1, 2. IBhayibhile iyichaza njani imeko olukuyo uluntu, yaye yiyiphi ekuphela kwendlela yokukhululeka kuyo?

 “YONKE indalo iyagcuma kwaye isentlungwini.” (Roma 8:22) Ngaloo mazwi umpostile uPawulos uchaza imeko elusizi esikuyo. Ngokwembono yabantu, kubonakala kungekho ndlela yakukhululeka ekubandezelekeni, esonweni nasekufeni. Kodwa ngokungafaniyo nabantu, akukho nto imnqabeleyo uYehova. (Numeri 23:19) UThixo wokusesikweni uyilungiselele indlela yokuphuma kobu bugxwayiba sikubo. Ibizwa ngokuba yintlawulelo.

² Intlawulelo sesona sipho sikhulu sikaYehova eluntwini. Ivule ithuba lokuba sihlangulwe esonweni nasekufeni. (Efese 1:7) Isisiseko sethemba lobomi obungunaphakade, enoba kusezulwini okanye kumhlaba oyiparadesi. (Luka 23:43; Yohane 3:16; 1 Petros 1:4) Kodwa iyintoni kanye kanye intlawulelo? Isifundisa njani ngokubalasela kokuba sesikweni kukaYehova?

 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 zimshukumisele ekubeni asinyenyise isigwebo sokufa. Ngokwenjenjalo ebeya kuba utyeshela umthetho wakhe uqobo, othi: “Umvuzo isono esiwuhlawulayo kukufa.” (Roma 6:23) Yaye ukuba uYehova ebenokuyityeshela imilinganiselo yakhe yokusesikweni, ngoko bekuya kuba sisiphithiphithi nje nolwaphulo-mthetho kwindalo iphela!

4, 5. (a) USathana wamgculela njani uThixo, yaye kwakutheni ukuze uYehova azive ebophelelekile ukuba aziphendule ezo zigculelo? (b) USathana wabamangalela ngelithini abakhonzi abanyanisekileyo bakaYehova?

 ⁴ Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko 12, imvukelo yase-Eden yaphakamisa iimbambano ezinkulu ngakumbi. USathana walingcolisa igama elihle likaThixo. Eneneni, wammangalela uYehova ngokuba lixoki nozwilakhe okhohlakeleyo ozibandezayo inkululeko izidalwa zakhe. (Genesis 3:1-5) Kwakhona, ngokuzama ukuphazamisa kwakhe injongo kaThixo yokuzalisa umhlaba ngabantu abangamalungisa, uSathana wamtyhola uThixo ngokuba woyisakele. (Genesis 1:28; Isaya 55:10, 11) Ukuba uYehova wayeziyeke zingaconjululwanga ezi zimangalo, ezininzi zezidalwa zakhe ezikrelekrele nazo zazisenokuphelelwa yintembelo kulawulo lwakhe.

⁵ Kwakhona uSathana wabagculela abakhonzi abanyanisekileyo bakaYehova, ebamangalela ngelithi bamkhonza kuphela ngenxa yeentshukumisa zokuzingca yaye ukuba banokujamelana nengcinezelo, akukho namnye kubo owayenokuhlala ethembekile kuThixo. (Yobhi 1:9-11) Le mbambano yayibaluleke ngakumbi kunemeko enzima olukuyo uluntu. Ngokufanelekileyo uYehova waziva ebophelelekile ukuba aziphendule izigculelo zikaSathana. Kodwa uThixo wayenokuyicombulula njani le mbambano aze alusindise uluntu?

 6. Ngawaphi amanye amagama asetyenzisiweyo eBhayibhileni ukuchaza indlela uThixo awalusindisa ngayo uluntu?

⁶ Ekucombululeni le mbambano, uYehova wabonakalisa inceba nokusesikweni okubalaseleyo—ngendlela eyayingenakufikelelwa mntu. Ukanti, yayilula kakhulu. Yaziwa ngokwahlukahlukeneyo njengokuthenga, ukuxolelanisa, ukukhulula nokucamagushela. (INdumiso 49:8; Daniyeli 9:24; Galati 3:13; Kolose 1:20; Hebhere 2:17) Kodwa igama mhlawumbi elikuchaza kakuhle oku lelo lasetyenziswa nguYesu ngokwakhe. Wathi: “UNyana womntu weza, kungekhona ukuze alungiselelwe, kodwa ukuze alungiselele nokuze anikele  ngomphefumlo wakhe ube yintlawulelo [lyʹtron, ngesiGrike] ngenxa yabaninzi.”—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 ukukhulula amabanjwa emfazwe. Ngoko, lilonke intlawulelo inokuchazwa njengentlawulo yokuthenga into obuphulukene nayo. KwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “intlawulelo” (koʹpher) livela kwisenzi esithetha “ukugubungela.” Ngokomzekelo, uThixo waxelela uNowa ukuba wayemele ‘awugubungele’ (gama elo elifanayo) umkhombe ngetela. (Genesis 6:14) Oku kusenza siqonde ukuba ukuhlawulela kukwathetha ukugubungela izono.—INdumiso 65:3.

