Laet From God Hem Aotem Darkness!
“Jehovah nao mekem darkness bilong mi for shaen.”—2 SAMUEL 22:29.
1. Hao nao laet hem join witim laef?
“GOD hem sei: ‘Laet hem mas kamap.’ Then laet hem kamap nao.” (Genesis 1:3) Witim barava important toktok hia, story bilong creation long Genesis hem showimaot wei wea laet hem kam from Jehovah, wea sapos earth no garem bae no eni samting stap laef. Jehovah hem start bilong spiritual laet tu, wea important tumas for leadim iumi long living. (Psalm 43:3) King David showimaot wei wea spiritual laet and laef join long klos wei taem hem raet olsem: “Iu nao man wea givim laef; thru long laet wea kam from iu mifala savve lukim laet.”—Psalm 36:9.
2. Olsem Paul showimaot, laet hem join long klos wei witim wanem?
2 Samting olsem 1,000 year bihaen David hem laef, aposol Paul tingim disfala raeting abaotem creation. Taem hem raet for Christian kongregeson long Corinth, hem sei: “God hem sei: ‘Letem laet shaen kamaot from darkness.’” Then Paul showim hao spiritual laet hem join long klos wei witim savve from Jehovah taem hem go ahed for sei: “Hem shaen long heart bilong iumi for givim laet from nambawan savve bilong God thru long feis bilong Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) Hao nao disfala laet hem kasem iumi?
Bible—Shaenim Aot Laet
3. Insaed Bible, wanem laet nao Jehovah givim?
3 Main wei wea Jehovah givimaot spiritual laet nao thru long Word bilong hem, Bible. So taem iumi studyim Bible and kasem savve from God, iumi letem laet bilong hem for shaen long iumi. Thru long Bible, Jehovah showimaot olketa purpose bilong hem and talem iumi hao iumi savve duim will bilong hem. Diswan mekem laef bilong iumi garem mining and helpem iumi for kasem samting iumi needim long spiritual wei. (Ecclesiastes 12:1; Matthew 5:3) Jesus strongim hao iumi mas kasem samting wea iumi needim long spiritual wei taem hem talem disfala toktok from Law bilong Moses: “Olketa raetem finis, ‘Man mas laef, no long bred nomoa, bat long evri toktok wea kamaot from mouth bilong Jehovah.’”—Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3.
4. Long wanem wei nao Jesus hem “laet bilong world”?
4 Jesus join long klos wei witim spiritual laet. Tru nao, hem storyim hemseleva olsem “laet bilong world” and hem sei: “Man wea followim mi bae no wakabaot insaed long darkness, bat bae kasem laet bilong laef.” (John 8:12) Disfala toktok helpem iumi for minim main waka bilong Jesus for talemaot truth bilong Jehovah long olketa man. Sapos iumi want for missim darkness and wakabaot insaed laet bilong God, iumi mas lisin long evri samting wea Jesus talem and barava followim example and olketa teaching bilong hem insaed Bible.
5. Wanem responsibility nao olketa follower bilong Jesus kasem bihaen hem dae?
5 Tu-thri day bifor hem dae, Jesus talem moa wei wea hem laet, taem hem sei long olketa disaepol: “Laet bae stap midolwan long iufala for lelebet taem moa. Wakabaot taem iufala garem laet, mekem darkness no winim iufala; and man wea wakabaot insaed long darkness hem no savve long ples wea hem go. Taem iufala garem laet, showimaot faith long datfala laet, mekem iufala kamap olketa son bilong laet.” (John 12:35, 36) Olketa wea kamap olketa son bilong laet lanem “plan bilong healthy toktok” insaed long Bible. (2 Timothy 1:13, 14) Then olketa iusim olketa healthy toktok hia for pullim aot from darkness olketa wea garem honest heart for kam insaed laet bilong God.
