1, 2. IBhayibheli lisichaza kanjani isimo sesintu, futhi iyiphi okuwukuphela kwendlela esingakhululeka ngayo?

 “YONKE indalo iyaqhubeka ibubula kanyekanye futhi isezinhlungwini kanyekanye.” (Roma 8:22) Umphostoli uPawulu wasichaza kanjalo isimo esidabukisayo esikusona. Ngokombono womuntu, ibonakala ingekho indlela yokuphuma ekuhluphekeni, esonweni, nasekufeni. Kodwa uJehova akalinganiselwe njengabantu. (Numeri 23:19) UNkulunkulu wobulungisa usinikeze ikhambi ekucindezelekeni kwethu. Libizwa ngokuthi yisihlengo.

² Isihlengo siyisipho esikhulu kunazo zonke uJehova asipha isintu. Senza sikwazi ukukhululeka esonweni nasekufeni. (Efesu 1:7) Siyisisekelo sethemba lokuphila okuphakade, kungaba sezulwini noma emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (Luka 23:43; Johane 3:16; 1 Petru 1:4) Kodwa siyini ngempela isihlengo? Sisifundisa kanjani ngobulungisa bukaJehova obuphakeme?

3. (a) Kungani kwadingeka isihlengo? (b) Kungani uNkulunkulu engavelanga washintsha isigwebo sokufa enzalweni ka-Adamu?

³ Isihlengo sadingeka ngenxa yesono sika-Adamu. Ngokungamlaleli uNkulunkulu, u-Adamu washiyela inzalo yakhe ifa eliwukugula, ukudabuka, ubuhlungu, nokufa. (Genesise 2:17; Roma 8:20) UNkulunkulu wayengeke alalele imizwelo abese evele esishintsha isigwebo sokufa. Ukwenza kanjalo kwakuyoba ukungawunaki umthetho wakhe, othi: “Inkokhelo yesono ukufa.” (Roma 6:23) Futhi ukube uJehova wayengashintsha imithetho yakhe yobulungisa, kwakuyogcwala isiyaluyalu nokwephula umthetho ezulwini nasemhlabeni!

4, 5. (a) USathane wamnyundela kanjani uNkulunkulu, futhi kungani uJehova ayebophekile ukuba aphendule lezo zinselele? (b) USathane wazimangalela wathini izinceku zikaJehova eziqotho?

 ⁴ Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 12, ukuhlubuka kwase-Edene kwaphakamisa izimpikiswano ezinkulu nakakhulu. USathane walihlambalaza igama elihle likaNkulunkulu. Empeleni, wabeka uJehova icala lokuthi ungumqambimanga nozwi lakhe ononya oncisha izidalwa zakhe inkululeko. (Genesise 3:1-5) Ngesenzo esabonakala siwukubhuntshisa injongo kaNkulunkulu yokugcwalisa umhlaba ngabantu abalungile, uSathane wayezama ukuveza uNkulunkulu njengoyisehluleki. (Genesise 1:28; Isaya 55:10, 11) Ukube uJehova wayezishiye zilenga lezi zimpikiswano, izidalwa zakhe eziningi ezihlakaniphile zazingeke zisakwethemba kahle ukubusa kwakhe.

⁵ USathane wanyundela nezinceku zikaJehova eziqotho, ezimangalela ngokuthi izisusa zazo zokumkhonza ezobugovu nokuthi uma zingase zihlupheke, azikho ezingahlala zithembekile kuNkulunkulu. (Jobe 1:9-11) Lezi zimpikiswano zazibaluleke kakhulu kunesimo esibucayi sabantu. Kwakufaneleka ukuba uJehova azizwe enesibopho sokuphendula amacala kaSathane okunyundela. Kodwa uNkulunkulu wayengazixazulula kanjani lezi zimpikiswano abuye futhi asindise isintu?

