Ukulungisiswa Njengomngane KaNkulunkulu
“UAbrahama wakholwa nguNkulunkulu, kwabalelwa kuye ukuthi kungukulunga, wabizwa ngokuthi umhlobo [“umngane,” NW] kaNkulunkulu.”—JAKOBE 2:23.
1, 2. ‘Izinto ezisezulwini’ ‘nezinto ezisemhlabeni’ zibuyisana kanjani noNkulunkulu?
“KWABA KUHLE kuye [uNkulunkulu] ukuba ukugcwala konke kuhlale kuyo [iNdodana, uKristu] nokuba ngayo abuyisane nakho konke esenzile ukuthula ngegazi lesiphambano sayo, yebo ngayo, nokuba kuyizinto ezisemhlabeni nokuba ngezisezulwini.” (Kolose 1:19, 20) Lenjongo yaphezulu yokubuyisana ifinyelela umvuthwandaba wayo.
2 ‘Izinto ezisezulwini’ azizona izidalwa zomoya, ngoba izingelosi azihlengwa ngegazi likaKristu. Kunalokho, zingabantu abathengwe ngegazi leWundlu ukuba babe “ngumbuso nabapristi” noKristu ‘emazulwini amasha.’ Laba kakade sebelungisiswe ngokugcwele ngegazi likaKristu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, cishe eminyakeni engama-50 manje, uJehova ubenza ukuthula ‘nezinto ezisemhlabeni,’ okuyilabobantu abayoba yingxenye ‘yomhlaba omusha’ wokulunga. (IsAmbulo 5:9, 10; 2 Petru 3:13) Lokhu kuqoqelwa ‘kwazo zonke izinto ndawonye,’ kokubili izinto ezisemhlabeni nezinto ezisezulwini, ‘kungokuzibonela kwakhe [uJehova] azimisela khona ngaphambili.’—Efesu 1:9, 10.
Injongo KaNkulunkulu NgeNdodana YaKhe UAdamu
3, 4. Kwakuyini ukuma kuka-Adamu phambi kukaNkulunkulu, kodwa wayedinga ukulungisiswa ngokuqondene nani?
3 UAdamu wadalwa eyindodana kaNkulunkulu engumuntu ophelele, olungile. (Luka 3:38) Ukulunga kwakhe akuzange kuhlawulelwe, noma kukhokhelwe. Wadalwa nakho. Ngenxa yokungabi nacala phambi kukaJehova, uAdamu wayengenaso isidingo “sokulungisiswa.” Ukuba nje wayezithobile ekubuseni okungokomthetho kukaNkulunkulu, wayezolondoloza ukuma okuhle phambi koMdali wakhe.
4 Nokho, wayengakazibonakalisi engumgcini wobuqotho futhi wayengakaqashelwa njengolifanelekele ilungelo lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Ngalokho, kwakumelwe abonise, ngokwesikhathi esithile, ukuthembeka kuJehova nokunamathela ekulungeni. Ukuba ngaleyondlela wayebonise ubuqotho bakhe ngaphansi kovivinyo, wayeyothola ilungelo lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Kwakuyoba njengokungathi uNkulunkulu uthe, noma usho obala ukuthi, uAdamu wayekufanelekele ukuphila okungenasiphelo. Ukuze abonise lokhu, ngokungangabazeki uJehova wayeyomholela ‘emthini wokuphila’ futhi amvumele ukuba adle izithelo zawo.—Genesise 2:9, 16, 17; 3:22.
5. (a) Yini uAdamu nenzalo yakhe alahlekelwa yiyo? (b) Iliphi ithemba lokukhululwa esonweni nokufa uJehova alinikeza indalo engabantu?
5 Kodwa uAdamu wehluleka lapho evivinywa futhi kanjalo yena nenzalo yakhe walahlekelwa ukuphelela, ukulunga, nobudodana. (Roma 5:12) Ngokomphumela, yonke inzalo ka-Adamu yazalwa ihlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu, izalwe nokungalungi. (Efesu 2:3; Roma 3:10) Kanjalo, indalo engabantu ‘yabekwa phansi kobuze’ kodwa “ethembeni.” okuyithemba lokukhululwa esonweni nokufa elanikezwa ngokushesha ngemva kokuhlubuka e-Edeni.—Roma 8:20, 21; Genesise 3:15.
