UNkulunkulu Utusa Uthando Lwakhe Kithi

‘Umusa ongafanelwe uyobusa njengenkosi ngokulunga ngombono wokuphila okuphakade.’—ROMA 5:21.

1, 2. Iziphi izipho ezimbili ezingase zicatshangelwe, futhi isiphi esikhulu kunesinye?

“IFA elikhulu kakhulu amaRoma alishiyela labo abawalandela liwumthetho wawo nomuzwa ayenawo wokuthi [abantu] kufanele baphile ngokuvumelana nomthetho.” (UDkt. David J. Williams waseYunivesithi YaseMelbourne, e-Australia) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lokho kuyiqiniso kangakanani, kunefa noma isipho senani elikhulu kakhulu kunalelo. Lesi sipho siyilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu lokusisiza ukuba sibe nokuma okwamukelekayo nokulungile phambi kwakhe futhi sibe nethemba lokusindiswa nelokuphila okuphakade.

² Ngomqondo othile, indlela uNkulunkulu asilungiselela ngayo lesi sipho iqukethe izici ezingokomthetho. KumaRoma isahluko 5, umphostoli uPawulu akazange achaze lezi zici ngendlela engakhangi yolimi lwezomthetho. Kunalokho, waqala ngalesi siqinisekiso esivusa amadlingozi: “Sekuthiwe silungile ngenxa yokholo, [ngakho] masijabulele ukuthula noNkulunkulu ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.” Labo abamukela lesi sipho sikaNkulunkulu nabo bashukumiseleka ukuba bamthande. UPawulu ungomunye wabo. Wabhala: “Uthando lukaNkulunkulu luthululelwe ezinhliziyweni zethu ngomoya ongcwele.”—Roma 5:1, 5.

 3. Imiphi imibuzo enengqondo ephakamayo?

³ Nokho, kungani lesi sipho sothando sasidingeka? UNkulunkulu wayengasipha sona kanjani ngendlela enobulungisa nengenzeleli? Yini okudingeka abantu bayenze ukuze basifanelekele? Ake sithole izimpendulo ezanelisayo futhi sibone indlela ezigcizelela ngayo uthando lukaNkulunkulu.

Ukuqhathanisa Uthando LukaNkulunkulu Nesono

4, 5. (a) Iyiphi indlela enkulu uJehova abonisa ngayo uthando lwakhe? (b) Ukuba naluphi ulwazi oluyisisekelo okusisiza ukuba siqonde amaRoma 5:12?

⁴ Ebonisa uthando olukhulu, uJehova wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba isize abantu. UPawulu waluchaza ngale ndlela: “UNkulunkulu utusa uthando lwakhe siqu kithi ngoba, ngesikhathi siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.” (Roma 5:8) Cabangela iqiniso elilodwa elishiwo kuleli vesi: “Ngesikhathi siseyizoni.” Kudingeka bonke bazi ukuthi saba kanjani izoni.

⁵ Lapho uPawulu echaza le ndaba, waqala ngaleli phuzu: “Ngomuntu oyedwa isono sangena ezweni nokufa kwangena ngesono, futhi kanjalo ukufa kwasakazekela kubantu bonke ngenxa yokuthi bonke bonile.” (Roma 5:12) Sisethubeni lokukuqonda lokhu ngoba uNkulunkulu wenza ukuba kube nombhalo ogciniwe wendlela ukuphila kwabantu okwaqala ngayo. UJehova wadala abantu ababili, u-Adamu no-Eva. UMdali uphelele, ngakho nalabo bantu bokuqala, abangokhokho bethu, babephelele. UNkulunkulu wabanika umthetho owodwa vo owenqabelayo futhi wabatshela ukuthi ukungawulaleli lowo mthetho kwakuyoletha isijeziso sokufa. (Gen. 2:17) Nokho, bakhetha ukwenza ngendlela eyaholela enhlekeleleni, bawephula lowo mthetho kaNkulunkulu owawunengqondo, kanjalo bemenqaba njengoMniki-mthetho noMbusi wabo.—Dut. 32:4, 5.

