Incwadi YeBhayibhile 45—Roma

Umbhali: NguPawulos

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: EKorinte

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowama-56 C.E.

 1. UPawulos uxubusha ngantoni kwincwadi yakhe eya kwabaseRoma?

KWIZENZO sibone uPawulos, owayesakuba ngumtshutshisi okhohlakeleyo wamaKristu angamaYuda, esiba ngumpostile kaKristu onenzondelelo kwiintlanga ezingemaYuda. NgeyabaseRoma siqalisa iincwadi ezili-14 zeBhayibhile awathi umoya oyingcwele waphefumlela lo wayesakuba ngumFarisi, ngoku ongumkhonzi othembekileyo kaThixo, ukuba azibhale. Ngexesha lokubhala kwakhe eyabaseRoma, uPawulos wayesele ebuyile kuhambo olude lokushumayela izihlandlo ezibini yaye wayesele eqhubeka nolwesithathu. Wayebhale nezinye iincwadi ezintlanu eziphefumlelweyo: eyokuQala neyesiBini kwabaseTesalonika, eyamaGalati, neyokuQala neyesiBini kwabaseKorinte. Kanti kubonakala kufanelekile ukuba kwiiBhayibhile zethu zale mihla, eyabaseRoma ibe yeyokuqala kunezinye, ekubeni ithetha kakhulu ngokulingana okutsha phakathi kwamaYuda nabangemaYuda, maqela lawo amabini uPawulos awashumayela kuwo. Ichaza inqanaba lenguqulelo kwiinkqubano zikaThixo nabantu bakhe kwaye ibonisa ukuba iZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo zesiHebhere zazixele kwangaphambili ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo zaziya kushunyayelwa kwanakwabangemaYuda.

 2. (a) Ziziphi iingxaki uPawulos azixubushayo kwabaseRoma? (b) Yintoni emiselwa ngokuqinileyo ngale ncwadi?

² Esebenzisa uTertiyo njengonobhala, ngokukhawuleza uPawulos udibanisa iingxoxo ezithile neengcaphulo ezininzi ngokumangalisayo zeZibhalo zesiHebhere ekwenzeni enye yezona ncwadi zinamandla kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Ngolwimi olusulungeke gqitha, uxubusha ngeengxaki ezathi zaphakama xa amabandla amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayebunjwe ngamaYuda namaGrike. Ngaba amaYuda ayegqalwa njengabalulekileyo ngenxa yokuba eyinzala ka-Abraham? Ngaba amaKristu akhulileyo ngolwazi, awayekhululekile kuMthetho kaMoses, ayenelungelo lokukhubekisa abazalwana bawo abangamaYuda abuthathaka awayesanamathele kumasiko amandulo? Kule ncwadi uPawulos wabonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba amaYuda nabangemaYuda bayalingana phambi koThixo nokuba abantu bavakaliswa bengamalungisa, kungekhona ngoMthetho kaMoses, kodwa ngokukholwa kuYesu Kristu nangobabalo lukaThixo. Kwangaxeshanye, uThixo ufuna amaKristu abonise ukuzithoba okufanelekileyo kumagunya ahlukahlukeneyo aphantsi kolawulo lwawo.

 3. Laqala njani ibandla laseRoma, yaye yintoni esenokuba ngunobangela wokuba uPawulos azi abantu abaninzi gqitha kulo?

³ Laqala njani ibandla laseRoma? Kwakukho iqela labantu abangamaYuda eRoma ubuncinane ukususela kwixesha lokuthimba kukaPompey iYerusalem ngowama-63 B.C.E. KwiZenzo 2:10 kuchazwa ngokuthe ngqo ukuba wambi aloo maYuda ayeseYerusalem ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., apho eva iindaba ezilungileyo zishunyayelwa. Ezi ndwendwe zingamaguquka zahlala eYerusalem ukuze zifundiswe ngabapostile, kwaye kamva ezo zazivela eRoma ngokungathandabuzekiyo zabuyela khona, mhlawumbi zimbi zabuyela ngexesha lokuqhambuka kwentshutshiso eYerusalem. (IZe. 2:41-47; 8:1, 4) Ngokubhekele phaya, abantu baloo mihla babehamba kakhulu, yaye oku kusenokucacisa isizathu sokuqhelana ngokusenyongweni kukaPawulos namalungu amaninzi gqitha ebandla laseRoma, wambi kuwo ekusenokuba aziva iindaba ezilungileyo kwelamaGrike okanye kwelaseAsiya ngenxa yokushumayela kukaPawulos.

