Ithemba Lovuko Linamandla

“Ngiye ngamukela ukulahlekelwa izinto zonke . . . ukuze ngimazi [uJesu Kristu] kanye namandla okuvuka kwakhe.”—FILIPI 3:8-10.

1, 2. (a) Umfundisi othile waluchaza kanjani uvuko eminyakeni eminingi edlule? (b) Luyokwenzeka kanjani uvuko?

NGASEKUQALENI kwawo-1890, abezindaba babika ngentshumayelo engavamile eyabekwa umfundisi waseBrooklyn, eNew York, e-U.S.A. Wathi uvuko luyoba ukuqoqelwa ndawonye nokuphiliswa kwamathambo nenyama eyake yakha umzimba womuntu, noma ngabe wawushe wangqongqa noma wadlavazeka engozini ethile, wadliwa yisilwane esithile noma waphenduka umquba. Lo mshumayeli wayekholelwa ukuthi ngosuku oluthile olungamahora angu-24, emoyeni kuyogcwala izandla, izingalo, izinyawo, iminwe, amathambo, imisipha nezikhumba zezigidigidi zabantu asebafa. Lezi zingxenye ziyobe zifuna ezinye izingxenye zomzimba owodwa. Kuyobe sekufika imiphefumulo ivela ezulwini nasesihogweni izongena kule mizimba evusiwe.

² Uvuko olwenzeka ngokuhlanganiswa kabusha kwama-atom okuqala alunangqondo, futhi abantu abanawo umphefumulo ongafi. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekeli 18:4) UJehova, uNkulunkulu wovuko, akudingeki ahlanganise kabusha ama-atom ezinto ezazakhé umzimba womuntu. Uyakwazi ukubakhela imizimba emisha abavusiwe. UJehova unike iNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, amandla okuvusa abafileyo, benethuba lokuphila phakade. (Johane 5:26) Ngakho uJesu wathi: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila. Lowo obonisa ukholo kimi, ngisho noma efa, uyophila.” (Johane 11:25, 26) Yeka isithembiso esijabulisayo! Siyasiqinisa ukuze sikwazi ukubekezelela ukuvivinywa ngisho nokubhekana nanokufa njengoFakazi BakaJehova abathembekile.

3. Kungani kwadingeka ukuba uPawulu avikele uvuko?

³ Uvuko aluhambisani nomqondo wokuthi abantu banomphefumulo ongafi—umbono isazi sefilosofi esingumGreki, uPlato, esasikholelwa  kuwo. Ngakho, kwenzekani lapho umphostoli uPawulu efakaza kumaGreki avelele e-Areyophagu e-Athene, ebhekisela kuJesu, ethi uNkulunkulu wamvusa? Ukulandisa kuthi: “Lapho bezwa ngovuko lwabafileyo, abanye baqala ukuhleka insini.” (IzEnzo 17:29-34) Abaningi ababembonile uJesu Kristu ovusiwe babesaphila futhi bakufakazela ukuthi wayevusiwe kwabafileyo, naphezu kokuba babehlekwa usulu. Kodwa abafundisi bamanga bebandla laseKorinte babeluphika uvuko. Ngakho uPawulu wayivikela ngamandla le mfundiso yobuKristu kweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 15. Ukuhlolisisa amaphuzu awaveza kukubonisa ngendlela engenakuphikwa ukuthi ithemba lovuko liqinisekile futhi linamandla.

