Ilifa Lethu Elixabisekileyo—Lithetha Ntoni Kuwe?

“Yizani, nina nisikelelweyo nguBawo, budleni ilifa ubukumkani obalungiselelwa nina ukususela ekusekweni kwehlabathi.”—MATEYU 25:34.

1. Hlobo luni lwezinto oluye lwafunyanwa ngabantu njengelifa?

BONKE abantu banezinto abazizuze njengelifa. Kwabanye ilifa lisenokubandakanya ukuphila tofotofo. Ukanti kwabanye bubuhlwempu. Kwezinye iimeko, izizukulwana ezingaphambili, ngenxa yoko kwenzeke kuzo okanye ezikuvileyo, ziye zadlulisela ilifa lentiyo kubantu besizwe esithile. Noko ke, sonke sinanto inye esifana ngayo. Sonke sifumene ilifa lesono kumntu wokuqala, uAdam. Ekugqibeleni elo lifa likhokelela ekufeni.—INtshumayeli 9:2, 10; Roma 5:12.

2, 3. Liliphi ilifa ekuqalekeni uYehova awalenza lafumaneka kwinzala ka-Adam noEva, yaye kutheni ingazange ilifumane nje?

² UYehova, njengoBawo wasezulwini onothando, ekuqalekeni wanika abantu ilifa elahluke gqitha—ukuphila ubomi obufezekileyo nobungenasiphelo eParadesi. Abazali bethu bokuqala, uAdam noEva, banikwa isiqalo esigqibeleleyo nesingenasono. UYehova uThixo wanika abantu isijikelezi-langa esinguMhlaba njengesipho. (INdumiso 115:16) Wabanika umyezo wase-Eden njengomzekelo woko ihlabathi liphela elalinokuba kuko waza wanika abazali bethu bokuqala isabelo esimnandi nesilucelomngeni. Kwakufuneka bazale abantwana, banyamekele umhlaba nazo zonke iintlobo zezityalo nezilwanyana, baze bandise iParadesi ukuze igubungele ihlabathi. (Genesis 1:28; 2:8, 9, 15) Nenzala yabo yayiza kuba nesabelo koku. Elinjani ukuba lihle ilifa ababeza kukwazi ukulidlulisela kubo!

³ Noko ke, ukuze bayinandiphe yonke loo nto, uAdam noEva nenzala yabo kwakuza kufuneka babe nolwalamano olulungileyo noThixo. Kwakufuneka bamthande uYehova baze bamthobele, kodwa ke uAdam noEva basilela ukukuxabisa oko uThixo wayebanike kona baza abawuthobela umyalelo wakhe. Baphulukana nekhaya labo eliyiParadesi kunye nethemba elizukileyo elalibekwe nguThixo phambi kwabo. Ngenxa yoko, abazange bakwazi ukuzidlulisela ezi zinto kwinzala yabo.—Genesis 2:16, 17; 3:1-24.

4. Sinokulifumana njani ilifa elalahlwa nguAdam?

⁴ Ngenceba, uYehova wenza ilungiselelo lokuba inzala ka-Adam noEva ikwazi ukufumana ithuba lokuzuza ilifa elalilahlwe nguAdam. Njani? Ngexesha elalimiselwe nguThixo, uNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu, wanikela ngobomi bakhe njengomntu ofezekileyo ngenxa yenzala ka-Adam. Ngale ndlela uKristu wayithenga yonke. Noko ke, elo lifa alibi lelayo ngokuzenzekelayo. Kufuneka ibe nokuma okwamkelekileyo kuThixo, ukuma enokukufumana ngokuba nokholo kwixabiso elihlambulula isono ledini likaYesu nangokubonakalisa olo kholo ngokuthobela. (Yohane 3:16, 36; 1 Timoti 2:5, 6; Hebhere 2:9; 5:9) Ngaba ikhondo ophila ngalo libonisa ukuba uyalixabisa elo lungiselelo?