 4. (a) EyabaseRoma inikela yiphi inkcazelo ngokuphathelele ibandla elikweso sixeko? (b) Ubukho buka-Akwila noPrisila eRoma bubonisa ntoni?

⁴ Inkcazelo yokuqala enokuthenjwa ngeli bandla ifunyanwa kwincwadi kaPawulos. Ngokuphuma kuyo kucacile ukuba eli bandla lalibunjwe ngamaKristu angamaYuda nangengomaYuda nokuba inzondelelo yawo yayincomeka. Uwaxelela oku: “Ukholo lwenu luxelwa ehlabathini liphela,” nokuba, “Ukululama kwenu kuye kwafika kubo bonke.” (Roma 1:8; 16:19) USuetonius, ebhala ngenkulungwane yesibini, ubalisa ukuba ebudeni bolawulo lukaKlawudiyo (ngowama-41-54 C.E.), amaYuda agxothwa eRoma. Noko ke, kamva abuyela, njengokuba kuboniswa bubukho buka-Akwila noPrisila eRoma. BabengamaYuda uPawulos awadibana nawo eKorinte nawathi ayishiya iRoma ngexesha lokuwiswa komyalelo kaKlawudiyo kodwa awayesele ebuyele khona xa uPawulos wabhalela ibandla eliseRoma.—IZe. 18:2; Roma 16:3.

 5. Ziziphi izibakala ezimisela ubunyaniso beyabaseRoma?

⁵ Ubunyaniso bale ncwadi bungqinelwa ngokuqinileyo. Njengokuba intshayelelo yayo isitsho, ivela ‘kuPawulos, umkhonzi kaYesu Kristu, umpostile owabizwayo, ebhalela bonke abaseRoma, abaziintanda zikaThixo, abangcwele ababiziweyo.’ (Roma 1:1, 7) Umbhalo wayo wangaphandle ungomnye weyokuqala ngqa eyafunyanwayo yeZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala, eyabhalwa mhlawumbi kwiminyaka emithandathu ukusa kwesibhozo kamva, uPetros usebenzisa amabinzana amaninzi gqitha afanayo nawale ncwadi, kangangokuba abaphengululi abaninzi bacinga ukuba wayesele ewubonile umbhalo weyabaseRoma. Kuyacaca ukuba eyabaseRoma yayigqalwa njengenxalenye yemibhalo kaPawulos kwaye yacatshulwa ngolo hlobo nguClement waseRoma, uPolycarp waseSmirna noIgnatius wakwa-Antiyokwe, bonke ababephila ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala nasekuqaleni kweyesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo.

 6. Umbhalo-ngqangi wamandulo ukungqinela njani ukuba eyabaseRoma iyinxalenye yemibhalo engcwele?

⁶ Incwadi yabaseRoma, kunye nezinye iincwadi ezisibhozo zikaPawulos, ifumaneka kumbhalo-ngqangi obizwa ngokuthi Chester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P⁴⁶). Ngokuphathelele lo mbhalo-ngqangi wamandulu, uMhlekazi uFrederic Kenyon wabhala oku: “Ngoko, apha, phantse sibe sinombhalo-ngqangi opheleleyo weeNcwadi zikaPawulos, ekubonakala ukuba zabhalwa malunga nasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesithathu.”a Umbhalo-ngqangi weZibhalo zesiGrike owenziwe ngomzi oyiChester Beatty kudala wabakho kunoMbhalo-ngqangi waseSinayi noMbhalo-ngqangi waseVatican No. 1209 eyaziwa kakhulu, yenkulungwane yesine yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Incwadi yabaseRoma ikho nakule imibhalo-ngqangi.

 7. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo malunga nendawo nexesha lokubhalwa kweyabaseRoma?

