Ngaba Bunokubakho Ngokwenene Ubomi Obungunaphakade?
“Mfundisi, kukuphi okulungileyo endimele ndikwenze ukuze ndifumane ubomi obungunaphakade?”—MATEYU 19:16.
1. Yintoni enokuthethwa ngobude bobomi bethu?
UKUMKANI ongumPersi uXerxes I, iBhayibhile embiza ngokuthi nguAhaswerosi, wayehlola umkhosi wakhe ngaphambi kokuba kuyiwe edabini ngowama-480 B.C.E. (Estere 1:1, 2) Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali ongumGrike uHerodotus, zathi waxa iinyembezi kulo kumkani njengoko wayehlola amadoda akhe. Kwakonakele phi? UXerxes wathi: “Indixhel’ umphefumlo into yokucinga ngobufutshane bobomi bomntu. Kuba kuwo onke la madoda, akukho nanye eza kube isaphila kwiminyaka elikhulu ukususela ngoku.” Nawe umele ukuba uyiphawule indlela obufutshane kalusizi ngayo ubomi nento yokuba akakho ofuna ukwaluphala, agule aze afe. Kwowu, akwaba besinokuhlala sisempilweni yaye sonwabe njengabantu abaselula!—Yobhi 14:1, 2.
2. Liliphi ithemba abanalo abaninzi, yaye ngoba?
2 Ngenxa yale nto, iThe New York Times Magazine kaSeptemba 28, 1997, yayinenqaku elithi “They Want to Live [Bafuna Ukuphila].” Kweli nqaku kwacatshulwa umphengululi owadanduluka esithi: “Ndikholelwa ngokwenene ekubeni sinokuba sisizukulwana sokuqala ukuphila ngonaphakade”! Mhlawumbi nawe uyakholelwa ukuba umntu unako ukuphila ngonaphakade. Usenokuba ucinga ngolo hlobo kuba iBhayibhile isithembisa ukuba sinako ukuphila ngonaphakade apha emhlabeni. (INdumiso 37:29; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Ukanti, bambi bakholelwa kwelokuba ubomi obungunaphakade bunokubakho nangaphandle kwezizathu ezifumaneka eBhayibhileni. Ukuqwalasela imbinana yezi zizathu zabo kunokusinceda siqonde ukuba ubomi obungunaphakade bunokubakho ngokwenene.
Udalelwe Ukuphila Ngonaphakade
3, 4. (a) Kutheni abanye bekholelwa ukuba sifanele siphile ngonaphakade? (b) UDavide wathini ngokuyilwa kwakhe?
3 Esinye sezizathu ezininzi zokuba abantu babe bafanele baphile ngonaphakade sinokuthanani nendlela emangalisayo esidalwe ngayo. Ngokomzekelo, iyamangalisa indlela esiyileka ngayo kwizizalo zoomama bethu. Enye ingcungela efundisisa ngokwaluphala yabhala isithi: “Emva kokuba amandla endalo enze imimangaliso esusela ekukhawulweni kwethu saza sazalwa emva koko safikisa de saba ngabantu abakhulu, aye akhetha ukuba angayenzi lula inkqubo yokuyiqhuba ngonaphakade loo mimangaliso.” Ewe, xa sijonga nje indlela esenziwe ngokumangalisa ngayo, kutsho kuphakame umbuzo othi, Kutheni le nto simele sife?
4 Kumawaka eminyaka eyadlulayo umbhali weBhayibhile uDavide wacingisisa ngaloo mimangaliso, nangona wayengakwazi ukubona ngaphakathi kwesizalo njengezazinzulu zanamhlanje. UDavide wacamngca ngokukhawulwa kwakhe xa, njengoko wabhalayo, ‘wabiyelwa esizalweni sikanina.’ Uthi ngelo xesha ‘kwakubunjwa izintso zakhe.’ Kwakhona wathetha nangokubunjwa ‘kwamathambo akhe,’ xa, ngokutsho kwakhe, ‘wayesenzelwa entsithelweni.’ Emva koko uDavide wathi ‘wayeyimbumba’ waza wathetha wenjenje ngaloo mbumba eyayingaphakathi kwesizalo sikanina: “Zonke iinxalenye zam zazibhalwe phantsi encwadini yakho.”—INdumiso 139:13-16, thelekisa iNW.