Ubufakazi Obuqand’ ikhanda Bokuvuswa KukaJesu

4. UPawulu wanikeza buphi ubufakazi babantu abazibonela ngawabo ukuthi uJesu wayevusiwe?

⁴ Phawula indlela uPawulu aqala ngayo. (1 Korinte 15:1-11) AbaseKorinte babezobambelela ezindabeni ezinhle zensindiso, ngaphandle uma baba ngamaKristu ngaphandle kwesizathu. UKristu wafela izono zethu, wangcwatshwa futhi wavuswa. Eqinisweni, uJesu ovusiwe wabonakala kuKhefase (uPetru), “kwase kuba kwabayishumi nambili.” (Johane 20:19-23) Wabonwa abantu abangaba ngu-500, mhlawumbe lapho eyala: ‘Hambani niyokwenza abafundi.’ (Mathewu 28:19, 20) UJakobe wambona, njengoba kwenza bonke abaphostoli abathembekile. (IzEnzo 1:6-11) NgaseDamaseku, uJesu wabonakala kuSawulu “njengokungathi kozelwe ngaphambi kwesikhathi”—njengokungathi wayesevuselwe ekuphileni kwasezulwini kakade. (IzEnzo 9:1-9) AbaseKorinte baba amakholwa ngoba uPawulu wabashumayeza, futhi bazamukela izindaba ezinhle.

5. UPawulu walicacisa kanjani iphuzu lakhe njengoba kulotshwe kweyoku-1 Korinte 15:12-19?

⁵ Phawula indlela uPawulu aqhubeka ngayo ecacisa iphuzu lakhe. (1 Korinte 15:12-19) Njengoba ofakazi bokuzibonela beshumayela ukuthi uKristu wavuswa, kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi uvuko alukho? Uma uJesu engavuswanga kwabafileyo, ukushumayela kwethu nokholo lwethu kuyize, futhi singabaqambimanga abaqambela uNkulunkulu amanga ngokuthi wavusa uKristu. Uma abafileyo bengavuki, ‘sisesezonweni zethu,’ futhi kuphelile ngalabo abafileyo abasebunyeni noKristu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “uma siye sathembela kuKristu kulokhu kuphila kuphela, singabokudatshukelwa kakhulu kunabantu bonke.”

6. (a) UPawulu wathini lapho eqinisekisa ukuvuswa kukaJesu? (b) Siyini ‘isitha sokugcina,’ futhi siyokwenziwa kanjani ize?

⁶ UPawulu uyakuqinisekisa ukuvuka kukaJesu. (1 Korinte 15:20-28) Njengoba nje uKristu ‘ewulibo’ lwalabo abalele ekufeni, kwakuyoba nabanye futhi ababeyovuswa. Njengoba ukufa kwabangelwa ukungalaleli komuntu ongu-Adamu, novuko lwenzeka ngomuntu—uJesu. Labo abangabakhe babeyovuswa phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe. UKristu ‘ubenza ize bonke ohulumeni nalo lonke igunya namandla’ aphikisana nobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu abese ebusa njengeNkosi kuze kube yilapho uJehova esebeke zonke izitha ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakhe. Ngisho ‘nesitha sokugcina’—esiwukufa okuzuzwe ku-Adamu—siyokwenziwa ize ngomhlatshelo kaJesu. UKristu uyobe esenikeza uMbuso kuNkulunkulu wakhe noYise, azithobe “kuLowo owabeka zonke izinto ngaphansi kwayo, ukuze uNkulunkulu abe yikho konke kuwo wonke umuntu.”

Babhapathizelwa Abafileyo?

7. Obani “ababhapathizwa ngenjongo yokuba abafileyo,” futhi lokhu kusho ukuthini ngabo?

⁷ Abaphikisi bovuko baphonswa umbuzo: “Bayokwenzenjani labo ababhapathizwa ngenjongo yokuba abafileyo?” (1 Korinte 15:29) UPawulu wayengasho ukuthi abaphilayo kufanele babhapathizelwe abafileyo, ngoba abafundi bakaJesu kumelwe bazifundele bona, bakholwe futhi bazibhapathizelwe bona. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 2:41) AmaKristu agcotshiwe “abhapathizwa ngenjongo yokuba abafileyo” ngokugxila enkambweni yokuphila eholela ekufeni nasovukweni. Lolu hlobo lobhapathizo luqala lapho umoya kaNkulunkulu wakha kubo ithemba lasezulwini futhi luphele lapho bevuswa ekufeni ukuze bathole ukuphila komoya ezulwini.—Roma 6:3-5; 8:16, 17; 1 Korinte 6:14.

