1, 2. (a) Kunini lapho isipho siba esibaluleke kakhulu kuwena? (b) Kungani kuthiwa isihlengo siyisipho esibaluleke kunazo zonke ongazithola?

YISIPHI isipho esikhulu kunazo zonke owake wasithola? Isipho akudingeki sibize ukuze sibaluleke. Eqinisweni, ukubaluleka kwesipho akunqunywa ngempela yimali. Kunalokho, uma isipho sikujabulisa noma sigcwalisa isidingo sangempela ekuphileni kwakho, sibaluleke kakhulu kuwena.

² Eziphweni eziningi ongafisa ukuzithola, sinye esivelele kunazo zonke. Yisipho uNkulunkulu asinikeze abantu. UJehova usiphe izinto eziningi, kodwa isipho esikhulu kunazo zonke asinike sona umhlatshelo wesihlengo weNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu. (Mathewu 20:28) Njengoba sizobona kulesi sahluko, isihlengo siyisipho esibaluleke kunazo zonke ongazithola, ngoba singakulethela intokozo engenakulinganiswa futhi sigcwalise izidingo zakho ezibaluleke kakhulu. Ngempela, isihlengo sibonisa uthando olukhulu kakhulu lukaJehova ngawe.

3. Siyini isihlengo, futhi yini okudingeka siyiqonde ukuze sisazise lesi sipho esibaluleke kangaka?

³ Kalula nje, isihlengo siyindlela kaJehova yokukhulula noma yokusindisa isintu esonweni nasekufeni. (Efesu 1:7) Ukuze siyiqonde incazelo yale mfundiso yeBhayibheli, kudingeka sicabange ngalokho okwenzeka ensimini yase-Edene. Ukuthi kungani isihlengo siyisipho esibaluleke kangaka, siyokuqonda kuphela uma sikuqonda lokho u-Adamu akulahla ngesikhathi ona.

4. Kwakusho ukuthini ngo-Adamu ukuphila njengomuntu ophelele?

⁴ Ngenkathi uJehova edala u-Adamu, wamnikeza into eyigugu ngempela—ukuphila njengomuntu ophelele. Cabanga ukuthi kwakusho ukuthini lokho ngo-Adamu. Njengoba ayenziwe waba nomzimba nengqondo ephelele, wayengeke agule, aguge, noma afe. Njengomuntu ophelele, wayenobuhlobo obukhethekile noJehova. IBhayibheli lithi u-Adamu ‘wayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu.’ (Luka 3:38) Ngakho u-Adamu wayenobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova uNkulunkulu, obunjengobendodana noyise onothando. UJehova wayekhuluma nendodana yakhe yasemhlabeni, engu-Adamu, eyinika izabelo zomsebenzi owanelisayo futhi eyitshela ayekulindele kuyo.—Genesise 1:28-30; 2:16, 17.

5. Lisho ukuthini iBhayibheli uma lithi u-Adamu wenziwa “ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu”?

⁵ U-Adamu wenziwa “ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu.” (Genesise 1:27) Lokhu akusho ukuthi u-Adamu wayefana noNkulunkulu ngokubukeka. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 1 kule ncwadi, uJehova ungumoya, akabonakali. (Johane 4:24) Ngakho uJehova akanawo umzimba wenyama negazi. Ukuthi u-Adamu wenziwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu kusho ukuthi wadalwa enezimfanelo ezinjengezikaNkulunkulu, ezihlanganisa uthando, ukuhlakanipha, ukulunga, namandla. U-Adamu wayefana noYise nangenye indlela ebalulekile. Wayenenkululeko yokuzikhethela. Ngakho, u-Adamu  wayengafani nomshini, wona owenza kuphela lokho oklanyelwe noma ocushelwe ukukwenza. Kunalokho, wayengazenzela ezakhe izinqumo, akhethe phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile. Ukube wayekhethe ukulalela uNkulunkulu, ngabe waphila phakade ePharadesi emhlabeni.

