UZimu Utjengisa Ithando Lakhe Kithi

“Umusa kaZimu ubusa ngokulunga, ze usilethele ukuphila okungapheliko.”—ROM. 5:21.

1, 2. Ngiziphi izipho ezimbili esingazicabangela, begodu ngisiphi esiqakatheke khulu?

“ILIFA elikhulu kinawo woke amaRoma alifumana kilabo abangaphambi kwawo, mthetho wawo nomuzwa wokobana ukuphila kufuze kuphilwe ngokuvumelana nomthetho.” “Ilifa elikhulu kinawo woke . . . amaRoma [alitjhiyela] ababalandelako mthetho wawo nomuzwa wokobana ukuphila kufuze kuphilwe ngokuvumelana nomthetho.” (UDr. David J. Williams we-University of Melbourne, e-Australia) Kungakhathaliseki bona amezwi la aliqiniso kangangani, kunelifa namtjhana isipho esiqakatheke khulu ukudlula leso. Isiphwesi yindlela kaZimu yokusenza sikwazi ukuba nobuhlobo obamukelekako nobulungileko naye nethemba lephuluso nokuphila okungapheliko.

² Ngomqondo othileko, bekuneenkambiso zomthetho endleleni uZimu enza bona isiphwesi sifumaneke ngayo. KwebeRoma isahluko 5, umpostoli uPowula zange akhulume ngeenkambiswezi ngokunikela imininingwana engokomthetho. Kunalokho, wathoma nganasi isikhuthazo esithabisako: “Sesenziwe samukeleka kuZimu bona silungile ngokukholwa, sesinokuthula noZimu ngeKosi yethu uJesu Krestu.” Labo abafumana isipho sakaZimu batjhukumiseleka bona bamthande. UPowula bekangomunye wabo. Watlola: “Siphiwe umoya ocwengileko owenza bona ithando lakaZimu liphuphume eenhliziyweni zethu.”—Rom. 5:1, 5.

3. Ngimiphi imibuzo okunengqondo ukuyibuza?

³ Nokho, kubayini isipho sethandwesi gade sitlhogeka? UZimu bekangasinikela njani ngendlela enobulungiswa, nelinganako? Begodu umuntu ngamunye kufuze enzeni bona afanelekele ukusifumana? Akhe sifumane iimpendulo ezanelisako sibone neendlela ezitjengisa ngayo ithando lakaZimu.

Ithando LakaZimu Liphikisana Nesono

4, 5. (a) Ngiyiphi indlela ebabazekako uJehova atjengisa ngayo ithando lakhe? (b) Kukwazi ziphi izenzakalo okusenza sikwazi ukuzwisisa KwebeRoma 5:12?

⁴ Atjengisa ithando elikhulu, uJehova wathumela iNdodanakhe okukuphela kwayo bona izokurhelebha abantu. UPowula wabeka bunjesi: “UZimu usibonisile bona usithanda kangangani, ngokobana sisesezizoni uKrestu wafa esikhundleni sethu.” (Rom. 5:8) Cabanga ngeqiniso elilodwa elivezwe lapho: “Sisesezizoni.” Woke umuntu kutlhogeka azi bona lokho kwenzeke njani.

⁵ UPowula wayihlathulula indaba le, athoma ngephuzweli: “Isono seza ephasinapha ngomuntu oyedwa, kwathi isono sakhe saletha ukufa ebantwini, kwathi ngokunjalo ukufa kwehlela ebantwini boke, ngombana boke abantu bonile.” (Rom. 5:12) Singakghona ukuzwisisa lokho ngombana uZimu wenza bona kube nerekhodi lendlela ukuphila kwabantu okwathoma ngayo. UJehova wabumba abantu ababili u-Adamu no-Efa. UMbumbi uphelele, nabantu bokuthoma, abokhokho bethu, bebaphelele. UZimu wabanikela umthetho munye tere wabatjela nokobana ukweqa umthetho loyo kuzobalethela isigwebo sokufa. (Gen. 2:17) Nokho, bakhetha ukwenza ngendlela etjhabalalisako, beqa umthetho kaZimu ongasibudisi, ngalokho bamala njengoMnikelimthetho noMbusi.—Dut. 32:4, 5.