⁸ Okuphawulekayo kukuba, iTheological Dictionary of the New Testament ikhankanya ukuba eli gama (koʹpher) “lisoloko libhekisela kwinto elinganayo.” Ngoko, isigubungelo somkhumbi womnqophiso sasilingana nomkhumbi wokoqobo. Ngokukwanjalo, ukuze kuhlawulelwe, okanye kugutyungelwe isono, kwakumele kuhlawulwe ixabiso elilingana ngokupheleleyo, okanye eliwugubungela ngokupheleleyo umonakalo owenziwa sisono. Kungenxa yoko le nto uMthetho kaThixo wawusithi kuSirayeli: “Umphefumlo wobuyiselwa ngomphefumlo, iliso ngeliso, izinyo ngezinyo, isandla ngesandla, unyawo ngonyawo.”—Duteronomi 19:21.

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

⁹ Amakholwa asusela kuAbheli ukusa phambili ayebingelela ngezilwanyana kuThixo. Ngaloo ndlela, ayebonisa ukusiqonda kwawo isibakala sokuba ayenesono yaye ayefuna ukukhululwa kuso, yaye ayebonisa ukholo lwawo kwisithembiso sikaThixo sokuwakhulula ‘ngembewu’ yakhe. (Genesis 3:15; 4:1-4; Levitikus 17:11; Hebhere 11:4) UYehova wakholiswa  yiloo mibingelelo waza wabagqala njengabalungileyo aba banquli. Noko ke, imibingelelo yezilwanyana yayingumfuziselo kuphela. Eneneni izilwanyana zazingenakugubungela isono somntu, kuba zingaphantsi kwabantu. (INdumiso 8:4-8) Ngenxa yoko, iBhayibhile ithi: “Akunakwenzeka ukuba igazi leenkunzi zeenkomo neleebhokhwe lisuse izono.” (Hebhere 10:1-4) Loo mibingelelo yayingumfuziselo kuphela, wombingelelo wokwenene wentlawulelo owawuza kulandela.

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

¹⁰ Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “KuAdam bonke [bayafa].” (1 Korinte 15:22) Ngoko intlawulelo yayimele ibandakanye ukufa komntu olinganayo noAdam—umntu ofezekileyo. (Roma 5:14) Asikho esinye isidalwa esasinokulinganisa isikali sokusesikweni. Kuphela ngumntu ofezekileyo, ongekho phantsi kwesigwebo sokufa sika-Adam, owayenokunikela ‘intlawulelo elinganayo’—elingana ngokugqibeleleyo noAdam. (1 Timoti 2:6) Bekungayi kuba yimfuneko ukuba kubingelelwe ngezigidi zabantu ezilingana nenzala ka-Adam. Umpostile uPawulos wachaza esithi: “Isono sangena ngamntu mnye [uAdam] ehlabathini nokufa ngaso isono.” (Roma 5:12) Yaye “ekubeni ukufa kungomntu,” uThixo wenza ilungiselelo lokukhululwa koluntu “kwangomntu.” (1 Korinte 15:21) Njani?

11. (a) Umhlawuleli wayeza ‘kukungcamla njani ukufa ngenxa yabantu bonke’? (b) Kutheni uAdam noEva babengayi kungenelwa kwintlawulelo? (Bona umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹¹ UYehova walungiselela ukuba umntu ofezekileyo anikele ngokuzithandela ngobomi bakhe njengombingelelo. Ngokutsho kweyabaseRoma 6:23, “umvuzo isono esiwuhlawulayo kukufa.” Ngokubingelela ngobomi bakhe, umhlawuleli wayeza ‘kungcamla ukufa ngenxa yabantu bonke.’ Ngamany’ amazwi, wayeza kuhlawula intlawulelo yesono sika-Adam. (Hebhere 2:9; 2 Korinte 5:21; 1 Petros 2:24) Oku kwakuza kuba nemiphumo ebaluleke kakhulu yasemthethweni. Ngokuphelisa isigwebo sokufa kwinzala ethobekileyo ka-Adam, intlawulelo yayiza  kuwashenxisa ngokupheleleyo amandla atshabalalisayo esono. a—Roma 5:16.