Ilifa Eladluliselwa NgoAbraham

5. UAbraham walubonakalisa njani uxabiso ngolwalamano awayenalo noYehova?

⁵ Njengoko wayephumeza injongo yakhe ngomhlaba, uYehova waqhubana ngendlela ekhethekileyo noAbraham. Walathisa loo ndoda ithembekileyo ukuba ishiye ilizwe layo ize ifudukele kwilizwe uThixo awayeza kuyibonisa lona. UAbraham wathobela. Akuba efikile uAbraham, uYehova wathi yinzala ka-Abraham, kungekhona uAbraham ngokwakhe, eyayiza kufumana elo lizwe njengelifa. (Genesis 12:1, 2, 7) Wasabela njani ke uAbraham? Wakulungela ukukhonza uYehova naphi na yaye nangayiphi na indlela uThixo awayesalathisa ngayo ukuze inzala yakhe ilifumane elo lifa. UAbraham wakhonza uYehova kwilizwe elingelolakhe kangangeminyaka eli-100, de waya kulala kobandayo. (Genesis 12:4; 25:8-10) Ngewawuyenzile wena loo nto? UYehova wathi uAbraham ‘wayengumhlobo’ wakhe.—Isaya 41:8.

6. (a) Wabonisa ntoni uAbraham ngokukulungela kwakhe ukwenza umbingelelo ngonyana wakhe? (b) Liliphi ilifa elixabisekileyo eladluliselwa nguAbraham kwinzala yakhe?

⁶ UAbraham wayelinde kangangeminyaka ukuba alizwe ngonyana, uIsake, awayemthanda kunene. Xa le nkwenkwe yayisele ikhule yayindoda, uYehova wayalela uAbraham ukuba ayithabathe le nkwenkwe aze aye kuyinikela njengombingelelo. UAbraham wayengazi ukuba wayeza kubonisa oko uThixo ngokwakhe wayeza kukwenza ngokunikela uNyana wakhe njengentlawulelo; sekunjalo, wathobela ibe wayesele eza kumnikela uIsake njengombingelelo xa ingelosi kaYehova yamnqandayo. (Genesis 22:9-14) UYehova wayesele etshilo ukuba amadinga awayewenze kuAbraham ayeza kuzalisekiswa ngoIsake. Ngenxa yoko, kucacile ukuba uAbraham wayenokholo lokuba, xa kuyimfuneko, uThixo wayenokumvusa uIsake kwelabafileyo, nangona yayingazange yenzeke into enjalo ngaphambili. (Genesis 17:15-18; Hebhere 11:17-19) Ngenxa yokuba uAbraham engazange ale nangonyana wakhe, uYehova wavakalisa oku: “Ziya kuzisikelela ngembewu yakho zonke iintlanga zomhlaba.” (Genesis 22:15-18) Oku kwakubonisa ukuba iMbewu ekhankanywe kwiGenesis 3:15, umhlanguli onguMesiya, wayeza kuza ngomnombo ka-Abraham. Elinjani ukuxabiseka ilifa eladluliselwayo!

7. UAbraham, uIsake noYakobi balixabisa njani ilifa labo?

⁷ Ngelo xesha uAbraham wayengayazi intsingiselo yoko uYehova wayekwenza; kananjalo wayengayazi nonyana wakhe uIsake okanye umzukulwana wakhe uYakobi, ababa ‘ziindlalifa kunye naye zesithembiso esikwasinye.’ Kodwa bonke bakholosa ngoYehova. Abazange bazinxulumanise nezikumkani zezixeko zelo lizwe kuba babekhangele kwinto elunge ngakumbi—“isixeko esineziseko zokwenene, sixeko eso esimakhi nomenzi waso unguThixo.” (Hebhere 11:8-10, 13-16) Kodwa ke, asingabo bonke abenzala ka-Abraham abakuxabisayo ukubaluleka kwelifa elenziwa lafumaneka ngoAbraham.

