Uvuko—Imfundiso Ekuthintayo

“Nginethemba kuNkulunkulu . . . lokuthi kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.”—IZENZO 24:15.

 1. Uvuko lwaba kanjani impikiswano phambi kweSanhedrini?

LAPHO uhambo lwakhe lwesithathu njengesithunywa sevangeli luphela ngo-56 C.E., umphostoli uPawulu wayeseJerusalema. Ngemva kokuba amaRoma embophile, wavunyelwa ukuba avele phambi kwenkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda, iSanhedrini. (IzEnzo 22:29, 30) Njengoba uPawulu ebhekisisa amalungu aleyo nkantolo, waphawula ukuthi abanye babengabaSadusi, abanye bengabaFarisi. La maqembu amabili ayehluka esicini esisodwa esivelele. AbaSadusi babephika ukuthi lukhona uvuko; kanti abaFarisi babeluvuma. Ukuze abonise ukuthi yena umiphi kule mpikiswano, uPawulu wathi: “Madoda, bafowethu, ngingumFarisi, indodana yabaFarisi. Ngahlulelwa ngenxa yethemba lovuko lwabafileyo.” Ngokusho lokhu, wawuxova umkhandlu!—IzEnzo 23:6-9.

 2. Kungani uPawulu ayekulungele ukuvikela ukukholelwa kwakhe ovukweni?

² Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili, lapho esendleleni eya eDamaseku, uPawulu wezwa izwi likaJesu embonweni. UPawulu waze wambuza uJesu: “Kufanele ngenzeni, Nkosi?” UJesu wamphendula: “Vuka, uye eDamaseku, futhi lapho uzotshelwa ngakho konke omiselwe ukukwenza.” Lapho efika eDamaseku, uPawulu watholwa umfundi ongumKristu owusizo, u-Ananiya, owamchazela: “UNkulunkulu wokhokho bethu ukukhethile ukuba wazi intando yakhe, ubone oLungileyo [uJesu ovusiwe] futhi uzwe izwi lomlomo wakhe.” (IzEnzo 22:6-16) Shono uPawulu ayekulungele ukuvikela ukukholelwa kwakhe ovukweni.—1 Petru 3:15.

Ukumemezela Ithemba Lovuko Obala

 3, 4. UPawulu walumelela kanjani ngokuqinile uvuko, futhi singafundani esibonelweni sakhe?

³ Kamuva uPawulu wavela phambi koMbusi uFeliksi. Ngaleso sikhathi, uTertulu ‘isikhulumi saseningini’ esethula icala amaJuda ayemmangalele ngalo uPawulu, wambeka icala lokuthi ungumholi wehlelo futhi uvukela umbuso. Ephendula, uPawulu wakhuluma wangagwegwesa: “Ngiyavuma kuwe ukuthi, ngokwendlela abayibiza ngokuthi ‘ihlelo,’ ngale ndlela nginikela inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu wokhokho bami.” Khona-ke, lapho esengena endabeni, waqhubeka: “Nginethemba kuNkulunkulu, okuyithemba nalaba bantu ngokwabo abanalo, lokuthi kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.”—IzEnzo 23:23, 24; 24:1-8, 14, 15.

⁴ Eminyakeni engaba mibili kamuva, uPorkiyu Festu, owalandela uFeliksi, wacela iNkosi uHerode Agripha ukuba ihlanganyele naye ekuphenyeni uPawulu owayeyisiboshwa. UFestu wachaza ukuthi abamangaleli bakaPawulu babephikisana nokugomela kwakhe ethi “uJesu othile owafa . . . uyaphila.” Ezivikela uPawulu wabuza: “Kungani nikubheka njengokungakholeleki ukuthi uNkulunkulu uvusa abafileyo?” Khona-ke wathi: “Ngenxa yokuthi ngitholé usizo oluvela kuNkulunkulu ngiyaqhubeka kuze kube yilolu suku ngifakaza kwabancane nabakhulu, kodwa angisho lutho ngaphandle kwezinto abaProfethi kanye noMose abathi zaziyokwenzeka, ukuthi uKristu wayeyohlupheka, futhi njengoba engowokuqala ukuba avuswe kwabafileyo, wayeyomemezela ukukhanya kulesi sizwe nasezizweni.” (IzEnzo 24:27; 25:13-22; 26:8, 22, 23) Yeka ukuthi uPawulu walumelela ngokuqine kangakanani uvuko! NjengoPawulu, nathi singamemezela ngokuqiniseka ukuthi uvuko luyoba khona. Kodwa singalindela ukuba abantu basabele kanjani? Cishe ngendlela efana naleyo abasabela ngayo kuPawulu.