5. Yiyiphi imimangaliso eyenzekayo xa siyilwa esizalweni?
5 Ngokuqinisekileyo, kwakungekho mbhalo wesandla wokoqobo ochaza indlela uDavide awayefanele ayileke ngayo kwisizalo sikanina. Kodwa xa uDavide wayecamngca ngokudalwa ‘kwezintso’ zakhe, ‘amathambo’ akhe namanye amalungu omzimba, kuye yayingathi ezi zinto zicetyiwe—yayingathi yonke into “ibhalwe phantsi.” Yayingathi iseli eqanduselweyo eyayingaphakathi kunina yayinegumbi elikhulu elalizele iincwadi ezinobuceducedu bemiyalelo yokudala imveku yaye loo miyalelo intsonkothileyo yayinokudluliselwa kwiseli nganye ekhulayo. Ngaloo ndlela, iphephancwadi iScience World lizekelisa ngokuthi ‘iseli nganye ekwimbumba ekhulayo inekhabhathi epheleleyo equlethe imiyalelo.’
6. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo bokuba, njengoko uDavide wabhalayo, ‘senziwe ngokoyikekayo’?
6 Ngaba wakha wayicinga nje indlela imizimba yethu esebenza ngokumangalisa ngayo? Isazi ngebhayoloji uJared Diamond sathi: “Sitshintsha iiseli eziphakathi emathunjini kanye emva kweentsuku nje ezimbalwa, ezesinyi sizitshintsha kanye emva kweenyanga ezimbini, ibe iiseli ezibomvu zegazi zitshintshwa kanye emva kweenyanga ezine.” Waqukumbela ngelithi: “Indalo isichitha isidibanisa imihla ngemihla.” Ithetha ntoni kanye kanye loo nto? Ithetha ukuba kungakhathaliseki ukuba siphila iminyaka emingaphi—enoba isi-8, ingama-80 okanye ingama-800—imizimba yethu ihlala imitsha. Esinye isazinzulu sakha senza olu qikelelo: “Kwisithuba esingangonyaka malunga nama-98 ekhulwini eeathom ezikwimizimba yethu ngoku aza kuthatyathelw’ indawo zezinye iiathom esiza kuzifumana emoyeni, ekutyeni nakwizinto esiziselayo.” Wayenyanisile uDavide xa wayebonga esithi ‘senziwe ngokoyikekayo.’—INdumiso 139:14.
7. Sisiphi isigqibo abaninzi abaye bafikelela kuso ngenxa yendlela imizimba yethu edalwe ngayo?
7 Ibona indlela eyakhiwe ngayo imizimba yethu, enye ingcungela efundisisa ngokwaluphala yathi: “Asazi ukuba kutheni na abantu befanele baluphale.” Eneneni ngendlela ekubonakala ngayo sifanele siphile ngonaphakade. Yile nto ke ebangela abantu bazame ukulufikelela olu sukelo besebenzisa ubugcisa babo. Kungekudala nje, uGqr. Alvin Silverstein ubhale eqinisekile kwincwadi yakhe ethi Conquest of Death wathi: “Siza kude siyibhaqe imfihlelo yobomi. Siza kuyiqonda . . . indlela umntu aluphala ngayo.” Ube yintoni ke umphumo? Wathelekelela esithi: “Akusayi kubakho bantu ‘balupheleyo,’ kuba ulwazi oluza kube lubangele ukuba ukufa koyiswe luza kubangela ukuba abantu bahlale bebatsha.” Xa ucinga ngophando lwenzululwazi yale mihla olungendlela abantu abadalwe ngayo, ngaba isavakala iyintsomi ingcamango yobomi obungunaphakade? Kukwakho nesinye isizathu esibambeka nangakumbi sokukholelwa ukuba ubomi obungunaphakade bunokubakho.
