“...Siionei haya Injili; kwa maana ni uweza wa Mungu uuletao wokovu, kwa kila aaminiye; kwa Myahudi kwanza, na kwa Myunani pia” (Warumi 1:16). 

Mojawapo ya madai yanayotolewa na takriban dini zote ulimwenguni ni kwamba kupitia uaminifu na uaminifu kwa imani zao, mtu anaweza kupata wokovu, lakini dhana ya wokovu inatofautiana sana kutoka dini moja hadi nyingine. Wacha tuangalie machache:

Kwa Mhindi wa Marekani, wokovu unamaanisha kutumia umilele katika uwanja wa kuwinda wenye furaha; kwa Wahindu, wokovu unamaanisha kuunganishwa tena na Brahma inayojulikana kama Nirvana; kabla ya kufikia mwisho huu katika wokovu, Mhindu huamini kwamba atarudi duniani mara kadhaa katika kile kinachoitwa kuzaliwa upya katika umbo jingine. Anaweza kurudi wakati mmoja kama tembo, wakati mwingine kama mdudu. Jinsi alivyo wakati anarudi inategemea jinsi ametumia maisha yake ya sasa. Katika kuondoka kwake kwa mwisho atapata Nirvana yake, ambayo kwa kweli ni hali ya kupoteza fahamu daima. Katika Ubuddha, Nirvana ni hali ya baraka kamilifu inayopatikana kwa kutoweka kwa uwepo wa mtu binafsi, kumezwa ndani ya roho kuu. 

Tunanukuu hivi kama vielelezo vya ukweli kwamba wazo la wokovu linatofautiana sana. Jambo moja la kawaida kwa dini zote ni kwamba imani huleta wokovu. Hivyo ndivyo Mtume Paulo anatuambia kuhusu dini ya Kikristo anaposema, “Siionei haya Injili, kwa maana ni uweza wa Mungu uletao wokovu” (Warumi 1:16). Tofauti kubwa ni kwamba Mtume anazungumza juu ya dini ya kweli na wokovu wa kweli kupitia imani katika Bwana Yesu Kristo na Injili Yake.

Bado, hii haitupi habari nyingi. Ikiwa tungewauliza watu kadhaa wazo lao lilikuwa nini kuhusu Injili ya Kristo, na nini maana ya Wokovu, pengine tutapata majibu mengi tofauti na yanayopingana.

Kwa sababu tu Mtume anasema kwamba Injili ya Kristo ni uweza wa Mungu uletao wokovu haileti mbele ya akili zetu tumaini kuu la Injili, katika utimilifu wake wote, au maana ya kweli ya Ukristo, si kwa ajili yetu tu, bali kwa ajili yetu. jamii nzima ya wanadamu. Katika mistari ya mwanzo ya sura hii, Paulo anatupa msaada fulani katika mstari huu. Anazungumza juu ya injili hii na anaiita Injili ya Mungu. Kisha anaendelea mbele zaidi na kusema ni Injili ya Mungu iliyonenwa zamani na manabii wote. Hivyo, Mtume anapendekeza hapa kwamba ikiwa tunataka kujua zaidi kuhusu Injili hii, njia moja ya kuifanya ni kuchunguza ushuhuda wa Manabii wote Watakatifu wa kipindi cha Agano la Kale. Tukirudi kwenye shuhuda za manabii wa Mungu, tunapata kwamba wanatuambia mambo mengi ya ajabu kuhusu Injili ya Mungu.

Neno Injili lenyewe linamaanisha tu habari njema au habari njema. Tunaona manabii wakitoa kauli nyingi za ajabu ambazo, zikichukuliwa kwa thamani ya uso wao, zinasikika kuwa nzuri na zinafafanua sana habari njema. Kwa mfano, nabii Isaya katika sura ya 35 anatuambia kuhusu wakati ambapo macho yote ya vipofu yatafunguliwa; masikio yote ya viziwi yatazibuliwa; mtu aliye kilema ataruka-ruka kama kulungu, na ulimi wake aliye bubu utaimba. Nabii huyohuyo anatuambia juu ya wakati ambapo kutakuwa na njia kuu, njia ya Utakatifu, njia ambayo masharti yatafanywa kuwa wazi sana hivi kwamba “msafiri, ingawa ni mpumbavu, hapaswi kukosea katika njia hiyo.” Anena juu ya wakati ambapo “waliokombolewa na Bwana watarudi wakiwa na nyimbo za shangwe ya milele juu ya vichwa vyao,” na anaendelea kusema kwamba hawa “watapata furaha na furaha ya milele, huzuni na kuugua zitakimbia.”

