1. Lapho sicabanga ngokholo luka-Abrahama, yimuphi umbuzo esingase sizibuze wona?

 NAKUBA abantu abaningi beye bezwa ngo-Abrahama, iningi lazi okuncane ngaye. Kodwa wena kuningi okwaziyo ngo-Abrahama. Ngokwesibonelo, uyazi ukuthi ubizwa ngokuthi ‘unguyise wabo bonke abanokholo.’ (Roma 4:11) Kodwa ungase uzibuze, ‘Ngingakwazi yini ukulingisa u-Abrahama, ngibe nokholo olufana nolwakhe?’ Yebo, ungakwazi.

2. Kungani kubalulekile ukufunda ngesibonelo sika-Abrahama? (Jakobe 2:​22, 23)

² Enye indlela yokuba nokholo olufana noluka-Abrahama ukufunda ngesibonelo sakhe. Walalela umyalo kaNkulunkulu, waya ezweni elikude, wahlala ematendeni iminyaka, wazama nokunikela ngendodana yakhe ayithandayo u-Isaka. Konke lokhu kwakubonisa ukuthi unokholo oluqinile. Ukholo nemisebenzi ka-Abrahama kwamenza wamukelwa uNkulunkulu futhi waba umngani wakhe. (Funda uJakobe 2:​22, 23.) UJehova ufuna sizithole lezi zibusiso, ufuna nawe uzithole. Ngenxa yalokho, waphefumulela ababhali beBhayibheli uPawulu noJakobe ukuba bakhulume ngesibonelo sika-Abrahama. Ake sixoxe ngesibonelo sika-Abrahama, njengoba kukhulunywa ngaso kweyabaseRoma isahluko 4 nakuJakobe isahluko 2. Kuzo zombili lezi zahluko kunamazwi abaluleke kakhulu ashiwo ngo-Abrahama.

3. Yiliphi ivesi leBhayibheli uPawulu noJakobe abalicaphuna?

³ Bobabili uPawulu noJakobe bacaphuna amazwi akuGenesise 15:​6, athi: “[U-Abrahama] waba nokholo kuJehova,  uNkulunkulu wayesembheka njengolungile.” Ngokuyinhloko, ukuthi umuntu ulungile kubhekisela ekutheni uNkulunkulu ubheka lowo muntu njengowamukelekayo, ngisho nongenacala. Kuyamangalisa ngempela ukuthi uNkulunkulu angabheka umuntu onesono njengongenacala! Cishe nawe ufuna akubheke kanjalo, futhi kungenzeka. Ukuze sithole ukuthi yini okudingeka siyenze ukuze asibheke kanjalo nathi, kudingeka siqonde ukuthi kungani u-Abrahama abhekwa ngaleyo ndlela.

4. Yini evimba abantu ukuba babe abalungile?

⁴ Encwadini uPawulu ayibhalela abaseRoma wathi bonke abantu bayizoni. (Roma 3:23) Kungenzeka kanjani-ke ukuba umuntu abhekwe njengolungile noma ongenacala, futhi uNkulunkulu amamukele? Ukuze uPawulu asize wonke amaKristu aqotho aphendule lowo mbuzo, wasebenzisa isibonelo sika-Abrahama.

5. Kungani uJehova athi u-Abrahama ulungile? (Roma 4:​2-4)

⁵ UJehova wathi u-Abrahama ulungile ngesikhathi esahlala eKhanani. Kungani uJehova athi u-Abrahama ulungile? Ingabe kungenxa yokuthi u-Abrahama wawulalela ngokuphelele uMthetho KaMose? Cha, akunjalo neze. (Roma 4:13) Lowo Mthetho wanikezwa isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sekudlule iminyaka engaphezu kuka-400 uNkulunkulu athi u-Abrahama ulungile. Pho, kungani uNkulunkulu athi u-Abrahama ulungile? Ngenxa yomusa waKhe omkhulu, uJehova wathi u-Abrahama ulungile ngenxa yokholo lwakhe.—Funda eyabaseRoma 4:​2-4.

