“Abafileyo Bayovuswa”

“Ngoba icilongo liyokhala, futhi abafileyo bayovuswa benokungonakali, futhi thina siyoshintshwa.”—1 KORINTE 15:52.

 1, 2. (a) Yisiphi isithembiso esiduduzayo esanikezwa ngomprofethi uHoseya? (b) Sazi kanjani ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzimisele ukubuyisela abafileyo ekuphileni?

INGABE wake walahlekelwa umuntu osondelene naye ngokufa? Uma kunjalo uyabazi ubuhlungu obungalethwa ukufa. Nokho, amaKristu athola induduzo esithembisweni uNkulunkulu asinikeza ngomprofethi uHoseya: “Ngiyakubahlenga esandleni sendawo yabafileyo, ngibahlawulele ekufeni; ziphi izifo zakho, kufa, kuphi ukuchitha kwakho, ndawo yabafileyo, na?”—Hoseya 13:14.

² Umqondo wokuthi abafileyo bayobuyela ekuphileni ubonakala ungenangqondo kubagxeki. Kodwa uNkulunkulu onguMninimandla onke ngokuqinisekile unawo amandla okwenza isimangaliso esinjalo! Okuyiyonanto yokucatshangelwa ukuthi uJehova uzimisele yini ukubuyisela abafileyo ekuphileni. Indoda elungile uJobe yabuza: “Uma umuntu efa, uyakubuye aphile na?” Yabe isinikeza le mpendulo eqinisekisayo: “[Uyakubiza], mina ngiphendule; [uyakulangazelela] umsebenzi wezandla zakho.” (Jobe 14:14, 15, NW) Igama elithi ‘ukulangazelela’ libonisa isifiso esiqotho. (Qhathanisa neHubo 84:2.) Yebo, uJehova ululindele ngokulangazelela uvuko—ulangazelela ukuphinde abone abakholekile asebashona, abasaphila enkumbulweni yakhe.—Mathewu 22:31, 32.

UJesu Ukhanyisa Ngovuko

 3, 4. (a) Yikuphi ukukhanya uJesu akunikeza maqondana nethemba lovuko? (b) Kungani uJesu avuswa engumoya, hhayi esenyameni?

³ Amadoda okholo asendulo anjengoJobe ayengaluqondi ngokugcwele uvuko. NguJesu Kristu owalikhanyisa ngokugcwele leli themba lovuko elimangalisayo. Wabonisa indima eyinhloko yena ngokwakhe ayifezayo lapho ethi: “Lowo obonisa ukholo eNdodaneni unokuphila okumi phakade.” (Johane 3:36) Kuyojatshulelwa kuphi lokho kuphila? Iningi lalabo ababonisa ukholo liyokujabulela emhlabeni. (IHubo 37:11) Nokho, uJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Ungesabi, mhlambi omncane, ngoba uYihlo ukwamukele ukuba aninike umbuso.” (Luka 12:32) UMbuso kaNkulunkulu ungowasezulwini. Ngakho-ke, lesi sithembiso sisho ukuthi “umhlambi omncane” kwakuyodingeka ube noJesu ezulwini njengezidalwa zomoya. (Johane 14:2, 3; 1 Petru 1:3, 4) Yeka ithemba elikhazimulayo! Ngokuqhubekayo uJesu wambulela umphostoli uJohane ukuthi lo “mhlambi omncane” wawuyoba abangu-144 000 kuphela.—IsAmbulo 14:1.

⁴ Nokho, laba abangu-144 000 babeyongena kanjani enkazimulweni yasezulwini? UJesu “wenza ukuphila nokungonakali kwakhanya ngezindaba ezinhle.” Ngegazi lakhe, wamisa ‘indlela entsha nephilayo’ yokungena emazulwini. (2 Thimothewu 1:10; Heberu 10:19, 20) Okokuqala, wafa, njengoba iBhayibheli lalibikezele ukuthi uyokufa. (Isaya 53:12) Khona-ke, njengoba umphostoli uPetru amemezela kamuva, “loJesu uNkulunkulu wamvusa.” (IzEnzo 2:32) Nokho, uJesu akazange avuswe engumuntu. Wayethe: “Isinkwa engizosinikela ngenxa yokuphila kwezwe siyinyama yami.” (Johane 6:51) Ukuphinda athathe inyama yakhe kwakuyokwenza lowo mhlatshelo ungabe usasebenza. Ngakho uJesu ‘wabulawa enyameni, kodwa waphiliswa emoyeni.’ (1 Petru 3:18) Ngaleyo ndlela uJesu “wasitholela ukukhululwa okumi phakade,” okungukuthi, ‘umhlambi omncane.’ (Heberu 9:12) Waletha kuNkulunkulu inani lokuphila kwakhe okuphelele kobuntu njengesihlengo sesintu esinesono, futhi abangu-144 000 baba ngabokuqala ukuzuza kulokhu.