 6. (a) Kungani inzalo ka-Adamu iye yafa ngaphambi kokuba uNkulunkulu anikeze ama-Israyeli uMthetho KaMose nangemva kwalokho? (b) Iliphi iphuzu elingase licaciswe ngesifo esinjengesokopha kalula?

⁶ U-Adamu waba nabantwana ngemva kokuba esebe isoni futhi lokhu kwamenza wadlulisela isono nemiphumela yaso kubo bonke. Yebo, babengazange bephule umthetho kaNkulunkulu njengaye, ngakho abazange babekwe icala lesono esifanayo; futhi kwakungakanikezwa nasimiso somthetho. (Gen. 2:17) Noma kunjalo, inzalo ka-Adamu yazuza isono ngefa. Ngakho, isono nokufa kwabusa kwaze kwaba sesikhathini lapho uNkulunkulu anikeza khona ama-Israyeli isimiso somthetho, esabonisa ngokucacile ukuthi ayeyizoni. (Funda amaRoma 5:13, 14.) Umphumela wesono esizuzwe ngefa ungafaniswa nezifo noma izici ezithile esizithola ngofuzo, njengesifo sokuba nesilinganiso esiphansi segazi esivame eMedithera noma njengesifo sokopha kalula (hemophilia). Kungenzeka ukuthi wake wafunda ukuthi u-Alexis, indodana yoMbusi waseRussia uNicholas II no-Alexandra, wathola ngofuzo isifo sokopha kalula. Kuyavunywa ukuthi ngisho nasemkhayeni onalesi sifo, akuzona zonke izingane eziphathwa yiso, kodwa kungenzeka zibe naso egazini. Akunjalo ngesono. Isici sesono esidluliselwa u-Adamu sona sasingagwemeki. Akekho ophunyukayo. Siyabulala njalo. Sidluliselwa kubo bonke abantwana. Ingabe leso simo esibucayi sasingalungiseka?

Lokho UNkulunkulu Akulungiselela NgoJesu Kristu

7, 8. Inkambo yabantu ababili abaphelele yaholela kanjani emiphumeleni ehlukile?

⁷ UJehova ngothando wenza ilungiselelo lokuba abantu banqobe isono sabo abasizuze ngefa. UPawulu wachaza ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka ngokusebenzisa omunye umuntu, umuntu ophelele owaba khona kamuva—empeleni, u-Adamu wesibili. (1 Kor. 15:45) Kodwa inkambo yomuntu ngamunye kulaba ababili iholele emiphumeleni ehluke kakhulu. Kanjani?—Funda amaRoma 5:15, 16.

⁸ UPawulu wabhala: “Ngesipho akunjengoba kwaba njalo ngesiphambeko.” U-Adamu wayenecala laleso siphambeko, futhi kuyafaneleka ukuthi wathola isijeziso esibuhlungu—wafa. Noma kunjalo, akuyena yedwa owayezokufa. Siyafunda: “Ngesiphambeko [salowo] muntu oyedwa kwafa abaningi.” Isijeziso esinobulungisa esatholwa u-Adamu sasifuna ukuba yonke inzalo yakhe engaphelele, kuhlanganise nathi, ijeze ngendlela efanayo. Noma kunjalo, kungasiduduza ukwazi ukuthi umuntu ophelele, uJesu, wayengaveza umphumela ohlukile. Muphi? Impendulo siyithola emazwini kaPawulu athi “ukuba kuthiwe [abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo] balungile kube ukuphila.”—Roma 5:18.

 9. Yini uNkulunkulu ayeyenza lapho ethi abantu balungile, njengoba kushiwo kumaRoma 5:16, 18?

⁹ Imuphi umqondo ogcizelelwa amagama esiGreki asenkulumweni ethi ‘ukuthiwa silungile’ nethi “kuthiwe balungile”? Omunye umhumushi weBhayibheli wabhala lokhu ngomqondo oqukethwe yila magama: “Kuyisingathekiso esingokomthetho esiveza iphuzu elinezici eziningi zezomthetho. Sikhuluma ngoshintsho esimweni somuntu esiphathelene nobuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu, hhayi ngoshintsho olwenzeka ngaphakathi kumuntu . . . Lesi singathekiso siveza uNkulunkulu engumahluleli ofinyelele isinqumo esivuna ummangalelwa, ngokomfanekiso oye walethwa phambi kwenkantolo kaNkulunkulu ngecala lokuba ongalungile. Kodwa uNkulunkulu umkhipha phambili ecaleni ummangalelwa.”

