1. Kubayini u-Abrahama bekangaragela phambili anethemba lokufumana indodana?

 UJEHOVA wathembisa umnganakhe u-Abrahama ukuthi uzokuba nendodana begodu zoke iintjhaba ezisephasini zizokubusiswa ngebanga layo. (Gen. 15:5; 22:18) Ngebanga lokuthi u-Abrahama wakholelwa khulu kuZimu, bekaqiniseka ukuthi isithembiswesi sizokuzaliseka. Ngitjho nanyana u-Abrahama bekaneminyaka eli-100 begodu umkakhe aneminyaka ema-90, abatjhadikazaba bebanganayo indodana. (Gen. 21:​1-7) Nanyana kunjalo, iBhayibheli lithi: “Ngokusekelwe ethembeni, [u-Abrahama] wakholwa ukuthi uzokuba nguyise weentjhaba ezinengi ngokuvumelana nalokho okwatjhiwo.” (Rom. 4:18) Uyazi ukuthi ithemba laka-Abrahama lazaliseka. Waba nguyise wendodana ebekayilindile u-Isaka. Kubayini u-Abrahama bekaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uzosizalisa isithembiso sakhe?

2. Kubayini u-Abrahama bekaqiniseka ukuthi isithembiso sakaJehova sizokuzaliseka?

² Ngebanga lokuthi u-Abrahama bekamazi kuhle uJehova ‘bekaqiniseka kwamambala ukuthi lokho uZimu akuthembisileko’ kuzokuzaliseka. (Rom. 4:21) UJehova wamamukela u-Abrahama wathi ulungile ngebanga lokukholwa kwakhe. (Jak. 2:23) Njengokutjho kwebeRoma 4:​18, u-Abrahama bekanakho kokubili, ukukholwa nethemba. Nje, akhesicoce ngalokho umpostoli uPowula akutjhoko malungana nethemba njengombana kutlolwe kwebeRoma isahluko 5.

3. Khuyini uPowula ayihlathululako malungana nethemba?

 ³ UPowula uhlathulula ukuthi kubayini singaqiniseka ukuthi ‘ithemba lethu alidanisi.’ (Rom. 5:5) Usisiza nokuthi sizwisise bona ithemba lethu lobuKrestu lingaqina njani. Njengombana sihlolisisa lokho uPowula akutjhoko kwebeRoma 5:​1-5, cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka ekuphileni kwakho nje. Ngokwenza njalo, uzokulemuka ukuthi ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ithemba lakho lobuKrestu liragele phambili laqina khulu. Esizokukhuluma ngakho kuzokuveza nokuthi singalenza njani ithemba lethu liqine ukudlula indlela eliqine ngayo nje. Akhesicabange ngethemba eliphazimulako uPowula athi angekhe lisidanise.

4. Kukhulunywe ngani kwebeRoma 5:​1, 2?

⁴ Funda kwebeRoma 5:​1, 2. UPowula watlolela ibandla leRoma amezwi lawo. Abafowethu nabodadwethu balapho bafunda ngoJehova noJesu bakholwa begodu babamaKrestu. Yeke, uZimu wathi ngabo ‘balungile ngebanga lokukholwa’ begodu wabazesa ngomoya ocwengileko. Bangaqala phambili emvuzweni okarisako, bangaqiniseka nokuthi bazowufumana.

5. Ngiliphi ithemba abazesiweko abanalo?

⁵ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uPowula watlolela amaKrestu azesiweko we-Efesu malungana nethemba uZimu awanikela lona. Ithembelo lihlanganisa ukuthi bazokwamukela “ubunjinga obuphazimulako abuphathele abacwengileko njengelifa.” (Efe. 1:18) UPowula watjengisa beKolose ukuthi bazowufumana kuphi umvuzwabo. Wawubiza ngokuthi ‘lithemba ababekelwe lona ezulwini.’ (Kol. 1:​4, 5) Ithemba amaKrestu azesiweko abekelwe lona, kuvuselwa ekuphileni okungapheliko ezulwini lapho azokubusa khona noKrestu.—1 Thes. 4:​13-17; IsAm. 20:6.