8. Yini amaKristu angaqiniseka ngayo uma uSathane nezinceku zakhe bewabulala?

⁸ Njengoba kubonisa amazwi kaPawulu, ithemba  lovuko lenza amaKristu akwazi ukubhekana nezingozi mahora onke nokufa nsuku zonke ngenxa yokwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso. (1 Korinte 15:30, 31) Ayazi ukuthi uJehova angawavusa uma evumela uSathane nezinceku zakhe ukuba bawabulale. NguNkulunkulu kuphela ongabhubhisa umphefumulo, noma ukuphila kwawo eGehena, okufanekisela ukubhujiswa kwaphakade.—Luka 12:5.

Isidingo Sokuqapha

9. Ukuze ithemba lovuko libe namandla asekelayo ekuphileni kwethu, yini okumelwe siyigweme?

⁹ Ithemba lovuko lamsekela uPawulu. Lapho esese-Efesu, kungenzeka izitha zakhe zamfaka enkundleni yemidlalo ukuze alwe nezilwane zasendle. (1 Korinte 15:32) Uma lokho kwenzeka, wakhululwa, njengoba nje noDaniyeli ophulwa emabhubesini. (Daniyeli 6:16-22; Heberu 11:32, 33) Njengoba ayenethemba lovuko, uPawulu akabanga nesimo sengqondo sezihlubuki zakwaJuda zosuku luka-Isaya. Zona zathi: “Masidleni siphuze, ngoba kusasa siyafa.” (Isaya 22:13, Septuagint) Ukuze ithemba lovuko libe namandla asekelayo ekuphileni kwethu njengoba laba njalo kokukaPawulu, kumelwe sigweme labo abanomoya onjalo ongalungile. UPawulu waxwayisa: “Ningadukiswa. Ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba enosizo.” (1 Korinte 15:33) Yiqiniso, lesi simiso sisebenza ezicini ezihlukahlukene zokuphila.

10. Ithemba lethu lovuko lingagcinwa kanjani liphila?

¹⁰ Kulabo abangabaza uvuko, uPawulu wathi: “Phaphamani nisanguluke ngendlela elungileyo futhi ningasenzi umkhuba isono, ngoba abanye abanalwazi ngoNkulunkulu. Ngiyakhuluma ukuze nginibangele amahloni.” (1 Korinte 15:34) Kulesi ‘sikhathi sokugcina,’ kudingeka senze ngokuvumelana nolwazi olunembile lukaNkulunkulu noKristu. (Daniyeli 12:4; Johane 17:3) Lokhu kuyogcina ithemba lethu lovuko liphila.

Bavuswa Benamuphi Umzimba?

11. UPawulu walufanekisa kanjani uvuko lwamaKristu agcotshiwe?

¹¹ UPawulu wabe esekhuluma ngemibuzo ethile. (1 Korinte 15:35-41) Mhlawumbe ezama ukwenza uvuko lungabazeke, omunye umuntu angase athi: “Abafileyo bayovuswa kanjani? Yebo, beza ngaluhlobo luni lomzimba?” Njengoba uPawulu abonisa, imbewu ehlwanyelwe enhlabathini empeleni iyafa njengoba ishintsha iba yisithombo. Ngokufanayo, umuntu ozelwe ngomoya kumelwe afe. Njengoba nje isitshalo sivela embewini sesiwumzimba omusha, ngokufanayo nomzimba ovusiwe wamaKristu agcotshiwe uhlukile kowenyama yomuntu. Nakuba umuntu eba nokuphila okufanayo nalokho ayenakho engakafi, uvuswa eseyisidalwa esisha esinomzimba womoya okwazi ukuphila ezulwini. Njengokulindelekile, labo abavuselwa emhlabeni bayovuswa benemizimba yabantu.