10. Yini uJesu ayenza eyaba isisekelo sokuba abantu kuthiwe balungile?

¹⁰ “UMahluleli womhlaba wonke’’ olungile angamkhipha phambili ecaleni ngasiphi isisekelo umuntu ongalungile? (Gen. 18:25) UNkulunkulu ngothando wabeka isisekelo ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa emhlabeni. UJesu wayenza ngokuphelele intando kaYise, naphezu kokulingwa, ukuklolodelwa ngokwedlulele nokuhlukunyezwa. Wagcina ubuqotho bakhe kwaze kwaba sekufeni esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. (Heb. 2:10) Ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe njengomuntu ophelele, uJesu wanikeza isihlengo esingase sikhulule inzalo ka-Adamu esonweni nasekufeni.—Math. 20:28; Roma 5:6-8.

11. Ikuphi ukuhambelana okuyisisekelo sesihlengo?

¹¹ Kwenye indawo, uPawulu wasibiza ngokuthi “isihlengo esihambelanayo.” (1 Thim. 2:6) Kungani singesihambelanayo? U-Adamu waletha ukungapheleli nokufa ezigidini zabantu, abayinzalo yakhe. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi uJesu njengomuntu ophelele, wayengaveza izigidi zabantu abaphelele abayinzalo yakhe.a Yingakho kwake kwaqondwa ngokuthi ukuhlanganiswa kokuphila kukaJesu nokwayo yonke inzalo yakhe ephelele ayengaba nayo kwakwenza umhlatshelo olingana nokuphila kuka-Adamu nokwayo yonke inzalo yakhe engaphelele. Nokho, iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi noma iyiphi inzalo uJesu ayengaba nayo yayakha ingxenye yesihlengo. AmaRoma 5:15-19 aveza iphuzu lokuthi ngukufa “komuntu” oyedwa qhwaba okwaba isihlengo. Yebo, ukuphila okuphelele kukaJesu kwakuhambelana nokuka-Adamu. Isihlengo sigxile kuJesu Kristu kuphela, futhi kufanele kube njalo. Ngenxa ‘yesenzo esisodwa sikaJesu sokuzibonakalisa elungile,’ esiyinkambo yakhe yokulalela nokugcina ubuqotho kuze kube sekufeni, abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo base bengakwazi ukuthola isipho samahhala nokuphila. (2 Kor. 5:14, 15; 1 Pet. 3:18) Kwenzeka kanjani lokho?

Ukukhishwa Phambili Ecaleni Ngesisekelo Sesihlengo

12, 13. Kungani labo okuthiwa balungile bedinga isihe nothando lukaNkulunkulu?

¹² UJehova uNkulunkulu wawamukela umhlatshelo wesihlengo weNdodana yakhe. (Heb. 9:24; 10:10, 12) Noma kunjalo, abafundi bakaJesu emhlabeni kuhlanganise nabaphostoli bakhe abathembekile, baqhubeka bengaphelele. Nakuba babelwela ukugwema ukwenza okubi, babengaphumeleli njalo. Kungani? Ngoba babezuze isono ngefa. (Roma 7:18-20) Kodwa kukhona uNkulunkulu ayengakwenza ngaleso simo, futhi wakwenza. Wamukela “isihlengo esihambelanayo” futhi wavuma ukusisebenzisa ngokwenzuzo yezinceku zakhe ezingabantu.

¹³ Akukhona ukuthi uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa isihlengo kubaphostoli nabanye ngoba ebakweleta ngenxa yemisebenzi ethile emihle abayenzile. Kunalokho, uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa isihlengo ngokwenzuzo yabo eshukunyiswa isihe nothando lwakhe olukhulu. Wakhetha ukubakhipha phambili ecaleni lesijeziso ababebhekene naso, ebabheka njengabangasenalo icala abalizuze ngefa. UPawulu wakwenza kwacaca lokhu: “Ngempela, ngalo musa ongafanelwe, nisindisiwe ngokholo; futhi lokhu akungenxa yenu, kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu.”—Efe. 2:8.

