Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi

◼ Yintoni umahluko phakathi kokungafi nobomi obungunaphakade?

Ubomi obungenasiphelo buya kunanditshwa kokubini ngabo bathanjisiweyo abafumana ubomi bokomoya ezulwini nangabantu uThixo abavakalisa bengamalungisa ukuba baphile kumhlaba oyiParadisi. Ngoko ukuba ucinga ngomphumo, ukungafi kubomi basemazulwini nobomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni ngokusisiseko kuphumela kwinto enye—ukuphila ngonaphakade. Noko ke, kukho amagqabaza athile okungafi anokwenziwa.

Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ukungafi” (athanasia) lisekelwe kwisilanduli esingu a nakuthanatos, othetha “ukufa.” Ngaloo ndlela ukungafi kunengqiqo esisiseko ‘yokungabi nakufa,’ okanye ukungafi. Kuyaqondakala ukuba, uYehova ungumthombo ogqibeleleyo wabo bonke ubomi ibe akafi. (INdumiso 36:9; 90:1, 2) Oko kuqinisekiswa sisibakala sokuba uNyana wakhe ozukisiweyo, othe ngoku “elubengezelo lobuqaqawuli [bukaThixo], nombhalo wenkqu yakhe,” wachazwa ‘njengoKumkani wookumkani, uNkosi kaNkosi; okuphela konokungafi.’ (Hebhere 1:3; 1 Timoti 6:15, 16) Akukho sidalwa esinokumbulala uYesu njengoko engonokungafi, okumenza ukuba ahluke kubantu okanye kubantu abayimimoya abanokufa. Ngokubhekele phaya, sifunda oku: “Evusiwe nje [uKristu] kwabafileyo, akabi safa; ukufa akusamphathi ngabukhosi.”—Roma 6:9.

Nangona ukungafi, ngengqiqo evakalayo, kubomi obungunaphakade, kuyabonakala ukuba kuquka okungakumbi kunokuba lowo unokungafi eya kuphila ngonaphakade. Kubonakala kubonisa uhlobo olukhethekileyo lobomi, ibe kuhlobene nokungonakali. IBhayibhile ithi ngamaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya awamkela isipho sasezulwini: “Kumele oku konakalayo [kumzimba wako wobuntu] ukwambatha ukungonakali, noku kufayo ukwambatha ukungafi. Xa ke oku konakalayo kuthe kwambatha ukungonakali, noku kufayo kuthe kwambatha ukungafi, liya kwandula ukwenzeka ilizwi elibhaliweyo lokuthi, Ukufa kufincelwe eloyisweni.”—1 Korinte 15:53, 54.

Sekunjalo, iBhayibhile ayinikeli nkcazelo ingako ngobunjani bobomi obubizwa ngokuba kukungafi. Siyazi ukuba abantu abafayo—kwanabantu abafezekileyo abanethemba lobomi obungenasiphelo emhlabeni—bamele badle baze basele ukuze bahlale bephila, okanye bayafa ize imizimba yabo yonakale. (Genesis 2:9, 15, 16) Alithandabuzeki elokuba ukungafi kubandakanya uhlobo lobomi olungafuni kuzinyaswa ngolo hlobo. Ngaloo ndlela kunokutshiwo ukuba bonke abo banokungafi abalawulwa kukufa okanye ‘ukufa akusenabukhosi kubo.’ Kwakhona, oku bekuya kuvisisana nokwambatha kwabo ukungonakali, okubonisa ukuba imizimba okanye amalungu abo okomoya ngokwemvelo akanakubola, akanakutshabalala okanye onakale. (Thelekisa eyesi-2 Korinte 5:1; ISityhilelo 20:6.) Ngezi ndlela umahluko usenokubonwa phakathi kokungafi nokuphila komntu ubomi obungunaphakade.