Sasa maneno haya yote hakika yanaeleza habari njema, lakini yanatuambia machache juu ya yote yanayomaanishwa na Injili. Tukifungua sura ya 65 ya Isaya, tunapata nabii huyo anatupa habari njema zaidi. Anaeleza wakati ambapo “watajenga nyumba na kukaa ndani yake na kupanda mizabibu na kula matunda yake.” Hakika hiyo ni habari njema, lakini nyumba hizi zitajengwa wapi na mashamba ya mizabibu yatapandwa wapi? Je, tunapaswa kuelewa hili kumaanisha kwamba mbinguni watu watakuwa wakijenga nyumba na kupanda mizabibu? Nabii anamaanisha nini hasa? 

Isaya atabiri tena katika sura ya 25, akituambia juu ya wakati ambapo “Bwana atawafanyia watu wote karamu ya vitu vinono, karamu ya divai iliyokaa juu ya urojorojo wake, iliyosafishwa sana, ya vinono vilivyojaa mafuta yaliyomo ndani yake.” Anatuambia kwamba wakati huohuo Bwana “atameza mauti kwa kushinda, na atafuta machozi katika nyuso zote,” na kwamba “lameo la watu wake ataliondoa katika dunia yote.” Katika unabii huohuo, Isaya anatuambia kuhusu mwitikio wa moyo wa watu wakati baraka hizi zinapotolewa kwao, akisema, “Tazama, huyu ndiye Mungu wetu; tumemngoja. Tutashangilia na kushangilia wokovu wake.” ( Isaya 25:9 )

Zote hizi ni ahadi za ajabu za habari njema kutoka kwa kalamu ya mmoja tu wa manabii watakatifu wa Mungu. Ikiwa tungechunguza ushuhuda wa manabii wote , tungefurahishwa vile vile na mambo ya ajabu ambayo wametabiri. Lakini kuziweka zote pamoja ili kutengeneza muundo wa maana utakaofundisha mpango halisi wa Mungu na jinsi wokovu huo utakavyoletwa kwa watu wote kunahitaji kujifunza sana na kuongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu.

Katika Wagalatia 3:8 Mtume Paulo anatupa ufahamu zaidi anapotuambia kwamba “Mungu alitangulia kuhubiri Injili kwa Ibrahimu.” Maneno haya yanafunua sana, kwa kuwa wengi wetu tumeshikilia wazo kwamba injili ilihubiriwa mara ya kwanza na malaika usiku ambao Yesu alizaliwa katika ulimwengu huu. Hakika, hilo lilikuwa tangazo la ajabu la habari njema kuhusu mpango wa Mungu kwa ajili ya wokovu wa ulimwengu; walakini, kulingana na Mtume Paulo, hii haikuwa mara ya kwanza kwa injili kuhubiriwa. 

Hapana, ilitolewa kwa yule mzee wa ukoo mwaminifu, Abrahamu, na ahadi hii: “Katika wewe na katika uzao wako jamaa zote za dunia zitabarikiwa” (Mwanzo 12:3). Hakika ahadi hii ilikuwa habari njema sana na sehemu ya ajabu ya injili. Injili ya Mungu hakika si injili finyu, wala si ujumbe wenye vikwazo. Ni baraka ya “jamaa zote za dunia.” 

Tunapofuatilia wimbo huu wa mada ya ajabu ya Biblia kupitia ushuhuda wa kinabii wa Agano la Kale, tunaona kwamba haupungui kamwe. Daima ina mambo mengi, sawa na ile kauli iliyosemwa kwa Ibrahimu, na pia Yakobo alipokuwa kwenye kitanda chake cha kufa alitoa unabii kuhusu mambo ambayo yangetokea kwa wazao wa wanawe kumi na wawili. Alisema, kuhusu Yuda kwamba kutoka katika viuno vyake angetoka mtu ambaye alimteua kuwa Shilo, akimaanisha mtunza amani. Kwa hakika hii ilikuwa mojawapo ya ahadi za Masihi ajaye, kwa maana inasema, “Kwake yeye kutakuwa na mkusanyiko wa mataifa.” ( Mwa.49:10 ) Maana yake ni kwamba mataifa yote yangekuja kwa ajili ya baraka kupitia huyu Mnabii anayefafanuliwa kuwa Shilo.

Tukirejea tena kwenye Isaya, katika sura ya 9, tunasoma unabii mwingine kuhusu Yesu, Masihi aliyeahidiwa. “Kwa ajili yetu mtoto amezaliwa na tumepewa mtoto mwanamume, na uweza wa kifalme utakuwa begani mwake. Naye ataitwa jina lake, mshauri wa ajabu, Mungu mwenye nguvu, Baba wa milele, Mfalme wa amani.” Kisha inaendelea, “Maongeo ya enzi yake na amani yake hayatakuwa na mwisho” (Isa. 9:6-7). Kwa maneno mengine, serikali yake hatimaye itafikia na kuzunguka mataifa yote, ikileta baraka zilizoahidiwa kwa Abrahamu na kwa familia zote za dunia. Unabii unapofunuliwa kuhusu uzao huo ulioahidiwa wa Abrahamu, tunapata kwamba unahusishwa na kusimamishwa kwa serikali ya Kiungu duniani—Ufalme ambao Yesu alitufundisha kuusali: “Ufalme wako uje, Mapenzi yako yatimizwe. kufanyika duniani kama huko mbinguni.”

