Kutheni Ufanele Uphuthume Ubulungisa?

KWIHLABATHI elinobundlobongela ngaphambi koMkhukula, indoda ethile yabonakala yahlukile. Loo ndoda yayinguNowa. Yena nentsapho yakhe bahamba noThixo ngoxa uluntu luphela lwamgatyayo. Ngenxa yoko, “uNowa waye eyindoda elilungisa” kuloo maxesha angendawo, yaye kubantu behlabathi abangathobeliyo waba ‘ngumvakalisi wobulungisa.’—Genesis 6:9; 2 Petros 2:5.

Ngaxa lithile malunga nonyaka wama-56 kwiXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, umpostile uPawulos wayesentolongweni eKesareya. Xa wabizwa entolongweni yakhe ukuba aye phambi kweRhuluneli uFelikis, uPawulos wazixhakamfulela elo thuba lokushumayela kweli gosa liphakamileyo laseRoma. Wawuyintoni umongo wamazwi akhe? ‘Wathetha ngobulungisa, nokuzeyisa, nangogwebo oluza kubakho.’ (IZenzo 24:25) Ewe, uPawulos naye wayengumshumayeli wobulungisa.

Inkxalabo aba bakhonzi babini bathembekileyo bakaThixo abayibonisayo ngobulungisa yayifanelekile ngokuqinisekileyo. UYehova ‘unguThixo onobulungisa, osindisayo.’ (Isaya 45:21) Ngenxa yoko, umzekeliso ophefumlelweyo usixelela oku: “Ilisikizi kuYehova indlela yongendawo; ke ophuthuma ubulungisa uyathandwa nguye.” (IMizekeliso 15:9) Bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo bamele baphuthume ubulungisa.

Kulusizi ukuthi, abaninzi namhlanje banesimo sengqondo sokungakhathali ngolu phawu. Bathi: ‘Andenzi bubi kummelwane wam, ngoko ndiqinisekile uThixo uyakholiswa ndim.’ Okanye basenokuma ngelithi: ‘Kukho iindlela ezininzi zobulungisa. Yonke into iza kulunga logama nje ndinyanisekile kunqulo lwam.’ Ngaba ucinga ukuba isimo sengqondo sokwaneliseka okunjalo samkelekile kuThixo?

Abanye basenokuphakamisa imbambano eyahlukileyo. Basenokuba bayawaqonda amazwi kaPawulos athi: “Sigwetyelwe [“sivakaliswe singamalungisa,” NW] nje ngokwaselukholweni.” (Roma 5:1) Ngenxa yoku, abanye basenokuzibuza oku: ‘AmaKristu, asele evakaliswe engamalungisa kakade, afanele esoloko ebuphuthuma njani ubulungisa?’ Ubungawuphendula njani umbuzo onjalo?

UThixo Wobulungisa

Ngokwesichazi-magama, ubulungisa kukulunga okungokokuziphatha, kokusesikweni, kuvisisana nomthetho ongokobuthixo okanye olungileyo ngokokuziphatha. Ekubeni uYehova enguThixo wobulungisa, nabani na onqwenela ukumkholisa umele azixhalabise ngolu phawu lubalulekileyo. “Ngokuba lilungisa uYehova,” watsho umdumisi. “Uthanda imisebenzi yobulungisa; othe tye uya kububona ubuso bakhe.” (INdumiso 11:7; Duteronomi 32:4) Umpostile uPetros wathi: “Amehlo eNkosi aphezu kwamalungisa, neendlebe zayo zisingisele esikhungweni sawo.”—1 Petros 3:12.

