1-2. Ngiliphi ithemba elihle abantu abalotjha uZimu abanalo?

ITHEMBA liqakatheke khulu. Abanye abantu bahlala banethemba lokuthi bazokuba nemitjhado ephumelelako, bakhulise abantwana abaphile kuhle bese kuthi abagulako banethemba lokuthi bazokuphola. Nathi njengombana simaKrestu sinethemba elifanako. Kuhlukile kithi ngombana ithemba esinalo lifaka hlangana ukuyokuphila ephasini elitjha nokubona abantu esibathadako esele bahlongakala.

² Umpostoli uPowula wathi: “Nginethemba kuZimu . . . lokuthi kuzokuba nokuvuswa kwabafileko kwabalungileko nabangakalungi.” (IzE. 24:15) UPowula akusimumuntu wokuthoma owakhuluma ngendaba yevuko. Nenzalamuzi uJobho wakhuluma ngalo. Bekaqiniseka ukuthi uZimu uzomkhumbula begodu amvuse.—Job. 14:7-10, 12-15.

3. Kubayini kungasizuzisa ukufunda yoku-1 kwebeKorinte isahluko 15?

³ “Ukuvuswa kwabafileko” kuyingcenye ‘yesisekelo’ namkha ‘ifundiso esisekelo’ yawo woke amaKrestu. (Heb. 6:1, 2) Indaba yevuko uPowula akhuluma ngayo itlolwe kweyoku-1 kwebeKorinte isahluko 15. Akutlola lapho kwawakhuthaza tle amaKrestu wangesikhathi sakhe. Nathi isahlukwesi singasikhuthaza, sisiqinise begodu sivuselele nethemba esele kukade sinalo.

4. Kubayini siqiniseka ngokuthi abathandekako bethu abahlongakalako bazokuvuswa?

⁴ Ukuvuswa kwakaJesu Krestu kuqakatheke khulu ethembeni lethu nebantwini esibathandako abahlongakeleko. Beliyingcenye ‘yeendaba ezimnandi’ uPowula akhuluma ngazo kumaKrestu weKorinte. (1 Kor. 15:1, 2) Ekhabolakhona, wathi nangabe umKrestu akakholelwa evukweni, lokho kutjho bona ukukholwa kwakhe akusizi ngalitho. (1 Kor. 15:17) Ukukholwa ukuthi uKrestu wavuswa, kusinikela ithemba lokuthi nabanye bazokuvuswa.

5-6. Amezwi asemtlolweni weyoku-1 kwebeKorinte 15:3, 4 atjho ukuthini kithi?

 ⁵ Nakakhuluma ngevuko, uPowula wabala izinto ezintathu ezenzekako: (1) “UKrestu wafela izono zethu.” (2) “Wabulungwa.” (3) “Wavuswa ngelanga lesithathu ngokuya ngemiTlolo.”—Funda yoku-1 kwebeKorinte 15:3, 4.

⁶ Ukufa kwakaJesu, ukubulungwa nokuvuswa kwakhe kutjho ukuthini kithi? Umphorofidi u-Isaya wabikezela ngokuthi uMesiya ‘uzokujutjwa enarheni yabaphilako’ begodu ‘anikelwe ithuna hlangana neenkhohlakali.’ Kunengi ebekubandakanyekileko endabeni le. U-Isaya wangezelela ngokuthi uMesiya ‘uzokuthwala izono zabanengi.’ Lokho uJesu wakwenza ngokuthi abe mhlatjelo. (Isa. 53:8, 9, 12; Mat. 20:28; Rom. 5:8) Yeke, ukufa, ukubulungwa nokuvuswa kwakaJesu kwaba sisekelo esiqinileko sethemba lokutjhatjhululwa esonweni nekufeni nokuhlanganiswa nabantu esibathandako abahlongakalako.

7-8. Khuyini eyenza amaKrestu aqiniseke ukuthi mbala uJesu wavuswa?

⁷ Ithemba lethu ngevuko lihlobene nethemba lethu ekuvukeni kwakaJesu, yeke kufuze sikholwe ukuthi mbala uJesu wavuswa. Kubayini kufuze sikholwe ukuthi mbala uJehova wamvusa uJesu?