6. Yimaphi amanye amagama asetshenziswe eBhayibhelini achaza indlela kaNkulunkulu yokusindisa isintu?

⁶ Ikhambi likaJehova lalibonisa isihe esikhulu futhi linobulungisa ngendlela emangalisayo—okungekho muntu owayengaqhamuka nalo. Kodwa lalilula ngokumangalisayo. Libizwa ngamagama ahlukahlukene anjengokuthi ukuthenga, ukubuyisela, inani lokukhulula, nokuthi isihlawulelo. (IHubo 49:8, umbhalo waphansi; Daniyeli 9:24; Galathiya 3:13; Kolose 1:20; Hebheru 2:17) Kodwa mhlawumbe igama eliyichaza kangcono kakhulu le ndaba yilelo elasetshenziswa  uJesu ngokwakhe. Wathi: ‘INdodana yomuntu [ayizelanga] ukukhonzwa, kodwa ukukhonza nokunikela ngokuphila kwayo kube yisihlengo [ngesiGreki, lyʹtron] sabaningi.’​—Mathewu 20:28.

7, 8. (a) Lisho ukuthini igama elithi “isihlengo” emiBhalweni? (b) Isihlengo sihilela ukulingana ngamuphi umqondo?

⁷ Siyini isihlengo? Igama lesiGreki elisetshenziswe lapha livela esenzweni esisho “ukukhulula, ukudedela.” Leli gama lalisetshenziselwa ukuchaza imali eyayikhokhelwa ukudedela iziboshwa zempi. Ngokuyinhloko-ke, elithi isihlengo lingachazwa ngokuthi okuthile okukhokhwayo ukuze kubuyiswe okuthile. EmiBhalweni YesiHebheru, igama elihunyushwe ngokuthi “isihlengo” (koʹpher) lisuka esenzweni esisho “ukwemboza.” Ngokwesibonelo, uNkulunkulu watshela uNowa ukuthi kumele ‘ahuqe [noma, amboze]’ (okuyigama elinomqondo ofanayo) umkhumbi ngetiyela. (Genesise 6:14) Lokhu kuyasisiza sibone ukuthi ukuhlenga kusho nokwemboza izono.—IHubo 65:3.

⁸ Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi i-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament ithi leli gama (koʹpher) “njalo nje lisho ukulingana,” noma ukufanelana. Ngaleso sizathu, ukuze kuhlengwe, noma kumbozwe isono, kumele kukhokhwe inani elifanelana, noma elilingana, ncamashi nomonakalo obangelwe yisono. Ngenxa yalokho, uMthetho kaNkulunkulu ku-Israyeli wawuthi: “Kuyoba ukuphila ngokuphila, iso ngeso, izinyo ngezinyo, isandla ngesandla, unyawo ngonyawo.”​—Duteronomi 19:21.

9. Kungani amadoda okholo anikela ngemihlatshelo yezilwane, futhi uJehova wayibheka kanjani leyo mihlatshelo?

⁹ Amadoda okholo kusuka ku-Abela kuqhubeke, anikela ngemihlatshelo yezilwane kuNkulunkulu. Ngokwenza lokho, ayebonisa ukuthi ayasiqaphela isono nesidingo sokuhlengwa, futhi abonisa ukholo lwawo ekukhululweni okwakuthenjiswe nguNkulunkulu ‘ngenzalo’ yakhe. (Genesise  3:15; 4:1-4; Levitikusi 17:11; Hebheru 11:4) UJehova wayamukela leyo mihlatshelo futhi wabheka laba bakhulekeli njengabanesimo esihle. Noma kunjalo, iminikelo yezilwane yayimane nje imelela okuthile. Izilwane zazingenakusemboza ngempela isono somuntu ngoba ziphansi kunabantu. (IHubo 8:4-8) Yingakho iBhayibheli lithi: “Akunakwenzeka ukuba igazi lezinkomo nelezimbuzi lisuse izono.” (Hebheru 10:1-4) Leyo mihlatshelo yayifanekisela, noma imelela, umhlatshelo wesihlengo wangempela owawuseza.

10. (a) Umhlengi kwakudingeka alingane nobani, futhi kungani? (b) Kungani kwakudingeka umhlatshelo womuntu oyedwa kuphela?

