Hamba Ngokuvumelana Nomoya Ukuze Uthole Ukuphila Nokuthula

“[Ungahambi] ngokuvumelana nenyama, kodwa ngokuvumelana nomoya.”—ROMA 8:4.

1, 2. (a) Iziphi izimo eziyingozi eziye zabangelwa ukuphazamiseka komuntu ngenkathi eshayela? (b) Iyiphi ingozi engaba umphumela wokuphazamiseka ngokomoya?

 “UKUPHAZAMISEKA lapho ushayela kuwumqedazwe futhi kubonakala kuba kubi unyaka nonyaka.” Yilokho okwaphawulwa ungqongqoshe wezokuthutha wase-United States. Omakhalekhukhwini baphakathi kwezinto ezingaphazamisa umshayeli kulokho okufanele ngabe uyakwenza—ukushayela. Abantu abangaphezu kwengxenye eyodwa kwezintathu okwaxoxwa nabo kwenye inhlolovo bathi bake bashayiswa noma bacishe bashayiswa imoto eyayishayelwa umuntu owayesebenzisa umakhalekhukhwini. Ukukwazi ukwenza izinto eziningi ube ushayela kungase kubonakale kuwusizo kodwa kungaholela enhlekeleleni.

² Kungashiwo okufanayo nangenhlalakahle yethu engokomoya. Njengoba nje umshayeli ophazamisekile evame ukungaziboni izimo ezingaba ingozi, nomuntu ophazamisekile ngokomoya angawela kalula engozini. Uma sivuma ukukhukhuleka sisuke enkambweni yethu yobuKristu nasemisebenzini engokwasezulwini, umphumela ungaba ukuphahlazekelwa umkhumbi wokholo lwethu. (1 Thim. 1: 18, 19) Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa ngale ngozi lapho eqaphelisa amaKristu ayekanye nawo eRoma: “Ukunaka inyama kusho ukufa, kodwa ukunaka umoya kusho ukuphila nokuthula.” (Roma 8:6) Wayesho ukuthini uPawulu ngalokho? Singakugwema kanjani “ukunaka inyama” futhi siphishekele “ukunaka umoya”?

“Abanakho Ukulahlwa”

3, 4. (a) Iyiphi impi uPawulu ayeyilwa abhala ngayo? (b) Kungani kufanele sibe nesithakazelo kulokho uPawulu abhekana nako?

³ Encwadini ayibhalela abaseRoma, uPawulu wabhala ngempi yena ngokwakhe ayebhekene nayo—impikiswano phakathi kwengqondo yakhe nenyama yakhe. (Funda amaRoma 7:21-23.) Akukhona ukuthi uPawulu wayezama ukuzithethelela noma ezidabukela, njengokungathi wayesindwa kakhulu izono kangangokuthi wayedinga usizo. Kakade, wayengumKristu ovuthiwe, ogcotshwe ngomoya, owayekhethwe ukuba abe “umphostoli ezizweni.” (Roma 1:1; 11:13) Pho, kungani abhala ngempi ayebhekene nayo?

⁴ UPawulu wayevuma ngokwethembeka ukuthi ngamandla akhe wayengenakukwazi ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngezinga ayelifisa. Isizathu? Wathi: “Bonke bonile futhi bayasilela enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu.” (Roma 3:23) Njengoba ayeyinzalo ka-Adamu, uPawulu wayeyizwa imiphumela yesono enyameni engaphelele. Singakuqonda lokho ayekusho ngoba sonke asiphelele futhi sibhekana nempi efanayo nsuku zonke. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ziningi iziphazamiso ezingasichezukisa futhi zisikhiphe ‘endleleni enyinyekile eholela ekuphileni.’ (Math. 7:14) Nokho, lalikhona ithemba ngoPawulu, nathi sinalo.

5. UPawulu walutholaphi usizo nempumuzo?

⁵ UPawulu wabhala: “Ubani oyongophula . . . ? Makabongwe uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu iNkosi yethu!” (Roma 7:24, 25) Ngemva kwalokho, wakhuluma nalabo “abamunye noKristu Jesu”—amaKristu agcotshiwe. (Funda amaRoma 8:1, 2.) Esebenzisa umoya ongcwele, uJehova uwenza abe amadodana akhe okutholwa, awabizele ukuba abe “izindlalifa ezikanye noKristu.” (Roma 8:14-17) Umoya kaNkulunkulu nokholo lwawo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaKristu kuwenza anqobe empini eyachazwa uPawulu, futhi angabi “nakho ukulahlwa.” Akhululiwe “emthethweni wesono nokufa.”

