“Ukufa Kumelwe Kwenziwe Ize”
“Njengesitha sokugcina, ukufa kumelwe kwenziwe ize.”—1 KORINTE 15:26.
1, 2. (a) Yiliphi ithemba umphostoli uPawulu alinikeza ngabafileyo? (b) Yimuphi umbuzo uPawulu awuphendula mayelana novuko?
“NGIKHOLELWA . . . ovukweni lomzimba, nasekuphileni okuphakade.” Sisho kanjalo isiVumo Sokholo Sabaphostoli. AmaKatolika namaProthestani asiphindaphinda ngomuzwa wesibopho, engaqapheli ukuthi izinkolelo zawo zifana kakhulu nefilosofi yamaGreki kunanoma yini abaphostoli ababeyikholelwa. Nokho, umphostoli uPawulu wayenqaba ifilosofi yamaGreki futhi wayengakholelwa emphefumulweni ongafi. Noma kunjalo, wayekholelwa ngokuqinile ekuphileni kwesikhathi esizayo futhi wabhala ephefumulelwe: “Njengesitha sokugcina, ukufa kumelwe kwenziwe ize.” (1 Korinte 15:26) Kusho ukuthini ngempela lokho ngesintu esifayo?
2 Ukuze siphendule, ake sibuyele engxoxweni kaPawulu yovuko ekweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 15. Uzokhumbula ukuthi emavesini okuqala, uPawulu waqinisekisa ukuthi uvuko luyingxenye ebalulekile yemfundiso yobuKristu. Manje uphendula lo mbuzo: “Noma kunjalo, omunye uzothi: ‘Abafileyo bayovuswa kanjani? Yebo, beza ngaluhlobo luni lomzimba?’”—1 Korinte 15:35.
Luhlobo Luni Lomzimba?
3. Kungani abathile babeluphika uvuko?
3 Lapho ephakamisa lo mbuzo, cishe uPawulu wayehlose ukuchitha ithonya lefilosofi kaPlato. UPlato wayefundisa ukuthi umuntu unomphefumulo ongafi, osindayo lapho umzimba ufa. Kulabo abakhuliswe ngalowo mbono, ngokungangabazeki imfundiso yobuKristu yayibonakala ingadingekile. Uma umphefumulo usinda ekufeni, olwani uvuko? Ngaphezu kwalokho, cishe uvuko lwalubonakala lungenangqondo. Uma umzimba usuphenduke uthuli, lungaba khona kanjani uvuko? Umhlaziyi weBhayibheli uHeinrich Meyer uthi ukuphikisa kwabathile baseKorinte kungenzeka ukuthi kwakusekelwe “esizathwini esingokwefilosofi sokuthi akunakwenzeka ukubuyisela izakhi zomzimba.”
4, 5. (a) Kungani ukuphikisa kwabangenalo ukholo kwakungenangqondo? (b) Chaza umfanekiso kaPawulu ‘wohlamvu oluze.’ (c) Luhlobo luni lwemizimba uNkulunkulu alunika abavusiwe abagcotshiwe?
4 UPawulu udalula ukungabi nangqondo kokucabanga kwabo: “Wena muntu ongenangqondo! Lokho okuhlwanyelayo akwenziwa kuphile ngaphandle kokuba kufe kuqala; futhi mayelana nalokho okuhlwanyelayo, awuhlwanyeli umzimba ozokhula, kodwa uhlamvu oluze, kungase kube olukakolweni noma olwanoma ikuphi okunye; kodwa uNkulunkulu ulunika umzimba njengoba nje kuthandekile kuye, nembewu ngayinye umzimba wayo siqu.” (1 Korinte 15:36-38) UNkulunkulu wayengeke avuse imizimba abantu ababenayo besesemhlabeni. Kunalokho, kwakuyoba nokuguquka.
5 UPawulu uqhathanisa uvuko nokuqhuma kohlamvu. Uhlamvu oluncane lukakolweni alufani nesitshalo esizovela kulo. I-World Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Lapho uhlamvu luqala ukuqhuma, lumunca amanzi amaningi. Amanzi abangela izinguquko eziningi eziphathelene namakhemikhali ngaphakathi ohlamvwini. Abangela nokuba ingaphakathi lohlamvu likhukhumale futhi liqhume liphume esikhunjeni sohlamvu.” Ngomqondo othile, uhlamvu luyafa ekubeni uhlamvu lube isitshalo esihlumayo. “UNkulunkulu ulunika umzimba” ngokuthi nguye owamisa imithetho engokwesayensi elawula ukukhula kwalo, futhi uhlamvu ngalunye luthola umzimba ngokohlobo lwalo. (Genesise 1:11) Ngokufanayo, amaKristu agcotshiwe aqale afe njengabantu. Kube sekuthi ngesikhathi sikaNkulunkulu esimisiwe, awabuyisele ekuphileni ngemizimba emisha ngokuphelele. Njengoba uPawulu atshela abaseFilipi, “uJesu Kristu . . . [uyololonga] kabusha umzimba wethu othotshisiwe ukuze uvunyelaniswe nomzimba wakhe okhazimulayo.” (Filipi 3:20, 21; 2 Korinte 5:1, 2) Avuswa enemizimba yomoya futhi aphile endaweni yomoya.—1 Johane 3:2.