⁸ Kunabofakazi abanengi ababona ukuthi uJesu uvusiwe. (1 Kor. 15:5-7) UPowula ubala umpostoli uPitrosi (obekanguKhefasi) njengofakazi wokuthoma. Isiqhema sabafundi bakaJesu sakufakazela ukuthi uPitrosi wambona uJesu ovusiweko. (Luk. 24:33, 34) Ngaphezu kwalokho, abapostoli ‘nabalitjhumi nambili’ bambona uJesu ngemva kokuvuswa. Yeke, uKrestu “wabonakala kubafowethu abangaphezu kwama-500 ngesikhathi sinye.” Kungenzeka lapho bekusemnyanyeni ebewuseGalile ekukhulunywa ngawo kuMatewu 28:16-20. UJesu “wabonakala kuJakopo” okungenzeka bekamfowabo kaJesu ngombelethi munye, naye obekangakholwa ekuthomeni ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya. (Jwa. 7:5) Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakaJesu, uJakopo wathi nakambonako waqiniseka ukuthi mbala uvusiwe. Kuyakhanya ukuthi ngomnyaka ka-55 ngesikhathi sakaJesu, uPowula nakatlola incwadi le, boke abofakazi bokuzibonela ivuko bebasaphila. Yeke nangabe bekunomuntu osolako, bekuzokufuze abuze abazibonela ngamehlo, ebebasaphila ngesikhatheso.

9. Njengombana sifunda emtlolweni wezEnzo 9:3-5, uPowula wanikela buphi ubufakazi obutjengisa ukuthi uJesu wavuswa?

⁹ Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uJesu wabonakala nakuPowula. (1 Kor. 15:8) UPowula (obekanguSawula) nakasendleleni eya eDamaseku wezwa ilizwi lakaJesu ovusiweko begodu kwabonakala nomkhanyo uvela ezulwini. (Funda izEnzo 9:3-5.) Okwenzeka kuPowula bekubufakazi bokuthi mbala uJesu wavuswa.—IzE. 26:12-15.

10. Ukukholelwa kwakaPowula ukuthi uJesu wavuswa kwabahlongakeleko, kwamenza wazimisela ukwenzani?

¹⁰ Abantu babukholwa ubufakazi uPowula abunikelako ngombana bebazi ukuthi naye khewahlunguphaza amaKrestu kesinye isikhathi. Ngemva kokukholwa ukuthi mbala uJesu wavuswa, uPowula wazidela, wasiza abanye bona nabo balikholwe iqinisweli. Wakghodhlelelela ukubetjhwa, ukufakwa ngejele nokuphukelwa mkhumbi, atjhumayeza abanye ngokuthi uJesu bekahlongakele kodwana sele avukile begodu uyaphila. (1 Kor. 15:9-11; 2 Kor. 11:23-27) Bekaqiniseka nokuthi uJesu wavuswa kwabafileko kangangokuthi bekazimisele ukufa ngebanga lalokho.  Inga-kghani ubufakazobu abukuqinisekisi nawe ukuthi uJesu wavuswa kwabafileko? Kghani abuliqinisi ithemba lakho malungana nevuko?

11. Kubayini abanye eKorinte baba nemibono engakafaneli ngevuko?

¹¹ Abanye abantu eGirigi, edorobheni leKorinte bebanombono ongakafaneli ngevuko, abanye bebatjho nokutjho ukuthi “akukho ukuvuka kwabafileko.” (1 Kor. 15:12) Ezinye izazi zefilosofi edorobheni leGirigi, i-Athene zahlekisa ngokuthi uJesu wavuswa. Kungenzeka ukuthi isenzweso sathinta nabanye eKorinte. (IzE. 17:18, 31, 32) Kungenzeka abanye bebangacabangi ngokuvuswa kwamambala, mhlamunye bebacabanga ukuthi umuntu ‘bekafile’ ngombana enze isono kodwana sele ‘aphila’ ngombana sele angumKrestu. Kungakhathaliseki bona iinzathu zabo beziyini, ukungakholwa evukweni, bekutjengisa ukuthi ukukholwa kwabo akusizi ngalitho. Nangabe uZimu khenge avuse uJesu, lokho bekuzokutjho ukuthi awukho umhlatjelo owakhutjhwako begodu soke besizokuhlala sinesono. Yeke boke laba abangazange bakwamukele ukuvuswa kwakaJesu bebanganalo ithemba.—1 Kor. 15:13-19; Heb. 9:12, 14.