Umnqweno Wokuphila Ngonaphakade
8, 9. Nguwuphi umnqweno wemvelo abantu abaye banawo ukutyhubela yonke imbali?
8 Ngaba ukhe wayiphawula phofu into yokuba ukuphila ngonaphakade kungumnqweno ongokwemvelo womntu? Omnye ugqirha wabhala wenjenje kulindixesha othile waseJamani: “Abantu baba nomnqweno wokuphila ngonaphakade kwasekudalweni kwabo.” Ichaza iinkolelo zabemi bamandulo abathile baseYurophu, iThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Abantu ababalulekileyo baya kuphila ngonaphakade kwipomakazi eliqhelezelayo elifulelwe ngegolide.” Yaye hayi indlela abantu abaye bazibhokoxa ngayo bezama ukwanelisa loo mnqweno uyintloko wokuphila ngonaphakade!
9 IThe Encyclopedia Americana yathi eTshayina kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-2 000 eyadlulayo, “abalawuli nabantu [abaqhelekileyo], bekhokelwa ngababingeleli bobuTao, bakha bashiya imisebenzi baza baya kufuna ichiza lobomi”—elalibizwa ngokuba ngumthombo wobutsha. Okunene, ukutyhubela yonke imbali, abantu baye bakholelwa kwelokuba xa benokutya umxube othile, okanye basele amanzi athile, banokuhlala bebatsha.
10. Nguwuphi umgudu wale mihla owenziwayo ukuze ubomi bube budana?
10 Imizamo yale mihla yokwanelisa umnqweno womntu osegazini wokuphila ngonaphakade isabetha ngesingqi esifanayo. Umzekelo obalaseleyo woku kukukhenkciswa komntu oye wangenwa sisifo esithile. Oku kuye kwenziwa kujongwe ukuba ngeny’ imini xa liye lafumaneka iyeza leso sifo uya kubuyiselwa ebomini. Omnye umntu oluthethelelayo olu qheliselo, olubizwa ngokuba yicryonics, wabhala: “Ukuba le nto yethu inokungqineka iyinyaniso kuze kufumaneke indlela yokunyanga neyokulungisa wonke umonakalo—kuquka namahlaba okwaluphala—abo ‘bafa’ ngoku baya kufumana ubomi obungenasiphelo kwixesha elizayo.”
11. Kutheni abantu benqwenela ukuphila ngonaphakade?
11 Usenokuzibuza, kutheni le nto umnqweno wokuphila ngonaphakade wendele kangaka ezingqondweni zethu? Ngaba ubangelwa kukuba “[uThixo] ebeke ubunaphakade engqondweni yomntu”? (INtshumayeli 3:11, Revised Standard Version) Lo asingombandela nje wokuhambis’ incoko! Cinga nje: Yintoni ebinokusenza sibe nomnqweno osegazini wokuphila ubomi obungenasiphelo—ngonaphakade—ukuba yayingeyonjongo yoMdali wethu ukuba loo mnqweno waneliswe? Yaye ngaba ebeya kuba ubonakalisa uthando ukuba ebesidale sinomnqweno wokuphila ngonaphakade aze akugqiba ayenze iphuthe loo nto ngokusivimba indlela yokwanelisa loo mnqweno?—INdumiso 145:16.
Ngubani Esifanele Sikholose Ngaye?
12. Yiyiphi intembelo abanye abanayo, kodwa ngaba ucinga ukuba inesihlahla?
12 Sifanele sikholose ngabani, okanye ngantoni, ukuze sifumane ubomi obungunaphakade? Ngaba sifanele sikholose ngobugcisa babantu benkulungwane yama-20 okanye yama-21? Inqaku leThe New York Times Magazine elithi “They Want to Live [Bafuna Ukuphila]” lathetha “ngesithixo: ubugcisa” “nangokuthembela kwabantu koko kunokwenziwa bubugcisa.” Kuthiwa omnye umphengululi “wayeqinisekile yaye evuya . . . kuba iindlela zokwandisa imichiza yemfuza zaziza kufumaneka zize zisincede ngokuphelisa ukwaluphala, mhlawumbi zibenze baye besiba batsha.” Noko ke, kuyinyaniso ukuba imigudu yabantu yokuphelisa ukwaluphala okanye yokoyisa ukufa iye yawa phantsi ngokupheleleyo.
