1. Kungani u-Abrahama ayeqiniseka ngethemba ayenalo?

 UJEHOVA wathembisa umngani wakhe u-Abrahama ukuthi zonke izizwe zomhlaba ziyobusiswa ngenzalo yakhe. (Gen. 15:5; 22:18) Ngenxa yokuthi u-Abrahama wayenokholo oluqinile kuNkulunkulu, wayeqiniseka ngokuthi isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sizogcwaliseka. Noma kunjalo, lapho u-Abrahama eseneminyaka engu-100, umkakhe enengu-90, le ndoda nomkayo abathembekile babengakabi nendodana. (Gen. 21:​1-7) Kodwa iBhayibheli lithi: “Ngokusekelwe ethembeni, [u-Abrahama] wayenokholo lokuthi wayezoba uyise wezizwe eziningi ngokuvumelana nalokho okwashiwo.” (Roma 4:18) Wena uyazi ukuthi ithemba lika-Abrahama lafezeka. Impela waba uyise wendodana ayekade anethemba lokuyithola, u-Isaka. Yini eyayimenza aqiniseke ukuthi uJehova uzosigcwalisa isithembiso sakhe?

2. Kungani u-Abrahama ayeqiniseka ngokuthi isithembiso sikaJehova sizogcwaliseka?

² Ngenxa yokuthi u-Abrahama wayesondelene kakhulu noJehova, ‘wayeqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi lokho uNkulunkulu ayekuthembisile’ wayezokufeza. (Roma 4:21) UJehova wamamukela u-Abrahama wathi ulungile ngenxa yokholo lwakhe. (Jak. 2:23) Njengoba kuboniswe kweyabaseRoma 4:​18, ithemba nokholo luka-Abrahama kwakuhlobene. Ake sixoxe ngokushiwo umphostoli uPawulu mayelana nethemba, njengoba kubhalwe esahlukweni 5 kweyabaseRoma.

3. Yini uPawulu ayichazayo mayelana nethemba?

 ³ UPawulu uchaza ukuthi kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi “ithemba [lethu] aliholeli ekudumazekeni.” (Roma 5:5) Usisiza nokuba siqonde ukuthi lingakhula kanjani ithemba lethu njengamaKristu. Njengoba sihlola indlela ithemba elikhula ngayo echazwa uPawulu kweyabaseRoma 5:​1-5, cabanga ngokuphila kwakho. Uma wenza kanjalo, cishe uzophawula ukuthi usuqiniseka kakhulu ngethemba lakho lobuKristu njengoba isikhathi sihamba. Ingxoxo yethu izoveza nokuthi ungalenza kanjani ithemba lakho liqine nakakhulu kunamanje. Ake siqale sixoxe ngethemba elimangalisayo uPawulu athi aliholeli ekudumazekeni.

4. Yini okukhulunywa ngayo kweyabaseRoma 5:​1, 2?

⁴ Funda eyabaseRoma 5:​1, 2. Lawo mazwi uPawulu wayewabhalela ibandla laseRoma. Abazalwane nodade balapho babefunde ngoJehova noJesu, baba nokholo, base beba amaKristu. Ngenxa yalokho, uNkulunkulu wathi ‘balungile ngenxa yokholo’ futhi wabagcoba ngomoya ongcwele. Yebo, baba nethemba elimangalisayo ababeqiniseka ukuthi lizogcwaliseka.

5. Abagcotshiwe banaliphi ithemba?

⁵ Kamuva, uPawulu wabhalela amaKristu agcotshiwe ase-Efesu ngethemba ayebizelwe kulo. Lelo themba lalihlanganisa nokuthola ‘ifa labangcwele.’ (Efe. 1:18) UPawulu watshela nabaseKolose ukuthi ithemba labo lalizogcwaliseka kuphi. Walibiza ngokuthi ‘yithemba enigcinelwe lona emazulwini.’ (Kol. 1:​4, 5) Ngakho, ithemba lamaKristu agcotshiwe liwukuvuselwa ekuphileni okuphakade ezulwini lapho eyobusa khona noKristu.—1 Thes. 4:​13-17; IsAm. 20:6.