Abanye Abalidelayo Elo Lifa

8. UEsawu wabonisa njani ukuba wayengenaluxabiso ngokubaluleka kwelifa lakhe?

⁸ UEsawu, inkulu kaIsake, akazange alixabise ilungelo lakhe lobuzibulo. Wayengazixabisi izinto ezingcwele. Ngoko ngenye imini xa uEsawu wayekhatywe linxele likaKhetsekile, wathengisa ngobuzibulo bakhe kumninawa wakhe, uYakobi. Wayeza kufumana ntoni yena? Isidlo esinye nje sesonka nesityu esenziwe ngeelentile! (Genesis 25:29-34; Hebhere 12:14-17) Uhlanga awayeza kuzalisekiswa ngalo amadinga awayenziwe nguThixo kuAbraham lwaphuma kumnombo kaYakobi, ogama lakhe latshintshwayo nguThixo laba nguSirayeli. Ngawaphi amathuba olwawavulelwa lelo lifa likhethekileyo?

9. Yahlangulwa njani inzala kaYakobi, okanye kaSirayeli, ngenxa yelifa layo lokomoya?

⁹ Ngexesha lendlala, uYakobi nentsapho yakhe bafudukela eYiputa. Apho bafika banda baza baba baninzi gqitha, kodwa baba ngamakhoboka. Noko ke, uYehova akazange awulibale umnqophiso awayewenze noAbraham. Ngexesha elalimiselwe nguThixo, wabahlangula oonyana bakaSirayeli emakhamandeleni waza wabaxelela ukuba wayeza kubasa “ezweni eliqukuqela ubisi nobusi,” ilizwe elalithenjiswe uAbraham.—Eksodus 3:7, 8; Genesis 15:18-21.

10. Ziziphi ezinye iziganeko ezingaqhelekanga ezenzeka kwiNtaba yeSinayi ezinxibelelene nelifa loonyana bakaSirayeli?

¹⁰ Xa oonyana bakaSirayeli babesendleleni esinge kwiLizwe Ledinga, uYehova wabahlanganisa kwiNtaba yeSinayi. Wathi kubo: “Ukuba nithe nalithobela okunene ilizwi lam, nawugcina ngenene umnqophiso wam, ngokuqinisekileyo noba yinqobo kum kwizizwana zonke, kuba umhlaba uphela ngowam. Yaye niya kuba bubukumkani kum nababingeleli nohlanga olungcwele.” (Eksodus 19:5, 6) Emva kokuba abantu bevume bonke ngokuzithandela, uYehova wabanika uMthetho wakhe—nto leyo awayengazange ayenze kwabanye abantu.—INdumiso 147:19, 20.

11. Ziziphi ezinye zezinto ezixabisekileyo ezaqukwayo kwilifa lokomoya loonyana bakaSirayeli?

¹¹ Elinjani lona ilifa lokomoya elalifunyenwe lolo hlanga lutsha! Lwalunqula okuphela koThixo oyinyaniso. Lwaluhlangulwe nguye eYiputa kwaye lwaluzibonele ngamehlo alo iziganeko ezoyikisayo xa kwakudluliselwa uMthetho kwiNtaba yeSinayi. Ilifa lalo lenziwa latyeba nangakumbi xa lafumana “izibhengezo ezingcwele zikaThixo” ezingakumbi ezazisiza nabaprofeti. (Roma 3:1, 2) Lwalumiselwe nguYehova ukuba lube ngamangqina akhe. (Isaya 43:10-12) IMbewu enguMesiya yayiza kuvela kolo hlanga. UMthetho wawusalatha kuye, wawuza kumchaza, kwaye wawufanele uluncede lubone indlela olwalumfuna ngayo. (Galati 3:19, 24) Ngaphezu koko, lwaluza kunikwa ithuba lokukhonza kunye neMbewu enguMesiya njengobukumkani bababingeleli nohlanga olungcwele.—Roma 9:4, 5.

