UJehova ‘Uhlawulela Abanengi’

 1, 2. IBhayibhili lithi abantu bakusiphi isimo njalo yiphi indlela eyodwa kuphela abangaphuma ngayo?

“KONKE okudaliweyo kuqhubeka kububula ndawonye futhi kusebuhlungwini kuze kube khathesi.” (KwabaseRoma 8:22) Evesini le umphostoli uPhawuli wayekhuluma ngesimo esibuhlungu esikuso. Abantu bangabona angani akulandlela yokuphuma ekuhluphekeni, esonweni lasekufeni. Kodwa uJehova yena kafanani labantu ngoba akulalutho olumehlulayo. (AmaNani 23:19) UnguNkulunkulu owahlulela kuhle futhi kulesipho esiligugu asinike sona ukuze asikhulule ekuhluphekeni. Isipho leso yinhlawulo.

² Inhlawulo yisipho esikhulu ukwedlula zonke uJehova asinike abantu ukuze abakhulule esonweni lasekufeni. (Kwabase-Efesu 1:7) Yenza sibe lethemba lokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo, kungaba sezulwini loba emhlabeni olipharadayisi. (ULukha 23:43; UJohane 3:16; 1 UPhetro 1:4) Kodwa kuyini inhlawulo? Isifundisani ngokwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova?

 3. (a) Kungani kwakumele abantu bahlawulelwe? (b) Kungani uNkulunkulu engazange abayekele abantwana baka-Adamu baphile kuze kube nini lanini?

³ Okwenza kwadingakala inhlawulo yikuthi u-Adamu kazange alalele uNkulunkulu yikho waba lesono futhi isono leso wasidlulisela ebantwaneni bakhe. Yiso esenza abantu bagule, bahlupheke futhi bafe. (UGenesisi 2:17; KwabaseRoma 8:20) ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Imbadalo yesono yikufa.” (KwabaseRoma 6:23) Yikho uNkulunkulu wayengasoze abayekele abantwana baka-Adamu baphile kuze kube nini lanini ngoba nxa wayengabayekela wayezabe engasawulandelanga umthetho lo. Lokhu kwakuzakwenza izingilosi labantu babone angani imithetho kaNkulunkulu ayiqakathekanga, besekusiba lokungahleleki endaweni yonke.

 4, 5. (a) USathane wathini ngoNkulunkulu njalo kuyini okwenza uJehova wafuna ukulungisa umonakalo owawusudalwe nguSathane? (b) USathane wazisola ngani izinceku zikaJehova?

⁴ Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 12, ukuhlamuka kukaSathane lo-Adamu lo-Eva kwenza kwaba lemibuzo eqakathekileyo. USathane walingcolisa kakhulu ibizo likaNkulunkulu. Akutshoyo kwenza kwakhanya angani uJehova ungumqambimanga futhi unguMbusi ololunya onguntandokayiphikiswa njalo oncitsha izidalwa zakhe inkululeko. (UGenesisi 3:1-5) Kwasekukhanya angathi useyiphambanisile injongo kaNkulunkulu yokugcwalisa umhlaba ngabantu abalungileyo. Kwasekungathi uNkulunkulu wehlulekile ukwenza lokho ayekuhlosile. (UGenesisi 1:28; U-Isaya 55:10, 11) Ngabe uJehova wayekela ukulungisa umonakalo owawusudalwe nguSathane, izingilosi labantu babezabona angani uNkulunkulu kenelisi ukubusa ngendlela efaneleyo.

⁵ USathane waphinda wasola lezinceku zikaJehova esithi zimkhonza ngenxa yalokho ezingakuthola kuye lokuthi nxa zingahlukuluzwa kazisoze zihlale zithembekile kuye. (UJobe 1:9-11) Ukutshengisa ukuthi uSathane wayeqamba amanga kwakuqakatheke ukwedlula ukuqeda inhlupho zabantu. Yikho uJehova wabona kufanele ukuthi aphendule ukusola kukaSathane. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wayezakwenza njani lokhu futhi wayezabasindisa njani abantu?

