Kodi Akufa Athu Okondedwa Ali Kuti Tsopano?

“NKUTI kumene ali mnyamata wachichepereyo tsopano?” Mayi wovutitsidwa maganizoyo (wotchulidwa m’nkhani yapitayo) anapitiriza kudabwa kumene mwana wake wakufayo anapita. Kodi iye anali kumwamba kapena kumalo ena?

Amayi a Andrew mwamsanga anapatsidwa yankho. Pamene anamwa za ngoziyo, mwana wawo wamkulu koposa, yemwe alinso m’Roma Katolika, anayankha kuti: “Andrew ali ku Limbo.” Koma kodi iye anali kumeneko?

Nkuti Kumene Kuli Limbo kapena Kodi Iyo Nchiyani?

The Concise Oxford Dictionary imanena kuti Limbo iri “gawo pa malire a helo, lolingaliridwa kukhala malo a anthu olugama omwe anali asanakhale Akristu ndi makanda osabatizidwa; . . . mkhalidwe wa kunyalanyazidwa kapena kusiidwa.” Ponena za Limbo, New Catholic Encyclopedia ikunena kuti: “Lerolino liwulo limagwiritsidwa ntchito ndi anthanthi ya zaumulungu kusonyeza mkhalidwe ndi malo kaya a miyoyo imene sinayenere kupita ku helo ndi zilango zake zosatha koma sinaloŵenso kumwamba chisanafike Chipulumutso (Limbo ya atate) kapena cha miyoyo yomwe kwa nthaŵi zonse yapatulidwa kuchokera ku chitsutso chachindunji cha Mulungu chosangalalidwa ndi odalitsika kumwamba chifukwa cha chimo loyambirira lokhalo (Limbo ya ana).”

Ngakhale kuli tero, encyclopedia imodzimodziyo ikunenanso kuti: “Chimaliziro cha ana omafa popanda Ubatizo chiri ndithudi vuto locholowanacholowana kwambiri . . . Funso la Limbo lidakali pakati pa mafunso osathetsedwa a nthanthi ya zaumulungu. Cholembedwa cha lamulo cha kukhalapo kwa Limbo ndi Tchalitchi sichikupezeka.” M’kutsimikizira ichi, The New Encyclopædia Britannica imanena kuti: “Chifukwa chakuti Tchalitchi cha Roma Katolika sichinalembe mwalamulo chiphunzitso cha limbo monga mkhalidwe wokhalako kapena malo, ganizo la limbo lidakali funso lomwe liri losathetsedwa.”

Mosasamala kanthu za ichi, Akatolika odzipereka ambiri amalandira lingaliro la Limbo. Koma chonde lingalirani nsonga iyi mosamalitsa: Nchifukwa ninji ana ayenera kuperekedwa kukakhala m’malo achinsinsi, osamvetseka kwa moyo wonse kokha chifukwa iwo anali osabatizidwa?

Kodi Baibulo limatchula Limbo? Ayi, Mawu a Mulungu samatchula nkomwe iyo. Chotero ichi chimadzutsa funso lofunika koposa: Nkuti kumene anthu, kuphatikizapo makanda, amapita pamene afa?

Nkuti Kumene Anthu Amapita pa Imfa?

Kawonedwe kofala pakati pa opita ku tchalitchi a Chikristu cha Dziko kali kakuti pa imfa anthu amapita kaya kumwamba kapena ku helo. Koma nchiyani chimene Baibulo limanena ponena za ichi? Ilo limanena kuti: “Pakuti amoyo adziŵa kuti adzafa; koma akufa sadziŵa kalikonse.” (Mlaliki 9:5, The Holy Scriptures, According to the Masoretic Text) Chotero akufa sadziŵa kalikonse. Iwo sali ndi moyo kwinakwake koma iwo m’chenicheni ndipo kotheratu ali akufa. Iwo sazindikira chirichonse.

Nsonga imeneyi yatsimikiziridwa ndi ndemanga izi za m’bukhu la Baibulo la Masalmo: “Akufa salemekeza Yehova, kapena aliyense wakutsikira kuli chete.” (Salmo 115:17) “Musakhulupirira zinduna, kapena mwana wa munthu, amene mulibe chipulumutso mwa iye. Mpweya wake uchoka, abwerera kunka ku nthaka yake; tsiku lomwelo zotsimikiza mtima zake zitaika.”​—Salmo 146:3, 4.

Koma bwanji ponena za moyo? Kodi iwo suli wosakhoza kufa? Ayi. Mosiyana ndi chimene anthu ambiri amakhulupirira, moyo siuli wosakhoza kufa? Nsonga imeneyi yalongosoledwa momvekera bwino m’Baibulo, lomwe limanena kuti: “Moyo wochimwawo​—ndiwo udzafa.” (Ezekieli 18:4, 20) Chitsimikiziro chowonjezereka cha ichi chikupezeka pa Machitidwe 3:23, NW, pamene pamanena kuti: “Ndipo kudzali kuti, moyo uliwonse wosamvera Mneneri ameneyo [Yesu] udzasakazidwa konse.”

