Njengamalunga ohlanga lwesintu kanye namaKristu azinikele, kuwumthwalo nesibopho sethu sonke ukunikela imiqondo nemizimba yethu ukuze kugcwaliseke umsebenzi ophathiswe nguNkulunkulu ngoba ubuthina bonke bavela kuNkulunkulu, futhi bukhona ngenxa yobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu. Uma imiqondo nemizimba yethu ingeyona eyomsebenzi ophathiswe nguNkulunkulu kanye nendlela elungile yesintu, ngakho imiphefumulo yethu ngeke ifanele labo ababulawelwa umsebenzi abawuphathiswe nguNkulunkulu, ngeke ifanele uNkulunkulu nhlobo, osihlinzeke ngakho konke.

UNkulunkulu wadala lo mhlaba, wadala isintu, futhi ngaphezu kwalokho, wayengumakhi wesiko lamaGriki lasendulo kanye nokuphucuka kwabantu. UNkulunkulu kuphela oduduza lesi sintu, futhi uNkulunkulu kuphela onakekela lesi sintu ubusuku nemini. Ukuthuthuka komuntu nokuqhubekela phambili kungehlukaniswe nobukhosi bukaNkulunkulu, futhi umlando nekusasa lesintu kungeke kwakhishwa ezinhlelweni zikaNkulunkulu. Uma ungumKristu ngokweqiniso, uzokholwa ukuthi ukuvuka nokuwa kwanoma iliphi izwe noma isizwe kwenzeka ngokuhlela kukaNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu yedwa owazi isiphetho sezwe noma isizwe, futhi uNkulunkulu yedwa olawula inkambo yale sintu. Uma isintu sifisa ukuba nesiphetho esihle, uma izwe lifuna ukuba nesiphetho esihle, kufanele umuntu aguqe phansi adumise uNkulunkulu, aphenduke futhi avume phambi kukaNkulunkulu, ngaphandle kwalokho isiphetho nesiphetho somuntu ngokungenakugwemeka siyogcina ngenhlekelele.

Bheka emuva esikhathini somkhumbi kaNowa: isintu sasonakele kakhulu, sasidukile esibusisweni sikaNkulunkulu, sasingasanakekelwe nguNkulunkulu, futhi sasesilahlekelwe izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. Babephila ebumnyameni, ngaphandle kokukhanya kukaNkulunkulu. Ngakho baba nezinkanuko ngokwemvelo, bazilahlela ekonakaleni okusabekayo. Abantu abanjalo babengeke basakwazi ukwemukela isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu: babengafanele ukubona ubuso bukaNkulunkulu, noma ukuzwa izwi likaNkulunkulu, ngoba babemshiyile uNkulunkulu, babelahle kude konke ayekade ebaphe khona, futhi basebezikhohliwe izimfundiso zikaNkulunkulu. Inhliziyo yabo yedukela kude kakhulu noNkulunkulu, futhi njengoba kwenzeka lokho, bonakala ngaphezulu kwakho konke ukucabanga nobuntu, futhi baphenduka baba babi kakhulu. Ngakho baya besondela ekufeni, bawela olakeni nokujezisa kukaNkulunkulu. UNowa kuphela owayekhonza uNkulunkulu futhi ebalekela ububi, ngakho wayekwazi ukuzwa izwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi ezwa nemiyalelo kaNkulunkulu. Wawakha umkhumbi ngokusho kwemiyalelo yezwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi waqoqa zonke izinhlobo ngezinhlobo zezidalwa. Ngale ndlela, kwathi uma yonke into seyilungiselelwe, uNkulunkulu wadedela imbubhiso Yakhe phezu komhlaba. UNowa kuphela kanye namalunga ayisikhombisa omndeni wakhe abasinda kuleyo mbubhiso, ngoba uNowa wayekhonza uJehova futhi ebalekela ububi.