Ukulungisiswa Ngaphambi KukaKristu—Kanjani?
6, 7. (a) Abanye abantu balungisiswa ngokwezinga elingakanani ngaphambi kokufa kukaKristu komhlatshelo? (b) Iziphi ezinye izibonelo zezinceku zikaJehova zangaphambi kobuKristu ezathola ukuma okulungile?
6 Ithemba lesintu lokukhululwa esonweni nokufa lalixhomeke ekufikeni ‘kwenzalo’ ethenjisiwe, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa. (Johane 3:16) Ngaphambi kokufa kukaKristu komhlatshelo, kwakungekho-ndlela ngabantu yokuba bathole “ukukhululwa nokuphila,” noma “ukulungisiswa kukho ukuphila.” (Roma 5:18, Revised Standard Version) Nokho, ngisho nangaphambi kokuba uKristu akhokhe isihlengo sokukhulula umuntu, amanye amadoda nabesifazane baba nokholo esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu futhi basekela lolokholo ngemisebenzi. Ngenxa yalokhu, uJehova ngomusa wathethelela isono sabo futhi wabemukela njengezinceku zakhe. Ngothando wabathatha njengabangenacala, uma kuqhathaniswa neningi lesintu elihlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu. (IHubo 32:1, 2; Efesu 2:12) Wabanikeza ukuma okulungile, ebalungisisa ngezinga ezifanelekile ngalesosikhathi.
7 Kanjalo, ngokukholwa uAbela ‘wayenobufakazi bokuthi ulungile.’ (Heberu 11:4) UNowa “waba-yindlalifa yokulunga okuvela ngokukholwa.” (Heberu 11:7) Naphezu kwamaphutha akhe, uJobe kwathiwa “wayengenasici elungile.” (Jobe 1:1, 22; 7:21) UFinehasi wabonisa intshiseko ngokukhulekela okuhlanzekile, “lokhu wakubalelwa njengokulunga.” (IHubo 106:30, 31; Numeri 25:1-13) “Ngokukholwa” nangemisebenzi yakhe yomusa kubantu bakaNkulunkulu, uRahabi isifebe esingeyena umIsrayeli wathola ukuma okulungile, noma walungisiswa.—Heberu 11:31; Jakobe 2:25.
Indlela UAbrahama Alungisiswa Ngayo
8, 9. (a) Ukulunga kukabani okuyindaba eyinhloko encwadini kaPawulu eya kwabaseRoma? (b) Kungaziphi izici ukulungisiswa ‘kwabangcwele’ okudlula ngazo okuka-Abrahama?
8 Indaba ka-Abrahama idinga ukunakekela okukhethekile. Abalobi ababili bemiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki abakhuluma ngokulungisiswa kwakhe, bobabili babebhalela amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayebizwa ngokuthi ayingxenye yamalungu ayizi-144 000 kaIsrayeli ongokomoya.—Roma 2:28, 29; 9:6; Jakobe 1:1; IsAmbulo 7:4.
9 Encwadini yakhe eya kwabaseRoma, uPawulu uthi labo “ababiziweyo, abangcwele” (Rom 1:7), kokubili abaJuda nabeZizwe (Rom 1:16, 17), balungisiswa “ngokukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi yomthetho.” (Rom 3:28) Ukuze asekele iphuzu lakhe, uqalisa incazelo ende (Rom 4:1-22) futhi ucaphuna uGenesise 15:6 lapho ethi: “UAbrahama wakholwa nguNkulunkulu, kwabalelwa ukuthi kungukulunga.” Khona-ke, emavesini okuphetha esahluko se-4, uPawulu uthi uJesu “wanikelwa ngenxa yeziphambeko zethu, wavuswa ngenxa yokulungisiswa kwethu [okungukuthi, “abangcwele” (Roma 1:7)].” Elithi “kwethu” alinakuhlanganisa noAbrahama, njengoba wafa ngaphambili kakhulu kokufa nokuvuka kukaKristu. Ngokomphumela, lapho, ezahlukweni ezilandelayo, uPawulu ekhuluma ngalabo ‘abayobusa njengamakhosi’ nangokulungisiswa kwabo “kukho ukuphila” ngombono wokuba “abantwana bakaNkulunkulu” ‘nezindlalifa kanye noKristu,’ ngokusobala wayekhuluma ngokuthile okuhluke ngokuphelele ekubaleleni kukaNkulunkulu ukulunga kuAbrahama.—Roma 5:17, 18; 8:14, 17, 28-33.
