1, 2. IBhayibhile iyichaza njani imeko abakuyo abantu, yaye yiyiphi ekuphela kwendlela yokukhululeka kuyo?

 “YONKE indalo iyancwina yaye isentlungwini.” (Roma 8:22) Ngaloo mazwi umpostile uPawulos uchaza imeko elusizi esikuyo. Ngokwembono yabantu, kubonakala kungekho ndlela yakukhululeka kwiintlungu zobomi, esonweni nasekufeni. Kodwa ngokungafaniyo nabantu, akukho nto angenakukwazi ukuyenza uYehova. (Numeri 23:19) UThixo wobulungisa uyenzile indlela yokuphuma kobu bugxwayiba sikubo. Ibizwa ngokuba yintlawulelo.

² Intlawulelo sesona sipho sikhulu sikaYehova ebantwini. Ivule ithuba lokuba sihlangulwe esonweni nasekufeni. (Efese 1:7) Ngenxa yayo, sinethemba lobomi obungunaphakade, enoba kusezulwini okanye kumhlaba oyiparadesi. (Luka 23:43; Yohane 3:16; 1 Petros 1:4) Kodwa iyintoni kanye kanye intlawulelo? Yintoni esifundisa yona ngobulungisa bukaYehova obumangalisayo?

3. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke intlawulelo? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo angasuki nje asinyenyise isigwebo sokufa kwinzala ka-Adam?

³ Intlawulelo ibe yimfuneko ngenxa yesono sika-Adam. Ngokungamthobeli uThixo, uAdam wadlulisela kwinzala yakhe ilifa lokugula, usizi, intlungu nokufa. (Genesis 2:17; Roma 8:20) UThixo wayengenakuvumela iimvakalelo zimenze asinyenyise isigwebo sokufa. Xa esenza njalo wayeza kuba akahoyi umthetho wakhe uqobo, othi: “Umvuzo ohlawulwa sisono kukufa.” (Roma 6:23) Ukungahoyi kukaYehova imithetho yakhe yobulungisa bekuya kubangela isiphithiphithi nolwaphulo-mthetho kwindalo yonke!

4, 5. (a) USathana wamtyhola ngelithini uThixo, yaye kwakutheni ukuze uYehova azive enyanzelekile ukuba aziphendule ezo zityholo? (b) USathana wabatyhola ngelithini abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova?

 ⁴ Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko 12, imvukelo yase-Eden yaphakamisa imibuzo eyayibaluleke kakhulu. USathana walingcolisa igama elihle likaThixo. Watyhola uYehova ngokuba ulixoki nozwilakhe okhohlakeleyo ozivimba inkululeko izidalwa zakhe. (Genesis 3:1-5) Kwakhona, ngokuzama ukuphazamisa kwakhe injongo kaThixo yokugcwalisa umhlaba ngabantu abangamalungisa, uSathana wayesenza kubonakale ngathi uThixo woyisakele. (Genesis 1:28; Isaya 55:10, 11) Ukuba uYehova wayeziyeke zingaphendulwanga ezi zimangalo, iingelosi nabantu abaninzi babenokuqalisa ukuyithandabuza into yokuba uYehova ngoyena Mlawuli ubhetele.

⁵ USathana waxoka nangabakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova, ebatyhola ngelithi bamkhonza kuba befumana izinto ezintle Kuye futhi ukuba banokutsala nzima, akukho nomnye kubo owayenokuhlala ethembekile kuThixo. (Yobhi 1:9-11) Ezi zityholo zazibaluleke kakhulu kunemeko enzima abakuyo abantu. Wayefanele uYehova ukuziva enyanzelekile ukuba aziphendule izityholo ezinyelisayo zikaSathana. Kodwa uThixo wayenokuyenza njani loo nto aze abasindise abantu?

6. Ngawaphi amanye amagama asetyenzisiweyo eBhayibhileni ukuchaza indlela uThixo awabasindisa ngayo abantu?

⁶ Indlela awayilungisa ngayo uYehova le nto yayinenceba nobulungisa kakhulu. Akukho mntu owayenokuyicinga indlela entle nelula kodwa ibe inobulumko ngolo hlobo. EBhayibhileni ichazwa njengokuthenga nokuxolelanisa. (Galati 3:13; Kolose 1:20) Kodwa igama mhlawumbi elikuchaza kakuhle oku lelo lasetyenziswa nguYesu ngokwakhe. Wathi: ‘UNyana womntu akezanga ukuze asetyenzelwe, kodwa uzele ukuba ibe nguye osebenzayo, aze anikele ngobomi bakhe ukuze kuhlawulelwe [lyʹtron, ngesiGrike] abaninzi.’—Mateyu 20:28.

