1, 2. IBhayibhili lithi abantu bakusiphi isimo, njalo yiphi indlela eyodwa kuphela abangaphuma ngayo?

“INDALO yonke ibubula njengaye osebuhlungwini bokuhelelwa kuze kube khathesi.” (KwabaseRoma 8:22) Ngamazwi la, umphostoli uPhawuli uchaza isimo esibuhlungu esikuso. Ngombono wabantu, kukhanya kungelandlela yokuphuma ekuhluphekeni, esonweni lasekufeni. Kodwa uJehova yena kafanani labantu ngoba kakulalutho olumehlulayo. (AmaNani 23:19) UNkulunkulu owahlulela kuhle ulungiselele indlela esingaphuma ngayo kulokhu kuhlupheka. Indlela le ithiwa yinhlawulo.

² Inhlawulo yisipho esikhulu ukwedlula zonke uJehova asiphe abantu, njalo yenza senelise ukukhululwa esonweni lasekufeni. (Kwabase-Efesu 1:7) Iyisisekelo sethemba lokuphila okungapheliyo, kungaba sezulwini loba emhlabeni oyipharadayisi. (ULukha 23:43; UJohane 3:16; 1 UPhetro 1:4) Kodwa singathi inhlawulo iyini sibili? Isifundisa njani ngokwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova?

3. (a) Kungani inhlawulo yadingakala? (b) Kungani uNkulunkulu engazange antshintshe isigwebo sokufa enzalweni ka-Adamu?

³ Isono sika-Adamu yiso esenza kwadingakala inhlawulo. Ngokungalaleli uNkulunkulu, u-Adamu watshiyela bonke abantwabakhe ilifa lokugula, usizi, ubuhlungu kanye lokufa. (UGenesisi 2:17; KwabaseRoma 8:20) UNkulunkulu wayengeke abazwele abesentshintsha isigwebo sabo sokufa. Ukuntshintsha isigwebo kwakuzabe kuyikungalandeli umthetho wakhe othi: “Umvuzo wesono yikufa.” (KwabaseRoma 6:23) Ngabe uJehova wayekela ukulandela izimiso zakhe zokwahlulela okuhle, kwakuzagcwala ukuxokozela emhlabeni futhi kwakungasoze kube lomthetho!

4, 5. (a) USathane wamnyundela njani uNkulunkulu, njalo kungani uJehova wafuna ukuphendula ukusola lokho? (b) Yikuphi ukusola uSathane akwenza ngokuphathelane lezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo?

 ⁴ Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 12, ukuhlamuka kwase-Edeni kwavusa lezinye izindaba ezinkulu. USathane walingcolisa kakhulu ibizo likaNkulunkulu elihle. Ngamanye amazwi wayesithi uJehova ungumqambimanga lombusi ololunya onguntandokayiphikiswa njalo oncitsha izidalwa zakhe inkululeko. (UGenesisi 3:1-5) Kwasekukhanya angani useyiphambanisile injongo kaNkulunkulu yokugcwalisa umhlaba ngabantu abalungileyo, okwakusitsho ukuthi uSathane uthi, uNkulunkulu yisehluleki. (UGenesisi 1:28; U-Isaya 55:10, 11) Ngabe uJehova wayekela ukulungisa ukusola kukaSathane, izidalwa zakhe ezihlakaniphileyo zazingasoze zikwethembe kakhulu ukubusa kwakhe.

⁵ USathane waphinda wasola lezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo, esithi zimkhonza ngenxa yalokho ezingakuthola kuye lokuthi nxa zingahlukuluzwa kazisoze zihlale zithembekile kuNkulunkulu. (UJobe 1:9-11) Izindaba lezi zaziqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula ukuhlupheka kwabantu. UJehova wabona kufanele ukuthi aphendule ukusola kukaSathane okulokunyundela. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wayezazilungisa njani izindaba lezi futhi wayezabasindisa njani abantu?

