1, 2. ‘Hlobo luni lwabantu okufanele sibe yilo’ ukuze samukelwe nguNkulunkulu?

AKUYONA into engavamile ukukhathazeka ngalokho abanye abakucabangayo ngathi. Nokho, njengamaKristu, akufanele yini sikhathazeke nakakhulu ngalokho uJehova akucabangayo ngathi? Kakade, unguMuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke ezulwini nasemhlabeni futhi “umthombo wokuphila” ukuye.—IHu. 36:9.

² Egcizelela ‘uhlobo lwabantu okufanele sibe yilo’ ngokombono kaJehova, umphostoli uPetru usinxusa ukuba sihlanganyele “ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.” (Funda eyesi-2 Petru 3:11.) Ukuze samukeleke kuNkulunkulu, ‘izenzo zethu zokuziphatha’ kumelwe zibe ngcwele, okungukuthi, zihlanzeke—ngokokuziphatha, ngokwengqondo nangokomoya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kudingeka senze ‘izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’ ngokumhlonipha nangokunamathela kuye ngobuqotho. Ngakho-ke, ukufuna ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu akuhileli ukuziphatha kwethu kuphela kodwa nomuntu esinguye ngaphakathi. Njengoba uJehova ‘engumhloli wenhliziyo,’ uyazi ukuthi singcwele yini ekuziphatheni kwethu nokuthi sizinikele kuye ngokuphelele noma cha.—1 IziKr. 29:17.

3. Ngokuphathelene nobuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu, imiphi imibuzo okufanele sicabange ngayo?

³ USathane uDeveli akafuni ukuba sifune ukwamukelwa nguNkulunkulu. Eqinisweni, wenza konke angakwenza ukuze asenze silahle ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. Akanqikazi ukusebenzisa amanga nenkohliso ukuze asinxenxele kude noNkulunkulu esimkhulekelayo. (Joh. 8:44; 2 Kor. 11:13-15) Ngakho-ke, senza ngokuhlakanipha ngokuzibuza: ‘USathane ubakhohlisa kanjani abantu? Yini engingayenza ukuze ngivikele ubuhlobo bami noJehova?’

4. Emzamweni wakhe wokuqeda ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu, yini uSathane ayihlaselayo, futhi kungani?

⁴ “Yilowo nalowo ulingwa ngokuhehwa nangokuhungwa yisifiso sakhe siqu,” kubhala umfundi uJakobe. “Khona-ke isifiso, lapho sesakhekile, sizala isono; isono, lapho sesifeziwe, siveza ukufa.” (Jak. 1:14, 15) Emzamweni wakhe wokusihlukanisa noNkulunkulu, uSathane uhlasela umthombo wezifiso zethu—inhliziyo yethu.

5, 6. (a) USathane usebenzisani ukuze asihlasele? (b) Iziphi izilingo uSathane azisebenzisayo emzamweni wokonakalisa izifiso zenhliziyo yethu, futhi usethuthuke kangakanani ekuzisebenziseni?

⁵ Yini uSathane ayisebenzisayo ukuze ahlasele inhliziyo yethu? IBhayibheli lithi: “Lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Joh. 5:19) Izikhali zikaSathane zihlanganisa ‘nezinto ezisezweni.’ (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 2:15, 16.) Phakathi nezinkulungwane zeminyaka edlule, uDeveli uye waliklama ngobuhlakani izwe elisizungezile. Njengoba siphila kuleli zwe, kudingeka sihlale siqaphe amaqhinga akhe acashile.—Joh. 17:15.

⁶ USathane usebenzisa izindlela eziklanyelwe ukonakalisa izifiso zenhliziyo. Umphostoli uJohane ubalula izilingo ezintathu uSathane azisebenzisayo: (1) “isifiso senyama,” (2) ‘isifiso samehlo’ (3) “nokugabisa ngalokho umuntu aziphilisa ngakho.” USathane wasebenzisa lezi zinto lapho elinga uJesu ehlane. Njengoba sekuyiminyaka esebenzisa lezi zicupho, usezisebenzisa ngokuphumelelayo namuhla, azenze zifanelane nokuthambekela komuntu ngamunye. Ngaphambi kokuba sihlole izinyathelo esingazithatha ukuze sizivikele kule ndaba, masiqale ngokubona indlela uDeveli asebenzisa ngayo ngokuphumelelayo izilingo ezithile ku-Eva kodwa wangaphumelela eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu.

