Ukuphishekela Ngobunye Umgomo Wokuphila
“Ukuphila okuphakade yilokhu ukuba bazi wena Nkulunkulu wedwa oqinisileyo, nomthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.”—JOHANE 17:3.
1. (a) Kwakukusiphi isenzakalo lapho uJesu aqala khona ukukhuluma ‘ngokuphila okuphakade’? (b) Obani abangawufinyelela lomgomo?
UZA ngokunyonyoba, akabonwa muntu, ebumnyameni ebusuku. Lowo nguNikodemu. Uye wahlatshwa umxhwele izibonakaliso uJesu azenza eJerusalema ngesikhathi sePhasika lika-30 C.E. KulomFarisi, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu isho ngokokuqala ngqá amazwi athi “ukuphila okuphakade,” iwenezela ngalamazwi ajabulisayo: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:15, 16) Yeka ithuba elihle kangaka manje elivulekele izwe lesintu esihlengiwe! Phela, ngisho nomFarisi ozazisayo angase azithobe ukuze afinyelele lomgomo.
2. (a) Kwakungaphansi kwaziphi izimo lapho uJesu aphinde wakhuluma khona ‘ngokuphila okuphakade’? (b) Amanzi okuphila enziwa atholakale kobani?
2 Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uJesu usuka eJerusalema uya eGalile. Uphumula emthonjeni eSamariya lapho abafundi bakhe beya kothenga ukudla. Owesifazane uyeza ukuzokha amanzi. UJesu uthi kuye: “Lowo oyakuphuza amanzi engiyakumnika wona kasayikoma naphakade; kepha amanzi engiyakumnika wona, phakathi kwakhe ayakuba ngumthombo wamanzi aphuphumayo, kube-ngukuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 4:14) Njengoba amaJuda ewadelela amaSamariya, kungani uJesu enikeza ithemba eliyigugu kangaka kulowesifazane? Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba uJesu azi, lowesifazane wayeseke waba namadoda ayisihlanu futhi manje uhleli ngokungemthetho nendoda okungeyona eyakhe. Nokho, njengoba uJesu ephawula lapha, amanzi okuphila eqiniso kumelwe enziwe atholakale ngisho nakubantu abadelelekayo bezwe lesintu uma kuphela beyophenduka futhi bahlanze ukuphila kwabo.—Qhathanisa nabaseKolose 3:5-7.
3. (a) Luhlobo luni ‘lokudla’ uJesu alutusa?
3 “Ukuphila okuphakade”! UJesu waqhubeka nalesihloko lapho abafundi bakhe bebuya futhi bemncenga ukuba adle. Uyabatshela: “Ukudla kwami kungukwenza intando yongithumileyo, ngifeze umsebenzi wakhe.” Uyini lowomsebenzi? UJesu uthi: “Phakamisani amehlo enu, nibone ukuthi amasimu asemhlophe, aselungele ukuvunwa. Ovunayo wamukeliswa umvuzo, abuthe isithelo kube-ngukuphila okuphakade.” Isivuno esinjalo sasisewumbono nje, ngisho naphakathi kwamaSamariya adelelekile, futhi saba yinto engokoqobo ejabulisayo, njengoba umbhalo ogciniwe ubonisa. (Johane 4:34-36; IzEnzo 8:1, 14-17) Ukuvunela ukuphila okuphakade kusaqhubeka kuze kube namuhla, kodwa namuhla insimu iyizwe. Abafundi bakaJesu basenokuningi okumelwe bakwenze kulomsebenzi weNkosi.—Mathewu 13:37, 38; 1 Korinte 15:58.
“Isipho Sokuphila”
4. UJesu wawaphendula kanjani amaJuda ngokugcina iSabatha?
4 Unyaka usuphelile. Manje sekuyisikhathi sePhasika lika-31 C.E. Njengomkhuba wakhe, uJesu ukhona emkhosini eJerusalema. Kodwa amaJuda ayamshushisa ngoba wenza imisebenzi yothando yokuphilisa ngeSabatha. UJesu ubaphendula kanjani? Uthi: “UBaba usebenza kuze kube-manje, nami ngiyasebenza.” Ngakho-ke bafuna ukumbulala.—Johane 5:17, 18.
5, 6. (a) Ibuphi ubunye obuyigugu uJesu manje abuchazayo? (b) Kungayiphi indlela uJesu ‘enokuphila phakathi kwakhe’?
