Ngaba Ukumiselwa Kusengaphambili Kunokuvisisaniswa Nothando LukaThixo?

“UKUMISELWA kusengaphambili sikuchaza njengento eyacetywa nguThixo kwasephakadeni, awathi ngako wagqiba ngoko afuna ukukwenza ngomntu ngamnye. Kuba akabadalanga ngokufanayo bonke, kodwa bambi ubamisela kusengaphambili ukuba bafumane ubomi obungunaphakade yaye abanye ukuba baya kugwetywa ngonaphakade.”

Leyo yindlela umlweli woHlaziyo womProtestanti uJohn Calvin awayichaza ngayo ingcamango yakhe yokumiselwa kusengaphambili kwincwadi ethi Institutes of the Christian Religion. Le ngcamango isekelwe kwimbono yokuba akukho nto angayaziyo uThixo kwanokuba oko kwenziwa zizidalwa zakhe akunakuma phambi kweenjongo zakhe okanye kumnyanzelise ukuba enze iinguqulelo.

Kodwa eneneni ngaba oku koko iBhayibhile isixelela kona ngoThixo? Okona kubalulekileyo, ngaba ingcaciso enjalo iyavisisana neempawu zikaThixo, ngokukodwa olona phawu lwakhe lubalaseleyo—uthando?

UThixo Okwaziyo Ukulixela Kusengaphambili Ikamva

UThixo uyakwazi ukulixela kusengaphambili ikamva. Uthi yena ngulowo “ukuxelayo kwasekuqaleni okungasemva, nakwabamandulo okungekenzeki, ndisithi, Icebo lam liya kuma, ndikwenze konke ukuthanda kwam.” (Isaya 46:10) Ukutyhubela imbali yabantu, uThixo wenze ukuba iziprofeto zakhe zibhalwe phantsi ukubonisa ukuba unokusebenzisa ubuchule bakhe bokwazi izinto kusengaphambili aze azixele kwangaphambili zingekenzeki.

Ngaloo ndlela, ngemihla kaBheleshatsare, ukumkani waseBhabhiloni, xa umprofeti uDaniyeli waphupha amarhamncwa amabini asendle, elinye lithabatha indawo yelinye, uYehova wamnika intsingiselo yalo: “Inkunzi yegusha oyibonileyo ineempondo ezimbini, ngokumkani bamaMedi nabamaPersi; nenkunzi yebhokhwe exhonti ngukumkani wakwaYavan [waseGrisi, NW].” (Daniyeli 8:20, 21) Licacile elokuba uThixo wasebenzisa ubuchule bakhe bokwazi kusengaphambili ukutyhila ukulandelelana kwamagunya ehlabathi. UBukhosi baseBhabhiloni obabulawula ngoko babuya kulandelwa ngamaMedi namaPersi yaye emva koko yiGrisi.

Iziprofeto zikwanokubhekisela kumntu omnye. Ngokomzekelo, umprofeti uMika wavakalisa ukuba uMesiya wayeya kuzalelwa eBhetelehem. (Mika 5:2) Kwakhona, kule meko uThixo wasebenzisa ubuchule bakhe bokwazi kusengaphambili. Noko ke, esi siganeko savakaliswa ngenjongo ekhethekileyo—ukufaniswa kukaMesiya. Esi sihlandlo asikuthetheleli ukusetyenziswa kwemfundiso yokumiselwa kusengaphambili njengequka umntu ngamnye.

Ngokwahlukileyo koko, iZibhalo zibonisa ukuba kukho iimeko athi kuzo uThixo akhethe ukungayazi kusengaphambili imiphumo. Kanye ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kweSodom neGomora, wavakalisa oku: “Ndiya kukha ndihle, ndikhangele ukuba baphelelisile na ngokwesikhalo sayo esifikileyo kum; ukuba akunjalo, ndazi.” (Genesis 18:21) Esi sibhalo sisibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba uThixo wayengawazi umkhamo wokonakala kwezo zixeko ngaphambi kokuya kuzihlola.

Liyinyaniso elokuba uThixo uyakwazi ukuzibona kwangaphambili iziganeko ezithile, kodwa kwiimeko ezininzi, uye wakhetha ukungabusebenzisi ubuchule bakhe bokwazi kusengaphambili. Ngenxa yokuba uThixo engusomandla, unelungelo lokusebenzisa ubuchule bakhe njengoko yena ethanda, kungekhona ngokokuthanda kwabantu abangafezekanga.

UThixo Onokuzilungisa Izinto

NjengoCalvin, bambi bathi ukona komntu kwamiselwa nguThixo ngaphambi kokudalwa kwakhe kwanokuba ‘abanyuliweyo’ wabamisela ngaphambi kweso sono. Kodwa ukuba oku bekuyinyaniso, ngaba wayengayi kuba uyahanahanisa uThixo ngokuthembisa uAdam noEva ngobomi obungunaphakade, esazi kakuhle ukuba babengayi kubufumana? Ngaphezu koko, iZibhalo azikukhanyeli ukuba isibini sokuqala esingabantu sanikwa ukhetho: ukulandela ulwalathiso lobuthixo size siphile ngonaphakade okanye ukuluchasa size sife.—Genesis, isahluko 2.