12. Ngokuya ngeyoku-1 kaPitrosi 3:18, 22, ukuvuka kwakaJesu kuhluke njani kilokho okwenzeka kwabanye esikhathini sangaphambili?

¹² UPowula bekazi kuhle ukuthi “uKrestu uvusiwe kwabafileko.” Ivukweli liqakatheke ukudlula ezinye iimbonelo zabantu abavuswako kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bahlongakala. UPowula wathi uJesu ‘usithelo sokuthoma salabo abalele ekufeni.’ UJesu bekangewokuthoma ngamuphi umqondo? Bekamumuntu wokuthoma owavuselwa ekuphileni waba sibunjwa sommoya begodu amumuntu wokuthoma ukukhuphukela ezulwini.—1 Kor. 15:20; IzE. 26:23; funda yoku-1 kaPitrosi 3:18, 22.

13. UPowula waveza muphi umahluko hlangana kwaka-Adamu noJesu?

¹³ Ukufa komuntu oyedwa bekuzozinikela njani iingidi zabantu ukuphila? UPowula uwuphendula kuhle umbuzo lo. Uveza umahluko hlangana nalokho u-Adamu akulethela abantu nalokho okuzokwenzeka ngebanga lakaKrestu. Malungana no-Adamu, uPowula watlola wathi: “Ukufa kweza ngomuntu.” U-Adamu nakakhetha ukungalaleli, wazilethela yena, naso soke isintu ihlekelele. Ngitjho nanamhlanjesi sisaqalene nemiphumela yokungalaleli kwakhe. Ngimuphi umahluko owenziwe kukuthi uZimu uvuse iNdodanakhe? ‘Ukuvuswa kwabafileko kuza ngomuntu,’ uJesu. UPowula wathi: “Njengombana ku-Adamu boke bayafa, kuKrestu boke bazokufumana ukuphila.”—1 Kor. 15:21, 22.

14. Kghani u-Adamu uzokuvuswa? Hlathulula.

¹⁴ UPowula bekatjho ukuthini nakathi: “ku-Adamu boke bayafa?” Bekakhuluma ngabo boke abantu abafumana isono esibangela bona bafe. (Rom. 5:12) U-Adamu akekho kilabo ‘abazokufumana ukuphila.’ Angeze azuze emhlatjelweni kaKrestu ngombana naye bekaphelele begodu wazikhethela ukungamlaleli uZimu. Okwenzeke ku-Adamu kuyafana nalokho okuzokwenzeka, “iNdodana yomuntu” nayizokwahlulela ‘Iimbuzi,’ okutjho ‘kukutjhatjalaliswa kwaphakade.’—Mat. 25:31-33, 46; Heb. 5:9.

15. Bobani ababalwa ngaphasi kwebizo elithi, “boke” “abazokufumana ukuphila”?

¹⁵ Tjheja ukuthi uPowula wathi, “nakuKrestu boke bazokufumana ukuphila.” (1 Kor. 15:22) UPowula watlolela amaKrestu azesiweko  weKorinte ebekazokuvuselwa ezulwini. AmaKrestu lawo ‘bewasebunyeni noKrestu uJesu begodu abizelwa bona abe ngabacwengileko.’ Waveza nokuthi labo “abalele ekufeni basebunyeni noKrestu.” (1 Kor. 1:2; 15:18; 2 Kor. 5:17) Kenye incwadi yeBhayibheli, uPowula wathi: ‘Labo abamunye naye [uJesu] ekufeni okufana nekwakhe, bazokuba munye naye ekuvusweni.’ (Rom. 6:3-5) UJesu wavuselwa ezulwini asibunjwa sommoya. Ngilokho boke ‘abamunye noKrestu’ abazokufumana. Lo mphumela ozokufunyanwa maKrestu azeswe ngommoya.

16. UPowula bekatjho ukuthini nakabiza uJesu ngokuthi ‘sithelo sokuthoma’?

¹⁶ UPowula watlola wathi uKrestu wavuswa ‘Asithelo sokuthoma salabo asebalala ekufeni.’ Khumbula godu ukuthi abanye abanjengoLazaru bavuswa, baphila ephasina kodwana uJesu bekamumuntu wokuthoma owavuswa sele amumoya. Angafaniswa nesithelo sokuthoma esavunwa ama-Israyeli anikela ngaso kuZimu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokubiza uJesu ngokuthi ‘sithelo sokuthoma,’ uPowula bekaveza ukuthi nabanye ngemva kokuvuswa kwakaJesu, nabo bebazokuvuselwa ezulwini. Abapostoli nabanye ‘abamunye noKrestu’ bebazokulandela uJesu. Ngesikhathi esifaneleko bebazokuvuswa njengoJesu.