5 Nokho, uJesu uyaqhubeka echaza ubunye obuyigugu kakhulu—ubunye, noma ukuhlangana, okukhona phakathi kwakhe noYise. Utshela lawomaJuda ukuthi: “Ngokuba uYise uyayithanda iNdodana, uyikhombisa konke akwenzayo yena; woyikhombisa imisebenzi emikhulu kunalena ukuba nimangale.” Ubonisa ukuthi uYise uye wamnikeza amandla amakhulu kakhulu, ethi: “Ozwa izwi lami, akholwe ngongithumileyo, unokuphila okuphakade; akayi ekwahlulelweni, kepha usephumile ekufeni, wangena ekuphileni.”—Johane 5:20, 24.
6 Yebo, ngisho nalabo “abafile”emehlweni kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yobubi babo ababuzuza njengefa bangase ‘balizwe izwi leNdodana kaNkulunkulu’ baphile. Kodwa kanjani? UJesu uyachaza: “Ngokuba njengalokhu uYise enokuphila ngokwakhe, kanjalo uyiphile neNdodana yakhe ibe-nokuphila ngokwayo.” Lawomazwi athi, “ibe nokuphila ngokwayo,” angase futhi ahunyushwe ngokuthi, “ibe nesipho sokuphila phakathi kwayo.” (Johane 5:25, 26, Ref. Bi., umbhalo waphansi) Ngakho-ke uJesu unamandla okunikeza abantu ukuma okuhle phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, unamandla okuvusa nokunikeza ukuphila kulabo abalele ekufeni.—Johane 11:25; IsAmbulo 1:18.
7. (a) AmaHubo 36:5, 9 asitshelani ngoNkulunkulu? (b) UJehova uye wayivuza kanjani iNdodana yakhe egcina ubuqotho?
7 UJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi ubelokhu enokuphila phakathi kwakhe. Kubhalwe ngaye ukuthi: “Ukuwe umthombo wokuphila.” (IHubo 36:5, 9) Kodwa manje uYise, uye wayivusa iNdodana yakhe egcina ubuqotho kwabafileyo ‘njengewulibo lwabaleleyo.’ ‘Enesipho sokuphila phakathi kwakhe,’ uJesu uye wanikezwa amandla okuthethelela izono, ukwahlulela, nokuvusa abafileyo, enombono wokuphila okuphakade.—1 Korinte 15:20-22; Johane 5:27-29; IzEnzo 17:31.
Ubunye Obujabulisayo
8, 9. (a) Singazigcina kanjani sinombono womgomo wokuphila okuphakade? (b) Yini uNkulunkulu ayilungiselelayo ngokuphila okuphakade? (c) Obani abahlanganyela kulezibusiso, futhi kanjani?
8 Ngalokho, umfundi kaJesu uJuda uyasiyala: “Nizigcine othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, nibheke umusa weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, kube-ngukuphila okuphakade.” (Juda 21) Yeka umgomo oyigugu—ukuphila okuphakade! Futhi lokhu kuyoba ukuphila okuphelele, kuvumelane nentando yoMdali wethu ephelele nelungiselelo alenzayo ngeNdodana yakhe. Kuyoba ngokukhululekile ezinkathazweni ngokuvamile eziphawula ukulwela ukusinda kulesimiso sezinto samanje. Esimisweni sezinto esizayo, ubuhlungu, ukugula, ukungabi-namthetho, ukonakala, ngisho nokufa, ngeke kusaba khona!—Mika 4:3, 4; 1 Korinte 15:26.
9 Obani okumelwe bahlanganyele ekwenzeni lezithembiso zibe ngokoqobo? Futhi kuphi? Yilabo ababonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu nabanezela imisebenzi yokwesaba uNkulunkulu kulolokholo. Laba baba ngabahlangene ndawonye ngobungane namanye amaKristu emhlabeni wonke ebunyeni bokholo.—Jakobe 2:24; Efesu 4:16.
10. (a) ‘Ngokohlelo’ lukaNkulunkulu, ikuphi okuqalayo? (b) ‘Uhlelo’ ngokulandelayo luqhubekela kukuphi?
10 Ngokwentando yakhe, uNkulunkulu wamisa ‘uhlelo . . . lokuba kuhlanganiselwe ndawonye kuKristu konke okusezulwini nokusemhlabeni.’ (Efesu 1:8-10) Leli ilungiselelo lomkhaya likaNkulunkulu eliqala ngokuqoqwa kwezindlalifa ezikanye noKristu eziyizi-144 000. Laba “bathengwa ebantwini, babelulibo kuNkulunkulu nakulo iWundlu [uJesu Kristu].” Banesabelo “ekuvukeni kokuqala [kwasezulwini],” ukuze bakhonze noKristu njengamakhosi nabapristi iminyaka eyinkulungwane. Ngokulandelayo, uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu luyaqhubeka luhlanganisela ndawonye “nokusemhlabeni,” luqala ngesingenakubalwa “isixuku esikhulu . . . sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi.” Lezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziyophuma “osizini olukhulu” ngethemba lokuzuza ukuphila okuphakade ‘emhlabeni emusha.’—IsAmbulo 14:1, 4; 20:4, 6; 7:4, 9-17; 21:1, 4.