7. USathane wasisebenzisa kanjani “isifiso senyama” ukuze alinge u-Eva?

⁷ Abantu banesidingo esiyisisekelo sokulondoloza imizimba yabo—isidingo sokudla. UMdali waklama umhlaba ngendlela yokuba ukwazi ukukhiqiza inala yokudla. USathane angase asebenzise isifiso esingokwemvelo sokudla ukuze asenze siyeke ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Cabanga ngendlela akwenza ngayo lokhu ku-Eva. (Funda uGenesise 3:1-6.) USathane watshela u-Eva ukuthi angadla izithelo ‘zomuthi wolwazi lokuhle nokubi’ kodwa angafi, wathi ngosuku azozidla ngalo, uyofana noNkulunkulu. (Gen. 2:9) Ngale ndlela, uDeveli wayethi kwakungadingeki ukuba u-Eva alalele uNkulunkulu ukuze aphile. Yeka amanga amabi! Lapho lowo mcabango usutshalekile engqondweni ka-Eva, kwase kunezinto ezimbili okufanele akhethe kuzo: Wayengakhetha ukuwususa engqondweni yakhe, noma ukugxila kuwo, avumele isifiso sokudla leso sithelo sikhule. Nakuba ayekhululekile ukudla izithelo  zayo yonke eminye imithi esensimini, wakhetha ukugxila kulokho uSathane ayekushilo ngomuthi ophakathi nensimu, futhi “wathatha isithelo sawo wadla.” Kanjalo uSathane wenza u-Eva waba nesifiso sento eyayinqatshelwe nguMdali wakhe.

8. Esebenzisa “isifiso senyama,” uSathane wazama kanjani ukulinga uJesu, futhi kungani lesi silingo singazange siphumelele?

⁸ USathane wasebenzisa iqhinga elifanayo lapho ezama ukulinga uJesu ehlane. Ngemva kokuba uJesu ezile ukudla izinsuku ezingu-40 nobusuku obungu-40, uSathane wazama ukusebenzisa kabi isifiso sikaJesu sokudla. Wathi: “Uma uyindodana kaNkulunkulu, tshela leli tshe ukuba libe yisinkwa.” (Luka 4:1-3) UJesu wayenezinto ezimbili okwakumelwe akhethe kuzo: Wayengakhetha ukungawasebenzisi amandla akhe okwenza izimangaliso ngenjongo yokwanelisa isidingo sakhe sokudla, noma wayengakhetha ukuwasebenzisa. UJesu wayazi ukuthi akufanele awasebenzisele izinjongo zakhe siqu lawo mandla. Nakuba ayelambile, ukwanelisa isidingo sakhe sokudla kwakungezi kuqala kunokulondoloza ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova. UJesu waphendula: “Kulotshiwe ukuthi, ‘Umuntu akumelwe aphile ngesinkwa sodwa, kodwa nangawo wonke amazwi aphuma emlonyeni kaJehova.’”—Math. 4:4; Luka 4:4.

9. Inkulumo ethi ‘isifiso samehlo’ isikiselani, futhi uSathane wasisebenzisa kanjani lesi sifiso ku-Eva?

⁹ UJohane wathi “nesifiso samehlo” siyisilingo. Le nkulumo isikisela ukuthi kungenzeka ukuba umuntu aqale ukufisa into ethile ngokuyibuka nje. USathane wasebenzisa lesi sifiso ku-Eva, wathi: “Nakanjani amehlo enu ayovuleka.” Lapho u-Eva eqhubeka esibhekile, leso sithelo esinqatshelwe samkhanga ngokwengeziwe. U-Eva wabona umuthi “ungokuthile okulangazelelekayo emehlweni.”