UYehova uThixo unguMgwebi ogqibeleleyo onikel’ isipho sokungafi kwabo bathanjisiweyo. Xa yena ngobulumko nangengqiqo yakhe engenamida evumela abo banjalo ukuba bavavanywe ngokupheleleyo baze ngokungathandabuzekiyo balungele ukungafi, sinokuba nentembelo yokuba baya kuthembeka ngonaphakade. Bonke abo uYehova abagweba ngokufanelekela ubomi obungenasiphelo, enoba njengemimoya enokungafi okanye njengabantu abagqibeleleyo, baya kuba nako ukumnqula ngonaphakade. Ngaloo ndlela, kuhlolisiso lwezibakala, kokubini abantu abanobomi obungunaphakade nabanokungafi ezulwini baphumela kubomi obungenasiphelo.—Yohane 17:3.

◼ Ngaba kuchanile ngokusuka kuYohane 20:25 ukugqiba ngelokuba uYesu wabethelelwa ngesikhonkwane esahlukileyo kwisandla ngasinye?

ICyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, nguM’Clintock noStrong, iyagqabaza:

‘Ithuba namandla angakumbi ziye zachithwa ekuphikisaneni ngelokuba zazizithathu okanye zazine kusini na izikhonkwane ezasetyenziswa ekubetheleleni iNkosi. UNonnus uqinisekisa ukuba kwasetyenziswa ezithathu kuphela, nkcazelo leyo angqinelwa nguGregory Nazianzen kuyo. Inkolelo engakumbi eqhelekileyo inikela inkcazelo yezikhonkwane ezine, uluvo oluxhaswa ngokugqithiseleyo naziimpikiswano zokufun’ ukwazi ezenziwa nguCurtius. Abanye baye balinyusela iinani lezikhonkwane kwishumi elinesine.’—Umqulu II, iphepha 580.

UMateyu 27:35 uthi nje: “Athi ke, akumbethelela emnqamlezweni, abelana ngeengubo zakhe, esenza amaqashiso.” Akunikelwa nkcukacha, njengoko kunjalo kuMarko, kuLuka nakuYohane. Emva kokuvuka kukaYesu, uTomas wathi: “Ukuba andithanga ndilibone inxeba lezikhonkwane ezandleni zayo, ndiwufake umnywe wam enxebeni lezikhonkwane, ndisifake isandla sam ecaleni layo, andisayi kukholwa.” (Yohane 20:25) Ngoko nakubeni izaphuli-mthetho maxa wambi zazibotshelelwa emthini ngeentambo, uYesu wabethelelwa. Kwakhona bambi ngokusuka kuYohane 20:25 baye bagqiba ngelokuba kwasetyenziswa izikhonkwane ezibini, esinye kwisandla ngasinye. Kodwa ngaba ukusebenzisa kukaTomas isininzi (izikhonkwane) kunokuqondwa njengenkcazelo echanileyo ebonisa ukuba isandla ngasinye sikaYesu sasibethelelwe ngesikhonkwane?

KuLuka 24:39 uYesu ovusiweyo wathi: “Khangelani izandla zam neenyawo zam, ngokuba ndim kanye.” Oku kubonisa ukuba iinyawo zikaYesu nazo zazibethelelwe ngesikhonkwane. Ekubeni uTomas engazange awakhankanye amanxeba ezikhonkwane kwiinyawo zikaYesu, ukusebenzisa kwakhe isininzi esithi ‘izikhonkwane’ besinokuba yintetho nje eqhelekileyo ebhekisela kwizikhonkwane eziliqela ezazisetyenzisiwe ekubethelelweni kukaYesu.

Ngaloo ndlela, asinto nje inokwenzeka ngeli thuba ukuchaza ngokuqinisekileyo inani lezikhonkwane ezazisetyenzisiwe. Nayiphi na imizobo kaYesu emthini ifanele iqondwe njengemveliso yabazobi enikezela inkcazelo nje esekelwe kwizibakala ezilinganiselweyo esinazo. Ukuphikisana ngenkcazelo engabalulekanga ngolo hlobo akufanele kuvunyelwe ukuba kusithe yonk’ inyaniso ebalulekileyo yokuba “saxolelaniswa noThixo ngako ukufa koNyana wakhe.”—Roma 5:10.

