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Abrahamu Analungamitsidwa Mwachikhulupiriro

Nanga tsono tidzati chiyani za Abrahamu kholo lathu, iyeyu anapezana ndi zotani pa nkhani imeneyi? Kunena zoona, Abrahamu akanalungamitsidwa ndi ntchito zake, akanakhala nako kanthu kodzitamandira, koma osati pamaso pa Mulungu. Kodi Malemba akuti chiyani? “Abrahamu anakhulupirira Mulungu, ndipo ichi chinamuchititsa kukhala wolungama.”

Tsopano munthu amene wagwira ntchito, malipiro ake satengedwa kukhala ngati mphatso koma zimene anayenera kulandira. Koma kwa munthu amene sanagwire ntchito ndipo akhulupirira Mulungu amene amalungamitsa ochimwa, chikhulupiriro chakecho chimatengedwa kukhala chilungamo. Davide ponena zomwezi pamene anayankhula za kudala kwa munthu amene Mulungu amulungamitsa osati chifukwa cha ntchito zake akuti,

“Odala ndi amene
    zoyipa zawo zakhululukidwa;
    amene machimo awo afafanizidwa.
Ngodala munthu amene
    machimo ake Ambuye sadzawakumbukiranso.”

Kodi madalitso amenewa ali kwa ochita mdulidwe okha kapena kwa amene sanachitepo mdulidwe? Ife takhala tikunena kuti chikhulupiriro cha Abrahamu chinamuchititsa kukhala wolungama. 10 Kodi chinatengedwa bwanji? Kodi nʼkuti iye atachita mdulidwe kapena asanachite? Osati atachita mdulidwe koma asanachite! 11 Ndipo iye anachita mdulidwe ngati chizindikiro ndi chitsimikizo cha kulungama kumene anali nako mwachikhulupiriro pomwe anali asanachite mdulidwe. Choncho, iye ndi kholo la onse amene akhulupirira koma sanachite mdulidwe, ndi cholinga chakuti alungamitsidwe. 12 Ndipo iyenso ndiyenso kholo la ochita mdulidwe osati amene anangochita mdulidwe kokha koma amene amatsata chitsanzo cha chikhulupiriro chimene kholo lathu Abrahamu anali nacho asanachite mdulidwe.

13 Abrahamu ndi zidzukulu zake sanalandire lonjezano lakuti adzalandira dziko lapansi kudzera mu Malamulo, koma kudzera mu chilungamo chimene chimabwera ndi chikhulupiriro. 14 Pakuti ngati amene amadalira Malamulo ndiye olowa mʼmalo, ndiye kuti chikhulupiriro nʼchopanda pake ndipo lonjezano ndi lopanda phindu 15 chifukwa Malamulo anabweretsa chilango. Ndipo kumene kulibe Malamulo kulibenso kuwalakwitsa.

16 Motero, timalandira lonjezo mwachikhulupiriro. Laperekedwa mwachisomo kuti patsimikizidwe kuti lonjezolo liperekedwa kwa ana ndi zidzukulu zonse za Abrahamu, osati kwa iwo okha amene amatsatira Malamulo komanso kwa iwo amene ali ndi chikhulupiriro cha Abrahamu. Iye ndiye kholo la ife tonse. 17 Monga kwalembedwa kuti, “Ine ndakusandutsa kukhala kholo la mitundu yambiri.” Iye ndiye kholo lathu pamaso pa Mulungu, amene anamukhulupirira, Mulungu amene amapereka moyo kwa akufa ndipo amapereka moyo kwa zinthu zopanda moyo.

18 Ngakhale zinali zosayembekezeka, Abrahamu anakhulupirira ndi chiyembekezo kuti adzakhala kholo la mitundu yambiri. Izi ndi monga zinanenedwa kwa iye kuti, “Ndi mmene adzakhalire ana ako ndi zidzukulu zako.” 19 Iye sanafowoke mʼchikhulupiriro. Anadziwa choonadi cha thupi lake kuti linali lakufa popeza anali ndi zaka pafupifupi 100 ndiponso mimba ya Sara inali yowuma. 20 Komabe iye sanagwedezeke chifukwa chosakhulupirira pa zokhudzana ndi lonjezo la Mulungu. Iye analimbikitsidwa mʼchikhulupiriro chake ndi kupereka ulemerero kwa Mulungu. 21 Anatsimikiza mu mtima mwake kuti Mulungu anali ndi mphamvu yochita chomwe analonjeza. 22 Nʼchifukwa chake “chinamuchititsa kukhala wolungama.” 23 Mawu akuti, “chinatengedwa kwa iye” sanalembedwe chifukwa cha iye yekha, 24 komanso chifukwa ife amene Mulungu adzatiyesa olungama, ife amene tikhulupirira mwa Iye amene anamuukitsa kwa akufa, Yesu Ambuye athu. 25 Iye anaperekedwa kuti aphedwe chifukwa cha machimo athu ndipo anaukitsidwa ndi kukhala ndi moyo kuti tilungamitsidwe.

Abraham Justified by Faith

What then shall we say(A) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,(B) discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.(C) What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[a](D)

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift(E) but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.(F) David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”[b](G)

Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?(H) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.(I) 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.(J) So then, he is the father(K) of all who believe(L) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise(M) that he would be heir of the world,(N) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.(O) 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,(P) 15 because the law brings wrath.(Q) And where there is no law there is no transgression.(R)

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace(S) and may be guaranteed(T) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.(U) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[c](V) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(W) to the dead and calls(X) into being things that were not.(Y)

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(Z) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d](AA) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(AB)—since he was about a hundred years old(AC)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(AD) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(AE) in his faith and gave glory to God,(AF) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(AG) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(AH) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(AI) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(AJ) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(AK) 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins(AL) and was raised to life for our justification.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:3 Gen. 15:6; also in verse 22
  2. Romans 4:8 Psalm 32:1,2
  3. Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
  4. Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5