Katika Danieli 2:31-45 tunao unabii mwingine unaohusu ufalme huu, unaofananisha na mlima mkubwa unaoijaza dunia yote. Danieli alisema hili lilionyesha ufalme wa ajabu wa BWANA ambao siku moja ungejaza dunia yote. Tunauona Ufalme huu kuwa mpana na wa kina katika unabii wa Danieli kama vile ahadi ilipotolewa kwa baba Ibrahimu mara ya kwanza. 

Tukiendelea hadi wakati ambapo Yesu alizaliwa na malaika kutangaza kuzaliwa kwake, tunaona kwamba haikuwa imepungua hata kidogo. Wakawaambia wachungaji, “Msiogope, kwa maana tazama, tunawaletea ninyi habari njema ya furaha kuu itakayokuwa kwa watu wote. Maana leo katika mji wa Daudi amezaliwa kwa ajili yenu, Mwokozi ndiye Kristo Bwana” ( Luka 2:10, 11 ). Kwa hakika hii ilikuwa ni habari njema, injili au habari njema ambayo ingepaswa kuwa kwa watu wote .

Katika tangazo hili la malaika, mpango wa Mungu ulichukua hatua nyingine mbele. Hadi wakati huu, lilikuwa ni suala la ahadi za Mungu zilizorejelewa kwa namna mbalimbali na kuonyeshwa kwa njia tofauti na mmoja baada ya mwingine wa manabii. Sasa, hata hivyo, utimizo ulianza. Ikawa zaidi ya ahadi, kwani Mwokozi alizaliwa!

Tunapofikiria usuli huu wa mawazo, huku Yesu akiwa kichwa kikuu katika Injili hii tukufu ya Mungu (pia inaitwa injili ya Kristo), inapendeza kuona baadhi ya mambo ambayo Yesu alisema Alipoanza huduma Yake miaka 30 hivi baadaye. Kuzaliwa kwake.

Kijana mmoja tajiri alimwendea Yesu na kumwambia, “Bwana, nifanye jambo gani jema ili niurithi uzima wa milele?” ( Mt. 19:16-22; Mk. 10:17-25; Luka 18:18-27 ). Mtu huyu alipendezwa na wokovu; alitaka kuishi. Yesu alimrejesha kwenye sheria iliyotolewa kwa Israeli kwenye Mlima Sinai ambayo ilitolewa kwa ufupi katika Amri Kumi. Sababu ya Yesu kufanya hivyo ni kwa sababu sheria ilikuwa imeahidi kwamba mtu yeyote ambaye angeweza kuishika atapata uzima. “Kwa mtu afanyaye mambo hayo ataishi kwa hayo” (Warumi 10:5; Mambo ya Walawi 18:5; Nehemia 9:29) ilikuwa ahadi. Huyo mtawala tajiri akajibu, Hayo yote nimeyashika tangu ujana wangu. Simulizi hilo halielezi maelezo yote, lakini inaonekana kijana huyo alitambua kwamba alikuwa akizeeka kama kila mtu mwingine, na hapakuwa na ushahidi wowote kwamba kushika sheria kulikuwa kukimnufaisha kwa maana ya kuzuia kuzeeka na kufa kwake.

Bila shaka, hakuna mshiriki asiye mkamilifu wa jamii iliyoanguka, inayokufa angeweza kushika sheria hiyo. Ndipo Yesu akamwambia kwa neema, “Umepungukiwa na neno moja; nenda ukauze ulivyo navyo, uwape maskini, nawe utakuwa na hazina mbinguni, kisha uje unifuate” (Mt. 19:16-22). Kwa hayo, yule kijana akaenda zake akiwa na huzuni. Akaunti hiyo inasema ni kwa sababu alikuwa na mali nyingi, ikimaanisha kwamba hakuwa tayari kulipa gharama hiyo. Kwa kweli Yesu alikuwa akimpa sifa za kuwa mfuasi na si za wokovu tu. Kuacha mali yake ilikuwa ‘kujikana mwenyewe,’ jambo ambalo halihitajiwi kwa ajili ya wokovu bali kwa ajili ya uanafunzi. Mtu huyu alipoondoka wakati huu, Yesu aliendelea kusema jinsi itakavyokuwa vigumu kwa tajiri kuingia katika ufalme wa mbinguni, kwamba itakuwa rahisi zaidi kwa ngamia kupita kwenye lango la tundu la sindano kuliko tajiri mmoja kutumbukia. ya mali yake kwa ajili ya Kristo.