6. (a) Kubayini inzalo ka-Adamu yafa kokubili ngaphambi kobana uZimu anikele uMthetho kaMosisi nangemva kwalokho? (b) Yini engafanekiselwa sisifo esinjenge-hemophilia?

⁶ U-Adamu waba nabentwana kwaphela ngemva kobana abe sisoni, wadlulisela isono neemphumela yaso kibo boke. Liqiniso, abantwana baka-Adamu abakeqi umthetho kaZimu njengaye, ngalokho zange bamangalelwe ngesono esifanako, godu gade ungekho omunye umthetho ngesikhatheso. (Gen. 2:17) Nanyana kunjalo, inzalo ka-Adamu yazuza isono njengelifa. Ngalokho, isono nokufa kwabusa bekwaba ngesikhathi uZimu anikela ama-Israyeli umthetho, owaveza ngokukhanya bha bona azizoni. (Funda KwebeRoma 5:13, 14.) Umphumela wesono esizuzwe njengelifa ungafaniswa nezifo namtjhana ubuthathaka obuthileko obudluliselwa ngefuzo, njenge-Mediterranean anemia ne-hemophilia. Kungenzeka wafunda bona u-Alexis, indodana yeKosi yeRussia uNicholas II nomkayo u-Alexandra, yafumana ngefuzo isifo sokopha i-hemophilia. Liqiniso, ngitjho neemndenini enjalo, abanye abantwana kungenzeka bangatshwenywa zizifwezo, ngitjho nanyana bangaba nazo ngeengazini. Akusinjalo ngesono. Iimphumela yesono saka-Adamu bekunandlela yokuyibalekela. Soke siyayizwa. Iyabulala ngaso soke isikhathi. Idluliselwa kibo boke abantwana. Bebungaqedwa ubujamo obutlhuwisakobu?

Ilungiselelo LakaJehova NgoJesu Krestu

7, 8. Ikambo yabantu ababili abapheleleko yayiletha njani iimphumela ehluke khulu?

⁷ Ngethando, uJehova wenzela abantu ilungiselelo lokuhlula isono abasizuze njengelifa. UPowula wahlathulula bona lokho bekungenzeka ngebanga lomunye umuntu, umuntu opheleko wamuva—eqinisweni u-Adamu wesibili. (1 Kor. 15:45) Kodwana iinkambo ezingafani ezithethwe babantu ababili abaphelelekwaba zaletha iimphumela ehluke khulu. Kwenzeka njani lokho?—Funda KwebeRoma 5:15, 16.

⁸ UPowula watlola: “Kodwana kukhona umahluko hlangana nababilaba.” U-Adamu bekanomlandu wokweqa umthetho, begodu ngobulungiswa wafumana isigwebo esibuhlungu—wafa. Nokho, gade kungasuye yedwa obekazokufa. Siyafunda: “Ngesono soyedwa abanengi bafa.” Isigwebo esilungileko esanikelwa u-Adamu besitlhoga bona kwenzeke okufanako enzalweni yakhe yoke engakapheleli, kuhlanganise nathi. Nanyana kunjalo, singatjhiriyeka ekwazini bona umuntu opheleleko, uJesu, angaveza iimphumela ehlukileko. Uba yini umphumela? Ipendulo siyibona emezwini kaPowula nekakhuluma ‘ngokumenyezelwa kwabo [abantu bayo yoke iimhlobo] bona balungile bafumane ukuphila.”—Rom. 5:18.

9. Njengombana kutjengiswe KwebeRoma 5:16, 18, khuyini uZimu ebekayenza nekathi abantu kuthiwa balungile?

⁹ Uyini umqondo oyihloko wamezwi wesiGirigi athi ‘kuthiwe ulungile’ nathi “kuthiwe balungile”? Omunye umtjhugululi weBhayibhili watlola malungana nombono loyo: “Singathekiso esingokomthetho esiveza iphuzu elineengcenye ezinengi ezisebenza kwezomthetho. Sikhuluma ngetjhuguluko ebujamweni umuntu anabo noZimu, ingasi itjhuguluko yangaphakathi komuntu . . . Isingathekiswesi siveza uZimu njengomahluleli ofikelele isiqunto sokobana ummangalelwa, obekunjengokungathi ulethwe ekhotho yakaZimu amangalelwa ngokungalungi, akanamlandu. Kodwana uZimu uyamtjhaphulula omangalelweko.”