 5. Yiliphi ithemba elanikezwa abalandeli bakaJesu bekhulu lokuqala?

⁵ UJesu wayengeke abe ukuphela komuntu owayeyovuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini. UPawulu watshela amaKristu ayekanye naye eRoma ukuthi ayegcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele ukuba abe amadodana kaNkulunkulu nezindlalifa ezikanye noKristu uma ayeqinisekisa ukugcotshwa kwawo ngokukhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni. (Roma 8:16, 17) UPawulu wachaza futhi: “Uma siye saba munye naye ngesimo sokufa kwakhe, ngokuqinisekile siyoba munye naye futhi ngesimo sovuko lwakhe.”—Roma 6:5.

Ukuvikela Ithemba Lovuko

 6. Kungani ukukholelwa ovukweni kwahlaselwa eKorinte, futhi umphostoli uPawulu wasabela kanjani?

⁶ Uvuko luyingxenye ‘yemfundiso yokuqala’ yobuKristu. (Heberu 6:1, 2) Nokho, le mfundiso yayihlaselwa eKorinte. Abathile ebandleni, ngokusobala bethonywe ifilosofi yamaGreki, babethi: “Alukho uvuko lwabafileyo.” (1 Korinte 15:12) Lapho imibiko yalokho ifinyelela kumphostoli uPawulu, wavikela ithemba lovuko, ikakhulukazi ithemba lamaKristu agcotshiwe. Ake sihlole amazwi kaPawulu alotshwe kweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 15. Uzosizakala uma uye wasifunda sonke lesi sahluko, njengoba kutusiwe esihlokweni esandulele.

 7. (a) Yiluphi udaba oluyinhloko uPawulu agxila kulo? (b) Obani ababona uJesu ovusiwe?

⁷ Emavesini amabili okuqala kweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 15, uPawulu wethula isihloko sengxoxo yakhe: “Bafowethu, nginazisa izindaba ezinhle engazimemezela kini, enazamukela nani, futhi enimi kuzo, enisindiswa ngazo futhi, . . . ngaphandle-ke, uma naba amakholwa ngokungenanjongo.” Uma abaseKorinte babehluleka ukuma beqinile ezindabeni ezinhle, babelamukelele ize iqiniso. UPawulu waqhubeka: “Ngadlulisela kini, phakathi kwezinto zokuqala, lokho nami engakwamukela, ukuthi ngokwemiBhalo uKristu wafela izono zethu; nokuthi wangcwatshwa, yebo, ukuthi ngokwemiBhalo uvusiwe ngosuku lwesithathu; nokuthi wabonakala kuKhefase, kwase kuba kwabayishumi nambili. Ngemva kwalokho wabonakala kubafowethu abangaphezu kwamakhulu amahlanu ngesikhathi esisodwa, abaningi kubo abasekhona kuze kube manje, kodwa abanye asebelele ekufeni. Ngemva kwalokho wabonakala kuJakobe, kwase kuba kubo bonke abaphostoli; kodwa ekugcineni kwabo bonke wabonakala nakimi njengokungathi kozelwe ngaphambi kwesikhathi.”—1 Korinte 15:3-8.

 8, 9. (a) Kubaluleke kangakanani ukukholelwa ovukweni? (b) Yisiphi isenzakalo okungenzeka uJesu wabonakala kuso “kubafowethu abangaphezu kwamakhulu amahlanu”?

⁸ Kulabo ababamukele izindaba ezinhle, ukukholelwa ovukweni lukaJesu kwakungeyona indaba yokuzikhethela. Kwakunofakazi abaningi bokuzibonela ababengaqinisekisa ukuthi “uKristu wafela izono zethu” nokuthi wayevusiwe. Omunye wabo kwakunguKhefase, noma uPetru, njengoba aziwa kangcono kanjalo. Ngemva kokuba uPetru ephike uJesu ngobusuku bokukhashelwa nokuboshwa kwakhe, kumelwe ukuba kwamduduza kakhulu ukubonakala kukaJesu kuye. “Abayishumi nambili,” abaphostoli njengeqembu, nabo bahanjelwa uJesu ovusiwe—ngokungangabazeki isenzakalo esabasiza banqoba ukwesaba kwabo futhi baba ofakazi abanesibindi bokuvuswa kukaJesu.—Johane 20:19-23; IzEnzo 2:32.