10. UJakobe uyikhanyisa kanjani injongo yokulungisiswa kuka-Abrahama?
10 UJakobe ngokufanayo ubala uAbrahama njengesibonelo sokubonisa ukuthi ukholo kumelwe lusekelwe ngemisebenzi yokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Ngemva kokubonisa ukuthi uAbrahama wabalelwa ukulunga, ecaphuna kuGenesise 15:6, uJakobe unezela amazwi asisiza ukuba sibone injongo yokuhlangulwa kuka-Abrahama. Uyabhala: “Kwagcwaliseka umbhalo othi: Kepha uAbrahama wakholwa nguNkulunkulu, kwabalelwa kuye ukuthi kungukulunga, wabizwa ngokuthi umhlobo [“umngane,” NW] kaNkulunkulu.” (Jakobe 2:20-23) Yebo, ngenxa yokholo lwakhe, uAbrahama walungisiswa njengomngane kaJehova, hhayi njengendodana enelungelo ekuphileni okuphelele kobuntu noma ebukhosini noKristu. Ngokuthakazelisayo, kweyakhe iSynonyms of the Old Testament, uRobert Girdlestone wabhala ngokuqondene nokulunga kuka-Abrahama: “Lokho kulunga kwakungekhona okuphelele, okungukuthi, njengalokho okwakuyotusa uAbrahama kuNkulunkulu njengomuntu onelungelo lokudla ifa lobudodana.”
Incwadi KaJehova Yokukhumbula
11. Amagama obani alotshwe encwadini kaJehova yokukhumbula, futhi ngani?
11 Ukubalela amadoda nabesifazane abathembekile ukulunga phambi kukaKristu kwakuyisifanekiso sokulunga nokuphelela okungokoqobo, noma kwangempela okuhlobene nokuphila okuphakade abangase bakuzuze emhlabeni omusha kaNkulunkulu. Ngokucabangela amathemba abo okuphila, bangase babhekwe njengabanamagama alotshwe encwadini kaJehova yokukhumbula. (Qhathanisa noMalaki 3:16; Eksodusi 32:32, 33.) Inamagama alabo ababhekwa uJehova ‘njengabalungileyo’ abaye babonisa ukholo lwabo ngemisebenzi yokulunga, futhi nabasohlwini lokwamukela ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni.—IHubo 69:28; Habakuki 2:4.
12. Yini “abalungileyo” abavusiwe okuyodingeka bayenze ukuze bagcine amagama abo encwadini kaJehova yokukhumbula?
12 Nokho, lawomagama awakabhalwa “encwadini yokuphila” kaJehova. (IsAmbulo 20:15) Lapho lawomadoda nabesifazane abathembekile basendulo bebuyela emhlabeni ‘ekuvukeni kwabalungileyo,’ ngokungangabazeki bayokwamukela ngokholo ilungiselelo likaJehova lokuphila ngomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaKristu. (IzEnzo 24:15) Kanjalo bayoba yingxenye ‘yezinye izimvu’ zikaJesu, ‘benesixuku esikhulu’ esiyobe sisinde “osizini olukhulu.” (Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Ngokwenza kanjalo, bayogcina amagama abo esencwadini kaJehova yokukhumbula.
Ukulungisiswa Njengabangane Kukho Ukusinda
13. Obani uMalusi Omuhle abalethayo manje, futhi balotshwa kanjani encwadini kaJehova yokukhumbula?
13 UMalusi Omuhle, uJesu Kristu, manje uletha “ezinye izimvu” ezingezona ‘ezomhlambi omncane’ ‘wabangcwele’ abayizi-144 000 abanikezwa uMbuso wasezulwini. (Luka 12:32; Daniyeli 7:18) Lezi “ezinye izimvu” zilalela izwi likaMalusi Omuhle. (Johane 10:16) Zibonisa ukholo kuJehova naseNdodaneni yakhe. Zinikezela ukuphila kwazo kuJehova ngesisekelo somhlatshelo wesihlengo kaKristu. Zibhapathizwa “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya oNgcwele” futhi ziqaphela isidingo sokuhlakulela “izithelo zikamoya.” (Mathewu 28:19, 20; Galathiya 5:22, 23) Amagama azo alotshwe encwadini kaJehova yokukhumbula.
