1. Nasicabanga ngokukholwa kwaka-Abrahama, ngimuphi umbuzo esingawubuza?

 NANYANA abantu abanengi bakhe bezwa ngo-Abrahama, abanengi kuncani abakwaziko ngaye. Nanyana kunjalo, wena wazi okunengi ngo-Abrahama. Ngokwesibonelo, uyazi ukuthi iBhayibheli lithi u-Abrahama ‘unguyise wabo boke abanokukholwa.’ (Rom 4:11) Ungazibuza, ‘Kghani ngingakghona ukukhamba emtlhaleni ka-Abrahama ngibe nokukholwa ebekanakho?’ Iye ungakghona.

2. Kubayini kuqakathekile ukufunda ngesibonelo saka-Abrahama? (Jakopo 2:​22, 23)

² Indlela ongatjengisa ngayo ukukholwa okufana nekwaka-Abrahama kufunda ngesibonelo sakhe. U-Abrahama bekahlala akwenza lokho uZimu amtjela bona akwenze. Wathuthela enarheni ekude, wahlala ematendeni iminyaka eminengi begodu bekazimisele ukunikela ngendodanakhe ayithandako u-Isaka. Koke lokhu bekutjengisa ukuthi unokukholwa okuqinileko kuJehova. Ukukholwa kwaka-Abrahama okukhambisana nemisebenzi kwamenza wamukeleka kuZimu begodu waba mnganakhe. (Funda uJakopo 2:​22, 23.) UJehova ufuna soke—kuhlanganise nawe—samukelwe nguye besibe bangani bakhe. Ngebanga lalokho, waphefumulela abatloli beBhayibheli uPowula noJakopo bona bakhulume ngesibonelo saka-Abrahama. Akhesicoce ngesibonelo sakhe njengombana kukhulunywa ngaso kwebeRoma isahluko 4 nakuJakopo isahluko 2. Bobabili, uPowula noJakopo, batjho okuthileko okuqakathekileko ngo-Abrahama.

3. Ngimuphi umtlolo owadzubhulwa nguPowula noJakopo?

 ³ Bobabili uPowula noJakopo badzubhula emezwini akuGenesisi 15:​6, athi “[U-Abrahama] wakholwa kuJehova begodu uZimu wamqala njengolungileko.” UJehova ubiza umuntu ngokuthi ngolungileko nange umuntu loyo amthabisa. Kuyathabisa ukuthi uZimu angabiza umuntu onesono ngokuthi ngolungileko. Kuliqiniso ukuthi nawe uyafuna uZimu akubize ngokuthi ungolungileko begodu kungakghoneka. Ukufumana ukuthi khuyini esingayenza bona sibizwe ngokuthi singabalungileko, kufuze sizwisise ukuthi kubayini u-Abrahama abizwa njalo.

4. Khuyini engakhandela abantu ukuthi babe ngabalungileko?

⁴ Encwadinakhe eya kwebeRoma, uPowula wathi boke abantu bonile. (Rom. 3:23) Alo, khuyini umuntu ekufuze ayenze nakazakubizwa nguZimu ngokuthi ulungile? Ukusiza woke amaKrestu athembekileko aphendule umbuzo lo, uPowula wasebenzisa isibonelo saka-Abrahama.

5. Kubayini uJehova abiza u-Abrahama ngokuthi ulungile? (Roma 4:​2, 4)

⁵ UJehova wabiza u-Abrahama ngokuthi ulungile lokha nakahlala enarheni yeKanana. Kubayini uJehova abiza u-Abrahama ngokuthi ulungile? Kghani kungombana u-Abrahama walalela umThetho kaMosi? Awa akusinjalo. (Rom. 4:13) UmThetho wanikelwa ama-Israyeli eemnyakeni engaba ma-400 ngemva kokuthi uZimu abize u-Abrahama ngokuthi ungolungileko. Alo-ke, kubayini uZimu abiza u-Abrahama ngokuthi ulungile? Ngomusakhe omkhulu, uJehova wabiza u-Abrahama ngokuthi ulungile ngebanga lokukholwa kwakhe.—Funda kwebeRoma 4:​2-4.

