Ingabe Ukunqunyelwa Kusengaphambili Kungavunyelaniswa Nothando LukaNkulunkulu?

“SICHAZA ukunqunyelwa kusengaphambili njengohlelo lukaNkulunkulu lwaphakade, anquma ngalo lokho ayefuna ukukwenza ngomuntu ngamunye. Ngoba akazange abadale bonke benesimo esifanayo, kodwa abanye wabamisela kusengaphambili ukuphila okuphakade futhi abanye ukulahlwa okuphakade.”

Yileyondlela iSazi Senguquko esingumProthestani uJohn Calvin esakuchaza ngayo esasikucabanga ngokunqunyelwa kusengaphambili encwadini yaso ethi Institutes of the Christian Religion. Lomqondo usekelwe embonweni wokuthi uNkulunkulu wazi konke nokuthi izenzo zendalo yakhe azinakuzingabaza izinjongo zakhe noma zimphoqelele ukuba ashintshe uhlelo lwakhe.

Kodwa ingabe yilokho ngempela iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngoNkulunkulu? Okubaluleke ngokwengeziwe, ingabe incazelo enjalo iyavumelana nezimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu, ikakhulukazi imfanelo yakhe evelele kunazo zonke—uthando?

UNkulunkulu Okwazi Ukubikezela Ikusasa

UNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukubikezela ikusasa. Uzichaza ‘njengomemezela ngaphambili okuyakuza, nasendulo izinto ezingakenziwa, ngokuthi: Icebo lami liyakuma, ngiyakwenza yonke intando yami.’ (Isaya 46:10) Phakathi nawo wonke umlando wesintu, uNkulunkulu uye wenza ukuba iziprofetho zakhe zilotshwe ukuze abonise ukuthi angalusebenzisa ulwazi lwakhe lokuqonda izinto kusengaphambili futhi abikezele izenzakalo ngaphambi kokuba zenzeke.

Ngakho, ezinsukwini zikaBelishasari, inkosi yaseBabiloni, lapho umprofethi uDaniyeli ephupha izilo ezimbili zasendle ezazibangisana, uJehova wamnika incazelo yalo: “Inqama oyibonileyo inezimpondo ezimbili, zingamakhosi aseMediya nasePheresiya. Impongo iyinkosi yaseJavani.” (Daniyeli 8:20, 21) Ngokusobala, uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa ulwazi lwakhe lokuqonda izinto kusengaphambili ukuze embule ukulandelana kwemibuso yezwe. UMbuso waseBabiloni owawuvelele ngalesosikhathi wawuzolandelwa owamaMede namaPheresiya futhi kamuva kube owaseGrisi.

Iziprofetho zingase futhi zibhekisele kumuntu oyedwa. Ngokwesibonelo, umprofethi uMika wamemezela ukuthi uMesiya wayeyozalwa eBetlehema. (Mika 5:2) Futhi, nakulesisimo uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa ulwazi lwakhe lokuqonda izinto kusengaphambili. Nokho, lesisenzakalo samenyezelwa ngenjongo ethile ekhethekile—ukwambulwa kukaMesiya. Lokhu akukwenzi kufaneleke ukwamukelwa kwemfundiso yokunqunyelwa kusengaphambili okuhlanganisa umuntu ngamunye.

Ngokuphambene, imiBhalo yembula ukuthi kunezimo lapho uNkulunkulu ekhetha ukungawazi kusengaphambili umphumela. Ngaphambi nje kokubhujiswa kweSodoma neGomora, wamemezela: “Ngalokho ngiyakwehla, ngibone ukuba benzile impela konke njengokwesikhalo esesifikile kimi; uma kungenjalo, ngiyakukwazi.” (Genesise 18:21) Lombhalo usibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi uNkulunkulu akabazanga kusengaphambili ubungako bomonakalo kuleyomizi ngaphambi kokuba ahlole izindaba.

Yiqiniso, uNkulunkulu angazibona kusengaphambili ezinye izenzakalo, kodwa ezimweni eziningi, uye wakhetha ukungakusebenzisi ukuqonda kwakhe izinto kusengaphambili. Ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu ungumninimandla onke, ukhululekile ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ngendlela afuna ngayo yena, hhayi ngokuvumelana nezifiso zabantu abangaphelele.

UNkulunkulu Ongalungisa Izindaba

NjengoCalvin, abanye bathi uNkulunkulu wakubona kusengaphambili ukuwela komuntu esonweni ngaphambi kokuba adale nokuthi wayebanqumele kusengaphambili ‘abakhethiwe’ ngaphambi kwalokho kuwela esonweni. Kodwa uma lokhu bekuyiqiniso, bekungenakuba ubuzenzisi yini ngoNkulunkulu ukuba anikeze u-Adamu no-Eva ithemba lokuphila okuphakade, azi kahle ukuthi babengenakulijabulela? Ngaphezu kwalokho, akukho lapho imiBhalo ikuphika khona ukuthi umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu wanikezwa ilungelo lokukhetha: ukulandela iziqondiso zaphezulu futhi uphile phakade noma uzenqabe futhi ufe.—Genesise, isahluko 2.