14. Yini enikeza “ezinye izimvu” ukuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaJehova, kodwa yini okudingeka ziyicele kuNkulunkulu?
14 Lezi “ezinye izimvu” eziqoqwa kulesikhathi sokuphela ziyokwakha “isixuku esikhulu” esabonwa umphostoli uJohane embonweni, ngemva kokuba ebone amalungu ayizi-144 000 kaisrayeli ongokomoya. (IsAmbulo 7:4, 9) Wachaza “isixuku esikhulu” ‘njengesihlanze izingubo zaso sazenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu.’ (IsAm 7 Ivesi 14) Ngenxa yokholo lwabo egazini leWundlu elachitheka, babalelwa izinga elithile lokulunga. Lokhu kwafanekiswa izingubo zabo ezimhlophe ezingokomfanekiso. Banokuma okuhlanzekile phambi kukaJehova, futhi “ngalokho-ke” uyabavumela ukuba ‘bamkhonze imini nobusuku ethempelini lakhe.’ (IsAm 7 Ivesi 15) Noma kunjalo, usuku ngalunye kumelwe bavume izono zabo kuJehova futhi bacele ukuthethelelwa ngoJesu Kristu.—1 Johane 1:9–2:2.
15. (a) Umfanekiso wezimvu nezimbuzi ubonisa kanjani ukuthi “ezinye izimvu” zinokuma okulungile kuNkulunkulu? (b) Balungisiswa ngokwezinga elingakanani esikhathini samanje?
15 Ukuthi “ezinye izimvu” zingabangane bakaNkulunkulu nokuthi namanje zinokuma okulungile phambi kwakhe kwenziwa kukhanye esiprofethweni sikaJesu ‘ngesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe,’ esihlanganisa umfanekiso wezimvu nezimbuzi. Ngoba “izimvu” zenza okuhle ensalini ‘yabafowabo’ bakaKristu abayizi-144 000 abasesemhlabeni, zibusiswa uYise kaJesu futhi zibizwa ngokuthi “abalungileyo.” NjengoAbrahama, balungisiswa njengabangane bakaNkulunkulu. Ukuma kwabo okulungile nakho kuyosho ukusinda ngabo lapho “izimbuzi” ziya “ekujezisweni okuphakade.” (Mathewu 24:3–25:46) ‘Bayophuma osizini olukhulu’ oluyophawula ukuphela kwalesimiso esibi sezinto.—IsAmbulo 7:14.
Ukulethwa Ekupheleleni
16. Sazi kanjani ukuthi isixuku esikhulu asilungisiswa kukho ukuphila ngaphambi ‘kosizi olukhulu’?
16 “Isixuku esikhulu,” esisinda “osizini olukhulu,” asikakalungisiswa kukho ukuphila. Lokhu singakubona ngeqiniso lokuthi isahluko esikhuluma ngaso siqhubeka sithi: “IWundlu elingaphakathi nesihlalo sobukhosi liyakubelusa, libaholele emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila.” (IsAmbulo 7:17) Ngakho, ngisho nakuba ngaphambili uNkulunkulu wayebabale njengabalungile uma kuqhathaniswa nesintu sisonke nanjengabangane bakhe, badinga usizo olwengeziwe, noma izinyathelo okumelwe zithathwe, ukuze balungisiswe kukho ukuphila.
17. (a) Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuphulukisa izizwe’? (b) Obani okuyodingeka ukuba amagama abo alotshwe “encwadini yokuphila”?
17 Phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane, iWundlu elisesihlalweni sobukhosi, uKristu Jesu, kanye namakhosi nabapristi akanye nabo abayizi-144 000, bayosebenzisa isimiso ‘sokuphulukisa izizwe’ ngokomoya nangokwenyama. (isAmbulo 22:1, 2) “Izizwe” ezinjalo ziyokwakhiwa abasinde osizini olukhulu, noma iziphi izingane ezizalwa ngemva kweArmagedoni, nalabo abaphuma “ovukweni lwabalungile nolwabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Bonke abanokholo egazini likaKristu nabafeza ‘imisebenzi’ efanelekile ekugcineni amagama abo ayolotshwa “encwadini yokuphila.”—IsAmbulo 20:11-15.