10. USathane wasisebenzisa ngayiphi indlela ‘isifiso samehlo’ lapho elinga uJesu, futhi uJesu wasabela kanjani?

¹⁰ Wasisebenzisa kanjani kuJesu? “Wambonisa yonke imibuso yomhlaba owakhiweyo ngomzuzwana nje; uDeveli wathi kuye: ‘Ngizokunika lonke leli gunya nenkazimulo yale mibuso.’” (Luka 4:5, 6) UJesu wayengenakuyibona ngamehlo enyama yonke leyo mibuso ngomzuzwana nje, kodwa kumelwe ukuba uSathane waba nomuzwa wokuthi inkazimulo yale mibuso ambonisa yona embonweni, yayizomkhanga uJesu. Engenamahloni, wasikisela: “Uma wenza isenzo sokukhulekela phambi kwami, konke kuzoba okwakho.” (Luka 4:7) UJesu akazange afune ngisho nakancane ukuba uhlobo lomuntu uSathane ayefuna ukuba abe yilo. Waphendula ngokushesha. Wathi: “Kulotshiwe ukuthi, ‘NguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe umkhulekele, futhi nguye yedwa okumelwe unikele kuye inkonzo engcwele.’”—Luka 4:8.

11. USathane wamyenga kanjani u-Eva?

¹¹ Lapho ebalula izinto zezwe, uJohane waphawula “nokugabisa ngalokho umuntu aziphilisa ngakho.” Kuyiqiniso ukuthi u-Adamu no-Eva babengeke ‘bagabise ngalokho ababeziphilisa ngakho’ kwabanye abantu ngesikhathi kuseyibona kuphela abantu ababephila emhlabeni. Kodwa babonisa ukuqhosha. Lapho elinga u-Eva, uSathane wasikisela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayemgodlela okuthile okuhle kakhulu. UDeveli wamtshela ukuthi ngosuku ayezodla ngalo ‘emthini wolwazi lokuhle nokubi,’ ‘nakanjani wayeyoba njengoNkulunkulu, azi okuhle nokubi.’ (Gen. 2:17; 3:5) Ngale ndlela, uSathane wayesikisela ku-Eva ukuthi wayengakhululeka ekubusweni uJehova. Cishe ukuqhosha okwamenza wawakholelwa lawo manga. Wadla isithelo esinqatshelwe, ekholelwa ukuthi wayengeke ngempela afe. Yeka ukuzikhohlisa!

12. Iyiphi enye indlela uSathane azama ngayo ukulinga uJesu, futhi uJesu wasabela kanjani?

¹² Ngokungafani no-Eva, yeka isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka uJesu asibeka! USathane wazama ukumlinga nangenye indlela, kodwa uJesu wenqaba ngisho nomqondo wokwenza into ewumbukwane eyayizovivinya uNkulunkulu. Lokho kwakuyoba isenzo sokuqhosha! Kunalokho, uJesu waphendula ngendlela ecacile neqondile: “Kuthiwa, ‘Ungamvivinyi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho.’”—Funda uLuka 4:9-12.

13, 14. Chaza indlela uSathane asebenzisa ngayo izilingo ezithile namuhla.

¹³ Namuhla, uSathane usebenzisa izilingo ezifanayo nalezo azisebenzisa ku-Eva nakuJesu. Ukuze asizakale ‘ngesifiso senyama,’ uDeveli usebenzisa izwe lakhe ukuba likhuthaze ukuziphatha okubi nokuzitika ngokudla nokuphuza. Ngezithombe ezingcolile zobulili, ikakhulu ezikuyi-Internet, angadonsa amehlo omuntu ozibukayo ongaqaphile abese esebenzisa kabi ‘isifiso samehlo.’ Yeka ukuthi ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, isikhundla nodumo kungaba isilingo esikhulu kangakanani kubantu abaqhoshayo nakulabo abathambekele ‘ekugabiseni ngezinto abaziphilisa ngazo’!

¹⁴ “Izinto ezisezweni” zinjengokudla kodobo okusetshenziswa umdobi. Ziyakhanga, kodwa zifihle udobo olukubambayo. USathane usebenzisa lokho abantu abangase bakubheke njengezidingo ezivamile zansuku zonke ukuze abenze bafune  ukwenza okuphambene nemithetho kaNkulunkulu. Nokho, izilingo ezinjalo ezicashile, ziklanyelwe ukuthonya izifiso zethu nokonakalisa izinhliziyo zethu. Empeleni ziwumzamo wokusenza sikholelwe ukuthi ukukhathalela izidingo nokunethezeka kwethu kuza kuqala kunokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Ingabe lezo zilingo zizosebenza kithi?