 6. Yiwaphi amabala asetshenziswa eBhayibhilini nxa kuchasiswa indlela uNkulunkulu asindisa ngayo abantu?

⁶ Indlela uJehova alungisa ngayo umonakalo owadalwa nguSathane itshengisa ukuthi ulesihawu futhi wahlulela kuhle. IBhayibhili liyibiza ngokuthi yinhlawulo, yintengo kumbe yikubuyisana. (IHubo 49:8; UDanyeli 9:24; KwabaseGalathiya 3:13; KwabaseKholose 1:20; KumaHebheru 2:17) Akula omunye umuntu owayengaba lendlela elula kangaka yokulungisa umonakalo lo. Kodwa uJesu wayichasisa ngcono indlela kaNkulunkulu yokukhulula abantu esonweni lasekufeni. Wathi: “Njengoba nje leNdodana yomuntu ingalandanga ukuzosetshenzelwa kodwa yalanda ukuzosebenza lokunikela ngempilo yayo ibe yinhlawulo [ngesiGrikhi, lyʹtron] yabanengi.”—UMathewu 20:28.

 7, 8. (a) EMibhalweni litshoni ibala elithi “inhlawulo”? (b) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi inhlawulo kumele ilingane lokulahlekileyo?

⁷ Kuyini inhlawulo? Ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi inhlawulo livela ebaleni eliyisenzo elitsho “ukukhulula loba ukuyekela.” Lalisetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngemali eyayibhadalwa ukuze kukhululwe izibotshwa empini. Ngakho inhlawulo yimbadalo ekhitshwayo ukuze kukhululwe ulutho oluthile. EMibhalweni yesiHebheru ibala elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “inhlawulo” ngelithi koʹpher futhi livela ebaleni eliyisenzo elitsho ‘ukusibekela.’ Ibala leli yilo futhi elisetshenziswe kuGenesisi 6:14 lapho uJehova etshela uNowa ukuthi ‘ahuqe’ umkhumbi ngethara. Lokhu kusinceda sizwisise ukuthi ukuhlawulela kutsho lokusibekela izono.—IHubo 65:3.

⁸ Isichazamazwi okuthiwa yi-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament sithi ibala elithi koʹpher lisetshenziswa nxa kuchasiswa into elingana lenye. Ngakho ukuze kuhlawulelwe isono, kumele kubhadalwe intengo ehambelana lomonakalo owenziwe yisono. UMthetho kaNkulunkulu owawuphiwe ama-Israyeli wawusithi: “Impilo kumele iphindiselwe ngempilo.”—UDutheronomi 19:21.

 9. Kungani abantu ababethembekile babenikela ngemihlatshelo yezinyamazana njalo uJehova wayeyibona njani imihlatshelo yabo?

⁹ Kusukela ngesikhathi sika-Abela kusiyaphambili abantu ababethembekile kuNkulunkulu babenikela ngemihlatshelo yezinyamazana. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi babekwazi ukuthi balesono lokuthi kumele bakhululwe kuso. Kwakutshengisa lokuthi bayasikholwa isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokubakhulula esebenzisa ‘inzalo’ yakhe. (UGenesisi 3:15; 4:1-4; ULevi 17:11; KumaHebheru 11:4) UJehova wayeyamukela imihlatshelo yabo futhi wavuma ukuthi babe yizinceku zakhe. Kodwa imihlatshelo yezinyamazana yayingeke ihlawulele izono zabo ngoba izinyamazana kazisilutho nxa ziqathaniswa labantu. (IHubo 8:4-8) Yikho iBhayibhili lisithi: “Ngeke kwenzakale ukuthi igazi lezinkunzi lelezimbuzi lisuse izono.” (KumaHebheru 10:1-4) Imihlatshelo enjalo yayimela umhlatshelo kaJesu.

10. (a) Ngumuntu onjani owayengaba yinhlawulo efaneleyo futhi kungani kunjalo? (b) Kungani kwakudingeka umhlatshelo womuntu oyedwa kuphela?

