe besingazizwa siphephile ukushayela emgwaqweni omkhulu okungalandelwa kuwo imithetho yomgwaqo, onabashayeli abashayela nganoma yisiphi isivinini abasithandayo noma abashayela kunoma yiluphi uhlangothi? Cishe besingeke. Imingcele iyadingeka ukuze sonke sijabulele izibusiso zenkululeko yangempela. Ukuze sibonise ukuhlakanipha kokusebenzisa inkululeko yokuzikhethela ngaphansi kwemingcele ebekwe uJehova, ake sihlole ezinye zezibonelo eziseBhayibhelini.

7. (a) Isipho senkululeko yokuzikhethela samenza kanjani u-Adamu wahluka kwezinye izidalwa e-Edene? (b) Chaza indlela u-Adamu asebenzisa ngayo inkululeko yakhe yokuzikhethela.

 ⁷ Lapho edala umuntu wokuqala u-Adamu, uNkulunkulu wamnika isipho esifana naleso ayesinike izidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphile zasezulwini, isipho senkululeko yokuzikhethela. Lokhu kwenza u-Adamu wehluka ezilwaneni, njengoba zona zilawulwa imizwa. Cabanga ngesibonelo sendlela u-Adamu asebenzisa ngayo inkululeko yokuzikhethela ngendlela efanele. Izilwane zadalwa kuqala kunabantu. Nokho, uJehova wanika umuntu wokuqala ilungelo elijabulisayo lokuqamba lezo zilwane. UNkulunkulu “waziletha kumuntu ukuze abone ukuthi ngasinye angasiqamba athini.” Ngemva kokuba u-Adamu ehlole isilwane ngasinye futhi wasiqamba igama, uJehova akazange awashintshe lawo magama. Kunalokho, “noma yiliphi igama umuntu ayeliqamba umphefumulo ngamunye ophilayo, lelo kwaba yigama lawo.”—Gen. 2:19.

8. U-Adamu wayisebenzisa kanjani ngendlela embi inkululeko yakhe yokuzikhethela futhi kwaba namiphi imiphumela?

⁸ Ngokudabukisayo, u-Adamu akazange aneliswe isabelo ayesinikwe uNkulunkulu sokulima nokunakekela umhlaba oyipharadesi. Ayizange imanelise inkululeko ayenayo yokufeza isabelo sakhe ayesinikwe uNkulunkulu: “Zalani nande nigcwalise umhlaba niwunqobe, nithotshelwe yizinhlanzi . . . nezidalwa ezindizayo . . . nazo zonke izidalwa eziphilayo ezihamba phezu komhlaba.” (Gen. 1:28) Kunalokho, wakhetha ukudlulela ngale kwemingcele ayeyibekelwe uNkulunkulu ngokudla isithelo esasenqatshelwe. Lokhu kusetshenziswa kabi kwenkululeko yokuzikhethela kuye kwabangela ukuhlupheka nobuhlungu enzalweni ka-Adamu izinkulungwane zeminyaka. (Roma 5:12) Ukwazi imiphumela yesinqumo sika-Adamu kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba sisebenzise inkululeko yethu ngendlela efanele futhi sihloniphe imingcele ebekwe uJehova.

9. UJehova wavumela abantu bakhe ukuba bakhethe ukwenzani futhi isizwe sasabela kanjani?

⁹ Inzalo ka-Adamu no-Eva yazuza njengefa ukungapheleli nokufa kubazali bayo abangalaleli. Nokho, yaqhubeka inelungelo lokusebenzisa isipho senkululeko yokuzikhethela. Lokhu kubonakala endleleni uNkulunkulu ásebenzelana ngayo nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Ngenceku yakhe uMose, uJehova wavumela abantu ukuba bakhethe ukwamukela noma ukwenqaba ilungelo lokuba impahla yaKhe ekhethekile. (Eks. 19:3-6) Basabela kanjani? Ngokuzithandela bakhetha ukwenza ngokuvumelana nalokho okulindeleke kubantu begama likaNkulunkulu futhi ngobunye bathi: “Konke uJehova akukhulumile sizimisele ukukwenza.” (Eks. 19:8) Ngokudabukisayo, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi leso sizwe sayisebenzisa kabi inkululeko yaso yokuzikhethela futhi sasephula leso sithembiso. Masifunde kulesi sibonelo esiyisixwayiso futhi sihlale sisazisa isipho sethu senkululeko yokuzikhethela ngokuqhubeka sincika kuJehova futhi silalela izimfuneko zakhe zokulunga.—1 Kor. 10:11.