12. Nangona angena kwiLizwe Ledinga, yintoni angazange ayifumane amaSirayeli? Yaye ngoba?

¹² Kanye ngendlela awayethembise ngayo, uYehova wakhokelela amaSirayeli kwiLizwe Ledinga. Kodwa ke njengoko umpostile uPawulos wacacisayo kamva, ngenxa yokungabi nakholo kwawo, elo lizwe alizange libe ‘yindawo yokuphumla’ ngokwenene. Njengeqela, akazange angene “ekuphumleni kukaThixo” kuba akazange aqonde aze asebenze ngokuvisisana nenjongo yomhla kaThixo wokuphumla, owaqalisa emva kokudalwa kuka-Adam noEva.—Hebhere 4:3-10.

13. Yintoni eyalahlwa luhlanga lwamaSirayeli ngenxa yokungalixabisi ilifa lokomoya?

¹³ USirayeli wemvelo wayenokulizalisa inani elipheleleyo labo babeza kuba nesabelo noMesiya kuBukumkani bakhe basezulwini njengobukumkani bababingeleli nohlanga olungcwele. Kodwa akazange alixabise ilifa elibalulekileyo awayenalo. Kuphela yaba yintsalela yamaSirayeli emvelo eyamamkelayo uMesiya ekufikeni kwakhe. Ngenxa yoko, libathwana nje eliqukiweyo kubukumkani bababingeleli obabuxelwe kwangaphambili. Obo Bukumkani bathatyathwa kuSirayeli wemvelo baza ‘banikwa uhlanga oluvelisa iziqhamo zabo.’ (Mateyu 21:43) Luluphi olo hlanga?

Ilifa Emazulwini

14, 15. (a) Emva kokufa kukaYesu, iintlanga zaqalisa njani ukuzisikelela “ngembewu” ka-Abraham? (b) Yintoni efunyanwa njengelifa ngamalungu ‘oSirayeli kaThixo’?

¹⁴ Uhlanga olwanikwa uBukumkani ‘nguSirayeli kaThixo,’ uSirayeli wokomoya, oyilwa ngabalandeli bakaYesu Kristu abali-144 000 abazelwe ngomoya. (Galati 6:16; ISityhilelo 5:9, 10; 14:1-3) Abanye kwabo bali-144 000 babengamaYuda emvelo, kodwa inkoliso yayingabeeNtlanga. Ngaloo ndlela idinga elenziwa nguYehova kuAbraham, elithi zaziya kusikelelwa “ngembewu” yakhe zonke iintlanga, laqalisa ukuzaliseka. (IZenzo 3:25, 26; Galati 3:8, 9) Kuloo nzaliseko yokuqala, abantu beentlanga bathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele baza bamkelwa nguYehova uThixo njengoonyana bokomoya, okanye abazalwana bakaYesu Kristu. Ngaloo ndlela, nabo baba yinxalenye yesibini yaloo “mbewu.”—Galati 3:28, 29.

¹⁵ Ngaphambi kokuba afe, uYesu wenza umnqophiso omtsha namaYuda awayeza kuba ngamalungu olo hlanga lutsha, umnqophiso owawuza kwenziwa usebenze ngegazi lakhe. Ngesizinzi sokuba nokholo kwawo kuloo mbingelelo owenza umnqophiso usebenze, abo benze loo mnqophiso babeza kwenziwa ‘bagqibelele ngokungapheliyo.’ (Hebhere 10:14-18) ‘Ayenokuvakaliswa engamalungisa’ zize nezono zawo zixolelwe. (1 Korinte 6:11) Ngaloo ngqiqo afana noAdam ngaphambi kokuba one. Noko ke, la malungu akayi kuphila kumhlaba oyiparadesi. UYesu wathi uyokuwalungiselela indawo ezulwini. (Yohane 14:2, 3) Ayawancama amathemba awo asemhlabeni ukuze afumane ‘ilifa elibekelwe wona ezulwini.’ (1 Petros 1:4) Enza ntoni apho? UYesu wachaza: “Ndenza umnqophiso nani . . . wobukumkani.”—Luka 22:29.

