1. Kuyini okwenza u-Abrahama wahlala ethemba ukuthi wayezakuba lendodana?

 UJEHOVA wathembisa umngane wakhe u-Abrahama ukuthi zonke izizwe zomhlaba zazizabusiswa ngenzalo yakhe. (Gen. 15:5; 22:18) U-Abrahama wayengathandabuzi ukuthi okuthenjiswa nguNkulunkulu kwakuzakwenzakala ngoba wayelokholo kuye. Lanxa kunjalo wafikisa iminyaka engu-100, lomkakhe engu-90 belokhu bengakabi lendodana. (Gen. 21:​1-7) IBhayibhili lithi: “Ithemba lamenza wakholwa ukuthi wayezakuba nguyise wezizwe ezinengi njengoba nje wayetsheliwe.” (Rom. 4:18) Siyakwazi ukuthi lokho u-Abrahama ayethemba ukuthi kuzakwenzakala kwenzakala sibili. Ekucineni wayithola indodana ayeyilindele okwesikhathi eside, u-Isaka. Kuyini okwenza u-Abrahama wahlala ethemba ukuthi uJehova wayezakwenza lokho ayemthembise khona?

2. Kungani u-Abrahama wayengathandabuzi ukuthi akuthenjiswa nguJehova kwakuzakwenzakala?

² U-Abrahama “wayengathandabuzi ngitsho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayesenelisa ukwenza lokho ayekuthembisile” ngoba wayemazi kuhle. (Rom. 4:21) UJehova wamamukela u-Abrahama futhi wathi ulungile ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. (Jak. 2:23) URoma 4:18 utshengisa ukuthi u-Abrahama wayelakho kokubili ukholo lethemba. Khathesi asiboneni ukuthi umphostoli uPhawuli wathini ngethemba kuRoma isahluko 5.

3. Kuyini uPhawuli asichasisela khona ngethemba?

³ UPhawuli uyasitshela ukuthi kuyini okungenza siqiniseke  ukuthi “ithemba alisidanisi.” (Rom. 5:5) Uyasinceda sizwisise lokuthi kuyini okungenza sihlale silethemba. Njengoba sihlola amazwi kaPhawuli akuRoma 5:​1-5 cabanga ngokwenzakale kuwe. Nxa ungenza njalo uzabona ukuthi ubulokhu usengezelela indlela omthemba ngayo uNkulunkulu. Isihloko lesi sizasinceda sibone ukuthi singenzani ukuze ithemba lethu liqhubeke liqina. Asiqaleni sixoxe ngethemba elikhazimulayo uPhawuli athi alisoze lisidanise.

4. Kuyini okukhulunywa ngakho kuRoma 5:​1, 2?

⁴ Bala uRoma 5:​1, 2. Amazwi la uPhawuli wawabhalela ibandla laseRoma. Abazalwane bebandla lelo babefunde ngoJehova loJesu baba lokholo basebesiba ngamaKhristu. UNkulunkulu ‘wathi balungile ngenxa yokholo’ wasebagcoba ngomoya ongcwele. Khathesi basebelethemba elikhazimulayo sibili njalo basebeqiniseka ukuthi bazawuthola umvuzo wabo.

5. Yiliphi ithemba amaKhristu agcotshiweyo alalo?

⁵ Ngemva kwesikhathi uPhawuli wabhalela amaKhristu agcotshiweyo e-Efesu ngethemba ayebizelwe kulo. Ayezathola ‘ilifa eligcinelwe abangcwele.’ (Efe. 1:18) Wabhalela lamaKhristu eKholose ewatshela ngokuthi umvuzo wawo ayezawamukela ngaphi. Wathi ‘ayelethemba lokwamukela akugcinelweyo ezulwini.’ (Kol. 1:​4, 5) Ngakho amaKhristu agcotshiweyo alethemba lokuvuka ayephila ezulwini kuze kube nini lanini ebusa loKhristu.—1 Thes. 4:​13-17; Isam. 20:6.