10. Yini uJesu ayenza eyanikela isisekelo sokobana kuthiwe abantu balungile?

¹⁰ Kungasiphi isisekelo “uMahluleli wephasi loke” olungileko angafumana umuntu ongakalungi anganamlandu? (Gen. 18:25) Ngokuthatha amagadango alungileko, uZimu ngethando wathumela iNdodanakhe ekukuphela kwayo ephasini. UJesu wenza intando kaYise ngokupheleleko, naphezu kweenlingo, ukunyefulwa ngokweqileko, nokutlhoriswa. Wabulunga ukuthembeka kwakhe bekwaba sekufeni esigodweni sokutlhoriswa. (Heb. 2:10) Ekunikeleni ngokuphila kwakhe okupheleleko, uJesu wanikela ngesihlengo esingatjhaphulula, namtjhana sihlenge, inzalo ka-Adamu esonweni nekufeni.—Mat. 20:28; Rom. 5:6-8.

11. Isihlengo sisekelwe kukuphi ukukhambelana?

¹¹ Kokhunye, uPowula wabiza lokho ngokobana “sihlengo esikhambelanako.” (1 Thi. 2:6, NW.) Kutjho ukuthini ukukhambelanokho? U-Adamu waletha ukungapheleli nokufa eenkulungwaneni zeengidi zabantu, okuyinzalo yakhe. Kuliqiniso bona uJesu, njengomuntu opheleleko, bekangaba mthombo wamabhiliyoni wenzalo epheleleko.a Ngalokho, kwalemukwa bona ukuphila kwakaJesu nokuphila kwalabo ebebangaba yinzalo yakhe epheleleko kwenza umhlatjelo olingana naloya waka-Adamu nenzalo yakhe engakapheleli. Nokho, iBhayibhili alitjho bona nanyana ngiyiphi inzalo uJesu ebekangaba nayo yakha ingcenye yesihlengo. YebeRoma 5:15-19 ikhuluma ngokufa “komuntu oyedwa” okwaletha itjhaphuluko. Kwamambala, ukuphila kwakaJesu okupheleleko kwakhambelana nokwaka-Adamu. Kufuze kudzimelelwe kuJesu Krestu kwaphela. Kwakghoneka ngeemhlobo yoke yabantu ukwamukela isipho sasimahla nokuphila ngebanga ‘lokulunga kwakaJesu,’ ikambo yakhe yokulalela nokuthembeka bekube sekufeni. (2 Kor. 5:14, 15; 1 Pit. 3:18) Umphumela loyo ube khona njani?

Ukufunyanwa Unganamlandu Ngesisekelo Sesihlengo

12, 13. Kubayini labo ekuthiwa balungile batlhoga umusa nethando lakaZimu?

¹² UJehova uZimu wamukela umhlatjelo wesihlengo owanikelwa yiNdodanakhe. (Heb. 9:24; 10:10, 12) Namtjhana kunjalo, abafundi bakaJesu ephasini, kuhlanganise nabapostoli bakhe abathembekileko, bahlala bangakapheleli. Nanyana balwela ukubalekela ukwenza okumbi, azange baphumelele ngaso soke isikhathi. Kubayini? Ngombana bazuza isono njengelifa. (Rom. 7:18-20) Kodwana uZimu wenza okuthileko ngalokho. Wamukela “isihlengo esikhambelanako” begodu bekazimisele ukusisebenzisa eencekwini zakhe ezibabantu.

¹³ Akusikukobana uZimu bekakoloda abapostoli nabanye bona asebenzise isihlengo kibo ngombana benze imisebenzi emihle ethileko. Kunalokho, uZimu wasebenzisa isihlengo kibo ngombana anomusa nethando elikhulu. Wakhetha ukutjhaphulula abapostoli nabanye esigwebweni sabo, wabaqala njengabanganamlandu ozuzwe njengelifa. UPowula wahlathulula: “Njeke ukuphuluswa kwenu ngokukholwa kuya ngomusa wakhe. Akuyi ngokulinga kwenu, kodwana kusisipho sakaZimu.”—Efe. 2:8.

