Bonakalisa Uxabiso Olufanelekileyo Ngesipho Onaso Sobomi
“Igazi likaKristu, [liya] kuhlambulula izazela zethu kwimisebenzi efileyo ukuze sinikele inkonzo engcwele kuThixo ophilayo.”—HEBHERE 9:14.
1. Ziziphi iindlela esibonisa ngazo ukuba sibuxabisa gqitha ubomi?
UKUBA bekunokubuzwa ukuba buxabiseke kangakanani ubomi bakho, ubuya kuthini? Sibuxabisa gqitha ubomi—obethu nobabanye. Ngenxa yoko, sisenokuya kugqirha ukuze asinyange xa sigula okanye siye kuxilongwa ngokuthe rhoqo. Sifuna ukuhlala siphila yaye sisempilweni. Kwanenkoliso yabantu abalupheleyo okanye abaneziphene abafuni kufa; bafuna ukuhlala bephila.
2, 3. (a) IMizekeliso 23:22 ibalaselisa yiphi imbopheleleko? (b) UThixo ungenelela njani kwimbopheleleko echazwe kwiMizekeliso 23:22?
2 Indlela obujonga ngayo ubomi inokuthanani nolwalamano onalo nabanye. Ngokomzekelo, iLizwi likaThixo liyalela lisithi: “Mphulaphule uyihlo okuzeleyo, yaye ungamdeleli unyoko ngenxa nje yokuba emdala.” (IMizekeliso 23:22) ‘Ukuphulaphula’ kuthetha okungakumbi kunokuva nje amazwi; lo mzekeliso uthetha ukuphulaphula uze uthobele. (Eksodus 15:26; Duteronomi 7:12; 13:18; 15:5; Yoshuwa 22:2; INdumiso 81:13) ILizwi likaThixo linikela siphi isizathu sokuphulaphula? Alithi phulaphula uyihlo nonyoko kuba nje bebadala kuwe okanye benamava angakumbi. Isizathu esichaziweyo sikukuba ‘ukuzele.’ Ezinye iinguqulelo zithi kule ndinyana: “Mphulaphule uyihlo owakunika ubomi.” Kuyaqondakala ukuba, ukuba ubuxabisile ubomi bakho, umxabise ngakumbi umntu owakunika obo bomi.
3 Phofu ke, ukuba ungumKristu wokwenene, uyaqonda ukuba uMthombo wobomi bakho nguYehova. Ngaye, ‘unobomi’ uyakwazi ‘ukushukuma,’ ukwenza izinto njengesidalwa esineemvakalelo; yaye ngoku ‘ukho’, unokucinga okanye ucebe ikamva, kuquka nobomi obungapheliyo. (IZenzo 17:28; INdumiso 36:9; INtshumayeli 3:11) Ngokuvumelana neMizekeliso 23:22, kufanelekile ‘ukumphulaphula’ uThixo ngokuzithoba, unomnqweno wokukuqonda nokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe kunokukhetha ukwenza nantoni na ebomini.
Bonakalisa Uxabiso Ngobomi
4. Kwasekuqaleni kwembali yabantu, yavuka njani imbambano yokuhlonela ubomi?
4 Kwasekuqaleni kwembali yabantu, uYehova wakwenza kwacaca ukuba akabavumeli abantu bazikhethele indlela yokubusebenzisa (okanye yokubusebenzisa kakubi) ubomi nangasiphi na isizathu. Ephethwe ngumona, uKayin waphelisa ubomi bomntu ongenatyala, obomntakwabo uAbheli. Ngaba ucinga ukuba uKayin wayenelungelo lokwenza eso sigqibo ngobomi? UThixo akazange acinge njalo. Wambuza uKayin esithi: “Wenze ntoni na? Phulaphula! Igazi lomntakwenu liyadanduluka kum emhlabeni.” (Genesis 4:10) Phawula ukuba igazi lika-Abheli elisemhlabeni lalimela ubomi bakhe, obuye bashunqulelwa ngenkohlakalo, yaye babukhalela impindezelo kaThixo.—Hebhere 12:24.
5. (a) Nguwuphi umqathango uThixo awubeka ngomhla kaNowa, yaye wawusebenza koobani? (b) Lo mqathango wawulinyathelo elibalulekileyo ngayiphi ingqiqo?