6. Lapho u-Adamu engamlaleli uNkulunkulu, walahlekelwa yini, futhi inzalo yakhe yathinteka kanjani?

⁶ Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi lapho u-Adamu engamlaleli uNkulunkulu futhi ethola isahlulelo sokufa, likhulu kakhulu inani alikhokha. Isono sakhe samlahlekisela ukuphila kwakhe okuphelele njengomuntu nazo zonke izibusiso zako. (Genesise 3:17-19) Ngokudabukisayo, u-Adamu akazilahlekiselanga yena yedwa lokhu kuphila okuyigugu kodwa walahlekisela nenzalo ayesazoba nayo. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Ngomuntu oyedwa [u-Adamu] isono sangena ezweni nokufa kwangena ngesono, futhi kanjalo ukufa kwasakazekela kubantu bonke ngenxa yokuthi bonke bonile.” (Roma 5:12) Yebo, sonke sizuze ifa lesono ku-Adamu. Yingakho iBhayibheli lithi ‘wazithengisa’ yena kanye nenzalo yakhe ebugqilini besono nokufa. (Roma 7:14) Lalingekho ithemba ngo-Adamu no-Eva ngoba bakhetha ukungamlaleli ngamabomu uNkulunkulu. Kodwa kuthiwani ngenzalo yabo, ehlanganisa nathi?

7, 8. Yiziphi izinto ezimbili ezishiwo isihlengo?

⁷ UJehova wangenela wophula isintu ngesihlengo. Siyini isihlengo? Isihlengo empeleni sisho izinto ezimbili. Okokuqala, isihlengo inani elikhokhwayo ukuze kudedelwe okuthile noma kubuyiswe ngenhlawulo. Singase sifaniswe nenani elikhokhelwa ukudedela isiboshwa sempi. Okwesibili, isihlengo inani elihlangabezana, noma elikhokhela, izindleko zokuthile. Sifana nenani elikhokhelwa ukunxephezela umonakalo odalwe ukulimala. Ngokwesibonelo, uma umuntu edala ingozi, kungadingeka akhokhe inani elihambelana, noma elilingana, ncamashí nalokho okulimele.

⁸ Wawuyokhokhelwa kanjani umonakalo omkhulu  kangaka owadalwa u-Adamu kithi sonke futhi sikhululwe ebugqilini besono nokufa? Ake sifunde ngesihlengo uJehova asilungiselela nokuthi singasho ukuthini kuwe.

9. Kwakudingeka isihlengo esinjani?

⁹ Njengoba kwalahleka ukuphila komuntu okuphelele, akukho ukuphila komuntu okungaphelele okwakungaba inhlawulo yako. (IHubo 49:7, 8) Okwakudingeka yisihlengo esinenani elilingana nokwakulahlekile. Lokhu kuhambisana nesimiso sobulungisa obuphelele esiseZwini likaNkulunkulu, esithi: “Umphefumulo ngomphefumulo.” (Duteronomi 19:21) Yini-ke eyayingakhokha inani lomphefumulo ophelele womuntu, noma ukuphila, okwalahlwa u-Adamu? Okunye ukuphila komuntu ophelele yikhona ‘okwakuyisihlengo esihambelanayo’ esasidingeka.—1 Thimothewu 2:6.

10. UJehova wasilungiselela kanjani isihlengo?

¹⁰ UJehova wasilungiselela kanjani isihlengo? Wathumela enye yamadodana akhe omoya aphelele emhlabeni. Kodwa uJehova akathumelanga noma yisiphi nje isidalwa somoya. Wathumela esiyigugu kunazo zonke kuye, iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa. (1 Johane 4:9, 10) Ngokuzithandela, le Ndodana yashiya ikhaya lasezulwini. (Filipi 2:7) Njengoba sifundile esahlukweni esingaphambili kule ncwadi, uJehova wenza isimangaliso lapho edlulisela ukuphila kwale Ndodana esibelethweni sikaMariya. Ngomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, uJesu wazalwa engumuntu ophelele futhi wayengekho ngaphansi kwesigwebo sesono.—Luka 1:35.

11. Umuntu oyedwa wayengaba kanjani isihlengo sezigidi zabantu?

¹¹ Umuntu oyedwa wayengaba kanjani isihlengo sabaningi, empeleni sezigidi zabantu? Kanti kwenzeka kanjani ukuba abantu abafinyelela ezigidini babe izoni kwasekuqaleni? Khumbula ukuthi ngokona, u-Adamu walahla into eyigugu ayenayo, ukuphila okuphelele njengomuntu. Ngakho  wayengenakukwazi ukukunika inzalo yakhe. Kunalokho, wayengayinika isono nokufa kuphela. UJesu, iBhayibheli elimbiza ngokuthi “u-Adamu wokugcina,” wayenokuphila okuphelele njengomuntu futhi akazange one. (1 Korinte 15:45) Kufana nokuthi uJesu wangena esikhundleni sika-Adamu ukuze asisindise. Ngokwenza ukuphila kwakhe okuphelele kube umhlatshelo, noma ngokukudela, nangokulalela uNkulunkulu ngokuphelele, uJesu wakhokha inkokhelo yesono sika-Adamu. Ngokwenza kanjalo, wayinikeza ithemba inzalo ka-Adamu.—Roma 5:19; 1 Korinte 15:21, 22.

