Hatshi. EBhayibhilini lasemabhukwini embali akula lapho esithola khona ukuthi amaKhristu ayebhabhathizelwa abantu abafileyo.

Indlela ivesi leyi ehunyutshwe ngayo kwamanye amaBhayibhili ibangele ukuthi abanye bacabange ukuthi ngesikhathi sikaPhawuli abanye abantu babebhabhathizelwa abafileyo. Ngokwesibonelo i-Holy Bible in Ndebele ithi: “Uma kungelakuvuka ekufeni, pho bazakwenzani labo ababhaphathizelwe abafileyo na?”

Nanzelela ukuthi izikhwicamfundo zeBhayibhili ezimbili zathini ngendaba le. UGregory Lockwood wathi akulabufakazi eBhayibhilini kumbe kwezembali obuveza ukuthi kulomuntu owake wabhabhathizelwa abafileyo. UGordon D. Fee wavumelana laye. Wabhala ukuthi eBhayibhilini kumbe emabhukwini embali akulamuntu okukhulunywa ngaye owake wabhabhathizelwa abantu abafileyo. Uthi akulanto enjalo okukhulunywa ngayo kuThestamenti Elitsha futhi akulabufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi amaKhristu akuqala ake akwenza lokhu kumbe ukuthi amasonto abunjwa ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli lawo ake akwenza lokhu.

IBhayibhili lithi abalandeli bakaJesu ‘babezakwenza abantu bezizwe zonke babe ngabafundi, babafundise ukulandela izinto zonke’ ayebalaye zona. (Mat. 28:19, 20) Yikho umuntu kwakumele aqale afunde, akholwe futhi alalele uJehova leNdodana yakhe engakabi ngumfundi obhabhathiziweyo. Umuntu owayesefile esesengcwabeni wayengeke akwenze lokhu njalo umKhristu ophilayo wayengeke amenzele khona.—UmTshu. 9:5, 10; Joh. 4:1; 1 Khor. 1:14-16.

Manje uPhawuli wayekhuluma ngani?

Abanye eKhorinte babesithi abafileyo abasoze bavuswe. (1 Khor. 15:12) UPhawuli wabatshengisa ukuthi ababekukholwa kwakungaqondanga. Wakwenza njani? Wabatshela ukuthi ‘nsuku zonke wayekhangelana lokufa.’ Lanxa nsuku zonke wayesengozini yokufa wayengathandabuzi ukuthi angafa uzavuswa ayephila ezulwini njengoJesu.—1 Khor. 15:30-32, 42-44.

AbaseKhorinte kwakumele bazwisise ukuthi njengoba babengamaKhristu agcotshiweyo babezahlangana lobunzima nsuku zonke njalo bafe bengakavuswa ukuthi baye ezulwini. Yikho ngesikhathi ‘bebhabhathizelwa kuKhristu uJesu babebhabhathizelwa lasekufeni kwakhe.’ (Rom. 6:3) Lokhu kwakusitsho ukuthi njengoJesu babezakwehlelwa yibunzima njalo bafe bengakavuswa ukuthi bayephila ezulwini.

Sekudlule iminyaka emibili uJesu ebhabhathizwe emanzini, watshela abaphostoli bakhe ababili wathi: ‘Ubhabhathizo engibhabhathizwa ngalo lizabhabhathizwa ngalo.’ (Mak. 10:38, 39) UJesu wayengakhulumi ngokubhabhathizwa ngamanzi. Kodwa wayesitsho ukuthi ukuhlala kwakhe ethembekile kuNkulunkulu kwakuzakwenza ukuthi abulawe. UPhawuli wabhala wathi abagcotshiweyo ‘bazahlupheka loKhristu bakhazinyuliswe kanye laye.’ (Rom. 8:16, 17; 2 Khor. 4:17) Ngakho labo kwakumele baqale bafe bengakavuswa ukuthi bayephila ezulwini.

Yikho indlela eqondileyo amazwi kaPhawuli okumele ahunyutshwe ngayo yile: “Aluba bekungenjalo, ababhabhathizelwa ukuba ngabafileyo bebezakwenzani? Pho kungani bebhabhathizelwa ukuba ngabafileyo nxa kuyikuthi abafileyo abasoze bavuswe?”