5 Emva koMkhukula, abantu baba nesiqalo esitsha beyimiphefumlo nje esibhozo. Ethetha nabantu bonke, uThixo wabatyhilela okungakumbi ngendlela abuxabisa ngayo ubomi negazi. Wathi abantu bangayitya inyama yezilwanyana, kodwa wabeka lo mqathango: “Zonke [izilwanyana] eziphilileyo mazibe kukutya kuni. Njengotyani obuluhlaza, ndizinikela zonke kuni. Kuphela yinyama enomphefumlo wayo—igazi layo—eningamele niyidle.” (Genesis 9:3, 4) Wambi amaYuda akuthabatha oku njengokuthetha ukuba abantu abafanele bayitye inyama okanye igazi lesilwanyana esisaphilayo. Kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha kwacaca ukuba apha uThixo wayethetha ukutya igazi ukuze ubani alondoloze ubomi. Ngaphezu koko, umyalelo kaThixo owadluliselwa ngoNowa wawubaluleke gqitha ekufezeni injongo Yakhe ebalulekileyo ebandakanya igazi—nto leyo eyayiya kuvumela abantu ukuba bafumane ubomi obungunaphakade.
6. Esebenzisa uNowa, uThixo wayigxininisa njani indlela abujonga ngayo ubomi?
6 UThixo wahlabela mgama waza wathi: “Ndiya kulibiza igazi lemiphefumlo yenu. Ndiya kulibiza esandleni sazo zonke izidalwa eziphilayo; nasesandleni somntu, ndiwubize umphefumlo womntu esandleni sakhe ngamnye ongumzalwana wakhe. Nabani na ophalaza igazi lomntu, lophalazwa ngumntu nelakhe igazi, kuba umntu wenziwa ngomfanekiso kaThixo.” (Genesis 9:5, 6) Ngokusuka kula mazwi awayebhekiswa kubo bonke abantu unokubona ukuba uThixo wayeligqala igazi njengelimela ubomi baloo mntu. UMdali unika umntu ukuphila, yaye akukho mntu ofanele abuthabathe obo bomi, obumelwa ligazi. Ukuba, njengoKayin, ubani ubulala umntu, uMdali unelungelo ‘lokubiza’ ubomi balowo ubuleleyo.
7. Kutheni sifanele sibe nomdla koko uThixo wakuthethayo kuNowa ngegazi?
7 Ngala mazwi, uThixo wayeyalela abantu ukuba bangalisebenzisi kakubi igazi. Ngaba wakha wazibuza isizathu? Kwakhona, ngaba wakha wazibuza isizathu sokuba uThixo aligqale ngale ndlela igazi? Enyanisweni, impendulo ibandakanya enye yezona mfundiso zibalulekileyo eBhayibhileni. Loo mfundiso ingundoqo wesigidimi samaKristu, nangona iicawa ezininzi zikhetha ukusityeshela. Yiyiphi loo mfundiso, yaye ubomi bakho, izigqibo nezinto ozenzayo zibandakanyeke njani?
Igazi—Linokusetyenziswa Njani?
8. EMthethweni, uYehova wabeka wuphi umqathango ngokusetyenziswa kwegazi?
8 UYehova wanikela iinkcukacha ezingakumbi ngobomi negazi xa wanika uSirayeli uMthetho. Ngoxa wayesenza oko, wathabatha elinye inyathelo ekufezeni iinjongo zakhe. Mhlawumbi uyazi ukuba uMthetho wawuyalela ukuba kunikelwe amadini kuThixo, njengokutya okuziinkozo, ioli newayini. (Levitikus 2:1-4; 23:13; Numeri 15:1-5) Kwakufanele kwenziwe namadini ezilwanyana. UThixo wathi ngezi zinto: “Umphefumlo wenyama usegazini, yaye mna ndaninika lona esibingelelweni ukuze kucanyagushelwe imiphefumlo yenu, kuba igazi eli licamagusha ngomphefumlo okulo. Kungenxa yoko le nto ndithe koonyana bakaSirayeli: ‘Makungabikho namnye umphefumlo kuni odla igazi.’” UYehova wongezelela esithi, ukuba umntu othile njengomzingeli okanye umfama, uxhele isilwanyana esithile ukuze sityiwe, kufuneka asophise aze igazi laso aligqumelele ngomhlaba. Umhlaba usisihlalo seenyawo zikaThixo, yaye ngokulithululela emhlabeni igazi, loo mntu wayevuma ukubuyisela ubomi kuMniki-bomi.—Levitikus 17:11-13; Isaya 66:1.