12. Ashoni amazwi athi “imizimba yasezulwini” nathi “imizimba yasemhlabeni”?

¹² Njengoba uPawulu asho, inyama yabantu ihlukile kweyezilwane. Ngisho nenyama yezilwane inhlobonhlobo. (Genesise 1:20-25) “Imizimba yasezulwini” yezidalwa zomoya ihlukile ngenkazimulo ‘kweyemizimba yasemhlabeni’ eyinyama. Nelanga nenyanga nezinkanyezi akufani ngenkazimulo. Kodwa amaKristu avusiwe agcotshiwe anenkazimulo enkulu kakhulu kunalena.

13. Ngokweyoku-1 Korinte 15:42-44, kuhlwanyelwani futhi kuvusweni?

¹³ Ngemva kokuba ekhulume ngomahluko, uPawulu wanezela: “Lunjalo novuko lwabafileyo.” (1 Korinte 15:42-44) Wathi: “Kuhlwanyelwa kunokonakala, kuvuswa kunokungonakali.” Lapha kungenzeka uPawulu usho abagcotshiwe njengeqembu. Kuhlwanyelwa kunokonakala ngemva kokufa, kuvuswe kunokungonakali, kungenasono. Nakuba kudelelwa yizwe, kuvuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini futhi kubonakaliswe kukanye noKristu enkazimulweni. (IzEnzo 5:41; Kolose 3:4) Ekufeni kuhlwanyelwa “kuwumzimba ongokwenyama,” kuvuswe “kuwumzimba ongokomoya.” Njengoba lokhu kungenzeka kumaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya, singaqiniseka ukuthi abanye bangavuselwa ekuphileni emhlabeni.

14. UPawulu wawuveza kanjani umehluko phakathi kukaKristu no-Adamu?

¹⁴ UPawulu wabe eseveza umehluko phakathi kukaKristu no-Adamu. (1 Korinte 15:45-49) U-Adamu, umuntu wokuqala, “waba umphefumulo  ophilayo.” (Genesise 2:7) “U-Adamu wokugcina”—uJesu—“waba umoya onika ukuphila.” Wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe njengomhlatshelo wesihlengo, ngenxa yabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe kuqala. (Marku 10:45) Njengabantu, ‘banomfanekiso walowo owenziwe ngothuli,’ kodwa lapho sebevusiwe baba njengo-Adamu wokugcina. Yiqiniso, umhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo uyozuzisa sonke isintu esilalelayo, kuhlanganise nalabo abavuselwe emhlabeni.—1 Johane 2:1, 2.

15. Kungani amaKristu agcotshiwe engavuswa ngomzimba wenyama futhi avuswa kanjani phakathi nokuba khona kukaJesu?

¹⁵ Lapho amaKristu agcotshiwe efa, awavuswa enenyama. (1 Korinte 15:50-53) Umzimba wenyama negazi owonakalayo awunakuthola ukungonakali futhi ngeke uzuze njengefa uMbuso wasezulwini. Abanye babagcotshiwe ngeke kudingeke balale isikhathi eside ekufeni. Lapho beqeda inkambo yabo yasemhlabeni bethembekile phakathi nokuba khona kukaJesu, ‘bayoshintshwa, ngomzuzwana, ngokuphazima kweso.’ Bayovuselwa ngaso leso sikhathi ekuphileni komoya bengenakonakala futhi benenkazimulo. Ekugcineni, “umlobokazi” kaKristu uyofinyelela inani labangu-144 000.—IsAmbulo 14:1; 19:7-9; 21:9; 1 Thesalonika 4:15-17.

Ukunqotshwa Kokufa!

