1-2. Siyini isihlengo, futhi kungani sasidingeka?

LAPHO umuntu ongenasono u-Adamu ona, walahlekelwa ithuba lokuphila phakade, alilahlekelanga yena kuphela, kodwa nezingane ayezoba nazo. Sasingekho isizathu esizwakalayo sale nto ayenza. Wona ngamabomu. Kodwa kuthiwani ngezingane zakhe? Azibanga nesandla esonweni esenziwa u-Adamu. (Roma 5:12, 14) Kukhona yini okwakungenziwa ukuze zingasitholi isigwebo sokufa esasifanele ubaba wazo? Yebo kukhona! Ngokushesha ngemva kokona kuka-Adamu, uJehova wayembula kancane kancane indlela ayezokhulula ngayo izigidi zenzalo ka-Adamu esiqalekisweni sesono nokufa. (Gen. 3:15) Ngesikhathi asibekile, uJehova wayezothumela iNdodana yakhe isuke ezulwini ‘izonikela ngokuphila kwayo kube isihlengo sabaningi.’—Marku 10:45; Joh. 6:51.

² Siyini isihlengo? EmiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki, isihlengo yinani elakhokhwa uJesu ukuze athenge lokho okwalahlekela u-Adamu. (1 Kor. 15:22) Kungani isihlengo sasidingeka? Kungenxa yokuthi ukuze ubulungisa benzeke ngendlela kaJehova eseMthethweni kwakudingeka kukhokhwe ukuphila ngokuphila. (Eks. 21:23, 24) U-Adamu walahlekelwa ukuphila kwakhe okuphelele. Ukuze ubulungisa benzeke ngendlela kaNkulunkulu, uJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe okuphelele njengomuntu. (Roma 5:17) Wabe eseba “uYise Ongunaphakade” kubo bonke ababonisa ukholo esihlengweni.—Isaya 9:6; Roma 3:23, 24.

3. Ngokwencwadi kaJohane 14:31 no-15:13, kungani uJesu ayezimisele ukunikela ngokuphila kwakhe okuphelele njengomuntu?

³ UJesu wayezimisele ukunikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yokuthi wayemthanda kakhulu uBaba wakhe osezulwini kanye nathi. (Funda uJohane 14:31; 15:13.) Lolo thando lwamenza wazimisela ukulondoloza ubuqotho bakhe kwaze  kwaba sekupheleni nokufeza intando kaYise. Lokho wakwenza ngokuhlal’ ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni. Ngenxa yalokho, injongo kaJehova yasekuqaleni ngesintu nangomhlaba iyogcwaliseka. Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngokuthi kungani uNkulunkulu avumela ukuba uJesu ahlupheke kangaka ngaphambi kokuba afe. Sizophinde sihlole kafushane isibonelo sombhali weBhayibheli owasazisa ngokujulile isihlengo. Ekugcineni, sizoxoxa ngendlela esingabonisa ngayo ukuthi siyabonga ngesihlengo nangendlela esingakujulisa ngayo ukwazisa ngomhlatshelo esawulungiselelwa uJehova noJesu.

4. Chaza indlela uJesu afa ngayo.

⁴ Ake ucabange ukuthi lwalunjani usuku lokugcina lukaJesu ephila emhlabeni. Nakuba ekwazi ukubiza amalegiyona ezingelosi azomvikela, uyavuma ukuthathwa amasosha amaRoma, amshaya ngesihluku. (Math. 26:52-54; Joh. 18:3; 19:1) Asebenzisa isiswebhu esasimxebula isikhumba emzimbeni. Kamuva, bamthwesa ugodo olusindayo emhlane wakhe osumanxebanxeba. UJesu uqala ukuhudulela isigxobo endaweni azobulawelwa kuyo, kodwa ngokushesha kuphoqwa umuntu othile ukuba amthwalele sona. (Math. 27:32) Lapho uJesu efika endaweni azobulawelwa kuyo, labo abazombulala bashayela izandla nezinyawo zakhe ngezipikili esigxotsheni. Isisindo somzimba kaJesu sinweba amanxeba ezipikili. Abangane bakhe balusizi, unina uyalila, kodwa ababusi abangamaJuda bahlekisa ngoJesu. (Luka 23:32-38; Joh. 19:25) Ihora lezinhlungu lilandelwa ngelinye ihora lezinhlungu. Inhliziyo namaphaphu akhe kuthwele kanzima, sekunzima kakhulu ukuphefumula. Esephefumula okokugcina, wenza umthandazo wokugcina wokunqoba. Ube esexegisa ikhanda, anikele ngokuphila kwakhe. (Marku 15:37; Luka 23:46; Joh. 10:17, 18; 19:30) Indlela afa ngayo yayibuhlungu kakhulu futhi yayihlazisa!