Ngenxa yoko, asinakungakhathali kulo mbandela, njengoko amaYuda amaninzi ayenjalo. Abaninzi babo ngokungathandabuzekiyo babengabantu abafanelekileyo nababengenzi bubi kubamelwane babo. Kwakhona babenyanisekile—bekwanenzondelelo—ngonqulo lwabo. Kodwa kwinkulungwane yokuqala, abaninzi babengengomalungisa emehlweni kaThixo. UPawulos wathi: “Ndiyabangqinela ukuba banokumzondelela uThixo, koko bengamzondeleli ngokokwazi okukuko. Kuba bathe, bengabazi ubulungisa bukaThixo, befuna nokumisa obabo ubulungisa, ababululamela ubulungisa bukaThixo.”—Roma 10:2, 3.

Asilela phi amaYuda? UPawulos uthi akazange abuphuthume ubulungisa ngokolwazi oluchanileyo. Umzekelo wawo olumkisayo usixelela ukuba akwanele ukuba ngumntu nje olungileyo nokuphephayo ukwenza ububi. Ukwabonisa ukuba akukho ndlela zininzi zahlukahlukeneyo zobulungisa. Ngokucacileyo, kwakukho okuthile okuphosakeleyo ngendlela eyakhethwa ngamaYuda amaninzi ngomhla wabapostile. Sinokubuphuthuma ngempumelelo ubulungisa kuphela ukuba siyamphulaphula uThixo. Incwadi yeMizekeliso ithi: “Nyana wam, ukuba uthe wazamkela iintetho zam, wayiqwebela kuwe imithetho yam, uyakwandula uqonde ubulungisa, nesiko, nokuthe tye, nayo yonke imikhondo yokulungileyo.”—IMizekeliso 2:1, 9.

Indlela Yobulungisa

Ukususela kuMoses ukuhla ukusa kuYesu, ubulungisa bebunxulunyaniswa nokuthobela imithetho kaThixo njengoko ibhalwe kuMthetho kaMoses. Ekubeni amaSirayeli angafezekanga engazange abenako ukukuphepha ukuyaphula le mithetho, ayemele anikele amadini nemibingelelo yezono eyayimiswe nguMthetho ukuze acamagushele isono sawo. UMoses waxelela amaSirayeli oku: “Koba bubulungisa kuthi, xa sithe sagcina ukuwenza wonke lo mthetho phambi koYehova uThixo wethu, njengoko wasimiselayo umthetho.”—Duteronomi 6:25.

Kangangeenkulungwane ezininzi akakho owawugcina ngokugqibeleleyo uMthetho. Sekunjalo, abaninzi bazama ngokunyanisekileyo ukubuphuthuma ubulungisa ngokuwugcina, yaye iBhayibhile ithetha ngabanye baba bantu njengabangamalungisa. Ngokomzekelo, abazali bakaYohane uMbhaptizi bachazwa ‘njengabangamalungisa bobabini emehlweni kaThixo, behamba ngayo yonke imithetho nemimiselo yeNkosi, bengenakusokela.’—Luka 1:6.

Noko ke, uYesu wavula indlela entsha yokuphuthuma ubulungisa. Wawugcina uMthetho kaMoses ngokugqibeleleyo—okuphela komntu owakha wakwenza oko. UYesu wafela kumthi wentuthumbo, kwaye uYehova walamkela ixabiso lobomi bakhe obufezekileyo njengentlawulelo yoluntu. Ukususela ngoko ukusa phambili, amadini phantsi komnqophiso woMthetho ayengasafuneki. Idini likaYesu elifezekileyo lacamagushela izono zabo bonke abantu abantliziyo zilungileyo.—Hebhere 10:4, 12.

AmaKristu Okwenyaniso Avakaliswa Engamalungisa

Ngoko, ukususela ekufeni nasekuvukeni kukaYesu, ubulungisa bebunxulunyaniswa nokuqhelisela ukholo kulo Nyana kaThixo ulilungisa. (Yohane 3:16) Ngoxa amaYuda esithethe omhla kaPawulos engazange awufikelele umlinganiselo wobulungisa ngenxa yokuba aluchasa ulwazi oluchanileyo ngoYesu, sifunda oku ngamaKristu athembekileyo: “Begwetyelwe [bevakaliswe bengamalungisa, NW] ngesisa lubabalo lwakhe ngako ukukhululwa ngentlawulelo ekuYesu Kristu.”—Roma 3:24.