15. Singamlingisa kanjani uJesu ekumelaneni nezilingo zikaSathane?

¹⁵ Nakuba u-Eva awela ezilingweni zikaSathane, uJesu wamelana nazo ngokuphumelelayo. Isikhathi ngasinye wanikeza impendulo esemBhalweni, ethi “Kulotshiwe” noma, “Kuthiwa.” Uma singabafundi abakhuthele beBhayibheli, siyojwayelana kangcono nemiBhalo futhi sikwazi ukukhumbula amavesi angasisiza lapho silingwa bese sikwazi ukucabanga ngendlela eqondile. (IHu. 1:1, 2) Ukukhumbula izibonelo ezisemiBhalweni zabantu abathembekile ababeqotho kuNkulunkulu kuyosisiza ukuba sibalingise. (Roma 15:4) Ukumhlonipha ngempela uJehova, ukuthanda lokho akuthandayo nokuzonda lokho akuzondayo kuyosilonda.—IHu. 97:10.

16, 17. ‘Amandla ethu okucabanga’ angaba naliphi ithonya ohlotsheni lwabantu esiyilo?

¹⁶ Umphostoli uPawulu usikhuthaza ukuba sisebenzise ‘amandla ethu okucabanga’ ukuze sibe uhlobo lwabantu olulolongwa ukucabanga kukaNkulunkulu, hhayi kwezwe. (Roma 12:1, 2) Egcizelela isidingo sokukulawula ngokuqinile lokho esivumela izingqondo zethu ukuba zikucabange, uPawulu wathi: “Sigumbuqela imicabango kanye nayo yonke into ephakeme ephakanyiswe yamelana nolwazi ngoNkulunkulu; futhi sithumba yonke imicabango ukuze siyenze ilalele uKristu.” (2 Kor. 10:5) Imicabango yethu inethonya elinamandla ohlotsheni lwabantu esiyilo, ngakho kudingeka ‘siqhubeke sicabanga’ ngezinto ezakhayo.—Fil. 4:8.

¹⁷ Asinakulindela ukuba sibe ngcwele uma sizondla ngemicabango nezifiso ezingafanele. Kumelwe sithande uJehova ‘ngenhliziyo ehlanzekile.’ (1 Thim. 1:5) Kodwa inhliziyo iyakhohlisa, futhi kungenzeka singaqapheli ukuthi “izinto ezisezweni” zisithonya ngokujule kangakanani. (Jer. 17:9) Ngenxa yalokho, kufanele ‘siqhubeke sihlola ukuthi sisokholweni yini, siqhubeke sihlola lokho thina ngokwethu esiyikho’ ngokuzihlola ngobuqotho ngalokho esikutadisha eBhayibhelini.—2 Kor. 13:5.

18, 19. Kungani kufanele sizimisele ukuba uhlobo lwabantu uJehova afuna ukuba sibe yilo?

¹⁸ Enye into esisiza ukuba simelane ‘nezinto ezisezweni’ ukuhlale sikhumbula amazwi kaJohane aphefumulelwe: “Izwe liyadlula, kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.” (1 Joh. 2:17) Isimiso sikaSathane sibonakala singokoqobo futhi siyinto engenakunyakaziswa. Noma kunjalo, lunye olwaso. Akukho lutho esingalunikwa izwe likaSathane oluyohlala phakade. Ukukhumbula lelo qiniso kuyosisiza ukuba singakhohliswa izilingo zikaDeveli.

¹⁹ Umphostoli uPetru usinxusa ukuba sibe uhlobo lwabantu uNkulunkulu alwamukelayo njengoba ‘silindele futhi sikukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova, okuyothi ngalo amazulu ayobe esha ancibilike nezinto zawo njengoba ziyobe zishisa kakhulu zincibilike!’ (2 Pet. 3:12) Sekuseduze kakhulu ukuba lolo suku lufike, futhi uJehova uzozibhubhisa zonke izingxenye zezwe likaSathane. Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, uSathane uzoqhubeka esebenzisa “izinto ezisezweni” ukuba asilinge, njengoba enza ku-Eva noJesu. Akumelwe sifane no-Eva sifune ukwanelisa izifiso zethu. Ukwenza kanjalo kungafana nokuthi sivuma ukuba uSathane abe unkulunkulu wethu. Kudingeka sifane noJesu simelane nezilingo ezinjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zenziwe zabonakala zikhanga futhi zizinhle kangakanani. Kwangathi sonke singazimisela ukuba uhlobo lwabantu uJehova afuna ukuba sibe yilo.