1. Xa ucinga ngokholo luka-Abraham, ngowuphi umbuzo osenokuzibuza wona?

 NGOXA bebaninzi abantu abakhe beva ngoAbraham, uninzi lwabo alunanto ingako luyaziyo ngaye. Kodwa wena ininzi into oyaziyo ngaye. Ngokomzekelo, uyazi ukuba ubizwa ngokuba “ngutata wabo bonke abantu abanokholo.” (Roma 4:11) Ngoko usenokuzibuza, ‘Ngaba nam ndinokuba nokholo oluqine njengoluka-Abraham?’ Unokuba nalo.

2. Kutheni kubalulekile ukufunda ngoAbraham? (Yakobi 2:22, 23)

² Enye indlela esinokukwazi ngayo ukuba nokholo olufana noluka-Abraham kukufunda ngaye. Kaloku wathobela uThixo, waya kuhlala kwilizwe elikude, ehlala ezintenteni kangangeminyaka, wade wafuna nokunikela ngonyana wakhe awayemthanda, uIsake. Zonke ezi zinto zibonisa indlela olwalomelele ngayo ukholo lwakhe. Ukholo lwakhe nezinto awayezenza zamvuyisa uThixo waza wangumhlobo Wakhe. (Funda uYakobi 2:22, 23.) Nathi uYehova uyafuna ukusithanda size sibe ngabahlobo bakhe. Ngenxa yaloo nto waphefumlela uPawulos noYakobi ukuba babhale ngoAbraham. Makhe sive ukuba bathini ngaye kumaRoma isahluko 4 nakuYakobi isahluko 2. Zozibini ezi zahluko zithetha into ebaluleke kakhulu ngale ndoda yayinokholo.

3. Sesiphi isibhalo ababecaphula kuso uPawulos noYakobi?

³ UPawulos noYakobi babecaphula iGenesis 15:6 ethi: “[UAbraham] wakholwa kuYehova yaye uThixo wamjonga njengelungisa.” KuYehova umntu olilungisa okanye ongenatyala  ngumntu omvuyisayo. Iyamangalisa ke into yokuba umntu onesono uThixo amjonge njengongenatyala. Inoba nawe ufuna akujonge ngolo hlobo, ibe angayenza loo nto. Ukuze sazi ukuba yintoni enokumenza athi singamalungisa, kufuneka siqonde ukuba kwakutheni ukuze athi uAbraham lilungisa.

4. Yintoni eyenza abantu bangabi ngomalungisa?

⁴ Kwileta awayibhalela amaKristu aseRoma, uPawulos wathi bonke abantu banesono. (Roma 3:23) Ngoko inokwenzeka njani into yokuba uThixo avuyiswe sithi aze athi singamalungisa okanye asinatyala? Ukuze uPawulos ancede onke amaKristu anyanisekileyo aphenduleke kulo mbuzo, wathetha ngoAbraham.

5. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova athi uAbraham lilungisa? (Roma 4:2, 4)

⁵ UYehova wathi uAbraham lilungisa ngoxa wayesahlala kwilizwe lakwaKanan. Kwakutheni ukuze athi ulilungisa? Ngaba kwakungenxa yokuba uAbraham wayezenza zonke izinto ezazikuMthetho owawubhalwe nguMoses? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo. (Roma 4:13) Kaloku amaSirayeli awunikwa loo Mthetho kwiminyaka engaphezu kweyi-400 emva kokuba uThixo ethe uAbraham lilungisa. Kwakutheni ke ukuze athi uAbraham lilungisa? Ngenxa yobubele Bakhe obungasifanelanga, uYehova wathi uAbraham lilungisa kuba wayenokholo.​—Funda amaRoma 4:2-4.

6. Yintoni eyenza uYehova athi umntu onesono lilungisa?

⁶ UPawulos wathi xa umntu enokholo kuThixo, olo kholo “luza kwenza [loo mntu] kuthiwe lilungisa.” (Roma 4:5) Waphinda wathi: “Kaloku noDavide, xa wayethetha ngendlela avuya ngayo umntu ojongwa nguThixo njengelungisa engayisebenzelanga loo nto, wathi: ‘Bonwabile abantu abaye baxolelwa nangona bophule umthetho, nabaye baxolelwa izono zabo; wonwabile umntu esingazukukhunjulwa nguYehova isono sakhe.’” (Roma 4:6-8; INdu. 32:1, 2) UThixo uyazixolela izono zabantu abanokholo kuye. Uzixolela nyhani, angaphindi azikhumbule. Abo bantu uye abajonge njengabangenatyala namalungisa.