14, 15. Imuphi umvuzo owathenjiswa labo uNkulunkulu athi balungile, kodwa yini okwakusadingeka bayenze?

¹⁴ Cabanga ukuthi kuyisipho esingakanani ukuba uMninimandla onke athethelele umuntu isono asizuze ngefa kanye nezinto ezimbi azenzile! Ubungeke ukwazi ukubala izono eziningi abantu ngabanye abazenza bengakabi amaKristu; noma kunjalo ngesisekelo sesihlengo, uNkulunkulu angazithethelela lezo zono. UPawulu wabhala: “Umphumela wesipho seziphambeko eziningi waba ukuba kuthiwe silungile.” (Roma 5:16) Abaphostoli nabanye ababethola lesi sipho sothando (sokuthiwa balungile) kwakuyodingeka baqhubeke bekhulekela uNkulunkulu weqiniso ngokholo. Imuphi umvuzo ababeyowuthola esikhathini esizayo? “Labo abamukela insada yomusa ongafanelwe neyesipho sesihle sokulunga bayobusa . . . njengamakhosi ekuphileni ngomuntu oyedwa, uJesu Kristu.” Ngempela, isipho sokulunga sinomphumela ohlukile. Umphumela waso uwukuphila.—Roma 5:17; funda uLuka 22:28-30.

¹⁵ Labo abathola lesi sipho, ukuthiwa balungile, baba amadodana kaNkulunkulu ngomqondo ongokomoya. Njengezindlalifa ezikanye noKristu banethemba lokuvuselwa ezulwini njengamadodana angokoqobo kaNkulunkulu omoya ukuze ‘babuse njengamakhosi’ noJesu Kristu.—Funda amaRoma 8:15-17, 23.

UNkulunkulu Ubonisa Uthando Lwakhe Kwabanye

16. Labo abanethemba lasemhlabeni bangasithola kanjani isipho?

¹⁶ Akubona bonke ababonisa ukholo futhi bakhonze uNkulunkulu njengamaKristu aqotho abalindele ‘ukubusa njengamakhosi’ noKristu ezulwini. Abaningi banethemba elisekelwe eBhayibhelini elifana nelezinceku zikaNkulunkulu zangaphambi kobuKristu. Banethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Bangakwazi yini kwamanje ukuthola isipho sothando esivela kuNkulunkulu futhi babhekwe njengabalungile benombono wokuphila emhlabeni? Ngokusekelwe kulokho uPawulu akubhalela amaRoma, impendulo ekhuthazayo inguyebo!

17, 18. (a) Ukholo luka-Abrahama lwenza ukuba uNkulunkulu ambheke kanjani? (b) Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uJehova abheke u-Abrahama njengolungile?

¹⁷ UPawulu wakhuluma ngesibonelo esivelele, u-Abrahama, indoda yokholo eyaphila ngaphambi kokuba uJehova anike ama-Israyeli isimiso somthetho, kusasele isikhathi eside uKristu avule ithuba lokuyophila ezulwini. (Heb. 10:19, 20) Siyafunda: “U-Abrahama noma inzalo yakhe abasitholanga ngomthetho isithembiso sokuthi uyoba yindlalifa yezwe, kodwa kwakungokulunga ngokholo.” (Roma 4:13; Jak. 2:23, 24) Ngakho, uNkulunkulu wabheka u-Abrahama othembekile njengolungile.—Funda amaRoma 4:20-22.

