1. Kungani uJehova enelungelo lokuthi konke okukhona kungokwakhe? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

YONKE into ekhona ingekaJehova! “Amazulu, yebo amazulu amazulu, umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo” kungokwakhe. (Dut. 10:14; IsAm. 4:11) Ngenxa yokuthi nathi sadalwa uNkulunkulu singabakhe. (IHu. 100:3) Noma kunjalo, phakathi nawo wonke umlando wesintu, uNkulunkulu uye wakhetha abantu abathile ukuba babe ngabakhe ngendlela ekhethekile.

2. EBhayibhelini obani abangabakaJehova ngendlela ekhethekile?

² Ngokwesibonelo, iHubo 135 lichaza abakhulekeli bakaJehova abathembekile kwa-Israyeli wasendulo ngokuthi “impahla yakhe ekhethekile.” (IHu. 135:4) Incwadi kaHoseya yabikezela ukuthi abantu abathile abangewona ama-Israyeli babeyoba abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Hos. 2:23) Isiprofetho sikaHoseya sagcwaliseka lapho uJehova ekhetha abantu abangewona amaJuda ukuba nabo babe ababusi kanye noKristu. (IzE. 10:45; Roma 9:23-26) Lesi “sizwe esingcwele” “siyimpahla ekhethekile” kaJehova, amalungu aso agcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele futhi ayophila ezulwini. (1 Pet. 2:9, 10) Kuthiwani ngamaKristu athembekile namuhla anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni? UJehova nawo uwabiza ngokuthi “abantu” bakhe nangokuthi ‘abakhethiweyo bakhe.’—Isaya 65:22.

3. (a) Obani abanobuhlobo obukhethekile noJehova namuhla? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

 ³ Namuhla, “umhlambi omncane,” onethemba lokuphila ezulwini, kanye “nezinye izimvu,” ezinethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, bakha ‘umhlambi munye’ uJehova awubheka njengabantu bakhe. (Luka 12:32; Joh. 10:16) Ngokuqinisekile sifuna ukubonisa uJehova ukuthi siyabazisa lobu buhlobo obukhethekile esinabo naye. Lesi sihloko sizoxoxa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene esingabonisa ngazo ukwazisa ngalokho uJehova asinike khona.

4. Singambonga kanjani uJehova ngokusivumela ukuba sibe abangane bakhe, futhi uJesu wakwenza kanjani okufanayo?

⁴ Sibonisa ukwazisa kwethu kuJehova ngokuzinikezela kuye ngenhliziyo ephelele. Ngobhapathizo lwamanzi, sizibonakalisa obala ukuthi singabakaJehova nokuthi sizimisele ukulawulwa nguye. (Heb. 12:9) UJesu wenza okufanayo lapho ebhapathizwa, wathi kuJehova: “O Nkulunkulu wami, ngikujabulele ukwenza intando yakho.” (IHu. 40:7, 8) Ngisho noma ayeyingxenye yesizwe esinikezelwe kuJehova, uJesu wazinikela kuNkulunkulu ukuba enze intando yakhe.

5, 6. (a) UJehova wasabela kanjani ngesikhathi uJesu ebhapathizwa? (b) Fanekisa ukuthi kungani uJehova ekwazisa ukuzinikezela kwethu ngisho noma yonke into kungeyakhe.

⁵ UJehova wasabela kanjani lapho uJesu ebhapathizwa? IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngemva kokubhapathizwa, uJesu wakhuphuka masinyane emanzini; futhi, bheka! amazulu avuleka, wabona umoya kaNkulunkulu wehla njengejuba uza phezu kwakhe. Bheka! Kwaba khona nezwi livela emazulwini elathi: ‘Lo yiNdodana yami ethandekayo, engiyamukele.’” (Math. 3:16, 17) Ngisho noma uJesu ayengokaJehova kakade, uYise wajabula lapho ebona ukuthi iNdodana yakhe izimisele ukwenza intando yaKhe kuphela. Ngendlela efanayo uJehova uyajabula lapho sizinikezela kuye futhi uyosibusisa.—IHu. 149:4.

⁶ Ngokwesibonelo, ake sithi indoda itshale izimbali eziningi ezinhle engadini yayo. Ngolunye usuku indodakazi yayo ikha imbali eyodwa bese iyinika yona njengesipho. Le mbali akuyona yini eyale ndoda? Pho indodakazi ingayipha kanjani into okungeyayo? Ubaba onothando ngeke aze ayicabange imibuzo enjalo. Kunalokho, uyokujabulela ukwamukela isipho esibonisa ukuthi indodakazi yakhe iyamthanda. Ngokuqinisekile uyoyithanda kakhulu leyo mbali ayinikwe yindodakazi yakhe ukuzedlula zonke lezi ezisengadini yakhe. UJehova ujabula ngendlela efanayo lapho ngokuzithandela sizinikela kuye kuphela.—Eks. 34:14.

