1-2. Yiliphi ithemba elingcono abantu bakaJehova abalalo?

UKUBA lethemba kuqakathekile. Abanye abantu balethemba lokuthi bazathokoza emitshadweni yabo, ukuthi bazakhulisa abantwana abalempilakahle kumbe ukuthi bazasila ekuguleni kwabo. Lathi amaKhristu singaba lethemba elifananayo. Kodwa silelinye ithemba elingcono kulalelo, elokuthi sizaphila kuze kube nini lanini lokuthi izihlobo zethu labangane bazavuswa.

² Umphostoli uPhawuli wathi: ‘Ngilethemba kuNkulunkulu, elokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa, abalungileyo labangalunganga.’ (ImiSeb. 24:15) UPhawuli wayengayisuye wokuqala ukukhuluma ngokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa. UJobe laye wayeke wakhuluma ngakho. Wayengathandabuzi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzamkhumbula abesemvusa.—Jobe. 14:7-10, 12-15.

3. U-1 Khorinte isahluko 15 usinceda njani?

³ ‘Ukuvuswa kwabafileyo’ kuyingxenye ‘yesisekelo’ kumbe ‘yemfundiso yokuqala’ yawo wonke amaKhristu. (Heb. 6:1, 2) UPhawuli ukhuluma kakhulu ngendaba yokuvuswa kwabafileyo ku-1 Khorinte isahluko 15. Kumele ukuthi akubhalayo kwawakhuthaza amaKhristu akuqala. Kungelani lokuthi usulesikhathi eside kanganani ukholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa, isahluko lesi sizakukhuthaza njalo sikuqinise.

4. Kuyini okwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi izihlobo zethu labangane abafayo bazavuswa?

⁴ Ukuvuswa kukaJesu Khristu kwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi izihlobo zethu labangane abafayo bazavuswa. Ukuvuswa kwakhe kwakungezinye ‘izindaba ezinhle’ uPhawuli azitshumayela ebantwini baseKhorinte. (1 Khor. 15:1, 2) UPhawuli wathi nxa umKhristu engakholwa ukuthi uJesu wavuswa, ukholo lwakhe aluncedi. (1 Khor. 15:17) Nxa singakholwa ukuthi  uJesu wavuswa sizaba lokholo lokuthi abanye labo bazavuswa.

5-6. Amazwi aku-1 Khorinte 15:3, 4 asinceda njani?

⁵ Ekuqaliseni kwendaba uPhawuli ayibhalayo mayelana lokuvuswa kwabafileyo, wakhuluma ngezinto ezintathu ezilandelayo: (1) “UKhristu wafela izono zethu.” (2) “Wangcwatshwa.” (3) ‘Wavuswa ngelanga lesithathu ngokuvumelana leMibhalo.’—Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:3, 4.

⁶ Ukufa, ukungcwatshwa lokuvuswa kukaJesu kusinceda njani? U-Isaya waphrofetha ukuthi uMesiya ‘wayezasuswa elizweni labaphilayo’ njalo ‘abelwe ingcwaba kanye lababi.’ Waphinda wathi uMesiya ‘wayezathwala izono zabanengi.’ UJesu wakwenza lokhu ngesikhathi enikela ngokuphila kwakhe ukuthi kube yinhlawulo. (Isaya. 53:8, 9, 12; Mat. 20:28; Rom. 5:8) Yikho ukufa lokungcwatshwa lokuvuswa kukaJesu kusenza sikholwe ukuthi sizakhululwa esonweni lasekufeni lokuthi sizaphinda sizibone izihlobo labangane bethu abafayo.

7-8. Kuyini okunganceda amaKhristu akholwe ukuthi uJesu wavuswa?

⁷ Kumele sikholwe ukuthi uJesu wavuswa ukuze sibe lokholo lokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa. Kuyini okungenza singathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova wamvusa?