13. Indlela obakhiwe ngayo ubuchopho bethu ibonisa njani ukuba sifanele siphile ngonaphakade?
13 Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba ayikho indlela yokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade? Akunjalo konke konke! Indlela yona ikho! Indlela obakhiwe ngayo ubuchopho bethu obumangalisayo, kunye nomkhamo wayo wokufunda phantse ongenakulinganiswa nanto, ifanele isishiye sicacelwe yiloo nto. Isazi sebhayoloji yeemolekhyuli uJames Watson wathi ubuchopho bethu “buyeyona nto intsonkothileyo kwesiye sazifumana kuyo yonke indalo.” Yaye isazi ngemithambo-luvo uRichard Restak sathi: “Kuyo yonke indalo ayikho into esondela nditsho nakancinane kubo.” Ingayintoni bethu injongo yokuba sibe nobuchopho obukwazi ukugcina nokungenisa inkcazelo ephantse ingabi namlinganiselo kunye nomzimba odalelwe ukusebenza ngonaphakade ukuba besingadalelwanga ukuphila ubomi obungenasiphelo?
14. (a) Ababhali beBhayibhile bafikelela kwisiphi isigqibo ngobomi bomntu? (b) Kutheni sifanele sikholose ngoThixo kungekhona ngomntu?
14 Ngoko ke, sisiphi ekuphela kwesigqibo esisengqiqweni nesixhaswa zizibakala esimele sifikelele kuso? Ngaba asikokuba sadalwa nguMenzi onamandla onke nokrelekrele, esenzela ukuba siphile ngonaphakade? (Yobhi 10:8; INdumiso 36:9; 100:3; Malaki 2:10; IZenzo 17:24, 25) Ngoko ke, ngaba akubobulumko ukuba sithobele umyalelo ophefumlelweyo womdumisi weBhayibhile owathi: “Musani ukukholosa ngamanene, ngonyana womntu, yena ungenalo usindiso”? Kutheni singafanele sikholose ngabantu? Ngokutsho komdumisi, kungenxa yokuba “uyaphuma umoya wakhe, abuyele yena emhlabeni wakhe; ngaloo mini ayatshitsha amabhongo akhe.” Okunene, nangona abantu benako ukuphila ngonaphakade, abantu abakwazi tu kwaphela ukuzihlanganisela kwakufika ukufa. Umdumisi uqukumbela ngelithi: “Hayi, uyolo lwalowo . . . ulinde kuYehova uThixo wakhe.”—INdumiso 146:3-5.
Ngaba Ngokwenene Kuyinjongo KaThixo?
15. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba kuyinjongo kaThixo ukuba siphile ngonaphakade?
15 Kodwa usenokubuza, ngaba ngokwenene kuyinjongo kaYehova ukuba siphile ubomi obungenasiphelo? Kunjalo kanye! ILizwi lakhe lithembisa njalo kangangezihlandlo eziliqela. IBhayibhile iyasiqinisekisa: “Isipho uThixo asinikelayo bubomi obungunaphakade.” Umkhonzi kaThixo uYohane wabhala: “Le yinto ethenjisiweyo yena [uThixo] ngokwakhe awasithembisa yona, ubomi obungunaphakade.” Akumangalisi ngoko ukuba omnye umfana abuze uYesu oku: “Mfundisi, kukuphi okulungileyo endimele ndikwenze ukuze ndifumane ubomi obungunaphakade?” (Roma 6:23; 1 Yohane 2:25; Mateyu 19:16) Enyanisweni, umpostile uPawulos wabhala ‘ngethemba lobomi obungunaphakade awathi uThixo, ongenakuxoka, wabuthembisa ngaphambi kwamaxesha ekudala ekho.’—Tito 1:2.