6. Khuyini omunye umfowethu ozesiweko ayitjhoko ngethemba lakhe?

⁶ AmaKrestu azesiweko ayalithabela ithembelo. Omunye wabo ngumFowethu u-Frederick Franz, owathi ngokusuka ehliziyweni:  “Ithemba lethu lizokuzaliseka begodu soke abazii-144 000 sizokufumana lokho uZimu asithembise khona begodu umvuzwethu uzokuba ngcono khulu kunanyana yini ekhesaba nayo.” Ngemva kokulotjha uJehova ngokuthembeka amatjhumi weminyaka, umFowethu u-Franz wavuma wathi: “Sisaliqala njengethemba eliqakathekileko ithemba lethu njengombana sisalilindile. . . . Nasiloko silindile kwenza sithokoze khulu ngalo. Sizimisele ukulilinda ngitjho nanyana kungathatha isikhathi eside kangangani. Lingithabisa khulu ithemba lethu ukudlula phambilini.”

7-8. Ngiliphi ithemba abantu abanengi abanalo? (Roma 8:​20, 21)

⁷ Abantu abanengi abalotjha uJehova namhlanjesi banethemba elihlukileko. Lithemba u-Abrahama ebekanalo, lokuphila ngokungapheliko ephasini ngaphasi komBuso kaZimu. (Heb. 11:​8-10, 13) UPowula watlola ngethemba elikarisakweli. (Funda kwebeRoma 8:​20, 21.) Nawuthoma ukufunda ngeenthembiso eziseBhayibhelini ngengomuso, khuyini ebewuqale phambili khulu kiyo? Kghani bewuqale phambili ukuthi ngelinye ilanga angekhe usaba sisoni? Kghani wathatjiswa kukuzwa ukuthi abantu obathandako abahlongakeleko bazokuvuswa godu ephasini eliyipharadesi. Lokhu kukunikele amabanga amanengi wokuqala phambili ‘esisekelweni sethemba.’

⁸ Akunandaba ukuthi silindele ukuthabela ukuphila ngokungapheliko ezulwini namkha ephasini, sinethemba eliphazimulako elisenza sithabe. Ithemba lethu elithabisako lingakhula liqine khulu. UPowula uhlathulula ukuthi lokho kungenzeka njani. Akhesicabange ngalokho akutlolako malungana nethemba lethu. Ukwenza njalo kuzosiqinisekisa khulu ukuthi lokho esikulindeleko kuzokwenzeka.

9-10. Njengombana sibone esibonelweni sakaPowula, khuyini amaKrestu angayilindela? (Roma 5:3) (Qala neenthombe.)

⁹ Funda kwebeRoma 5:3. Tjheja ukuthi isizi lingasiza ekwenzeni ithemba lethu liqine.  Lokho kungabonakala kurara. Kuhlekuhle, boke abalandeli bakaKrestu bangalindela ukuqalana nesizi. Cabanga ngesibonelo sompostoli uPowula, wathi kwebeThesalonika: “Lokha sisesenani, besinitjela kusesengaphambili ukuthi sizokutlhagiswa matshwenyeko, ngilokho-ke okwenzekileko njengombana nazi.” (1 Thes. 3:4) Watlolela beKorinte wathi: “Asifuni bona ningazi bafowethu ngesizi esaqalana nalo . . . Kangangobana besiqiniseka ngokuthi sizokufa.”—2 Kor. 1:8; 11:​23-27.

¹⁰ Namhlanjesi amaKrestu nawo angalindela isizi elinjalo. (2 Thim. 3:12) Khuthiwani ngawe? Njengombana ukholwa kuJesu begodu umlandela, inga-kghani khewaqalana nokuhlunguphazwa? Abangani neenhlobo kungenzeka bakhe bakuhleka. Kungenzeka bakuphathe kumbi. Kghani ukuzimisela kwakho ukuhlala uthembekile kizo zoke izinto kukubangele imiraro emsebenzini? (Heb. 13:18) Inga-kghani khewaqalana nokuphikiswa ngebanga lokutjhumayeza abanye ngethemba lakho? Akunandaba ukuthi uqalana nesizi elinjani, uPowula wathi kufuze sithabe. Kubayini?