14, 15. Ngimuphi umvuzo ebewubekwe phambi kwalabo uZimu athi balungile, kodwana bekusafuze benzeni?

¹⁴ Cabanga bona kusisipho esikhulu kangangani ngoSomandla ukulibalela isono umuntu asizuze njengelifa kuhlanganise neemtjhapho ayenzileko! Ngeze wakwazi ukubala zingaki izono umuntu azenza ngaphambi kobana abe mKrestu, nokho ngesisekelo sesihlengo, uZimu angazilibalela izonwezo. UPowula wathi: “Isipho sesihle esafika ngemva kwezono zabanengi saletha ukuhlengwa kwabantu.” (Rom. 5:16) Abapostoli nabanye abafumana isipho sethandwesi (ukuqalwa njengabalungileko) bekufuze baragele phambili bakhulekele uZimu weqiniso ngekholo. Ngimuphi umvuzo wesikhathi esizako ebebazowufumana? “Kodwana lokho angekhe kwalinganiswa nokuhlenga kwakhe loyo oyedwa uJesu Krestu. Laba abamukela umusa ongaka wakaZimu nesipho esikulunga, baphile babuse ngokungapheliko.” Kwamambala, isipho sokulunga sisebenza ngendlela ehlukileko. Isiphweso siletha ukuphila.—Rom. 5:17; funda uLuka 22:28-30.

¹⁵ Labo abamukela isiphweso, kuthiwa balungile, baba madodana kaZimu angokomoya. Njengeendlalifa noKrestu, banethemba lokuvuselwa ezulwini njengamadodana angokomoya bona ‘babuse njengamakhosi’ noJesu Krestu.—Funda KwebeRoma 8:15-17, 23.

Ithando LakaZimu Litjengiswa Nakwabanye

16. Labo abanethemba lokuphila ephasini bangasamukela njani isipho?

¹⁶ Akusibo boke abatjengisa ikholo begodu abakhonza uZimu njengamaKrestu athembekileko abalindeleke bona ‘babuse njengamakhosi’ noKrestu ezulwini. Abanengi banethemba elisekelwe eBhayibhilini elifana neleenceku zakaZimu zangaphambi kobuKrestu. Banethemba lokuphila ngokungapheliko eparadeyisini ephasini. Bangakghona na ngitjho kwanjesi ukufumana isipho sethando esivela kuZimu begodu baqalwe njengabalungileko banombono wokuphila ephasini? Ngokusekelwe kilokho uPowula akutlolela beRoma, ipendulo ekhuthazako ngu-iye!

17, 18. (a) Ngebanga lekholo laka-Abrahama uZimu wamqala njani? (b) Kwenzeka njani bona uJehova aqale u-Abrahama njengolungileko?

¹⁷ UPowula wakhuluma ngesibonelo esiyihloko, u-Abrahama, indoda yekholo eyaphila ngaphambi kobana uJehova anikele ama-Israyeli umthetho nangaphambi kobana uKrestu avule indlela yokuphila ezulwini. (Heb. 10:19, 20) Siyafunda: “Mhlana uZimu athembisa u-Abrahama nesapho lakhe bona bazakudla ilifa lephasi, isithembiswesi azange asenze ngombana u-Abrahama walalela umthetho kodwana senziwa ngombana wakholwa nguZimu, kwabalelwa kuye ukulunga.” (Rom. 4:13; Jak. 2:23, 24) Ngalokho, uZimu waqala u-Abrahama othembekileko njengolungileko.—Funda KwebeRoma 4:20-22.