5. KuJesu, yini eyayibuhlungu ukwedlula indlela abulawa ngayo?

⁵ KuJesu, inkinga enkulu kwakungeyona indlela abulawa ngayo. Into eyayimphatha kabi kakhulu kwakuyicala ayebekwe lona ukuze abulawe. Wamangalelwa ngamanga kwathiwa ungumhlambalazi—umuntu ongamhloniphi uNkulunkulu noma igama lakhe. (Math. 26:64-66) Ukucabanga nje ngalelo cala kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu uJesu kangangokuthi wayesenethemba lokuthi uYise uzomvikela kuleli hlazo. (Math. 26:38, 39, 42) Kungani uJehova avumela iNdodana yakhe ethandekayo ukuba ihlupheke futhi ife? Ake sixoxe ngezizathu ezintathu.

6. Kungani kwadingeka ukuba uJesu alengiswe esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa?

⁶ Okokuqala, kwadingeka ukuba uJesu alengiswe esigxotsheni ukuze akhulule amaJuda esiqalekisweni. (Gal. 3:10, 13) Ayevumile ukugcina uMthetho kaNkulunkulu kodwa ahluleka ukwenza kanjalo. Ngenxa yalokho, lesi siqalekiso sasenezela esigwebweni esatholwa inzalo ka-Adamu owona. (Roma 5:12) UMthetho kaNkulunkulu owanikwa ama-Israyeli wawuthi umuntu owenza isono esifanelwe ukufa kufanele abulawe. Ngemva kwalokho, isidumbu sakhe silengiswe esigxotsheni. * (Dut. 21:22, 23; 27:26) Ngakho ngokulengiswa esigxotsheni, uJesu wavula indlela yokuba sona kanye isizwe esasimphikile sizuze emhlatshelweni wakhe.

7. Yisiphi isizathu sesibili esenza uNkulunkulu wavumela iNdodana yakhe ukuba ihlupheke?

 ⁷ Cabanga ngesizathu sesibili esenza uNkulunkulu wavumela iNdodana yakhe ukuba ihlupheke. Wayeqeqesha uJesu ukuze akwazi ukufeza indima yokuba uMpristi wethu Ophakeme. UJesu wabona ukuthi kunzima kanjani ukulalela umthetho kaNkulunkulu lapho evivinywa ngokweqile. Wacindezeleka kakhulu waze wathandazela usizo “ngokukhala okukhulu nangezinyembezi.” Ngokuqinisekile, ngemva kokudlula osizini olunjalo, uJesu uqobo uyaziqonda izidingo zethu futhi ‘uyakwazi ukusisiza lapho sivivinywa.’ Simbonga kakhulu uJehova ngokumisa uMpristi Ophakeme onesihe, okwazi ‘ukuzwelana nobuthakathaka bethu’!—Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:14-16; 5:7-10.

8. Yisiphi isizathu sesithathu esenza uNkulunkulu wavumela ukuba uJesu avivinywe kangaka?

⁸ Okwesithathu, uJehova wavumela uJesu ukuba ahlupheke kakhulu ukuze aphendule lo mbuzo obalulekile: Abantu bangakwazi yini ukuhlale bethembekile kuJehova ngisho nalapho bevivinywa kakhulu? USathane uyaphika! Uthi abantu bakhonza uNkulunkulu ngezizathu zobugovu. Ukholelwa nawukuthi—njengokhokho wabo u-Adamu—abamthandi uJehova. (Jobe 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) Eqiniseka ngobuqotho beNdodana yakhe, uJehova wavuma ukuba uJesu avivinywe ngezinga umuntu angavivinywa ngalo. UJesu wabulondoloza ubuqotho bakhe wafakazela ukuthi uSathane unamanga.