Bese ubheka inkathi yamanje: Abantu abalungile njengoNowa abakhonza uNkulunkulu babalekele ububi, abasekho ngisho ukuba khona. Kepha uNkulunkulu usenomusa esintwini futhi uyasisula icala isintu kule nkathi yokugcina. UNkulunkulu ufuna labo abalangazelela ukuthi aqhamuke. Ufuna labo abakwazi ukuzwa amazwi Akhe, labo abangakhohlwanga yilokho abaphathise khona futhi abanikela inhliziyo nomzimba wabo Kuye. Ufuna labo abalalela okwezingane phambi Kwakhe, futhi abangamelani Naye. Uma ungavinjwa ngamandla athile ekukhonzeni kwakho ngobuqotho uNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu uzokwenzela umusa, futhi athele izibusiso Zakhe kuwe. Uma usesikhundleni esiphakeme, waziwa ngokuhlonishwa, unolwazi oluchichimayo, unempahla eningi, futhi wesekwe abantu abaningi, kepha zonke lezi zinto zingakuvimbi ukuthi uze phambi kukaNkulunkulu ukwemukela ubizo Lwakhe, nalokho akuphathisa khona, ukwenza lokho uNkulunkulu akucela ukuba ukwenze, konke oyokwenza kuyoba okubaluleke kakhulu emhlabeni futhi uyobe ungolunge kunabo bonke esintwini. Uma wala ubizo lukaNkulunkulu ngenxa yesikhundla kanye nemigomo yakho, konke ozokwenza kuyobe kuqalekisiwe futhi kuyokwenyanywa nguNkulunkulu. Mhlawumbe ungumongameli, noma usosayensi, umfundisi, noma ilunga kodwa noma ngabe siphakeme kangakanani isikhundla sakho, uma wethembele olwazini lwakho, nekhono kulokho okwenzayo, uyoba yisahluleki njalo, futhi uyohlala ungenazo izibusiso zikaNkulunkulu, ngoba uNkulunkulu akamukeli lutho olwenzayo, futhi akavumi ukuthi umsebenzi wakho ungolungileyo noma emukele ukuthi usebenzela ukusizakala kwesintu. Uzothi konke okwenzayo, ukusebenzisa ulwazi namandla esintu ukuphuca umuntu ukuvikelwa nguNkulunkulu, kanye nokuphika izibusiso zikaNkulunkulu. Uzothi uholela isintu ebumnyameni, ekufeni, futhi ekuqaleni kokuphila okungenamkhawulo lapho umuntu eselahlekelwe uNkulunkulu nesibusiso Sakhe.