6. Umzalwane ogcotshiwe wathini ngethemba ayenalo?

⁶ AmaKristu agcotshiwe ayalazisa lelo themba. Omunye wabo, uMfoweth’ uFrederick Franz, washo ngokusuka enhliziyweni wathi: “Ithemba lethu liyinto eqinisekile,  futhi liyogcwaliseka ngokuphelele kuze kube selungwini lokugcina lomhlambi omncane we-144 000 ngezinga elingaphezu kwalokho esiye sakucabanga ngisho nokukucabanga.” Ngemva kokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka iminyaka eminingi, ngo-1991 uMfoweth’ uFranz wathi: “[Thina] asikalahlekelwa umuzwa wethu wokubaluleka kwalelo themba. . . . Silazisa ngokwengeziwe njengoba kudingeka sililindele isikhathi eside. Liyinto ekufanele ukuba ilindelwe, ngisho nakuba kungadingeka kube iminyaka eyisigidi. Ithemba lethu ngilibheka njengeliyigugu ngokwengeziwe kunanini ngaphambili.”

7-8. Iningi lezinceku zikaJehova linaliphi ithemba? (Roma 8:​20, 21)

⁷ Iningi labantu abakhonza uJehova namuhla linethemba elihlukile. Yilelo u-Abrahama ayenalo—lokuphila phakade emhlabeni ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Heb. 11:​8-10, 13) UPawulu wabhala ngezibusiso eziyotholwa abantu abanalelo themba. (Funda eyabaseRoma 8:​20, 21.) Lapho uqala ukufunda ngezithembiso zeBhayibheli zekusasa, yisiphi owasithanda kakhulu? Ingabe wathanda ukuthi ngelinye ilanga ngeke uphinde ube nesono? Noma wajatshuliswa ukuthi abantu obathandayo asebashona bazovuswa baphile emhlabeni oyipharadesi? Lokhu kwakwenza waba nezinto eziningi ozilangazelelayo “ngenxa yethemba.”

⁸ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuphila phakade ezulwini noma emhlabeni, sinethemba elimangalisayo elisenza sijabule. Leli themba lethu elijabulisayo lingaqina nakakhulu. UPawulu ube esechaza ukuthi kungenzeka kanjani lokho. Ake sixoxe ngalokho akubhala mayelana nethemba lethu. Ukwenza kanjalo kuzosisiza siqiniseke nakakhulu ukuthi ithemba lethu lizoqhubeka likhula nokuthi alisoze lasidumaza.

9-10. Isibonelo sikaPawulu sibonisa ukuthi yini amaKristu angayilindela? (Roma 5:3) (Bheka nezithombe.)

⁹ Funda eyabaseRoma 5:3. Phawula ukuthi ukuze sibe nethemba eliqinile, kungase  kudingeke sibhekane nezinsizi. Kungase kusimangaze lokho. Eqinisweni, bonke abalandeli bakaKristu bangazilindela izinsizi. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaPawulu. Wathi kwabaseThesalonika: “Lapho sisenani, sasivame ukunitshela kusengaphambili ukuthi sizobhekana nosizi futhi yilokho okwenzekile.” (1 Thes. 3:4) Wabhalela nabaseKorinte wathi: “Asithandi ukuba nibe abangenalwazi, bazalwane, ngosizi olwasivelela . . . Sasingaqiniseki neze ngisho nangokuphila kwethu.”—2 Kor. 1:8; 11:​23-27.

¹⁰ AmaKristu nawo namuhla angazilindela izinsizi zohlobo oluthile. (2 Thim. 3:12) Kuthiwani ngawe? Waba nazo yini izinsizi lapho uba nokholo kuJesu futhi umlandela? Kungenzeka ukuthi abangani bakho nezihlobo bakwenza inhlekisa. Kungenzeka nokuthi bakuphatha ngesihluku. Ingabe ukuzimisela kwakho ukuhlala uthembekile kukudalele izinkinga emsebenzini? (Heb. 13:18) Iziphathimandla zike zakuphikisa yini ngenxa yokushumayela? UPawulu uthi kufanele sijabule kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekana naziphi izinsizi. Kungani?