9. Umphostoli uJohane wasibekela siphi isibonelo?

⁹ Ukholo lwamaKristu amaningi luqiniswe imfundiso yesihlengo. Aye aqhubeka eshumayela nakuba ephikiswa futhi aye akhuthazelela zonke izinhlobo zezilingo kukho konke ukuphila kwawo. Cabanga ngesibonelo somphostoli uJohane. Walishumayela ngobuqotho iqiniso ngoKristu nangesihlengo, cishe iminyaka engaphezu kuka-60. Esezohlanganisa iminyaka eyikhulu, wayebhekwa njengosongo eMbusweni WaseRoma ngakho waboshwa esiqhingini sasePhatmose. Wayenzeni? ‘Wakhuluma ngoNkulunkulu futhi wafakaza ngoJesu.’ (IsAm. 1:9) Yeka isibonelo esihle sokholo nokukhuthazela!

10. Izincwadi zikaJohane zibonisa kanjani ukuthi wayesazisa isihlengo?

¹⁰ UJohane uveza uthando lwakhe olujulile ngoJesu nokwazisa anakho ngesihlengo ezincwadini zakhe eziphefumulelwe. Zinezikhombo ezingaphezu kwekhulu zesihlengo noma zezinzuzo ezilethwa yisihlengo. Ngokwesibonelo, uJohane wabhala: “Uma umuntu enza isono, sinomsizi kuBaba, uJesu Kristu, olungile.” (1 Joh. 2:1, 2) Izincwadi zikaJohane zigcizelela nokubaluleka komsebenzi “wokufakaza ngoJesu.” (IsAm. 19:10) Ngokusobala, uJohane wayesazisa ngokujulile isihlengo. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi nathi siyasazisa?

11. Yini engasisiza sikwazi ukumelana nesilingo?

¹¹ Melana nesilingo sokwenza isono. Uma sisazisa ngempela isihlengo, angeke sithi: ‘Asikho isidingo sokuba ngilwe kanzima ukuze ngimelane nesilingo. Ngingavele nje ngisenze isono bese ngicela ukuthethelelwa.’ Kunalokho, lapho silingwa ukuba senze isono, sizothi: ‘Cha! Ngingayenza kanjani nje into enjalo ngaphezu kwazo zonke izinto uJehova noJesu abangenzele zona?’ Ngokuvumelana nalokho, singacela  uJehova asiphe amandla, simnxuse sithi: ‘Ungangingenisi esilingweni.’—Math. 6:13

12. Singasisebenzisa kanjani iseluleko esitholakala kweyoku-1 Johane 3:16-18?

¹² Thanda abafowenu nodadewenu. Lapho sibonisa lolo thando, sisuke sibonisa nokwazisa ngesihlengo. Kungani? Ngoba uJesu akanikelanga ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu kuphela kodwa nangenxa yabafowethu nodadewethu. Uma ayekulungele ukubafela, kusobala ukuthi uyabathanda kakhulu. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 3:16-18.) Sibonisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu nodadewethu ngendlela esibaphatha ngayo. (Efesu 4:29, 31–5:2) Ngokwesibonelo, siyabasiza lapho begula noma lapho bekhuthazelela uvivinyo olunzima, okuhlanganisa nezinhlekelele zemvelo. Kodwa kufanele senzeni lapho esikholwa naye enza noma esho okuthile okusiphatha kabi?

