1, 2. Kungani amaKristu agcotshiwe enesithakazelo esikhethekile kweyabaseRoma isahluko 8?

NGOKUPHATHELENE neSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaJesu saminyaka yonke, uke wayifunda yini incwadi yabaseRoma 8:15-17? Cishe kunjalo. La mavesi ayinhloko achaza indlela amaKristu azi ngayo ukuthi agcotshiwe—umoya ongcwele ufakazelana nomoya wawo. Ivesi lokuqala kulesi sahluko libhekisela ‘kulabo abamunye noKristu Jesu.’ Kodwa, ingabe eyabaseRoma isahluko 8 isebenza kuphela kwabagcotshiwe? Noma ingabe iyasebenza nakumaKristu anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni?

² Kulesi sahluko kukhulunywa ngokuyinhloko namaKristu agcotshiwe. Athola “umoya” ‘njengalindele ngobuqotho ukutholwa njengabantwana, ukukhululwa emizimbeni yawo yenyama.’ (Roma 8:23) Yebo, ikusasa lawo liwukuba amadodana kaNkulunkulu ezulwini. Lokho kungenzeka ngoba baba amaKristu abhapathiziwe futhi uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa isihlengo kuwo, wathethelela izono zawo, wathi alungile njengamadodana angokomoya.—Roma 3:23-26; 4:25; 8:30.

3. Kungani siphetha ngokuthi labo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni kufanele babe nesithakazelo kweyabaseRoma isahluko 8?

³ Nokho, nalabo abanethemba lokuphila emhlabeni banesithakazelo kweyabaseRoma isahluko 8 ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu, ngomqondo othile, ubabheka njengabalungile. Siyazibona  izinkomba zalokho kulokho uPawulu akubhala encwadini yakhe. Esahlukweni 4, wakhuluma ngo-Abrahama. Leyo ndoda yokholo yaphila ngaphambi kokuba uJehova anikeze ama-Israyeli uMthetho nangaphambi kokuba uJesu afele izono zethu. Noma kunjalo, uJehova waluqaphela ukholo luka-Abrahama olubabazekayo futhi wambheka njengolungile. (Funda eyabaseRoma 4:20-22.) Ngendlela efanayo, uJehova angabheka amaKristu athembekile namuhla anethemba elisekelwe eBhayibhelini lokuphila phakade emhlabeni njengalungile. Ngakho nawo angazuza eselulekweni esitholakala kweyabaseRoma isahluko 8, esinikezwa abalungile.

4. EyabaseRoma 8:21 kufanele isenze sicabange ngamuphi umbuzo?

⁴ KweyabaseRoma 8:21, sithola isiqinisekiso sokuthi izwe elisha lizofika nakanjani. Leli vesi lithembisa ukuthi “indalo ngokwayo nayo iyokhululwa ekugqilazweni ukonakala ibe nenkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” Umbuzo uwukuthi, siyoba khona yini, ingabe siyowuthola lowo mvuzo? Ingabe uyaqiniseka ngokuthi uyowuthola? EyabaseRoma isahluko 8 inikeza iseluleko esizokusiza uthole umvuzo.

5. KweyabaseRoma 8:4-13, iyiphi indaba ebalulekile uPawulu akhuluma ngayo?

⁵ Funda eyabaseRoma 8:4-13. EyabaseRoma isahluko 8 ikhuluma ngalabo abahamba “ngokuvumelana nenyama” ngokuphambene nalabo abahamba “ngokuvumelana nomoya.” Abanye bangase bacange ukuthi lona umehluko okhona phakathi kwalabo abangekho eqinisweni nalabo abaseqinisweni, labo abangewona amaKristu nalabo abangamaKristu. Nokho, uPawulu wayebhalela labo “abaseRoma njengabathandekayo bakaNkulunkulu, ababizelwe ukuba babe ngabangcwele.” (Roma 1:7) Ngakho, uPawulu wayeqhathanisa amaKristu ayehamba ngokuvumelena nenyama nalawo ayehamba ngokuvumelana nomoya. Wawuyini umehluko?

6, 7. (a) Igama elithi “inyama” lisetshenziswe ngaziphi izindlela eBhayibhelini? (b) UPawulu wasebenzisa igama elithi “inyama” ngamuphi umqondo kweyabaseRoma 8:4-13?