7. Kwakutheni ukuze kuthiwe abakhonzi bakaThixo ababethembekile ngamalungisa?

⁷ Ngoxa kwathiwa bangamalungisa, uAbraham, uDavide nabanye abakhonzi bakaThixo ababethembekile babesenaso isono. Kodwa ngenxa yokholo lwabo, uThixo wababona bengenatyala, ngokukodwa xa wayebathelekisa nabantu ababengamkhonzi. (Efe. 2:12) Kwileta yakhe uPawulos wayicacisa into yokuba kufuneka sibe nokholo ukuze sibe ngabahlobo bakaThixo. Kwaba njalo kuAbraham noDavide, kunjalo ke nakuthi.

8-9. Yeyiphi indlela engafanelekanga abayiqonda ngayo abanye abantu into eyathethwa nguPawulos noYakobi? Kutheni?

⁸ Kangangeminyaka, abefundisi beecawe bebephikisana ngendlela ukholo oludibana ngayo nemisebenzi. Abanye bafundisa ukuba, ukuba uyakholwa ukuba uYesu Kristu uyiNkosi uza kusindiswa. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ukhe wabeva besithi, “Yamkela uYesu ukuze usindiswe.” Basenokude bakuxelele nento eyathethwa nguPawulos esithi: ‘Umntu ujongwa nguThixo njengelungisa engayisebenzelanga loo nto.’ (Roma 4:6) Kodwa abanye bathi “unokuzisindisa”  ngokuya kwiindawo ekuthiwa ecaweni zingcwele nangokwenza izinto ezintle. Basenokuyixhasa loo nto ngamazwi akuYakobi 2:24 athi: “Umntu kuthiwa lilungisa ngemisebenzi, hayi ngokholo kuphela.”

⁹ Ngenxa yezi zinto abanye abaphengululi beBhayibhile bathi uPawulos noYakobi babengavumelani ngento amele ayenze umntu ukuze avuyise uThixo. Abefundisi basenokuthi uPawulos wayekholelwa ukuba xa umntu enokholo kunokuthiwa ulilungisa nokuba akayisebenzelanga loo nto. Kodwa yena uYakobi uthi into ebalulekileyo eyenza umntu abe lilungisa kuThixo yimisebenzi. Omnye uprofesa wathi: “UYakobi wayengasiqondi isizathu sokuba uPawulos athi lukholo lodwa olufunekayo ukuze [umntu kuthiwe lilungisa].” Kodwa bobabini baphefumlelwa nguYehova ukuze babhale izinto abazibhalayo. (2 Tim. 3:16) Ngoko inoba sikhona isizathu esivakalayo esenza ingafani into abayibhalayo. Ukuze sisiqonde kakuhle simele sazi nezinye izinto abazibhala kwiileta zabo.

10. Yeyiphi imisebenzi awayethetha kakhulu ngayo uPawulos? (Roma 3:21, 28) (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹⁰ Yeyiphi imisebenzi awayethetha ngayo uPawulos kumaRoma isahluko 3 no-4? Kakhulu wayethetha ngemisebenzi “yokuthobela umthetho” owanikwa uMoses kwiNtaba YaseSinayi. (Funda amaRoma 3:21, 28.) Kubonakala ngathi ngexesha likaPawulos kwakunzima kwamanye amaKristu angamaYuda ukuyamkela into yokuba uMthetho owabhalwa nguMoses, nemisebenzi eyayifunwa nguloo Mthetho, yayingasafuneki. Ngoko uPawulos wathetha ngoAbraham ukuze abonise ukuba akunyanzelekanga ukuba umntu enze imisebenzi “yokuthobela umthetho” ukuze abe lilungisa kuThixo. Into efunekayo kukuba  umntu abe nokholo. Iyakhuthaza ke loo nto kuba isifundisa ukuba, xa sinokuba nokholo kuThixo noKristu sinokuba ngamalungisa kuThixo.

11. Yeyiphi imisebenzi awayethetha ngayo uYakobi?

¹¹ “Imisebenzi” ekuthethwa ngayo kuYakobi isahluko 2 ayiyomisebenzi “yokuthobela umthetho” athetha ngayo uPawulos. Zizinto ezenziwa ngumKristu. Yiloo misebenzi eyenza kucace ukuba umKristu ukholwa nyhani na kuThixo. Khawuve le mizekelo mibini eyasetyenziswa nguYakobi.

12. UYakobi wayichaza njani indlela ukholo oludibana ngayo nemisebenzi? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹² Kumzekelo wokuqala uYakobi wathetha ngendlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba amaKristu angabi namkhethe. Le nto wayizekelisa ngendoda eyaba nobubele kumntu osisityebi, kodwa ayabi nabo kosokolayo. Wathi le ndoda yayisenokuthi inokholo kodwa imisebenzi ibe ingabonisi loo nto. (Yak. 2:1-5, 9) Kumzekelo wesibini wathetha ngomntu owabona ‘umzalwana okanye udade odlakazelayo okanye olambileyo’ waza akamnceda. Nokuba lo mntu wayenokuthi unokholo, kuba lwalungenamisebenzi wayefana nongenalo. Ngoko wathi, ‘ukholo; ukuba alunamisebenzi, lufile.’​—Yak. 2:14-17.