7, 8. (a) Lithetha ukuthini igama elithi “intlawulelo” eZibhalweni? (b) Intlawulelo ithetha ukulingana ngayiphi indlela?

 ⁷ Yintoni intlawulelo? Igama lesiGrike elisetyenzisiweyo apha livela kwisenzi esithetha “ukukhulula.” Eli gama lalisetyenziselwa ukuchaza imali eyayihlawulwa ukuze kukhululwe amabanjwa emfazwe. Ngoko, lilonke intlawulelo inokuchazwa njengentlawulo yokuthenga into obulahlekene nayo. KwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “intlawulelo” (koʹpher) livela kwisenzi esithetha “ukugquma.” Ngokomzekelo, uThixo waxelela uNowa ukuba wayemele ‘awuqabe,’ ngamany’ amazwi, awugqume (gama elo elifanayo) umkhombe ngetela. (Genesis 6:14) Oku kusenza siqonde ukuba ukuhlawulela kukwathetha ukugquma izono.—INdumiso 65:3.

⁸ Okuphawulekayo kukuba, iTheological Dictionary of the New Testament ithi eli gama (koʹpher) “lisoloko libhekisela kwinto elinganayo.” Ngoko, ukuze kuhlawulelwe, okanye kugqunywe isono, kwakumele kuhlawulwe ixabiso elilingana ngokupheleleyo, okanye eliwugquma ngokupheleleyo umonakalo owenziwa sisono. Kungenxa yoko le nto uMthetho kaThixo wawusithi kuSirayeli: “Ubomi bumele buphindezelwe ngobomi, ilihlo ngelihlo, izinyo ngezinyo, isandla ngesandla, unyawo ngonyawo.”—Duteronomi 19:21.

9. Kwakutheni ukuze amakholwa abingelele ngezilwanyana, yaye uYehova wayeyijonga njani loo mibingelelo?

⁹ Amakholwa asusela kuAbheli ukuya phambili ayebingelela ngezilwanyana kuThixo. Ngaloo ndlela, ayeqonda ukuba anesono nokuba ayedinga ukukhululwa kuso, yaye ayebonisa ukholo lwawo kwisithembiso sikaThixo sokuwakhulula ‘ngenzala’ yakhe. (Genesis 3:15; 4:1-4; Levitikus 17:11; Hebhere 11:4) UYehova waneliswa yiloo mibingelelo waza wawamkela la madoda njengabakhonzi bakhe. Kodwa imibingelelo yezilwanyana awayeyenza yayingenakuzogquma izono zawo, kuba izilwanyana zingaphantsi kunabantu. (INdumiso 8:4-8) Ngenxa yoko, iBhayibhile ithi: “Akunakwenzeka ukuba igazi leenkunzi zeenkomo neleebhokhwe lisuse izono.” (Hebhere 10:1-4) Loo mibingelelo  yayifanekisela umbingelelo wokwenene wentlawulelo owawuza kuza.

10. (a) Umhlawuleli wayemele alingane nabani, yaye ngoba? (b) Kutheni kwakufuneka kubingelelwe ngomntu omnye kuphela?

¹⁰ Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Bonke [bayafa] ngenxa ka-Adam.” (1 Korinte 15:22) Ngoko kwakumele kuhlawule umntu olinganayo noAdam—umntu ofezekileyo. (Roma 5:14) Ngumntu ofezekileyo kuphela, ongekho phantsi kwesigwebo sokufa sika-Adam, ‘owayenokuhlawulela wonke umntu’—intlawulelo elingana ncam noAdam. (1 Timoti 2:6) Kwakungazukuba yimfuneko ukuba ibe ziimiliyoni zabantu abafezekileyo ezinikela ngobomi bazo ukuze kukhululwe mntu ngamnye ongafezekanga. Umpostile uPawulos wachaza esithi: “Isono sangena ngomntu omnye [uAdam] ehlabathini, nokufa kwangena ngenxa yesono.” (Roma 5:12) Yaye “ekubeni ukufa kweza ngomntu,” uThixo wenza ilungiselelo lokuba kukhululwe abantu ‘kwangomntu.’ (1 Korinte 15:21) Njani?