⁶ Cabanga ngegama elithi “inyama.” Yini uPawulu ayebhekisela kuyo? IBhayibheli lisebenzisa igama elithi “inyama” ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Ngezinye izikhathi, libhekisela enyameni engokoqobo yomzimba wethu. (Roma 2:28; 1 Kor. 15:39, 50) Lingaphinde libhekisele  ebuhlotsheni. UJesu “wayevela enzalweni kaDavide ngokwenyama” futhi uPawulu wayebheka amaJuda ‘njengezihlobo zakhe ngokwenyama.’—Roma 1:3; 9:3.

⁷ Noma kunjalo, lokho okwabhalwa uPawulu esahlukweni 7 kusinikeza umqondo walokho okushiwo “inyama” okukhulunywa ngayo kweyabaseRoma 8:4-13. Wahlobanisa ukuphila ‘ngokuvumelana nenyama’ ‘nezinkanuko zesono’ ‘ezazisebenza emalungwini abo.’ (Roma 7:5) Lokhu kucacisa inkulumo ethi “labo abavumelana nenyama,” uPawulu athi ngabo, “babeka izingqondo zabo ezintweni zenyama.” Wayebhekisela kubantu ababuswa noma abagxile ezifisweni zabo nasekuthambekeleni kwabo njengabantu abangaphelele. Ngokuyinhloko, laba yilabo abalandela imizwelo nezifiso zabo ezinamandla, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izifiso zobulili noma ezinye.

8. Kungani kwakufaneleka ukuxwayisa ngisho namaKristu agcotshiwe mayelana ‘nokunaka inyama’?

⁸ Ungase uzibuze ukuthi kungani uPawulu ayegcizelela ingozi yokuphila ‘ngokuvumelana nenyama’ kumaKristu agcotshiwe. Ingozi efanayo nanamuhla ingawasongela yini amaKristu, lawo uNkulunkulu aye wawamukela njengabangane bakhe futhi awabheka njengalungile? Ngokudabukisayo, noma yimuphi umKristu angaqala ukuphila ngokuvumelana nesono. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu wabhala ukuthi abanye phakathi kwabazalwane baseRoma babeyizigqila ‘zezisu zabo siqu,’ okwakungase kube isifiso sobulili noma ukufisa ukudla, ukuphuza noma ezinye izinto. Abanye babo ‘babeyenga izinhliziyo zabaqotho.’ (Roma 16:17, 18; Fil. 3:18, 19; Jude 4, 8, 12) Khumbula nokuthi, okwesikhathi esithile, umzalwane eKorinte ‘wayethathé umkayise.’ (1 Kor. 5:1) Ngakho, kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu asebenzisa uPawulu ukuba axwayise amaKristu mayelana ‘nokunaka inyama.’—Roma 8:5, 6.

9. Kukuphi lapho iseluleko sikaPawulu esikweyabaseRoma 8:6 singasebenzi khona?

⁹ Leso sixwayiso sisasebenza nanamuhla. Ngemva kokukhonza uNkulunkulu iminyaka eminingi, umKristu angase aqale ukubeka ingqondo yakhe ezintweni zenyama. Lokho akubhekiseli kumKristu ngezinye izikhathi ocabanga ngokudla, umsebenzi, ezokuzijabulisa noma ngisho nezothando. Lezo yizinto ezijwayelekile encekwini kaNkulunkulu evamile. UJesu  wayekujabulela ukudla futhi wondla nabanye. Wayesibona isidingo sokudla. UPawulu wabhala ngokubonisana uthando okufanele noma ukusondelana emshadweni.

10. KweyabaseRoma 8:5, 6, ibhekisele kuphi inkulumo ethi ‘ukubeka ingqondo’?

¹⁰ Pho yini eyayishiwo uPawulu mayelana ‘nokunaka inyama’? Igama lesiGreki elasetshenziswa uPawulu lisho “ukubeka ingqondo noma inhliziyo entweni ethile, ukucabangisisa ngayo.” Labo abaphila ngokuvumelana nenyama bavumela ukuphila kwabo ukuba ngokuyisisekelo kulawulwe ukungapheleli. Esinye isazi sithi mayelana nalelo gama elikweyabaseRoma 8:5: “Babeka ingqondo yabo—banesithakazelo esikhulu, bakhuluma njalo ngayo, bazinikela futhi bajule kuyo—ezintweni ezimayelana nenyama.”