10. Yiziphi izibonelo ezinikeza ubufakazi bokuthi abantu abangaphelele bangakwazi ukusebenzisa inkululeko yabo yokuzikhethela ngendlela edumisa uNkulunkulu? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹⁰ KumaHebheru isahluko 11, sithola amagama ezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezingu-16 ezakhetha ukusebenzisa inkululeko yokuzikhethela zihlonipha imingcele ebekwe uJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, zabusiswa ngokucebile futhi zinethemba eliqinisekisiwe lekusasa. Ngokwesibonelo, uNowa wabonisa ukholo oluqinile futhi wakhetha ukulalela iziqondiso zikaNkulunkulu ukuze kulondolozwe umndeni wakhe nezizukulwane zesintu ezazizolandela. (Heb. 11:7) U-Abrahama noSara ngokuzithandela bavumela ukuba uNkulunkulu abaholele ezweni lesithembiso. Ngisho nangemva kokuthatha lolu hambo olude, babenalo “ithuba lokubuyela” emzini wase-Uri ochumayo. Noma kunjalo, bagxilisa amehlo abo okholo ‘ekugcwalisekeni  kwezithembiso’ zikaNkulunkulu zekusasa; ‘bezama ukufinyelela indawo engcono.’ (Heb. 11:8, 13, 15, 16) UMose washiya ingcebo yaseGibhithe, “ekhetha ukuphathwa kabi nabantu bakaNkulunkulu kunokujabula isikhashana esonweni.” (Heb. 11:24-26) Kwangathi singalingisa ukholo lwalaba bakhulekeli basendulo ngokwazisa isipho sethu senkululeko yokuzikhethela futhi sisisebenzisele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu.

11. (a) Yisiphi esinye sezibusiso ezinkulu zenkululeko yokuzikhethela? (b) Yini ekushukumisela ukuba usebenzise isipho sakho senkululeko yokuzikhethela ngendlela efanele?

¹¹ Yize kungase kube lula ukuba omunye umuntu asenzele izinqumo, lokho kungasincisha esinye sezibusiso ezinkulu zenkululeko yokuzikhethela. Leso sibusiso sembulwe kuDuteronomi 30:19, 20. (Funda.) Ivesi 19 likhuluma ngelungelo lokuzikhethela uNkulunkulu alinika ama-Israyeli. Evesini 20 sifunda ukuthi uJehova wawanika ithuba eliyingqayizivele lokumbonisa lokho okwakusezinhliziyweni zawo. Nathi singakhetha ukukhonza uJehova. Indlela enhle kakhulu yokusebenzisa isipho sethu senkululeko yokuzikhethela ukubonisa ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu, simnikeze udumo futhi simkhazimulise!

12. Yini okungamelwe siyenze nhlobo ngesipho sethu senkululeko yokuzikhethela?

¹² Ake sithi uphe umngane wakho isipho esibizayo. Yeka ukuthi ubuyodumala kanjani lapho uthola ukuthi usilahle emgqonyeni kadoti leso sipho, noma okubi nakakhulu, uye wasisebenzisela ukulimaza omunye umuntu! Manje cabanga indlela okumelwe ukuba uJehova uzizwa ngayo njengoba ebuka abantu abaningi besebenzisa kabi inkululeko yabo ukuze benze izinqumo ezilimaza abanye. Ngempela, njengoba iBhayibheli labikezela, ‘ngezinsuku zokugcina’ abantu bayoba “abangabongiyo.” (2 Thim. 3:1, 2) Kwangathi singelokothe sisisebenzise kabi lesi sipho esiyigugu esivela kuJehova noma sisithathe kancane. Nokho, singakugwema kanjani ukusisebenzisa kabi isipho sethu senkululeko yokuzikhethela?

13. Iyiphi indlela esingagwema ngayo ukusebenzisa kabi inkululeko yethu yobuKristu?

¹³ Sonke sinenkululeko yokuzikhethela ngokuphathelene nabangane, indlela yokugqoka nokuzilungisa nezokuzijabulisa. Nokho, inkululeko yethu ingase ibe ‘isembozo sobubi’ uma sikhetha ukuba yizigqila zezifiso zenyama yethu noma uma silandela  izitayela nezimfashini zezwe ezihlazisayo. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 2:16.) Kunokuba sisebenzise inkululeko yethu “njengethuba” lokuphishekela izifiso zenyama, sifuna ukuzimisela ukwenza izinqumo ezizosisiza silalele lesi siyalo: “Zonke izinto zenzeleni inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.”—Gal. 5:13; 1 Kor. 10:31.