17. ‘Abamunye noKrestu’ bazowufumana nini umvuzwabo wokuya ezulwini?

¹⁷ Ukuvuselwa ezulwini ‘kwaba munye noKrestu’ bekungakathomi ngesikhathi uPowula atlolela beKorinte. Kungebangelo uPowula akhuluma ngesikhathi esizako, nakathi: “Ngamunye ngedlhego lakhe elifaneleko: UKrestu sithelo sokuthoma, ngemva kwalokho kube abangebakaKrestu phakathi nokubakhona kwakhe.” (1 Kor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 4:15, 16) Namhlanjesi siphila hlangana nesikhathi ‘sokuba khona’ kwakaKrestu. Abapostoli kunye namanye amaKrestu azeswe ngommoya ahlongakala kwafuze alinde isikhatheso bona afumane umvuzwawo wokuya ezulwini ‘abe munye naye [uJesu] ekufeni okufana nokwakhe.’

18. (a) Kubayini singaphetha ngokuthi kuzokuba khona elinye ivuko elizokulandela abazokuvuselwa ezulwini? (b) Njengombana kutjengisiwe emtlolweni weyoku-1 kwebeKorinte 15:24-26, khuyini okuzokwenzeka ezulwini?

¹⁸ Kuthiwani-ke ngabo boke abanganalo ithemba lokuyokuphila noKrestu ezulwini? Nabo banethemba levuko. IBhayibheli lithi uPowula nabanye abaya ezulwini babalwa hlangana  ‘nabafumane ivuko lokuthoma kwabafileko.’ (Flp. 3:11) Kghani lokho akusitjeli ukuthi kunelinye ivuko elizokuba khona? Kazi lokho bekuzokukhambisana kuhle nalokho uJobho akutjhoko malungana nengomuso lakhe. (Job. 14:15) ‘Labo abangebakaKrestu, phakathi nokuba khona kwakhe’ bazokuba sezulwini naye lokha nakaqeda boke aborhulumende nazo zoke iimphathimandla. Ngitjho ‘nesitha sokugcina, ukufa’ sizokupheliswa. Yeke ukufa ngekhe kusabathinta labo abazokuvukela ezulwini. Kodwana sithini ngabanye?—Funda yoku-1 kwebeKorinte 15:24-26.

19. Khuyini engalindelwa ngilabo abanethemba lokuphila ephasina?

¹⁹ Khuyini engalindelwa ngilabo abanethemba lokuphila ephasina? Bangafumana ithemba emezwini kaPowula athi: “Nginethemba . . . lokuthi kuzokuba nokuvuswa kwabafileko kwabalungileko nabangakalungi.” (IzE. 24:15) Kuyakhanya ukuthi akekho umuntu ongakalungi ongangena ezulwini, yeke, amezwi la aqaliselwe evukweni elizako elizokuba sephasini.

20. Isihlokwesi siliqinise njani ithemba lakho?

²⁰ Yeke, siyaqiniseka ngokuthi, ‘kuzokuba nevuko’! Abantu abazokuvuselwa ephasina baqale phambili ekuphileni okungapheliko. Yeke ungaba nethemba emezwini la. Ithembelo lingakududuza nawucabanga ngabantu obathandako abahlongakeleko. Qiniseka ngokuthi bazokuvuselwa ekuphileni hlangana nesikhathi uKrestu nabanye ‘azokubusa nabo njengamakhosi iminyaka eyi-1 000.’ (IsAm. 20:6) Nawe qiniseka ngokuthi nakwenzeka uhlongakale ngaphambi kokuthoma kweminyaka eyikulungwana, uzokuhlala unengomuso eliphephileko. “Ithemba lona alidanisi.” (Rom. 5:5) Lingakududuza okwanje begodu likwenze uthabe njengombana ulotjha uZimu. Kunengi esingakufunda emtlolweni weyoku-1 kwebeKorinte isahluko 15. Isihloko esilandelako sizokuraga nayo indaba le.