16. NgokukaPawulu nabaprofethi bakudala, kuyokwenzekani ngokufa okuzuzwe njengefa ku-Adamu owayenesono?

¹⁶ UPawulu washo ngeqholo ukuthi ukufa kuyogwinywa phakade. (1 Korinte 15:54-57) Lapho okonakalayo nokufayo kugqoka ukungonakali nokungafi, la mazwi ayogcwaliseka: “UkuFa kugwinyiwe kuze kube phakade.” “KuFa, kuphi ukunqoba kwakho? KuFa, luphi udosi lwakho?” (Isaya 25:8; Hoseya 13:14) Udosi olubangela ukufa yisono, futhi amandla esono kwakunguMthetho, owawugweba izoni ukuba zife. Kodwa ngenxa yomhlatshelo nokuvuka kukaJesu, ukufa okwazuzwa njengefa ku-Adamu owayenesono ngeke kusanqoba.—Roma 5:12; 6:23.

17. Amazwi eyoku-1 Korinte 15:58 asebenza kanjani namuhla?

¹⁷ UPawulu wathi: “Ngenxa yalokho, bafowethu abathandekayo, yibani ngabagxilile, abangenakunyakaziswa, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi, nazi ukuthi umshikashika wenu awulona ize eNkosini.” (1 Korinte 15:58) Lawo mazwi asebenza ensalini egcotshiwe yanamuhla ‘nakwezinye izimvu’ zikaJesu ngisho noma zingafa kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. (Johane 10:16) Umshikashika wazo njengabamemezeli boMbuso awulona ize, ngoba balindelwe uvuko. Khona-ke, njengezinceku zikaJehova, masihlale simatasa emsebenzini weNkosi njengoba silindele usuku esiyokhamuluka ngalo ngenjabulo sithi: “KuFa, kuphi ukunqoba kwakho?”

Ukugcwaliseka Kwethemba Lovuko!

18. Lalinamandla kangakanani ithemba likaPawulu lovuko?

¹⁸ Amazwi kaPawulu akweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 15 akwenza kube sobala ukuthi ithemba lovuko lalinamandla ekuphileni kwakhe. Wayeqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi uJesu wavuswa kwabafileyo nokuthi nabanye babeyokhishwa ethuneni lesintu elivamile. Ingabe nawe uqiniseka ngokugcwele ngalokho? UPawulu wabheka izinzuzo zobugovu “njengenqwaba yezibi” futhi ‘wamukela ukulahlekelwa izinto zonke’ ukuze akwazi ‘ukwazi uKristu kanye namandla okuvuka kwakhe.’ Umphostoli wayezimisele ukufa njengoKristu enethemba lokuthola ‘ukuvuka kokuqala.’ Njengoba kubizwa ‘nangovuko lokuqala,’  kutholwa abafundi bakaJesu abagcotshiwe abangu-144 000. Yebo, bavuselwa ekuphileni komoya ezulwini, kuyilapho “bonke abanye abafileyo” beyovuselwa emhlabeni.—Filipi 3:8-11; IsAmbulo 7:4; 20:5, 6.

19, 20. (a) Yibaphi abantu abaseBhayibhelini abayovuselwa ekuphileni emhlabeni? (b) Ubani wena olangazelela ukumbona evusiwe?

¹⁹ Ithemba lovuko liye lafezeka ngendlela ekhazimulayo kulabo abagcotshiwe abaye bathembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni. (Roma 8:18; 1 Thesalonika 4:15-18; IsAmbulo 2:10) Abasinde “osizini olukhulu” bayobona ukugcwaliseka kwethemba lovuko emhlabeni lapho ‘ulwandle lukhipha abafileyo abakulo, nokufa neHayidese kukhipha abafileyo abakukho.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9, 13, 14; 20:13) Phakathi kwalabo abayovuselwa ekuphileni kwasemhlabeni kuyoba noJobe, owalahlekelwa amadodana ayisikhombisa namadodakazi amathathu. Cabanga ngenjabulo yakhe lapho ephinda ebamukela—futhi yeka indlela nabo abayokujabulela ngayo ukuthi sebenabafowabo abayisikhombisa abengeziwe nodadewabo abathathu abahle!—Jobe 1:1, 2, 18, 19; 42:12-15.