9. UMthetho wayalela ukuba igazi lisetyenziselwe ntoni kuphela, yaye oku kwakungayiphi injongo?
9 Loo mthetho wawungesosithethe nje sonqulo esingabalulekanga kuthi. Ngaba usiphawulile isizathu sokuba amaSirayeli kwakufuneka angalidli igazi? UThixo wathi: “Kungenxa yoko le nto ndithe koonyana bakaSirayeli: ‘Makungabikho namnye umphefumlo kuni odla igazi.’” Kwakungenxa yasiphi isizathu? “Mna ndaninika [igazi] esibingelelweni ukuze kucanyagushelwe imiphefumlo yenu.” Ngaba uphawulile ukuba esi sisizathu sokuba uThixo waxelela uNowa ukuba abantu babengafanele balitye igazi? UMdali wakhetha ukuligqala igazi njengento ebalulekileyo, elisebenzisela into ebalulekileyo enokusindisa ubomi. Igazi laliza kuba nendima ebalulekileyo ekugubungeleni izono (intlawulelo). Ngoko ke ngokutsho koMthetho, uThixo wayalela ukuba igazi lisetyenziswe esibingelelweni ukuze licamagushele ubomi bamaSirayeli, awayefuna ukuxolelwa nguYehova.
10. Kutheni igazi lezilwanyana lalingenakukhokelela ekuxolelweni okupheleleyo kwezono, kodwa amadini awayesenziwa phantsi koMthetho ayesisikhumbuzo santoni?
10 Le asinto ingaziwayo ngamaKristu. Ethetha ngeli lungiselelo loMthetho elamiselwa nguThixo, umpostile uPawulos owayengumKristu wabhala wathi: “Phantse zonke izinto zihlanjululwa ngegazi ngokuvumelana noMthetho, yaye kungaphalalanga gazi, akubikho kuxolelwa.” (Hebhere 9:22) UPawulos wacacisa ukuba amadini awayefanele enziwe ayengawenzi amaSirayeli abe ngabantu abafezekileyo, abantu abangenasono. Wabhala: “Ngale mibingelelo kukhunjuzwa ngezono unyaka nonyaka, kuba akunakwenzeka ukuba igazi leenkunzi zeenkomo neleebhokhwe lisuse izono.” (Hebhere 10:1-4) Sekunjalo, amadini anjalo ayefeza injongo ethile. Ayekhumbuza amaSirayeli ukuba ayenesono yaye ayefanele enze okungakumbi ukuze axolelwe ngokupheleleyo. Kodwa ukuba igazi elalimela ubomi bezilwanyana lalingakwazi ukuzigubungela ngokupheleleyo izono zabantu, ngaba likho igazi elalinokukwenza oko?
Isicombululo SoMniki-bomi
11. Sazi njani ukuba amadini egazi lezilwanyana ayekhokelela kwenye into?
11 Enyanisweni uMthetho wawukhokelela kwinto ebaluleke ngakumbi ekufezweni kwenjongo kaThixo. UPawulos wabuza: “Kuthekani, ke ngoko, ngoMthetho?” Waphendula esithi: “Wongezwa ukuze ukunxaxha kubonakaliswe, de ifike imbewu ekwakwenziwe kuyo isithembiso; yaye wadluliselwa ngeengelosi ngesandla somlamli [uMoses].” (Galati 3:19) Kwakhona, uPawulos wabhala: “UMthetho unesithunzi sezinto ezilungileyo eziza kuza, kodwa ungenawo owona mongo wezinto.”—Hebhere 10:1.