6. Kungani kunengqondo ukukholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu angabanika abavusiwe imizimba yomoya efanele?
6 Ingabe kunzima kakhulu ukukukholelwa lokhu? Cha. UPawulu uthi izilwane zinezinhlobo eziningi zemizimba. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uqhathanisa izingelosi zasezulwini nabantu benyama negazi, ethi: “Kukhona imizimba yasezulwini, nemizimba yasemhlabeni.” Indalo engaphili nayo ihlukahlukene kakhulu. Ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba isayensi ithole izindikimba zasezulwini ezinjengezinkanyezi eziluhlaza, ama-red giant, nama-white dwarf, uPawulu wathi: “Inkanyezi iyahluka kwenye inkanyezi ngenkazimulo.” Sinombono walokhu, akukhona yini okunengqondo ukuthi uNkulunkulu angabanikeza abagcotshiwe abavusiwe imizimba yomoya efanele?—1 Korinte 15:39-41.
7. Kusho ukuthini ukungonakali? ukungafi?
7 UPawulu ube esethi: “Lunjalo novuko lwabafileyo. Kuhlwanyelwa kunokonakala, kuvuswa kunokungonakali.” (1 Korinte 15:42) Umzimba womuntu, ngisho noma uphelele, ungonakala. Ungabulawa. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu wathi uJesu ovusiwe “[wamiselwa] ukuba angabe esabuyela ekonakaleni.” (IzEnzo 13:34) Wayengasayophinde abuyele ekuphileni ngomzimba wobuntu ongonakala, ngisho noma uphelele. Imizimba uNkulunkulu ayinika abagcotshiwe abavusiwe ayinakonakala—ayinakufa noma ibole. UPawulu uyaqhubeka: “Kuhlwanyelwa kusehlazweni, kuvuselwa enkazimulweni. Kuhlwanyelwa kunobuthakathaka, kuvuswa kunamandla. Kuhlwanyelwa kuwumzimba ongokwenyama, kuvuswa kuwumzimba ongokomoya.” (1 Korinte 15:43, 44) Eqhubeka, uPawulu uthi: “Lokhu okufayo kumelwe kugqoke ukungafi.” Ukungafi kusho ukuphila okungenakuphela, okungenakubhubhiseka. (1 Korinte 15:53; Heberu 7:16) Ngale ndlela, abavusiwe, baba ‘nomfanekiso walowo ongowasezulwini,’ uJesu, owenza ukuba bakwazi ukuvuswa.—1 Korinte 15:45-49.
8. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi abavusiwe baseyilabo bantu ababeyibo besaphila emhlabeni? (b) Yiziphi iziprofetho ezigcwalisekayo lapho uvuko lwenzeka?
8 Naphezu kwalokhu kuguqulwa, abavusiwe baseyilabo bantu ababeyibo ngaphambi kokuba bafe. Bayovuswa benezinkumbulo nezimfanelo zobuKristu zezinga eliphezulu ababenazo. (Malaki 3:3; IsAmbulo 21:10, 18) Kulokhu banjengoJesu Kristu. Washintsha ekubeni umoya waba umuntu. Wabe esefa futhi wavuswa engumoya. Nokho, “UJesu Kristu uyefana izolo nanamuhla, kuze kube phakade.” (Heberu 13:8) Yeka ilungelo elimangalisayo abagcotshiwe abanalo! UPawulu uthi: “Kodwa lapho lokhu okonakalayo kugqoka ukungonakali nalokhu okufayo kwembatha ukungafi, khona-ke kuyokwenzeka izwi elilotshiwe elithi: ‘UkuFa kugwinyiwe kuze kube phakade.’ ‘KuFa, kuphi ukunqoba kwakho? KuFa, luphi udosi lwakho?’”—1 Korinte 15:54, 55; Isaya 25:8; Hoseya 13:14.
Uvuko Lwasemhlabeni?