⁷ Yabhalwa nini kwaye ibhalelwa phi eyabaseRoma? Abahlalutyi beBhayibhile bayavumelana ngelokuba le ncwadi yabhalelwa eGrisi, ngokunokwenzeka eKorinte, xa uPawulos wayetyelele apho kangangeenyanga ezithile ngasekupheleni kohambo lwakhe lwesithathu lobuvangeli basemazweni. Ubungqina obukuyo balatha ukuba yabhalelwa eKorinte. UPawulos wayibhalela le ncwadi kwikhaya likaGayo, owayelilungu lebandla lalapho, kwaye uyaleza uFibhi webandla elikufuphi laseKenkreya, elichweba laseKorinte. Ngokucacileyo nguFibhi owahambisa le ncwadi eRoma. (Roma 16:1, 23; 1 Kor. 1:14) KwabaseRoma 15:23 (NW) uPawulos wabhala oku: “Andisenandawo ndingayihambanga kule mimandla,” yaye kwindinyana elandelayo ubonisa ukuba uceba ukuwandisa umsebenzi wakhe wobuvangeli basemazweni ngasentshona, ukuya kwelaseSpani. Ufanele ukuba wakubhala oku ngasekupheleni kohambo lwakhe lwesithathu, ekuqaleni kowama-56 C.E.

OKUQULETHWE YEYABASEROMA

 8. (a) Uthini uPawulos ngothumo lwakhe? (b) Ubonisa njani ukuba amaYuda namaGrike ayelindelwe yingqumbo kaThixo?

⁸ Ukungabi namkhethe kukaThixo kumYuda nakoweeNtlanga (1:1–2:29). Yintoni uPawulos ophefumlelweyo ayixelela amaRoma? Kwintshayelelo yakhe, uzichaza njengompostile onyulwe nguKristu ukuba afundise abeentlanga ukuba babonakalise ‘ukululama ngenxa yokholo.’ Uvakalisa umnqweno wakhe omkhulu wokutyelela abangcwele eRoma, ukuze ‘avuselelane’ nabo, nokuze avakalise kubo iindaba ezilungileyo ‘ezingamandla kaThixo okusindisa bonke abakholwayo.’ Njengoko kwakubhaliwe kwamhlamnene, ilungisa liya kuphila “ngokokholo.” (1:5, 12, 16, 17) Ubonisa ukuba, ingqumbo kaThixo izela kokubini amaYuda namaGrike. Ukungahloneli Thixo komntu akuthetheleleki ngenxa yokuba ‘iimpawu zikaThixo ezingabonakaliyo zibonwa ngokucacileyo ukususela ekudalweni kwehlabathi ukubheka phambili.’ (1:20) Ukanti, ngobuyatha iintlanga zinqula izinto ezidaliweyo. Noko ke, amaYuda awafanele azigwebe ngokurhabaxa iintlanga, ekubeni nawo enetyala lezono. Zombini ezi ndidi ziya kugwetywa ngokwemisebenzi yazo, kuba uThixo akanamkhethe. Ulwaluko lwasenyameni alungothunywashe oyintloko; “umYuda ngulowo wasemfihlekweni, nolwaluko lolwentliziyo.”—2:29.

 9. (a) Yintoni ebangela ukuba amaYuda agqithisele kwabanye, ukanti ziziphi izibhalo uPawulos azicaphulayo ukuze abonise ukuba bonke baphantsi kwesono? (b) Ngoko, umntu uya kuvakaliswa njani elilungisa, yaye nguwuphi umzekelo oxhasa le ngxoxo?