11. Izinto ezinjani esingazihlanganisa lapho sizibuza, ‘Yini engiyithanda kakhulu ekuphileni?’

¹¹ Kwakufaneleka ngamaKristu aseRoma ukuba ahlolisise umgomo wawo wangempela ekuphileni. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi ukuphila kwawo kwakubuswa noma kugxile ‘ezintweni zenyama’? Kuyafaneleka ukuba nathi sizibuze umbuzo ofanayo. Yini esiyithanda kakhulu futhi yini esikhuluma ngayo? Yini esiyiphishekela ngempela nsuku zonke? Abanye bangase bathole ukuthi bagxile ekuzameni izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zewayini, ukuhlobisa umuzi, ukuthola isitayela esisha sezingubo zokugqoka, ukutshala izimali, ukuhlela uhambo nezinto ezifana nalezo. Izinto ezinjalo azizimbi; ziyizici ezijwayelekile zokuphila. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wake wenza iwayini, futhi uPawulu watshela uThimothewu ukuba aphuze “iwayini elincane.” (1 Thim. 5:23; Joh. 2:3-11) Kodwa ingabe uJesu noPawulu ‘babekhuluma njalo ngewayini, bezinikele futhi bejula kulo’? Ingabe kwakuyisifiso sabo, lokho ababevame ‘ukuxoxa ngakho’? Cha. Kuthiwani ngathi? Yini esiyithanda kakhulu ekuphileni?

12, 13. Kungani lokho esibeka izingqondo zethu kukho kuyindaba ebalulekile?

¹² Ukuzihlola kubalulekile. Kungani? UPawulu wabhala: “Ukunaka inyama kusho ukufa.” (Roma 8:6) Lokho kuyinto enkulu—ukufa ngokomoya manje nokufa ngokoqobo esikhathini esizayo. Noma kunjalo, uPawulu wayengasho ukuthi uma umuntu eqala “ukunaka inyama” isiphetho sakhe nakanjani siwukufa. Umuntu angashintsha. Cabanga ngendoda yaseKorinte eyayiziphethe kabi, eyanaka “inyama” futhi okwadingeka ukuba isuswe. Nokho, yayingashintsha futhi yenza kanjalo. Yayeka ukunaka inyama yabe isibuyela endleleni eqondile.—2 Kor. 2:6-8.

¹³ Uma leyo ndoda yakwazi ukushintsha, nomKristu namuhla angashintsha, ikakhulukazi lowo ongakenzi izinto ezinkulu zokunaka inyama njengendoda yaseKorinte. Ngokuqinisekile, isixwayiso sikaPawulu mayelana nomphumela womuntu ‘onaka inyama’ kufanele sishukumisele amaKristu ukuba enze noma yiziphi izinguquko ezidingekile!

14, 15. (a) Esikhundleni ‘sokunaka inyama’ yini esingabeka ingqondo yethu kuyo? (b) ‘Ukunaka umoya’ akudluliseli muphi umqondo?

¹⁴ Ngemva kokuba umphostoli esixwayise ‘ngokunaka inyama,’ ube esesinika lesi siqinisekiso esikhuthazayo: “Ukunaka umoya kusho ukuphila nokuthula.” Yeka ukuthi umphumela noma umvuzo omuhle kanjani lowo—ukuphila nokuthula! Singawuthola kanjani lowo mvuzo?

¹⁵ “Ukunaka umoya” akusho ukuthi umuntu kufanele acabange ngezinto ezingokomoya kuphela. Akudingeki acabange futhi akhulume kuphela ngeBhayibheli noma ngothando lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu nangethemba lakhe ngekusasa. Masikhumbule  ukuthi uPawulu nabanye ngekhulu lokuqala ababejabulisa uNkulunkulu babephila ukuphila okuvamile. Babedla futhi bephuza. Abaningi bashada futhi baba nemindeni, basebenza ukuze bazisekele.—Marku 6:3; 1 Thes. 2:9.