11. Kungani kudingeka sizimisele ukukhuthazelela noma yiluphi uvivinyo?

¹¹ Singajabula lapho sinezinsizi ngenxa yalokho ezikuvezayo. Njengoba eyabaseRoma 5:3 isho, “usizi luveza ukukhuthazela.” Wonke amaKristu azobhekana nosizi, ngakho wonke kumele abe nemfanelo yokukhuthazela. Kudingeka sizimisele ukukhuthazelela noma yiluphi uvivinyo. Ukugcwaliseka kwethemba lethu siyokubona kuphela uma sikhuthazela. Asifuni ukufana nalabo uJesu ayecabanga ngabo lapho ekhuluma ngembewu eyawela enhlabathini enamadwala. Baqale balamukela ngenjabulo izwi, kodwa ngemva kokuba sekuvele “usizi noma ukushushiswa,” bakhubeka. (Math. 13:​5, 6, 20, 21) Kuyavunywa, ukuphikiswa noma ukuvivinywa akulula futhi akujabulisi kodwa ukukukhuthazelela kuletha izibusiso. Ngayiphi indlela?

12. Sizuza kanjani lapho sikhuthazelela uvivinyo?

¹² Umfundi uJakobe wagcizelela izinzuzo zokukhuthazelela uvivinyo. Wabhala: “Vumelani ukukhuthazela kufeze umsebenzi wako, ukuze nibe abaphelele nabaphilile ezicini zonke, abangasweli lutho.” (Jak. 1:​2-4) UJakobe uchaza ukukhuthazela njengokungathi kunomsebenzi okufanele kuwenze. Yimuphi umsebenzi okufanele ufezwe ukukhuthazela? Kungakusiza ubekezele kakhudlwana, ube nokholo olwengeziwe, uthembele nakakhulu kuNkulunkulu. Kunenye inzuzo ebalulekile esiyithola ngokubekezela.

13-14. Yini evezwa ukukhuthazela, futhi lokho kuhlobene kanjani nethemba? (Roma 5:4)

¹³ Funda eyabaseRoma 5:4. UPawulu uthi ukukhuthazela “kuveza ukwamukeleka.” Ukukhuthazela kwakho kwenza wamukeleke kuJehova. Lokhu akusho ukuthi uJehova uyajabula ngokuthi uyavivinywa noma unezinkinga. UNkulunkulu wamukela wena. Ukukhuthazela kwakho yikona okukwenza wamukeleke. Yisibusiso esihle ngempela leso!—IHu. 5:12.

¹⁴ Khumbula ukuthi u-Abrahama wakhuthazelela uvivinyo futhi wamukelwa uNkulunkulu. UJehova wambiza ngokuthi umngani waKhe wathi futhi ulungile. (Gen. 15:6; Roma 4:​13, 22) Nakithina kungenzeka lokhu. UNkulunkulu akasamukeli ngenxa yomsebenzi esiwenza enkonzweni yakhe noma amalungelo esinawo. Usamukela ngenxa yokukhuthazela ngokwethembeka. Sonke singakwazi ukukhuthazela kungakhathaliseki ubudala bethu, izimo esibhekana nazo noma lokho esikwazi ukukwenza. Lukhona yini uvivinyo  olukhuthazelela ngokwethembeka njengamanje? Uma lukhona, makukududuze ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwamukela. Ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasamukela kungafeza okukhulu kithi. Kungaqinisa ithemba lethu.