⁸ Banengi ababona uJesu esevusiwe basebetshela abanye ngalokho. (1 Khor. 15:5-7) UPhawuli uqala ngokuqamba umphostoli uPhetro (uKhefasi). Abafundi labo bathi uPhetro wambona uJesu esevusiwe. (Luk. 24:33, 34) Uphinda athi ‘abaliTshumi Lambili’ okutsho abaphostoli labo bambona esevusiwe. Ngemva kwalokho “wabonakala kubafowethu abedlula 500 ngasikhathi sinye.” Kungenzakala kwakusemhlanganweni owawuseGalile okukhulunywa ngawo kuMathewu 28:16-20. UJesu ‘wabonakala lakuJakhobe,’ umfowabo owayekade engelakholo lokuthi unguMesiya. (Joh. 7:5) Esebone uJesu owayesevusiwe, uJakhobe wayengasathandabuzi ukuthi unguMesiya. Kungenzeka kwakungu-55 C.E., * ngesikhathi uPhawuli ebhala incwadi yokuqala eya kwabaseKhorinte. Ngalesosikhathi abanengi ababona uJesu esevusiwe babesaphila, yikho loba ngubani owayengabe ethandabuza ukuthi uJesu wayevusiwe wayengabuza ofakazi abambona ngawabo.

9. ImiSebenzi 9:3-5 ilabuphi ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi uJesu wavuswa?

⁹ Ekucineni uJesu wabonakala kuPhawuli ngokwakhe. (1 Khor. 15:8) UPhawuli (uSawuli) wayesendleleni esiya eDamaseko ngesikhathi esizwa ilizwi likaJesu owayevusiwe njalo ebona umbono kaJesu esenkazimulweni yakhe ezulwini. (Bala imiSebenzi 9:3-5.) Okwenzakala kuPhawuli ngobunye ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi uJesu wavuswa.—ImiSeb. 26:12-15.

10. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uPhawuli wayekholwa ukuthi uJesu wayevusiwe?

¹⁰ Ubufakazi bukaPhawuli bungabamangalisa abanye ngoba wayehlukuluza amaKhristu uJesu engakabonakali kuye. Wathi engasathandabuzi ukuthi uJesu wayevusiwe wasebenza nzima encedisa abanye ukuthi labo bakukholwe lokho. Watshaywa, wabotshwa njalo wabhidlikelwa ngumkhumbi ngesikhathi etshumayela ngokuthi uJesu wafa wasevuswa. (1 Khor. 15:9-11; 2 Khor. 11:23-27) UPhawuli wayekukholwa sibili ukuthi uJesu wayevusiwe okokuthi wayezimisele ukufa etshumayela ngalokho. Ubufakazi lobo benza lathi sikholwe ukuthi uJesu wavuswa, benza singathandabuzi lokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa ngesikhathi esizayo.

11. Kuyini okwakusenza amanye amaKhristu eKhorinte akholwe izinto ezingaqondanga mayelana lokuvuswa kwabafileyo?

¹¹ Amanye amaKhristu eKhorinte ayekholwa izinto ezingaqondanga mayelana lokuvuswa kwabafileyo. Amanye ayeze athi “akukho ukuvuswa kwabafileyo.” Kuyini okwakusenza ukuthi angakholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa? (1 Khor. 15:12) Izinjulangqondo zase-Athene zazichothoze imfundiso yokuthi uJesu wayevusiwe. Kumele ukuthi lokho kwabaphambanisa abanye abantu beKhorinte ngitsho lamaKhristu. (ImiSeb. 17:18, 31, 32) Abanye babecabanga ukuthi ukuvuswa kwabafileyo akusiyonto engokoqobo. Babecabanga ukuthi umuntu kuthiwa ufile ngoba eyisoni lokuthi nxa esengumKhristu uyabe esevusiwe waphila ngoba izono zakhe ziyabe sezithethelelwe. Kungelani lokuthi kuyini okwakusenza bangakholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa, ukholo lwabo lwalungancedi. Nxa babesithi uNkulunkulu kamvusanga uJesu babesitsho ukuthi akuzange kube lenhlawulo lokuthi izono zabantu bonke azizange zithethelelwe. Yikho labo ababengakholwa ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa babengelathemba.—1 Khor. 15:13-19; Heb. 9:12, 14.

12. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Phetro 3:18, 22, ukuvuswa kukaJesu kwakutshiyene njani lokwabanye ababeke bavuswa?