9, 10. (a) Emongweni weyoku-1 Korinte 15:24, kuyini “ukuphela,” futhi yiziphi izenzakalo ezenzekayo ngokuphathelene nakho? (b) Yini okumelwe yenzeke ukuze ukufa kwenziwe ize?
9 Ingabe izigidi ezingenalo ithemba lokuphila komoya okungenakufa ezulwini zinalo ikusasa? Ngokuqinisekile zinalo! Ngemva kokuchaza ukuthi uvuko lwasezulwini lwenzeka phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu, uPawulu uveza izenzakalo eziyolandela, ethi: “Ngokulandelayo, ukuphela, lapho enikela umbuso kuNkulunkulu noYise, lapho esebenzé ize bonke ohulumeni nalo lonke igunya namandla.”—1 Korinte 15:23, 24.
10 “Ukuphela” kuwukuphela kokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, lapho uJesu ngokuthobeka nangokwethembeka eyonika uNkulunkulu wakhe noYise uMbuso. (IsAmbulo 20:4) Injongo kaNkulunkulu ‘yokuphinde abuthele ndawonye zonke izinto kuKristu’ iyobe isifezekile. (Efesu 1:9, 10) Nokho, okokuqala, uKristu uyobe esebhubhise “bonke ohulumeni nalo lonke igunya namandla” okumelene nentando kaNkulunkulu ephakeme. Lokhu kuhilela okungaphezu kwembubhiso eyenzeka e-Armagedoni. (IsAmbulo 16:16; 19:11-21) UPawulu uthi: “[UKristu] kumelwe abuse njengenkosi kuze kube yilapho uNkulunkulu esebeke zonke izitha ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakhe. Njengesitha sokugcina, ukufa kumelwe kwenziwe ize.” (1 Korinte 15:25, 26) Yebo, yonke iminonjana yesono sika-Adamu nokufa kuyobe sekususiwe. Khona-ke, ngenxa yalokho, uNkulunkulu uyobe egeqé ‘amathuna ayisikhumbuzo’ ngokubuyisela abafileyo ekuphileni.—Johane 5:28.
11. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi uNkulunkulu angayidala kabusha imiphefumulo efile? (b) Labo abayovuselwa emhlabeni bayonikwa luhlobo luni lwemizimba?
11 Lokhu kusho ukudala kabusha imiphefumulo engabantu. Akunakwenzeka? Kungenzeka, ngoba iHubo 104:29, 30 liyasiqinisekisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu angakwenza lokho: “Uyasitheza ubuso bakho, zethuke; uyasusa umphefumulo wazo, zife, zibuyele othulini lwazo. Uyathumela umoya wakho, zidalwe.” Nakuba labo abavusiwe beyobe beyilabo bantu ababeyibo ngaphambi kokuba bafe, ngeke kudingeke babe nemizimba ababenayo. Njengakulabo abavuselwa ezulwini, uNkulunkulu uyobanika umzimba ngokuthanda kwakhe. Ngokungangabazeki imizimba yabo emisha iyobe iphile saka futhi ifana ngokwanele nemizimba yabo yakuqala ukuze abathandekayo babo bakwazi ukubabona.
12. Lwenzeka nini uvuko lwasemhlabeni?
12 Luyoba nini uvuko lwasemhlabeni? UMarta wathi ngomfowabo owayefile, uLazaru: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyovuka ovukweni ngosuku lokugcina.” (Johane 11:24) Wayekwazi kanjani lokho? Uvuko lwaluyindaba okwakuphikiswana ngayo osukwini lwakhe, ngoba abaFarisi babekholelwa kulo kodwa abaSadusi bengakholelwa. (IzEnzo 23:8) Noma kunjalo, kumelwe ukuba uMarta wayazi ofakazi bangaphambi kobuKristu ababenethemba lovuko. (Heberu 11:35) Futhi, kungenzeka waqonda ukuthi ngokukaDaniyeli 12:13 (NW) uvuko luyoba ngosuku lokugcina. Kungenzeka nokuthi wakuthola kuJesu uqobo lokhu. (Johane 6:39) Lolo “suku lokugcina” luqondana nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane. (IsAmbulo 20:6) Cabanga ngenjabulo phakathi nalolo “suku” lapho kuqala lesi senzakalo esimangalisayo!—Qhathanisa noLuka 24:41.
Obani Abayovuka?
13. Yimuphi umbono wovuko olotshwe kusAmbulo 20:12-14?
13 KusAmbulo 20:12-14 kulotshwe umbono kaJohane wovuko lwasemhlabeni: “Ngabona abafileyo, bemi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi, futhi imiqulu yavulwa. Kodwa nomunye umqulu wavulwa; umqulu wokuphila. Futhi abafileyo bahlulelwa ngokwalezozinto ezazilotshwe emiqulwini ngokwezenzo zabo. Futhi ulwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo, nokufa neHayidese kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho, futhi bahlulelwa umuntu ngamunye ngokwezenzo zabo. Futhi ukufa neHayidese kwajikijelwa echibini lomlilo. Lokhu kusho ukufa kwesibili, ichibi lomlilo.”