¹⁸ Lokho akutjho bona u-Abrahama nekakhonza uJehova amatjhumi weemnyaka, bekanganasono. Bekangasi ngolungileko ngomqondo loyo. (Rom. 3:10, 23) Nokho, ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe okunganamkhawulo, uJehova watjheja ikholo eliveleleko laka-Abrahama neemsebenzi yakhe eyavezwa ngilo. Ngokukhethekileko, u-Abrahama watjengisa ikholo ‘enzalweni’ ethenjisiweko ebeyizokuvela erhelweni lenzalo yakhe. INzalo leyo yaba nguMesiya, namtjhana uKrestu. (Gen. 15:6; 22:15-18) Ngokuvumelana nalokho, ‘ngesihlengo sakaKrestu Jesu,’ uMahluleli wezulwini angakghona ukulibalela izono ezenzeka ngaphambilini. Ngalokho, u-Abrahama namanye amadoda wekholo wangeenkhathi zaphambi kobuKrestu balindele ivuko.—Funda KwebeRoma 3:24, 25; Rha. 32:1, 2.

Thabela Ubujamo Obulungileko Nje

19. Kubayini indlela uJehova aqala ngayo u-Abrahama kufuze ibe sikhuthazo kwabanengi namhlanjesi?

¹⁹ AmaKrestu weqiniso namhlanjesi kufuze akhuthazwe liqiniso lokobana uZimu wethando waqala u-Abrahama njengolungileko. UJehova khenge athi ulungile ngomqondo aqala ngawo labo abazese ngomoya bona babe ‘ziindlalifa noKrestu.’ Abantu abakha isiqhemeso balinani elilinganiselweko ‘labakhethiweko bona babe ngebakhe’ godu bamukelwa bona babe ‘madodana kaZimu.’ (Rom. 1:7; 8:14, 17, 33) Ngokuphambeneko, u-Abrahama yena waba ‘mngani kaJehova, begodu lokho kwenzeka ngaphambi kobana kunikelwe umhlatjelo wesihlengo. (Jak. 2:23; Isa. 41:8) Kuthiwani-ke ngamaKrestu weqiniso anethemba lokuphila eParadeyisini elibuyiselweko ephasini?

20. Khuyini uZimu ayilindele kilabo abaqala njengabalungileko namhlanje, njengombana aqala u-Abrahama?

²⁰ Labo abakamukeli ‘isipho sesihle esikulunga’ banethemba lokuphila ezulwini ‘ngesihlengo sakaKrestu Jesu obakhululako.’ (Rom. 3:24; 5:15, 17) Nanyana kunjalo, batjengisa ikholo elidephileko kuZimu nemalungiselelweni wakhe, babonakalisa nekholo labo ngemisebenzi emihle. Omunye wemisebenzi enjalo ‘kutjhumayela ngombuso kaZimu, nokufundisa ngeKosi uJesu Krestu.’ (IZe. 28:31) Ngalokho, uJehova angabaqala njengabalungileko ngomqondo aqala ngawo u-Abrahama. Isipho esifunyanwa ngabanjalo—ubungani noZimu—asifani ‘nesipho sesihle esikulunga’ esifunyanwa ngabazesiweko. Nokho, ngokuqinisekileko sisipho abasamukela ngokuthokoza okukhulu.

21. Ngiziphi iinzuzo ezifumaneka ngebanga lethando nobulungisa bakaJehova?

²¹ Newunethemba lokuthabela ukuphila okungapheliko ephasini, kufuze utjheje bona ithubeli awukalifumani ngombana ukhethwe mbusi omumuntu. Kunalokho, litjengisa umnqopho ohlakaniphileko woMbusi Wendawo Yoke. UJehova uthethe amagadango athuthukako wokufikelela umnqophwakhe. Amagadango la akhambelana nobulungisa beqiniso. Ngaphezu kwalokho, atjengise ithando elikhulu ngoZimu. UPowula angathi: “UZimu usibonisile bona usithanda kangangani, ngokobana sisesezizoni uKrestu wafa esikhundleni sethu.”—Rom. 5:8.

[Umtlolo waphasi]

Uyakhumbula?

• Inzalo ka-Adamu yafumana liphi ilifa, kwaba namuphi umphumela?

• Ngisiphi isihlengo esikhambelanako esalungiselelwako, begodu kungamuphi umqondo sikhambelana?

• Isipho sokuba ngabalungileko siletha liphi ithemba kuwe?

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

Umuntu opheleleko u-Adamu wona. Umuntu opheleleko uJesu wanikela ‘ngesihlengo esikhambelanako’

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

NgoJesu kungathiwa silungile—qala bona lezo ziindaba ezimnandi kangangani!