16. Kungayiphi ingqiqo asenokuba uThixo wathembisa ngobomi obungunaphakade “ngaphambi kwamaxesha ekudala ekho”?
16 Ithetha ntoni into yokuba uThixo wathembisa ubomi obungunaphakade “ngaphambi kwamaxesha ekudala ekho”? Bambi bacinga ukuba umpostile uPawulos wayethetha ukuba ngaphambi kokuba isibini sokuqala, uAdam noEva, sidalwe, injongo kaThixo yayikukuba abantu baphile ngonaphakade. Noko ke, ukuba uPawulos wayethetha ngexesha elisemva kokuba abantu bedaliwe naxa uYehova wayichazayo injongo yakhe, kusabonakala ukuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kuquka ukuba abantu baphile ubomi obungunaphakade.
17. Kwakutheni ukuze uAdam noEva bagxothwe kumyezo wase-Eden, yaye kwakutheni ukuze kubekwe iikerubhi esangweni?
17 IBhayibhile ithi kumyezo wase-Eden, “uYehova uThixo wantshulisa emhlabeni . . . nomthi wobomi.” Isizathu esachazwayo sokuba uAdam akhutshwe emyezweni yayisesokuba ‘angoluli isandla sakhe, athabathe nakuwo umthi wobomi, adle, aphile’—kunjalo nje aphile ngonaphakade! Emva kokugxotha uAdam noEva kumyezo wase-Eden, uYehova wabeka “iikerubhi, nelangatye lekrele elijikajikayo lokugcina indlela eya emthini wobomi.”—Genesis 2:9; 3:22-24.
18. (a) Kwakuya kuthetha ntoni ukutya kuka-Adam noEva kumthi wobomi? (b) Kwakufanekisela ntoni ukutya kuloo mthi?
18 Ukuba uAdam noEva babenokuvunyelwa ukuba batye kuloo mthi wobomi, yayiya kuthetha ntoni loo nto kubo? Kaloku, elo yayiya kuba lilungelo lokuphila ngonaphakade eParadesi! Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile waqikelela esithi: “Umthi wobomi umele ukuba wawunamandla athile awaweza kulondoloza umzimba womntu ukuze ungaluphali, okanye ungaboli njengaxa ufile.” Wada wathi “eparadesi kwakukho umchiza onamandla okulwa imiphumo ebangelwa” kukwaluphala. Noko ke, iBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba laa mthi wawuneempawu ezinika ubomi. Kunoko, laa mthi wawufuzisela nje isiqinisekiso sikaThixo sokuba lowo wayeya kuvunyelwa ukuba awudle wayeya kuphila ngonaphakade.—ISityhilelo 2:7.
Injongo KaThixo Ayitshintshanga
19. Kwakutheni ukuze uAdam afe, yaye kutheni nathi nzala yakhe sisifa?
19 Xa uAdam wonayo, wazonela ilungelo lokuphila ngonaphakade yena waza wonela nathi sonke nzala yakhe eyayiseza kuphila. (Genesis 2:17) Xa waba ngumoni ngenxa yokungathobeli kwakhe, waba nesiphako, akafezeka. Ukususela ngoko, umzimba ka-Adam wacwangciselwa ukuba ufe. Kunjengokuba iBhayibhile isitsho ukuba “umvuzo isono esiwuhlawulayo kukufa.” (Roma 6:23) Ukongezelela koko, nenzala engafezekanga ka-Adam yacwangciselwa ukufa, kungekhona ubomi obungunaphakade. IBhayibhile iyachaza: “Isono sangena ngamntu mnye [uAdam] ehlabathini nokufa ngaso isono, ngaloo ndlela ukufa kwasasazeka kubo bonke abantu ngenxa yokuba bonke bonayo.”—Roma 5:12.
20. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba abantu babedalelwe ukuba baphile ngonaphakade emhlabeni?