 5, 6. (a) Ukumelela kwabaphostoli uvuko kwenza abantu basabela kanjani? (b) Njengoba sizwakalisa ithemba lethu ovukweni, yini ebalulekile?

⁵ Cabanga ngalokho okwakwenzeke ngaphambili ohambweni lwesibili lukaPawulu njengesithunywa sevangeli (cishe ngo-49 kuya ku-52 C.E.) lapho ehambele e-Athene. Wabonisana nabantu ababekholelwa konkulunkulu abaningi, futhi wabanxusa ukuba baqaphele injongo kaNkulunkulu yokwahlulela umhlaba owakhiwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisile. Lo muntu wayenguJesu. UPawulu wachaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayenikeze isiqinisekiso salokhu ngokumvusa uJesu. Basabela kanjani? Siyafunda: “Nokho, lapho bezwa ngovuko lwabafileyo, abanye baqala ukuhleka usulu, kuyilapho abanye bethi: ‘Sizobuye sikuzwe ngalokhu nangesinye isikhathi.’”—IzEnzo 17:29-32.

⁶ Lokho kusabela kuyefana nalokho oPetru noJohane abakuthola ngemva nje kwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. Nalapho, ngabaSadusi ababengobhongoza kule mpikiswano. IzEnzo 4:1-4 zilandisa okwenzeka: “Manje lapho laba ababili besakhuluma nabantu, abapristi abakhulu nenduna yethempeli nabaSadusi beza kubo, becasukile ngoba befundisa abantu futhi bememezela ngokukhanyayo ukuvuka kwelabafileyo ngokuqondene noJesu.” Nokho, abanye basabela kahle. “Abaningi kulabo ababelalele inkulumo bakholwa, futhi inani lamadoda lalicishe libe yizinkulungwane eziyisihlanu.” Kusobala ukuthi singalindela ukusabela okunhlobonhlobo lapho sikhuluma ngethemba lovuko. Yingakho kubalulekile ukuba siqinise ukholo lwethu kule mfundiso.

Ukholo Novuko

 7, 8. (a) Njengoba kuboniswe encwadini eya ebandleni laseKorinte lekhulu lokuqala, ukholo lungaba kanjani yize? (b) Ukuliqonda ngokufanele ithemba lovuko kuwenza kanjani amaKristu eqiniso ahluke?

⁷ Akubona bonke ababa amaKristu ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. abakuthola kulula ukwamukela ithemba lovuko. Abanye abakuthola kunzima yilabo ababehlanganyela nebandla laseKorinte. UPawulu wababhalela: “Ngadlulisela kini, phakathi kwezinto zokuqala, lokho nami engakwamukela, ukuthi ngokwemiBhalo uKristu wafela izono zethu; nokuthi wangcwatshwa, yebo, ukuthi ngokwemiBhalo uvusiwe ngosuku lwesithathu.” UPawulu wabe eselifakazela leli qiniso ngokusho ukuthi uKristu ovusiwe ‘wayebonakale kubazalwane abangaphezu kwamakhulu amahlanu’ iningi labo, kunezela uPawulu, ababesaphila. (1 Korinte 15:3-8) Waqhubeka wathi: “Uma kushunyayelwa ngoKristu ukuthi uvusiwe kwabafileyo, basho kanjani abanye phakathi kwenu ukuthi alukho uvuko lwabafileyo? Uma ngempela lungekho uvuko lwabafileyo, noKristu akavuswanga. Kodwa uma uKristu engavuswanga, ukushumayela kwethu ngokuqinisekile kuyize, nokholo lwethu luyize.”—1 Korinte 15:12-14.

⁸ Yebo, imfundiso yovuko ibaluleke kakhulu kangangokuthi ukholo lwamaKristu luyize uma uvuko lungamukeleki njengento engokoqobo. Ngempela, ukuluqonda ngokufanele uvuko kwenza amaKristu eqiniso ahluke kwawamanga. (Genesise 3:4; Hezekeli 18:4) Ngakho, uPawulu ufaka nemfundiso yovuko ‘emfundisweni yokuqala’ yobuKristu. Kwangathi singazimisela ukuba “siphokophelele ekuvuthweni.” “Futhi lokhu sizokwenza, uma ngempela uNkulunkulu evuma,” kukhuthaza uPawulu.—Hebheru 6:1-3.