11. (a) Ibuphi “ubunye” obuyigugu abase-Efesu 1:11 ababhekisela kubo? (b) UJohane 15:4, 5 usebenza kanjani kulabo ‘abakulobubunye’?
11 Amadodana kaNkulunkulu agcotshwe ngomoya, ayikho “konke okusezulwini,” ajabulela ubuhlobo obuseduze kakhulu noJesu noYise. ‘Abelwe njengezindlalifa’ zoMbuso kanye noJesu. (Efesu 1:11) UJesu wawakhuthaza ukuba ahlale esebunyeni naye, njengoba nje amagatsha ehlala ehlangene nomvini, ukuze athele izithelo eziningi. Ngaphandle kokuba lobuhlobo obuyigugu noKristu Jesu buhlale bulondoloziwe, lamagatsha ‘angenze lutho.’—Johane 14:10, 11, 20; 15:4, 5; 1 Johane 2:27.
“Ezinye Izimvu” Manje Ziyahlanganyela
12. (a) “Ezinye izimvu” zinabuphi ubuhlobo ‘nomhlambi omncane’? (b) Eyoku-1 Johane 2:1-6 isebenza kanjani ngokuqondene neqembu ngalinye?
12 Nokho, kuthiwani ngezigidi zabanye abantu abanjengezimvu abaye bahlukaniswa ‘ezimbuzini’ zezwe eminyakeni engama-50 edlule? (Mathewu 25:31-40) Laba akubona ‘abomhlambi omncane’ kaJesu abanikezwe uMbuso, kodwa ‘njengezinye izimvu,’ bajoyina laba njengengxenye yomhlambi omkhulu osebenza ngobunye noYise neNdodana. (Luka 12:32; Johane 10:16) Umphostoli uJohane unikeza isiqinisekiso sokuthi uJesu Kristu “uyinhlawulo ngezono zethu [okungukuthi, lezo ‘zomhlambi omncane’], kungengezethu zodwa kodwa nangezezwe lonke.” Kanjalo lezi “ezinye izimvu,” eziqoqwe ezweni lesintu, nazo zingabujabulela ubunye obuyigugu, noma ukuzwana, noNkulunkulu noKristu. Kufana nalokho uJohane aqhubeka ekusho: “Ogcina izwi lakhe, uthando lukaNkulunkulu luphelelisiwe kuye impela. Ngalokho siyazi ukuthi sikuye.” Okokuqala ‘umhlambi omncane’ bese kuba “nezinye izimvu,” kuba ngaphansi kwesibopho sokuhamba njengoba uJesu ahamba.—1 Johane 2:1-6.
13. (a) KuJohane 17:20, 21, yini uJesu ayithandazelayo? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi lesicelo asiphileli kuphela ezindlalifeni ezikanye noKristu?
13 Ngakho-ke namuhla, womabili amaqembu, elasezulwini nelasemhlabeni, ‘asebunyeni noYise neNdodana’—esekuvumelaneni okuphelele nawo ekufezeni imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu. UJesu wathandaza, “Ukuba bonke babe [sebunyeni], njengalokhu wena Baba, usebunyeni nami futhi nami ngisebunyeni nawe, ukuze nabo babe sebunyeni nathi.” Lobubunye abusho ngokukhethekile ukuba munye ekudleni ifa, ngoba ngokusobala abafundi bakaJesu ababi yingxenye yanoma imuphi ‘umzimba kaJehova’ noma ‘izindlalifa kanye noJehova.’ ‘Basebunyeni’ ngokuthi babonisa ubunye ekubambisaneni, banhliziyonye namqondo munye nabo bobabili uJehova noKristu, njengoba befakaza ezweni lesintu.—Johane 17:20, 21, NW.
14. Kungayiphi indlela ekhethekile isigaba sasezulwini esisebunyeni ngayo noKristu, futhi yini ebenza bakuqaphele lokhu?
14 Nokho, labo besigaba esigcotshiwe sasezulwini bajabulela lobubunye manje ngendlela ekhethekile, njengoba beye balungisiswa kukho ukuphila, ngokusebenza kwezinzuzo zomhlatshelo kaKristu. Kanjalo bangase bazalwe ngomoya benethemba lokuba yizindlalifa kanye noKristu Jesu. Bavuma ukukhethwa kwabo njengamadodana, bethi: “Wona lowomoya [amandla kaNkulunkulu ayisiphekupheku okuzala ngomoya] ufakaza kanye nomoya wethu [ukuthambekela kwengqondo okunamandla] ukuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 3:23, 24; 5:1; 8:15-18.