¹⁸ Lokho akunakusho ukuthi u-Abrahama wayengenasono phakathi nawo wonke amashumi eminyaka awachitha ekhonza uJehova. Cha, akukhona ukuthi wayelunge ngalowo mqondo. (Roma 3:10, 23) Nokho, ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe okungenamkhawulo, uJehova waqaphela ukholo oluvelele luka-Abrahama nemisebenzi yakhe eyayishukunyiswa yilo. Ngokukhethekile, u-Abrahama wabonisa ukholo ‘enzalweni’ ethenjisiwe eyayizovela ohlwini lozalo lwakhe. Leyo Nzalo yaba nguMesiya, noma uKristu. (Gen. 15:6; 22:15-18) Ngenxa yalokho, ngesisekelo ‘sesihlengo esakhokhwa uKristu Jesu,’ uMahluleli waphezulu uyakwazi ukuthethelela izono ezenzeka esikhathini esidlule. Ngakho, u-Abrahama nabanye abantu bokholo bezikhathi zangaphambi kobuKristu bayothola uvuko.—Funda amaRoma 3:24, 25; IHu. 32:1, 2.

Jabulela Ukuba Nokuma Okulungile Manje

19. Kungani indlela uNkulunkulu abheka ngayo u-Abrahama kufanele ikhuthaze abaningi namuhla?

¹⁹ AmaKristu eqiniso namuhla kufanele akhuthazeke ngokwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wothando wabheka u-Abrahama njengolungile. UJehova akazange athi ulungile ngomqondo akusho ngawo kulabo abagcoba ngomoya ukuba babe “izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu.” Inani elilinganiselwe lalabo abakha lelo qembu ‘libizelwa ukuba libe abangcwele’ futhi lamukelwa ‘njengamadodana kaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 1:7; 8:14, 17, 33) Ngokuphambene, u-Abrahama yena waba “umngane kaJehova”—futhi lokho kwenzeka ngaphambi kokuba umhlatshelo wesihlengo unikelwe. (Jak. 2:23; Isaya 41:8) Kuthiwani-ke ngamaKristu eqiniso anethemba lokuphila ePharadesi elibuyiselwe emhlabeni?

20. Yini uNkulunkulu ayilindele kulabo namuhla ababheka njengabalungile, njengoba enza ku-Abrahama?

²⁰ Laba abazange bathole ‘isipho sesihle sokulunga’ esihambisana nethemba lokuphila ezulwini “ngokukhululwa ngesihlengo esakhokhwa uKristu Jesu.” (Roma 3:24; 5:15, 17) Noma kunjalo, babonisa ukholo olujulile kuNkulunkulu nasemalungiselelweni akhe, futhi babonisa ukholo lwabo ngemisebenzi emihle. Omunye waleyo misebenzi ‘ukushumayela ngombuso kaNkulunkulu nokufundisa izinto ngeNkosi uJesu Kristu.’ (IzE. 28:31) Ngakho, uJehova angababheka njengabalungile ngomqondo abheka ngawo u-Abrahama. Isipho laba abasitholayo—ubungane noNkulunkulu—sihlukile ‘esiphweni sesihle’ esitholwa abagcotshiweyo. Noma kunjalo, ngokuqinisekile siyisipho abasamukela ngokwazisa okujulile.

21. Iziphi izinzuzo ezitholakala ngenxa yothando nobulungisa bukaJehova?

²¹ Uma unethemba lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni, kufanele uqaphele ukuthi leli thuba awulinikwanga umbusi ongumuntu othembisa engacabangile. Kunalokho, liyisibonakaliso senjongo ehlakaniphile yoMbusi Wendawo Yonke. UJehova uye wathatha izinyathelo eziqhubekayo ukuze afeze injongo yakhe. Lezi zinyathelo ubezithatha ngokuvumelana nobulungisa bangempela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ziye zabonakalisa uthando lukaNkulunkulu olukhulu. Yingakho uPawulu ayengathi: “UNkulunkulu utusa uthando lwakhe siqu kithi ngoba, ngesikhathi siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.”—Roma 5:8.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ingabe Uyakhumbula?

• Iliphi ifa elatholwa inzalo ka-Adamu, futhi laba namuphi umphumela?

• Isihlengo esihambelanayo salungiselelwa kanjani, futhi kungamuphi umqondo singesihambelanayo?

• Isipho sokuthiwa olungile sakuvulela liphi ithuba?

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Umuntu ophelele u-Adamu wona. Umuntu ophelele uJesu wanikela ‘ngesihlengo esihambelanayo’

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Yeka ukuthi kuyizindaba ezinhle kangakanani ukuthi ngoJesu kungathiwa silungile!