Ithemba Lovuko

 9, 10. IBhayibheli lisuke lisho ukuthini lapho likhuluma ngovuko?

⁹ Ukuze siluqinise ngokwengeziwe ukholo lwethu ovukweni, masibukeze imibuzo enjengale: IBhayibheli lisuke lisho ukuthini lapho likhuluma ngovuko? Imfundiso yovuko ilukhulisa kanjani uthando lukaJehova? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo ziyosisondeza kuNkulunkulu, ngesikhathi esifanayo zisisize ukuba sifundise abanye.—2 Thimothewu 2:2; Jakobe 4:8.

¹⁰ Igama elithi “uvuko” lihumusha igama lesiGreki ngokwezwi nezwi elisho ukuthi “ukuphinde usukume.” Le nkulumo ihlanganisani? NgokweBhayibheli, ithemba lovuko liwukuqiniseka ukuthi umuntu ofile angaphinde aphile. IBhayibheli liphinde libonise ukuthi umuntu uvuswa ngomzimba wenyama noma womoya, kuye ngokuthi unethemba lasemhlabeni noma lasezulwini. Asiwuvali umlomo ngothando, ukuhlakanipha, namandla kaJehova okubonakaliswa yileli themba elimangalisayo lovuko.

11. Imaphi amathuba uvuko oluwanikeza izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezigcotshiwe?

¹¹ Lapho uJesu nabafowabo abagcotshiwe bevuka banikezwa imizimba yomoya efanelekele inkonzo yasezulwini. (1 Korinte 15:35-38, 42-53) Bayokhonza ndawonye njengababusi boMbuso kaMesiya, oyoletha izimo zePharadesi emhlabeni. Abagcotshiweyo bakha ubupristi bobukhosi ngaphansi kukaJesu njengomPristi Ophakeme. Ezweni elisha lokulunga, bayokwenza izinzuzo zomhlatshelo kaKristu wesihlengo zisebenze esintwini. (Hebheru 7:25, 26; 9:24; 1 Petru 2:9; IsAmbulo 22:1, 2) Besalindele leso sikhathi, abagcotshiwe abasaphila emhlabeni bafisa ukuhlala bamukeleka kuNkulunkulu. Lapho befa, bayothola “umklomelo” wabo ngokuvuselwa ekuphileni komoya kokungafi ezulwini. (2 Korinte 5:1-3, 6-8, 10; 1 Korinte 15:51, 52; IsAmbulo 14:13) UPawulu wabhala: “Uma siye saba munye naye esimweni sokufa kwakhe, ngokuqinisekile siyoba munye naye futhi esimweni sovuko lwakhe.” (Roma 6:5) Kodwa kuthiwani ngalabo uvuko kubo oluyosho ukuphila emhlabeni futhi njengabantu? Ithemba lovuko lingabasondeza kanjani kuNkulunkulu? Singafunda okuningi esibonelweni sika-Abrahama.

Uvuko Nobungane NoJehova

12, 13. Isiphi isisekelo esiqinile sokukholelwa ovukweni u-Abrahama ayenaso?

¹² U-Abrahama, owachazwa ‘njengomngane kaJehova,’ wayengumuntu owayenokholo oluvelele. (Jakobe 2:23) UPawulu wakhuluma kathathu ngokholo luka-Abrahama lapho enikeza uhlu lwamadoda nabesifazane bokholo olulotshwe esahlukweni 11 encwadini yamaHebheru. (Hebheru 11:8, 9, 17) Lapho ekhuluma ngalo okwesithathu wagxila okholweni u-Abrahama alubonisa lapho elalela futhi elungiselela ukunikela ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka njengomhlatshelo. U-Abrahama wayengangabazi ukuthi isithembiso senzalo eyayiyoba khona ngo-Isaka sasiqinisekiswe nguJehova. Ngisho noma u-Isaka ayengafa njengomhlatshelo, u-Abrahama “wathi uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukumvusa ngisho nakwabafileyo.”