16. Ziziphi izabelo ezihle zenkonzo ezibekelwe amaKristu athanjisiweyo?

¹⁶ Besemazulwini, abo balawula ngokuthanda kukaKristu, phakathi kwezinye izinto, bancedisa ekushenxiseni yonke imizila yemvukelo enxamnye nolongamo lukaYehova emhlabeni. (ISityhilelo 2:26, 27) Njengenxalenye yesibini yembewu yokomoya ka-Abraham, baya kuba nesabelo ekuziseni intsikelelo yokuphila ubomi obufezekileyo kubantu bazo zonke iintlanga. (Roma 8:17-21) Elinjani ukuxabiseka ilifa abanalo!—Efese 1:16-18.

17. Ziziphi iinxalenye zelifa lawo amaKristu athanjisiweyo azinandipha ngoxa esesemhlabeni?

¹⁷ Kodwa ilifa labalandeli abathanjisiweyo bakaYesu aliyi kufumaneka kubomi basemva kokufa kuphela. UYesu wabanceda ngaphezu kwakhe nabani na ongomnye ukuba bazi uYehova, okuphela koThixo oyinyaniso. (Mateyu 11:27; Yohane 17:3, 26) Ngamazwi awawathethayo nangomzekelo awawumiselayo, wabafundisa oko kuthethwa ‘kukukholosa ngoYehova’ noko kubandakanyekileyo ekuthobeleni uYehova. (Hebhere 2:13; 5:7-9) UYesu wabanika ulwazi lwenyaniso ephathelele injongo kaThixo waza wabaqinisekisa ukuba umoya oyingcwele wawuza kubenza bayiqonde ngokuzele nangakumbi. (Yohane 14:24-26) Wabethelela ezingqondweni nasezintliziyweni zabo ukubaluleka koBukumkani bukaThixo. (Mateyu 6:10, 33) Kwakhona uYesu wabanika isabelo sokunikela ubungqina nokwenza abantu baseYerusalem, kwelakwaYuda, eSamariya nakwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba babe ngabafundi.—Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20; IZenzo 1:8.

Ilifa Elixabisekileyo Lesihlwele Esikhulu

18. Namhlanje lizaliseka ngayiphi indlela idinga likaYehova lokuba zonke iintlanga ziya kuzisikelela “ngembewu” ka-Abraham?

¹⁸ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, inani elipheleleyo loSirayeli wokomoya, loo “mhlambi mncinane” weendlalifa zoBukumkani, sele likhethiwe. (Luka 12:32) Ngoku sele kungamashumi eminyaka uYehova enikele ingqalelo ekuhlanganisweni kwesihlwele esikhulu sabanye abaphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga. Ngaloo ndlela, idinga elenziwa nguYehova kuAbraham lokuba zonke iintlanga zaziya kuzisikelela “ngembewu” yakhe lizalisekiswa ngokubanzi. Aba bantu basikelelweyo banikela inkonzo engcwele kuYehova bevuya yaye bayaqonda ukuba usindiso lwabo luxhomekeke ekubeni nokholo kwiMvana kaThixo, uYesu Kristu. (ISityhilelo 7:9, 10) Ngaba sele usamkele isimemo sobubele sikaYehova sokuba yinxalenye yelo qela lonwabileyo?

19. Liliphi ilifa abakhangele kulo abeentlanga abasikelelwayo ngoku?

¹⁹ Liliphi ilifa elixabisekileyo uYehova alinika abo bangengomhlambi mncinane? Hayi, asilolifa lokuya emazulwini. Lilifa uAdam angewayelidlulisele kwinzala yakhe—ithemba lobomi obufezekileyo obungenasiphelo kwiparadesi eza kugubungela umhlaba ngokuthe ngcembe. Elo iya kuba lihlabathi apho ‘kungayi kubakho kufa, kungabikho kuzila nakukhala nantlungu kwakhona.’ (ISityhilelo 21:4) Libhekisa kuwe ke iLizwi eliphefumlelweyo likaThixo xa lisithi: “Kholosa ngoYehova wenze okulungileyo; hlala emhlabeni, uqhube ngokuthembeka. Ziyolise ngokugqibeleleyo ngoYehova, yaye uya kukunika izicelo zentliziyo yakho. Kusele ithutyana, angabikho ongendawo . . . Kodwa abalulamileyo baya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba, baziyolise ngokugqibeleleyo ngobuninzi boxolo. Amalungisa aya kuwudla ilifa umhlaba, ahlale kuwo ngonaphakade.”—INdumiso 37:3, 4, 10, 11, 29.