12. Ngokuphathelele igazi, sinokukubona njani ukutyhileka kwenjongo kaThixo?
12 Ngamafutshane, khumbula ukuba ngomhla kaNowa uThixo wabavumela abantu ukuba batye inyama ukuze baqhubeke bephila, kodwa babengafanele balitye igazi. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uThixo wathi “umphefumlo wenyama usegazini.” Ewe, wakhetha ukuligqala igazi njengelimela ubomi waza wathi: “Mna ndaninika [igazi] esibingelelweni ukuze kucanyagushelwe imiphefumlo yenu.” Noko ke, kwakuseza kutyhileka enye injongo kaThixo ebalulekileyo. UMthetho wawusisithunzi sezinto ezintle ezizayo. Ziziphi ezo zinto?
13. Ukufa kukaYesu kwakubaluleke ngantoni?
13 Umongo uphathelele ukufa kukaYesu Kristu. Uyazi ukuba uYesu wathuthunjiswa waza wabethelelwa. Wafa njengesikrelemnqa. UPawulos wathi: “UKristu, wathi ngoxa sasisebuthathaka, wabafela abantu abangenabuthixo ngexesha elimiselweyo. . . . UThixo ubonakalisa uthando lwakhe kuthi ngokuthi, ngoxa sasisengaboni, uKristu asifele.” (Roma 5:6, 8) Ngokusifela kwakhe, uKristu wanikela intlawulelo yokugubungela izono zethu. Loo ntlawulelo ingundoqo kwisigidimi samaKristu. (Mateyu 20:28; Yohane 3:16; 1 Korinte 15:3; 1 Timoti 2:6) Oku kunakuthanani negazi nobomi, yaye ubomi bakho bubandakanyeke njani?
14, 15. (a) Ezinye iinguqulelo kwabase-Efese 1:7 zigxininisa njani ekufeni kukaYesu? (b) Yiyiphi ingongoma enokutyeshelwa kwabase-Efese 1:7?
14 Ezinye iicawa ziyakubalaselisa ukufa kukaYesu, kangangokuba amarhamente ade athi “uYesu wandifela.” Phawula indlela ezinye iinguqulelo zeBhayibhile eziyiguqulela ngayo eyabase-Efese 1:7: “Sikhululwe ngaye nangokufa kwakhe, saxolelwa iziphoso zethu.” (The American Bible, nguFrank Scheil Ballentine, 1902) “Ngokufa kukaKristu sikhululwe, yaye izono zethu zixolelwe.” (Today’s English Version, 1966) “Sikhululwe ngoKristu nangokuncama kwakhe ubomi bakhe, inkululeko ethetha ukuxolelwa kwezono.” (The New Testament, nguWilliam Barclay, 1969) “Izono zethu zixolelwe ngokufa kukaKristu yaye sikhululwe.” (The Translator’s New Testament, 1973) Kwezi nguqulelo usenokubona indlela ekugxininiswa ngayo ukufa kukaYesu. Abanye basenokuthi ‘kakade, kubaluleke ngokwenene ukufa kukaYesu. Ngoko ke, yintoni le ityeshelweyo kwezi nguqulelo?’
15 Enyanisweni, ukuba ubuxhomekeke kwezi nguqulelo, usenokungayiboni ingongoma ebalulekileyo, yaye oku kusenokukwenza ungasiqondi ngokupheleleyo isigidimi seBhayibhile. Ezi nguqulelo aziyivelisi ingongoma yokuba inguqulelo yamandulo kwabase-Efese 1:7 yayinegama lesiGrike elithetha “igazi.” Ngenxa yoko, iiBhayibhile ezininzi, njengeNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha, zisondele kwinguqulelo yamandulo ethi: “Ngaye siye sakhululwa ngentlawulelo ngalo igazi lakhe, saxolelwa izigqitho zethu, ngokobutyebi bobubele bakhe obungasifanelanga.”
16. Amazwi athi “igazi lakhe” afanele asenze sicinge ntoni?
16 Amazwi athi “igazi lakhe” aqulethe lukhulu yaye afanele asenze sicingisise nzulu. Kwakufuneka okungakumbi kunokufa nje, kwanokufa komntu ofezekileyo uYesu. Wazalisekisa oko kwafuziselwa eMthethweni, ngokukhethekileyo uMhla Wocamagusho. Ngolo suku lukhethekileyo, kwakusenziwa amadini ngezilwanyana ezithile ezikhethiweyo. Wayesandula ke umbingeleli omkhulu acaphule inxalenye yegazi lazo angene kwigumbi okanye kwitempile ekweYona Ngcwele, aze alisondeze kuThixo, ngokungathi uphambi kwakhe.—Eksodus 25:22; Levitikus 16:2-19.