6. Kubayini uJehova abiza umuntu onesono ngokuthi ulungile?

⁶ UPowula wathi umuntu nakakholwa kuZimu “ukukholwa kwakhe kuqalwa njengokulunga.” (Rom. 4:5) Ungezelela uthi: “Njengombana noDavida akhuluma ngokuthaba komuntu uZimu amqala njengolungileko ngaphandle kwemisebenzi: ‘Bayathaba labo izenzo zabo zokweqa umthetho ezilitjalelweko nezono zabo ezigutjuzesiweko; uyathaba umuntu uJehova angekhe ambalele isono sakhe.’” (Rom. 4:​6-8; Rhu. 32:​1, 2) UZimu ulibalela namkha ugubuzesa izono zalabo abakholwa kuye. Ubalibalela ngokupheleleko begodu akasababaleli izono zabo. Uqala abantu abanjalo njengabalungileko ngebanga lokukholwa kwabo.

7. Kubayini sithi abantu bakaZimu abathembekileko bangaphambilini bebalungile?

⁷ Nanyana u-Abrahama, uDavida nabanye ebebalotjha uZimu abathembekileko bebabizwa ngokuthi balungile, bebasese nesono. Ngebanga lokuthi bebanokukholwa kuye, uZimu wabaqala njengabalungileko, khulukhulu nabamadaniswa nalabo ebebangamlotjhi uZimu. (Efe. 2:12) Encwadinakhe, uPowula ukwenza kukhanye ukuthi kufuze sibe nokukholwa nasizakuba bangani bakaZimu. U-Abrahama noDavida bebabangani bakaZimu ngebanga lokuthi bebakholwa kuye, nathi singaba bangani bakaZimu ngebanga lokukholwa kwethu.

8-9. Ngisiphi isiphetho esingakafaneli abanye abasenzileko malungana nalokhu okwatlolwa nguPowula noJakopo begodu kubayini?

⁸ Sele kumakhulu weminyaka abadosiphambili bamasondo balokhu baphikisana ngokuhlobana hlangana kokukholwa nemisebenzi. Abanye bebafundisa ukuthi  nawuzakusindiswa, kholelwa eKosini uJesu Krestu. Kungenzeka ukhe wabezwa bathi, “Yamukela uJesu usindiswe.” Kungenzeka badzubhula namezwi kaPowula athi: ‘UZimu umqala njengolungileko ngaphandle kwemisebenzi.’ (Rom. 4:6) Nanyana kunjalo, abanye bathi ungasindiswa ngokuvakatjhela iindawo eziqalwa njengezicwengileko njengasesondweni nokwenza izenzo ezihle. Nabafakazela iphuzu labo, kungenzeka basebenzisa uJakopo 2:24: “Umuntu kuzokuthiwa ulungile ngemisebenzi ingasi ngokukholwa kwaphela.”

⁹ Ngebanga lokuhluka kweenkolelwezi, ezinye izazi zeBhayibheli zicabanga ukuthi uPowula noJakopo bebangavumelani ukuthi khuyini umuntu ekufuze ayenze bona amukelwe nguZimu. Abanye abafundisa ngekolo bathi: “UPowula bekakholelwa ukuthi umuntu kufuze abe nokukholwa kwaphela nakazakwamukelwa nguZimu kodwana uJakopo bekakholelwa ukuthi umuntu kufuze enze izinto ezihle.” Kodwana uJehova waphefumulela bobabili uJakopo noPowula bona batlole lokhu abakutlolako. (2 Thim. 3:16) Yeke, kufuze kube nendlela elula yokwenza lokhu abakutjhoko bona kuvumelane. Nasizakuthola indlela leyo, kufuze sihlole okhunye abakutlolako eencwadini zabo ukwenzela bona sizwisise kuhle.