11. Kubayini kufuze sizimisele ukukghodlhelela nanyana ngisiphi isilingo?

¹¹ Singathaba ngitjho nanyana sitlhaga ngebanga lokuthi siyazi ukuthi lokhu kuzosisiza siveze ubuntu obuqakathekileko. Kunjengokutjho komtlolo webeRoma 5:3 nawuthi, “isizi liveza ukukghodlhelela.” Woke amaKrestu azokuqalana nesizi, nje-ke woke amaKrestu kufuze akghodlhelele. Kufuze sizimisele ukukghodlhelela nanyana ngisiphi isilingo esingaqalana naso. Nasenza njalo sizokukghona ukubona ukuzaliseka kwethemba lethu. Asifuni ukufana nalabo uJesu ebekakhuluma ngabo nakakhuluma ngembewu ewele endaweni enamatje. Ekuthomeni bamukela iliZwi ngethabo kodwana nakuvela “imiraro nokuhlunguphazwa” bakhubeka, bawa. (Mat. 13:​5, 6, 20, 21) Kuliqiniso ukuthi ukuphikiswa namkha iinlingo azisimnandi kodwana siyazuza nasizikghodlhelelako besiragele phambili silotjha uJehova. Ngayiphi indlela?

12. Khuyini esiyizuzako nasikghodlhelela iinlingo?

¹² Umfundi uJakopo wakhuluma ngalokho esingakuzuza nasikghodlhelela iinlingo. Watlola: ‘Vumela ukukghodlhelela kuphelelise umsebenzakho bona ube ngopheleleko noqaqulukileko kikho koke, ungatlhayeli litho.’ (Jak. 1:​2-4) UJakopo uhlathulula ukukghodlhelela ngasuthi kunomsebenzi okufuze uwenze. Ngimuphi umsebenzi loyo? Kungakusiza ubekezele, ukholwe bewuthembele kuZimu khudlwana. Sizuza ngenye indlela eqakathekileko nasikghodlhelela iinlingo.

13-14. Ukukghodlhelela kuveza ini begodu lokho kuhlobene njani nethemba? (Roma 5:4)

¹³ Funda kwebeRoma 5:4. UPowula wathi ukukghodlhelela kuveza “ubujamo obamukelekako.” Ukukghodlhelelela kwenza wamukelwe nguJehova. Lokho akutjho ukuthi uJehova uyathaba lokha nawuqalana neenlingo namkha imiraro. UZimu uthatjiswa nguwe. Ukukghodlhelela kwakho kwenza akwamukele. Qala bona sibusiso esikarisa kangangani lesi!—Rhu. 5:12.

¹⁴ Khumbula ukuthi u-Abrahama waqalana neenlingo begodu wathabisa uJehova lokha nakazikghodlhelela ngokuthembeka. UJehova wamqala njengomnganakhe bewambiza ngokuthi ulungile. (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:​13, 22) Kungenzeka okufanako nangathi. Sithabisa uJehova ingasi ngebanga lokuthi ungangani umsebenzi esimenzela wona namkha ngimaphi amalungelo esinawo. Uyasamukela ngebanga lokukghodlhelela kwethu ngokuthembeka. Akunandaba ukuthi singangani,  ubujamo bethu bunjani namkha sinamaphi amakghono, soke singakghona ukukghodlhelela. Inga-kghani kunesilingo osikghodlhelelako nje? Nange kunjalo, khumbula ukuthi uthabisa uJehova. Ukulemuka ukuthi uZimu uyasamukela kungasikhuthaza. Kungaqinisa ithemba lethu.