7. UMalaki usisiza kanjani siqonde imizwa kaJehova ngalabo abazimisele ukumkhonza?

⁷ Funda uMalaki 3:16. Uma ungakazinikezeli futhi wabhapathizwa, cabanga ngokubaluleka kokwenza lokho. Kuyavunywa ukuthi kusukela usewusana ubungokaJehova njengoba kunjalo ngabo bonke abantu. Nokho, cabanga indlela uJehova ayojabula ngayo lapho uqaphela ubukhosi bakhe bese uzinikezela kuye futhi wenze intando yakhe. (IzAga 23:15) UJehova uyabaqaphela labo abamkhonza ngokuzithandela futhi uloba amagama abo “encwadini [yakhe] yenkumbulo.”

8, 9. Yini uJehova ayifuna kulabo abalobe “encwadini [yakhe] yenkumbulo”?

⁸ Njengabantu bakaJehova, kunezinto  okudingeka sizenze ukuze amagama ethu alotshwe “encwadini [yakhe] yenkumbulo.” UMalaki wakusho ngokucacile ukuthi kumelwe ‘simesabe uJehova futhi sicabangisise ngegama lakhe.’ Ukukhonza omunye umuntu noma enye into kuyobangela ukuba igama lomuntu lisuswe encwadini kaJehova yokuphila engokomfanekiso.—Eks. 32:33; IHu. 69:28.

⁹ Ngakho, ukuzinikezela kuJehova kuhilela okungaphezu nje kwesithembiso sokwenza intando yakhe nokubhapathizwa. Lezi yizenzo ezisheshe zidlule. Ukuma ohlangothini lukaJehova njengabantu bakhe kudinga ukuba sibonise ngokuqhubekayo ukuthi siyamlalela nsuku zonke, uma nje sisaphila.—1 Pet. 4:1, 2.

10. Yimuphi umehluko ocacile okumelwe ubonakale phakathi kwalabo abakhonza uJehova nalabo abangamkhonzi?

¹⁰ Esihlokweni esidlule sixoxe ngokulandisa okuseBhayibhelini kukaKhayini, uSolomoni nokwama-Israyeli. Bonke babethi bakhonza uJehova, kodwa babengakhonzi yena kuphela. Lezi zibonelo zibonise ngokucacile ukuthi labo abangabakaJehova kumelwe bakhethe ukulunga futhi bamelane nobubi. (Roma 12:9) Encwadini kaMalaki ngemva kokuba uJehova ekhulume “ngencwadi yenkumbulo,” wakhuluma ‘ngomehluko phakathi kolungileyo nomubi, phakathi kokhonza uNkulunkulu nongazange amkhonze.’—Mal. 3:18.

11. Kungani kufanele kubonakale kwabanye ukuthi sizinikele kuJehova kuphela?

¹¹ Nayi enye indlela esingabonisa ngayo ukuthi siyamazisa uJehova ngokusikhetha ukuba sibe abantu bakhe. Intuthuko yethu engokomoya kumelwe “ibonakale kubo bonke abantu.” (1 Thim. 4:15; Math. 5:16) Zibuze: ‘Ingabe abantu bayabona ukuthi ngiqotho ngempela kuJehova? Ingabe ngiyawafuna amathuba okuzibonakalisa njengoFakazi KaJehova?’ Kungamdumaza kakhulu uJehova ukusibona singabaza ukutshela abanye ukuthi singabakhe njengoba esikhethile.—IHu. 119:46; funda uMarku 8:38.

12, 13. Abanye baye bakwenza kwaba nzima ngayiphi indlela ukubonakala ukuthi bangoFakazi BakaJehova?

 ¹² Ngokudabukisayo, abanye oFakazi balingisa “umoya wezwe” obenza bangahluki kulabo abangamkhonzi uJehova. (1 Kor. 2:12) Lona umoya owenza abantu bagxile ‘ezifisweni zenyama.’ (Efe. 2:3) Ngokwesibonelo, yize sekukhishwe izeluleko eziningi ngale ndaba, abaningi basagqoka futhi bazilungise ngendlela engenasizotha. Bagqoka izingubo ezibampintshayo neziveza umzimba, ngisho nasemihlanganweni yobuKristu. Abanye benza izitayela zekhanda ezeqisayo. (1 Thim. 2:9, 10) Ngenxa yalokho lapho bephakathi kwesixuku kungaba nzima ukubona ukuthi ubani ongokaJehova nokuthi ubani ‘ongumngane wezwe.’—Jak. 4:4.

¹³ Zikhona nezinye izindlela abanye oFakazi ababonise ngazo ukuthi abakwenqabi ngokuphelele ukuziphatha kwezwe. Indlela abadansa ngayo nendlela abaziphatha ngayo emicimbini ayiwafanele amaKristu. Bafaka izithombe zabo ezinkundleni zokuxhumana futhi babhale izinto ezibonisa ukuthi ababona abantu abangokomoya. Kungenzeka ukuthi asikho isono esikhulu abake basenza esidinga ukuba bahlulelwe ebandleni, kodwa bangaba yithonya elibi kulabo abazama ukuziphatha kahle phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova.—Funda eyoku-1 Petru 2:11, 12.

14. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sivikele ubuhlobo bethu obukhethekile noJehova?

¹⁴ Izwe ligqugquzela “isifiso senyama nesifiso samehlo nokugabisa ngalokho umuntu aziphilisa ngakho.” (1 Joh. 2:16) Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi singabakaJehova, sinxuswa ukuba “silahle ukungamhloniphi uNkulunkulu nezifiso zezwe nokuba siphile ngokuhluzeka kwengqondo nokulunga nangokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu phakathi nalesi simiso samanje sezinto.” (Thithu 2:12) Indlela esikhuluma ngayo, indlela esidla ngayo nesiphuza ngayo, esigqoka nesizilungisa ngayo, indlela esisebenza ngayo—konke esikwenzayo—kumelwe kutshele obukele ukuthi sizinikele kuJehova kuphela.—Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 10:31, 32.

15. Kungani kufanele siphathe esikholwa nabo ngomusa nangothando?

¹⁵ Ukwazisa ubungane obukhethekile esinabo noJehova kubonakala endleleni esiphatha ngayo esikhonza nabo. Nabo bangabakaJehova. Uma sikhumbula leli qiniso, siyohlale siphatha abazalwane nodadewethu ngomusa nangothando. (1 Thes. 5:15) UJesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.”—Joh. 13:35.

16. Yisiphi isibonelo eMthethweni kaMose esibonisa indlela uJehova azizwa ngayo ngabantu bakhe?

¹⁶ Ukuze siveze indlela okumelwe siphathane ngayo ebandleni, cabanga ngokulandelayo. Izinto ezazisetshenziswa ethempelini likaJehova zazinikezelwe noma zibekelwe eceleni ukuze zisetshenziselwe ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kuphela. UMthetho kaMose wawuchaza kabanzi indlela yokunakekela lezi zinto futhi abawuphulayo lo mthetho babebulawa. (Num. 1:50, 51) Uma uJehova ayenendaba kangaka nendlela izinto zasethempelini ezazisetshenziswa ngayo, ngokuqinisekile wayebakhathalela nakakhulu abakhulekeli bakhe abaqotho abakhethe ukuba babe abantu bakhe. Ekhuluma nabantu bakhe, uJehova wake wathi: “Othinta nina uthinta inhlamvu yeso lami.”—Zak. 2:8.

17. Yini uJehova ‘ayinakile nayilalele?’

¹⁷ Kuyakhuthaza ukwazi ukuthi uMalaki uchaza uJehova ‘njengoqhubeka enakile nolalele’ njengoba abantu bakhe bexoxa. (Mal. 3:16) Ngempela, “UJehova uyabazi abangabakhe.” (2 Thim. 2:19) Uyayibona yonke into esiyenzayo nesiyishoyo. (Heb. 4:13) Uma singababonisi umusa abakhulekeli esikanye nabo, uJehova ‘unakile futhi ulalele.’ Lapho singenisa izihambi, sinesandla esivulekile, sithethelela futhi sibonisana umusa, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyabona.—Heb. 13:16; 1 Pet. 4:8, 9.

18. Singambonga kanjani uJehova ngokusikhetha ukuba sibe abantu bakhe?

¹⁸ Ngokuqinisekile siyakulangazelela ukubonisa uJehova ukuthi siyakwazisa ukuba abantu bakhe. Sibona ukuhlakanipha kokwamukela ukuthi singabakhe ngokuzinikezela ngokuzithandela kuye. Ngisho nalapho siphila “phakathi kwesizukulwane esigwegwile nesisontekile,” sifuna abantu babone ukuthi singabantu “abangasoleki nabamsulwa,” ‘abakhanya njengezinkanyiso ezweni.’ (Fil. 2:15) Simelana ngokuqinile nobubi. (Jak. 4:7) Siyabathanda futhi siyabahlonipha abakhulekeli esikanye nabo, siqaphela ukuthi nabo bangabakaJehova.—Roma 12:10.

19. UJehova ubavuza kanjani labo abangabakhe?

¹⁹ IBhayibheli liyasithembisa: “UJehova ngeke abashiye abantu bakhe.” (IHu. 94:14) Lokhu kuqinisekisiwe naphezu kwanoma yibuphi ubunzima obungase busehlele. Ngisho nokufa ngeke kubangele ukuba uJehova ayeke ukusithanda. (Roma 8:38, 39) “Uma siphila, siphilela uJehova, futhi uma sifa, sifela uJehova. Ngakho-ke kokubili uma siphila noma sifa, singabakaJehova.” (Roma 14:8) Sibheke phambili osukwini lapho uJehova eyovusa khona bonke abangane bakhe abaqotho abaye bafa. (Math. 22:32) Ngisho namanje sijabulela izibusiso eziningi. Kunjengoba iBhayibheli lisho, “Siyajabula isizwe esiNkulunkulu waso nguJehova, isizwe asikhethile ukuba sibe yifa lakhe.”—IHu. 33:12.