¹⁰ Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: ‘Ku-Adamu bonke bayafa.’ (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:22) Ngakho-ke ukuze abantu bahlawulelwe kwakumele kufe umuntu ongelasono njengo-Adamu. (KwabaseRoma 5:14) Njengoba uJehova enguNkulunkulu owahlulela kuhle, inhlawulo kwakumele ilingane lempilo epheleleyo u-Adamu ayeyilahlile. Yikho umuntu ongelasono nguye kuphela owayengaba “yinhlawulo efaneleyo yabantu bonke.” (1 KuThimothi 2:6) Kwakungadingeki ukuthi kufe abantu abanengi abangelasono ukuze kuhlawulelwe umuntu ngamunye. Umphostoli uPhawuli wachasisa wathi: “Isono sangena emhlabeni ngomuntu oyedwa [u-Adamu], lokufa kwangena ngesono.” (KwabaseRoma 5:12) “Njengoba ukufa kweza ngomuntu” oyedwa, uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa ‘umuntu’ oyedwa ukuthi ahlawulele bonke abantu emhlabeni. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:21) Wakwenza njani lokhu?

11. (a) Kungani uJesu ‘wafela abantu bonke’? (b) Kungani u-Adamu lo-Eva babengeke bancedwe yinhlawulo? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

¹¹ UJehova wathuma indodana yakhe eyayingelasono ukuthi izonikela ngokuphila kwayo. URoma 6:23 uthi: “Imbadalo yesono yikufa.” Ngakho uJesu wathi enikela ngokuphila kwakhe, ‘wafela abantu bonke.’ Ngamanye amazwi ukufa kwakhe kwaba yimbadalo yesono sika-Adamu. (KumaHebheru 2:9; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 5:21; 1 UPhetro 2:24) Inhlawulo kaJesu izakwenza abantu bathole izibusiso ezimangalisayo. Labo abakhetha ukulalela uNkulunkulu bazathola impilo engapheliyo ngoba isono lokufa kuyabe sekukhitshiwe.a—KwabaseRoma 5:16.

12. Nika umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi ukubhadalwa kwesikwelede esisodwa kunganceda abantu abanengi.

¹² Ake sithi uhlala edolobheni elilenkampani enkulu futhi abantu abanengi kulelodolobho basebenza kuyo. Lonke lihola kuhle futhi alisweli lutho. Kodwa besekusithi ngelinye ilanga inkampani ivalwe ngenxa yokuthi umaneja ubesezidlela imali inkampani yaze yasala ingaselamali. Lokhu kwenza liphelelwe ngumsebenzi futhi lingenelisi ukunakekela izimuli zenu lokubhadala izindleko. Wonke umuntu usala ehlupheka ngenxa yobuhwaba bomuntu oyedwa nje. Kukhanya kungaselathemba lokuthi izinto zizalunga. Kodwa besekusithi omunye umuntu onothileyo azwe ngobunzima elikubo abasekhetha ukulinceda. Uyakwazi ukuthi inkampani le ibinceda abantu abanengi yikho uyasibhadala isikwelede senkampani abeseyivula. Ukubhadalwa kwalesosikwelede kunceda wonke umuntu okugoqela izisebenzi, izimuli zazo kanye labanye ababedlelwe imali zabo. Injalo lenhlawulo kaJesu, inceda abantu abanengi kakhulu.

13, 14. (a) UJehova wenzani ukuze abantu bahlawulelwe? (b) Inhlawulo yabhadalwa kubani njalo lokhu kusifundisani ngoJehova?

¹³ UJehova nguye kuphela owayengasinika ‘iMvana esusa isono somhlaba’ ukuze isihlawulele. (UJohane 1:29) Kodwa uNkulunkulu kazange aphonguthuma loba yiphi ingilosi ukuthi izokhulula abantu. Wathuma lowo owayengaphendula insolo kaSathane ngendlela engcono kakhulu eyayizakwenza ukuthi uSathane angaphindi athi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ngeke zihlale zithembekile nxa zingahlukuluzwa. UJehova walahlekelwa kakhulu lapho ethuma iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa. Phela ‘wayethokoza ukuba layo’ ezulwini. (IZaga 8:30) INdodana kaNkulunkulu layo ‘yazidela yatshiya konke eyayilakho’ ezulwini. (KwabaseFiliphi 2:7) UJehova wenza isimangaliso ngokuthatha ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa wakufaka esibelethweni sentombi engumJuda okwakuthiwa nguMariya. (ULukha 1:27, 35) INdodana le yayizabizwa ngokuthi nguJesu. IBhayibhili limbiza langokuthi ngu-Adamu wokucina ngoba laye wayengelasono njengo-Adamu. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:45, 47) Ngakho uJesu wayenganikela ngempilo yakhe ukuze ibe yinhlawulo yabantu abanengi.