6. Yiwaphi amanye amabala asetshenziswa eBhayibhilini ekuchasiseni izindlela zikaNkulunkulu zokusindisa abantu?

⁶ Indlela kaJehova yokulungisa izindaba lezi yayitshengisa isihawu kanye lokwahlulela okuhle. Akula omunye umuntu owayengaba lendlela enjengale yokulungisa izindaba lezi. Yayiyindlela enhle kakhulu futhi elula. Izikhathi ezinengi indlela le yandise ukubizwa ngokuthi yintengo kumbe ukubuyisana. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 6:20; KwabaseKholose 1:20) Kodwa umutsho ochasisa ngcono indaba le yilowo owasetshenziswa nguJesu ngokwakhe. Wathi: “NjengeNdodana yoMuntu engezelanga ukuzakhonzwa, kodwa ukukhonza, lokunikela ukuphila kwayo  kube lihlawulo [NgesiGiriki, lyʹtron] labanengi.”​—UMathewu 20:28.

7, 8. (a) EMibhalweni, litshoni ibala elithi “inhlawulo”? (b) Inhlawulo igoqela ukulingana ngayiphi indlela?

⁷ Kuyini inhlawulo? Ibala lesiGiriki elisetshenziswe lapha livela ebaleni eliyisenzo elitsho “ukukhulula loba ukuyekela.” Ibala leli lalisetshenziswa ukuchasisa imali eyayibhadalwa ukuze kukhululwe izibotshwa empini. Ngakho-ke inhlawulo ingachazwa njengolutho olubhadalwa ukuze kukhululwe ulutho oluthile. EMibhalweni yesiHebheru, ibala elimela “inhlawulo” (koʹpher) livela ebaleni eliyisenzo elithi ‘ukusibekela.’ Lokhu kusinceda ukuthi sizwisise ukuthi ukuhlawulela kutsho lokuzisibekela izono.​—IHubo 85:2.

⁸ Isichazamazwi okuthiwa yi-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament sithi ibala leli (koʹpher) “litsho okulinganayo,” kumbe okuhambelanayo. Ngakho isivalo sebhokisi lesivumelwano sasilungiswe salingana ngqe lebhokisi ngokwalo. Ngokufananayo, ukuze kuhlawulwe kumbe isono sisibekelwe, kumele kubhadalwe intengo ethile ehambelanayo kumbe evala ngokupheleleyo umonakalo owenziwe yisono. UMthetho kaNkulunkulu owawuphiwe ama-Israyeli wawusithi: “Ukuphila akwenanwe yikuphila, ilihlo ngelihlo, izinyo ngezinyo, isandla ngesandla, unyawo ngonyawo.”​—UDutheronomi 19:21.

9. Kungani amadoda ayelokholo anikela ngemihlatshelo yezinyamazana, njalo uJehova wayeyibona njani imihlatshelo enjalo?

⁹ Amadoda athembekileyo kusukela ku-Abela kusiyaphambili ayenikela ngemihlatshelo yezinyamazana kuNkulunkulu. Ngokwenza njalo, atshengisa ukuthi ayakwazi ukuthi alesono njalo afuna ukukhululwa kuso, futhi atshengisa lokuthi ayakholwa ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu zokuwakhulula esebenzisa “inzalo” yakhe. (UGenesisi 3:15; 4:1-4; ULevi 17:11; KumaHebheru 11:4) UJehova wayeyithanda imihlatshelo enjalo futhi wavumela ukuthi izikhonzi lezo zibe lobuhlobo obuhle laye. Lanxa kunjalo, imihlatshelo yezinyamazana yayimela lokho okwakuzakuza. Izinyamazana zazingeke zisibekele isono  somuntu ngenxa yokuthi kazisilutho nxa ziqathaniswa labantu. (IHubo 8:4-8) Yikho iBhayibhili lisithi: “Akwenzakali ukuba igazi lezinkunzi lelezimbuzi lisuse izono.” (KumaHebheru 10:1-4) Imihlatshelo enjalo yayifanekisela umhlatshelo wenhlawulo yeqiniso eyayizabuya.

10. (a) Umhlawuleli kwakumele afanane lobani, futhi kungani kwakunjalo? (b) Kungani kwakudingeka umhlatshelo womuntu oyedwa kuphela?