15. Ngiliphi elinye iphuzu uPowula alivezako begodu kubayini lokho kungarara abanye?

¹⁵ Njengombana uPowula ahlathulula, sithabisa uJehova nange sihlala sithembekile kuye besikghodlhelele iinlingo. Umpostoli uPowula uragela phambili akhuluma athi: “Ubujamo obamukelekako buveza ithemba, ithemba lona alidanisi.” (Rom. 5:​4, 5) Lokhu kungabarara abanye. Kubayini? Ngombana phambilini njengombana kutloliwe kwebeRoma 5:​2, uPowula wathi amaKrestu weRoma sekanalo ‘ithemba lephazimulo kaZimu.’ Ngebanga lalokho, omunye angabuza, ‘Yeke nangabe amaKrestu lawo sekanalo ithembeli, kubayini uPowula akhuluma ngethemba emezwinakhe?’

16. Ithemba lithoma ukukhula njani emuntwini? (Qala neenthombe.)

¹⁶ Sikghona ukuzwisisa lokho uPowula ebekakutjho nasicabanga ngokuthi ithembelo liyinto ekhulako. Akhesifanekise: Uyakhumbula nawuthoma ukuzwa ngethemba elikarisako eliseliZwini lakaZimu? Ngesikhatheso, kungenzeka bewungacabangi ukuthi indaba yokuphila ngokungapheliko ephasini eliyipharadesi izokwenzeka. Kodwana ngemva kokuthi ufunde ngokungeziweko ngoJehova nangeenthembiso eziseBhayibhelini, waqiniseka ukuthi isithembiswesi sizokwenzeka.

17. Ithemba liragela njani phambili likhula ngitjho nangemva kokuzinikela nangokubhajadiswa?

¹⁷ Ngitjho nangemva kokubhajadiswa, waragela phambili wazi uJehova ngcono begodu wamthanda khulu, lokho kwakwenza waqiniseka ukuthi izinto azithembisileko zizokwenzeka. (Heb. 5:13–6:1) Kungenzeka ukuzwile  lokho okukhulunywa ngakho kwebeRoma 5:​2-4. Waqalana neentjhijilo ezihlukahlukeneko kodwana wazikghodlhelela begodu uJehova wakutjengisa ukuthi uyamthabisa. Ngebanga lokuthi uyazi bona uyakuthanda begodu uyamthabisa, unebanga elizwakalako lokulindela izinto azithembisileko. Ithemba lakho liqine khulu ukudlula ekuthomeni. Lingelamambala kuwe. Likuthinta khulu, lithinta zoke iingcenye zokuphila kwakho belitjhugulula nendlela ophatha ngayo umndenakho, indlela owenza ngayo iinqunto nendlela osebenzisa ngayo isikhathi sakho.

18. Ngisiphi isiqinisekiso uJehova asinikela sona?

¹⁸ Umpostoli ungezelela iphuzu eliqakathekile malungana nethemba olifumanako ngemva kokwamukelwa nguZimu. Uyakuqinisekisa ukuthi ithemba lakho lizokuzaliseka. Kubayini uqiniseka ngalokho? UPowula ufaka isiqinisekiso esiphefumulelwekwesi esiya kumaKrestu uthi: “Ithemba lona alidanisi ngombana ithando lakaZimu lithululelwe eenhliziyweni zethu ngommoya ocwengileko esanikelwa wona.” (Rom. 5:5) Unawo woke amabanga wokuqiniseka ngethemba uJehova akunikele lona.

19. Khuyini ongaqiniseka ngayo malungana nethemba onalo?

¹⁹ Cabanga ngesithembiso uJehova asenza ku-Abrahama nendlela amamukela ngayo begodu wamqala njengoMnganakhe. Ithemba u-Abrahama ebekanalo akhenge libe lilize. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngemva kobana u-Abrahama abekezele, wafumana isithembiswesi.” (Heb. 6:15; 11:​9, 18; Rom. 4:​20-22) Akhenge adane. Nawe ungaqiniseka ukuthi nawuhlala uthembekile, uzowufumana umvuzo walokho okulindeleko. Ithemba lakho lingelamambala, lilibanga lokuthaba ingasi lokudana. (Rom. 12:12) UPowula watlola wathi: “Kwanga uZimu onikela ithemba anganizalisa ngalo loke ithabo nokuthula ngokuthembela kuye bona niphuphume ethembeni ngamandla wommoya ocwengileko.”—Rom. 15:13.