15. Yikuphi okunye uPawulu akuvezayo, futhi kungani kungase kubadide abanye?

¹⁵ Njengoba uPawulu achaza, samukelwa uJehova ngokukhuthazelela uvivinyo ngempumelelo. Phawula indlela uPawulu aqhubeka ngayo nale ngxoxo yakhe: “Ukwamukeleka kona kuveza ithemba, ithemba aliholeli ekudumazekeni.” (Roma 5:​4, 5) Lokhu kungase kubadide abanye. Kungani? Kungoba ngaphambili, njengoba kubhalwe kweyabaseRoma 5:​2, uPawulu wayethe amaKristu aseRoma ayesenalo kakade ithemba, ‘ithemba lenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.’ Manje lokhu kungenza omunye azibuze, ‘Uma lawo maKristu ayesenalo kakade ithemba, kungani uPawulu kamuva ebala ithemba engxoxweni yakhe?’

16. Ithemba liqala kanjani ukukhula kumuntu? (Bheka nezithombe.)

¹⁶ Singakuqonda lokho uPawulu ayekusho ngokukhumbula ukuthi ithemba liyinto ekhulayo. Ngokwesibonelo: Uyakhumbula yini lapho uqala ukuzwa ngethemba elimangalisayo eliseZwini likaNkulunkulu? Kungenzeka ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi wawucabanga ukuthi ukuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi kumane kuyiphupho nje. Nokho, njengoba uqhubeka ufunda ngoJehova nezithembiso eziseBhayibhelini, waqiniseka nakakhulu ngokuthi leli themba lizoba ngokoqobo.

17. Ithemba onalo liqhubeka kanjani likhula ngemva kokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa?

¹⁷ Ngisho nangemva kokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa, ithemba lakho laqhubeka likhula njengoba uqhubeka ufunda futhi umthanda nakakhulu uJehova. (Heb. 5:13–6:1) Cishe wakubona okushiwo kweyabaseRoma 5:​2-4. Waba nezinsizi ezihlukahlukene, kodwa wazikhuthazelela wambona noNkulunkulu  ekwamukela. Ngenxa yokuthi uyaqiniseka ngomusa wakhe, manje unesizathu esikhulu nakakhulu sokulindela ukuthola izinto azithembisile. Ithemba lakho seliqine nakakhulu kunasekuqaleni. Lingokoqobo nakakhulu kuwe futhi likuthinta ngokuqondile. Likuthinta ngokujulile, lithonye konke okwenzayo ekuphileni kwakho, lishintshe indlela ophatha ngayo amalungu omndeni wakho, indlela owenza ngayo izinqumo ngisho nendlela osebenzisa ngayo isikhathi sakho.

18. Yisiphi isiqinisekiso uJehova asinika sona?

¹⁸ Umphostoli unezela iphuzu elibaluleke kakhulu mayelana nethemba oba nalo ngemva kokwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. Ukuqinisekisa ngokuthi ithemba lakho lizofezeka. Kungani ungaqiniseka? UPawulu ube esenikeza amaKristu lesi siqinisekiso esiphefumulelwe: “Ithemba aliholeli ekudumazekeni; ngoba uthando lukaNkulunkulu luthululelwe ezinhliziyweni zethu ngomoya ongcwele esawuphiwa.” (Roma 5:5) Unazo zonke izizathu zokuqiniseka ngalelo themba—ithemba onalo.

19. Yini ongaqiniseka ngayo mayelana nethemba onalo?

¹⁹ Zindla ngesithembiso uJehova asenza ku-Abrahama nangendlela amamukela ngayo wambheka njengomngani waKhe. U-Abrahama akazange athembe ize. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ngemva kokuba u-Abrahama ebonise ukubekezela, wasithola lesi sithembiso.” (Heb. 6:15; 11:​9, 18; Roma 4:​20-22) Akadumazekanga neze. Nawe ungaqiniseka ngendlela efanayo ukuthi uma uhlala uthembekile, uyothola umvuzo ngenxa yethemba lakho. Ithemba lakho elangempela; kufanele likwenze ujabule, ungadumazeki! (Roma 12:12) UPawulu wabhala: ‘Kwangathi uNkulunkulu okunika ithemba angenza ukuba inhliziyo yakho igcwale injabulo enkulu nokuthula ngenxa yokuthi uthembele kuye, ukuze uchichime ithemba ngamandla omoya ongcwele.’—Roma 15:13.