Mengi ya yale ambayo Yesu alisema kuhusu utajiri kuwa madhara ya kuingia katika ufalme wa mbinguni yalikuwa yakiwashangaza pia wanafunzi, kwani wakati huu walikuwa hawajaingizwa kikamili katika injili pamoja na mwaliko wake wa mwito wa mbinguni. Yesu akawajibu, "Najua hili haliwezekani kwenu, lakini kwa Mungu yote yanawezekana." Kile ambacho Yesu alikuwa akifanya kwa wakati huo ni kuwaahirisha, bila kuwapa jibu la moja kwa moja. Lakini hili halikuwaridhisha wanafunzi, na walimrudia Yesu tena na kauli ambayo walifikiri ingemlazimu kutoa jibu la moja kwa moja kwa swali lao la kwanza. Wakamwambia Mwalimu, “Tumeacha vyote na kukufuata wewe...” Kwa maneno mengine, tumefanya kile ulichomwomba huyu tajiri kijana mtawala afanye -- sasa thawabu yetu ni nini? Unaweza kuona kilichokuwa kikiendelea akilini mwao. Wanafunzi hawa waliamini na kutarajia kwamba kwa kuwa washirika na Yesu, basi wangekuwa na sehemu katika ufalme wake duniani. Pia waliamini kwamba ufalme ulioahidiwa katika Agano la Kale ungesimamishwa mara moja huko Yudea na Yesu na kwamba kwa njia fulani ya kimuujiza Angetawazwa kama Mfalme wa Wayahudi, na wangehusishwa Naye. 

Ndipo Yesu akawapa jibu la moja kwa moja: “Yeye aliyeacha yote na kunifuata katika kuzaliwa upya, ataketi pamoja nami katika viti vya enzi, akiwahukumu kabila kumi na mbili za Israeli.” Sasa hapa, Yesu anawahakikishia wanafunzi kwamba Yeye hakuwa akipuuza lengo kuu la kuja Kwake duniani na la kuitwa kwao kuwa pamoja Naye. Anaeleza lengo hilo kuu kuwa “kuzaliwa upya.”

Mtume Paulo anarejelea jambo hili kwa njia tofauti kidogo katika 1 Wakorintho 15, sura hiyo ya ajabu ambayo anatuambia kuhusu ufufuo wa (wote) wafu. Paulo anazungumza juu ya Adamu kama Adamu wa kwanza na kisha anazungumza juu ya Yesu kama Adamu wa mwisho, akisema, "Kama wote katika Adamu wanavyokufa, vivyo hivyo katika Kristo wote watafanywa kuwa hai" (1 Wakorintho 15:21, 22 & 45).

Ahadi zote ambazo tumenukuu, hasa kutoka kwa Isaya, zinaelezea baraka ya asili ya kidunia na inasemwa na Mtume Petro kuwa ni maelezo ya kile anachokiita “nyakati za kufanywa upya vitu vyote vilivyonenwa kwa kinywa cha Mungu. manabii watakatifu” (Matendo 3:21). 

Katika maandishi ya Kigiriki, urejesho una maana ya upatanisho au urejesho, ikitupa sisi wazo kwamba mpango wa awali wa Mungu katika uumbaji wa Adamu ulikuwa kwamba dunia iwe makao ya mwanadamu, na hii itafanywa katika urejesho au urejesho. Ingawa wanadamu walipoteza uhai katika Adamu, watakuwa na uzima uliorudishwa katika Kristo. Uhai huu uliorejeshwa utakuwa hapa duniani ambao ulikuwa ni mpango wa awali wa Mungu. Katika Agano la Kale na Jipya, maneno mbalimbali yanatumika kwa mchakato huu wa urejesho. Kurudisha ni neno lililotumiwa na Petro katika Matendo 3:21. Paulo alitumia neno ufufuo lenye maana ya kusimama tena. 

Maneno hayo yote yanakazia wazo lilelile, kwamba lengo kuu na tumaini kubwa la wokovu kwa wanadamu kwa ujumla ni lile la kufufuliwa kwenye uhai duniani. Neno kuzaliwa upya ni neno jingine linalotupa fikra sawa, lenye kivuli cha tofauti katika maana, kwani linasisitiza ukweli kwamba wale watakaorejeshwa watakuwa ni watoto wa Adamu wa kwanza ambao baadaye watakuwa wana wa Adamu wa mwisho. mbio zinazozalishwa upya.

Hili ndilo wazo linaloletwa kwetu katika Isaya 53, ambapo mateso na kifo cha Yesu vimeelezewa kiunabii. Katika mstari wa 8 tunaambiwa hapo kwamba Yeye “atakatiliwa mbali na nchi ya walio hai, wala hapangekuwa na mtu wa kutangaza kizazi chake.” Lakini basi katika mstari wa 10 na 11, inasema, “Atauona uzao wake. Ataona taabu ya nafsi yake na kuridhika.” Hivyo itakuwa kwamba familia Yake, uzao Wake, kizazi Chake kitakuwa familia ya kibinadamu iliyofanywa upya. Hili litatimizwa wakati wa miaka elfu moja ya utawala Wake duniani.