¹⁰ ‘Bonke bayafa ku-Adamu,’ kusho umphostoli uPawulu. (1 Korinte 15:22) Ngakho isihlengo sasidinga ukuba kufe umuntu olingana ncamashi no-Adamu​—umuntu ongenasono. (Roma 5:14) Asikho esinye isidalwa esasingabenza ngokuphelele ubulungisa. Ngumuntu ongenasono, umuntu ongekho ngaphansi kwesigwebo sokufa esalethwa ngu-Adamu, owayenganikela ‘ngesihlengo sabo bonke’—​umuntu olingana ncamashi no-Adamu. (1 Thimothewu 2:6) Kwakungeke kudingeke kunikelwe ngezigidi zabantu ukuze bafele umuntu ngamunye oyinzalo ka-Adamu. Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza: “Ngomuntu oyedwa [u-Adamu] isono sangena ezweni nokufa kwangena ngesono.” (Roma 5:12) Futhi “njengoba ukufa kweza ngomuntu,” uNkulunkulu wenza ilungiselelo lokuhlawulela isintu “ngomuntu.” (1 Korinte 15:21) Kanjani?

11. (a) Umhlengi ‘wayezokunambitha [kanjani] ukufa ngenxa yawo wonke umuntu’? (b) Kungani kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba u-Adamu no-Eva bazuze esihlengweni? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)

¹¹ UJehova wahlela ukuba umuntu ongenasono anikele ngokuphila kwakhe ngokuzithandela. NgokweyabaseRoma 6:23, “inkokhelo yesono ukufa.” Lapho enikela ngokuphila kwakhe, umhlengi ‘wayezonambitha ukufa ngenxa yawo wonke umuntu.’ Ngamanye amazwi, wayezokhokha inkokhelo yesono sika-Adamu. (Hebheru 2:9; 2 Korinte 5:21; 1 Petru 2: 24) Umphumela walokhu wawuzoba mkhulu kakhulu ngokomthetho. Ngokuqeda isigwebo sokufa enzalweni ka-Adamu elalelayo, isihlengo sasiyosusa amandla esono abulalayo khona kanye emnyombweni wawo. a​—Roma 5:16.

12. Bonisa ukuthi ukukhokha isikweletu esisodwa kungabazuzisa kanjani abantu abaningi.

¹² Ngokwesibonelo: Zibone ngeso lengqondo uhlala edolobheni elinezakhamuzi eziningi eziqashwe embonini enkulu. Wena nomakhelwane bakho nihola kahle futhi nikhomba ngophakathi. Izinto zize zibhede mhla le mboni iwa. Iwiswa yini? Umphathi wale mboni uye wangathembeka, ibhizinisi lalahlekelwa imali. Ngenxa yokuphelelwa umsebenzi, wena nomakhelwane bakho nizithola ningasakwazi ukukhokha izikweletu. Omkenu, izingane, nabantu abakweletwayo bayahlupheka ngenxa yokungathembeki kwalo muntu oyedwa. Sikhona yini isixazululo? Yebo! Isigwili esithile sinquma ukungenela. Siyakubona ukubaluleka kwale nkampani. Sizwela nezisebenzi zayo eziningi nemindeni yazo. Sibe sesihlela ukusikhokha sonke isikweletu sale nkampani bese siyivula futhi le mboni. Ukwesulwa kwaleso sikweletu esisodwa kuzilethela impumuzo izisebenzi eziningi nemindeni yazo kanye nabantu abakweletwayo. Ngokufanayo, ukwesulwa kwesikweletu sika-Adamu kuzuzisa izigidi ngezigidi zabantu.

13, 14. (a) UJehova wasilungiselela kanjani isintu isihlengo? (b) Sikhokhwa kubani isihlengo, futhi kungani kudingeka sikhokhwe?

¹³ UJehova kuphela owayengalungiselela “iWundlu . . . elisusa isono sezwe.” (Johane 1:29) Kodwa uNkulunkulu akazange athume noma iyiphi ingelosi ukuba isindise isintu.  Kunalokho, wathumela Lowo owayenganikeza impendulo ewumnqamula-juqu ekumangaleleni kukaSathane izinceku zikaJehova. Yebo, uJehova wenza umnikelo ophakeme ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ‘ayeyithanda ngokukhethekile.’ (IzAga 8:30) Ngokuzithandela, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ‘yadela’ ukuba isidalwa somoya. (Filipi 2:7) UJehova wadlulisela ngokuyisimangaliso ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe eyizibulo esibelethweni sentombi engumJuda, uMariya. (Luka 1:27, 35) Lapho isingumuntu, yayizobizwa ngokuthi uJesu. Kodwa ngomqondo ongokomthetho, yayingase ibizwe ngokuthi u-Adamu wesibili, ngoba yayilingana ncamashi no-Adamu. (1 Korinte 15:45, 47) Ngakho uJesu wayengazinikela njengomhlatshelo wesihlengo sesintu esinesono.