6. Yini eyenza uJehova abheke umuntu onesono njengolungile?

⁶ UPawulu waphinde wathi lapho umuntu eba nokholo kuNkulunkulu, “uNkulunkulu umbheka njengolungile ngenxa yokholo lwakhe.” (Roma 4:5) Wenezela: “Njengoba nje noDavide ekhuluma ngenjabulo yomuntu uNkulunkulu ambheka njengolungile ngaphandle kwemisebenzi, ethi: ‘Bayajabula labo okuthethelelwe izenzo zabo zokungabi namthetho nabazono zabo zimboziwe; uyajabula umuntu uJehova angeke asibale isono sakhe.’” (Roma 4:​6-8; IHu. 32:​1, 2) UNkulunkulu uthethelela noma amboze izono zabantu abanokholo kuye. Ubathethelela ngokuphelele, angabe esazibala izono zabo. Ubabheka njengabangenacala nabalungile ngenxa yokholo lwabo.

7. Izinceku ezithembekile zazilunge ngamuphi umqondo?

⁷ Nakuba u-Abrahama, uDavide nezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile kwathiwa balungile, babesenesono. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi babenokholo, uNkulunkulu wababheka njengabangenaphutha ikakhulukazi uma beqhathaniswa nalabo ababengenalo nhlobo ukholo. (Efe. 2:12) Njengoba uPawulu ekwenza kucace encwadini yakhe, ukholo lubaluleke kakhulu ukuze umuntu abe umngani kaNkulunkulu. Lwalubalulekile ku-Abrahama noDavide, lusabalulekile nakithi.

8-9. Abanye abantu baye bafinyelela kuziphi iziphetho ezingafanele ngenxa yalokho okwabhalwa uPawulu noJakobe, futhi kungani?

⁸ Sekuphele iminyaka eminingi kweLobukholwa kunempikiswano eshubile mayelana nokholo nemisebenzi. Abanye abefundisi bafundisa ukuthi okufanele ukwenze nje ukuze usindiswe, ukukholelwa eNkosini uJesu Kristu. Kungenzeka uke ubezwe bethi, “Yamukela iNkosi uJesu usindiswe.” Abefundisi bangase bacaphune ngisho namazwi  kaPawulu athi: ‘UNkulunkulu ubheka umuntu njengolungile ngaphandle kwemisebenzi.’ (Roma 4:6) Nokho, abanye bathi “ungazisindisa wena” ngokuthatha uhambo uye ezindaweni ezingcwele nangokwenza imisebenzi yesonto. Mhlawumbe bacaphuna uJakobe 2:24: “Umuntu kuzothiwa ulungile ngemisebenzi, hhayi ngokholo lodwa.”

⁹ Ngenxa yalokho, abanye ababhali bezenkolo baphetha ngokuthi uPawulu noJakobe babengavumelani endabeni yokholo nemisebenzi. Abefundisi bangase bathi nakuba uPawulu ayekholelwa ukuthi umuntu kuthiwa ulungile ngenxa yokholo olungenayo imisebenzi, uJakobe yena wafundisa ukuthi imisebenzi ibalulekile ukuze umuntu amukelwe uNkulunkulu. Uprofesa wezenkolo ukubeka kanje: “UJakobe wayengaqondi ukuthi kungani uPawulu ayegcizelela ukuthi umuntu kuthiwa ulungile ngokholo lodwa, hhayi ngemisebenzi.” Kodwa nguJehova owaphefumulela bobabili uPawulu noJakobe ukuba babhale lokho abakubhala. (2 Thim. 3:16) Ngakho, kumele ukuba ikhona indlela elula yokuqonda lokho abakusho. Ikhona ngempela—iwukuba siqonde ukuthi babekhuluma ngani lapho bebhala lawo mazwi.