6. Kungani kufanele zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziwanake amazwi kaPawulu?

⁶ Nakuba amazwi kaPawulu ayebhekiswe kumaKristu agcotshiwe, lokho akusho ngomoya kaNkulunkulu nangomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaKristu kungazuzisa zonke izinceku zikaJehova kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zinaliphi ithemba. Nakuba uPawulu aphefumulelwa ukuba anikeze leso seluleko kumaKristu agcotshiwe, kubalulekile ukuba zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zikuqonde lokho akuloba futhi zilwele ukuzuza kukho.

Indlela UNkulunkulu ‘Asilahla Ngayo Isono Esisenyameni’

7, 8. (a) Kungamuphi umqondo uMthetho ‘wawubuthakathaka ngenyama’? (b) Yini uNkulunkulu ayifezile ngomoya wakhe nangesihlengo?

⁷ Esahlukweni 7 sencwadi yamaRoma, uPawulu wawaqaphela amandla esono enyameni engaphelele. Esahlukweni 8, wakhuluma ngamandla omoya ongcwele. Lo mphostoli wachaza indlela umoya kaNkulunkulu ongawasiza ngayo amaKristu empini yawo yokulwa namandla esono ukuze aphile ngokuvumelana nentando kaJehova futhi awamukele. UPawulu wabonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu, esebenzisa umoya wakhe nomhlatshelo wesihlengo weNdodana yakhe, uye wafeza okuthile uMthetho KaMose owawungenakukufeza.

⁸ UMthetho, nemiyalo yawo eminingi, wawuzilahla izoni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abapristi abaphakeme bakwa-Israyeli ababekhonza ngaphansi koMthetho babengaphelele futhi bengenakukwazi ukunikela umhlatshelo olingana nesono. Ngakho, uMthetho ‘wawubuthakathaka ngenyama.’ Kodwa  “ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe siqu isesimweni senyama enesono” nangokuyinikela njengesihlengo, uNkulunkulu “wasilahla isono esisenyameni,” ngaleyo ndlela enqoba “ukuhluleka koMthetho.” Ngenxa yalokho, amaKristu agcotshiwe abhekwa njengalungile ngesisekelo sokholo lwawo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaJesu. Anxuswa ukuba ‘angahambi ngokuvumelana nenyama, kodwa ngokuvumelana nomoya.’ (Funda amaRoma 8:3, 4.) Ngempela, kumelwe akwenze lokho ngokwethembeka kuze kube sekupheleni kwenkambo yawo yasemhlabeni ukuze athole “umqhele wokuphila.”—IsAm. 2:10.

9. Lisho ukuthini igama elithi “umthetho” njengoba lisetshenziswe kumaRoma 8:2?

⁹ Ngaphandle ‘koMthetho,’ uPawulu wabuye wakhuluma ‘ngomthetho walowo moya’ ‘nangomthetho wesono nokufa.’ (Roma 8:2) Iyini le mithetho? Elithi “umthetho” lapha alibhekiseli emiyalweni ethile, njengaleyo eseMthethweni KaMose. Enye incwadi iyasikisela: “Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi umthetho lapha lisho isimiso sangaphakathi umuntu asilandelayo lapho enza izinto—kungaba esihle noma esibi—esisebenza ngokungaguquguquki njengomthetho. Leli gama libuye lisho nendinganiso umuntu aphila ngayo.”