¹⁰ Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: ‘Ku-Adamu bonke bayafa.’ (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:22) Ngakho-ke inhlawulo kwakumele igoqele ukufa komuntu ofanana xathu lo-Adamu​—umuntu ongelasono. (KwabaseRoma 5:14) Kwakungela esinye isidalwa esasingenza ukuthi ukwahlulela kuhle kwenziwe. Ngakho umuntu ongelasono futhi ongekho ngaphansi kwesigwebo sika-Adamu nguye kuphela owayenganikelwa ‘njengenhlawulo ehambelanayo,’ eyayifanana xathu lalokho u-Adamu ayeyikho. (1 KuThimothi 2:6, NW) Kwakungadingeki ukuthi munye ngamunye wezigidigidi zabantu enziwe umhlatshelo ukuze uhambelane lenzalo ngayinye ka-Adamu. Umphostoli uPhawuli wachasisa wathi: “Isono sangena emhlabeni ngomuntu oyedwa [u-Adamu], lokufa ngesono.” (KwabaseRoma 5:12) “Njengoba ukufa kweza ngomuntu,” uNkulunkulu wahlela ukukhulula uluntu “ngomuntu.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:21) Wakwenza njani lokhu?

11. (a) Umhlawuleli ‘wayezakuzwa ukufa ngenxa yabantu bonke’ ngayiphi indlela? (b) Kungani u-Adamu lo-Eva babengeke bancedwe yinhlawulo? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

¹¹ UJehova wahlela ukuthi umuntu oyedwa anikele ukuphila kwakhe ngokuzithandela. UMbhalo wabaseRoma 6:23 uthi: “Umvuzo wesono yikufa.” Ngokunikela ngokuphila kwakhe, umhlawuleli ‘wayezakuzwa ukufa ngenxa yabantu bonke.’ Ngamanye amazwi, wayezabhadala isono sika-Adamu. (KumaHebheru 2:9; 2 KwabaseKhorinte 5:21; 1 UPhetro 2:24) Lokhu kwakuzaba lempumela emangalisayo kakhulu esemthethweni. Ngokukhipha isigwebo sokufa ku-Adamu labantwabakhe,  inhlawulo yayizasusa amandla esono abhubhisayo izinto zingakabi zimbi kakhulu. *​—KwabaseRoma 5:16.

12. Nika umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi ukubhadalwa kwesikwelede esisodwa kunganceda abantu abanengi.

¹² Nanku umzekeliso: Ake sithi uhlala edolobheni elilenkampani enkulu futhi abantu abanengi kulelo dolobho basebenza kuyo. Wena kanye labomakhelwane bakho lihola kuhle futhi likhomba ngophakathi. Lokhu kuqhubeka kunjalo kuze kuthi ngelinye ilanga inkampani le ivalwe. Ngasizatho bani? Umaqhuzu wenkampani le ubesezidlela imali, futhi lokhu yikho okucine kusenza ukuthi ibhizimusi leli lisale lingaselamali. Wena kanye labomakhelwane bakho seliphelelwe ngumsebenzi, njalo kalisenelisi ukubhadala izindleko zenu. Umkakho, abantwabakho, kanye lalabo obakweledayo sebehlupheka ngenxa yobuhwaba bomuntu oyedwa nje. Ingalungiseka yini indaba le? Ye ingalungiseka! Umuntu othile onothileyo wenza isinqumo sokulungisa indaba le ngoba enanzelela ukuqakatheka kwenkampani le futhi ezwela izisebenzi lezi kanye lezimuli zazo. Ngakho uhlela ukubhadala isikwelede senkampani abesephinda eyivula. Ukubhadalwa kwalesosikwelede kunceda wonke umuntu okugoqela abasebenza kuleyonkampani, izimuli zabo kanye labakweledwayo. Ngendlela efananayo, ukuhlawulwa kwesono sika-Adamu kunceda izigidigidi zabantu.

13, 14. (a) UJehova wabalungiselela njani abantu inhlawulo? (b) Inhlawulo ibhadalwa kubani, njalo kungani iqakathekile?

¹³ UJehova nguye kuphela owayengasilungiselela ‘iMvana esusa isono somhlaba.’ (UJohane 1:29) Kodwa uNkulunkulu kazange aphonguthuma loba yiphi ingilosi ukuthi izokhulula  uluntu. Kulokuthi enze njalo, wathuma lowo owayengaphendula insolo kaSathane ayenza ngokuphathelane lezinceku zikaJehova, futhi impendulo leyo kwakumele ibe ngesuthisayo futhi egcweleyo. UJehova wenza umhlatshelo omkhulu ngokuthuma iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ‘ayethokoza ukuba layo.’ (IZaga 8:30) Layo iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ‘yazenza ize,’ yavuma ukutshiya umzimba wayo wasezulwini. (KwabaseFiliphi 2:7) UJehova wenza isimangaliso lapho ethatha ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe eyiyo yodwa ekufaka esibelethweni sentombi engumJuda uMariya. (ULukha 1:27, 35) Isisemhlabeni, iNdodana le yayizabizwa ngokuthi nguJesu. Ngokomthetho wayengabizwa ngokuthi ngu-Adamu wesibili, ngoba wayehambelana lo-Adamu. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:45, 47) Ngakho uJesu wayengazinikela ukuthi abeyinhlawulo yabantu abalesono.