Kodi Imfa Iri Mapeto a Chirichonse?

Imfa siiri kwenikweni mapeto a chrichonse. Chiukiriro cha akufa chaphunzitsidwa momvekera bwino m’Malemba. Yesu ananena kuti: “Musazizwe ndi ichi, kuti ikudza nthaŵi imene onse ali m’manda adzamva mawu ake nadzatulukira, amene adachita zabwino kukuuka kwa moyo, koma amene adachita zoipa kukuuka kwa kuweruza.” (Yohane 5:28, 29) M’kuwonjezerapo, Yesu m’chenicheni anaukitsa anthu ena mkati mwa utumiki wake pa dziko lapansi. Nkhani yozizwitsa kwambiri inali ija ya bwenzi la Yesu Lazaro. Iye anali wakufa kwa masiku anayi. Koma pamene Yesu anafuula kuti: “Lazaro, tuluka!” munthu wakufayo anavomereza, kutuluka m’mandamo. Chinali chosangalatsa chotani nanga kwa khamu lopenyerera! Ndipo chinali chochitika chachisangalalo chotani nanga kwa Mariya ndi Marita, alongo a Lazaro!​—Yohane 11:38-45.

Nkuti kumene Lazaro anali mkati mwa masiku anayi amenewo? Kumwamba? Mu Limbo? Ayi. Baibulo silinena ichi kapena kusonyeza icho. Ngati Lazaro anali wozindikira kwinakwake, ndthudi akanauza ena ponena za ichi. Koma monga mmene Baibulo limanenera: “Akufa sadziŵa kalikonse.”​—Mlaliki 9:5, The Jerusalem Bible.

Chochitika china chotenthetsa mtima chinachitika pa mzinda wa Naini. Pamene Yesu anali kufika ku chipata cha mzindawo, iye anakumana ndi opita kumanda. Womwalirayo anali “mwana wamwamuna mmodzi yekha wa amake,” yemwe anali mkazi wamasiye. Mwachibadwa, iye anali kulilra mowawidwa. Ichi chinakhudza mtima wachifundo, wachikondi wa Yesu. Iye anafika, kuimika opita kumandawo, ndi kunena kuti: “Mnyamata iwe, ndinena ndi iwe, Tauka!” Ndipo mwamuna womwalirayo anatero! Kodi mungalingalire chisangalalo cha amayi ake ndi kudabwitsidwa kwa oimirira m’mbali?​—Luka 7:11-17.

Kodi mwamuna wachichepere ameneyu anali ndi chinachake chonena ponena za kukhala kumwamba kapena Limbo? Ayi. Kodi iye akanatero bwanji? “Akufa sadziŵa kalikonse.” Baibulo limalinganizanso imfa ku tulo tofa nato. Davide ananena kuti: “Ndiyankheni, Yhova Mulungu wanga. Penyetsani maso anga, kuti ndingagone tulo ta imfa.” (Salmo 13:3) Ndiponso, kanthaŵi kochepa asanaukitse Lazaro, Yesu anayerekeza imfa ndi tulo.​—Yohane 11:11-14.

Pa nsonga imeneyi, funso lina limabuka.

Kodi Anthu Abwino Aliwonse Amapita Kumwamba?

Inde, anthu ena abwino amapitadi kumwamba. Nsonga yosangalatsa kwambiri ponena za anthu abwino, kapena Akristu owona, yomwe iri yosadziŵika kwa opita ku tchalitchi ambiri iri yakuti pali magulu aŵiri. Oŵerengeka ochepera amapita kumwamba kukalamulira ndi Yesu Kristu, pamene ochulukira adzasangalala ndi moyo wosatha pa dziko lapansi. Mwinamwake ichi chikukudabwitsani. Chotero, tiyeni tilingalire chimene Baibulo likufuna kunena pa nkhani yosangalatsa imeneyi.

Nchiyani chomwe chinali chifuno choyambirira cha Mulungu kaamba ka mtundu wa anthu? Pamene iye analenga Adamu ndi Hava, kodi iye anafuna kuti iwo ayenera kusangalala ndi moyo kwa kanthaŵi kochepa m’munda wa Edeni ndipo kenaka kufa ndi kupita kumwamba? Ayi, Mulungu anawapatsa iwo ntchito yapadera m’chigwirizano ndi dziko lapansi, akumanena kuti: “Mubalane, muchuluke, mudzaze dziko lapansi, muligonjetse, mulamulire pa nsomba za m’nyanja ndi pa mbalame za mlengalenga ndi zamoyo zonse zakukwawa pa dziko lapansi.” (Genesis 1:28) Ndipo Yehova samasintha chifuno chake chokhazikitsidwa. Iye akulengeza, pa Salmo 89:34 kuti: “Sindidzasintha mawu otuluka m’milomo yanga.” Chotero Paradaiso wa Uedeni ayenera kubwezeretsedwa ndi kusangalalidwa ndi atumiki okhulupirira a Yehova​—gulu lokulira lotchulidwa pamwambalo.