¹³ Njengoba sazi, kwathi lapho uJehova ebona indlela olwaluqine ngayo ukholo luka-Abrahama, walungiselela isilwane ukuba sibe umhlatshelo esikhundleni sika-Isaka. Noma kunjalo, okwenzeka ku-Isaka kwaba umfanekiso wovuko, njengoba uPawulu achaza: “Ngempela [u-Abrahama] wamamukela [u-Isaka] evela khona ngendlela engokomfanekiso.” (Hebheru 11:19) Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Abrahama wayesenesisekelo esiqinile sokukholelwa ovukweni. Ingani uJehova wayevuselele amandla ka-Abrahama okuzala lapho yena nomkakhe uSara, behlangana sebebadala futhi bezala indodana yabo, u-Isaka.—Genesise 18:10-14; 21:1-3; Roma 4:19-21.

14. (a) NgokwamaHebheru 11:9, 10, yini u-Abrahama ayeyilindele? (b) Ukuze u-Abrahama athole izibusiso zoMbuso ezweni elisha, yini okuyomelwe yenzeke kuye? (c) Singazithola kanjani thina izibusiso zoMbuso?

¹⁴ UPawulu wachaza u-Abrahama njengomfokazi nanjengomuntu owayehlala ematendeni ‘owayelindele umuzi onezisekelo zangempela, omakhi nomenzi wawo nguNkulunkulu.’ (Hebheru 11:9, 10) Lona kwakungewona umuzi ongokoqobo njengeJerusalema, ithempeli likaNkulunkulu elalikuwo. Cha, lona kwakuwumuzi ongokomfanekiso. KwakuwuMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini owakhiwa uKristu Jesu nababusi abakanye naye abangu-144 000. Lapho abangu-144 000 besenkazimulweni yabo yasezulwini kukhulunywa ngabo nangokuthi ‘bawumuzi ongcwele, iJerusalema Elisha,’ ‘umlobokazi’ kaKristu. (IsAmbulo 21:2) Ngo-1914, uJehova wabeka uJesu esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi enguMesiya yoMbuso wasezulwini futhi wamyala ukuba abuse phakathi kwezitha zakhe. (IHubo 110:1, 2; IsAmbulo 11:15) Ukuze athole izibusiso zokubusa kwalo Mbuso, u-Abrahama, “umngane kaJehova,” kuyodingeka aphinde aphile. Ngokufanayo, ukuze nathi sithole izibusiso zoMbuso, kumelwe sibe siphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu, kungaba njengamalungu esixuku esikhulu sabasinde kuyi-Armagedoni noma njengabavuswe kwabafileyo. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Nokho, siyini isisekelo sethemba lovuko?

Uthando LukaNkulunkulu—Isisekelo Sethemba Lovuko

15, 16. (a) Isiprofetho sokuqala eBhayibhelini sisibeka kanjani isisekelo sethemba lethu lovuko? (b) Ukukholelwa ovukweni kungasisondeza kanjani kuJehova?

¹⁵ Ubuhlobo bethu obuseduze noBaba wethu onothando osezulwini, ukholo lwethu oluqinile njengoluka-Abrahama, ukulalela kwethu imiyalo kaNkulunkulu kwenza uJehova athi silungile futhi asibheke njengabangane bakhe. Lokhu kusenza sibe sohlwini lokuzuza ekubuseni koMbuso. Ngempela, isiprofetho sokuqala ngqá esilotshwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu, kuGenesise 3:15, sibeka isisekelo sethemba lovuko nesokuba abangane bakaNkulunkulu. Asigcini nje ngokubikezela ukuchotshozwa kwekhanda likaSathane, kodwa sibikezela nokulinyazwa esithendeni kweNzalo yowesifazane kaNkulunkulu. Ukufa kukaJesu esigxotsheni kwakuwukulinyazwa isithende okungokomfanekiso. Ukuvuswa kwakhe ngosuku lwesithathu kwalelapha lelo nxeba futhi kwavula indlela yesinyathelo esiwujuqu sokubhubhisa “lowo onendlela yokubangela ukufa, okungukuthi, uDeveli.”—Hebheru 2:14.

¹⁶ UPawulu usikhumbuza ukuthi “uNkulunkulu utusa uthando lwakhe siqu kithi ngoba, ngesikhathi siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.” (Roma 5:8) Ukuwazisa lo musa ongasifanele ngempela kusisondeza kuJesu nakuBaba wethu onothando osezulwini.—2 Korinte 5:14, 15

17. (a) UJobe wakhuluma ngethemba lani? (b) UJobe 14:15 wembulani ngoJehova, futhi lokhu kukwenza uzizwe kanjani?