¹² UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi ‘uKhristu wayevusiwe kwabafileyo.’ Ukuvuswa kukaJesu kwakungcono kulokwabanye ababeke bavuswa ngoba bona baphinda bafa. UPhawuli wathi uJesu ‘wayeyizithelo zokuqala zalabo asebafayo.’ Kungani kuthiwa uJesu wayengowokuqala? Waba ngowokuqala ukuvuswa eyisidalwa somoya lowokuqala owavuswa ukuthi ayephila ezulwini.—1 Khor. 15:20; ImiSeb. 26:23; bala u-1 Phetro 3:18, 22.

13. UPhawuli wathi yiwuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kuka-Adamu loJesu?

¹³ Ukufa komuntu oyedwa kwakuzakwenza njani ukuthi amamiliyoni abantu aphile? UPhawuli wawuphendula kuhle umbuzo lo. Wakhuluma ngalokho okwenzakala ebantwini ngenxa yokona kuka-Adamu lalokho okuzakwenzakala kibo ngenxa yomhlatshelo kaKhristu. UPhawuli wabhala ngo-Adamu wathi: “Ukufa kweza ngendoda.” Ukona kuka-Adamu kwabangela ukuthi afe. Lathi sithwele nzima ngenxa yokungalaleli kwakhe. Kodwa silethemba lokuba lekusasa elihle ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu wavusa iNdodana yakhe. “Lokuvuswa kwabafileyo kuza ngendoda,” okutsho uJesu. UPhawuli waphinda wathi: “Njengoba nje ku-Adamu bonke besifa, kuKhristu bonke bazakwenziwa baphile.”—1 Khor. 15:21, 22.

14. U-Adamu uzavuswa yini? Chasisa.

¹⁴ UPhawuli wayekhuluma ngobani lapho esithi ‘ku-Adamu bonke bayafa’? Wayekhuluma ngabantu bonke abathola isono ku-Adamu futhi abazakufa ngenxa yesono leso. (Rom. 5:12) U-Adamu kakho phakathi kwalabo ‘abazakwenziwa baphile.’ Umhlatshelo kaJesu awusebenzi kuye ngoba wakhetha ukungalaleli yena wayengumuntu ongelasono. Okwehlela u-Adamu kufanana lalokho okuzakwehlela labo “iNdodana yomuntu” ezabahlulela ‘njengezimbuzi, abazabhujiswa phakade.’—Mat. 25:31-33, 46; Heb. 5:9.

15. U-1 Khorinte 15:22 uthini ngokuvuswa kwabafileyo?

¹⁵ Nanzelela ukuthi uPhawuli wathi “kuKhristu bonke bazakwenziwa baphile.” (1 Khor. 15:22) Njengoba incwadi yabaseKhorinte yayibhalelwe amaKhristu ayehlala edolobheni lelo ayezavuswa ayephila ezulwini, lawo agoqelwe kubo ‘bonke abazakwenziwa baphile.’ AmaKhristu lawo ‘ayengcweliswe aba munye loKhristu uJesu  futhi abizelwa ukuthi abe ngabangcwele.’ UPhawuli waphinda wabhala ‘ngalabo abafa bemanyene loKhristu.’ (1 Khor. 1:2; 15:18; 2 Khor. 5:17) Kwenye incwadi yeBhayibhili ephefumulelweyo, uPhawuli wabhala wathi labo ‘abamunye [loJesu] ngokufa njengaye, bazakuba munye laye ngoba bazavuswa njengaye.’ (Rom. 6:3-5) UJesu wavuswa eyisidalwa somoya futhi waya ezulwini. Lokhu yikho okuzakwenzakala kulabo ‘abamanyene loKhristu,’ okutsho amaKhristu agcotshiweyo.

16. UPhawuli wayevezani ngesikhathi esithi uJesu ‘uyizithelo zokuqala’?

¹⁶ UPhawuli wabhala wathi uKhristu wavuswa ‘eyizithelo zokuqala zalabo asebafayo.’ UJesu wayengayisuye wokuqala ukuvuswa kwabafileyo. Bakhona abanye ababeke bavuswa, omunye wabo nguLazaro. Kodwa uJesu wayengowokuqala ukuvuswa eyisidalwa somoya njalo engowokuqala ukuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo. Wayenjengezithelo zokuqala ama-Israyeli ayezinikela kuNkulunkulu ngemva kokuvuna. Amazwi kaPhawuli athi uJesu ‘wayeyizithelo zokuqala’ aveza ukuthi bakhona abanye ababezavuswa ukuthi bayephila ezulwini. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abaphostoli kanye labanye ‘ababemanyene loKhristu’ babezavuswa balandele uJesu ezulwini.