10. Ngimiphi ‘imisebenzi’ uPowula ebekakhuluma ngayo? (Roma 3:​21, 28) (Qala nesithombe.)

¹⁰ Ngimiphi ‘imisebenzi’ uPowula akhuluma ngayo kwebeRoma isahluko 3 no-4? Bekakhuluma ngokulalela umThetho kaMosi owanikelwa ama-Israyeli. (Funda kwebeRoma 3:​21, 28.) Kubonakala ngasuthi ngesikhathi sakaPowula, amanye amaKrestu amaJuda bewakufumana kubudisi ukwamukela ukuthi  umThetho kaMosi nemisebenzi ebeyifunwa mThetho loyo ayisasebenzi. Yeke, uPowula wasebenzisa isibonelo saka-Abrahama ukutjengisa ukuthi umuntu akutlhogeki bona alandele umThetho nakazakwamukelwa nguZimu. Kunalokho kufuze akholwe. Lokhu kuyasikhuthaza ngombana kuyasiqinisekisa ukuthi singakghona ukuba nobuhlobo obuhle noJehova. Lokhu kutjho ukuthi singakghona ukukholwa kuZimu nakuKrestu begodu samukelwe nguZimu.

11. ‘Msebenzi’ onjani uJakopo ebekaqalisele kiwo?

¹¹ Ngakelinye ihlangothi, imisebenzi ekukhulunywa ngayo kuJakopo isahluko 2 akusizizinto ezifunwa mThetho kaMosi uPowula akhulume ngazo. UJakopo ukhuluma ngemisebenzi amaKrestu ayenzako qobe langa ekuphileni kwawo. Imisebenzi leyo itjengisa ukuthi amaKrestu ayakholwa kwamambala kuZimu namkha awa. Akhesicoce ngeembonelo ezimbili uJakopo azisebenzisileko.

12. UJakopo wakuhlathulula njani ukuhlobana hlangana kokukholwa nomsebenzi? (Qala nesithombe.)

¹² Esibonelweni sokuthoma, uJakopo ukhuluma ngokuthi amaKrestu kufuze aphathe abanye kuhle. Ufanise iphuzweli nendaba yendoda ebeyinomusa emuntwini oregileko kodwana yaqalela phasi umuntu otlhagako. UJakopo waveza ukuthi indoda leyo ithi iyakholwa kodwana iphi imisebenzi ekhambisana nakho? (Jak. 2:​1-5, 9) Esibonelweni sesibili, uJakopo ukhulume ngomuntu obona ‘umfowabo namkha udadwabo anganazambatho namkha ukudla’ kodwana angamsizi. Nanyana umuntu loyo athi uyakholwa, izenzo zakhe bezingakufakazeli lokho, nje-ke ukukholwa kwakhe bekulilize. Kunjengombana uJakopo atlola, ‘ukukholwa, nakukodwa  tere, kunganamisebenzi, kufile.’—Jak. 2:​14-17.   

13. Ngisiphi isibonelo uJakopo asisebenzisako esitjengisa ukuthi sitlhoga kokubili ukuba nokukholwa nokwenza izinto ezihle? (Jakopo 2:​25, 26)

¹³ UJakopo wakhuluma ngoRarhabi njengesibonelo somuntu owatjengisa ukukholwa kwakhe ngezenzo. (Funda uJakopo 2:​25, 26.) Wezwa ngoJehova begodu walemuka ukuthi usekela ama-Israyeli. (Jotj. 2:​9-11) Watjengisa ukukholwa kwakhe ngezenzo—wavikela iinhloli ezimbili zakwa-Israyeli, lokha ukuphila kwazo kusengozini. Ngebanga lalokho, umfazi onesono lo nongasimIsrayeli kwathiwa ulungile, njengo-Abrahama. Isibonelo sakhe sigandelela ukuqakatheka kokutjengisa ngezenzo zethu ukuthi siyakholwa.