10. Kukanjani singaphansi komthetho wesono nokufa?

¹⁰ Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngomuntu oyedwa isono sangena ezweni nokufa kwangena ngesono, futhi kanjalo ukufa kwasakazekela kubantu bonke ngenxa yokuthi bonke bonile.” (Roma 5:12) Njengoba siyinzalo ka-Adamu, sonke singaphansi komthetho wesono nokufa. Inyama yethu engaphelele ihlale isinxenxela ukuba senze izinto ezingamjabulisi uNkulunkulu, eziyomane ziholele ekufeni. Encwadini ayibhalela abaseGalathiya, uPawulu wabiza lezo zenzo nalezo zici ngokuthi “imisebenzi yenyama.” Wabe esenezela: “Labo abenza izinto ezinjalo ngeke balizuze ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Gal. 5:19-21) Lolu hlobo lwabantu luyefana nalolo oluhamba ngokuvumelana nenyama. (Roma 8:4) ‘Isimiso sangaphakathi abasilandelayo lapho benza izinto nendinganiso abaphila ngayo’ kungokwenyama ngokuphelele. Kodwa, ingabe yilabo abenza ubufebe, abakhonza izithombe, abasebenzelana nemimoya, noma abenza ezinye izono ezimbi kuphela abahamba ngokuvumelana nenyama? Cha, ngoba imisebenzi yenyama ihlanganisa nalokho abanye abangase bakubheke njengobuthakathaka nje ebuntwini bomuntu njengomhawu, isifuthefuthe sentukuthelo, umona nemibango. Ubani  ongathi ukhululeke ngokuphelele ekuhambeni ngokuvumelana nenyama?

11, 12. Iliphi ilungiselelo uJehova alenzile ukuze asisize sinqobe umthetho wesono nokufa, futhi yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sithole umusa wakhe?

¹¹ Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi uJehova usenzele ilungiselelo lokunqoba umthetho wesono nokufa! UJesu wathi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade.” Ngokwamukela uthando lukaNkulunkulu nangokubonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu, singakhululeka ekulahlweni okuwumphumela wesono esasizuza njengefa. (Joh. 3:16-18) Ngakho, singase njengoPawulu, sishukumiseleke ukuba sisho la mazwi: “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu iNkosi yethu!”

¹² Isimo sethu sifana nokwelashwa isifo esiyingozi kakhulu. Uma sifuna ukululama ngokuphelele, kumelwe senze lokho udokotela asitshela kona. Nakuba ukuba nokholo emhlatshelweni kungasikhulula emthethweni wesono nokufa, noma kunjalo asiphelele futhi sinesono. Kuhileleke okwengeziwe ekufinyeleleni impilo enhle engokomoya futhi sithole umusa nesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu. Ngokuphathelene nokugcwalisa “imfuneko yoMthetho elungile,” uPawulu ubuye akhulume nangendaba yokuhamba ngokuvumelana nomoya.

Hamba Ngokuvumelana Nomoya—Kanjani?

13. Kusho ukuthini ukuhamba ngokuvumelana nomoya?

¹³ Lapho sihamba, izinyathelo zethu ziqhubeka zilibangise endaweni noma emgomweni othile. Ngakho, ukuhamba ngokuvumelana nomoya kudinga ukuba siqhubeke sithuthuka ngokomoya—hhayi ukuba sibe abaphelele ngokomoya. (1 Thim. 4:15) Usuku nosuku kumelwe sikulwele ngokusemandleni ethu ukuhamba, noma ukuphila ukuphila kwethu, ngokuvumelana nokuhola komoya. ‘Ukuhamba ngomoya’ kuholela ekwamukelweni uNkulunkulu.—Gal. 5:16.

14. Kuyini ukuthambekela kwalabo “abavumelana nenyama”?

¹⁴ Encwadini ayibhalela abaseRoma, uPawulu wabe esekhuluma ngezinhlobo ezimbili zabantu abanezimo zengqondo eziphikisanayo. (Funda amaRoma 8:5.) Igama elithi inyama lapha alisho umzimba wenyama. EBhayibhelini, igama elithi “inyama” ngezinye izikhathi lisetshenziselwa ukubonisa isimo sesono nokungapheleli kwenyama yethu. Lesi simo yiso  esibangela impikiswano ephakathi kwenyama nengqondo uPawulu akhuluma ngayo ekuqaleni. Nokho, ngokungafani naye, labo “abavumelana nenyama” abalwi nakulwa. Kunokucabanga ngalokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo kubo nokwamukela usizo alunikezile, bathambekele “[ekubekeni] izingqondo zabo ezintweni zenyama.” Bavame ukugxila ekwaneliseni izidingo zabo ezingokomzimba nezifiso ezingokwenyama. Ngokuphambene, ukuthambekela kwalabo “abavumelana nomoya” kuwukubeka izingqondo zabo “ezintweni zomoya”—amalungiselelo nemisebenzi engokomoya.