¹⁴ Inhlawulo le yayizabhadalwa kubani? IHubo 49:7 likubeka kucace ukuthi inhlawulo ibhadalwa “kuNkulunkulu.” Kodwa-ke, kayisuye yini uJehova olungiselela inhlawulo le? Nguye! Kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi inhlawulo iyikuntshintshana nje okungelamsebenzi, njengokuthatha imali kwesinye isikhwama uyifake kwesinye. Kumele kuzwisiswe ukuthi inhlawulo kayisikho kuntshintshana ngezinto ezingokoqobo, kodwa yisenzo esingokomthetho. Lanxa uJehova walahlekelwa kakhulu ngokusilungiselela inhlawulo, watshengisa ukuthi wayenamathela ekwahluleleni kwakhe okuhle futhi okupheleleyo.​—UGenesisi 22:7, 8, 11-13; KumaHebheru 11:17; UJakhobe 1:17.

15. Kungani kwakudingakala ukuthi uJesu ahlupheke futhi afe?

¹⁵ Ngentwasa ka-33 C.E., uJesu Khristu wazinikela ukuthi ahlupheke ukuze abhadale inhlawulo. Wavuma ukuthi abotshelwe into ayengayenzanga, athiwe ulecala, njalo abethelwe esigodweni sokuhlutshwa. Kwakudingekile yini ukuthi uJesu ahlupheke kangako? Kwakudingekile ngenxa yokuthi indaba yobuqotho bezinceku zikaNkulunkulu kwakumele ixazululwe. Yikho uNkulunkulu engazange amvumele uHerodi ukuthi abulale uJesu eseselusane. (UMathewu 2:13-18) Kodwa ngesikhathi uJesu esekhulile, wayesesenelisa ukulwisana lokuhlasela kukaSathane  esezwisisa ngokugcweleyo okwakusenzakala. * Ngokuhlala ‘engcwele, engelasici, ehlanzekile, futhi ehlukaniswe lezoni,’ lanxa wayephathwa ngesihluku, uJesu watshengisa ngokucacileyo ukuthi uJehova ulazo izinceku ezihlala zithembekile lanxa zihlukuluzwa. (KumaHebheru 7:26) Ngakho-ke kulengqondo ukuthi ngesikhathi engakafi, uJesu wamemeza wathi: “Sekuphelile.”​—UJohane 19:30.

16, 17. (a) UJesu waqhubeka njani ngomsebenzi wakhe wokuhlawulela? (b) Kungani kwakudingakala ukuthi uJesu “asimele phambi kukaNkulunkulu”?

¹⁶ UJesu kwakusamele aqede umsebenzi wakhe wokuhlawulela. Ngelanga lesithathu uJesu efile, uJehova wamvusa kwabafileyo. (ImiSebenzi 3:15; 10:40) Ngalesisenzo, uJehova wanika iNdodana yakhe umvuzo ngenxa yokuthi yayithembekile futhi waphinda wayinika lethuba lokuqeda umsebenzi wayo wokuhlawulela njengoba inguMphristi oMkhulu kaNkulunkulu. (KwabaseRoma 1:4; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:3-8) Umphostoli uPhawuli uchasisa esithi: ‘Kwathi lapho uKhristu esefikile njengomphristi omkhulu, kangenanga ngokusebenzisa igazi lembuzi loba elamathole; kodwa wangena kanye kuphela eNdaweni eNgcwele kakhulu ngegazi lakhe, esethole ukukhululwa okulaphakade. Ngoba uKhristu kangenanga endaweni engcwele eyenziwa ngabantu eyayiyisifanekiso nje kuphela saleyo eqotho; yena wangena ezulwini uqobo, ukuba asimele phambi kukaNkulunkulu.’​—KumaHebheru 9:11, 12, 24.