Kodwa eneneni ngaba isono sika-Adam noEva sayithintela injongo kaThixo? Akunjalo, kuba kanye emva kokona kwabo, uThixo wathi wayeya kuvelisa “imbewu” eyayiza kutshabalalisa uSathana namahlakani akhe aze aphinde azilungise izinto emhlabeni. Kanye njengokuba izinambuzane ezimbalwa zingenakumthintela umlimi ekuveliseni isivuno esihle, ngoko ukungathobeli kuka-Adam noEva akusayi kumthintela uThixo ekwenzeni umhlaba ube yiparadisi.—Genesis, isahluko 3.

Kamva uThixo wabonisa ukuba kwakuya kubakho urhulumente obuBukumkani obabuza kunikwa imbewu kaKumkani uDavide kwanokuba abanye babeya kuba ngamadlelane kobu Bukumkani. Aba bangabanye babizwa ngokuba ‘ngabangcwele bOsenyangweni.’—Daniyeli 7:18; 2 Samuweli 7:12; 1 Kronike 17:11.a

Ukuxela Kusengaphambili Ayikokumisela Kusengaphambili

Isibakala sokuba uThixo wakhetha ukungalazi ikhondo elaliya kuthatyathwa luluntu asizange simthintele ekuprofeteni ngemiphumo yezenzo zomntu ezilungileyo okanye ezimbi. Umkhandi olumkisa umqhubi ngemeko embi yesithuthi sakhe akanakubekwa tyala ukuba kwenzeka ingozi okanye atyholwe ngokuyimisela kusengaphambili. Ngokufanayo, uThixo akanakutyholwa ngokuyimisela kusengaphambili imiphumo emibi yezenzo zomntu ngamnye.

Kwaba njalo ngenzala yesibini sokuqala esingabantu. Ngaphambi kokuba uKayin abulale umntakwabo, uYehova wakhethisa uKayin. Ngaba wayeya kusilawula isono, okanye ngaba sasiya kumlawula? Ingxelo ayibonisi ukuba uYehova wakumisela kusengaphambili ukuba uKayin enze ukhetho olubi aze ambulale umntakwabo.—Genesis 4:3-7.

Kamva, uMthetho kaMoses wawalumkisa amaSirayeli ngokwakuya kwenzeka ukuba ayemfulathele uYehova, mhlawumbi, ngokuthabatha abafazi kwiintlanga ezingabahedeni. Okwaxelwa kwangaphambili kwenzeka. Oku kunokubonwa kumzekelo kaKumkani uSolomon, owathi ebudaleni waphenjelelwa ngabafazi bakhe bezinye iintlanga ukuba akhonze izithixo. (1 Kumkani 11:7, 8) Ewe, uThixo wabalumkisa abantu bakhe, kodwa akazange azimisele kusengaphambili izenzo zomntu ngamnye.

Abanyuliweyo, bakhuthazwa ukuba banyamezele ukuba abafuni kuphulukana nomvuzo othenjisiweyo wokulawula emazulwini noKristu. (2 Petros 1:10; ISityhilelo 2:5, 10, 16; 3:11) Kunjengoko abafundi ngezakwalizwi abathile beye babuza, Kwakutheni ukuze kunikelwe amazwi okukhumbuza anjalo ukuba ubizo lwabanyuliweyo lwalungenakuguqulwa?

Ukumiselwa Kusengaphambili Nothando LukaThixo

Umntu wanikwa inkululeko yokuzikhethela, njengoko enziwe “ngokomfanekiselo kaThixo.” (Genesis 1:27) Inkululeko yokuzikhethela yayifuneka ukuze abantu bamhlonele baze bamkhonze uThixo beqhutywa luthando, kungekhona njengerobhothi ezenzo zayo zicwangciswa kusengaphambili. Uthando olubonakaliswa zizidalwa ezikrelekrele nezikhululekileyo, luya kwenza uThixo akwazi ukuzikhanyela izimangalo zobuxoki. Uthi: “Yiba nobulumko, nyana wam, uyivuyise intliziyo yam; ukuze ndimphendule ngezwi ondingcikivayo.”—IMizekeliso 27:11.

