Kwenzekani Ngempela Ekufeni?

“Yonke imiphefumulo ayifi, ngisho neyabangalungile . . . Njengoba ijeziswa ngempindiselo engapheli yomlilo ongacimi, futhi ingafi, akunakwenzeka ukuba [kuqedwe] usizi lwayo.”—UClement wase-Alexandria, umlobi wekhulu lesibili nelesithathu C.E.

NJENGOCLEMENT, labo abasekela imfundiso yokuthi isihogo siyindawo yokuhlushwa, bathi umphefumulo womuntu awufi. Ingabe iBhayibheli liyayisekela le mfundiso? Cabangela lokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu elikushoyo lapho liphendula imibuzo elandelayo.

Ingabe umuntu wokuqala, u-Adamu, wayenomphefumulo ongafi? Inguqulo yamaProthestani eyaziwa ngokuthi i-King James Version, noma i-Authorized Version, isho lokhu ngokudalwa kuka-Adamu: “INKOSI uNkulunkulu yamenza umuntu ngothuli lomhlabathi, yaphefumulela emakhaleni akhe umoya wokuphila; futhi umuntu waba umphefumulo ophilayo.” (Genesise 2:7) Phawula ukuthi lo mbhalo awusho ukuthi u-Adamu wanikezwa umphefumulo.

Kwagcina kwenzekeni ku-Adamu ngemva kokona? Isijeziso esakhishwa uNkulunkulu sasingekona ukuhlukunyezwa phakade esihogweni. Kunalokho, i-New American Bible yamaKatolika ichaza isijeziso sikaNkulunkulu ngale ndlela: “Ngesithukuthuku sobuso bakho uzothola isinkwa ozosidla, uze ubuyele enhlabathini owathathwa kuyo; ngoba uluthuli, uyobuyela othulini.” (Omalukeke sizenzele; Genesise 3:19) Isimemezelo sikaNkulunkulu asibonisi nakancane ukuthi kunengxenye ka-Adamu eyasinda lapho efa. Lapho u-Adamu efa, umphefumulo okuthiwa u-Adamu wafa.

Ingabe ukhona umuntu onomphefumulo ongafi? UNkulunkulu watshela umprofethi uHezekeli: “Umphefumulo owonayo yiwo oyokufa.” (Hezekeli 18:4, The Holy Bible—New International Version) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngomuntu oyedwa [u-Adamu] isono sangena ezweni, ngesono kwangena ukufa, kanjalo ukufa kweza kubo bonke, ngoba nje bonke bonile.” (Roma 5:12, NAB) Uma bonke abantu bona, khona-ke kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi yonke imiphefumulo iyafa.

Ingabe umphefumulo ofile kukhona okwaziyo noma okuzwayo? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Abaphilayo bayazi ukuthi bayokufa, kodwa abafileyo abasazi lutho.” (UmShumayeli 9:5, NAB) Lichaza lokho okwenzeka kumuntu lapho efa, iBhayibheli lithi: “Ubuyela enhlabathini; ngalolo suku imicabango yakhe iyashabalala.” (IHubo 146:4, KJ) Uma abafileyo ‘bengasazi lutho’ futhi ‘nemicabango yabo ishabalala,’ bangezwa kanjani ukuthi bayahlushwa esihogweni?

UJesu Kristu akazange afanise ukufa nokuzwa ngandlela-thile, kodwa nobuthongo.a (Johane 11:11-14) Kodwa abanye bangase baphikise, bethi uJesu wafundisa ukuthi isihogo siyashisa nokuthi izoni zaziyophonswa esihogweni somlilo. Ake sicabangele lokho uJesu akusho ngempela ngesihogo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]