Ngokomongo, la mazwi asebenza ngokuthe ngqo kumaKristu athanjisiweyo athi, ngenxa yokholo lwawo kwidini likaYesu, avakaliswe engamalungisa ngenxa yokuba ezindlalifa kunye noKristu kuBukumkani basezulwini. Phofu ke, namhlanje, njengoko kwabonwa kwangaphambili ngumpostile uYohane, isihlwele esikhulu samaKristu esinethemba lasemhlabeni siye sabonakala. Nabo aba banokholo kwidini. ‘Bahlamba iingubo zabo ezinde, bazenze mhlophe egazini leMvana’ yaye ngoko bavakaliswa bengamalungisa njengabahlobo bakaThixo ngokuphathelele ukusinda kwabo kwimbandezelo enkulu.—ISityhilelo 7:9, 14; thelekisa uYakobi 2:21-26.

Qhubeka Uphuthuma Ubulungisa

Noko ke, phawula ukuba ukuphuthuma ubulungisa akuphelelanga ekukholweni kwethu kuYesu. UTimoti wayengumKristu ozahluleleyo nothanjisiweyo kangangeminyaka emininzi xa uPawulos wambhalela amazwi alandelayo: “Phuthuma ke ubulungisa, ukuhlonela uThixo, ukholo, uthando, unyamezelo, ubulali. Wuzame umzamo omhle wokholo.” (1 Timoti 6:11, 12; 2 Timoti 2:22) Kutheni uTimoti kwakufuneka ‘aphuthume ubulungisa’ ukuba uThixo wayesele emvakalise elilungisa?

Kungenxa yokuba igama elithi “ilungisa” likwasetyenziswa eBhayibhileni ngokwengqiqo ebanzi ngakumbi ukubhekisela kubani ophila ubomi bokunyaniseka, bokuziphatha okuhle nowenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuthobela imithetho kaThixo. Ngale ngqiqo abazali bakaYohane uMbhaptizi babengamalungisa. (Luka 1:6) Uyise kaYesu ongumondli, uYosefu, noYosefu waseArimatiya nabo babengamalungisa ngale ndlela. (Mateyu 1:19; Luka 23:50) Isibakala sokuba amaKristu avakaliswe engamalungisa ngale ngqiqo asiwenzi angabi nganembopheleleko yokuphuthuma ubulungisa. Eneneni, nawuphi na umKristu okuyekayo ukuphila ubomi bokunyaniseka, bokuziphatha okuhle okanye osilelayo ukuthobela imithetho kaThixo uya kuphulukana nokuma kwakhe okulungileyo phambi koYehova.

Ukuphuthuma Ubulungisa—Ucelomngeni

Ukuphuthuma ubulungisa kulucelomngeni. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba sonke asifezekanga yaye sinotyekelo olunamandla koko kungebobulungisa. (Genesis 8:21; Roma 7:21-23) Ngaphezu koko, siphila kwihlabathi elikhuthaza iingcinga nezenzo ezingasekelwanga kubulungisa neliphantsi kolawulo lukaSathana uMtyholi, ‘ongendawo.’ (1 Yohane 5:19; 2 Korinte 4:4) Akumangalisi ukuba xa wayebhalela uTimoti, abe uPawulos wanxulumanisa ukuphuthuma ubulungisa ‘nokuzama umzamo omhle wokholo’!—1 Timoti 6:11, 12.

Ngaba sinokuphumelela kulo “mzamo mhle”? Ewe, kodwa kuphela ukuba sibonakalisa uthando olusuka entliziyweni ngemilinganiselo kaYehova nokuba sikuthiye oko kubi. IBhayibhile ithi ngoYesu: “Wathanda ubulungisa, wathiya okungendawo.” (Hebhere 1:9) Sifanele sibe nesimo sengqondo esifanayo: umnqweno onamandla wokuhlakulela uthando ngoko kukholisa uThixo nokuphepha nakuphi na okungamkholisiyo.