Kodwa ingabe isono sika-Adamu no-Eva sayishabalalisa ngempela injongo kaNkulunkulu? Cha, ngoba ngokushesha ngemva kokona kwabo, uNkulunkulu wamemezela ukuthi wayeyovusa ‘inzalo’ eyayizobhubhisa uSathane namanxusa akhe nokuthi wayeyophinde alungise izindaba emhlabeni. Njengoba nje nezinambuzane ezimbalwa zingenakusivimbela isisebenzi sasesivandeni ekuvezeni umkhiqizo omningi, ngakho ukungalaleli kuka-Adamu no-Eva ngeke kumvimbele uNkulunkulu ekwenzeni umhlaba ube ipharadesi.—Genesise, isahluko 3.

Kamuva uNkulunkulu wembula ukuthi kwakuyokuba nohulumeni woMbuso owawuzonikezwa uhlu lozalo lweNkosi uDavide nokuthi abanye babeyohlanganiswa kuloMbuso. Laba abanye babizwa ngokuthi “abangcwele boPhezukonke.”—Daniyeli 7:18; 2 Samuweli 7:12; 1 IziKronike 17:11.a

Ukubikezela Akukhona Ukunqumela Kusengaphambili

Iqiniso lokuthi uNkulunkulu akazange akhethe ukwazi ukuthi iyiphi inkambo isintu esasiyoyikhetha alizange limvimbele ekuprofetheni imiphumela yezenzo zomuntu ezinhle noma ezimbi. Umakhenika oxwayisa umshayeli ngesimo esingesihle semoto yakhe akanakuthweswa icala uma kuvela ingozi noma asolwe ngokuthi uyinqumele kusengaphambili. Ngokufanayo, uNkulunkulu akanakubekwa icala lokuthi wanquma kusengaphambili imiphumela yezenzo zabantu.

Kwakunjalo nangenzalo yombhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu. Ngaphambi kokuba uKayini abulale umfowabo, uJehova wamkhethisa uKayini. Ingabe wayezosibusa isono, noma isono sasiyombusa? Akukho lutho kulendaba okubonisa ukuthi uJehova wayemnqumele kusengaphambili uKayini ukuba enze ukukhetha okubi futhi abulale umfowabo.—Genesise 4:3-7.

Kamuva, uMthetho kaMose waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ngalokho okwakuyokwenzeka uma efulathela uJehova, ngokwesibonelo, ngokushada nabesifazane bezizwe ezingamaqaba. Okwakubikezelwe kwenzeka. Lokhu kungabonakala esibonelweni seNkosi uSolomoni, okwathi eminyakeni yamuva yathonywa abafazi bayo babezizwe ukuba ikhulekele izithombe. (1 AmaKhosi 11:7, 8) Yebo, uNkulunkulu wayebaxwayisa abantu bakhe, kodwa wayengabanqumeli kusengaphambili ukuthi izenzo zomuntu ngamunye ziyoba njani.

Abakhethiwe bakhuthazwa ukuba bakhuthazele uma bengafuni ukuphucwa umvuzo othenjisiwe wokubusa noKristu emazulwini. (2 Petru 1:10; IsAmbulo 2:5, 10, 16; 3:11) Njengoba ezinye izazi zemfundiso yenkolo zesikhathi esidlule zake zabuza, Kungani kwanikezwa izikhumbuzo ezinjalo uma ukubizwa kwabakhethiwe kwakuwujuqu?

Ukunqunyelwa Kusengaphambili Nothando LukaNkulunkulu

Umuntu wanikezwa inkululeko yokuzikhethela, njengoba edalwe “ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu.” (Genesise 1:27) Inkululeko yokuzikhethela yayibalulekile uma abantu babezodumisa futhi bakhonze uNkulunkulu beshukunyiswa uthando, hhayi njengamarobhothi akusebenza kwawo kuhlelwe kusengaphambili. Uthando oluboniswa izidalwa ezihlakaniphile, ezikhululekile lwaluyokwenza uNkulunkulu akwazi ukubonisa ukuba amanga kokusolwa kwakhe okungafanele. Uthi: “Ndodana yami, hlakanipha, uthokozise inhliziyo yami ukuba ngiphendule ongisolayo.”—IzAga 27:11.