11. (a) Umhlawuleli wayeza ‘kukungcamla njani ukufa ngenxa yabo bonke abantu’? (b) Kutheni uAdam noEva babengenakuncedwa yintlawulelo? (Bona umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹¹ UYehova walungiselela ukuba umntu ofezekileyo anikele ngokuzithandela ngobomi bakhe. Ngokutsho kweyabaseRoma 6:23, “umvuzo ohlawulwa sisono kukufa.” Ngokubingelela ngobomi bakhe, umhlawuleli (umntu owayeza kuhlawula) wayeza ‘kungcamla ukufa ngenxa yabo bonke abantu.’ Ngamany’ amazwi, wayeza kuhlawula ixabiso lesono sika-Adam. (Hebhere 2:9; 2 Korinte 5:21; 1 Petros 2:24) Loo nto yayiza kuba luncedo kakhulu. Intlawulelo yayiza kusiphelisa isigwebo sokufa kwinzala ka-Adam ethobelayo. Ngaloo ndlela, isono nokufa zaziza kuphelelwa ngamandla okutshabalalisa abantu. a—Roma 5:16.

12. Zekelisa indlela ukuhlawulwa kwetyala elinye okunokuba luncedo ngayo kubantu abaninzi.

 ¹² Singayizekelisa kanje le nto: Masithi uhlala kwidolophu apho abahlali abaninzi beqeshwe kwifektri enkulu. Wena nabamelwane bakho nifumana umvuzo oncumisayo yaye niphila ubomi obutofo-tofo. Kodwa kuthi kusenjalo, ivalwe ifektri. Isizathu? Imaneja iye yaqalisa ukutya imali yeshishini yaza ifektri yatshona. Ngequbuliso, njengoko ningasebenzi, wena nabamelwane bakho anikwazi ukuhlawula amatyala enu. Abantu enitshate nabo, abantwana, kunye nabo batyalwa yifektri, batsala nzima ngenxa yaloo mntu mnye uye wahlis’ imali ngomlenze. Ngaba sikho isicombululo? Ewe sikho! Indoda ethile enobubele nesisityebi iyangenelela. Iyayiqonda indlela eluncedo ngayo le fektri. Iyabavela abantu abaninzi abaqeshwe kuyo neentsapho zabo. Ngoko iyalihlawula lonke elo tyala lefektri ize iyivule kwakhona. Ukuhlawulwa kwelo tyala kubazisela isiqabu abo baqeshwa baninzi kunye neentsapho zabo kwakunye nabo bebetyalwa yifektri. Ngokufanayo, ukuhlawulwa kwetyala lika-Adam kuncede iimiliyoni ezingenakubalwa zabantu.

13, 14. (a) UYehova wayikhupha njani intlawulelo yokuhlawulela abantu? (b) Ihlawulwa kubani intlawulelo, yaye le nto isifundisa ntoni ngoYehova?

¹³ NguYehova kuphela owayenokunikela “iMvana . . . esusa isono sehlabathi.” (Yohane 1:29) Kodwa uThixo akathumelanga nje nayiphi na ingelosi ukuba ihlangule abantu. Kunoko, uthumele Leyo yayinokuziphendula ngeyona ndlela ibhetele izityholo zikaSathana ezimalunga nabakhonzi bakaYehova. Ewe, uYehova wenze umbingelelo omkhulu ngokuthumela uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, lowo ‘wayemthanda ngokukhethekileyo.’ (IMizekeliso 8:30) Ngokuzithandela, uNyana kaThixo “waziqongqotha” bonke ubuntu bakhe bokuba ngumoya. (Filipi  2:7) Ngokungummangaliso, uYehova wabufudusa ubomi boNyana wakhe wamazibulo wasezulwini, wabufaka kwisibeleko sentombi engumYuda engazange yalala nandoda egama linguMariya. (Luka 1:27, 35) Njengomntu, wayeza kubizwa ngokuba nguYesu. Ukwabizwa ngokuba nguAdam wesibini, kuba wayeyindoda efezekileyo njengoAdam. (1 Korinte 15:45, 47) Ngaloo ndlela uYesu wayenokunikela ngobomi bakhe obufezekileyo bube yintlawulelo yabantu abanesono.