20. ‘Abezinye izimvu’ bayinandipha njani inkoliso yelifa lokomoya lamaKristu athanjisiweyo?

²⁰ “Ezinye izimvu” zikaYesu zinelifa kummandla osemhlabeni woBukumkani basezulwini. (Yohane 10:16a) Nangona zingayi kuba semazulwini, inkoliso yelifa lokomoya elifunyanwa ngabathanjiswa idluliselwa kuzo. Kungequmrhu labathanjiswa, “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,” abathe abezinye izimvu baqonda amadinga axabisekileyo aqulethwe liLizwi likaThixo. (Mateyu 24:45-47; 25:34) Abathanjiswa kunye nabezinye izimvu bayamazi yaye bayamnqula okuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova. (Yohane 17:20, 21) Bambulela kunye uThixo ngexabiso elihlambulula isono ledini likaYesu. Bakhonza kunye njengomhlambi omnye ophantsi koMalusi omnye, uYesu Kristu. (Yohane 10:16b) Bayinxalenye yobuzalwana obunye bothando nobusehlabathini lonke. Baba nesabelo kunye kwilungelo lokuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova nawoBukumkani bakhe. Ewe, ukuba ungumkhonzi kaYehova ozahluleleyo waza wabhaptizwa, konke oku kuqukiwe kwilifa lakho lokomoya.

21, 22. Sinokubonakalisa njani sonke ukuba siyalixabisa ilifa lethu lokomoya?

²¹ Lixabiseke kangakanani kuwe ilifa lokomoya? Ngaba ulixabisa ngokwaneleyo kangangokuba ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo ukugqala njengento ebaluleke ngaphezu kwezinye ebomini bakho? Ngaba oko ukungqina ngokuthobela isiluleko seLizwi lakhe nesentlangano yakhe sokuba siye rhoqo kuzo zonke iintlanganiso zebandla lamaKristu? (Hebhere 10:24, 25) Ngaba elo lifa lixabiseke kakhulu kuwe kangangokuba uyaqhubeka ukhonza uThixo phezu kwabo nje ubunzima? Ngaba uxabiso onalo ngalo lunamandla kangangokuba luyakuqinisa ukuze uxhathise nasiphi na isilingo sokulandela ikhondo elisenokukukhokelela ekubeni ulahlekelwe lilo?

²² Ngamana sonke singalixabisa ilifa lokomoya uThixo asinike lona. Ngoxa sigcine amehlo ethu ejoliswe kwiParadesi ezayo, masibe nesabelo ngokuzeleyo kumalungelo okomoya uYehova asinika wona ngoku. Xa sisakhela ubomi bethu phezu kolwalamano esinalo noYehova, sinikela ubungqina obeyisayo bendlela elixabiseke ngokwenene ngayo ilifa lethu esilinikwe nguThixo. Ngamana singaphakathi kwabo bavakalisa la mazwi: “Ndiza kukuphakamisa, Thixo wam Kumkani, yaye ndiza kulibonga igama lakho ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo, ewe, ngonaphakade.”—INdumiso 145:1.

Ubunokuchaza Uthini?

• Ukuba uAdam wayenyanisekile kuThixo, liliphi ilifa engewayelidlulisele kuthi?

• Inzala ka-Abraham yaliphatha njani ilifa eyayilinikiwe?

• Yintoni equkiweyo kwilifa labalandeli bakaKristu abathanjisiweyo?

• Liyintoni ilifa lesihlwele esikhulu, yaye sinokubonisa njani ukuba silixabisa ngokwenene?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 20]

Inzala ka-Abraham yathenjiswa ngelifa elixabisekileyo

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]

Ngaba uyalixabisa ilifa lakho lokomoya?