Ukube izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zazinqunyelwe ngaphambili—noma zihlelwe kusengaphambili—bebungenakungatshazwa yini ubuqotho bothando lwazo ngoMdali wazo? Futhi, bekungeke yini kuphikisane nokuba ongakhethi kukaNkulunkulu ukuba akhethe ukunqumela abantu abadalele inkazimulo nenjabulo ngaphandle kokucabangela izimfanelo zabantu ngabanye? Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma abathile bephathwa ngendlela enjalo ekhethekile, kuyilapho abanye bedalelwe ukujeziswa phakade, cishe lokhu bekungeke kuyishukumise imizwa eqotho yokubonga ‘yabakhethiwe.’—Genesise 1:27; Jobe 1:8; IzEnzo 10:34, 35.

Okokugcina, uKristu watshela abafundi bakhe ukuba bashumayele izindaba ezinhle kuso sonke isintu. Uma uNkulunkulu esebakhethile kakade labo okumelwe basindiswe, bekungeke yini lokhu kunciphise intshiseko amaKristu ayibonisa emsebenzini wobuvangeli? Bekungeke yini kwenze umsebenzi wokushumayela ube ongenanjongo?

Uthando lukaNkulunkulu olungakhethi lungamandla amakhulu kakhulu angashukumisa abantu ukuba nabo bamthande. Ukubonakaliswa kothando lukaNkulunkulu okukhulu ngaphezu kwakho konke kwakuwukunikela ngeNdodana yakhe ukuba ibe umhlatshelo owenzelwa isintu esingaphelele, esinesono. Ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu lokuqonda izinto kusengaphambili ngokuqondene neNdodana yakhe luyisibonelo esivelele, kodwa lusiqinisekisa ngokuthi izithembiso zokubuyiselwa ezixhomeke kuJesu ziyogcwaliseka ngempela. Ngakho, kwangathi singaba nokholo kuleyoNdodana futhi sisondele kuNkulunkulu. Masibonise ukwazisa kwethu ngokwamukela isimemo sikaNkulunkulu sokuba nobuhlobo obuhle noMdali wethu. Namuhla, uNkulunkulu udlulisela lesisimemo kubo bonke abafuna ukusebenzisa inkululeko yabo yokuzikhethela futhi babonise uthando lwabo ngaye.

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UKUNQUNYELWA KUSENGAPHAMBILI NJENGESIGABA

“Labo uNkulunkulu abazi kusengaphambili wabuye wabanqumela kusengaphambili ukuba bavumelane nesimo seNdodana yakhe, ukuze ibe izibulo phakathi kwabazalwane abaningi. Futhi labo abanqumele kusengaphambili, ubuye wababiza; labo ababizile, ubuye wabalungisisa; labo abalungisisile, ubuye wabakhazimulisa.” (Roma 8:29, 30, New International Version) Kufanele siliqonde kanjani igama elithi ‘ukunqunyelwa kusengaphambili’ elasetshenziswa uPawulu kulamavesi?

Lokho uPawulu akusho lapha akuyona indaba ewujuqu esekela umqondo wokunqunyelwa kusengaphambili komuntu. Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lethu leminyaka, i-Dictionnaire de théologie catholique yachaza lokho okwakushiwo uPawulu (Roma, izahluko 9-11) ngalendlela: “Ngokuqhubekayo, umbono ovamile phakathi kwezazi zamaKatolika uwukuthi umqondo wangempela wokunqunyelwa kusengaphambili ukuphila okuphakade awukachazwa ngokucacile.” Kamuva lencwadi efanayo icaphuna uM. Lagrange ethi: “Indaba uPawulu ayekhuluma ngayo ngokuyinhloko ayilona nakancane uhlobo oluthile lokunqunyelwa nokumiselwa kusengaphambili kodwa imane iwukubizelwa kwabeZizwe emseni wobuKristu, umehluko wako owukuntula ukholo kwamaJuda. . . . Lendaba iphathelene namaqembu, abeZizwe, amaJuda, hhayi abantu abathile ngokuqondile.”—Omalukeke sizenzele.

Muva nje, i-Jerusalem Bible yanikeza isiphetho esifanayo ngokuqondene nalezizahluko (9-11), iphawula: “Khona-ke, umongo walezizahluko awuyona inkinga yokunqunyelwa kusengaphambili komuntu inkazimulo, noma ngisho ukholo, kodwa uphathelene nengxenye ka-Israyeli ekuthuthukisweni komlando wensindiso yesintu, okuwukuphela kwenkinga ephakanyiswa izinkulumo zeT[estamente] E[lidala].”

Amavesi okugcina kweyabaseRoma isahluko 8 anomongo ofanayo. Ngaleyondlela, lamavesi angasikhumbuza ngokufanelekile ukuthi uNkulunkulu wabona kusengaphambili isigaba, noma iqembu, phakathi kwesintu elaliyobizelwa ukuyobusa noKristu, kanye nezimfuneko okwakuyodingeka lihlangabezane nazo—futhi lokhu kwenziwa ngaphandle kokukhomba ngaphambi kwesikhathi abantu abathile ababezokhethwa, ngoba lokho bekuyobe kuphambene nothando lwakhe nobulungisa.