15, 16. (a) Ukubeka ingqondo entweni ethile kusithinta kanjani isimo sengqondo somuntu? (b) Yini esingayisho ngesimo sengqondo sabantu abaningi namuhla?

¹⁵ Funda amaRoma 8:6. Ukuze umuntu enze noma yini—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi inhle noma yimbi—kumelwe abeke ingqondo yakhe kuleyo nto. Abantu ababeka njalo izingqondo zabo ezintweni zenyama ngokushesha baba nesimo sengqondo noma ukuthambekela okugxile ngokuphelele ezintweni zenyama. Imizwa, isithakazelo sabo nenhliziyo yabo kuvame ukugcina sekugxile kulezo zinto.

¹⁶ Abantu abaningi namuhla bagxile kuziphi izinto? Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Konke okusezweni—isifiso senyama nesifiso samehlo nokugabisa ngalokho umuntu aziphilisa ngakho—akuveli kuBaba, kodwa kuvela ezweni.” (1 Joh. 2:16) Lezi zifiso zihlanganisa izinto ezinjengokuziphatha okuxekethile, ukuvelela nokuba nezinto ezibonakalayo. Izincwadi, omagazini, amaphephandaba, amabhayisikobho, izinhlelo ze-TV ne-Internet zigcwele lolu hlobo lwezinto, ngenxa yokuthi ngokuyinhloko yilokho abantu abaningi ababeka izingqondo zabo kukho nabakufuna ngempela. Nokho, “ukunaka inyama kusho ukufa”—ngokomoya manje nangokwenyama esikhathini esizayo. Ngani? “Ngoba ukunaka inyama kusho ubutha noNkulunkulu, ngoba ayizithobi emthethweni kaNkulunkulu, futhi, eqinisweni, ayinakuzithoba. Ngakho labo abavumelana nenyama abanakumjabulisa uNkulunkulu.”—Roma 8:7, 8.

17, 18. Singakuphishekela kanjani ukunaka umoya, futhi uyoba yini umphumela wokwenza njalo?

¹⁷ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, “ukunaka umoya kusho ukuphila nokuthula”—ukuphila okuphakade esikhathini esizayo kanye nokuthula kwangaphakathi nokuthula noNkulunkulu manje. Singakuphishekela kanjani “ukunaka umoya”? Ngokuhlale sibeke izingqondo zethu ezintweni zomoya nangokuhlakulela ukuthambekela noma isimo sengqondo esingokomoya. Njengoba senza lokhu, siba nesimo sengqondo ‘esizithoba emthethweni kaNkulunkulu’ futhi ‘esivumelana’ nemicabango yakhe. Lapho sibhekene nesilingo, ngeke sizithole singaqiniseki ngokuthi iyiphi inkambo okufanele siyiphishekele. Siyoshukumiseleka ukuba senze isinqumo esifanele—esivumelana nomoya.

¹⁸ Ngakho-ke, kubalulekile ukubeka izingqondo zethu ezintweni zomoya. Lokhu sikwenza ‘ngokubhukula izingqondo zethu ngenjongo yokusebenza,’ ngokugxilisa ukuphila kwethu esimisweni esingokomoya esihlanganisa ukuthandaza njalo, ukufunda nokutadisha iBhayibheli ukuya emihlanganweni nasenkonzweni yobuKristu. (1 Pet. 1:13) Kunokuvumela izinto zenyama ukuba zisiphazamise, masibeke izingqondo zethu ezintweni zomoya. Ngaleyo ndlela, sizoqhubeka sihamba ngokuvumelana nomoya. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyosilethela izibusiso, ngoba ukunaka umoya kusho ukuphila nokuthula.—Gal. 6:7, 8.

Ungachaza?

• Kwakuyini “ukuhluleka koMthetho,” futhi uNkulunkulu wakunqoba kanjani?

• Uyini ‘umthetho wesono nokufa,’ futhi singakhululwa kanjani kuwo?

• Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sihlakulele “ukunaka umoya”?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Izithombe emakhasini 12, 13]

Ingabe uhamba ngokuvumelana nenyama noma ngokuvumelana nomoya?