⁹ Ngokholo bonke bavakaliswa bengamalungisa (3:1–4:25). “Ugqithisele ngantoni na ngoko umYuda kwabanye?” Ugqithisele kakhulu, kuba amaYuda aphathiswa izihlabo ezingcwele zikaThixo. Ukanti, ‘amaYuda kwanamaGrike baphantsi kwesono bonke,’ yaye akukho “lungisa” emehlweni kaThixo. Ukuze kuphuhliswe le ngongoma kucatshulwe kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere izihlandlo ezisixhenxe. (Roma 3:1, 9-18; INdu. 14:1-3; 5:9; 140:3; 10:7; IMize. 1:16; Isa. 59:7, 8; INdu. 36:1) UMthetho ubonisa ukuba nesono komntu, ngoko “ngokwasemisebenzini yomthetho, akukho mntu uya kuvakaliswa elilungisa.” (NW) Phofu ke, ngobabalo lukaThixo nokukhululwa ngentlawulelo, amaYuda namaGrike avakaliswe engamalungisa “ngokholo, kungekho misebenzi yamthetho.” (Roma 3:20, 28) UPawulos uyixhasa le ngxoxo ngokucaphula umzekelo ka-Abraham, owagqalwa elilungisa, kungekhona ngemisebenzi okanye ngolwaluko, kodwa ngenxa yokholo lwakhe olungumzekelo. Ngaloo ndlela uAbraham akabanga nguyise kumaYuda kuphela koko kubo bonke “abakholwayo.”—4:11.

10. (a) Kwenzeka njani ukuba ukufa kulawule njengokumkani? (b) Yintoni eyaba ngumphumo wokuthobela kukaKristu, kodwa sisiphi isilumkiso esivakaliswayo mayela nesono?

¹⁰ Ukungabi saba likhoboka lesono kodwa lobulungisa ngoKristu (5:1–6:23). Ngomntu omnye, uAdam, kwangena isono ehlabathini, saza isono sazisa ukufa, “kwaza ngokunjalo ukufa kwabatyhutyha abantu bonke, ekubeni bonke bonayo.” (5:12) Ukufa kwalawula njengokumkani ukususela kuAdam kwezisa kuMoses. Xa kwadluliselwa uMthetho ngoMoses, isono sanda, yaye ukufa kwaqhubeka kulawula. Kodwa ubabalo lukaThixo ngoku lwanda ngokude kwangakumbi, yaye ngokuthi abaninzi bazithobe kuKristu baye bavakaliswa bengamalungisa afanelwe bubomi obungunaphakade. Ukanti le asiyomvume yokuhlala esonweni. Abantu ababhaptizelwe kuKristu bamele bafe esonweni. Ubuntu babo obudala bubethelelwa emthini, yaye ubomi ababudlayo babudlela kuThixo. Isono asisabalawuli, kodwa baba ngabakhonzi bokululamela ubulungisa, ukuze bangcwaliseke. “Umvuzo wesono kukufa; ke sona isibabalo sikaThixo bubomi obungunaphakade, kuKristu Yesu iNkosi yethu.”—6:23.

11. (a) UPawulos ukuzekelisa njani ukukhululwa kwamaYuda angamaKristu eMthethweni? (b) Yintoni uMthetho owayenza yabonakala, yaye ngoko ziziphi izinto ezilwayo kumKristu?

¹¹ Ukufa kuwo uMthetho, ukuphila ngomoya kuKristu (7:1–8:39). UPawulos usebenzisa umzekelo womfazi, obotshelelweyo kwindoda yakhe logama nje isaphila kodwa okhululekileyo ukuba atshate nenye ukuba ithe yafa, ukuze abonise indlela amaYuda angamaKristu awafa ngayo eMthethweni ngedini likaKristu aza akhululwa ukuba abe ngabakaKristu aze athwale isiqhamo kuThixo. UMthetho ongcwele wasenza sabonakala ngakumbi isono, yaye isono sazisa ukufa. Isono, esikwimizimba yethu yenyama, silwa neenjongo zethu ezintle. Kunjengokuba uPawulos esithi: “Kuba okulungileyo endikuthandayo, andikwenzi; khona okubi, endingakuthandiyo, oko ndiyakwenza.” Ngaloo ndlela, “ayisendim okusebenzayo oko, seyisisono esi simiyo ngaphakathi kwam.”—7:19, 20.