Ukuba abakhonzi bakaThixo babemiselwe kusengaphambili—okanye becwangcisiwe, ngokungathi kunjalo—ngaba bekungayi kuthandatyuzwa ukuba bamthanda ngokwenene kusini na uMdali wabo? Kwakhona, ngaba bekungayi kuphikisana nokungakhethi buso kukaThixo ukuba abamisele kusengaphambili abantu abaza kufumana uzuko nolonwabo engakhange ayihlole ihambo yomntu ngamnye? Ngaphezu koko, ukuba bambi baphathwa kakuhle ngolo hlobo, ngoxa abanye bemiselwe ukufumana isohlwayo sikanaphakade, oku bekungayi kufane kubenze babe noxabiso lokwenene abo “banyuliweyo.”—Genesis 1:27; Yobhi 1:8; IZenzo 10:34, 35.

Elokuqukumbela, uKristu waxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba bashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo kuluntu lonke. Ukuba uThixo sele ebakhethile abo baza kusindiswa, ngaba oku bekungayi kuyinciphisa inzondelelo ebonakaliswa ngamaKristu kumsebenzi wobuvangeli? Ngaba bekungayi kuwenza inkcitha-xesha umsebenzi wokushumayela?

Uthando lukaThixo lokungakhethi buso yeyona nto inamandla inokushukumisela abantu ekubeni nabo bamthande. Eyona mbonakaliso ibalaseleyo yothando lukaThixo yayikukuncama uNyana wakhe ngenxa yoluntu olungafezekanga nolunesono. Isibakala sokuba uThixo azi kusengaphambili ngoNyana wakhe kwakuyimeko ekhethekileyo, kodwa sisiqinisekisa ukuba amadinga okubuyiselwa asekelwe kuYesu aya kuzalisekiswa ngokwenene. Ngoko ngamana singakholosa ngaloo Nyana size sisondele kuThixo. Masibonakalise uxabiso lwethu ngokwamkela isimemo sikaThixo sokuba nolwalamano oluhle noMdali wethu. Namhlanje, uThixo udlulisela esi simemo kubo bonke abafuna ukusebenzisa inkululeko yabo yokuzikhethela baze babonakalise ukuba bayamthanda.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 7]

UKUMISELWA KUSENGAPHAMBILI NJENGODIDI

“Abo wabaziyo ngenxa engaphambili, wabamisela ngenxa engaphambili ukuba bafane nomfanekiselo woNyana wakhe, ukuze abe ngowamazibulo kubazalwana abaninzi. Abo ke wabamisayo ngenxa engaphambili, wabuya wababiza bona; waza abo wababizayo, wabuya wabagwebela bona; abo ke wabagwebelayo, wabuya wabazukisa nokubazukisa bona.” (Roma 8:29, 30) Sifanele siliqonde njani ibinzana elithi ‘ukumiselwa kusengaphambili’ elisetyenziswe nguPawulos kwezi ndinyana?

La magqabaza kaPawulos akathetheleli imbono yokumiselwa kusengaphambili komntu ngamnye. Ebutsheni benkulungwane yethu, iDictionnaire de théologie catholique yacacisa umongo wamazwi kaPawulos (Roma, isahluko 9-11) ngale ndlela: “Ngomlinganiselo owandayo, imbono exhaphakileyo kubaphengululi abangamaKatolika yeyokuba eyona ngcamango yokumiselwa kusengaphambili ukuze ufumane ubomi obungunaphakade ayikacaciswa.” Kwale ncwadi yeembekiselo yandula icaphule uM. Lagrange esithi: “Umbandela owaphakanyiswa nguPawulos ngokuyintloko awuthethi ngokumiselwa kusengaphambili nokumiselwa umgwebo kodwa kuphela nje uthetha ngokubizelwa kweeNtlanga kubabalo lobuKristu, lo mbandela wawuchasene nokungakholwa kwamaYuda. . . . Wawubhekisela kumaqela, iiNtlanga, amaYuda, kungekhona kubantu ngabanye ngokuthe ngqo.”—Akekeliswe sithi.

Kutshanje, iThe Jerusalem Bible iye yafikelela kwisigqibo esifanayo ngezi zahluko (Ro 9-11), isithi: “Ngoko ke, eyona nto kuthethwa ngayo kwezi zahluko, asingombandela wokumiselwa komntu kusengaphambili ukuba uya kufumana uzuko, okanye afumane ukholo, kodwa kuthethwa ngendima kaSirayeli kwinkqubela yembali yosindiso, nto leyo ekuphela kwembambano ephakanyiswa ngamazwi akwiTestamente Endala.”

Iindinyana zokugqibela zamaRoma isahluko 8 zinomongo ofanayo. Ngaloo ndlela, ezi ndinyana zinokusikhumbuza kakuhle ukuba uThixo wabubona kwangaphambili ubukho bodidi, okanye iqela, elithatyathwe kuluntu nolwaluya kubizelwa ukulawula noKristu, kwaneemfaneleko ekwakuya kufuneka luzifikelele—yaye oku kwenziwa ngaphandle kokubamisela kusengaphambili abantu ababeya kukhethwa, kuba oko kwakuya kuphikisana nothando nokuba sesikweni kwakhe.