Yesu anawaambia wanafunzi kwamba hajapoteza lengo hili kuu katika mpango wa Mungu, na kwamba hakika kutakuwa na wakati wa kuzaliwa upya. Lakini, asema, HAWATAKUWA miongoni mwa wale waliozaliwa upya wakati huo, kwani ikiwa watafuata nyayo Zake kwa uaminifu, wakiteseka na kufa pamoja Naye, watakuwa na hazina mbinguni na watakuwa pamoja Naye na watapata upendeleo na heshima kubwa. kushiriki pamoja naye kama “warithi wa Mungu na warithi pamoja na Yesu Kristo” katika kazi hiyo ya kufufua mbio ya uzima duniani ( Rum. 8:17 ).

Tunaona kutokana na mazungumzo haya, kwanza kati ya Yesu na Mtawala tajiri, na kisha maelezo makubwa na kamili zaidi alipokuwa akizungumza na wanafunzi wake, kwamba katika injili ya Kristo kuna zawadi ya bure ya Wokovu na pia mwaliko unaotolewa kwa Wito wa Mbinguni. , chipukizi la Wokovu, na kupanuliwa tu kwa wale ambao wako tayari kufuata nyayo Zake katika Enzi ya Injili ya sasa. “Mtu yeyote akitaka kuwa mfuasi wangu, na ajikane nafsi yake, ajitwike msalaba wake, anifuate” (Mt. 16:24).

Huu ni mwaliko wa wito wa Juu au wa Mbinguni na tofauti na Wokovu! Wakati wa Ufalme wa Mungu wa kidunia wa miaka 1,000, wokovu utaenea kwa ulimwengu. Wakikubali kifo cha Yesu kwa ajili ya dhambi zao na kutii sheria za uadilifu za Ufalme, watapewa msaada wote wanaohitaji ili wakamilishwe kibinadamu kama vile Adamu alivyokuwa kabla ya kutenda dhambi; lakini nafasi ya kuwa pamoja na Yesu na kushiriki katika “mwito wa mbinguni” haitapatikana wakati huo. Sehemu hiyo ya Ufalme itapanua wokovu tu kwa uhai duniani...uzima uliopotea katika Adamu ndipo utakaporudishwa kabisa katika Kristo. Hawa watakapoamshwa kutoka katika usingizi wa kifo, watakuwa na fursa ya kuishi milele katika dunia iliyokamilika ambayo ilikuwa ni kusudi la Mungu tangu mwanzo wa Uumbaji.

Katika Wagalatia 3:8, tulisema jinsi Paulo anatuambia injili hii ilihubiriwa kabla kwa Ibrahimu. Kisha katika mstari wa 16 anamtambulisha Yesu kama uzao ulioahidiwa wa Ibrahimu. Katika mstari wa 27-29 anasema, “Kwa maana ninyi nyote mliobatizwa katika Kristo mmemvaa Kristo, na ikiwa ninyi ni wa Kristo (ikiwa kweli mnazifuata nyayo za Yesu na kuwa wake) ninyi ni uzao wa Ibrahimu (kwa imani tunaye baba yetu Ibrahimu) na warithi sawasawa na ahadi. Yesu aliwauliza wanafunzi wake, “Watu huninena mimi kuwa ni nani? Baada ya kusikia majibu aliuliza tena, "Lakini ninyi mwasema mimi ni nani?" Petro akajibu, "Wewe ndiwe Kristo, Mwana wa Mungu aliye hai." Yesu alisema, “Heri wewe, Simoni Bar-yona, kwa kuwa mwili na damu havikukufunulia hili, bali Baba yangu wa Mbinguni. Na juu ya mwamba huu (ukweli huu mkuu wa msingi unaohusiana na Yesu kuwa Kristo ambaye Petro alikuwa ametoka tu kusema) nitalijenga kanisa langu na milango ya kuzimu haitalishinda” (Mathayo 16:18).

Huu ndio ukweli wa msingi wa Biblia. Yesu Kristo ndiye kichwa chake kikuu na jiwe kuu la pembeni, na njia pekee ya kutimiza ahadi hii nzuri ajabu, kwamba familia zote za dunia zitabarikiwa. Lakini kama tujuavyo, familia za dunia zilizoishi siku za Abrahamu na kabla ya hapo zimekufa. Familia za dunia zilizoishi tangu siku za Abrahamu na kuendelea hadi wakati wa Yesu zimo makaburini mwao; wale ambao wameishi tangu wakati wa Yesu pia bado wote wamekufa na kuzikwa, na wafu hawawezi kubarikiwa. 

Wakati kundi hili la walioitwa, ( Matendo 15:14 ) Kanisa lake, litakapokamilika, likiwa “tukifananishwa kikamilifu na sura ya Mwana mpendwa wa Mungu,” kazi hii ya maandalizi ya mpango mkuu wa injili itakamilika; basi hakuna kitakachozuia utimizo kamili wa ahadi ya kubariki familia zote za dunia. Milango yenyewe ya kuzimu (Hadesi inatumiwa hapa, inayoeleza hali ya kifo) itatupwa wazi. Wafungwa wa mauti wataitwa kwa uwezo wa Mungu na kupewa nafasi ya kupokea baraka ya uzima kupitia Kristo na Kanisa, Bibi-arusi wake. Hili ndilo Kusudi la Kiungu la Mungu. 