12. Bambi baba zizo njani iindlalifa kunye noKristu, yaye baye boyisa njani ngokupheleleyo?

¹² Yintoni enokusindisa umntu kobu bugxwayiba? UThixo unokubadlisa ubomi ngomoya Wakhe abo bangabakaKristu! Benziwe oonyana, bavakaliswe bengamalungisa, baba ziindlalifa zikaThixo kwaneendlalifa kunye noKristu, yaye bazukisiwe. Kubo uPawulos uthi: “Ukuba uThixo ungakuthi, ngubani na ongasichasayo? Ngubani na oya kusahlula eluthandweni lukaKristu?” Akukho namnye! Ngenxa yokoyisa kwakhe wakwazi ukuvakalisa athi: “Sisuka soyise sigqithisele, ngaye owasithandayo. Kuba ndeyisekile kukuba nakufa, nabomi, nazithunywa zezulu, nazilawuli, naziphathamandla, nanto zikhoyo, nanto zizayo, nabuphakamo, nabunzulu, nasinye isidalwa esisimbi, asiyi kuba nako ukusahlula thina eluthandweni lukaThixo, olukuye uKristu Yesu, iNkosi yethu.”—8:31, 35, 37-39.

13. (a) Ngokwesiprofeto, ngoobani abaqukiweyo kuSirayeli wokwenene kaThixo, yaye oku kuvisisana nawuphi umgaqo kaThixo? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uSirayeli wokwenyama asilele, kodwa yintoni efunekayo ukuze asindiswe?

¹³ ‘USirayeli’ usindiswa ngokholo nangenceba kaThixo (9:1–10:21). UPawulos uthi “ndineentlungu kakhulu” ngenxa yamaSirayeli akowabo, kodwa uyaqonda ukuba asinguye wonke uSirayeli wokwenyama ‘onguSirayeli’ wenene, ekubeni uThixo enegunya lokukhetha njengoonyana nabani na anqwenela ukumkhetha. Njengokuba kuboniswa ngeenkqubano zikaThixo noFaro nangomzekeliso wombumbi, “asikokothandayo, kanjalo asikokobalekayo; kokukaThixo onenceba.” (9:2, 6, 16) Ubiza oonyana “kungekuwo amaYuda odwa, kukwiintlanga nazo,” njengokuba uHoseya wakuxela oku kusengaphambili. (Hos. 2:23) USirayeli wasilela ngenxa yokuba wafuna ukubabalwa nguThixo, “kungengokwaselukholweni; kwaye kungathi kungokwasemisebenzini,” nangenxa yokuba wakhubeka kuKristu, “iliwa lesikhubekiso.” (Roma 9:24, 32, 33) ‘Ayenokumzondelela uThixo’ kodwa engamzondeleli “ngokokwazi okukuko.” Intsingiselo yoMthetho nguKristu kubo bonke abakholwayo ngenxa yobulungisa, kwaye ukuze asindiswe umntu umele avume ekuhleni “ukuba uyiNkosi uYesu” aze abonise ukholo lokuba “uThixo wamvusa kwabafileyo.” (10:2, 9) Kuthunywa abashumayeli ukuze bancede abantu bazo zonke iintlanga ukuba beve, babe nokholo, baze banqule igama likaYehova ukuze basindiswe.

14. UPawulos uzekelisa ntoni ngomthi womnquma?

¹⁴ Umzekeliso womthi womnquma (11:1-36). Ngenxa yobabalo, kuye kwanyulwa intsalela yoSirayeli wokwemvelo, kodwa ngenxa yokuba inkoliso yakhubeka, “usindiso lwafika kuzo iintlanga.” (11:11) Esebenzisa umzekeliso womthi womnquma, uPawulos ubonisa indlela abangemaYuda abamiliselwa ngayo, ngenxa yokuswela ukholo koSirayeli wokwenyama. Sekunjalo, abangemaYuda abafanele bakuvuyele ukugatywa koSirayeli, ngenxa yokuba ukuba uThixo akawachonganga amasebe emvelo angathembekanga, akayi kuwachonga amasebe omnquma wasendle amiliselwe evela kwiintlanga.

15. Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekunikeleni amadini aphilileyo kuThixo?