Kwangaxeshanye, sifanele sikhumbule ukuba ukuphuthuma ubulungisa akulokhuphiswano. Ukuba sizigqala sisenza ngokulunge ngakumbi kunabanye, okanye ukuba siyazidla ngobulungisa bethu, ngoko ke sifana nabaFarisi abangamaYuda. (Mateyu 6:1-4) Abo babuphuthuma ngokunempumelelo ubulungisa bazigqala bengabaphantsi ngokwenene, ‘bebabalela abanye ekuthini ngabona bongamileyo kunabo.’—Filipi 2:3.

UPawulos wabalaselisa ukubaluleka kwesifundo seBhayibhile ekuphuthumeni ubulungisa xa wabhala oku: “Sonke isibhalo, siphefumlelwe nguThixo nje, sikwancedela ukufundisa, ukohlwaya, ukululeka, ukuqeqesha okusebulungiseni.” (2 Timoti 3:16) Ukuba sifundisisa iBhayibhile size siye kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu apho iBhayibhile ixutyushwa khona, siya kuqeqeshelwa ebulungiseni. IBhayibhile inokusixonxa ukuze sambathe ‘umntu omtsha, odalelwe ebulungiseni, nasebungcweleni benyaniso.’—Efese 4:24.

Xa siphila ngobulungisa ngomlinganiselo ogqibeleleyo, siya kukuthiya ngokwenene ukuchas’ umthetho. Asiyi kulingelwa ekufuneni izinxulumani ezibi zeli hlabathi. (1 Korinte 15:33) Asiyi kuphenjelelelwa ekuthandeni izinto zeli hlabathi okanye ekulandeleni imilinganiselo yezinto eziphathekayo zeli hlabathi. (IMizekeliso 16:8; 1 Timoti 6:9, 10; 1 Yohane 2:15-17) Ngokuqinisekileyo, asiyi kutsalwa yindlela yokuzonwabisa ngokuziphatha okubi nenogonyamelo exhaphake kakhulu namhlanje.—Efese 5:3, 4.

Iintsikelelo Zobulungisa

Ewe, ukuphuthuma ubulungisa ngendlela kaYehova kulucelomngeni, kodwa umzamo onjalo awulolize. Ngoba? Kuba ukhokelela ekunandipheni kwethu ulwalamano lobuqu noYehova. Elinjani lona ukubaluleka ilungelo! IBhayibhile isixelela oku: “Isithili samalungisa [uYehova] uyasisikelela.” “UYehova ukude nabangendawo; ke wona umthandazo wamalungisa uyawuva.” (IMizekeliso 3:33; 15:29) Ukongezelela, siziqonda ngakumbi iinjongo zikaYehova. “Umendo wamalungisa unjengokukhaya komso, okuya kuba mhlophe ngokuba mhlophe, kude kube semini enkulu.”—IMizekeliso 4:18.

IBhayibhile ithembisa ngenkuselo kwabafuna ubulungisa xa le nkqubo yezinto engatyekelanga kubulungisa ifikelela esiphelweni sayo. “Funani uYehova, nonke balulamileyo belizwe, bakwenzileyo okusesikweni kwakhe; funani ubulungisa, funani ululamo, mhlawumbi nositheliswa ngemini yomsindo kaYehova.” (Zefaniya 2:3) Emva koko, ngabo banethemba lasemhlabeni, iBhayibhile ibathembisa okuzuke ngokwenene kuba ithi: “Amalungisa aya kulidla ilifa ilizwe, ahlale kulo ngonaphakade.”—INdumiso 37:29.

Ezinjani zona ukumangalisa izizathu zokuphuthuma ubulungisa! Kunjengokuba uThixo ngokwakhe esithi: “Ophuthuma ubulungisa nenceba wofumana ubomi nobulungisa nozuko.”—IMizekeliso 21:21.