¹⁴ Sasizokhokhwa kubani leso sihlengo? IHubo 49:7 lisho ngokuqondile ukuthi isihlengo sikhokhwa ‘kuNkulunkulu.’ Kanti akuyena yini uJehova olungiselela isihlengo? Yebo uyena, kodwa lokho akusenzi isihlengo sibe yinto engenanjongo nengenangqondo​—njengokukhipha imali kwelinye iphakethe uyifake kwelinye. Kumele siqonde ukuthi isihlengo siyisenzo esingokomthetho, asikona ukushintshana ngento engokoqobo. Ngokwenza ilungiselelo lokukhokhwa kwesihlengo, ngisho noma kwakuzomlahlekisela kakhulu, uJehova wakuqinisekisa ukunamathela kwakhe ngokungantengi ebulungiseni bakhe obuphelele.​—Genesise 22:7, 8, 11-13; Hebheru 11:17; Jakobe 1:17.

15. Kungani kwakudingeka ukuba uJesu ahlupheke futhi afe?

¹⁵ Entwasahlobo ka-33 C.E., uJesu Kristu wavuma ngokuzithandela ukuba ahlupheke kakhulu ukuze akhokhe isihlengo. Wazivumela ukuba aboshelwe amacala amanga, alahlwe yicala, abethelwe esigxotsheni sokufa. Ingabe kwakudingeka ngempela ukuba uJesu ahlupheke kangaka? Yebo, ngoba kwakudingeka kuxazululwe impikiswano yobuqotho bezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi uNkulunkulu akavumelanga ukuba usana olunguJesu lubulawe nguHerode. (Mathewu 2:13-18) Kodwa lapho uJesu esekhulile, wakwazi  ukumelana nokuhlasela kukaSathane okuvuthayo, eziqonda ngokugcwele izimpikiswano ezazihilelekile. b Ngokuzigcina ‘ethembekile, emsulwa, engangcolile, ehlukanisiwe nezoni’ naphezu kwempatho enyantisa igazi, uJesu wakufakazela ngendlela evusa amadlingozi ukuthi uJehova unazo izinceku ezihlala zithembekile ngaphansi kovivinyo. (Hebheru 7:26) Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi ngaphambi nje kokuba afe, wakhamuluka njengonqobayo: “Kufeziwe!”​—Johane 19:30.

16, 17. (a) UJesu wawuqhuba kanjani umsebenzi wakhe wokuhlenga? (b) Kungani kwadingeka ukuba uJesu “abonakale phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngenxa yethu”?

¹⁶ UJesu kwakusafanele aqedele umsebenzi wakhe wokuhlenga. Ngosuku lwesithathu ngemva kokufa kwakhe, uJehova wamvusa kwabafile. (IzEnzo 3:15; 10:40) Ngalesi senzo esikhulu kangaka, uJehova akayivuzanga nje kuphela iNdodana yakhe ngenxa yenkonzo yokwethembeka, kodwa wayinika nethuba lokuqedela umsebenzi wayo wokuhlenga njengomPristi Ophakeme kaNkulunkulu. (Roma 1:4; 1 Korinte 15:3-8) Umphostoli uPawulu uyachaza: “Lapho uKristu efika njengompristi ophakeme . . . , akangenanga endaweni engcwele negazi lezimbuzi nelamathole eduna, kodwa wangena negazi lakhe, kwaba kanye kuphela futhi wasitholela ukukhululwa okuphakade. UKristu akangenanga endaweni engcwele eyenziwe ngezandla, engumfanekiso wokungokoqobo, kodwa wangena ezulwini ngokwalo, ukuze abonakale phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngenxa yethu.”​—Hebheru 9:11, 12, 24.