⁹ UKristu wabonakala naseqenjini elikhulu nakakhulu, “abangaphezu kwamakhulu amahlanu.” Njengoba kuseGalile kuphela lapho ayenabalandeli abayinani elikhulu kangako khona, kungenzeka ukuthi lesi yisenzakalo esichazwe kuMathewu 28:16-20, lapho uJesu anikeza khona umyalezo wokuba kwenziwe abafundi. Yeka ubufakazi obunamandla laba bantu ababengabunikeza! Abanye babesaphila ngo-55 C.E. lapho uPawulu ebhalela abaseKorinte le ncwadi yokuqala. Nokho, phawula ukuthi labo abase befile kwathiwa ‘balele ekufeni.’ Babengakavuselwa ukuba bamukele umvuzo wabo wasezulwini.

10. (a) Ukuhlangana kokugcina kukaJesu nabafundi bakhe kwaba namuphi umphumela? (b) UJesu wabonakala kanjani kuPawulu “njengokungathi kozelwe ngaphambi kwesikhathi”?

¹⁰ Omunye ufakazi ophawulekayo wokuvuswa kukaJesu kwakunguJakobe, indodana kaJosefa noMariya, unina kaJesu. Ngaphambi kovuko, ngokusobala uJakobe wayengelona ikholwa. (Johane 7:5) Kodwa ngemva kokuba uJesu ebonakele kuye, uJakobe waba ikholwa futhi mhlawumbe wafeza indima ethile ekuguquleni abanye abafowabo. (IzEnzo 1:13, 14) Ngesikhathi ehlangene nabafundi bakhe okokugcina, lapho akhuphukela khona ezulwini, uJesu wabathuma ukuba ‘babe ofakazi nasezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba.’ (IzEnzo 1:6-11) Kamuva, wabonakala kuSawulu waseTarsu, umshushisi wamaKristu. (IzEnzo 22:6-8) UJesu wabonakala kuSawulu “njengokungathi kozelwe ngaphambi kwesikhathi.” Kwakunjengokungathi uSawulu wayesevuselwe ekuphileni komoya kakade futhi wakwazi ukubona iNkosi ekhazinyulisiwe kusasele amakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba kufike isikhathi okwakufanele lwenzeke ngaso lolo vuko. Lesi senzakalo sammisa ngokuzumayo uSawulu enkambweni yakhe yokuphikisa ibandla lobuKristu ngokulibulala futhi sabangela ushintsho oluphawulekayo. (IzEnzo 9:3-9, 17-19) USawulu waba umphostoli uPawulu, omunye wabavikeli abaphambili benkolo yobuKristu.—1 Korinte 15:9, 10.

Kubalulekile Ukuba Nokholo Ovukweni

11. UPawulu wakudalula kanjani ukuthi kuyiphutha ukuthi, ‘Alukho uvuko’?

¹¹ Ngakho-ke uvuko lukaJesu lwaba iqiniso elafakazelwa kahle. UPawulu uyabuza: “Uma kushunyayelwa ngoKristu ukuthi uvusiwe kwabafileyo, basho kanjani abanye phakathi kwenu ukuthi alukho uvuko lwabafileyo?” (1 Korinte 15:12) Abanjalo babengagcini ngokungabaza uvuko bona ngokwabo noma ukuba nemibuzo ngalo kodwa babesho obala ukuthi abakholelwa kulo. Ngakho uPawulu ukuveza obala ukuthi ukucabanga kwabo kwakuyiphutha. Uthi uma uKristu ayengavuswanga, isigijimi sobuKristu singamanga, futhi labo ababefakazela uvuko lukaKristu ‘babengofakazi bakaNkulunkulu bamanga.’ Uma uKristu ayengavuswanga, akukho sihlengo esasikhokhwe kuNkulunkulu; amaKristu ‘ayesesezonweni zawo.’ (1 Korinte 15:13-19; Roma 3:23, 24; Heberu 9:11-14) Futhi amaKristu ‘ayelele ekufeni,’ kwezinye izimo efelé ukholo, ayefe engenalo ithemba langempela. Yeka isimo esidabukisayo amaKristu abengaba kuso ukube lokhu kuphila ukuphela kwakho angakulindela! Konke ukuhlupheka kwawo bekungaba yize.

12. (a) Kusikiselani ukubiza uKristu ngokuthi “ulibo lwalabo abalele ekufeni”? (b) UKristu walwenza kanjani uvuko lwaba yinto engenzeka?