17. ‘Labo abamanyene loKhristu’ bawuthola nini umvuzo wabo wokuyaphila ezulwini?

¹⁷ Ukuvuka kwalabo ‘abamanyene loKhristu’ ukuthi bayephila ezulwini kwakungakaqalisi ngesikhathi uPhawuli ebhala incwadi eya kwabaseKhorinte. Watshengisa ukuthi lokho kuzakwenzakala esikhathini esizayo, wathi: “Ngamunye ngethuba lakhe elifaneleyo: Owokuqala nguKhristu oyizithelo zokuqala, besekulandela abangabakaKhristu ngesikhathi sokuba khona kwakhe.” (1 Khor. 15:23; 1 Thes. 4:15, 16) Lamuhla siphila esikhathini “sokuba khona” kukaKhristu. Ngakho abaphostoli kanye lamanye amaKhristu agcotshiweyo kwakumele balinde kuze kube yisikhathi sokuba khona kukaKhristu ukuze bathole umvuzo wabo wokuya ezulwini lokuthi ‘babemunye loJesu njengoba babezavuswa njengaye.’

18. (a) Kungani sisithi kuzakuba lokunye ukuvuswa? (b) Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Khorinte 15:24-26, kuyini okuzakwenzakala ezulwini?

¹⁸ Kuzakwenzakalani ngamaKhristu aqotho angelathemba lokuyaphila loKhristu ezulwini? Lawo alethemba lokuthi azavuswa. IBhayibhili lithi uPhawuli labanye abazakuya ezulwini bathola “ukuvuswa  kwabafileyo kwakuqala.” (Flp. 3:11) Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi kulokunye ukuvuswa okuzakuba khona. Lokhu kuhambelana lalokho uJobe ayekholwa ukuthi kuzakwenzakala kuye esikhathini esizayo. (Jobe. 14:15) Labo “abangabakaKhristu ngesikhathi sokuba khona kwakhe” bazabe sebesezulwini loJesu lapho esetshabalalisa bonke ohulumende kanye lalabo abalamandla. “Lokufa okuyisitha sokucina” kuzatshabalaliswa. Bonke abayabe bevuswe ukuthi bayephila ezulwini kabasoze baphinde bafe loba sekutheni. Kodwa kuthiwani ngabanye?—Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:24-26.

19. Yiliphi ithemba labo abangasoze baye ezulwini abalalo?

¹⁹ Yiliphi ithemba labo abangasoze baye ezulwini abalalo? Balethemba uPhawuli akhuluma ngalo lapho esithi: ‘Ngilethemba, elokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa, abalungileyo labangalunganga.’ (ImiSeb. 24:15) Siyakwazi ukuthi akulabantu abangalunganga abazakuya ezulwini, yikho amazwi la akhuluma ngokuvuswa kwalabo abazaphila emhlabeni.

20. Esifunde ngakho kuliqinise njani ithemba lakho lokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa?

²⁰ Asithandabuzi ukuthi “abafileyo bazavuswa”! Labo abazavuswa ukuthi baphile emhlabeni bazakuba lethemba lokuphila kuwo kuze kube nini lanini. Isithembiso lesi sizagcwaliseka sibili futhi kuzakududuza ukwazi ukuthi izihlobo zakho labangane bazavuswa. Lokhu kuzakwenzakala ngesikhathi uKhristu labanye ‘bebusa bengamakhosi okweminyaka eyinkulungwane.’ (Isam. 20:6) Lawe ungaqiniseka ukuthi nxa ungafa ukubusa kukaKhristu kweminyaka eyinkulungwane kungakaqalisi, uzavuswa. ‘Ithemba leli alisidanisi.’ (Rom. 5:5) Liyasiqinisa futhi lisenze sithokoze ekukhonzeni uJehova. Kodwa kulokunye futhi esingakufunda ku-1 Khorinte isahluko 15. Sizaxoxa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.