Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi

▪ Uyini umehluko phakathi kokungafi nokuphila okuphakade?

Ukuphila okunganqamuki kuyojatshulelwa kokubili abagcotshiwe abamukela ukuphila komoya ezulwini nangabantu uNkulunkulu athi balungile ukuba bathole ukuphila emhlabeni oyiPharadesi. Ngakho uma ucabanga ngomphumela, ukungafi ezulwini nokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni kuphumela ngokuyisisekelo entweni eyodwa—ukuphila phakade. Nokho, kunokukhulumela okungenziwa ngokuqondene nokungafi.

Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwa ngokuthi “ukungafi” (athanasia) lakhiwa wuhlamvu oluphikayo ua nothanatos, osho “ukufa.” Ngaleyondlela ukungafi kunomqondo oyisisekelo wokuthi ‘ngaphandle kokufa; noma ukungabi nakufa. Ngokuqondakalayo, uJehova umthombo ongangabazeki wakho konke ukuphila futhi akafi. (IHubo 36:9; 90:1, 2) Lokhu kuqiniswa iqiniso lokuthi iNdodana yakhe ekhazinyulisiwe, leyo manje ‘engukubengezela kwenkazimulo yakhe [uNkulunkulu], nefuze yena uqobo; ichazwa ngokuthi “iNkosi yamakhosi [angabantu], uMbusi wababusi, yena yedwa onokungafi.” (Heberu 1:3; 1 Thimothewu 6:15, 16) Njengoba engafi asikho isidalwa esingathatha ukuphila kukaJesu, okumenza ahluke kubantu noma imimoya engafa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, siyafunda: “Sazi ukuthi [uKristu] esevusiwe kwabafileyo akasafi, ukufa akusabusi phezu kwakhe.”—Roma 6:9.

Nakuba ukungafi, ngomqondo othile, kuwukuphila okuphakade, ngokusobala kusho okungaphezu kokuthi onakho uyophila phakade. Kubonakala kungokubonisa uhlobo oiuthile lokuphila, futhi kuhambisana nokungaboli. IBhayibheli lithi ngamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya amukela umvuzo wasezulwini: “Nxa lokhu okubolayo [kusemzimbeni wakho wenyama] sekwembethe ukungaboli, nalokho okufayo sekwembethe ukungafi, kuzakugcwaliseka izwi elilotshiweyo lokuthi: Ukufa kugingiwe kwabangukunqoba.”—1 Korinte 15:53, 54.

Nakuba kunjalo, iBhayibheli aliyinikezi imininingwane eminingi ngohlobo lokuphila olubizwa ngokuthi ukungafi. Siyazi ukuthi abantu abafayo—ngisho nabantu abaphelele abanethemba lokuphila okunganqamuki emhlabeni—kumelwe badle futhi baphuze ukuze basekele ukuphila, ngaphandle kwalokho bayafa futhi izidumbu zabo zibole. (Genesise 2:9, 15, 16) Akungabazeki ukuthi ukungafi kuhilela uhlobo lokuphila olungakudingi ukusekelwa ngaleyondlela. Ngakho-ke kungashiwo ukuthi bonke ababa nokungafi abekho ngaphansi kokufa noma ukuthi ‘ukufa akusabusi phezu kwabo.’ Futhi, lokho bekuyovumelana nokwamukela kwabo ukungaboli, kubonisa ukuthi imizimba yabo yomoya ngokwemvelo ayonakali, iwohloke noma ibole. (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 5:1; IsAmbulo 20:6.) Ngalezindlela ungabonakala umehluko phakathi kokungafi nokuphila okuphakade kobuntu.

UJehova uNkulunkulu unguMahluleli ophelele ovuza abagcotshiwe ngokungafi. Lapho ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe nokuqonda okungenamkhawulo enquma ukuthi abanjalo bahlolisisiwe futhi ngokungangabazeki bakufanelekele ukungafi, singaba nethemba lokuthi bayohlala bethembekile phakade. Bonke labo uJehova abahlulela ngokuthi bakufanelekele ukuphila okunganqamuki, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangabantu abawumoya abangenakufa noma bangabantu abaphelele, bayokwazi ukumkhulekela phakade. Ngakho-ke, lapho kuhlaziywa okokugcina, kokubili ukuphila okuphakade kobuntu nokungafi ezulwini kugcina kuwukuphila okunganqamuki.—Johane 17:3.

▪ Ingabe kulungile ukuphetha ngokuthi Wesu wabethelwa ngesipikili esisodwa esandleni ngasinye ngokukaJohane 20:25?

ICyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, kaM’Clintock noStrong, iyaphawula:

‘Kuye kwachithwa isikhathi esiningi kwangenwa enkathazweni eningi kuphikiswana ngokuthi ingabe kwasetshenziswa izipikili ezintathu noma ezine ekubetheleni iNkosi. UNonnus uqinisekisa ngokuthi kwasetshenziswa ezintathu kuphela, kulokho elandelwa uGregory Nazianzen. Inkolelo evame kakhulu ithi izipikili ezine, okuwumbono osekelwa kabanzi nangezimpikiswano zikaCurtius zosikisiki lokwazi. Abanye baye bathi inani lalezozipikili lifinyelela eshumini nane.’—Umqulu II, ikhasi 580.

UMathewu 25:37 uthi nje: “Esembethele esiphambanweni abelana izingubo zakhe, enzelana inkatho.” Ayikho imininingwane enikezwayo, njengakuMarku, uLuka nakuJohane. Ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu, uTomase wathi: “Uma ngingaboni ezandleni zayo inxeba lezipikili, ngifake umunwe wami enxebeni lezipikili, ngifake isandla sami ohlangothini lwayo, angisoze ngakholwa.” (Johane 20:25) Ngakho ngisho nakuba izigebengu ngezinye izikhathi zaziboshelwa esigxotsheni ngezindophu, uJesu wabethelwa. Abanye futhi ngokukaJohane 20:25 baye baphetha ngokuthi kwasetshenziswa izipikili ezimbili, esisodwa esandleni ngasinye. Kodwa ingabe ukusebenzisa kukaTomase ubuningi (izipikili) kumelwe kuqondwe njengokuyincazelo enembile ebonisa ukuthi isandla sikaJesu ngasinye sabhotshozwa isipikili esihlukile?

KuLuka 24:39 uJesu ovusiwe wathi: “Bhekani izandla zami nezinyawo zami ukuthi yinina uqobo.” Lokhu kusikisela ukuthi izinyawo zikaJesu nazo zazibethelwe. Njengoba uTomase engazange akhulume ngezimbobo zezipikili ezinyaweni zikaJesu, ukusebenzisa kwakhe ubuningi bokuthi ‘izipikili’ kungenzeka ukuthi kwakuwukubhekisela ezipikilini eziningi zizonke ezasetshenziswa ekubetheleni uJesu.

Ngakho-ke, kumane nje akunakwenzeka ngalendaba ukuba sisho ngokuqinisekile ukuthi zingaki izipikili ezasetshenziswa. Noma imiphi imidwebo kaJesu esesigxotsheni kumelwe iqondwe njengemikhiqizo yabadwebi enikeza nje umfanekiso osekelwe emaqinisweni alinganiselwe esinawo. Ukuphikisana ngomniningwane onjalo ongabalulekile akumelwe kuvunyelwe ukuba kusithibeze iqiniso elibaluleke kithi sonke lokuthi “sathola ukubuyisana noNkulunkulu ngokufa kweNdodana yakhe.”—Roma 5:10.

▪ Ingabe ukwaziswa okuphathelene nokuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu kusho ukuthi amaKristu angakhuluma nomuntu owake wabhekwa ‘njengelungu elamukelekayo’ kodwa kamuva, ngenxa yokona, kwadingeka ukuba agwenywe?

Yebo, kusho lokho. INqabayokulinda kaNovember 15, 1988, yabonisa ukuthi kungani kungokomBhalo ukuba silungise umbono wethu ngomuntu ongabhapathiziwe ohlanganyela enkonzweni yasobala noFakazi BakaJehova. Ngaphambili, umuntu onjalo wayebizwa ngokuthi “ilungu elamukelekayo.” Uma kamuva aphula umthetho kaNkulunkulu ngokungaphenduki, ibandla laziswa, kulapho-ke lapho amalungu ayengagwema khona ubudlelwane kanye nokuxoxo naye.

Njengoba ukwaziswa kwamuva kubonisile, iBhayibheli lifuna ukuba kuthathwe isinyathelo esinjalo sokuyala abantu ababhapathiziwe abayizoni ezingaphenduki. (1 Korinte 5:11-13; 2 Johane 9-11) Nokho, icala lomuntu ongabhapathiziwe ophikelela ekoneni alifani nelomuntu obhapathiziwe. (Luka 12:48) Akakabhapathizwa futhi ngenxa yalokho akakamukeleki emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, ngakho ukususa ekuhlanganyeleni akufaneleki endabeni yakhe. Ngokuyisisekelo, manje ungumuntu wezwe futhi kungasetshenzelwana naye ngokufanelekile.