¹² Nokho, kwakungenjalo. UPawulu uyaqhubeka: “UKristu uvusiwe kwabafileyo.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, “[uwulibo] lwalabo abalele ekufeni.” (1 Korinte 15:20) Lapho ama-Israyeli ngokulalela enika uJehova ulibo lwemikhiqizo yawo, uJehova wawabusisa ngesivuno esikhulu. (Eksodusi 22:29, 30; 23:19; IzAga 3:9, 10) Ngokubiza uKristu ngokuthi “ulibo,” uPawulu usikisela ukuthi esinye isivuno sabantu sasisazovuswa ekufeni siye ekuphileni kwasezulwini. UPawulu uthi: “Njengoba ukufa kukhona ngomuntu, novuko lwabafileyo lukhona ngomuntu. Ngoba njengoba nje bonke befa ku-Adamu, kanjalo nakuKristu bonke bayokwenziwa baphile.” (1 Korinte 15:21, 22) UJesu wenza uvuko lwaba into engenzeka ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe kobuntu okuphelele njengesihlengo, evula indlela yokuba isintu sikhululwe ebugqilini besono nokufa.—Galathiya 1:4; 1 Petru 1:18, 19.a

13. (a) Lwenzeka nini uvuko lwasezulwini? (b) Kungayiphi indlela abagcotshiwe abathile ‘bengalali ekufeni’?

¹³ UPawulu uyaqhubeka: “Kodwa yilowo nalowo esigabeni sakhe siqu: NguKristu ulibo, kamuva kube yilabo abangabakaKristu phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe.” (1 Korinte 15:23) UKristu wavuswa ngo-33 C.E. Nokho, abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe—“labo abangabakaKristu”—kwakuyodingeka balinde kuze kube ngemva nje kokuba uJesu eqale ukuba khona kwakhe embusweni, iziprofetho zeBhayibheli ezibonisa ukuthi kwaqala ngo-1914. (1 Thesalonika 4:14-16; IsAmbulo 11:18) Kuthiwani ngalabo ababeyobe bephila phakathi nalokho kuba khona? UPawulu uthi: “Bhekani! Nginitshela imfihlo engcwele: Ngeke silale sonke ekufeni, kodwa sonke siyoshintshwa, ngomzuzwana, ngokuphazima kweso, phakathi necilongo lokugcina. Ngoba icilongo liyokhala, futhi abafileyo bayovuswa benokungonakali, futhi thina siyoshintshwa.” (1 Korinte 15:51, 52) Ngokusobala, abagcotshiwe abalali bonke ethuneni balindele uvuko. Labo abafa phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu baguqulwa ngokuphazima kweso.—IsAmbulo 14:13.

14. Abagcotshiwe “babhapathizwa” kanjani “ngenjongo yokuba abafileyo”?

¹⁴ UPawulu uyabuza: “Uma kungenjalo, bayokwenzenjani labo ababhapathizwa ngenjongo yokuba abafileyo? Uma abafileyo bengeke bavuswe nhlobo, kungani futhi bebhapathizwa ngenjongo yokuba ngabanjalo? Kungani futhi sisengozini mahora onke?” (1 Korinte 15:29, 30) UPawulu wayengasho ukuthi abantu abaphilayo babebhapathizelwa abafileyo, njengoba ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli zenza kubonakale kanjalo. Kakade, ubhapathizo luhlobene nokuba umfundi kaKristu, futhi imiphefumulo efile ayinakuba abafundi. (Johane 4:1) Kunalokho, uPawulu wayekhuluma ngamaKristu aphilayo, amaningi awo, njengoPawulu ngokwakhe, ‘ayesengozini mahora onke.’ AmaKristu agcotshiwe ‘abhapathizelwa ekufeni kukaKristu.’ (Roma 6:3) Kusukela ekugcotshweni kwawo, kwakunjengokungathi “abhapathizelwa” enkambweni eyayiyoholela ekufeni okunjengokukaKristu. (Marku 10:35-40) Ayeyofa enethemba lovuko lwasezulwini olumangalisayo.—1 Korinte 6:14; Filipi 3:10, 11.

15. Yiziphi izingozi okungenzeka uPawulu wabhekana nazo, futhi ukuba nokholo ovukweni kwaba kanjani nendima ekuzikhuthazeleleni?