10. UPawulu wayekhuluma ngamiphi ‘imisebenzi’ ngokuyinhloko? (Roma 3:​21, 28) (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁰ UPawulu wayekhuluma ngamiphi ‘imisebenzi’ kweyabaseRoma 3 no-4? Ngokuyinhloko wayekhuluma ‘ngemisebenzi yomthetho,’ umthetho kaMose, owanikezwa ama-Israyeli eNtabeni iSinayi. (Funda eyabaseRoma 3:​21, 28.) Kubonakala sengathi ngesikhathi sikaPawulu amanye amaKristu angamaJuda ayekuthola kunzima ukwamukela ukuthi uMthetho KaMose nemisebenzi eyayidingwa yilowo Mthetho kwakungasasebenzi. Ngenxa yalokho, uPawulu wakhuluma ngesibonelo  sika-Abrahama ukuze abonise ukuthi ukuze uNkulunkulu abheke umuntu njengolungile akudingeki enze ‘imisebenzi yomthetho.’ Kudingeka ukholo. Ukwazi lokhu kuyasikhuthaza ngoba kusenza siqiniseke ukuthi nathi singamukeleka kuNkulunkulu. Kusho ukuthi singakwazi ukuba nokholo kuNkulunkulu nakuKristu, olungasenza samukeleke kuNkulunkulu.

11. Hlobo luni ‘lwemisebenzi’ uJakobe ayekhuluma ngalo?

¹¹ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ‘imisebenzi’ uJakobe akhuluma ngayo esahlukweni 2 akuyona ‘imisebenzi yomthetho’ uPawulu akhuluma ngayo. UJakobe ukhuluma ngemisebenzi noma izinto amaKristu azenza ekuphileni kwawo. Imisebenzi enjalo ibonisa ukuthi umKristu unalo yini ukholo lwangempela kuNkulunkulu noma akanalo. Cabanga ngezibonelo ezimbili uJakobe azisebenzisa.

12. UJakobe wathi ukholo luhlobene kanjani nemisebenzi? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹² Esibonelweni sokuqala, uJakobe wayekhuluma ngokuthi amaKristu kudingeka angakhethi lapho esebenzelana nabanye. Leli phuzu walikhanyisa ngokuba enze isibonelo somuntu obonisa umusa kumuntu ocebile kodwa ambukele phansi umuntu ohluphekayo. UJakobe wathi lowo muntu angase athi unokholo, kodwa iphi imisebenzi ehambisana nalolo kholo? (Jak. 2:​1-5, 9) Esibonelweni sesibili, uJakobe wakhuluma ngomuntu owabona ‘umzalwane noma udade oswele okokugqoka noma ukudla’ kodwa wangamsiza. Ngisho noma lowo muntu ayethi unokholo, lwalungahambisani nemisebenzi, ngakho lwalungasizi ngalutho. Njengoba uJakobe abhala, ‘ukholo uma lungenayo imisebenzi, lufile.’—Jak. 2:​14-17.

13. UJakobe walicacisa kanjani iphuzu lakhe eliphathelene nokholo oluboniswa ngemisebenzi? (Jakobe 2:​25, 26)

 ¹³ UJakobe wathi uRahabi uyisibonelo esihle somuntu owabonisa ukholo ngezenzo. (Funda uJakobe 2:​25, 26.) Wayezwile ngoJehova futhi wabona ukuthi uyawasekela ama-Israyeli. (Josh. 2:​9-11) Ukholo lwakhe walubonisa ngezenzo—wavikela izinhloli ezimbili ezingama-Israyeli ezazisengozini. Ngenxa yalokho, lona wesifazane onesono, owayengeyena umIsrayeli, kwathiwa ulungile, njengoba nje no-Abrahama kwakuthiwe ulungile. Isibonelo asibeka sigcizelela ukubaluleka kokuba nokholo oluhambisana nemisebenzi.