Kusukela lapho umuntu waqala ukuba namasayensi okuhlalisana kwabantu, umqondo womuntu wagcwala isayensi nolwazi. Isayensi nolwazi lwase luba amathuluzi okubusa isintu, futhi yayingasekho indawo eyanele yokuba umuntu akhonze uNkulunkulu, kanye nezimo ezikahle zokukhonzwa kukaNkulunkulu. Isikhundla sikaNkulunkulu sashona phansi kakhulu enhliziyweni yomuntu. Izwe enhliziyweni yomuntu elingenandawo kaNkulunkulu limnyama, alinalutho alinathemba. Ngakho kwavela ososayensi bezokuhlalisana kwabantu abaningi, ababhali bezemilando, kanye nosopolitiki ukuveza izichasiso ezicatshangiwe zesayensi yokuhlalisana kwabantu, umcabango ngenguquko yabantu, kanye nezinye izichasiso ezicatshangiwe eziphikisa iqiniso lokuthi uNkulunkulu wadala umuntu, ukugcwalisa inhliziyo nomqondo womuntu. Futhi ngale ndlela, labo abakholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wadala yonke into baba mbalwa kakhulu, futhi labo abakholelwa emcabangweni ngenguquko baba baningi kakhulu. Abantu abaningi kakhulu bathatha imibhalo ngemisebenzi kaNkulunkulu kanye namazwi Akhe ngenkathi yeTestamente Elidala njengezinsomi nezinganekwane. Ezinhliziyweni zabo abantu baphenduka bangabinandaba nesithunzi nobukhulu bukaNkulunkulu, nemfundiso ethi uNkulunkulu ukhona futhi uyabusa phezu konke. Ukuphila kwesintu nesiphetho samazwe nezizwe akusabalulekile kubo. Umuntu uphila ezweni elingenalutho ezikhathaza kuphela ngokudla, ukuphuza nokushisekela intokozo. … Bambalwa abantu abazihluphayo ngokufuna ukwazi lapho uNkulunkulu enza khona umsebenzi Wakhe namhlanje, noma ukufuna ukuthi usengamela kanjani futhi usihlela kanjani isiphetho somuntu. Futhi ngale ndlela, kungazeki kumuntu, impucuko yabantu iya ngokuya ingakwazi ukuhamba ngokwezifiso zomuntu, futhi baningi abantu abezwa ukuthi njengoba bephila emhlabeni onjalo, ukujabula kwabo kuncane kunalokho kwabantu bangaphambilini. Nabantu bamazwe ayephucuke kakhulu imbala baveza izikhalo ezinjalo. Ngoba ngaphandle kokuqondisa kukaNkulunkulu, akukhathaleki ukuthi ababusi nezazi zokuhlalisana kwabantu bazikhathaza kangakanani ukugcina impucuko yabantu, kunhlanga zimuka nomoya. Akekho ongagcwalisa ubuze obusenhliziyweni yomuntu, ngoba akekho ongaba impilo yomuntu, futhi awukho umcabango wezokuhlalisana ongakhulula umuntu ebuzeni obumphethe. Isayensi, ulwazi, inkululeko, intando yeningi, ukungcebeleka, ukunethezeka, lokhu kuyikhefu lesikhashana. Naphezu kwalezi zinto, umuntu uyokona nakanjani futhi akhalele ukwenza okungalungile emphakathini. Lezi zinto ngeke zivimbe ukulangazelela okukhulu nesifiso somuntu sokucwaninga. Ngoba umuntu wenziwa nguNkulunkulu, futhi imihlatshelo engenangqondo kanye nokucwaninga komuntu kuholela kuphela ekuhluphekeni okukhulu. Umuntu uzophila esimweni sokwesaba okungapheli, ngeke azi ukuthi angalimela kanjani ikusasa lesintu, noma angabhekana kanjani nendlela engaphambili. Umuntu uzogcina esaba ngisho isayensi nolwazi, futhi asabe nakakhulu umuzwa wobuze ngaphakathi kuye. Kulo mhlaba, akukhathaleki ukuthi uphila ezweni elikhululekile noma ezweni elingenawo amalungelo esintu, awukwazi nhlobo ukuphunyuka isiphetho sesintu. Noma ngabe ungumbusi noma ungobuswayo, awukwazi nhlobo ukuphunyuka esifisweni sokuthi ucwaninge isimiso, izimfihlakalo kanye nesiphetho sesintu. Akusaphathwa ukuthi awukwazi ukuphunyuka emuzweni odidayo wobuze. Izenzakalo ezinje, ezijwayelekile esintwini sonke, zibizwa ngokuthi imisebenzi ephathelene nokuhlalisana kwabantu yizazi zesayensi yokuhlalisana kwabantu, kepha ayikho indoda eqotho engavela ukuxazulula lezi zinkinga. Umuntu, vele, ungumuntu. Indawo nempilo kaNkulunkulu ayinakuthathwa yinoma ngumuphi umuntu. Isintu asidingi nje kuphela umphakathi onobuqiniso lapho bonke abantu bondlekile futhi belingana futhi bekhululekile, kodwa insindiso kaNkulunkulu kanye nokuhlinzeka Kwakhe impilo kubo. Kulapho umuntu ethola insindiso kaNkulunkulu nokuhlinzeka Kwakhe ngempilo kubo lapho izidingo, ukulangazelela ukucwaninga, kanye nobuze bomoya womuntu kuyoxazululwa. Uma abantu bezwe noma besizwe bengakwazi ukwemukela insindiso kanye nokunakekela kukaNkulunkulu, lelo lizwe noma leso sizwe esinjalo siyohamba indlela eya encithakalweni, eya ebumnyameni, futhi siyobhujiswa nguNkulunkulu.