 ¹⁷ UKhristu wayengeke angene legazi lakhe ezulwini. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:50) Kodwa wangena lalokho okwakumela igazi lelo: inani elingokomthetho lokuphila kwakhe okwanikelwa njengomhlatshelo opheleleyo. Ephambi kukaNkulunkulu, wanikela ngokuqakatheka kokuphila lokho ehlawulela abantu abalesono. UJehova wawamukela yini umhlatshelo lowo? Wawamukela njalo lokho kwabonakala ngePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E., ngesikhathi umoya ongcwele uthululelwa kubafundi ababengaba yi-120 ababeseJerusalema. (ImiSebenzi 2:1-4) Lanxa lokho kwakuthokozisa, kwakusesekunengi okwakuzakwenziwa yinhlawulo ukuthi incede abantu.

18, 19. (a) Yiwaphi amaqembu amabili azancedakala ngokubuyisana okwenziwe ngegazi likaKhristu? (b) Kulabo ‘abexuku elikhulu,’ yikuphi okunye abakutholayo khathesi kanye labazakuthola esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁸ Encwadini yakhe eyayisiya kwabaseKholose, uPhawuli uchaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wabona kukuhle ukuthi ngoKhristu abuyisane lakho konke ngokwenza ukuthula ngegazi likaJesu elachitheka esigodweni sokuhlutshwa. UPhawuli uchaza lokuthi ukubuyisana lokhu kugoqela amaqembu amabili atshiyeneyo, athiwa ‘yizinto ezisezulwini’ kanye ‘lezinto ezisemhlabeni.’ (KwabaseKholose 1:19, 20; Kwabase-Efesu 1:10) Iqembu lokuqala ligoqela amaKhristu angu-144 000 aphiwe ithemba lokukhonza bengabaphristi ezulwini kanye lelokubusa umhlaba njengamakhosi bekanye loJesu Khristu. (ISambulo 5:9, 10; 7:4; 14:1-3) Esebenzisa bona, ukunceda kwenhlawulo kuzasebenza kancane kancane ebantwini bonke abalalelayo okweminyaka eyinkulungwane.​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:24-26; ISambulo 20:6; 21:3, 4.

¹⁹ ‘Izinto ezisemhlabeni’ ngabantu abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni oliPharadayisi. USambulo 7:9-17 ubachaza ‘njengexuku elikhulukazi’ elizasinda “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu” okuzayo. Kodwa kabasoze bame kuze kube yileso sikhathi ukuze bakholise abakuthola ngenxa yenhlawulo. ‘Sebegezise izambatho zabo egazini leWundlu bazenza zaba mhlophe.’ Ngenxa yokuthi  balokholo enhlawulweni, sebehle bethola khathesi izinto ezibancedayo ekukhonzeni kwabo. Sekuthiwe balungile njengabangane bakaNkulunkulu! (UJakhobe 2:23) Umpumela wenhlawulo kaJesu wenze benelisa ‘ukusondela esihlalweni sobukhosi somusa ngesibindi, ukuze bamukele isihawu njalo bathole umusa.’ (KumaHebheru 4:14-16) Nxa bengaphambanisa, bayathethelelwa ngokupheleleyo. (Kwabase-Efesu 1:7) Lanxa belesono, balomzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo. (KumaHebheru 9:9; 10:22; 1 UPhetro 3:21) Kayisikho kuthi balethemba lokubuyisana loNkulunkulu ngesikhathi esizayo kodwa sebebuyisane laye khathesi! (2 KwabaseKhorinte 5:19, 20) Phakathi kweMinyaka eyiNkulungwane, ‘bazakhululwa ebugqilini bokonakala’ ekucineni ‘balethwe kunkululeko elenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’​—KwabaseRoma 8:21.

20. Ukucabangisisa ngenhlawulo kukwenza uzizwe njani?

²⁰ “Kabongwe uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Khristu” ngenxa yenhlawulo! (KwabaseRoma 7:25) Ukusebenza kwenhlawulo kuzwisiseka lula, kodwa ukujula kwayo kuyasimangalisa. (KwabaseRoma 11:33) Inhlawulo ithinta izinhliziyo zethu njalo isenze sisondele eduze loNkulunkulu olokwahlulela okuhle nxa sicabangisisa ngayo ngendlela etshengisa ukubonga. Njengomhubi, silezizathu ezizwakalayo zokudumisa uJehova ngoba “uthanda ukulunga lokwahlulela okuqondileyo.”​—IHubo 33:5.