14. Ukuthembela kwethu kuJehova kuhlangana kanjani nokusebenzisa kwethu inkululeko yokuzikhethela?

¹⁴ Enye indlela esingaqapha ngayo inkululeko yethu yokuzikhethela ukuthembela kuJehova futhi simvumele asiqondise esebenzisa imincele asibekele yona. Nguye kuphela ‘osifundisayo ukuze sizuze, lowo osibangela ukuba sinyathele endleleni okufanele sihambe ngayo.’ (Isaya 48:17) Ngokuthobeka kumelwe samukele ukuba yiqiniso kwala mazwi aphefumulelwe: “Indlela yomuntu wasemhlabeni akuyona eyakhe. Akukona okomuntu ohambayo ngisho nokuqondisa isinyathelo sakhe.” (Jer. 10:23) Kwangathi singelokothe siwele ogibeni lokukhetha ukuncika kokwethu ukuqonda njengoba kwenza u-Adamu nama-Israyeli avukelayo. Kunalokho, kwangathi ‘singathembela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo [yethu].’—IzAga 3:5.

15. Yini esiyifunda esimisweni esitholakala kweyabaseGalathiya 6:5?

¹⁵ Omunye wemingcele yenkululeko yethu ukuthi kumelwe sihloniphe ilungelo labanye lokuzenzela izinqumo. Kungani? Njengoba sonke sinesipho senkululeko yokuzikhethela, awekho amaKristu angahlale enza izinqumo ezifana nse. Lokhu kuyiqiniso ngisho nasezintweni ezithinta ukuziphatha nokukhulekela kwethu. Khumbula isimiso esitholakala kweyabaseGalathiya 6:5 (Funda.) Lapho siqaphela ukuthi umKristu ngamunye kumelwe ‘athwale owakhe umthwalo,’ siyolihlonipha ilungelo analo lokusebenzisa isipho sakhe senkululeko yokuzikhethela.

16, 17. (a) Inkululeko yokuzikhethela yaba inkinga ngayiphi indlela eKorinte? (b) UPawulu wazilungisa kanjani lezo zinkinga futhi lokhu kusifundisani ngamalungelo abanye?

¹⁶ Cabanga ngesibonelo seBhayibheli esibonisa ukuthi kungani kumelwe sihloniphe inkululeko yabafowethu yokuzenzela izinqumo ezindabeni ezihilela unembeza. AmaKristu aseKorinte ayengavumelani ngendaba yokudla inyama eyayithengwa emakethe okungenzeka yayinikelwe ezithombeni. Abanye babethi: ‘Njengoba isithombe singelutho, inyama ingadliwa ngonembeza ohlanzekile.’ Nokho, abanye ababeke bakhulekela lezo zithombe baba nomuzwa wokuthi ukudla leyo nyama kungaba isenzo sokukhulekela. (1 Kor. 8:4, 7) Lena kwakuyindaba ebucayi, eyayisongela ubunye bebandla. UPawulu wawasiza kanjani amaKristu aseKorinte ukuba abe nombono kaNkulunkulu ngale ndaba?

¹⁷ Okokuqala, uPawulu wakhumbuza lawo maKristu ayengavumelani ukuthi ukudla kwakungeke kuwasondeze kuNkulunkulu. (1 Kor. 8:8) Wabe esewaxwayisa ukuba angavumeli ilungelo lawo lokuzikhethela libe “yisikhubekiso kulabo [ababebuthakathaka].” (1 Kor. 8:9) Kamuva, wayala labo ababenonembeza osheshe uzwele ukuba bangabahluleli labo ababekhetha ukuyidla leyo nyama. (1 Kor. 10:25, 29, 30) Ngakho, kule ndaba ebalulekile ehlobana nokukhulekela, umKristu ngamunye kwakudingeka azenzele esakhe isinqumo. Akufanele yini ukuba nathi sihloniphe ilungelo labafowethu lokuzenzela izinqumo ezindabeni ezingabalulekile kangako?—1 Kor. 10:32, 33.

18. Uzobonisa kanjani ukuthi uyasazisa isipho sakho senkululeko yokuzikhethela?

¹⁸ UJehova usinike isipho senkululeko yokuzikhethela esihambisana nenkululeko yangempela. (2 Kor. 3:17) Siyasazisa lesi sipho ngoba sisivumela ukuba senze izinqumo ezibonisa ukuthi simthanda kangakanani uJehova. Kwangathi singaqhubeka sibonisa ukwazisa ngalesi sipho esiyigugu ngokusisebenzisela ukudumisa uNkulunkulu nangokuhlonipha indlela abanye abakhetha ukusisebenzisa ngayo.