◼ Ngaba umbandela othetha ngokuba ngokholekileyo kuThixo uthetha ukuba amaKristu asenokuthetha nalowo wakhe wagqalwa “esisinxulumani esikholekileyo” kodwa owathi kamva, ngenxa yesono awasenzayo, kwafuneka kunganxulunyanwa naye?

Ewe, uthetha oko. IMboniselo kaNovemba 15, 1988, yabonisa isizathu sokuba kungokweZibhalo ukwenza uhlengahlengiso kwimbono yethu ngomntu ongabhaptizwanga onesabelo namaNgqina kaYehova kubulungiseleli basesidlangalaleni. Ngaphambili, umntu onjalo wayebizwa ngokuba “sisinxulumani esikholekileyo.” Ukuba emva koko wayesaphula imithetho kaThixo aze angaguquki, ibandla lalilunyukiswa ngaye, yaye emva koko amalungu alo ayekuphepha ukunxulumana nokuncokola naye.

Njengoko umbandela wakutshanje ubonisile, iBhayibhile ifuna ukuba inyathelo lokohlwaya ngolo hlobo lithatyathwe kwimeko yabantu ababhaptiziweyo abangaboni abangaguqukiyo. (1 Korinte 5:11-13; 2 Yohane 9-11) Ukanti, imeko yokuziphendulela komntu ongabhaptizwanga oqhubeka esenza isono ayifani neyalowo ubhaptiziweyo. (Luka 12:48) Akabhaptizwanga ibe ngaloo ndlela akanguye oye waba ngongakholekileyo kuThixo, ngoko ukususwa ebudlelaneni akufanelekanga kwimeko yakhe. Ngokusisiseko, ngoku ungumntu wehlabathi ibe kunokuqhutywana naye ngaloo ndlela.

Kuthekani ke ngoko ngalowo ngaphambili wayebizwa ngokuba “sisinxulumani esikholekileyo” kodwa ke ongasabufanelekelanga ubulungiseleli basesidlangalaleni ngenxa yekhondo lakhe eliphosakeleyo? Ekubeni engasuswanga kubudlelane, ufanele aphathwe njengomntu wehlabathi lo anguye kakade.a Kambe ke, le Mboniselo kaNovemba 15 yacebisa kwiphepha 19 ukuba amaKristu anyanisekileyo amele alumke. Wona ayazi ukuba lo mntu ungabhaptizwanga usenokuba uye wasenza isono eso phezu kwalo nje ulwazi analo ngezinto ezifunwa nguThixo. AmaKristu akhulileyo ngolwazi amele akulumkele ukunxulumana nomntu onjalo kwimicimbi yokuzonwabisa. Ukuba kuphakama imibuzo mayela nomlinganiselo wezinto ekusenokunxityelelwana ngazo naye, uninzi lwayo lunokuphendulwa ngokulandela isiluleko esingokobuthixo. Sinokucamngca ngesiluleko esinjalo njengoko sifumaneka kweyoku-1 yabaseKorinte 15:33 nakwiMizekeliso 13:20 size sizibuze oku: ‘Bendiya kunxulumana kangakanani ngokufanelekileyo nomntu wehlabathi ongaphili ngokwemilinganiselo yamaKristu?’ Ukuba abadala bayabona ukuba ngandlel’ ithile umntu wehlabathi wohlobo olunjalo usisisongelo, banokuthi ngasese banikele isiluleko esilumkisayo kwabo ebandleni babonakala besengozini.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, umntu ongabhaptizwanga ‘obesisinxulumani esikholekileyo’ usenokubonisa ubungqina obusengqiqweni benguquko, ibe usenokunqwenela ukuqhutyelwa isifundo seBhayibhile kwakhona. (IZenzo 26:20) Usenokukuthetha oko kubadala bebandla akulo ngoku, abaya kuthi bona, ukuba kubonakala kucebiseka ukwenjenjalo, balungiselele ukuba aqhutyelwe isifundo seBhayibhile. Oku kusaya kwenzeka nakwixa elizayo nakumntu onokuthi abe ngongafanelekanga njengomvakalisi ongabhaptizwanga aze kamva abonakalise inguquko. Ngokuqhelekileyo, umele athethe nabadala ababini abebesingathe umcimbi wesono awasenzayo okanye abangabanye ababini ababekhethwe liqumrhu labadala ukuba bahlolisise umcimbi lowo ukuba ukucelile oko.