²⁰ Yeka isibusiso okuyoba yiso lapho u-Abrahama noSara, u-Isaka noRebeka—yebo nabanye abaningi, kuhlanganise “nabo bonke abaprofethi”—bevuselwa ekuphileni emhlabeni! (Luka 13:28) Omunye walabo baprofethi kwakunguDaniyeli, owathenjiswa ukuvuswa ngaphansi kokubusa kukaMesiya. Sekuyiminyaka engaba ngu-2 500 uDaniyeli ephumule ethuneni, kodwa ngamandla ovuko, maduze nje ‘uzokuma esabelweni sakhe’ njengesinye ‘sezikhulu emhlabeni wonke.’ (Daniyeli 12:13; IHubo 45:16) Yeka ukuthi kuyojabulisa kanjani ukwamukela hhayi nje kuphela abathembekile basendulo kodwa nobaba wakho, umama, indodana, indodakazi noma omunye omthandayo owaphucwa yena yisitha esingukufa!

21. Kungani kufanele senzele abanye izinto ezinhle khona manje?

²¹ Abanye abangane nabathandekayo bethu kungenzeka bakhonza uNkulunkulu amashumi eminyaka futhi sebekhulile. Ukuguga kungase kukwenze kube nzima kubo ukuhlangabezana nezinselele zokuphila. Yeka ukuthi kuwuthando kangakanani ukubasiza nganoma iyiphi indlela esingabasiza ngayo khona manje! Khona-ke ngeke sizisole ngokuthi asibasizanga uma kwenzeka beficwa ukufa. (UmShumayeli 9:11; 12:1-7; 1 Thimothewu 5:3, 8) Singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova ngeke azikhohlwe izinto ezinhle esizenzela abanye, kungakhathaliseki ubudala noma izimo zabo. UPawulu wabhala: “Uma nje sinesikhathi esihle sakho, masisebenzeni okuhle kubo bonke, kodwa ikakhulukazi kulabo abahlobene nathi okholweni.”—Galathiya 6:10; Heberu 6:10.

22. Yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza kuze kube yilapho kugcwaliseka ithemba lovuko?

²² UJehova ‘unguYise wesihe sesisa noNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke.’ (2 Korinte 1:3, 4) IZwi lakhe liyasiduduza futhi lisisize siduduze abanye ngethemba elinamandla lovuko. Kuze kube yilapho sibona ukugcwaliseka kwalelo themba ngokuvuswa kwabafileyo baphile emhlabeni, masibe njengoPawulu, owayenokholo ovukweni. Kwangathi singalingisa uJesu ngokukhethekile, elafezeka ithemba lakhe emandleni kaNkulunkulu okumvusa. Maduze, abasemathuneni ayisikhumbuzo bazokuzwa iZwi likaKristu baphume. Kwangathi lokhu kungasiduduza futhi kusijabulise. Kodwa ngaphezu kwako konke, kwangathi singambonga uJehova, owenze kwenzeka ukunqoba ukufa ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu!

Ithini Impendulo Yakho?

• Yibuphi ubufakazi bomuntu owazibonela obanikezwa nguPawulu ngokuvuswa kukaJesu?

• Siyini ‘isitha sokugcina,’ futhi siyokwenziwa kanjani ize?

• KumaKristu agcotshiwe, yini ehlwanyelwayo futhi yini evuswayo?

• Yibaphi abantu baseBhayibhelini ongathanda ukuhlangana nabo lapho sebevuselwe ekuphileni emhlabeni?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Umphostoli uPawulu waluvikela ngamandla uvuko

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Ukuvuswa kukaJobe nomkhaya wakhe, nabanye abaningi kuyobangela injabulo enkulu!