¹⁴ Inhlawulo le yayizabhadalwa kubani? IHubo 49:7 likubeka kucace ukuthi inhlawulo ibhadalwa “kuNkulunkulu.” Kodwa kayisuye yini uJehova owenza ukuthi kube lenhlawulo? Nguye. Manje lokhu akufanani yini lokukhipha imali kwesinye isikhwama sebhulugwe uyifake kwesinye? Hatshi. Khumbula ukuthi inhlawulo isifundisa into eqakatheke kakhulu. Isifundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahlulela kuhle. Ngesikhathi uJehova enikela ngoJesu, watshengisa ukuthi uyazilandela izimiso zakhe zokwahlulela lanxa lokho kwenza ukuthi azwe ubuhlungu kakhulu.—UGenesisi 22:7, 8, 11-13; KumaHebheru 11:17; UJakhobe 1:17.

15. Kungani kwakumele uJesu ahlupheke futhi afe?

¹⁵ Ekuqaliseni komnyaka ka-33 C.E., uJesu Khristu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ukuze abhadale inhlawulo. Wavuma ukuthi abotshelwe into ayengayenzanga, etheswe icala njalo abethelwe esigodweni sokuhlutshwa. Kungani uJesu wahlupheka kangako? Kwakumele ahlupheke ukuze kukhanye ukuthi uSathane wayeqamba amanga lapho esithi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ngeke zihlale zithembekile kuye nxa zisebunzimeni. Yikho okwenza uNkulunkulu wangavumi ukuthi uHerodi abulale uJesu eseselusane. (UMathewu 2:13-18) Kodwa esekhulile wayesezwisisa ngokugcweleyo insolo kaSathane futhi indlela enza ngayo yatshengisa ukuthi uSathane ngumqambimanga.b UJesu wahlala ‘eqotho, engelacala, engangcoliswanga futhi ehlukaniswe lezoni’ lanxa wahlukuluzwa. Lokhu kwenza kwacaca ukuthi uJehova ulazo izinceku ezihlala zithembekile lanxa zisebunzimeni. (KumaHebheru 7:26) Yikho uJesu wathi esesifa wamemeza wathi: “Sengikwenzile konke.”—UJohane 19:30.

16, 17. (a) UJesu wawuqedisa njani umsebenzi wakhe wokuhlawulela abantu? (b) Kungani kwakumele uJesu ame “phambi kukaNkulunkulu emele thina”?

¹⁶ Lanxa uJesu wayesefele abantu, wayengakawuqedi umsebenzi wakhe wokubahlawulela. Ngelanga lesithathu efile, uJehova wamvusa. (ImiSebenzi 3:15; 10:40) Ngokwenza njalo wayenika iNdodana yakhe umvuzo wokuthi ithembekile futhi wayipha lethuba lokuqedisa umsebenzi wayo wokuhlawulela abantu njengoba inguMphristi Omkhulu. (KwabaseRoma 1:4; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:3-8) Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: ‘UKhristu wathi efika engumphristi omkhulu wangena endaweni engcwele kwaba kanye kuphela elegazi lakhe hatshi igazi lembuzi lelamajongosi, wenza ukuthi sikhululwe kuze kube nini lanini. Phela uKhristu kangenanga endaweni engcwele eyenziwe ngezandla, engumfanekiso wendawo yoqobo, kodwa khathesi ungene ezulwini ngokwalo ukuze abonakale phambi kukaNkulunkulu emele thina.’—KumaHebheru 9:11, 12, 24.