13. Kungani kufanele sibe abathethelelayo?

¹³ Ingabe ngezinye izikhathi ubambela okholwa naye igqubu? (Lev. 19:18) Uma kunjalo, sebenzisa lesi seluleko: “Qhubekani nibekezelelana futhi nithethelelana ngokukhululekile, ngisho noma umuntu enesizathu sokukhononda ngomunye. Njengoba nje uJehova anithethelela ngokukhululekile, nani kumelwe nenze kanjalo.” (Kol. 3:13) Njalo lapho sithethelela umfowethu noma udadewethu sibonisa uBaba wethu osezulwini ukuthi siyasazisa ngempela isihlengo. Singaqhubeka kanjani sijulisa ukwazisa kwethu ngalesi sipho esivela kuNkulunkulu?

14. Iyiphi enye indlela esingajulisa ngayo ukwazisa kwethu ngesihlengo?

¹⁴ Bonga uJehova ngesihlengo. UJoanna, udade oneminyaka engu-83 ohlala eNdiya, uthi: “Ngicabanga ukuthi kubalulekile ukukhuluma ngesihlengo usuku ngalunye emithandazweni yami futhi ngimbonge uJehova ngaso.” Emithandazweni ozenzela yona uwedwa, cabanga ngamaphutha owenzile phakathi nosuku bese ucela uJehova akuthethelele. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi uma wenze isono esikhulu, uzodinga nosizo lwabadala. Bazokulalela futhi ngothando bakunikeze iseluleko esivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Bazothandaza nawe, bacele uJehova ukuba aqhubeke esebenzisa umhlatshelo wesihlengo ‘ukuze uphiliswe ngokomoya.’—Jak. 5:14-16.

15. Kungani kumelwe sizinike isikhathi sokufunda ngesihlengo futhi sizindle ngaso?

 ¹⁵ Zindla ngesihlengo. URajamani udade oneminyaka engu-73 uthi: “Lapho ngifunda ngokuhlushwa kukaJesu, amehlo ami avele agcwale izinyembezi.” Nawe kungase kukuzwise ubuhlungu ukucabanga ngendlela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu eyahlupheka kakhulu ngayo. Kodwa lapho uzindla ngomhlatshelo owenziwa uJesu, lujula nakakhulu uthando lwakho ngaye nangoYise. Ukuze uzindle ngesihlengo, kunganjani utadishe ngaso ngokukhethekile?

16. Ukufundisa abanye ngesihlengo kungasizuzisa kanjani? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

¹⁶ Fundisa abanye ngesihlengo. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho sitshela abanye ngesihlengo, iyakhula nendlela esisazisa ngayo. Sinamathuluzi amahle asisiza sifundise abanye ukuthi kungani uJesu asifela. Ngokwesibonelo, singasebenzisa isifundo 4 sencwajana ethi Izindaba Ezinhle Ezivela KuNkulunkulu! Leso sifundo sinesihloko esithi “Ungubani UJesu Kristu?” Noma singasebenzisa isahluko 5 sencwadi ethi Lingasifundisani IBhayibheli? Leso sahluko sinesihloko esithi “Isihlengo—Yisipho SikaNkulunkulu Esikhulu Kunazo Zonke.” Unyaka ngamunye sijulisa ukubonga kwethu ngesihlengo lapho siba khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaJesu nalapho simema abanye ngentshiseko ukuba babe nathi. UJehova usinike ilungelo elikhulu lokufundisa abanye ngeNdodana yakhe!

17. Kungani isihlengo siyisipho sikaNkulunkulu esikhulu kunazo zonke azinika isintu?

¹⁷ Ngokungangabazeki, sinesizathu esihle sokwakha nokulondoloza ukwazisa okujulile ngesihlengo. Ngenxa yesihlengo, singaba nobungane obuseduze noJehova ngisho noma sinesono. Ngenxa yesihlengo, imisebenzi kaDeveli izobhidlizwa ngokuphelele. (1 Joh. 3:8) Ngenxa yesihlengo, lokho uJehova ayekuhlosile kusukela ekuqaleni ngomhlaba, kuzogcwaliseka. Umhlaba wonke uzoba ipharadesi. Wonke umuntu ohlangana naye uyobe ethanda uJehova futhi emkhonza. Ngakho, usuku ngalunye, masifune izindlela esingabonisa ngazo ukwazisa ngesihlengo—isipho sikaNkulunkulu esikhulu kunazo zonke azinika isintu!