¹⁵ UPawulu manje uyachaza ukuthi yena ngokwakhe wayebhekane nezingozi kangangokuba wayengathi: “Nsuku zonke ngibhekana nokufa.” UPawulu uyanezela, funa abathile bammangalele ngokuthi uyeqisa: “Lokhu, bafowethu, ngikuqinisekisa ngokwethaba ngani enginakho kuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” I-Jerusalem Bible ihumusha leli vesi ngokuthi: “Ngibhekana nokufa zonke izinsuku, bafowethu, futhi ngingafunga ngeqholo enginalo ngani kuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” Njengesibonelo sezingozi abhekana nazo, evesini 32 uPawulu ukhuluma ‘ngokulwa nezilo zasendle e-Efesu.’ AmaRoma ayevame ukubulala izigebengu ngokuzifaka ezilwaneni zasendle ezinkundleni zemidlalo. Uma uPawulu alwa ngokoqobo nezilwane zasendle, kungaba ukuthi wasinda ngosizo lukaJehova kuphela. Ngaphandle kwethemba lovuko, ukukhetha inkambo yokuphila eyayimchaya engozini enjalo kwakungaba ubuphukuphuku isibili. Ngaphandle kwethemba lokuphila kwesikhathi esizayo, ukukhuthazelela ubunzima nokuzidela okwakubangelwa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kwakungeke kube nanjongo etheni. UPawulu uthi: “Uma abafileyo bengeke bavuswe, ‘masidleni siphuze, ngoba kusasa sizokufa.’”—1 Korinte 15:31, 32; bheka eyesi-2 Korinte 1:8, 9; 11:23-27.

16. (a) Yikuphi lapho okungenzeka yasuka khona inkulumo ethi “masidleni siphuze, ngoba kusasa sizokufa”? (b) Zaziyini izingozi zokwamukela lo mbono?

¹⁶ Kungenzeka uPawulu wayecaphuna u-Isaya 22:13, ochaza isimo sengqondo esibulalayo sezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema ezazingalaleli. Noma kungenzeka wayecabanga ngezinkolelo zama-Epikhuru, ayedelela noma yiliphi ithemba lokuphila ngemva kokufa futhi ekholelwa ukuthi injabulo yenyama iwukuphela kwento enhle ekuphileni. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yikuphi, ifilosofi yokuthi “masidleni siphuze” yayingenakho ukuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Ngakho, uPawulu uyaxwayisa: “Ningadukiswa. Ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba enosizo.” (1 Korinte 15:33) Ukuzihlanganisa nalabo abaphika uvuko kungaba nobuthi. Kungenzeka ukuthi ukuzihlanganisa nabanjalo kwakuwumthelela ezinkingeni uPawulu okwadingeka azisingathe ebandleni laseKorinte, ezinjengokuziphatha okubi ngokobulili, ukuhlukana, ukumangalelana ezinkantolo nokungasihloniphi iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa.—1 Korinte 1:11; 5:1; 6:1; 11:20-22.

17. (a) Yisiphi isikhuthazo uPawulu asinika abaseKorinte? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo okusadingeka iphendulwe?

¹⁷ Ngakho uPawulu unikeza abaseKorinte lesi sikhuthazo esihle: “Phaphamani nisanguluke ngendlela elungileyo futhi ningasenzi umkhuba isono, ngoba abanye abanalwazi ngoNkulunkulu. Ngiyakhuluma ukuze nginibangele amahloni.” (1 Korinte 15:34) Umbono ophambene ngovuko waholela abathile ekozeleni okungokomoya, njengokungathi badakiwe. Kwakudingeka baphaphame, bahlale besangulukile. AmaKristu agcotshiwe namuhla ngokufanayo kudingeka ahlale ephapheme, angathonywa imibono yezwe egxekayo. Kumelwe anamathele ngokuqinile ethembeni lawo lokuvuselwa ezulwini. Kodwa kwasala imibuzo ethile—yasalela abaseKorinte ngaleso sikhathi kanye nathi manje. Ngokwesibonelo, abangu-144 000 bavuselwa ezulwini bekusiphi isimo? Futhi kuthiwani ngezigidi zabanye ezisesethuneni ezingenalo ithemba lasezulwini? Uvuko luyosho ukuthini ngabanjalo? Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizohlola ingxenye esele yengxoxo kaPawulu yovuko.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

◻ Yini uJesu ayikhanyisa ngokuqondene novuko?

◻ Kwakungobani abanye bofakazi bokuvuka kukaKristu?

◻ Kungani imfundiso yovuko yabekelwa inselele, futhi uPawulu wasabela kanjani?

◻ Kungani kwakubalulekile ngamaKristu agcotshiwe ukuba nokholo ovukweni?

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Indodakazi kaJayiru yaba ubufakazi bokuthi uvuko lungenzeka

[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

Ngaphandle kwethemba lovuko, ukufela ukholo kwamaKristu akholekile bekungaba okungenanjongo