Mhlawumbe izwe lakho liyaphumelela njengamanje, kodwa uma uvumela abantu ukuthi baphambuke kuNkulunkulu, izwe lakho liyozithola liya ngokuya lingenazo izibusiso zikaNkulunkulu. Impucuko yezwe lakho iyoya ngokuya inyathelwe phansi, kungekudala abantu bayovukela uNkulunkulu futhi baqalekise iZulu. Ngakho, kungazeki kumuntu, isiphetho sezwe siyokwehlelwa incithakalo. UNkulunkulu uzovusa amazwe anamandla ukubhekana nalawo mazwe aqalekiswe nguNkulunkulu, futhi angawasusa ebusweni bomhlaba. Ukuvuka nokuwa kwezwe kukhomba ukuthi ababusi balo bayamkhonza uNkulunkulu noma cha, futhi nokuthi bayabaholela yini abantu babo ukuba basondele kuNkulunkulu futhi bamkhonze. Nokho, kule sikhathi sokugcina, ngenxa yokuthi labo abafuna futhi abakhonza uNkulunkulu ngeqiniso baya ngokuya beba yingcosana, uNkulunkulu uzothela umusa okhethekile kulawo mazwe lapho ukholo olusemthethweni kuwubuKristu. Uwaqoqela ndawonye ukwenza inkambu yabalungile nokho emhlabeni, kuthi lawo mazwe angakholwa nhlobo noma lawo angakhonzi uNkulunkulu weqiniso azoba yizitha zenkambu elungile. Ngale ndlela, uNkulunkulu akanayo kuphela indawo phakathi kwesintu lapho ezokwenza khona umsebenzi Wakhe, kodwa uphinda azuze amazwe angaphatha ngegunya elifanele, ukuze alethe unswinyo nemikhawulo kulawo mazwe amelana noNkulunkulu. Kepha ngale kwalokhu, namanje ababaningi abantu abavelayo ukukhonza uNkulunkulu, ngoba umuntu useduke kakhulu Kuye, futhi uNkulunkulu usenesikhathi eside kakhulu engekho emicabangweni yomuntu. Kusele emhlabeni amazwe enza ukulunga futhi amelane nobubi kuphela. Kodwa lokhu kukude nezifiso zikaNkulunkulu, ngoba abekho ababusi bezwe abangavumela uNkulunkulu ukuthi abuse phezu kwabantu babo, futhi ayikho inhlangano yezepolitiki engaqoqa abantu bayo ndawonye ukukhonza uNkulunkulu; uNkulunkulu uselahlekelwe yindawo Yakhe efanele enhliziyweni yezwe, yesizwe, yeqembu elibusayo, kanye ngisho nasenhliziyweni yawonke umuntu. Nakuba amandla alungileyo ekhona emhlabeni, ukubusa lapho uNkulunkulu engenandawo enhliziyweni yomuntu kuntekenteke. Ngaphandle kwesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu, umkhakha wezepolitiki uyoba yinhlakanhlaka futhi ube sengozini yokuhlaselwa. Esintwini, ukuhlala ngaphandle kwesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu kufana nokungabi nelanga. Akukhathaleki ukuthi ababusi banikela ngokukhuthala okungakanani kubantu babo, akusho lutho ukuthi mingaki imihlangano elungile isintu esizenzayo ndawonye, akukho kulokhu okuyolungisa izinto, noma kuguqule isiphetho sesintu. Umuntu ucabanga ukuthi izwe lapho abantu bondlekile futhi begqokile, lapho abantu bephila khona ngokuthula, yizwe elihle, futhi elinabaholi abalungile. Kepha uNkulunkulu akacabangi kanjalo. Ukholwa ukuthi izwe lapho kungekho muntu omkhonzayo Yena yilelo azolibhubhisa. Indlela yomuntu yokucabanga iphikisana kakhulu nekaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, uma inhloko yezwe ingakhonzi uNkulunkulu, isiphetho salelo zwe kuyoba ngesinosizi, futhi izwe ngeke libe nampokophelo.

UNkulunkulu akangeni kwezepolitiki yabantu, kepha isiphetho sezwe noma isizwe silawulwa nguNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu ulawula lomhlaba kanye nomhlaba wonke jikelele. Isiphetho somuntu kanye nohlelo lukaNkulunkulu kuxhumene ngokusondelelene, futhi akekho umuntu, izwe noma isizwe esikhishelwe ngaphandle ebukhosini bukaNkulunkulu. Uma umuntu efisa ukwazi isiphetho sakhe, kufanele eze phambi kukaNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu uzokwenza labo abamlandelayo nabamkhonzayo ukuthi baphumelele, futhi uzoletha ukuncipha nobhubhiso kulabo abamelana Naye nabamalayo.