6. Omunye umzalwane ogcotshiweyo wathini ngethemba ayelalo?

⁶ AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo ayaliqakathekisa ithemba leli. Omunye wabo kwakungumfowethu uFrederick Franz. Wathi: “Esikuthembayo kuzakwenzakala sibili futhi bonke abangu-144 000 bazakuthola lokho esikuthenjiswa nguNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo umvuzo lo uzabe ungcono kakhulu ukwedlula loba yini esingayicabanga.” Umfowethu uFranz wakhonza uJehova  ethembekile okweminyaka eminengi. Ngo-1991 wathi: ‘Lokhu siliqakathekisa kakhulu ithemba lethu futhi nxa isikhathi silokhu sidlula sililindele, siyabe silokhu singezelela indlela esiliqakathekisa ngayo. Sizimisele ukuqhubeka sililindele ithemba lethu lanxa kungaze kuthathe amamiliyoni eminyaka. Khathesi ithemba leli ligxilile enhliziyweni yami ukwedlula loba nini.’

7-8. Abanengi balaliphi ithemba? (URoma 8:​20, 21)

⁷ Abantu abanengi abakhonza uJehova lamuhla balelinye ithemba elingafanani lelabagcotshiweyo. Balethemba elifanana lelika-Abrahama elokuphila emhlabeni kuze kube phakade bebuswa nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Heb. 11:​8-10, 13) UPhawuli wabhala ngomvuzo omuhle ozatholwa ngamaKhristu la. (Bala uRoma 8:​20, 21.) Kuyini owakuthanda kakhulu ngesikhathi ufunda ngalokho esikuthenjiswa liBhayibhili mayelana lekusasa? Kwakuyikuthi ngelinye ilanga uzabe ungaselasono yini futhi ungasawenzi amaphutha? Kumbe kwakuyikuzwa ukuthi abafileyo obathandayo bazavuswa baphile emhlabeni olipharadayisi? ‘Ithemba’ uNkulunkulu asinika lona lenza sikulindele ngabomvu ukugcwaliseka kwalokho uNkulunkulu asithembisa khona.

⁸ Kungelani lokuthi sikhangelele ukuphila phakade ezulwini loba khonapha emhlabeni, sonke silethemba elikhazimulayo elisenza sithokoze. Kanti njalo kukhona okuzasinceda singathandabuzi ukuthi ithemba lethu alisoze lisidanise. Okwabhalwa nguPhawuli emavesini alandelayo kuyasinceda sibone ukuthi kungenzakala njani lokhu. Ake sixoxe ngalokho akubhalayo mayelana lethemba lethu. Kuzasinceda singathandabuzi ukuthi lokho esikuthembayo kuzagcwaliseka loba sekutheni.

9-10. Amazwi kaPhawuli atshengisa ukuthi kuyini amaKhristu angakukhangelela? (URoma 5:3) (Khangela lemifanekiso.)

⁹ Bala uRoma 5:3. Nanzelela ukuthi inhlupho esiba lazo zingasinceda singathandabuzi  ukuthi esikuthenjiswa nguNkulunkulu kuzagcwaliseka. Ukuzwa lokhu kungakumangalisa. Kodwa bonke nje abalandeli bakaKhristu kumele bakhangelele ukuhlangana lenhlupho. Asixoxeni ngamazwi kaPhawuli. Watshela abaseThesalonika wathi: “Siseselani sasihlala silitshela ukuthi sizahlupheka. Lakanye yikho osekwenzakele.” (1 Thes. 3:4) Wabhalela labaseKhorinte wathi: ‘Sifuna lizazi bafowethu inhlupho ezasehlelayo. Sasingasela qiniso lokuthi sizaqhubeka siphila yini.’—2 Khor. 1:8; 11:​23-27.

¹⁰ Lanamuhla amaKhristu angakhangelela ukuthi azahlupheka. (2 Thim. 3:12) Wena yiluphi uhlupho olalo? Usuke waba lenhlupho yini ngenxa yokuthi ukholwa kuJesu futhi uyamlandela? Kungenzeka izihlobo labangane bayake bakuchothoze kumbe bakuphathe ngolunya. Wake wahlutshwa yini emsebenzini ngenxa yokuthi uzimisele ukuthembeka kukho konke? (Heb. 13:18) Sewake wahlukuluzwa nguhulumende yini ngenxa yokuthi utshela abanye ngethemba olalo? Kungelani lohlupho ongabe ulalo uPhawuli uthi kumele uthokoze. Kungani?