Tunapozingatia jinsi injili ya Kristo ilivyo ya ajabu, si ajabu Mtume Paulo angeweza kusema, “Siionei haya Injili ya Kristo.” Wala hatuioni aibu injili ya Kristo, tukitambua jinsi inavyoonyesha Upendo mkuu wa Baba yetu wa Mbinguni na Mwana wa Upendo Wake, Bwana na Mwokozi wetu, Yesu Kristo.

Ombi letu kwako wewe unayesoma kijitabu hiki ni “Mungu wa Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, Baba wa utukufu, awape ninyi roho ya hekima na ya ufunuo katika kumjua yeye...” (Waefeso 1:17). Tunapendekeza usome kijitabu “ Kwa Nini Mungu Huruhusu Uovu? ” ambayo inaonyesha hekima kuu, haki, upendo na uwezo wa Muumba wetu, na mpango Wake mkuu kwa uumbaji Wake kwa umilele wote.

“...I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). 

One of the claims made by almost all religions in the world is that through loyalty and faithfulness to their beliefs, one is able to attain salvation, yet the concept of salvation varies greatly from one religion to another. Let us look at a few:

To the American Indian, salvation means spending eternity in a happy hunting ground; for Hindus, salvation means a reunion with Brahma known as Nirvana; before attaining to this ultimate in salvation, the Hindu believes that he will come back to earth several different times in what is called reincarnation. He may come back at one time as an elephant, another time as an insect. What he is when he comes back depends on how well he has used his present life. On his final exit he will find his Nirvana, which is in reality a condition of perpetual unconsciousness. In Buddhism, Nirvana is the state of perfect blessedness achieved by the extinction of individual existence, being absorbed into the supreme spirit. 

We cite these as illustrations of the fact that the idea of salvation greatly varies. One thing common to all religions is that faith results in salvation. That is what the Apostle Paul tells us concerning the Christian religion when he says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). The great difference is that the Apostle is speaking of the true religion and true salvation via faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

Still, this does not give us a great deal of information. If we should ask a dozen people what their idea was concerning the Gospel of Christ, and what Salvation means, we would probably get many different and contradictory answers.

Simply because the Apostle says that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation does not bring before our minds what is the great hope of the Gospel, in all its completeness, or what Christianity really means, not only for us, but for the entire human race. In the opening verses of this chapter, Paul gives us some help along this line. He speaks of this same gospel and calls it the Gospel of God. Then he goes on further and says it is the Gospel of God which had been spoken in early times by all the prophets. Thus, the Apostle is suggesting here that if we wish to find out more about this Gospel, one way to do it is to examine the testimony of all the Holy Prophets of the Old Testament period. Going back to the testimonies of God’s prophets, we find that they do, indeed, tell us many wonderful things regarding the Gospel of God.

The word Gospel itself simply means glad tidings or good news. We find the prophets make many wonderful statements which, taken at their face value, sound good and are very descriptive of good news. For instance, the prophet Isaiah in the 35th chapter tells us of a time when all the blind eyes will be opened; all the deaf ears shall be unstopped; the lame man shall leap as a hart and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. The same prophet tells us of a time when there shall be a highway, a way of Holiness, a roadway on which conditions will be made so plain that “a wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein.” He speaks of a time when the “ransomed of the Lord shall return with songs of everlasting joy upon their heads,” and further states that these “shall obtain everlasting joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

Now all of these statements surely are descriptive of good news, but they tell us little about all that is meant of the Gospel. Turning to the 65th chapter of Isaiah, we find the prophet gives us further good news. He describes a time when “they shall build houses and inhabit them and plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.” Certainly, that is good news indeed, but where will these houses be built and where will these vineyards be planted? Are we to understand this to mean that in heaven people will be building houses and planting vineyards? Just what does the prophet mean? 

Isaiah again prophesies in the 25th chapter, telling us of the time when “the Lord will make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, well refined, of fat things full of marrow.” He tells us that at that same time the Lord will “swallow up death in victory, and wipe away tears from off all faces,” and that “the rebuke of His people will He take away from off all the earth.” In this same prophecy, Isaiah tells us of the hearty response of the people when these blessings are dispensed to them, saying, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9)

All of these are wonderful promises of good news from the pen of only one of God’s holy prophets. If we examined the testimony of all the prophets, we would be equally thrilled by the marvelous things they have foretold. But to put them all together to form a pattern of meaning that will teach the real plan of God and how that salvation will be brought to all the people takes much study and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In Galatians 3:8 the Apostle Paul gives us further insight when he tells us that “God preached beforehand the Gospel unto Abraham.” This statement is very revealing, for many of us have held the idea that the gospel was first preached by the angels on the night Jesus was born into this world. Indeed, that was a wonderful declaration of good news concerning God’s plan for the salvation of the world; nevertheless, according to the Apostle Paul, this was not the first time the gospel was preached. 