¹⁷ UJobe, indoda ethembekile yezikhathi zangaphambi kobuKristu, naye wayelangazelela isikhathi sovuko. USathane wamhlupha kakhulu. Ngokungafani nabangane-mbumbulu bakhe abangazange bayiphathe ngisho nokuyiphatha indaba yovuko, uJobe wathola induduzo kuleli themba futhi wabuza: “Uma indoda enamandla ifa ingabuye iphile futhi?” Eziphendula uJobe ngokwakhe wathi: “Ngiyolinda zonke izinsuku zomsebenzi wami oyimpoqo, kuze kufike impumuzo yami.” Ekhuluma noNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova, wavuma: “Uyobiza, futhi mina ngiyokuphendula.” Ngokuphathelene nemizwa yoMdali wethu onothando, uJobe wathi: “Uyolangazelela umsebenzi wezandla zakho.” (Jobe 14:14, 15) Yebo, uJehova ulangazelela isikhathi lapho abathembekile beyobuyiselwa ekuphileni ovukweni. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kusisondeza kuye kangakanani njengoba sizindla ngothando nangomusa ongafanelwe asibonisa wona yize singaphelele!—Roma 5:21; Jakobe 4:8.

18, 19. (a) Iliphi ithemba uDaniyeli analo lokuphinde aphile futhi? (b) Yini esizoyihlaziya esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Umprofethi uDaniyeli, owachazwa ingelosi kaNkulunkulu ngokuthi ‘umuntu ofiseleka kakhulu,’ waphila isikhathi eside ekhonza ngokwethembeka. (Daniyeli 10:11, 19) Akazange abephule ubuqotho bakhe kuJehova kusukela ekudingisweni kwakhe ngo-617 B.C.E. kuze kube sekufeni kwakhe esikhathini esithile ngemva kokuthola umbono ngo-536 B.C.E., ngonyaka wesithathu kaKoresi, inkosi yasePheresiya. (Daniyeli 1:1; 10:1) Ngawo futhi lowo nyaka wesithathu kaKoresi, uDaniyeli wathola omunye umbono wokudedelana kwemibuso yezwe okufinyelela umvuthwandaba wako osizini olukhulu oluseza. (Daniyeli 11:1–12:13) Njengoba ayengawuqondi ngokugcwele lo mbono, uDaniyeli wabuza isithunywa esiyingelosi esambonisa wona: “O nkosi yami, iyoba yini ingxenye yokugcina yalezi zinto?” Iphendula, ingelosi yabhekisela “esikhathini sokuphela,” okwakuyothi phakathi naso ‘abanokuqondisisa baqonde.’ UDaniyeli ngokwakhe lalimphatheleni ikusasa? Ingelosi yavuma: “Uyophumula, kodwa uyosukuma umele isabelo sakho ekupheleni kwezinsuku.” (Daniyeli 12:8-10, 13) UDaniyeli uyobuya “ovukweni lwabalungileyo,” phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane.—Luka 14:14.

¹⁹ Sesingene shì esikhathini sokuphela futhi sekuseduze ukuba kuqale ukuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane manje kunangesikhathi siba amakholwa. Ngakho-ke, kumelwe sizibuze, ‘Ingabe ngiyobe ngikhona ezweni elisha ukuze ngakhe ubudlelwane no-Abrahama, uJobe, uDaniyeli, namanye amadoda nabesifazane bokholo?’ Siyobe sikhona uma kuphela sihlala siseduze noJehova futhi silalela imiyalo yakhe. Esihlokweni sethu esilandelayo, sizohlaziya ithemba lovuko ngokuningilizwe ngokwengeziwe ukuze sithole ukuthi obani abayovuswa.

Usakhumbula?

• Abantu basabela kanjani lapho uPawulu ememezela ithemba ayenalo ovukweni?

• Kungani ithemba lovuko lenza amaKristu eqiniso ahluke kwawamanga?

• Sazi kanjani ukuthi u-Abrahama, uJobe, noDaniyeli babenokholo ovukweni?

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Ephambi koMbusi uFeliksi, uPawulu walimemezela ngokuqiniseka ithemba lovuko

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Kungani u-Abrahama ayenokholo ovukweni?

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

UJobe wathola induduzo ethembeni lovuko

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

UDaniyeli uyobuya ovukweni lwabalungileyo