14. Kubayini lokho okwatlolwa nguPowula noJakopo kuvumelana?

¹⁴ Abatloli ababili beBhayibheli, uPowula noJakopo, bebahlathulula ukukholwa nemisebenzi ngeendlela ezimbili ezingafaniko. UPowula bekatjela amaKrestu amaJuda ukuthi angekhe akghona ukwamukelwa nguJehova ngokulandela umThetho kaMosi kwaphela. UJakopo yena bekagandelela ukuthi woke amaKrestu kufuze atjengise ukukholwa kwawo ngokwenzela abanye izinto ezihle.

15. Ngiziphi ezinye iindlela esingatjengisa ngazo ukukholwa ngemisebenzi? (Qala neenthombe.)

¹⁵ Lokhu akutjho ukuthi uJehova bekathi nasifuna kuthiwe silungile, kufuze senze izinto ezifana patsi nalezo ezenziwa ngu-Abrahama. Kuhlekuhle, zinengi iindlela esingatjengisa ngazo ngemisebenzethu ukuthi siyakholwa. Singamukela abaqeda ukufika ebandleni, sisize abafowethu nabodadwethu abatlhoga isizo kwamambala besenzele amalunga wemindenethu izinto ezihle, okuzizinto  uZimu azamukelako begodu azozibusisa. (Rom. 15:7; 1 Thim. 5:​4, 8; 1 Jwa. 3:18) Enye indlela esingatjengisa ngayo ukuthi siyakholwa kukhuthala emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. (1 Thim. 4:16) Soke singatjengisa ngezenzo ukuthi siyakholelwa bona iinthembiso zakaJehova zizokuzaliseka nokuthi iindlela zakhe ziphuma phambili. Nasenza njalo, singaqiniseka ukuthi uZimu usiqala njengabantu abalungileko begodu uzosibiza ngokuthi sibangani bakhe.

16. Ithemba belihlobene njani nokukholwa kwaka-Abrahama?

¹⁶ KwebeRoma isahluko 4 iveza isifundo esiqakathekileko esingasifunda ku-Abrahama: ukuqakatheka kwethemba. UJehova wathembisa ukuthi ngo-Abrahama ‘iintjhaba ezinengi’ zizokubusiswa. Akhucabange ngethemba elikarisako u-Abrahama ebekanalo! (Gen. 12:3; 15:5; 17:4; Rom. 4:17) Ngitjho nanyana u-Abrahama besele aneminyaka eli-100 bese uSara aneminyaka ema-90, bebanganayo indodana abathenjiswe yona. Ebantwini, bekubonakala kungeze kwakghoneka bona babe nendodana. Bekusilingo samambala ku-Abrahama. “Ngokusekelwe ethembeni, wakholwa ukuthi uzokuba nguyise weentjhaba ezinengi.” (Rom. 4:​18, 19) Ekugcineni, lokho u-Abrahama ebekanethemba ngakho, kwazaliseka. Waba nguyise ka-Isaka, indodana ebekasolo anethemba lokuthi uzokuba nayo.—Rom. 4:​20-22.

17. Sazi njani ukuthi nathi singabizwa ngokuthi silungile njengabangani bakaZimu?

¹⁷ Njengo-Abrahama, nathi singamukelwa nguZimu besibe bangani bakhe. Ngilokho uPowula akugandelelako nakathi: “Amezwi athi ‘ulungile’ azange atlolwe ngebanga lakhe kwaphela kodwana nangebanga lethu, kuzokuthiwa silungile ngombana sikholelwa kuye ovuse uJesu iKosethu kwabafileko.” (Rom. 4:​23, 24) Njengo-Abrahama, kufuze sibe nakho kokubili, ukukholwa, imisebenzi nethemba. UPowula uragela phambili akhuluma ngethemba esinalo encwadini yebeRoma isahluko 5, esizokucoca ngalo esihlokweni esilandelako.