16. Nakuba ayenza izinto eziningi ezivamile zokuphila, ukuphila kukaPawulu kwakugxile kuphi?

¹⁶ Noma kunjalo, lezo zinceku zikaNkulunkulu azizange zivumele lezo zici ezivamile zokuphila zize kuqala ekuphileni kwazo. Ngemva kokubonisa ukuthi uPawulu wayenza amatende, ukulandisa kwembula ukuthi ukuphila kwakhe wayekugxilise kuphi: Wayegxile ekushumayeleni kobuKristu nasemsebenzini wokufundisa. (Funda izEnzo 18:2-4; 20:20, 21, 34, 35.) Leyo kwakuyimisebenzi ayekhuthaza abafowabo nodadewabo baseRoma ukuba bayenze. Yebo, ukuphila kukaPawulu kwakugxile emalungiselelweni nasemisebenzini engokomoya. AbaseRoma kwakudingeka bamlingise futhi nathi kudingeka senze njalo.—Roma 15:15, 16.

17. Uma ‘sinaka umoya’, sizoba nokuphila okunjani?

¹⁷ Uyini umphumela wokuhlala sigxile ezintweni ezingokomoya? EyabaseRoma 8:6 iphendula ngokucacile: “Ukunaka umoya kusho ukuphila nokuthula.” Lokhu kusho ukuvumela ingqondo yethu ukuba ithonywe futhi ilawulwe umoya ongcwele, ukwenza ngokuvumelana noNkulunkulu kanye nemicabango yakhe. Singaqiniseka ngokuthi ngokwenza “umoya” ube yinto eza kuqala ekuphileni kwethu, sizoba nokuphila okwanelisayo nokunenjongo manje. Umvuzo ohlala njalo uwukuphila okuphakade, ezulwini noma emhlabeni.

18. Ukuthula kuwumphumela ‘wokunaka umoya’ ngayiphi indlela?

¹⁸ Ake sicabange ngesiqinisekiso sokuthi ‘ukunaka umoya kusho ukuthula.’ Abantu abaningi bakuthola kunzima ukuthola ukuthula kwengqondo. Njengoba befuna ukuthula kwangaphakathi, thina sesiyakujabulela kakade. Okunye okwenza sibe nokuthula okunjalo ukuthi silwela ukuba nokuthula nemindeni yethu kanye nalabo esinabo ebandleni. Sinesimo sengqondo esihle esenza siqaphele ukuthi kokubili thina nabafowethu nodadewethu asiphelele. Ngenxa yalokho, kungase kuphakame izinkinga; uma lokho kwenzeka, siye safundiswa ukulandela iseluleko sikaJesu: “Yenza ukuthula nomfowenu.” (Math. 5:24) Lokhu kubalula uma sikhumbula ukuthi umzalwane noma udade naye ukhonza “uNkulunkulu onika ukuthula”—Roma 15:33; 16:20.

19. Yikuphi ukuthula okukhethekile esingakujabulela?

¹⁹ Kunokunye ukuthula okuyigugu elingenakuqhathaniswa. Ngenxa ‘yokunaka umoya’ sijabulela ukuthula noMenzi wethu. U-Isaya wabhala amazwi ayesebenza osukwini lwakhe kodwa asegcwaliseke ngezinga elikhulu manje: “Wena [Jehova] uyokulonda ngokuthula okuqhubekayo, ngoba umuntu wenziwa athembele kuwe.”—Isaya 26:3; funda eyabaseRoma 5:1.

20. Kungani ubonga ngeseluleko esitholakala kweyabaseRoma isahluko 8?

²⁰ Ngakho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sigcotshwe ngomoya noma sinethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi, singabonisa ukubonga ngeseluleko esitholakala kweyabaseRoma isahluko 8. Yeka indlela esisazisa ngayo isikhuthazo sokungavumeli “inyama” ibe yinto eyinhloko ekuphileni kwethu! Kunalokho, sibona ukuhlakanipha kokuphila ngokuvumelana neqiniso eliphefumulelwe: “Ukunaka umoya kusho ukuphila nokuthula.” Umvuzo wokwenza lokhu uyohlala njalo, ngoba uPawulu wabhala: “Inkokhelo yesono ngukufa, kodwa isipho uNkulunkulu asinikezayo ngukuphila okuphakade ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.”—Roma 6:23.