14. Obani abayoba phakathi kwalabo abayovuswa?
14 Uvuko luyohlanganisa “abakhulu nabancane,” kokubili abantu abavelele nabanganakekile ababephila, bafa. Phela, ngisho nezinsana ziyoba phakathi kwabo! (Jeremiya 31:15, 16) KuzEnzo 24:15, kuvezwa omunye umniningwane obalulekile: “Luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” Abavelele phakathi ‘kwabalungile’ kuyoba amadoda nabesifazane abathembekile basendulo, njengo-Abela, u-Enoke, uNowa, u-Abrahama, uSara noRahabi. (Heberu 11:1-40) Cabanga ukukwazi ukuxoxa nalaba futhi uthole imininingwane yalokho abakubona ngamehlo ezenzakalweni zeBhayibheli zakudala! “Abalungile” bayohlanganisa nezinkulungwane zabantu abesaba uNkulunkulu abaye bafa ezikhathini zamuva futhi ababengenalo ithemba lasezulwini. Ingabe unelungu lomkhaya noma othandekayo ongase abe phakathi kwalaba? Yeka indlela okududuza ngayo ukwazi ukuthi ungaphinde ubabone! Nokho, bangobani abantu “abangalungile” nabo abayovuka? Bahlanganisa izigidi, mhlawumbe izinkulungwane zezigidi, ezafa zingalitholanga ithuba lokufunda nokusebenzisa iqiniso leBhayibheli.
15. Kusho ukuthini ukuthi abavuswayo ‘bayokwahlulelwa ngokwalezozinto ezazilotshwe emiqulwini’?
15 Abayovuswa ‘bayokwahlulelwa’ kanjani “ngokwalezozinto ezazilotshwe emiqulwini ngokwezenzo zabo”? Le miqulu ayiwona umlando wezenzo zabo ezidlule; lapho befa, bakhululwa ezonweni ababezenze besaphila. (Roma 6:7, 23) Nokho, abantu abavusiwe bayobe besengaphansi kwesono sika-Adamu. Khona-ke, kumelwe ukuthi le miqulu iyonikeza iziyalezo zaphezulu okuyomelwe wonke umuntu azilandele ukuze azuze ngokugcwele emhlatshelweni kaJesu Kristu. Lapho kususwa umnonjana wokugcina wesono sika-Adamu, ‘ukufa kuyobe sekwenziwe ize’ ngomqondo ophelele. Ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane, uNkulunkulu uyobe ‘eyikho konke kuwo wonke umuntu.’ (1 Korinte 15:28) Umuntu uyobe engasakudingi ukungenela komPristi Ophakeme noma uMhlengi. Sonke isintu siyobuyiselwa esimweni esiphelele u-Adamu ayesijabulela ekuqaleni.
Uvuko Oluhlelekile
16. (a) Kungani kunengqondo ukukholelwa ukuthi uvuko luyoba inqubo ehlelekile? (b) Obani cishe abayoba phakathi kwabokuqala abayovuswa kwabafileyo?
16 Njengoba uvuko lwasezulwini luhlelekile, “yilowo nalowo esigabeni sakhe siqu,” kusobala ukuthi uvuko lwasemhlabeni ngeke lubangele ukwanda okungalawuleki kwenani labantu okuyodala isiyaluyalu. (1 Korinte 15:23) Ngokuqondakalayo, abasanda kuvuswa kuyodingeka banakekelwe. (Qhathanisa noLuka 8:55.) Bayodinga ukudla okungokwenyama—futhi okubaluleke nakakhulu—usizo olungokomoya ekutholeni ulwazi olunikeza ukuphila ngoJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu. (Johane 17:3) Uma bonke bengabuyela ekuphileni kanyekanye, bekungaba okungenakwenzeka ukubanakekela kahle. Kunengqondo ukucabanga ukuthi uvuko luyokwenzeka ngezigaba. AmaKristu athembekile afa ngaphambi nje kokuphela kwesimiso sikaSathane cishe ayoba phakathi kwabokuqala abayovuswa. Singalindela ukuba namadoda asendulo athembekile ayokhonza ‘njengezikhulu asheshe avuswe.’—IHubo 45:16.