13. Ngowuphi umzekelo owenziwa nguYakobi ukuze abonise ukuba ukholo lubonakala ngemisebenzi? (Yakobi 2:25, 26)

¹³ Xa uYakobi wayethetha ngomntu onokholo olubonakala ngemisebenzi, wathetha ngoRahabhi. (Funda uYakobi 2:25, 26.) URahabhi wayevile ngoYehova waza waqonda ukuba amaSirayeli ayencedwa nguye. (Yosh. 2:9-11) Izinto awazenzayo zabonisa ukuba wayenokholo. Wasindisa ubomi  beentlola ezimbini zakwaSirayeli. Ngenxa yaloo nto lo mfazi wayengengomSirayeli nowayenesono kwathiwa lilungisa, kanye njengokuba uThixo wayetshilo nakuAbraham. KuRahabhi sifunda indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba umntu abonise ukholo ngemisebenzi.

14. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uPawulos noYakobi babengaphikisani?

¹⁴ UPawulos noYakobi, babeluchaza ngendlela engafaniyo ukholo nemisebenzi. UPawulos waxelela amaKristu angamaYuda ukuba ayiyomisebenzi yokuthobela uMthetho owabhalwa nguMoses eyayiza kuwenza avuyise uYehova. UYakobi yena wayebonisa indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba onke amaKristu abonise ukholo ngokwenzela abanye izinto ezintle.

15. Zeziphi ezinye iindlela esinokubonisa ngazo ukuba ukholo lwethu lunemisebenzi? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹⁵ UYehova akatsho ukuba kufuneka senze kanye eza zinto zenziwa nguAbraham ukuze athi singamalungisa. Zininzi izinto esinokuzenza ezibonisa ukuba ukholo lwethu lunemisebenzi. Sinokwenza izinto eziza kumvuyisa uThixo naza kuzisikelela ezinjengokwamkela abantu abaqalayo ukuya ebandleni, ukunceda abazalwana noodade ngezinto abazidingayo nokuziphatha kakuhle iintsapho zethu. (Roma 15:7; 1 Tim. 5:4, 8; 1 Yoh. 3:18) Enye yeendlela esinokubonisa ngazo ukuba sinokholo kukukhuthalela ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. (1 Tim. 4:16) Sonke sinokubonisa ngezinto esizenzayo ukuba sinokholo lokuba izinto esizithenjiswa nguYehova ziza kwenzeka, neendlela zakhe zezona  zibhetele. Xa sisenza loo nto siza kutsho siqiniseke ukuba uThixo uza kuthi singamalungisa size sibe ngabahlobo bakhe.

16. Yintoni uAbraham awayenethemba nokholo lokuba iza kwenzeka?

¹⁶ AmaRoma isahluko 4 athetha ngenye into ebalulekileyo esinokuyifunda kuAbraham: Indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba nethemba. UYehova wamthembisa ukuba uza kusikelela ‘iintlanga ezininzi’ ngenxa yakhe. Khawucinge indlela elimangalisa ngayo ithemba awayenalo. (Gen. 12:3; 15:5; 17:4; Roma 4:17) Wade waneminyaka eyi-100, ekaSara yayi-90, bengekamfumani unyana ababethenjiswe ngaye. Ebantwini kwakubonakala ngathi yinto engenakwenzeka leyo. Le nto yayiza kwenza kucace ukuba uAbraham wayenalo nyhani na ukholo. “Waba nethemba nokholo lokuba uza kuba ngutata weentlanga ezininzi.” (Roma 4:18, 19) Yade yenzeka ke into ekwakudala enethemba layo, wamfumana unyana ekwakudala bemlindele, uIsake.​—Roma 4:20-22.

17. Sazi njani ukuba uThixo unokuthi singamalungisa size sibe ngabahlobo bakhe?

¹⁷ Nathi sinokumvuyisa uThixo, athi singamalungisa size sibe ngabahlobo bakhe njengoAbraham. Wayethetha loo nto uPawulos xa wayesithi: “Amazwi athi ‘wajongwa njengelungisa’ ayengabhalelwanga yena yedwa, kodwa abhalelwa nathi, thina siza kujongwa njengamalungisa kuba sikholelwa kuThixo owavusa uYesu.” (Roma 4:23, 24) NjengoAbraham, kufuneka sibe nokholo oluhamba nemisebenzi, sibe nalo nethemba lokuba izinto esizithenjiswa nguYehova ziza kwenzeka. KumaRoma isahluko 5, esiza kuthetha ngawo kwinqaku elilandelayo uPawulos uyaqhubeka ethetha ngethemba esinalo.