15. Isikhathi samanje nesikhathi esizayo sibaphatheleni labo abanamathemba okuphila emhlabeni?
15 Ngokuqondene nalabo abanamathemba okuphila emhlabeni, manje bayalungisiswa ukuba babe ngabangane noNkulunkulu, njengoAbrahama, uRahabi, nabanye bezikhathi zasendulo. Phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, kancane kancane bayovuselwa ekupheleleni kobuntu, ukuze kuthi ngemva kokuvivinywa kokugcina “okudaliweyo kuyakukhululwa ebugqileni bokubhubha, kube-ngukukhululeka kwenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” (Roma 8:19-21; Jakobe 2:21-26) Kanjalo, isintu esilalelayo siyolungisiswa ukuze siphile phakade emhlabeni.—Qhathanisa noJohane 10:10; Isaya 9:7; 11:1-9; 35:1-6; 65:17-25.
16. (a) Kungaziphi izindlela ‘umhlambi omncane’ “nezinye izimvu” okubonisa ngazo “ubunye” komunye nomunye? (b) Kodwa kungani uJohane 3:3-5 esebenza kuphela ‘emhlanjini omncane’?
16 Njengabantu ngabanye, labo ‘bomhlambi omncane’ nabesixuku esikhulu ‘sezinye izimvu’ babonisa intshiseko efanayo yenjabulo ngenkonzo kaNkulunkulu. (Luka 12:32; Johane 10:16; Thithu 2:13, 14) Iningi labagcotshiweyo abasasele kungenzeka selikhule kakhulu ngeminyaka nangokuhlangenwe nakho kobuKristu, kodwa womabili amaqembu abonisa ubuntu bobuKristu nezithelo zomoya. (Efesu 4:24; Galathiya 5:22, 23) Nokho, ukhona umehluko, njengoba uJesu abonisa kuNikodemu ngisho nangaphambi kokuba akhulume ngokuphila okuphakade. Wathi: “Uma umuntu engazalwa ngokusha, angewubone umbuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 3:3-5) Ngakho-ke yilawo maKristu abhapathiziwe uNkulunkulu awabizile ukuba abe yizindlalifa kanye noJesu eMbusweni wakhe athola ukuzalwa ngokusha okungokomoya. (1 Korinte 1:9, 26-30) “Ezinye izimvu” azikudingi noma ikuphi okunjalo ukuzalwa ngokusha, ngoba umgomo wazo uwukuphila okuphakade ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elibuyiselwe, njengezikhonzi zalowoMbuso.—Mathewu 25:34, 46b; Luka 23:42, 43.
ISikhumbuzo—Nesivumelwano Esisha
17. (a) Kungani bonke abanomgomo wokuphila kumelwe bahlangane nabantu bakaNkulunkulu ngoMarch 24? (b) Ikuphi esikuphawulayo ngokugujwa kweSikhumbuzo sika-1985?
17 UMarch 24 ngemva kokushona kwelanga uyisikhathi sokuba oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke bagubhe iSikhumbuzo sika-1986 sokufa kukaJesu. Kuyobhekiselwa ukunakekela ekunikeleni kukaJesu umzimba wakhe ophelele wobuntu negazi lokuphila kwakhe, ngenxa yesintu esinesono nokulwelwa kwegama likaYise nenjongo. (1 Korinte 11:23-26) Ngakho-ke, bonke abanomgomo wokuphila (kungakhathaliseki ezulwini noma emhlabeni) bayothanda ukuhlangana nabantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke ngalesisenzakalo esijabulisayo. Ngo-1985 ingqikithi yabantu abayizi-7 792 109 yakhumbula ukufa kukaJesu. Nokho, labo abahlanganyela ekudleni isinkwa nasekuphuzeni iwayini leSikhumbuzo, okumelela umzimba kaJesu negazi, baba yizi-9 051 kuphela. Kungani bembalwa kangaka?
18, 19. (a) Isiphi isivumelwano uJesu abhekisela kuso kuLuka isahluko 22? (b) Iyiphi injongo isivumelwano ngasinye esiyifezayo? (c) Njengoba afanekiselwa nguMose, uJesu ukhonza kanjani ‘njengomlamuleli oyedwa’?