¹⁵ Ukuhlaziyeka kwengqiqo amagunya awongamileyo (12:1–13:14). UPawulos ululeka ngelokuba, nikelani imizimba yenu njengedini eliphilileyo kuThixo. “Ningamilisi okweli phakade,” kunoko “manibe kumila kumbi ngokuhlaziyeka kwengqiqo yenu.” Musani ukuba nekratshi. Umzimba kaKristu, njengomzimba womntu, unamalungu amaninzi, asebenza ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo, kodwa asebenza kunye ngemvisiswano. Ningabuyekezi ububi ngobubi nakubani na. Yiyekeleni kuYehova impindezelo. Yoyisani “ububi ngokulungileyo.”—12:2, 21.

16. AmaKristu amele aziphathe njani phambi kwamagunya nabanye?

¹⁶ Walulameleni amagunya awongamileyo; eli lilungiselelo likaThixo. Hlalani nisenza okulungileyo yaye musani ukuba natyala lanto mntwini ngaphandle kwelokuthandana. Usindiso lukufuphi, ngoko ‘lahlani imisebenzi yobumnyama’ nize ‘nixhobe iintonga zokukhanya.’ (13:12) Hambani ngokuziphatha okuhle, kungekhona ngokweenkanuko zenyama.

17. Sisiphi isiluleko esinikelwayo ngokuphathelele ukugweba nokwakha ababuthathaka?

¹⁷ Ukwamkela bonke ngokungenamkhethe nangokungagwebi (14:1–15:33). Banyamezeleni abo bathi, ngenxa yobuthathaka bokholo lwabo, bazile iintlobo ezithile zokutya okanye bagcine imihla yemisitho. Ungaze umgwebe umzalwana wakho okanye umkhubekise ngokutya nokusela kwakho, ekubeni inguThixo ogweba bonke. Phuthuma uxolo nezinto zokwakhana, uze ukuthwale ukuswela amandla kwabanye.

18. (a) Ziziphi izibhalo ezingakumbi uPawulos azicaphulayo ukuze abonise ukwamkela kukaThixo abangemaYuda? (b) UPawulos ulusebenzisa njani ngokunengenelo ubabalo lukaThixo?

¹⁸ Umpostile ubhala oku: “Izinto zonke ezabhalwayo ngenxa engaphambili, zaye zibhalelwa okwethu ukufundiswa,” yaye ucaphula iZibhalo ezine zesiHebhere ezongezelelekileyo njengobungqina bokugqibela bokuba abaprofeti abaphefumlelweyo babexele kude kudala ngaphambili ukuba amadinga kaThixo ayeya kolulelwa kwiintlanga ezingemaYuda. (Roma 15:4, 9-12; INdu. 18:49; Dut. 32:43; INdu. 117:1; Isa. 11:1, 10) UPawulos unikela esi siluleko, “Yamkelanani, njengokuba naye uKristu wasamkelayo, ukuba kuzukiswe uThixo.” (Roma 15:7) UPawulos uvakalisa uxabiso ngobabalo alujizekwe nguThixo lokuba abe ngumkhonzi wasekuhleni weentlanga, “obandakanyeke kumsebenzi ongcwele wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo.” (NW) Usoloko efuna ukuqalisa intsimi entsha kunokuba ‘akhe phezu kwesiseko somnye.’ Yaye akakagqibi, kuba, emva kokuthabatha iminikelo ayise eYerusalem, uceba ukhenketho olubanzi lokushumayela kummandla othe qelele welaseSpani, ibe endleleni yakhe eya apho abaphathele abazalwana bakhe bokomoya baseRoma ‘intsikelelo ezalisekileyo kaKristu.’—15:16, 20, 29.

19. Yiyiphi imibuliso nesibongozo equkunjelwa ngaso le ncwadi?

¹⁹ Imibuliso yokuqukumbela (16:1-27). UPawulos uthumela imibuliso yobuqu kumalungu angama-26 ebandla laseRoma ewabiza ngamagama, nakwabanye, yaye uyawabongoza ukuba abaphephe abantu ababangela ukungavisisani nokuba abe “ngabalumkileyo okunene kokulungileyo; kodwa [abe] ngabangenabuqhinga kokubi.” Konke kwenzelwa ukuba kuzukiswe uThixo ‘ngaye uYesu Kristu kude kube ngunaphakade. Amen.’—16:19, 27.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

20. (a) Sisiphi isizathu esisengqiqweni eyabaseRoma esinikelayo sokukholelwa kuThixo? (b) Ubulungisa nenceba kaThixo zibonakaliswa njani, yaye oku kukhokelela uPawulos ekubeni adanduluke athini?