Gulu lochepera lapatsidwa mwaŵi wapadera koposa, uja wa kulamulira ndi Kristu m’mwamba. M’mawu ena, iwo adzagawana ndi Yesu m’kulamulira okhala pa dziko lapansi. Iri liri boma la Ufumu limene Akristu amapempherera mu pemphero la Ambuye. Mosangalatsa, m’pemphero limodzimodzilo, timanena kuti: “Kufuna kwanu kuchitike, monga kumwamba, chomwecho pansi pano.”​—Mateyu 6:9,10.

Kodi Baibulo limavumbula kuti ndi angati amene adzasangalala ndi mwaŵi wokulira koposa wa kulamulira ndi Kristu kumwamba? Inde, limatero. Chimatero Chivumbulutso mutu 14, versi 1 kuti: “Ndipo ndinapenya, tawonani! Mwanawankhosayo alikuimirira pa Phiri la Ziyoni, ndipo pamodzi ndi iye zikwi zana mphambu makumi anayi kudza anayi akukhala nalo dzina lake ndi dzina la Atate wake lolembedwa pamphumi pawo.” Sungani m’maganizo kuti Chivumbulutso chimagwiritsira ntchito zophiphiritsira zambiri, kapena “zizindikiro,” monga mmene chalongosoledwera m’versi lotsegulira, Chivumbulutso 1:1. “Mwanawankhosa” ali Yesu Kristu. (Yerekezani ndi Yohane 1:29.) Ndipo Phiri la Ziyoni limalozera osati ku likulu la ndale zadziko la Israyeli koma ku “Yerusalemu wakumwamba.”​—Ahebri 12:22.

Chivumbulutso mutu 7 chimatipatsa ife chidziŵitso ponena za ponse paŵiri gulu la kumwamba ndi gulu la pa dziko lapansi lomwe talitchula. Maversi 4-8 amatchula 144,000 “osindikizidwa chizindikiro mwa mafuko onse a ana a Israyeli.” Iyi ndi nkhani ina ya kuphiphiritsira ndipo imatanthauza Israyli wauzimu, kapena “Israyeli wa Mulungu.” (Agalatiya 6:16) Aroma 2:29 amanena kuti: “Koma Myunda ndiye amene akhala wotere mumtima, ndipo mdulidwe uli wa mtima mu mzimu.” Chivumbulutso 7:9 kenaka chimalongosola gulu la pa dziko lapansi, chikumanena kuti: “Tawonani! khamu lalikulu, loti palibe munthu anakhoza kuliŵerenga, ochokera mwa mtundu uliwonse ndi mafuko ndi anthu ndi manenedwe.”

Anthu Abwino Adzakhala ndi Moyo pa Dziko Lapansi

Mabiliyoni a anthu abwino adzakhala ndi myo pa dziko lapansi la paradaiso. (Luka 23:43) Kodi inu munagakonde kukhala pakati pawo? Ndithudi mungatero. Ukakhala mwaŵi wotani nanga kukhala ndi moyo pa dziko lapansi loyeretsedwa lomwe liri lopanda kuipitsa, njala, upandu, matenda, kuvutika, ndi chiyembekezo chowawitsa cha kuwombana kwa nyukliya! Kodi Baibulo ndithudi limaneneratu chinthu choterocho? Inde, ndithudi. Ilo limanena kuti: “Pakuti ochita zoipa adzadulidwa, koma iwo akuyembekeza Yehova iwowa adzalandira dziko lapansi. . . . Ofatsa adzalandira dziko lapansi, nadzakondwera nawo mtendere wochuluka. Olungama adzalandira dziko lapansi, nadzakhala momwemo kosatha.”​—Salmo 37:9, 11, 29; yerekezani ndi Mateyu 5:5.

Chotero, bwanji ponena za makanda omwe anafa? Kodi nawonso adzakhalapo pa Paradaiso wa pa dziko lapansi? Iwo sapita ku Limbo, yomwe kulibeko. Koma achichepere omwe ali m’chikumbukiro cha Mulungu adzabwerera m’chiwukiriro cha akufa​—limodzi la malonjezo osangalatsa m’Mawu a Mulungu, monga mmene tadziŵitsira kale. (Yohane 5:28, 29; Machitidwe 24:15) Mwinamwake inu mwataya okondedwa mu imfa ndipo kaŵirikaŵiri mumadabwa kumene iwo ali tsopano. Kuchokera m’Malemba chiri chachimvekere kuti iwo ali mtulo, kudikirira chiukiriro. Kodi mungakonde kukhala ndi chidziŵitso chowonjezereka ponena za chiyembekezo chosangalatsa chimenechi cha moyo pa dziko lapansi la paradaiso? Ngati ndi tero, bwanji osakambitsirana nkhani zimenezi ndi Mboni za Yehova pamene ziitanira kotsatira panyumba yanu?

[Mawu Otsindika patsamba 6]

Anthu ena abwino amapitadi kumwamba. Kodi iwo ndani?

[Chithunzi patsamba 5]

Kodi nkuti kumene anali Lazaro pamene iye anali wakufa?

[Mawu a Chithunzi patsamba 7]

Chithunzi chotengedwa pa Munda wa Maluwa wa Brooklyn