17. UYesu wakuzalisekisa njani oko kwakufuziselwa nguMhla Wocamagusho?
17 UYesu wakuzalisekisa oko kwakufuziselwa nguMhla Wocamagusho, njengokuba uPawulos wacacisa. Okokuqala, wakhankanya ukuba umbingeleli omkhulu kwaSirayeli wayengena kweYona Ngcwele kanye ngonyaka enegazi aza kulinikela “ngenxa yakhe nangenxa yezono ezenziwa ngabantu ngokungazi.” (Hebhere 9:6, 7) Ngokuvisisana noko, emva kokuvuswa engumoya, uYesu waya ezulwini. Njengomoya, engenamzimba wenyama negazi, wayenokubonakala phambi “kukaThixo ngenkqu ngenxa yethu.” Wayezise ntoni kuThixo? Wayengazisanga into ebonakalayo kodwa into ebaluleke gqitha. UPawulos uhlabela mgama esithi: “Xa uKristu weza njengombingeleli omkhulu . . . , wangena, kungekhona ngegazi leebhokhwe nelamathole eenkomo aziinkunzi, kodwa ngelakhe igazi, kwaba kanye kwindawo engcwele waza wasizuzela intlangulo engunaphakade. Kuba ukuba igazi leebhokhwe neleenkunzi zeenkomo . . . lingcwalisa ukusa kumkhamo wokuhlanjululwa kwenyama, liya kuba nako ngakumbi kangakanani na ke lona igazi likaKristu, owathi ngomoya ongunaphakade wazinikela kuThixo engenasiphako, ukuhlambulula izazela zethu kwimisebenzi efileyo ukuze sinikele inkonzo engcwele kuThixo ophilayo?” Ewe, uYesu wanikela kuThixo ixabiso legazi lakhe.—Hebhere 9:11-14, 24, 28; 10:11-14; 1 Petros 3:18.
18. Kutheni kubalulekile oko iBhayibhile ikuthethayo ngegazi kumaKristu namhlanje?
18 Le nyaniso ivela kuThixo isenza sikwazi ukubona ukubaluleka koko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile ngegazi—isizathu sokuba uThixo alijonge ngendlela alijonga ngayo, indlela esifanele silijonge ngayo, nesizathu sokuba siyithobele imiqathango uThixo ayibekileyo ngokuphathelele ukusetyenziswa kwegazi. Xa ufunda iincwadi zeZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike, uya kufumana iindinyana ezininzi ezithetha ngegazi likaKristu. (Bona ibhokisi.) Ezi ndinyana zibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba umKristu ngamnye ufanele abe nokholo “kwigazi lakhe [uYesu].” (Roma 3:25) Sinokuxolelwa size sibe seluxolweni noThixo kuphela “ngegazi [uYesu] awaliphalaza.” (Kolose 1:20) Ngokuqinisekileyo oku kunjalo kwabo uYesu wenza umnqophiso wokulawula kunye naye ezulwini. (Luka 22:20, 28-30; 1 Korinte 11:25; Hebhere 13:20) Kwakhona kunjalo ‘nangesihlwele esikhulu’ namhlanje, esiya kusinda ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ ezayo size siphile ngonaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi. Ngokufuziselayo, ‘sihlamba imiwunduzo yaso egazini leMvana.’—ISityhilelo 7:9, 14.
19, 20. (a) Kutheni uThixo wakhetha ukubeka imiqathango kwindlela elisetyenziswa ngayo igazi, yaye thina sifanele sivakalelwe njani ngoko? (b) Yintoni esifanele sifune ukuyazi?