12. Ukuhlupheka kukaJesu kwafakazelani?

¹² IBhayibheli likuchaza ngokuningiliziwe ukuhlupheka uJesu akubekezelela ngaphambi kokuba afe. Wabhaxabulwa ngendlela enonya, wabethelwa ngesihluku, futhi wafa kabuhlungu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. (Johane 19:1, 16-18, 30; iSithasiselo, amakhasi 204-6) Kungani kwakudingeka ukuba uJesu ahlupheke kakhulu kangaka? Kwesinye isahluko kule ncwadi, sizobona ukuthi uSathane uye wakungabaza ukuthi uJehova unazo izinceku ezingabantu ezingahlala zithembekile ngaphansi kovivinyo. Ngokubekezela ngokwethembeka naphezu kokuhlupheka okukhulu, uJesu wakuphendula ngendlela engcono kakhulu lokho kungabaza kukaSathane. UJesu wafakazela ukuthi umuntu ophelele onenkululeko yokuzikhethela angabugcina ngokuphelele ubuqotho kuNkulunkulu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uDeveli wenzani. Kumelwe ukuba uJehova wathokoza kakhulu ngokuthembeka kweNdodana yakhe ayithandayo!—IzAga 27:11.

13. Sakhokhwa kanjani isihlengo?

¹³ Sakhokhwa kanjani isihlengo? Ngosuku lwe-14 lwenyanga yamaJuda uNisani, ngo-33 C.E., uNkulunkulu wavumela ukuba iNdodana yakhe ephelele nengenasono ibulawe. Ngaleyo ndlela uJesu wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe okuphelele kobuntu njengomhlatshelo ‘kwaba kanye kuphela.’ (Hebheru 10:10) Ngosuku lwesithathu uJesu efile, uJehova  wamvusa wambuyisela ekuphileni komoya. Ezulwini, uJesu wanikeza uNkulunkulu inani lokuphila kwakhe okuphelele kobuntu okwaba umhlatshelo oyisihlengo sokwenana inzalo ka-Adamu. (Hebheru 9:24) UJehova walamukela inani lomhlatshelo kaJesu njengeliyisihlengo esasidingeka ukuze kukhululwe isintu ekugqilazweni isono nokufa.—Roma 3:23, 24.

14, 15. Ukuze ‘sithethelelwe izono zethu,’ yini okumelwe siyenze?

¹⁴ Naphezu kwesimo sethu sokuba yizoni, singathola izibusiso ezingenakulinganiswa ngenxa yesihlengo. Ake sixoxe ngezinye zezinzuzo zamanje nezesikhathi esizayo zalesi sipho esikhulu kunazo zonke esivela kuNkulunkulu.

¹⁵ Ukuthethelelwa izono. Ngenxa yokungapheleli esakuzuza ngefa, kuwumshikashika ngempela ukwenza okulungile. Sonke siyona ngezwi noma ngesenzo. Ngomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu, ‘singathethelelwa izono zethu.’ (Kolose 1:13, 14) Kodwa ukuze sithethelelwe, kumelwe siphenduke ngeqiniso. Kumelwe futhi sinxuse uJehova ngokuthobeka, simcele ukuba asithethelele ngesisekelo sokholo lwethu emhlatshelweni wesihlengo seNdodana yakhe.—1 Johane 1:8, 9.

16. Yini esenza sikwazi ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ngonembeza ohlanzekile, futhi ubaluleke kangakanani unembeza onjalo?

¹⁶ Unembeza ohlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Isazela singasenza siphelelwe kalula ithemba futhi sisenze sizizwe singento yalutho. Noma kunjalo, ngentethelelo etholakala ngesihlengo, ngomusa uJehova usenza sikwazi ukumkhulekela ngonembeza ohlanzekile yize singaphelele. (Hebheru 9:13, 14) Lokhu kusenza sikwazi ukuba nenkululeko yokukhuluma noJehova. Ngakho-ke, singathandaza kuye ngenkululeko. (Hebheru 4:14-16) Ukuhlala unonembeza ohlanzekile kukunika ukuthula kwengqondo, kukwenze uzihloniphe futhi ujabule.