Ngokufanelekileyo, loo Mboniselo yacacisa ukuba oku kwahlukile kwimeko yabazali abanyamekela abantwana abasengaphantsi kwegunya labo ekhaya—bantwana abo ngokwasemthethweni bangaphantsi kwabo bekwaxhomekeke kubo njengabazali abanembopheleleko yokubalungiselela inkxaso yezinto eziphathekayo. (Efese 6:1-4) IZibhalo zibeka imbopheleleko yokufundisa neyokukhokela abantwana kubazali babo. Ngoko abazali (okanye umzali okholwayo) basenokukhetha ukumqhubela isifundo sangasese seBhayibhile umntwana ongaphantsi kwegunya labo owenze isono okanye ukumquka kucwangciso lwentsapho lwesifundo seBhayibhile neengxubusho zayo.

Ngoxa lo mbandela weMboniselo yakutshanje usithi makwenziwe uhlangahlengiso kwindlela ebesicinga ngayo nakwiinkqubano zethu, oko kwenziwa ngokuvisisana neZibhalo eziyingenelo ‘ekuqeqesheni ebulungiseni.’—2 Timoti 3:16, 17.

◼ Ngenxa yoko kuthethwa kuTito 1:6, ngaba abantwana bakabani bamele babhaptizwe bonke ukuba uza kufanelekela ukuba ngumdala ebandleni?

Kwisahluko sokuqala sikaTito, uPawulos wandlala iimfaneleko zamadoda akhonza njengabadala ebandleni. Enye yazo yaba kukuba umzalwana umele abe ‘ngongenakumangaleleka, enabantwana abakholwayo.’

Oku akunakuthetha ukuba abantwana bomdala bamele babhaptizwe bonke, kuba kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye baseziintsana. Ngoko ngokusengqiqweni uTito 1:6 umele ukuba uthetha ukuba abantwana baloo mntu abasele bekhulile bafanele babhaptizwe okanye bafanele ukuba babe bafunda inyaniso yeBhayibhile, beyamkela yaye beyisebenzisa yaye besenza inkqubela esa ekubhaptizweni, ngoxa besephakathi kwentsapho. (1 Korinte 7:14) Umdala ufanele azabalazele ukwenza abafundi kubantwana bakhe, abangengabo abo ‘bamiselwa ityala lokuzibhubhisa, abaswele ukuthobela umntu.’b

Sinokukuqonda kakuhle oku ngokuphawula indlela iBhayibhile esebenzisa ngayo ibinzana elithi ‘ikholwa.’ Kakade ke, umntu usenokuba nokholo, okanye akholelwe, kwizinto ezininzi. (IZenzo 26:27, 28; 2 Tesalonika 2:3, 11; Yakobi 2:19) Kodwa sifumanisa ukuba ‘ukukholwa’ ngokuqheleke ngakumbi kunxityelelaniswa nokwamkela ubuKristu nokubhaptizwa. (IZenzo 8:13; 18:8; thelekisa ese-19:1-5.) Ngokukhethekileyo ubhaptizo lubonisa ukuba umntu uyakholwa.—IZenzo 2:41, 44; 4:4, 32.

Bambi babantwana abaselula bomdala basenokuba abakakulungeli ngobudala, ngokweemvakalelo, okanye ngokomoya ukubhaptizwa. Kanti, uTito 1:6 ubachaza ‘njengabantwana abakholwayo’ ukuba benza inkqubela esa ekubhaptizweni, ngokuvisisana nobudala nemeko yabo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]