²⁰ Incwadi yabaseRoma inikela isizathu esisengqiqweni sokukholelwa kuThixo, isithi “iimpawu zakhe ezingabonakaliyo zibonwa ngokucacileyo ukususela ekudalweni kwehlabathi ukubheka phambili, kuba ziqondwa ngezinto ezenziweyo, kwa-amandla akhe angunaphakade nobuThixo bakhe.” Kodwa ngaphezu koku, iyaqhubeka ibalaselisa ubulungisa bakhe yaye isazisa inceba nobabalo lwakhe olukhulu. Oku kuziswa engqalelweni yethu kakuhle ngomzekeliso womthi womnquma, ekuthi kuwo kumiliselwe amasebe asendle xa amasebe emvelo egawulwa. Ecinga ngobu bukhali nobubele bukaThixo, uPawulos udanduluka esithi: “Hayi, ubunzulu bobutyebi nobobulumko nobokwazi kukaThixo! Asikuko nokuba ayiphengululeki imigwebo yakhe, azilandeki iindlela zakhe!”—1:20; 11:33.

21. EyabaseRoma ikubonisa njani ngokubhekele phaya ukutyhilwa kwemfihlelo engcwele kaThixo?

²¹ Incwadi yabaseRoma ikucacisa ngokubhekele phaya ukutyhilwa kwemfihlelo engcwele kaThixo ngokunxulumene noku. Kwibandla lamaKristu, akusekho mahluko phakathi komYuda noweeNtlanga, kodwa abantu bazo zonke iintlanga basenokuxhamla ubabalo lukaYehova ngoYesu Kristu. “KuThixo akukho kukhetha buso.” “UmYuda ngulowo wasemfihlekweni, nolwaluko lolwentliziyo ngomoya, kungengantetho.” “Akukho kwahluka kwamYuda namGrike; kuba ikwayiloo Nkosi eyiNkosi yabo bonke, ibubutyebi kubo bonke abayinqulayo.” Bonke aba lukholo olubalelwa kubo njengobulungisa, kungekhona imisebenzi.—2:11, 29; 10:12; 3:28.

22. Sisiphi isiluleko esiluncedo eyabaseRoma esinikelayo mayela nolwalamamo nabantu abangaphandle kwebandla?

²² Isiluleko esiluncedo esikule ncwadi eyayibhalelwe amaKristu aseRoma siyingenelo ngokufanayo kumaKristu namhlanje, ekufuneka ehlangabezene neengxaki ezifanayo kwihlabathi lasemzini. UmKristu ubongozwa ukuba ‘ahlale enoxolo nabantu bonke,’ kuquka nabo bangaphandle kwebandla. Yonke imiphefumlo imele “iwalulamele amagunya awongamileyo,” ngokuba ayila ilungiselelo likaThixo yaye angawokoyikwa, kungekhona kwabo bagcina umthetho, kodwa kwabo benza imisebenzi emibi. AmaKristu amele akululamele ukugcina umthetho kungekuphela nje ngenxa yokoyika isohlwayo kodwa ngenxa yesazela sobuKristu, ngoko ke ezihlawula iirhafu zawo, enika bonke okubafaneleyo, ehlangabezana neemfanelo zawo, engenatyala lanto mntwini, “ingelilo elokuthandana.” Uthando luzalisekisa uMthetho.—12:17-21; 13:1-10.

23. UPawulos ukugxininisa njani ukubaluleka kovakaliso lwasekuhleni, yaye nguwuphi umzekelo awumiselayo wokubulungiselela ubulungiseleli?