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

¹² Singakuzekelisa ngokuthi oku: Masithi uhlala kwidolophu apho inkoliso yabahlali iqeshwe kumzi-mveliso omkhulu. Wena nabamelwane bakho nifumana umvuzo oncumisayo yaye niphila ubomi obutofo-tofo. Oko kukuthi, de kube lusuku lokuvalwa kwaloo mzi-mveliso. Siyintoni isizathu soko? Umphathi walo mzi-mveliso uye wangenwa ngumoya ombi, obangele ishishini lakhe labhanga. Ngequbuliso, njengoko ningasebenzi, wena nabamelwane bakho anikwazi ukuhlawula amatyala enu. Amaqabane omtshato, abantwana, kunye nabo nibatyalayo, batsala nzima ngenxa yaloo mntu mnye uye wangenwa ngumoya ombi. Ngaba sikho isicombululo? Ewe sikho! Usomashishini othile osisityebi uyangenelela. Uyakuqonda ukuxabiseka kwalo mzi-mveliso. Ukwanovelwano ngabaqeshwa bawo abaninzi neentsapho zabo. Ngoko wenza ilungiselelo lokulihlawula lonke elo tyala aze awuvule kwakhona lo mzi-mveliso. Ukuhlawulwa kwelo tyala kubazisela isiqabu abo baqeshwa baninzi kunye neentsapho zabo kwakunye nabo babatyalayo. Ngokufanayo, ukuhlawulwa kwetyala lika-Adam kuzise iingenelo kwizigidi ezingenakubalwa zabantu.

13, 14. (a) UYehova wayilungiselela njani intlawulelo yoluntu? (b) Ihlawulwa kubani intlawulelo, yaye kutheni iyimfuneko nje loo ntlawulo?

¹³ NguYehova kuphela onokunikela “iMvana . . . esusa isono sehlabathi.” (Yohane 1:29) Kodwa uThixo akathumelanga nje nayiphi na ingelosi ukuba ihlangule uluntu. Kunoko, uthumele Lowo wayenokunikela impendulo epheleleyo kwisimangalo  sikaSathana nxamnye 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 basezulwini. (Filipi 2:7) Ngokungummangaliso, uYehova wabufudusa ubomi nobuntu boNyana wakhe wamazibulo wasezulwini, wabufaka kwisibeleko sentombi enyulu yomYuda egama linguMariya. (Luka 1:27, 35) Njengomntu, wayeza kubizwa ngokuba nguYesu. Kodwa ngengqiqo engokwasemthethweni, wayenokubizwa ngokuba nguAdam wesibini, kuba wayelingana ngokugqibeleleyo noAdam. (1 Korinte 15:45, 47) Ngaloo ndlela uYesu wayenokuzinikela njengombingelelo wentlawulelo yesono soluntu.

¹⁴ Yayiza kuhlawulwa kubani loo ntlawulelo? INdumiso 49:7 itsho ngokungqalileyo ukuba intlawulelo ihlawulwa ‘kuThixo.’ Kodwa ngaba asingoYehova kusini na olungiselele intlawulelo? Kunjalo, kodwa oku akuyenzi intlawulelo ingabi nantsingiselo—njengokukhupha imali kwenye ipokotho uze uyifake kwenye. Simele siqonde ukuba intlawulelo asilonaniselwano lokoqobo, kodwa sisivumelwano sasemthethweni. Ngokulungiselela intlawulelo, nangona ibe yilahleko enkulu kuye, uYehova waqinisekisa ukunamathela kwakhe ngokungagungqiyo kokusesikweni kwakhe okugqibeleleyo.—Genesis 22:7, 8, 11-13; Hebhere 11:17; Yakobi 1:17.

15. Kwakutheni ukuze kube yimfuneko ukuba uYesu abandezeleke aze afe?

¹⁵ Ngentwasahlobo yowama-33 C.E., ngokuvumayo uYesu Kristu wajamelana nobunzima obakhokelela ekuhlawulweni kwentlawulelo. Wavuma ukubanjwa ngezimangalo zobuxoki, wagwetywa njengonetyala, waza wabethelelwa esibondeni. Ngaba ngokwenene kwakuyimfuneko ngoYesu ukuba abandezeleke ngolo hlobo? Ewe, kuba imbambano ephathelele ingqibelelo yabakhonzi bakaThixo yayimele iconjululwe. Okuphawulekayo kukuba, uThixo akazange avumele ukuba usana olunguYesu lubulawe nguHerode. (Mateyu 2:13-18) Kodwa akuba uYesu ekhulile, wayekwazi ukumelana nobunzima beentlaselo  zikaSathana njengoko wayeyiqonda ngokupheleleyo imbambano eyayibandakanyekile. b Ngokuhlala ‘enyanisekile, engenabuqhokolo, engadyobhekanga, ahluliwe kuboni’ 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 wadanduluka ngoloyiso esithi: “Kufeziwe!”—Yohane 19:30.