¹⁴ Yayiza kuhlawulwa kubani loo ntlawulelo? INdumiso 49:7 itsho ngokungqalileyo ukuba intlawulelo ihlawulwa “kuThixo.” Kodwa nguYehova nje owalungiselela intlawulelo, kutheni ke le nto yayiza kuhlawulwa kwaKuye? Ngaba loo nto ayifani nokukhupha imali kwenye ipokotho uze uyifake kwenye na? Tu ke kanti. Khumbula kaloku ukuba intlawulelo isifundisa into ebaluleke kakhulu ngobulungisa bukaYehova. Ngokunikela ngoNyana wakhe ukuze abe yintlawulelo, uYehova wangqina ukuba usoloko eyilandela imithetho yakhe yobulungisa obugqibeleleyo, naxa loo nto iza kubangela ilahleko enkulu kuye.—Genesis 22:7, 8, 11-13; Hebhere 11:17; Yakobi 1:17.

15. Kwakutheni ukuze kunyanzeleke ukuba uYesu aphatheke kabuhlungu aze afe?

¹⁵ Ngentwasahlobo ka-33 C.E., uYesu Kristu wavuma ukuphathwa kabuhlungu ukuze ahlawule intlawulelo. Wavuma ukubanjwa ngezimangalo zobuxoki, wagwetywa njengonetyala, waza wabethelelwa esibondeni. Ngaba nyhani kwakunyanzelekile ukuba uYesu aphathwe kabuhlungu ngolo hlobo? Ewe, kuba izityholo zokuba akukho mkhonzi kaThixo onokuhlala ethembekile kwakufuneka ziphendulwe. Into ebangel’ umdla kukuba, uThixo akazange avumele ukuba usana olunguYesu lubulawe nguHerode. (Mateyu 2:13-18) Kodwa akuba uYesu ekhulile, wayekwazi ukumelana nobunzima bokuhlaselwa nguSathana kuba wayeziqonda ngokupheleleyo  izityholo zikaSathana. b Ngokuhlala ‘ethembekile, engenzi bubi, engenachaphaza, engafani naboni’ phezu kwayo nje impatho embi, uYesu wangqina ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo ukuba uYehova unabo abakhonzi abahlala bethembekile xa bevavanywa. (Hebhere 7:26) Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba, ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uYesu watsho njengomntu owoyisileyo ukuba: “Kugqityiwe!”—Yohane 19:30.

16, 17. (a) UYesu waqhubeka njani nomsebenzi wakhe wokukhulula? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze kube yimfuneko ukuba uYesu abonakale “phambi kukaThixo ngenxa yethu”?

¹⁶ UYesu wayengekawugqibi umsebenzi wakhe wokukhulula. Ngosuku lwesithathu emva kokufa kukaYesu, uYehova wamvusa kwabafileyo. (IZenzo 3:15; 10:40) Ngokwenza le nto inkulu kangaka, uYehova zange aphelele nje ekumvuseni uNyana wakhe ngenxa yenkonzo yakhe yokuthembeka kodwa wamnika ithuba lokuwugqiba umsebenzi wakhe wokukhulula njengoMbingeleli Omkhulu kaThixo. (Roma 1:4; 1 Korinte 15:3-8) Umpostile uPawulos uchaza esithi: ‘Xa uKristu wezayo, engumbingeleli omkhulu, wangena negazi lakhe, hayi negazi leebhokhwe nelamathole eenkomo aziinkunzi. Wangena kwaba kanye waza wasikhulula ngonaphakade esonweni. UKristu akazange angene kwindawo engcwele eyenziwe ngezandla, engumfanekiso weyokwenene, kodwa wangena ezulwini ngokwalo,  ukuze ngoku abonakale phambi kukaThixo ngenxa yethu.’—Hebhere 9:11, 12, 24.