6. Wanem main truth abaotem laet and darkness nao iumi faendem long 1 John 1:5?
6 Aposol John raet olsem: “God hem laet and no eni darkness stap long hem.” (1 John 1:5) Lukim wei wea laet and darkness barava difren evribit. Spiritual laet kam from Jehovah, dastawe spiritual darkness no savve join witim hem. Sapos olsem, hu nao darkness kam from?
Spiritual Darkness—Start Bilong Hem
7. Hu nao bihaenem spiritual darkness bilong world, and wanem paoa nao hem garem?
7 Aposol Paul story abaotem “god bilong disfala system.” Datwan hem toktok wea minim Devil Satan. Hem sei tu hao diswan hem “blindim mind bilong olketa wea no biliv, for mekem laet bilong nambawan gud nius bilong Christ, wea hem image bilong God, for no showaot.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Staka pipol sei olketa biliv long God; bat planti long olketa hia no biliv long Devil. Why nao olsem? Olketa no willing for acceptim hao wanfala samting wea evil, wea garem paoa winim man hem really stap and savve affectim wei wea olketa ting. Nomata olsem, Paul showimaot Devil hem really stap and savve affectim pipol for no lukim laet bilong truth. Paoa bilong Satan for affectim tingting bilong olketa man hem showaot long disfala profesi toktok abaotem hem wea sei hem “datwan wea . . . giamanim olketa man long earth.” (Revelation 12:9) Waka bilong Satan putim evriwan wea no servem Jehovah anda long living wea profet Isaiah talem profesi abaotem: “Lukim! darkness nao bae kavarem earth, and dark cloud olketa nation.”—Isaiah 60:2.
8. Olketa wea stap insaed spiritual darkness showimaot olketa konfius long wanem wei?
8 Hem hard tumas for lukim eni samting long bigfala darkness. Man savve isi for lus or konfius. Long sem wei, pipol wea insaed spiritual darkness no garem fasin for luksavve and gogo olketa konfius long spiritual saed. Olketa savve lusim fasin for luksavve long tru and laea samting, gud and nogud samting. Profet Isaiah storyim olketa wea insaed darkness taem hem raet olsem: “Trabol long olketa wea sei gud samting hem nogud and nogud samting hem gud, olketa wea putim darkness for laet and laet for darkness, olketa wea putim saoa samting for swit samting and swit samting for saoa samting!” (Isaiah 5:20) Devil Satan, god bilong darkness nao affectim olketa wea stap insaed spiritual darkness, and from datwan olketa stap farawe from datwan wea givim laet and laef.—Ephesians 4:17-19.
Kamaot From Darkness Go Long Laet—Wanfala Challenge
9. Explainim hao olketa wea duim rong samting laekem really darkness and spiritual darkness.
9 Faithful Job talem samting wea pullim olketa wea duim rong for laekem really darkness taem hem sei: “Eye bilong man wea duim adultery, hem weit for darkness bilong evening, taem hem sei, ‘No eni eye bae lukim mi!’ And hem putim wanfala kava ovarem feis bilong hem.” (Job 24:15) Olketa wea duim rong samting stap insaed spiritual darkness tu, and diskaen darkness savve olsem paoa ovarem olketa. Aposol Paul sei dirty fasin, wei for steal, greedy fasin, fasin for drunk, tokspoelem man, and laea for pullim selen olketa fasin bilong planti wea diskaen darkness kasem olketa. Bat eniwan wea kam long laet bilong Word bilong God savve change. Wei wea man fit for change hem showaot klia long leta bilong Paul for olketa long Corinth. Nomata planti Christian long Corinth bin duim olketa waka bilong darkness bifor, Paul sei long olketa: “Bat iufala kamap klin, bat iufala kamap holy, bat olketa kolem iufala raeteous long nem bilong Lord bilong iumi Jesus Christ and witim spirit bilong God bilong iumi.”—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
10, 11. Hao nao Jesus showimaot feeling for man wea hem mekem for lukluk moa? (b) Why nao planti no chusim laet?