11. Kungani kumele sizimisele ukuqinisela kuloba yibuphi ubunzima esihlangana labo?

¹¹ Singathokoza lanxa siphakathi kwenhlupho ngoba uRoma 5:3 uthi “inhlupho zenza siqinisele.” Sonke sizahlangana lenhlupho yikho kumele sifunde ukuqinisela. Kungelani lokuthi yiziphi inhlupho esihlangana lazo kumele sizimisele ukuqinisela. Nxa singaqinisela njalo siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova, sizawamukela umvuzo esiwulindeleyo. Asifuni ukufanana lalabo uJesu ayecabanga ngabo ngesikhathi ekhuluma ngenhlanyelo eyawela emhlabathini owawuledwala. Ekuqaleni balamukela ngentokozo ilizwi kodwa kwathi sekufike “inhlupho kumbe ukuhlukuluzwa” bakhubeka. (Mat. 13:​5, 6, 20, 21) Kuliqiniso ukuthi akumnandi ukulingwa loba ukuhlukuluzwa kodwa nxa singaqinisela siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova sizancedakala. Njani?

12. Ukuqinisela nxa siphakathi kwenhlupho kusinceda njani?

¹² Umfundi uJakhobe wasitshela ukuthi kunceda ngani ukuqinisela nxa siphakathi kwenhlupho. Wabhala wathi: “Vumelani ukuqinisela kuqede umsebenzi wakho ukuze liphelele, lingabi lasici kukho konke njalo lingasileli ngalutho.” (Jak. 1:​2-4) UJakhobe wathi ukuqinisela kulomsebenzi okumele kuwenze. Yiwuphi lowomsebenzi? Kungakunceda ukuthi ubekezele kukho konke, ube lokholo oluqinileyo futhi umthembe kakhulu uNkulunkulu. Kulenye futhi indlela eqakathekileyo ukuqinisela okusinceda ngayo.

13-14. Ukuqinisela kusinceda ngani njalo kuyini esingakuthandabuziyo? (URoma 5:4)

¹³ Bala uRoma 5:4. UPhawuli uthi ukuqinisela kwenza “samukelwe nguNkulunkulu.” Kodwa lokho akutsho ukuthi uJehova uyajabula nxa esibona siphakathi kobunzima kumbe sisehlelwa yizilingo. UNkulunkulu wamukela wena ngokwakho. Nxa ungaqinisela uNkulunkulu uzathokoza ngawe. Lesi yisibusiso sibili!—Hubo. 5:12.

¹⁴ Khumbula ukuthi u-Abrahama waqinisela ebunzimeni njalo uJehova wathokoza ngaye. UJehova wambona njengomngane wakhe futhi wathi ulungile. (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:​13, 22) Lathi kungenzakala kithi lokhu. UNkulunkulu kasamukeli ngenxa yemisebenzi yenkonzo esiyiphiwayo loba ukuthi senza imisebenzi enganani kodwa okwenza asamukele yindlela esiqinisela ngayo nxa siphakathi kobunzima. Sonke singaqinisela kungelani lokuthi singanani loba ukuthi kwenzakalani empilweni zethu kanye lokuthi kuyini esenelisa  ukukwenza. Uphakathi kobunzima yini khathesi obudinga ukuthi uqhubeke uqinisela? Nxa kunjalo khumbula ukuthi uJehova uyathokoza ngawe. Ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasamukela kwenza siqiniseke ukuthi lokho asithembisa khona kuzagcwaliseka loba sekutheni.

15. UPhawuli waphinda wathini njalo kungani amazwi akhe engamangalisa abanye?

¹⁵ Njengoba uPhawuli watsho, uJehova uyathokoza ngathi nxa singaqinisela ebunzimeni futhi siqhubeke sithembekile kuye. Kodwa nanzelela ukuthi uPhawuli waqhubeka wathini. Wathi: “Ukwamukelwa nguNkulunkulu besekusenza sibe lethemba, njalo ithemba alisidanisi.” (Rom. 5:​4, 5) Amazwi la angabamangalisa abanye. Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yokuthi kuRoma 5:2 umphostoli uPhawuli wayethe amaKhristu eRoma ayelethemba, ‘ithemba lokwamukela inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.’ Yikho omunye angazibuza athi, ‘Nxa kuyikuthi amaKhristu lawo ayevele elethemba pho kungani uPhawuli waphinda wakhuluma ngethemba engxoxweni yakhe?’