18 Nokho, yini uJesu ayisho ngobusuku amisa ngabo iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe? Ngemva kokudlulisela isinkwa kubafundi bakhe, wabe esebanikeza iwayini ngendlela efanayo, ethi: “Lesisitsha siyisivumelwano esisha egazini lami elithululelwa nina.” Kamuva, waqhubeka enikeza esinye isizathu sokubafaka kwakhe esivumelwaneni esisha, ethi: “Nina-ke ningababekhuthazela nami ekulingweni kwami; nanjengokuba uBaba engimisele umbuso, nami nginimisela wona ukuba nidle, niphuze etafuleni lami embusweni wami; niyakuhlala ezihlalweni zobukhosi, nahlulele izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwaIsrayeli.”—Luka 22:19, 20, 28-30.
19 Umprofethi uJeremiya wayesibikezele isivumelwano esisha, ephawula ukuthi uJehova wayeyothethelela ngaso isiphambeko nesono sabantu bakhe ukuze ‘bazi uJehova’ ngobuhlobo obuseduze kakhulu. (Jeremiya 31:31, 34) Njengoba nje uMose ‘ayengumlamuleli’ wesivumelwano soMthetho noIsrayeli ongokwenyama, kanjalo noJesu uba ‘ngumlamuleli walesi sivumelwano esihle kakhulu’ uNkulunkulu asenza “noIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu” ongokomoya. Lokhu kwenzelwa ukuhlenga labo ababizelwe ukuba yizindlalifa zoMbuso noKristu. Ngaleyondlela ‘bazuza ifa eliphakade elathenjiswayo.’ (Galathiya 3:19, 20; 6:16; Heberu 8:6; 9:15; 12:24) Kungalomqondo weBhayibheli kakhulukazi okwenza uKristu Jesu akhonze ‘njengomlamuleli oyedwa phakathi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu.’—1 Thimothewu 2:5, 6.
20. (a) Obani abahlanganyela ngokufanelekile ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo? (b) Kungani lokhu kunjalo?
20 Ubani-ke, ongahlanganyela ngokufanelekile ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo zesinkwa newayini? Kuphela iqembu uNkulunkulu alifaka esivumelwaneni esisha esenziwa ngomhlatshelo kaJesu. (IHubo 50:5) Injongo yalesivumelwano iwukuhlangula kuqala izindlalifa kanye noKristu eziyizi-144 000 ekuphileni kobuntu, ukuze zikwazi ukunikela ngalelilungelo lokuphila futhi zingeniswe eMbusweni wasezulwini. (Roma 4:25; 2 Thimothewu 2:10, 12) Kodwa kuthiwani ‘ngezinye izimvu’?
21. (a) “Ezinye izimvu” zizuziswa kanjani njengezibukeli eSikhumbuzweni? (b) Ukugujwa kweSikhumbuzo kugxile kuphi, ngalokho imuphi umbuzo ophakamayo?
21 Labo besigaba ‘sezinye izimvu’ abekho esivumelwaneni esisha futhi ngalokho abahlanganyeli ekudleni. Nokho, bonke bazuza ngokucebile ngokuba khona ekugujweni kweSikhumbuzo njengezibukeli ezinenhlonipho. Ukwazisa kwabo izinto ezingokomoya kuhambisana namazwi omthandazo kaJesu kuYise: “Ukuphila okuphakade yilokhu ukuba bazi wena-Nkulunkulu wedwa oqinisileyo, nomthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Khumbula, ukugujwa kweSikhumbuzo kugxilisa ukunakekela emzimbeni nasegazini likaJesu. Umzimba negazi likaKristu okwanikelwa kubaluleke kakhulu kubo bonke abaphishekela umgomo wokuphila okuphakade. Lokhu kuyiqiniso kanjani ngokuqondene “nezinye izimvu,” ezingafakiwe esivumelwaneni esisha futhi ngalokho ezingahlanganyeli ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo? Ake sikucabangele lokhu esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻Ngokuqhubekayo, uJesu wakunikeza kanjani ukuqonda ngethemba lokuphila okuphakade?
◻UNkulunkulu uye waqhubeka kanjani ‘nohlelo’ lwakhe?
◻Kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi “ezinye izimvu” ‘zisebunyeni’ noYise, neNdodana, nabafowabo bakaKristu?
◻Kungani kungamaKristu agcotshiwe kuphela ahlanganyela ekudleni izifanekiselo zeSikhumbuzo?
(b) UJohane 4:34-36 uye wagcwaliseka kanjani?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
‘Umhlambi omncane’ “nezinye izimvu” ‘kunobunye’—kwenza umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu njengoba uJesu awenza