²³ UPawulos ubethelela umbandela wobungqina basekuhleni. Ngoxa umntu ekholwa ngentliziyo ukuze abe nobulungisa, uvumo lwasekuhleni ulwenza ngomlomo ukuze asindiswe. “Bonke abasukuba belinqula igama [“likaYehova,” NW] bosindiswa.” Kodwa ukuze oku kwenzeke, kufuneka ukuba abashumayeli baphume baze ‘bashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo zezinto ezilungileyo.’ Siya kuba noyolo ukuba siphakathi kwaba bashumayeli abantlokoma yabo iye ngoku yafikelela “eziphelweni zelimiweyo”! (10:13, 15, 18) Yaye xa silungiselela lo msebenzi wokushumayela, ngamana singazama ukuqhelana neZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo njengokuba wenjenjalo uPawulos, kuba kwesi sicatshulwa sinye (10:11-21) ucaphula ecaphulile kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere. (Isa. 28:16; Yoweli 2:32; Isa. 52:7; 53:1; INdu. 19:4; Dut. 32:21; Isa. 65:1, 2) Wakwazi nokuthi: “Izinto zonke ezabhalwayo ngenxa engaphambili, zaye zibhalelwa okwethu ukufundiswa, ukuze sithi ngalo unyamezelo novuselelo lwezibhalo sibe nalo ithemba.”—Roma 15:4.

24. Liliphi icebiso uPawulos alinikelayo mayela nenzondelelo yokwakhana nolwalamano lobuhlobo phakathi kwebandla?

²⁴ Kunikelwa icebiso eliluncedo ngokumangalisayo ngemfuneko yokubakho kolwalamano phakathi kwebandla lamaKristu. Ingakhathaliseki imvelaphi yabo yangaphambili yobuhlanga, yobuzwe okanye yezentlalo, bonke bamele bahlaziye iingqiqo zabo ukuze banikele inkonzo engcwele kuThixo ‘ngokokuthanda kwakhe okulungileyo, okukholekileyo nokuzalisekileyo.’ (11:17-22; 12:1, 2) Okunjani kona ukuba sengqiqweni kwaso sonke nje isiluleko sikaPawulos esikwabaseRoma 12:3-16! Eneneni esi sisiluleko esibalaseleyo senzondelelo yokwakhana, ukuthobeka nolwazelelelo phakathi kwalo lonke ibandla lobuKristu. Kwizahluko zokugqibela, uPawulos unikela isiluleko esiqatha ngokulumkela nokuphepha abo babangela iimbambano, kodwa ukwathetha ngovuyo nokuhlaziyeka ekwabelwana ngako ngenxa yonxulumano olucocekileyo ebandleni.—16:17-19; 15:7, 32.

25. (a) Yiyiphi imbono efanelekileyo nokuqonda okubhekele phaya eyabaseRoma ekunikelayo ngokuphathelele uBukumkani bukaThixo? (b) Kungaziphi iindlela ekufanele ukufundisisa eyabaseRoma kube yingenelo ngayo kuthi?

²⁵ NjengamaKristu, simele siqhubeke silondele ulwalamano lwethu nabanye. “Kuba ubukumkani bukaThixo abukukudla nakusela; bubulungisa noxolo novuyo kuMoya oyiNgcwele.” (14:17) Obu bulungisa, uxolo novuyo ngokukodwa busisabelo ‘seendlalifa ezikunye noKristu,’ eziza ‘kuzukiswa kunye naye’ kuBukumkani basezulwini. Kwakhona, phawula indlela eyabaseRoma eyalatha ngayo kwinyathelo elingakumbi lokuzalisekiswa kwedinga loBukumkani elanikelwa e-Eden, xa isithi: “UThixo ke woxolo uya kumtyumza uSathana kamsinya phantsi kweenyawo zenu.” (Roma 8:17; 16:20; Gen. 3:15) Njengoko sizikholelwa ezi nyaniso zibalaseleyo, ngamana singaqhubeka sizaliswa lulo lonke uvuyo noxolo kwaye sikhule ethembeni. Uzimiselo lwethu malube kukuphumelela soyisile neMbewu yoBukumkani, kuba seyisekile kukuba akukho nto ezulwini phezulu okanye emhlabeni phantsi okanye “nasinye isidalwa esisimbi, [esiya] kuba nako ukusahlula thina eluthandweni lukaThixo, olukuye uKristu Yesu, iNkosi yethu.”—Roma 8:39; 15:13.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]