¹⁷ UKhristu kangenanga legazi lakhe ezulwini. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:50) Kodwa wangena lalokho okwakumelwa ligazi lelo, okutsho impilo epheleleyo ayenikele ngayo. Wafika wethula inhlawulo yezono zethu phambi kukaNkulunkulu. UJehova wawamukela yini umhlatshelo lowo? Wawamukela njalo lokho kwabonakala ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E., ngesikhathi umoya ongcwele uthululelwa kubafundi ababengaba yi-120 ababeseJerusalema. (ImiSebenzi 2:1-4) Lokho kwakuthokozisa kakhulu kodwa kwakusesekunengi okwakuzatholwa ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu ngenxa yomhlatshelo kaJesu.

18, 19. (a) Yiwaphi amaqembu amabili azancedwa yinhlawulo kaJesu? (b) Yiziphi izibusiso ezitholwa ‘lixuku elikhulu’ khathesi futhi lizatholani esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁸ Encwadini yakhe eyayisiya kwabaseKholose, uPhawuli wachaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wavulela abantu ithuba lokuthi babuyisane laye babe ngabangane bakhe esebenzisa umhlatshelo kaJesu. UPhawuli waphinda wathi kulamaqembu amabili atshiyeneyo ancedwa yinhlawulo. Iqembu lokuqala ‘yizinto ezisezulwini,’ elesibili “yizinto ezisemhlabeni.” (KwabaseKholose 1:19, 20; Kwabase-Efesu 1:10) Iqembu lokuqala ngelamaKhristu angu-144 000 aphiwe ithemba lokukhonza engabaphristi ezulwini kanye lelokubusa umhlaba eloJesu Khristu. (ISambulo 5:9, 10; 7:4; 14:1-3) AmaKhristu la azasebenza loJesu phakathi kweminyaka eyinkulungwane enceda abantu abasemhlabeni ukuthi bathole izibusiso ezizanikwa bonke abalokholo enhlawulweni kaJesu.—1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:24-26; ISambulo 20:6; 21:3, 4.

¹⁹ ‘Izinto ezisemhlabeni’ ngabantu abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni oliPharadayisi. USambulo 7:9-17 uthi ‘balixuku elikhulu’ elizasinda “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu” okuzayo. Kodwa inhlawulo kaJesu iyabanceda lakhathesi. “Sebegezise izembatho zabo egazini leMvana, bazenza zaba mhlophe.” UJehova ubanika izibusiso ezinengi khathesi ngenxa yokuthi bayakholwa enhlawulweni kaJesu. Ngokwesibonelo uyabamukela ukuthi babe ngabangane bakhe ngoba ubabona belungile. (UJakhobe 2:23) Inhlawulo yenza benelise ‘ukusondela esihlalweni sobukhosi somusa omkhulu belenkululeko yokukhuluma.’ (KumaHebheru 4:14-16) Nxa bengaphambanisa, uJehova uyabathethelela. (Kwabase-Efesu 1:7) Balomzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo lanxa belesono. (KumaHebheru 9:9; 10:22; 1 UPhetro 3:21) Akudingakali ukuthi balindele umhlaba omutsha ukuthi babe ngabangane bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa bayenelisa ukuba ngabangane bakhe khathesi! (2 KwabaseKhorinte 5:19, 20) Phakathi kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa kukaJesu ‘bazakhululwa ebugqilini bokonakala, bathole inkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’—KwabaseRoma 8:21.

20. Ukucabangisisa ngenhlawulo kuzakunceda njani?

²⁰ Siyambonga “uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Khristu” ngokuthi wasipha inhlawulo! (KwabaseRoma 7:25) Inhlawulo iveza inhlakanipho kaJehova emangalisayo kodwa kulula ukuyizwisisa. (KwabaseRoma 11:33) Ukucabangisisa ngenhlawulo kwenza simthande kakhulu uJehova futhi sifise ukusondela kuye. Lathi njengomhubi silezizatho ezinengi zokudumisa uJehova ngoba “uthanda ukulunga lokwahlulela okuhle.”—IHubo 33:5.