19 Ngokucacileyo, igazi libalulekile kuThixo. Lifanele libe njalo nakuthi. UMdali, onomdla kubomi, unelungelo lokubekela abantu imiqathango ngoko bafanele bakwenze ngegazi. Enomdla okhethekileyo ngobomi bethu, ukhethe ukuba igazi lisetyenziselwe injongo enye ebalulekileyo, ekuphela kwendlela yokuba ukuphila okungunaphakade kufumaneke. Loo ndlela yabandakanya igazi elixabisekileyo likaYesu. Hayi indlela esinombulelo ngayo kuba uYehova uThixo uye wasinceda ngokusebenzisa igazi—igazi likaYesu—ngendlela yakhe yokusindisa ubomi! Yaye hayi indlela esifanele sibe nombulelo ngayo kuYesu ngokuncama igazi lakhe ngenxa yethu! Ngokwenene, sinokuwaqonda amazwi athethwa ngumpostile uYohane xa wathi: “Kulowo usithandayo nowasikhululayo kwizono zethu ngegazi lakhe—yaye wasenza ukuba sibe bubukumkani, ababingeleli kuThixo wakhe noYise—ewe, kuye makubekho uzuko namandla ngonaphakade. Amen.”—ISityhilelo 1:5, 6.
20 Kudala uThixo wethu onobulumko bonke nonguMniki-bomi eyazi indima anayo ekusindiseni ubomi. Sisenokubuza, ‘Ngaba oku kufanele kuzichaphazele njani izigqibo esizenzayo nezenzo zethu?’ Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuwuphendula lo mbuzo.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwindlela uThixo alijonga ngayo igazi kwingxelo ka-Abheli noNowa?
• EMthethweni, yiyiphi imiqathango uThixo awayibekayo kwindlela yokusetyenziswa kwegazi, yaye ngoba?
• UYesu wakuzalisekisa njani oko kwakufuziselwa nguMhla Wocamagusho?
• Igazi likaYesu linokubusindisa njani ubomi bethu?
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 18]
LILIPHI IGAZI ELISINDISA UBOMI?
“Zilumkeleni nina nawo wonke umhlambi, ekuthe phakathi kwawo umoya oyingcwele wanimisela nangabaveleli, ukuba nilaluse ibandla likaThixo, elo walithenga ngegazi lowakhe uNyana.”—IZenzo 20:28.
“Ke ngoko, ekubeni sivakaliswe singamalungisa ngegazi lakhe, siya kusindiswa ngaye kuyo ingqumbo.”—Roma 5:9.
“[Naningenathemba] yaye ningenaye uThixo ehlabathini. Kodwa ngoku ngokumanyene noKristu Yesu nina enanikade nikude niye naba kufuphi ngalo igazi likaKristu.”—Efese 2:12, 13.
“UThixo wakubona kulungile ukuba konke ukuzala kuhlale kuye, nokuba ngaye aphinde axolelanise kuye ngokwakhe zonke ezinye izinto ngokwenza uxolo ngegazi awaliphalaza kwisibonda sentuthumbo.”—Kolose 1:19, 20.
“Ngoko ke, bazalwana, . . . sinenkalipho yokungena kwindawo engcwele ngegazi likaYesu.”—Hebhere 10:19.
“Anihlangulwanga ngezinto ezinokonakala, . . . kwihambo yenu engenasiqhamo enayifumana ngokwesithethe kookhokho benu. Kodwa kwakungegazi elixabisekileyo, njengelo lemvana engenasiphako nengenabala, elikaKristu kanye.”—1 Petros 1:18, 19.
“Ukuba sihamba ekukhanyeni njengoko yena ngokwakhe esekukhanyeni, soba sinokwabelana omnye nomnye, lithi negazi likaYesu uNyana wakhe lisihlambulule kuso sonke isono.”—1 Yohane 1:7.
“Ukufanele ukuwuthabatha umsongo uze uvule amatywina awo, ngenxa yokuba waxhelwa waza ngegazi lakho wathengela uThixo abantu bephuma kuzo zonke izizwe neelwimi nabantu neentlanga.”—ISityhilelo 5:9.
“Waphoswa phantsi ummangaleli wabazalwana bethu . . . Yaye bamoyisile ngenxa yegazi leMvana nangenxa yelizwi lokungqina kwabo.”—ISityhilelo 12:10, 11.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
NgoMthetho, uThixo wacacisa ukuba igazi linokuba nendima ekuxolelweni kwezono
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
Ngegazi likaYesu, kunokusindiswa abantu abaninzi