Khumbula isiqephu eBhayibhelini lapho uNkulunkulu eletha imbubhiso eSodoma, futhi ucabange futhi ukuthi unkosikazi kaLoti waphenduka kanjani isiduli kasawoti. Cabanga emuva ukuthi abantu baseNineva baphenduka kanjani ezonweni zabo bembethe ingubo yamasaka nomlotha, futhi ukhumbule okwalandela emuva kokuthi amaJuda abethela uJesu esiphambanweni eminyakeni eyizi-2,000 eyedlule. AmaJuda axoshwa kwaIsrayeli futhi abalekela emazweni kuwo wonke umhlaba. Amaningi abulawa, futhi isizwe samaJuda sisonkana sabhekana nencithakalo engakaze ibonwe. Babebethele uNkulunkulu esiphambanweni—babenze icala elihlasimulisayo—futhi bachukuluza isimo sikaNkulunkulu. Benziwa ukuthi bakhokhe ngalokho abakwenza, kwafanele bathweswe imiphumela yezenzo zabo. Balahla ngecala uNkulunkulu, bala uNkulunkulu, ngakho baba nesiphetho esisodwa nje: ukujeziswa nguNkulunkulu. Lowo ngumphumela onomunyu ababusi babo abawuletha phezu kwezwe nesizwe sabo.

Namuhla, uNkulunkulu usebuyele emhlabeni ukwenza umsebenzi Wakhe. Isinyathelo Sakhe sokuqala ngababusi abangaphikiswa: iShayina, inqaba eqinile yokungakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu usezuze iqembu labantu ngokuhlakanipha namandla Akhe. Ngalesi sikhathi, uyazingelwa yiqembu lababusi eShayina ngayo yonke indlela futhi ufakwa ekuhluphekeni okukhulu, engenandawo yokuphumuza ikhanda Lakhe futhi engakwazi ukuthola isiphephelo. Naphezu kwalokhu, uNkulunkulu usaqhubeka nomsebenzi ahlose ukuwenza: uyakhuluma futhi asakaze ivangeli. Akekho ongaqonda ukuba nguSomandla kukaNkulunkulu. EShayina, izwe elibuka uNkulunkulu njengesitha, uNkulunkulu akakaze ayeke umsebenzi Wakhe. Kunalokho, baningi kakhulu abantu abemukele umsebenzi nezwi Lakhe, ngoba uNkulunkulu wenza konke angakwenza ukusindisa ilunga lesintu ngalinye ngalinye. Sithemba ukuthi alikho izwe noma isizwe esizomelana nalokho uNkulunkulu afisa ukukufeza. Labo abavimba umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu, abamelana nezwi likaNkulunkulu, abaphazamisa futhi balimaze uhlelo lukaNkulunkulu, bayojeziswa nguNkulunkulu ekugcineni. Lowo oweyisa umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uyothunyelwa esihogweni; noma iliphi ilizwe eleyisa umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu liyobhujiswa; noma isiphi isizwe esivukayo ukumelana nomsebenzi kaNkulunkulu siyoshabalaliswa emhlabeni, futhi singabe sisaba khona. Ngiyagqugquzela abantu bazo zonke izizwe, amazwe, ngisho nezimboni ukuthi nilalele izwi likaNkulunkulu, nibone umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu, ninake isiphetho sesintu, ngaleyo ndlela nenze uNkulunkulu abe ongcwele kakhulu, ohlonishwa kakhulu, ophakeme kakhulu nokunguyena kuphela ofanele ukukhonzwa phakathi kwesintu, futhi nivumele isintu sisonkana ukuthi siphile ngaphansi kwesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu, njengoba inzalo ka-Abrahama yabe iphila ngaphansi kwesithembiso sikaJehova, futhi njengoba u-Adamu no-Eva ababenziwe uNkulunkulu ekuqaleni, babephila eNsimini yase-Edeni.

Umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu ufana namagagasi agubha kakhulu. Akekho ongamvalela, futhi akekho ongamisa izinyathelo Zakhe. Yilabo kuphela abalalela amazwi Akhe ngokucophelela futhi abafuna baphinde bomele Yena, abalandela ezinyathelweni Zakhe futhi bazuze isithembiso Sakhe. Labo abangakwenzi bayobhekana nenhlekelele enamandla kakhulu kanye nesijeziso esifanele.