No, it was given to that faithful patriarch, Abraham, with this promise: “In you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Surely this promise was very good news and a wonderful part of the gospel. The Gospel of God is surely not a narrow gospel, nor is it a restrictive message. It is a blessing of “all the families of the earth.” 

As we trace this wonderful theme song of the Bible down through prophetic testimony of the Old Testament, we find that it never narrows down. It is always all-comprehensive, just as was the statement made to Abraham, and also when Jacob was on his deathbed he uttered prophecies concerning things that would happen to the descendants of his twelve sons. He said, concerning Judah that out of his loins would come one whom he designated as Shiloh, meaning peacemaker. This was really one of the promises of the coming Messiah, for it says, “unto him shall the gathering of the nations be.” (Gen.49:10) The implication is that all the nations would come in for blessings through this prophetic One described as Shiloh.

Turning again to Isaiah, in the 9th chapter, we read another prophecy concerning Jesus, the promised Messiah. “Unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. His name shall be called wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Then it continues, “Of the increase of His government and of His peace there shall be no end” (Isa. 9:6-7). In other words, His government will ultimately reach and encompass all nations, bringing blessings promised to Abraham and to all the families of the earth. As the prophecies unfold pertaining to this promised seed of Abraham, we find it becomes associated with the setting up of a Divine govern- ment in the earth -- the Kingdom for which Jesus taught us to pray: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

In Daniel 2:31-45 we have another prophecy concerning this kingdom, one which likens it to a great mountain that fills the whole earth. Daniel said this illustrated the wonderful kingdom of the LORD which would one day fill the whole earth. We see this Kingdom to be just as broad and all-comprehensive in Daniel’s prophecies as when the promise was first made to father Abraham. 

Continuing on to the time when Jesus was born and the angels announced His birth, we find it had not narrowed down at all. They said to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, we bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be unto all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10, 11). This was indeed glad tidings, the gospel or good news which was to be to all the people.

In this announcement by the angels, the plan of God took another step forward. Until this time, it was a matter of God’s promises reiterated in various forms and expressed in different ways by one after another of the prophets. Now, however, fulfillment began. It became more than a promise, for the Savior was born!

When we consider this background of thought, with Jesus as the central theme in this glorious Gospel of God (also called the gospel of Christ), it is interesting to note some of the things which Jesus said when He began His ministry some 30 years after His birth.

A rich young ruler came to Jesus and said, “Good master, what good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-25; Luke 18:18-27). This man was interested in salvation; he wanted to live. Jesus referred him back to the law given to Israel at Mount Sinai which was epitomized in the Ten Commandments. The reason Jesus did this was because the law had promised that anyone who could keep it would gain life. “To the man that does these things he shall live by them” (Romans 10:5; Leviticus 18:5; Nehemiah 9:29) was the promise. This rich ruler answered, “All of these have I kept from my youth up.” The account does not go into all the details, but seemingly the young man realized he was aging just like everyone else, and there was no evidence that keeping the law was benefiting him in the sense of preventing his growing old and dying.

Of course, no imperfect member of the fallen, dying race could keep that law. Then Jesus graciously said to him, “Yet one thing you lack; go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come follow me” (Matt. 19:16-22). With that, the young man went away sorrowful. The account says it was because he had great riches, implying that he wasn’t willing to pay the price. Jesus was really giving him the qualifications for being a disciple and not just for salvation. To give up his riches was to ‘deny himself,’ something not required for salvation but for discipleship. When this man left at this point, Jesus went on to say how difficult it would be for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, that it would be easier for a camel to go through the needle’s eye gate than for one rich to divest himself of his wealth for Christ’s sake.

Much of what Jesus said about riches being a detriment to entering the kingdom of heaven was also bewildering to the disciples, for at this point in time they had not been fully initiated into the gospel with its invitation to a heavenly calling. Jesus replied to them, “I realize this thing is impossible to you, but with God all things are possible.” What Jesus was really doing for the moment was putting them off, not giving them a direct answer. But this did not satisfy the disciples, and they came back to Jesus again with a statement which they thought would compel Him to give a direct answer to their initial question. They said to the Master, “We have left all and followed you...” In other words, we’ve done just what you asked this rich young ruler to do -- now what is our reward? You can see what was going on in their minds. These disciples believed and expected that by becoming associates with Jesus, they would then have a part in His kingdom on earth. They also believed that the kingdom promised in the Old Testament would be immediately established in Judea by Jesus and that in some miraculous way He would be enthroned as King of the Jews, and they would be associated with Him. 

Then Jesus did give them a direct reply: “He who has left all and followed me, in the regeneration, shall sit with me on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Now here, Jesus is reassuring the disciples that He was not overlooking the great objective of His coming to earth and of their being called to be with Him. He describes that great objective as “the regeneration.”

