1-2. Kungani kumele sonke sifunde ngokuvuswa kwamaKhristu azaphila ezulwini?

IZINCEKU zikaJehova ezinengi zilethemba lokuphila kuze kube nini lanini emhlabeni. Kodwa amaKhristu amalutshwana agcotshwe nguNkulunkulu alethemba lokuvuswa ukuthi ayephila ezulwini. Ayafisa sibili ukwazi ukuthi kuzabe kunjani ukuphila ezulwini. Kodwa kungani amaKhristu azaphila emhlabeni lawo kumele afunde ngalokhu? Ngenxa yokuthi ukuvuswa kwamaKhristu agcotshiweyo esiyaphila ezulwini kuzawanceda amaKhristu azaphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini njengoba sizabona esihlokweni lesi. Yikho kungelani lokuthi ithemba lethu ngelokuphila ezulwini kumbe emhlabeni kumele sifunde ngokuvuswa kwamaKhristu azaphila ezulwini.

² UNkulunkulu waphefumulela abanye abafundi bakaJesu ngesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala ukuthi babhale ngokuvuswa kwamaKhristu agcotshiweyo azaphila ezulwini. Umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Khathesi sesingabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa akukavezwa ukuthi sizabe sinjani. Esikwaziyo yikuthi nxa esebonakaliswa sizakuba njengaye.” (1 Joh. 3:2) Yikho amaKhristu agcotshiweyo awakwazi ukuthi kuzabe kunjani ukuphila eyizidalwa zomoya ezulwini. Kodwa nxa esetholile umvuzo wawo, azambona enjengoba enjalo uJehova. IBhayibhili alisitsheli yonke into mayelana lokuvuswa kwamaKhristu azaphila ezulwini, kodwa umphostoli uPhawuli wasitshela okunye mayelana lokuvuswa lokhu. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo azabe eloKhristu ngesikhathi ‘esetshabalalisa  bonke ohulumende kanye lalabo abalamandla’ futhi esetshabalalisa ‘ukufa okuyisitha sokucina.’ Ngemva kwalokho uJesu lalabo azabusa labo bazazibeka ngaphansi kukaJehova futhi bazabeka zonke izinto ngaphansi kwakhe. (1 Khor. 15:24-28) Leso kuzabe kuyisikhathi esithokozisayo sibili! *

3. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Khorinte 15:30-32, ukukholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa kwamnceda njani uPhawuli?

³ UPhawuli wayekholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa futhi lokhu kwamnceda ukuthi aqinisele ngesikhathi esehlelwa yibunzima. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:30-32.) Watshela amaKhristu eKhorinte wathi: “Nsuku zonke ngikhangelana lokufa.” Waphinda wabhala wathi: “Ngilwe lezinyamazana zeganga e-Efesu.” Mhlawumbe wayekhuluma ngenyamazana ayelwe lazo enkundleni eyayise-Efesu. (2 Khor. 1:8; 4:10; 11:23) Kumbe wayengabe ekhuluma ngamaJuda ayemphikisa labanye ‘ababenjengezinyamazana zeganga.’ (ImiSeb. 19:26-34; 1 Khor. 16:9) Kungelani lokuthi uPhawuli wayekhuluma ngani, wayehlala esengozini kodwa wayelokhu ekholwa ukuthi uzakuba lekusasa elihle.—2 Khor. 4:16-18.

4. Ukukholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa kuwaqinisa njani amaKhristu lamuhla? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁴ Siphila ezikhathini eziyingozi. Abanye abafowethu labodadewethu sebeke bahlaselwa yizigebenga. Abanye bona bahlala emazweni lapho impi edla khona ubhedu futhi abavikelekanga. Ikanti abanye baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova lanxa behlala emazweni umsebenzi wethu wokutshumayela ongavunyelwa khona. Bonke abafowethu labodadewethu laba baqhubeka bemkhonza uJehova njalo bayizibonelo ezinhle kithi. Kabesabi ngoba bayakwazi ukuthi lanxa bangaze bafe khathesi uJehova uzabavusa abanike ikusasa elihle.

5. Yiwuphi umcabango ongaqondanga ongabangela ukuthi sicine singasakholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa?

⁵ UPhawuli watshela abafowabo ukuthi baxwaye umcabango ongaqondanga abanye ababelawo. Babesithi: “Nxa abafileyo bengasoze bavuswe, ‘kasidleni sinathe ngoba kusasa sizakufa.’” Umcabango onjalo awuqalisanga ngezinsuku zikaPhawuli. Kungenzakala wayekhuluma ngamazwi aku-Isaya 22:13 aveza umcabango ofananayo ama-Israyeli ayelawo. Ayeqakathekisa ukuzijabulisa kulokuthi asondele kuNkulunkulu. Ayecabanga ukuthi kumele azikholisele impilo nje ngoba umuntu angafa loba nini. Lalamuhla bakhona abantu abacabanga njalo. IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi umcabango lo wabangela ukuthi izinto zisihambele kubi isizwe sako-Israyeli.—2 ImiLan. 36:15-20.

6. Ukukholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa kusinceda njani ukuthi sikhethe kuhle abangane?

⁶ Esiqeda kuxoxa ngakho kutshengisa ukuthi kumele sikhethe kuhle abangane ngoba thina siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova uzabavusa abantu abafileyo. Abazalwane beKhorinte kwakungamelanga bajayelane labantu ababengakholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa. Nanku esikufundayo: Nxa singaqeda isikhathi esinengi labantu abaqakathekisa ukuzijabulisa, abangelandaba lalokho okuzakwenzakala kusasa singacina sesilemicabango engaqondanga futhi sesiziphatha njengabo. Lokhu kungabangela ukuthi sicine sesisenza izinto uNkulunkulu azizondayo. Yikho uPhawuli wabhala amazwi alamandla athi: “Vukani lenze okulungileyo, lingaqhubeki lisenza isono.”—1 Khor. 15:33, 34.

7. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Khorinte 15:35-38, yiwuphi umbuzo abanye ababengawubuza ngokuvuswa kwabafileyo?

⁷ Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:35-38. Umuntu owayefuna ukwenza abanye bathandabuze ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa wayengabuza athi: “Abafileyo bazavuswa njani?” Asihloleni impendulo kaPhawuli ngoba abantu abanengi lamuhla balemicabango etshiyeneyo ngokuthi kwenzakalani nxa umuntu angafa. IBhayibhili lona lifundisani?

8. Yiwuphi umzekeliso ongasinceda sizwisise ukuvuswa kwalabo abazaphila ezulwini?

⁸ Nxa umuntu angafa umzimba wakhe uyabola. Kodwa uNkulunkulu owadala zonke izinto angenelisa ukuvusa umuntu ofileyo amnike umzimba omutsha. (Gen. 1:1; 2:7) UPhawuli wathi ekhuluma ngokuvuswa kwabagcotshiweyo, wasebenzisa umzekeliso ukuze atshengise ukuthi uNkulunkulu kasoze abavuse belemizimba ababelayo bengakafi. Cabanga ‘ngenhlanyelo.’ Nxa ingahlanyelwa iyamila ibe yisimila. Isimila leso siyabe sitshiyene kakhulu lenhlanyelo. UPhawuli wasebenzisa umzekeliso lo ukutshengisa ukuthi uMdali wethu angapha umuntu ‘umzimba ngokuthanda kwakhe.’

9. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Khorinte 15:39-41, yiwuphi umehluko okhona ezintweni ezidaliweyo?

⁹ Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:39-41. UPhawuli wathi uNkulunkulu wadala izinto ngendlela etshiyeneyo. Ngokwesibonelo, imizimba yenkomo, yenyoni leyenhlanzi kayifanani. Wathi lasesibhakabhakeni sibona umehluko phakathi kwelanga lenyanga. Waphinda wathi “inkazimulo yenkanyezi ngayinye itshiyene lenkazimulo yezinye.” Lokhu kuliqiniso lanxa umehluko wakhona singeke siwubone singasebenzisanga imitshina. Abesayensi bathi kulemihlobo etshiyeneyo yezinkanyezi, ezinye zinkulu ezinye zincane, ezinye zibomvu, ezinye zimhlophe ikanti ezinye zilithanga, ngokwesibonelo, ilanga. UPhawuli waphinda wathi “kulemizimba yasezulwini  lemizimba yasemhlabeni.” Wayesitshoni? Wayesitsho ukuthi emhlabeni kulemizimba yenyama kodwa ezulwini kulemizimba yomoya njengaleyo izingilosi ezilayo.

10. Abantu abavuswa ukuthi bayephila ezulwini, bavuswa belomzimba onjani?

¹⁰ Kuvesi 42 uPhawuli wabuyela emzekelisweni wakhe wenhlanyelo lesimila. Wathi: “Ukuvuswa kwabafileyo lakho kunjalo. Umzimba ohlanyelwayo uyabola, uvuswe ungasaboli.” Siyakwazi ukuthi nxa umuntu angafa uyabuyela ethulini njalo umzimba wakhe uyabola. (Gen. 3:19) Manje kutshoni ukuthi umzimba ‘uvuswa ungasaboli’? UPhawuli wayengakhulumi ngomuntu ovuswa ukuthi aphile emhlabeni njengalabo abavuswa ngu-Elija, ngu-Elisha loJesu. Kodwa wayekhuluma ngomuntu ovuswa elomzimba wasezulwini okutsho ‘owomoya.’—1 Khor. 15:42-44.

11-12. UJesu wavuswa eselomzimba onjani? AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo wona-ke?

¹¹ Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni wayelomzimba wenyama kodwa esevusiwe “waba ngumoya onika ukuphila” wasebuyela ezulwini. AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo lawo azavuswa elemizimba yomoya. UPhawuli wathi: “Njengoba sinjengalowo owenziwa ngothuli, sizaphinda sibe njengaye yena owezulwini.”—1 Khor. 15:45-49.