 ¹⁷ UKristu wayengeke angene negazi lakhe elingokoqobo ezulwini. (1 Korinte 15:50) Kunalokho wangena nokwakufanekiselwa yilelo gazi: inani elingokomthetho lokuphila kwakhe okungenasono okwaba umhlatshelo. Phambi kukaNkulunkulu wabe esethula inani lalokho kuphila njengesihlengo sesintu esinesono. UJehova wawamukela yini lowo mnikelo? Yebo, futhi lokho kwabonakala ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., ngenkathi umoya ongcwele uthululelwa phezu kwabafundi abangaba ngu-120 eJerusalema. (IzEnzo 2:1-4) Yize kwakujabulisa kakhulu lokho, isihlengo kwakuyima siqala ukunikeza izinzuzo ezinhle.

18, 19. (a) Yimaphi amaqembu amabili abantu azuzayo ekubuyisaneni okwenzeka ngegazi likaKristu? (b) Yiziphi izinzuzo zesihlengo zamanje nezesikhathi esizayo ezitholwa “isixuku esikhulu”?

¹⁸ Encwadini ayibhalela abaseKolose, uPawulu uthi uNkulunkulu wabona kukuhle ukuba ngoKristu abuyisele kuYe zonke ezinye izinto ngokwenza ukuthula ngegazi uJesu alithulula esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. UPawulu uchaza nokuthi loku kubuyisana kuthinta amaqembu abantu amabili angefani, okuyilawa, “izinto ezisemazulwini” ‘nezinto ezisemhlabeni.’ (Kolose 1:19, 20; Efesu 1:10) Lelo qembu lokuqala linamaKristu angu-144 000 anikwa ithemba lokukhonza njengabapristi basezulwini futhi babuse noKristu Jesu njengamakhosi phezu komhlaba. (IsAmbulo 5:9, 10; 7:4; 14:1-3) Ngala maKristu, izinzuzo zesihlengo ziyodluliselwa kancane kancane kubantu abalalelayo phakathi nenkathi yeminyaka eyinkulungwane.​—1 Korinte 15:24-26; IsAmbulo 20:6; 21:3, 4.

¹⁹ “Izinto ezisemhlabeni” yilabo bantu abasethubeni lokuthola ukuphila okungenasono emhlabeni oyiPharadesi. IsAmbulo 7:9-17 sibachaza ngokuthi “isixuku esikhulu” esiyosinda “osizini olukhulu” oluzayo. Kodwa akudingeki balinde leso sikhathi ngaphambi kokuba bathole izinzuzo zesihlengo. Kakade ‘sebeziwashile izingubo zabo zaba mhlophe  egazini leWundlu.’ Ngenxa yokuthi babonisa ukholo esihlengweni, kwamanje bathola izinzuzo ezingokomoya ezivela kulelo lungiselelo. Kuthiwe balungile njengabangani bakaNkulunkulu! (Jakobe 2:23) Ngenxa yomhlatshelo kaJesu, “[bangasondela] esihlalweni sobukhosi somusa omkhulu ngenkululeko yokukhuluma.” (Hebheru 4:14-16) Uma benza isono, bathola intethelelo yeqiniso. (Efesu 1:7) Yize benesono, banonembeza ohlanziwe. (Hebheru 9:9; 10:22; 1 Petru 3:21) Ngakho ukubuyisana noNkulunkulu akulona iphupho nje, kodwa kuyinto eyenzekayo! (2 Korinte 5:19, 20) Phakathi neMinyaka Eyinkulungwane, ‘bayokhululwa’ kancane kancane “ekugqilazweni ukonakala” futhi ekugcineni “[bayoba] nenkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.”​—Roma 8:21.

20. Kukuthinta kanjani wena ukucabanga ujule ngesihlengo?

²⁰ “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu” ngenxa yesihlengo! (Roma 7:25) Isimiso saso silula, kodwa sijule kangangokuba sisenza simangale. (Roma 11:33) Uma sizindla ngaso ngendlela enokwazisa, isihlengo sisithinta izinhliziyo, sisisondeze nakakhulu kuNkulunkulu wobulungisa. Njengomhubi, sinazo zonke izizathu zokudumisa uJehova, uNkulunkulu ‘othanda ukulunga nobulungisa.’​—IHubo 33:5.