14. Kungani singathi okwabhalwa uPawulu noJakobe akuphikisani?

¹⁴ Laba babhali ababili beBhayibheli, uPawulu noJakobe, babemane nje bechaza indaba yokholo nemisebenzi ngezindlela ezingefani. UPawulu wayetshela amaKristu angamaJuda ukuthi ayengasoze akwazi ukwamukelwa uJehova ngokumane nje enze imisebenzi yoMthetho KaMose. UJakobe yena wayegcizelela isidingo sokuba wonke amaKristu abonise ukholo ngokwenzela abanye izinto ezinhle.

15. Iziphi ezinye zezindlela esingabonisa ngazo ukholo ngemisebenzi? (Bheka nezithombe.)

¹⁵ UJehova akasho ukuthi uma sifuna kuthiwe silungile kumele senze ncamashi ngendlela u-Abrahama enza ngayo. Empeleni, ziningi izindlela esingabonisa ngazo ukholo ngemisebenzi. Singamukela abafikayo ebandleni, sisize abafowethu nodadewethu abantula ngempela, senzele nemindeni yethu izinto ezinhle, konke lokhu kuyokwenza uNkulunkulu asamukele futhi asibusise. (Roma 15:7; 1 Thim. 5:​4, 8; 1 Joh. 3:18) Umsebenzi omuhle  ngokukhethekile obonisa ukuthi sinokholo ukuxoxa ngentshiseko nabanye ngezindaba ezinhle. (1 Thim. 4:16) Sonke singabonisa ngezenzo ukuthi sinokholo lokuthi izithembiso zikaJehova zizogcwaliseka nokuthi izindlela zakhe zinhle kakhulu. Uma senza kanjalo, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uzosibheka njengabalungile futhi athi singabangani bakhe.

16. U-Abrahama wayenethemba lani nokholo lwani?

¹⁶ EyabaseRoma isahluko 4 igcizelela esinye isifundo esibalulekile esingasifunda ku-Abrahama: ukubaluleka kwethemba. UJehova wathembisa ukuthi ‘izizwe eziningi’ zaziyobusiswa ngo-Abrahama. Cabanga ngethemba elihle u-Abrahama ayenalo! (Gen. 12:3; 15:5; 17:4; Roma 4:17) Nokho, ngisho nalapho u-Abrahama eseneminyaka engu-100, uSara enengu-90, indodana ababethenjiswe yona yayingakazalwa. Ngokombono womuntu kwakubonakala sengathi u-Abrahama noSara ngeke babe nendodana. Kwakuwuvivinyo lwangempela lolo ku-Abrahama. “Nokho ngokusekelwe ethembeni, wayenokholo lokuthi wayezoba uyise wezizwe eziningi.” (Roma 4:​18, 19) Nangempela, lokho u-Abrahama ayenethemba lako kwenzeka. Waba ubaba ka-Isaka, indodana okwase kuyisikhathi eside eyilindele.—Roma 4:​20-22.

17. Sazi kanjani ukuthi singabhekwa njengabangani bakaNkulunkulu abalungile?

¹⁷ UNkulunkulu angasamukela nathi futhi asibheke njengabangani bakhe abalungile, njengo-Abrahama. Empeleni, uPawulu wakhuluma ngalokho lapho ebhala: “Amazwi athi ‘wabhekwa njengolungile’ awalotshwanga ngenxa yakhe kuphela [u-Abrahama], kodwa nangenxa yethu, thina esibhekwa njengabalungile, ngoba sikholelwa kuLowo owavusa uJesu.” (Roma 4:​23, 24) Njengo-Abrahama, kudingeka sibe nokholo, imisebenzi nethemba. UPawulu uyaqhubeka ekhuluma ngethemba esinalo kweyabaseRoma isahluko 5, sizoxoxa ngalo esihlokweni esilandelayo.