¹² Kuqakathekile ukukhumbula ukuthi uJesu kavuswanga elomzimba wenyama. UPhawuli wathi esegoqa indaba yakhe wachasisa ukuthi kungani lapho esithi: “Inyama legazi ngeke kulithole ilifa loMbuso kaNkulunkulu” ezulwini. (1 Khor. 15:50) Abaphostoli labanye abagcotshiweyo babengasoze bavuswe ukuthi bayephila ezulwini belemizimba yenyama legazi ebolayo. Babezavuswa nini? UPhawuli wathi babezavuswa esikhathini esizayo hatshi besanda kufa. Ngesikhathi ebhala incwadi yokuqala yabaseKhorinte abanye abafundi ‘basebafa.’ Omunye wabo ngumphostoli uJakhobe. (ImiSeb. 12:1, 2) Abanye abaphostoli labanye abagcotshiweyo ‘babezakufa’ ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.—1 Khor. 15:6.

13. Kwakuzakwenzakalani ngesikhathi sokuba khona kukaJesu?

¹³ UJesu loPhawuli bakhuluma ngesikhathi esiqakathekileyo esasizafika, isikhathi leso yikubakhona kukaKhristu. Kwakuzakuba lezimpi, ukuzamazama komhlaba, imikhuhlane emibi lezinye izinto ezimbi emhlabeni wonke. Izinto lezi zaqalisa ukwenzakala kakhulu kusukela ngo-1914. Kodwa kwakuzakuba lesinye isibonakaliso esiqakathekileyo. UJesu wathi izindaba ezinhle zokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usubusa zizatshunyayelwa “emhlabeni wonke ukuze kube lobufakazi ezizweni zonke, besekufika ukuphela.” (Mat. 24:3, 7-14) UPhawuli wathi “ngesikhathi sokuba khona kweNkosi” abagcotshiweyo ‘abasebefile’ babezavuswa ukuthi bayephila ezulwini.—1 Thes. 4:14-16; 1 Khor. 15:23.

14. Kwenzakalani kumaKhristu agcotshiweyo afa ngesikhathi sokuba khona kukaKhristu?

¹⁴ AmaKhristu agcotshiweyo afa khathesi ahle avuswe ukuthi ayephila ezulwini. UPhawuli wakutsho lokho emazwini akhe abhalwe ku-1 Khorinte 15:51, 52. Wathi: “Kayisithi sonke esizalala ekufeni kodwa sonke sizantshintshwa ngesikhatshana nje, ngokucwayiza kwelihlo ngesikhathi sokukhala kwecilongo lokucina.” Amazwi la ayagcwaliseka khathesi! Abafowabo bakaKhristu bazathokoza kakhulu sebevusiwe ngoba ‘bazakuba leNkosi kuze kube nini lanini.’—1 Thes. 4:17.

15. Yiwuphi umsebenzi ozakwenziwa yilabo abazatshintshwa “ngokucwayiza kwelihlo”?

¹⁵ IBhayibhili liyasitshela umsebenzi ozakwenziwa yilabo abazatshintshwa “ngokucwayiza kwelihlo” nxa sebesezulwini. UJesu uthi kubo: “Lowo onqobayo alandele izenzo zami kuze kube sekucineni  ngizamupha amandla phezu kwezizwe njalo uzakwelusa abantu ngentonga yensimbi, baphahlazwe babe yizicucu njengesitsha sobumba, njengoba nje ngamukela amandla kuBaba.” (Isam. 2:26, 27) Bazalandela lokho okwenziwa nguJesu, beluse izizwe ngentonga yensimbi.—Isam. 19:11-15.

16. Abagcotshiweyo kanye lalabo abazaphila emhlabeni bazakunqoba njani ukufa?

¹⁶ Nxa abagcotshiweyo sebevusiwe baya ezulwini bayabe sebekunqobile ukufa. (1 Khor. 15:54-57) Yikho bazancedisa ukususa bonke ububi emhlabeni ngempi ye-Amagedoni. Amanye amamiliyoni amaKhristu ‘azaphuma ekuhluphekeni okukhulu’ aphile emhlabeni omutsha. (Isam. 7:14) AmaKhristu la azabona ukufa kunqotshwa lapho kuvuswa amabhiliyoni abantu abafa kudala. Sizathokoza kakhulu lapho sibona abafileyo bevuswa! (ImiSeb. 24:15) Bonke labo abathembekileyo kuJehova bazanqoba ukufa abakuthola njengelifa ku-Adamu. Bazaphila kuze kube nini lanini.

17. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Khorinte 15:58, kumele senzeni khathesi?

¹⁷ Wonke amaKhristu kumele aduduzwe yilokho uPhawuli akubhalela abaseKhorinte mayelana lokuvuswa kwabafileyo. Kumele sizimisele ukulalela lokho akutshoyo senze okunengi “emsebenzini weNkosi.” (Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:58.) Nxa singawenza ngamandla ethu wonke umsebenzi lo, sizaphila impilo ethokozisayo esikhathini esizayo. Impilo esizayiphila iyabe imnandi ukwedlula loba yini esingayicabanga khathesi. Izatshengisa ukuthi umsebenzi wethu eNkosini kawuzange uphelele emoyeni.