16. Kuyini okwenza umuntu aqalise ukuthemba lokho esikuthenjiswa nguNkulunkulu? (Khangela lemifanekiso.)

¹⁶ Okungasinceda sizwisise lokho okwakukhulunywa nguPhawuli yikuhlala sikhumbula ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umuntu uqhubeka emthemba kakhulu uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, usakhumbula yini uqalisa ukuzwa ngethemba elihle eliseLizwini likaNkulunkulu? Mhlawumbe wathi usizwa ukuthi umhlaba uzakuba lipharadayisi lokuthi abantu bangaphila kuze kube phakade wazitshela ukuthi lelo liphupho nje. Kodwa wathi uqhubeka ufunda ngoJehova langezithembiso zakhe eziseBhayibhilini waqalisa ukuqiniseka ukuthi lokho asithembisa khona kuzagcwaliseka.

17. Ithemba lakho selikhule njani kusukela wazinikela njalo wabhabhathizwa?

¹⁷ Wathi usuzinikele kuJehova wabhabhathizwa, waqhubeka ufunda okunengi kakhulu  ngaye futhi wamthanda. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi ithemba lakho liqhubeke liqina. (Heb. 5:13–6:1) Engxenye okukhulunywa kuRoma 5:​2-4 kwenzakala lakuwe. Kungenzeka ukuthi wahlangana lobunzima obunengi futhi waqhubeka ubekezela njalo wakubona ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwamukela. Njengoba ungakuthandabuzi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakuthanda, khathesi usukulindele ngabomvu ukubona izinto asithembise zona zigcwaliseka. Ithemba lakho seliqine kakhulu ukwedlula kuqala. Seligxile kakhulu enhliziyweni yakho njalo liyakuqinisa njengoba lawe kulezinto ozikhangelele ngabomvu. Yilo eseliqondisa konke okwenzayo empilweni njalo selitshintshe lendlela ophatha ngayo abanye emulini lendlela oyenza ngayo izinqumo kanye lendlela osebenzisa ngayo isikhathi sakho.

18. UJehova usiqinisekisa njani ukuthi asithembise khona kuzagcwaliseka?

¹⁸ UPhawuli uphinda asitshele omunye umcijo oqakathekileyo mayelana lethemba oba lalo nxa ungemukelwa nguNkulunkulu. Uyakuqinisekisa ukuthi ithemba lakho lizagcwaliseka. Kuyini okungenza ungathandabuzi? UPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale amazwi alandelayo ukuze asiqinisekise. Wathi: “Ithemba alisidanisi ngoba uthando lukaNkulunkulu seluthululwe ezinhliziyweni zethu ngomoya ongcwele esawuphiwayo.” (Rom. 5:5) Ngakho ungaqiniseka ukuthi ithemba uNkulunkulu akunike lona lizagcwaliseka.

19. Kuyini esingaqiniseka ngakho?

¹⁹ Cabangisisa ngezinto uJehova azithembisa u-Abrahama kanye lokuthi wamamukela wamenza waba ngumngane wakhe. UJehova kazange ambambise ilitshe u-Abrahama. Ayemthembise khona kwagcwaliseka. IBhayibhili lithi: “U-Abrahama wathi esebekezele, wasithola isithembiso leso.” (Heb. 6:15; 11:​9, 18; Rom. 4:​20-22) UNkulunkulu kazange amdanise, yikho lawe ungaqiniseka ukuthi uzawuthola umvuzo nxa ungaqhubeka uthembekile. Silezizatho ezinengi zokujabula ngoba siyaqiniseka ukuthi ithemba lethu lizagcwaliseka, alisoze lisidanise loba sekutheni! (Rom. 12:12) UPhawuli wabhala wathi: “UNkulunkulu onika ithemba kaliphe intokozo enkulu lokuthula ngoba liyamthemba, ukuze ngamandla omoya ongcwele libe lethemba elikhulu.”—Rom. 15:13.