The Apostle Paul refers to this a little differently in 1 Corinthians 15, that wonderful chapter in which he tells us of the resurrection of (all) the dead. Paul speaks of Adam as the first Adam and then speaks of Jesus as the last Adam, saying, “As all in Adam die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 & 45).

All of the promises which we have quoted, mostly from Isaiah, describe a blessing of an earthly nature and are spoken of by the Apostle Peter as being descriptive of what he calls the “times of restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all God’s holy prophets“ (Acts 3:21). 

In the Greek text, restitution has the meaning of reconstitution or restoration, giving us the thought that the original plan of God in the creation of Adam was for the earth to be man’s home, and this will be carried out in the restoration or restitution. While the human race lost life in Adam, they will have life restored in Christ. This restored life will be here on earth which was God’s original plan. In both the Old and New Testaments, various terms are used for this restoration process. Restitution is the word used by Peter in Acts 3:21. Paul used the word resurrection which means a re-standing. 

All these words emphasize the same thought, that the great objective and hope of salvation for mankind in general is that of being restored to life upon the earth. The word regeneration is another one that gives us the same thought, with a shade of difference in meaning, since it emphasizes the fact that those to be restored will be the children of the first Adam who will then become the children of the last Adam, the re-generated race.

This is the thought that is brought to our attention in Isaiah 53, where Jesus’ suffering and death are described prophetically. In verse 8 we are told there that He would “be cut off from the land of the living: and there would be none to declare His generation.” But then in verses 10 and 11, it says, “He shall see His seed. He shall see the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied.” Thus it will be that His family, His seed, His generation will be the regenerated human family brought back to life. This will be accomplished during the thousand years of His reign on the earth.

Jesus is telling the disciples that He has not lost sight of this great objective in the plan of God, and that there will indeed be a time of regeneration. But, he says, they will NOT be among the ones regenerated at that time, for if they follow faithfully in His footsteps, suffering and dying with Him, they will have treasures in heaven and be with Him and have the great privilege and honor of sharing with Him as “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ” in that work of regenerating the race to life on earth (Rom. 8:17).

We see from this conversation, first between Jesus and the rich Ruler, and then the larger and fuller explanation as He talked with His disciples, that in the gospel of Christ there is the free gift of Salvation and also an invitation extended to a Heavenly Calling, an outgrowth of Salvation, and only extended to those who are willing to follow in His footsteps during the present Gospel Age. “IF any man would be my disciple, let him deny self, take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).

This is an invitation to a High or Heavenly calling and distinct from Salvation! During the earthly 1,000 year Kingdom of God, salvation will be extended to the world. If they accept Jesus’ death for their sins and obey the righteous laws of the Kingdom, they will be given all the help they need to be humanly perfected as was Adam before he sinned; but the opportunity to be with Jesus and partake in this “heavenly calling” will not be available then. That part of the Kingdom will extend salvation only to life on earth...the life that was lost in Adam will then be completely restored in Christ. As these are awakened from the sleep of death, they will have the opportunity of living forever on a perfected earth which was God’s intention from the beginning of Creation.

In Galatians 3:8, we said how Paul tells us this gospel was preached beforehand to Abraham. Then in verse 16 he identifies Jesus as the promised seed of Abraham. In verse 27-29 he states, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, and if you are Christ’s (if you are really or actually following in the footsteps of Jesus and belong to Him), then are you Abraham’s seed (through faith, we have Abraham as our father) and heirs according to the promise.” Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” After He heard the answers he asked again, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in Heaven. And upon this rock (this great foundation truth pertaining to Jesus being the Christ which Peter had just uttered) I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

This is the foundation truth of the Bible. Jesus Christ is its central theme and chief corner-stone, and the only means of having this wonderful promise fulfilled, that all the families of the earth will be blessed. But as we know, the families of the earth who lived in Abraham’s day and before are all dead. The families of the earth who lived from Abraham’s day on down to Jesus’ time are in their graves; those who have lived since Jesus’ time are also still all dead and buried, and dead people cannot be blessed. 

When this called-out company, (Acts 15:14) His Church, is complete, being fully “conformed to the image of God’s dear Son,” this preparatory work of the great gospel arrangement will be finished; then nothing will prevent the complete fulfillment of the promise to bless all the families of the earth. The very gates of hell (Hades is used here, descriptive of the death condition) will be thrown wide open. The prisoners of death will be called forth by the power of God and given an opportunity to receive the blessing of life through Christ and the Church, His Bride. This is God’s Divine Purpose. 

When we consider just how wonderful the gospel of Christ is, no wonder the Apostle Paul could say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” Neither are we ashamed of the gospel of Christ, realizing how it portrays the great Love of our Heavenly Father and the Son of His Love, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our prayer for you reading this booklet is “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him...” (Ephesians 1:17). We recommend to you the reading of the booklet “Why Does God Permit Evil?” which shows the great wisdom, justice, love and power of our Creator, and His grand design for His creation for all eternity.