¹⁷ UKristu wayengenakuya negazi lakhe lokoqobo ezulwini. (1 Korinte 15:50) Kunoko, waya nento emelwa lelo gazi, ilungelo awalincamayo lokuphila njengomntu ofezekileyo emhlabeni. Ngoko, phambi kukaThixo ngenkqu, wacela uThixo ukuba amkele umbingelelo awenzileyo. Ngaba uYehova wawamkela loo mbingelelo? Kunjalo, yaye oku kwabonakala ngePentekoste ka-33 C.E., xa kwathululwa umoya oyingcwele kubafundi abamalunga ne-120 eYerusalem. (IZenzo 2:1-4) Nangona oko kwakuvuyisa, kodwa kwakusisiqalo nje kuphela sezinto ezimangalisayo ezaziza kufunyanwa ngenxa yentlawulelo.

18, 19. (a) Ngawaphi amaqela amabini abantu ancedakalayo kuxolelwaniso olubekho ngenxa yegazi likaKristu? (b) Ziziphi izinto ezintle eziza nentlawulelo abazifumanayo ngoku nabaza kuzifumana kwixesha elizayo abo ‘besihlwele esikhulu’?

¹⁸ Kwincwadi yakhe eya kwabaseKolose, uPawulos uchaza ukuba uThixo wakubona kulungile ukuthi ngaye uKristu azixolelanise Naye zonke ezinye izinto ngegazi likaYesu elaphalala kwisibonda sokungcungcutheka. Kwakhona uPawulos uchaza ukuba oku kuxolelaniswa kubandakanya amaqela amabini awahlukeneyo abantu, oko kukuthi, “izinto ezisemazulwini” “nezinto ezisemhlabeni.” (Kolose 1:19, 20; Efese 1:10) Elo qela lokuqala libunjwa ngamaKristu ayi-144 000 anikwe ithemba lokukhonza njengababingeleli basemazulwini baze balawule njengookumkani phezu komhlaba kunye noKristu Yesu. (ISityhilelo 5:9, 10; 7:4; 14:1-3) Baza kusebenza noYesu ukuze bancede abantu abathobelayo emhlabeni bafumane izinto ezintle eziza nentlawulelo, beyenza loo nto ithuba eliyiminyaka eliwaka.—1 Korinte 15:24-26; ISityhilelo 20:6; 21:3, 4.

¹⁹ ‘Izinto ezisemhlabeni’ ngabantu abanethemba lokuphila ubomi obungunaphakade kwiParadesi esemhlabeni. ISityhilelo 7:9-17 sibachaza ‘njengesihlwele esikhulu’ esiza kusinda “kwixesha lentlungu engathethekiyo” elizayo. Kodwa akukho mfuneko  yokuba balinde de kube lelo xesha ukuze bancedwe yintlawulelo. Sele ‘bezihlambile iimpahla zabo zamhlophe egazini leMvana.’ Ngenxa yokuba benokholo kwintlawulelo, sebefumana izinto ezininzi ezilungileyo ezivela kuYehova. Ngokomzekelo, uthi bangamalungisa njengabahlobo bakhe! (Yakobi 2:23) Ngenxa yombingelelo kaYesu, ‘banokusondela benenkululeko yokuthetha kwitrone kaThixo osenzela ububele.’ (Hebhere 4:14-16) Xa besenza isiphoso, baxolelwa ngokwenene. (Efese 1:7) Nangona bengafezekanga, banesazela esicocekileyo. (Hebhere 9:9; 10:22; 1 Petros 3:21) Ngoko ukuxolelaniswa noThixo akuyonto nje abanethemba layo, kodwa kuyinto eyenzeka ngokoqobo khona ngoku! (2 Korinte 5:19, 20) KwiMinyaka Eliwaka, kancinci kancinci baza “kukhululwa ekubeni ngamakhoboka emizimba eyonakeleyo” baze ekugqibeleni babe ‘ngabantwana bakaThixo, bafumane inkululeko ezukileyo.’—Roma 8:21.

20. Uziva njani xa ucinga nzulu ngentlawulelo?

²⁰ ‘Siyambulela uThixo ngoYesu Kristu’ ngenxa yentlawulelo! (Roma 7:25) Ibonakala ingenamsebenzi kangako, kodwa ibaluleke ngendlela engathethekiyo. (Roma 11:33) Kwakhona xa sicingisisa nzulu ngayo, intlawulelo ichukumisa iintliziyo zethu, ize isisondeze ngakumbi kuThixo wobulungisa. Njengomdumisi, sinesizathu esinamandla sokumdumisa uYehova njengoThixo ‘othanda ubulungisa nokusesikweni.’—INdumiso 33:5.