17. Yiziphi izibusiso eziyoba khona ngenxa yokuthi uJesu wasifela?

 ¹⁷ Ithemba lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. “Inkokhelo yesono ngukufa,” kusho eyabaseRoma 6:23. Lona leli vesi liyanezela: “Kodwa isipho uNkulunkulu asinikezayo ngukuphila okuphakade ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” ESahlukweni 3 sale ncwadi, sixoxe ngezibusiso zePharadesi lasemhlabeni elizayo. (IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Zonke lezo zibusiso ezizayo, ezihlanganisa nokuphila okuphakade sinempilo ephelele, ziyoba khona ngenxa yokuthi uJesu wasifela. Ukuze sizithole lezo zibusiso, kudingeka sibonise ukuthi siyasazisa isipho sesihlengo.

18. Kungani kufanele simbonge uJehova ngokulungiselela isihlengo?

¹⁸ Kungani kufanele simbonge ngokujulile uJehova ngesihlengo? Phela, isipho siba yigugu ngokukhethekile uma lowo esivela kuye kudingeke adele isikhathi, amandla, noma angene ezindlekweni. Siyathinteka lapho sibona ukuthi isipho sibonisa uthando oluqotho lomuntu esivela kuye. Isihlengo siyisipho esiyigugu kunazo zonke ngoba uNkulunkulu wenza ukuzidela okukhulu kunakho konke lapho esilungiselela. “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa,” kusho  uJohane 3:16. Isihlengo siwubufakazi obuvelele kunabo bonke bothando lukaJehova ngathi. Siwubufakazi futhi bokuthi uJesu uyasithanda, ngoba wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngokuzithandela ngenxa yethu. (Johane 15:13) Ngakho-ke lesi sipho sesihlengo kufanele sisiqinisekise ukuthi uJehova neNdodana yakhe basithanda njengabantu ngabanye.—Galathiya 2:20.

19, 20. Yiziphi izindlela ongabonisa ngazo ukuthi uyasazisa isipho sikaNkulunkulu sesihlengo?

¹⁹ Wena-ke ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyasazisa isipho sikaNkulunkulu sesihlengo? Okokuqala, funda okwengeziwe ngoMuphi Omkhulu, uJehova. (Johane 17:3) Ukutadisha iBhayibheli ngosizo lwale ncwadi kuzokusiza ukuba wenze lokho. Lapho ulwazi ngoJehova lukhula kuwe, uthando onalo ngaye luyojula. Lolo thando luyobe selukwenza ufune ukumthokozisa.—1 Johane 5:3.

²⁰ Yiba nokholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaJesu. Mayelana noJesu, kuthiwa: “Obonisa ukholo eNdodaneni unokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:36) Singaba kanjani nokholo kuJesu? Ukholo olunjalo aluboniswa ngamazwi wodwa. ‘Ukholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi lufile,’ kusho uJakobe 2:26. Yebo, ukholo lweqiniso lufakazelwa ‘imisebenzi,’ noma izenzo zethu. Enye indlela esingabonisa ngayo ukuthi sinokholo kuJesu iwukumlingisa ngokusemandleni ethu, singagcini nje ngokumlingisa ngesikushoyo kodwa nangesikwenzayo.—Johane 13:15.

21, 22. (a) Kungani kufanele sibe khona emkhosini waminyaka yonke wokugubha iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa? (b) Yini ezochazwa eZahlukweni 6 no-7?

²¹ Yiba khona emkhosini waminyaka yonke wokugubha iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa. Ngobusuku bukaNisani 14, 33 C.E., uJesu waqala umkhosi okhethekile iBhayibheli eliwubiza ngokuthi “isidlo seNkosi sakusihlwa.” (1 Korinte 11:20; Mathewu 26:26-28) Lo mkhosi ubizwa nangokuthi iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu. UJesu wawuqalisa ngenjongo  yokusiza abaphostoli bakhe nawo wonke amaKristu eqiniso ayeyoba khona ngemva kwabo ukuba bakhumbule ukuthi ngokufa kwakhe engumuntu ophelele, wanikela ngomphefumulo wakhe, noma ngokuphila kwakhe, kwaba isihlengo. Ngokuqondene nalo mkhosi, uJesu wayala: “Qhubekani nikwenza lokhu ningikhumbula.” (Luka 22:19) Ukugubha iSikhumbuzo kusikhumbuza ngothando olukhulu olwaboniswa uJehova noJesu ngokuqondene nesihlengo. Singabonisa ukwazisa kwethu isihlengo ngokuba khona emkhosini waminyaka yonke wokugubha iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaJesu. *

²² Ilungiselelo likaJehova lesihlengo ngempela liyisipho esingenakulinganiswa. (2 Korinte 9:14, 15) Lesi sipho esiyigugu singazuzisa ngisho nabafileyo. Isahluko 6 no-7 sizochaza ukuthi kanjani.