20 Kodwa kuthekani ukuba uAdam wayengonanga? Kuthekani ukuba wayemthobele uThixo waza wavunyelwa ukuba atye kumthi wobomi? Wayeya kusinandipha phi isipho sikaThixo sobomi obungunaphakade? Ezulwini? Nakanye! UThixo akazange athethe ngokuthatyathelwa kuka-Adam ezulwini. Isabelo sakhe sasilapha emhlabeni. IBhayibhile iyachaza ukuba “uYehova uThixo wantshulisa emhlabeni yonke imithi enqwenelekayo ngokukhangeleka, nelungele ukudliwa,” yaye ithi: “UYehova uThixo wamthabatha umntu, wambeka emyezweni we-Eden, ukuba awusebenze, awugcine.” (Genesis 2:9, 15) Emva kokuba uEva edaliwe njengomlingane ka-Adam, bobabini banikwa izabelo ezongezelelekileyo apha emhlabeni. UThixo wabaxelela oku: “Qhamani, nande, niwuzalise umhlaba niweyise; nibe nobukhosi ezintlanzini zolwandle, nasezintakeni zezulu, nasezintweni zonke eziphilileyo ezinambuzelayo emhlabeni.”—Genesis 1:28.
21. Ngawaphi amathemba abangel’ imincili ababenawo abantu bokuqala?
21 Khawucinge nje ngezinto ezaziza kubangel’ imincili apha emhlabeni ezimele ukuba zabangelwa yiloo miyalelo kaThixo kuAdam noEva! Babeza kuzala oonyana neentombi eziphile qete kwiParadesi esemhlabeni. Njengoko abo bantwana babo babathanda kunene bekhula, nabo babeza kuqhama baze baxakeke nguloo msebenzi wasemyezweni umnandi ukuze kulondolozwe iParadesi. Ekubeni zonke izilwanyana zaziza kubathobela, uluntu lwaluza kwaneliseka gqitha. Khawucinge nje ngovuyo olwaluza kubangelwa kukwandisa imida yomyezo wase-Eden ukuze ekugqibeleni umhlaba uphela ube yiparadesi! Ngaba ubunokukunandipha ukuphila unabantwana abafezekileyo kwikhaya lasemhlabeni elihle ngolo hlobo, ungenalo ixhala lokwaluphala nelokufa? Vumela utyekelo lwemvelo lwentliziyo yakho luwuphendule lo mbuzo.
22. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uThixo akazange ayitshintshe injongo yakhe ngomhlaba?
22 Kodwa ke, ngaba uThixo wayitshintsha injongo yakhe yokuba abantu baphile ngonaphakade kwiParadesi esemhlabeni emva kokuba uAdam noEva bengazange bamthobele baza bagxothwa kumyezo wase-Eden? Akunjalo konke konke! Ukuba uThixo wayenokwenjenjalo wayeya kuba uyavuma ukuba woyisiwe kukuphumeza injongo yakhe yantlandlolo. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba uThixo uyayenza into ayithembisileyo, kanye njengoko esitsho: “Liya kuba njalo ilizwi lam eliphuma emlonyeni wam; aliyi kubuyela kum lilambatha, lingakwenzanga endikuthandayo, lingakuphumelelisanga oko ndilithumela kuko.”—Isaya 55:11.
23. (a) Yintoni eqinisekisa ukuba kuyinjongo kaThixo ukuba abatyekele ebulungiseni baphile ngonaphakade emhlabeni? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyixubusha kwinqaku elilandelayo?
23 Into yokuba injongo kaThixo ngomhlaba ayitshintshanga yenziwe yacaca eBhayibhileni, apho uThixo athembisa oku: “Amalungisa aya kulidla ilifa ilizwe, ahlale kulo ngonaphakade.” KwanoYesu Kristu watsho kwiNtshamayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni ukuba abanobulali baya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba. (INdumiso 37:29; Mateyu 5:5) Kodwa ke, sinokubuzuza njani ubomi obungunaphakade, yaye yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sibunandiphe obo bomi? Oku kuza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.
Unokuphendula Uthini?
◻ Kutheni abaninzi bekholelwa ukuba kunokwenzeka ukuba abantu baphile ngonaphakade?
◻ Yintoni efanele isiqinisekise ukuba sasidalelwe ukuba siphile ngonaphakade?
◻ Yayiyintoni injongo kaThixo yantlandlolo ngoluntu nangomhlaba?
◻ Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uThixo uya kuyizalisekisa injongo yakhe yantlandlolo?