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

¹⁶ UYesu wayengekawugqibi umsebenzi wakhe wokukhulula. Ngosuku lwesithathu emva kokufa kukaYesu, uYehova wamvusa kwabafileyo. (IZenzo 3:15; 10:40) Ngesi senzo siphawulekayo, uYehova akaphelelanga nje ngokumvuza 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 weza njengombingeleli omkhulu . . . , wangena, kungekhona ngegazi leebhokhwe nelamathole eenkomo aziinkunzi, kodwa ngelakhe igazi, kwaba kanye kwindawo engcwele waza wasizuzela intlangulo engunaphakade. Kuba uKristu wangena, kungekhona kwindawo engcwele eyenziwe ngezandla, engumfanekiso weyokwenene, kodwa ezulwini ngokwalo, ukuze ngoku abonakale phambi kukaThixo ngenkqu ngenxa yethu.”—Hebhere 9:11, 12, 24.

¹⁷ UKristu wayengenakuya negazi lakhe lokoqobo ezulwini.  (1 Korinte 15:50) Kunoko, waya nomfuziselo welo gazi: ixabiso elisemthethweni lombingelelo wobomi bakhe obufezekileyo njengomntu. Ngoko, phambi kukaThixo ngenkqu, wanikela ixabiso lobo bomi njengentlawulo ngenxa yoluntu olunesono. Ngaba uYehova wawamkela loo mbingelelo? Kunjalo, yaye oku kwabonakala ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., xa kwathululwa umoya oyingcwele phezu kwabafundi abamalunga ne-120 eYerusalem. (IZenzo 2:1-4) Nangona oko kwakubangel’ imincili, kodwa kwakusisiqalo nje kuphela seengenelo ezimangalisayo zentlawulelo.

18, 19. (a) Ngawaphi amaqela amabini abantu angenelwayo kuxolelwaniso olubekho ngenxa yegazi likaKristu? (b) Ziziphi iingenelo zentlawulelo abazinandiphayo ngoku nabaza kuzinandipha 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 sentuthumbo. 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 ali-144 000 anikwe ithemba lokukhonza njengababingeleli basemazulwini baze balawule njengookumkani phezu komhlaba kunye noKristu Yesu. (ISityhilelo 5:9, 10; 7:4; 14:1-3) Kusetyenziswa lona, iingenelo zentlawulelo ziya kuthi ngokuthe ngcembe zinikelwe kuluntu oluthobekileyo ebudeni bewaka leminyaka.—1 Korinte 15:24-26; ISityhilelo 20:6; 21:3, 4.

¹⁹ ‘Izinto ezisemhlabeni’ ngabantu abanethemba lokunandipha ubomi obufezekileyo eParadesi emhlabeni. ISityhilelo 7:9-17 sibachaza ‘njengesihlwele esikhulu’ esiza kusinda “embandezelweni enkulu” ezayo. Kodwa akukho mfuneko yokuba balinde de kube lelo xesha ukuze banandiphe iingenelo zentlawulelo. Sele ‘beyihlambile imiwunduzo yabo bayenza mhlophe egazini leMvana.’ Ngenxa yokubonisa kwabo ukholo kwintlawulelo,  sele bezifumana kwangoku iingenelo zokomoya zelo lungiselelo lothando. Baye bavakaliswa bengamalungisa njengabahlobo bakaThixo! (Yakobi 2:23) Ngenxa yombingelelo kaYesu, ‘banokusondela benenkululeko yokuthetha kwitrone yobubele obungasifanelanga.’ (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) Ebudeni beWaka Leminyaka, ngokuthe ngcembe baza “kukhululwa ekukhotyokisweni kukonakala” baze ekugqibeleni bafumane ‘inkululeko ezukileyo yabantwana bakaThixo.’—Roma 8:21.

20. Ukucamngca ngentlawulelo kukuchaphazela njani wena ngokobuqu?

²⁰ ‘Siyambulela uThixo ngaye uYesu Kristu’ ngenxa yentlawulelo! (Roma 7:25) Ibonakala ingenamsebenzi kangako, kodwa ibaluleke ngendlela engathethekiyo. (Roma 11:33) Yaye ngokucamngca ngayo ngoxabiso, intlawulelo ichukumisa iintliziyo zethu, ize isisondeze ngakumbi kuThixo wokusesikweni. Njengomdumisi, sinesizathu esinamandla sokumdumisa uYehova ‘njengomthandi wobulungisa nokusesikweni.’—INdumiso 33:5.