Kuthiwani-ke ngomuntu ngaphambili owayebizwa ngokuthi “ilungu elamukelekayo” kodwa ongasayifanelekeli inkonzo yasobala ngenxa yenkambo yakhe engalungile? Njengoba engasusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni, kufanele aphathwe njengomuntu wezwe njengoba enguye.a Yebo, INqabayokulinda kaNovember 15 yeluleka ekhasini 19 ukuthi amaKristu athembekile kumelwe aqaphe ngokufanelekile. Ayaqaphela ukuthi lomuntu ongabhapathizwe kungenzeka wahlanganyela ekoneni naphezu kokuba enolwazi ngezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu. AmaKristu avuthiwe kumelwe axwaye ukuba nobudlelwane nomuntu onjalo. Uma kuphakama imibuzo ngokuqondene nokuthi kungathintwana ngezinga elingakanani naye, iningi layo lingaphendulwa ngokulandela iseluleko sokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Singakhumbula iseluleko esinjengaleso esitholakala kweyoku-1 Korinte 15:33 nezAga 13:20 bese sizibuza: ‘Yibuphi ubudlelwano ebengingaba nabo ngokufanelekile nomuntu wezwe ongaphili ngezindinganiso zobuKristu?’ Uma abadala bebona ukuthi umuntu wezwe waloluhlobo uwusongo oluthile, banganikeza iseluleko ngasese kulabo ebandleni ababonakala besengozini.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umuntu ongabhapathiziwe owayekade ‘eyilungu elamukelekayo’ anganikeza ubufakazi obanele bokuphenduka, futhi angase afisele ukubuye aqhutshelwe isifundo seBhayibheli. (IzEnzo 26:20) Angase akhulume nabadala bebandla akulo manje, okuyothi, uma kubonakala kufaneleka, bahlele ukuba aqhutshelwe isifundo seBhayibheli. Lokhu kuyosebenza futhi uma esikhathini esizayo othile engasafaneleki njengommemezeli ongabhapathizwe futhi kamuva ebonisa ukuphenduka. Ngokuvamile, kumelwe akhulume nabadala ababili abasingatha ukona kwakhe noma abanye ababili abakhethwa indikimba yabadala ukuba babukeze leyondaba uma acela ukuba kwenziwe kanjalo.

Ngokufanelekile, INqabayokulinda yachaza ukuthi kungokuhlukile kancane endabeni yabazali abanakekela abantwana abancane ekhaya—labobantwana abathembele kubo ngokomthetho abanomthwalo wemfanelo wokubasekela ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. (Efesu 6:1-4) ImiBhalo isibeka kubazali isibopho sokuyala nokuqondisa abantwana babo. Ngakho abazali (noma abazali abakholwayo) bangase bakhethe ukuqhubela umntwana owonayo isifundo seBhayibheli esihlukile noma ukumhlanganisa esimisweni somkhaya sesifundo nengxoxo yeBhayibheli.

Nakuba ukwaziswa okukuleNqabayokulinda yamuva kudinga ukuba silungise ukucabanga kwethu nokusebenzelana nabanjalo, kwenziwa ngokuvumelana nemiBhalo elungele ‘ukuyala ekulungeni.’—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.

▪ Ngokucabangela uThithu 1:6, ingabe abantwana bendoda kufanele babhapathizwe bonke uma ifuna ukufanelekela ukuba ngumdala webandla?

Esahlukweni sokuqala sencwadi kaThithu, umphostoli uPawulu wachaza izimfanelo zamadoda akhonza njengabadala bebandla. Enye yayiwukuthi umzalwane abe “ongasolekiyo, . . . enabantwana abakholwayo.”

Lokhu akunakusho ukuthi abantwana bomdala kufanele bonke babhapathizwe, ngoba abanye kungenzeka baseyizinsana. Ngakho, uThithu 1:6 ngokufanelekile usho ukuthi abantwana bendoda abancane kufanele babhapathizwe noma kufanele babe bafunda iqiniso leBhayibheli belamukela futhi belisebenzisa futhi bathuthukela obhapathizweni, njengoba besengaphansi komusa ngenxa yabazali. (1 Korinte 7:14) Umdala kufanele alwele ukwenza abantwana bakhe abafundi, babe “abangenakusolwa ngokushinga nabangalaleliyo.”b

Singakuqonda kangcono lokhu ngokuphawula indlela iBhayibheli elisebenzisa ngayo igama elithi “ikholwa.” Yebo, umuntu angase abe nokholo, noma akholelwe, ezintweni eziningi. (IzEnzo 26:27, 28; 2 Thesalonika 2:3; Jakobe 2:19) Kodwa sithola “ukukholwa” ngokuvamile kuhlangene nokwamukela izimfundiso zobuKristu nokubhapathizwa. (IzEnzo 8:13; 18:8; qhathanisa no-19:1-5.) Ubhapathizo ikakhulukazi lubonakalisa ukuthi umuntu uyikholwa.—IzEnzo 2:41, 44; 4:4, 32.

Abanye abantwana abancane bomdala kungenzeka abakalulungeli ubhapathizo ngokomzimba, ngokomzwelo noma ngokomoya. Nokho, uThithu 1:6 ubachaza’njengabantwana abakholwayo’ uma bethuthukela obhapathizweni, ngokuvumelana neminyaka nesimo sabo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]