17. Yiziphi ezinye zezindaba eziphathelene novuko iBhayibheli elingasho lutho ngazo, futhi kungani amaKristu kungafanele akhathazeke ngokweqile ngezinto ezinjalo?
17 Nokho, akufanele sigomele ezintweni ezinjalo. Ziningi izinto iBhayibheli elingasho lutho ngazo. Aliyinikezi imininingwane yokuthi ukuvuswa kwabantu kuyokwenzeka kanjani, nini noma kuziphi izindawo. Alisitsheli ukuthi labo abavusiwe bayotholelwa kanjani izindawo zokuhlala, bondliwe futhi bembathiswe kanjani. Futhi asinakusho ngokuqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyozisingatha kanjani izindaba ezinjengokukhulisa nokunakekela abantwana abavusiwe noma ukuthi uyozisingatha kanjani izimo ezithile ezingase zihilele abangane bethu noma abathandekayo bethu. Yiqiniso, kungokwemvelo ukuzibuza ngezinto ezinjalo; kodwa bekungaba okungahlakaniphile ukuchitha isikhathi sizama ukuphendula imibuzo engenakuphendulwa okwamanje. Kumelwe sigxile ekukhonzeni uJehova ngokwethembeka nasekuzuzeni ukuphila okumi phakade. AmaKristu agcotshiwe abeke ithemba lawo ovukweni olumangalisayo lwasezulwini. (2 Petru 1:10, 11) “Ezinye izimvu” zinethemba lefa elimi phakade emhlabeni eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. (Johane 10:16; Mathewu 25:33, 34) Mayelana nemininingwane eminingi esingayazi ngokuphathelene novuko, simane sithembele kuJehova. Injabulo yethu yesikhathi esizayo iqinisekile kuLowo ‘ongasuthisa ukufisa kwakho konke okuphilayo.’—IHubo 145:16; Jeremiya 17:7.
18. (a) Yikuphi ukunqoba uPawulu akuqokomisayo? (b) Kungani sithembela ngokuqiniseka ethembeni lovuko?
18 UPawulu uphetha inkulumo yakhe ngokubabaza: “Sibonga uNkulunkulu, ngoba usinikeza ukunqoba ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu!” (1 Korinte 15:57) Yebo, ukufa okwabangelwa u-Adamu kuyanqotshwa ngomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu, futhi kokubili abagcotshiwe “nezinye izimvu” bayahlanganyela kulokho kunqoba. Njengokulindelekile, “ezinye izimvu” eziphila namuhla zinethemba okungekho esinye isizukulwane esake saba nalo noma esiyoba nalo. Njengengxenye ‘yesixuku esikhulu’ esanda njalo, zingase zisinde ‘osizini olukhulu’ oluzayo futhi zingafi nanini ngokoqobo! (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Nokho, ngisho nalabo abafa ngenxa ‘yokuhlangabezana nesikhathi nethuba’ noma ababulawa amanxusa kaSathane bangaqiniseka ngethemba lovuko.—UmShumayeli 9:11.
19. Yisiphi isikhuthazo okumelwe wonke amaKristu asilalele namuhla?
19 Ngakho-ke, silulindele ngokulangazela lolo lusuku olumangalisayo lapho ukufa kuyobe kwenziwe ize. Ukwethembela kwethu ngokungangabazi esithembisweni sikaJehova sovuko kusenza sibheke izinto ngombono ongokoqobo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani kithi kulokhu kuphila—ngisho noma singafa—akukho lutho olungasiphuca umvuzo uJehova awuthembisile. Ngakho, isikhuthazo sikaPawulu sokugcina kwabaseKorinte siyafaneleka namuhla njengoba sasinjalo eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili edlule: “Ngenxa yalokho, bafowethu abathandekayo, yibani ngabagxilile, abangenakunyakaziswa, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi, nazi ukuthi umshikashika wenu awulona ize eNkosini.”—1 Korinte 15:58.
Ungachaza?
◻ UPawulu wawuphendula kanjani umbuzo ophathelene nemizimba abagcotshiwe ababeyoba nayo lapho bevuswa?
◻ Ekugcineni ukufa kuyokwenziwa ize kanjani futhi nini?
◻ Obani abayohlanganiswa ovukweni lwasemhlabeni?
◻ Kufanele sibe yini isimo sethu sengqondo ngokuqondene nezinto iBhayibheli elingasho lutho ngazo?
[Izithombe ekhasini 20]
Uhlamvu ‘luyafa’ ngokushintsha ngokuphelele
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
Amadoda nabesifazane abathembekile basendulo, abanjengoNowa, u-Abrahama, uSara noRahabi bayoba phakathi kwalabo abayovuswa
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Uvuko luyoba isikhathi senjabulo enkulu!