18. Izakhamuzi zomhlaba ziyobe zilethwe kusiphi isimo ekupheleni kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane?
18 Ekupheleni Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane yokuBusa KukaKristu, labo abayizakhamuzi zomhlaba abaye babonisa ukuthi bayasamukela isihlengo sikaKristu futhi bazophila ngezindinganiso zikaJehova bayobe sebelethwe ekupheleleni. Bayoba njengoAdamu ngaphambi kokuba one. Njengaye, ukulalela kwabo kuyohlolwa.
“Ukukhululeka Kwenkazimulo” ‘Njengabantwana BakaJehova’
19. (a) Yini eyokwenzeka ngokushesha ngemva kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane? (b) Yini eyokwenzeka kulabo amagama abo angatholakali “encwadini yokuphila”?
19 Ngokushesha ngemva kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane, uKristu uyoletha umkhaya wesintu esiphelele kuYise. (1 Korinte 15:28) “USathane uyakukhululwa” ukuze avivinye isintu okokugcina. (IsAmbulo 20:7, 8) Amagama anoma ibaphi abahlulekayo ngaphansi kovivinyo ngeke “afunyanwe elotshiwe encwadini yokuphila.’ Ngokomfanekiso ‘bayophonswa echibini lomlilo,’ “okungukufa kwesibili.”—IsAmbulo 20:15; 21:8.
20. (a) Obani uNkulunkulu ayobalungisisa kukho ukuphila, futhi ngani? (b) Ilungiselelo lomusa lokuhlangulisa likaJehova liyobe liyifeze kanjani injongo yalo?
20 Labo abazibonakalisa bethembekile kuJehova amagama abo ayolotshwa ngokungenakwesulwa “encwadini yokuphila,” njengabaphelele ebuqothweni nabalifanele ilungelo lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Khona-ke uJehova ngokwakhe uyobalungisisa ngomqondo ophelele. (Roma 8:33) Bayobe sebekufanelekele ukuphila okuphakade. (IsAmbulo 20:5) UNkulunkulu uyobamukela njengamadodana akhe asemhlabeni, futhi bayongena ‘enkululekweni ethenjisiwe yenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 8:20, 21) Ukuthula nobunye kuyobe sekubuyiselwe endaweni yonke. Ukubuyisana noNkulunkulu kuyobe sekufeziwe ‘ezintweni ezisemhlabeni’ ‘nasezintweni ezisezulwini.’ (Kolose 1:20) Ilungiselelo lomusa lokuhlangulwa likaJehova liyobe seliyifezile injongo yalo. Embuzweni othi, “Ingabe ulungile kuNkulunkulu?” zonke izidalwa ezulwini nasemhlabeni ziyokwazi ukuphendula ngokuthi yebo futhi zinezele: “Kuyena ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi nakulo iWundlu makube-yisibusiso, nodumo, nenkazimulo, namandla kuze kube-phakade naphakade.”—IsAmbulo 5:13.
Ngokuqondene nokuma ‘kwezinye izimvu’ phambi kukaNkulunkulu—
◻ Kungani uAdamu engalungisiswanga?
◻ Kukuliphi izinga uAbrahama namanye amadoda nabesifazane abalungisiswa ngalo phambi kukaKristu?
◻ Amagama obani alotshwa encwadini kaJehova yokukhumbula?
◻ Kukuliphi izinga “ezinye izimvu” zinokuma okulungile manje, futhi ziyolethwa nini ekupheleleni?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 18]
Ngokholo “egazini leWundlu,” “ezinye izimvu” zinikezwa ukuma okuvumelekile phambi kukaJehova futhi ngaleyondlela ziyalungisiswa ukuze zibe nobungane naye futhi zisinde phakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu.’ Ziyofinyelela ukuphelela ekupheleni kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane. Ngemva kovivinyo lokugcina ziyolungisiswa kukho ukuphila.
[Izithombe ekhasini 16]
Amagama abalungileyo alotshwe encwadini kaJehova yokukhumbula
UAbela
UJobe
URahabi
“Isixuku esikhulu” sosuku lwanamuhla