10 Taem wanfala man kamaot from bigfala darkness for go insaed laet, hem bae tek-taem lelebet for eye bilong hem getius long datwan. Long Bethsaida, Jesus isisi healim wanfala blind man. “Hem holem hand bilong datfala man and tekem hem aotsaed long datfala vilij, and bihaen hem spit long eye bilong hem, Jesus putim hand bilong hem long datfala man and ask olsem: ‘Waswe, iu lukim eni samting?’ And datfala man luk ap and sei: ‘Mi lukim olketa man, bikos mi lukim olketa samting wea luk olsem olketa tree, bat olketa wakabaot.’ Then hem tasim tufala eye bilong datfala man, and man hia lukluk gud nao, and hem kamap gud moa, and hem lukim klia evri samting.” (Mark 8:23-25) Luk olsem Jesus isisi mekem datfala man lukluk moa mekem hem isisi getius long braet laet bilong sun. Tingim go hapi bilong datfala man taem hem savve lukluk.
11 Nomata olsem, hapi bilong man hia no kasem hapi bilong olketa wea kasem help for isisi kamaot from spiritual darkness and go insaed laet bilong truth. Taem iumi lukim hapi bilong olketa, maet iumi ting why nao planti moa no kam long laet. Jesus givim disfala reason: “Diswan nao hem faondeson bilong judgment, laet hem kasem world bat olketa man lovem darkness winim laet, from waka bilong olketa hem wicked. Man wea duim olketa nogud samting hem heitim laet and no kam long laet, mekem hem no kasem repruv long waka bilong hem.” (John 3:19, 20) Tru nao, planti lovem wei for duim “olketa nogud samting”—olsem dirty fasin, raf fasin, laea, raverave, and steal—and spiritual darkness bilong Satan nao hem best ples for duim samting olketa laek duim.
Muv Ahed Insaed Laet
12. Wanem nao olketa gud samting wea iumi kasem taem iumi kam long laet?
12 Bihaen iumi kasem savve bilong laet, wanem nao olketa change wea iumi lukim long iumiseleva? Samtaem hem gud for luk bak and ting raonem wei wea iumi muv ahed long spiritual wei. Wanem nao olketa nogud fasin wea iumi lusim? Wanem nao olketa problem long living wea iumi bin stretem finis? Long wanem wei nao olketa plan bilong iumi for future hem change? Long strong bilong Jehovah and witim help bilong holy spirit, iumi savve go ahed for change long fasin and wei bilong tingting wea showimaot iumi followim laet. (Ephesians 4:23, 24) Paul sei olsem abaotem diswan: “Bifor iufala darkness, bat distaem iufala laet long saed bilong Lord. Go ahed for wakabaot olsem olketa pikinini bilong laet, bikos frut bilong laet hem evrikaen gudfala samting and raeteous fasin and truth.” (Ephesians 5:8, 9) Taem iumi letem laet bilong Jehovah for leadim iumi, diswan givim iumi wanfala hope and goal and tu hem givim hapi long laef bilong pipol wea stap raonem iumi. And wei wea iumi change olsem hem mekem heart bilong Jehovah barava hapi!—Proverbs 27:11.
13. Hao nao iumi savve showimaot thankiu bilong iumi for laet bilong Jehovah, and wanem nao iumi needim for duim datwan?
13 Iumi showim thankiu bilong iumi for hapi living wea iumi enjoyim taem iumi showimaot laet bilong Jehovah—sharem samting wea iumi lanem from Bible witim olketa famili member, fren, and neiba. (Matthew 5:12-16; 24:14) Preaching waka and living bilong iumi olsem Christian hem kamap olsem samting wea tok strong againstim olketa wea les for lisin. Paul explainim olsem: “Go ahed for mek sure long samting wea Lord hem acceptim; and no share witim olketa long olketa nogud waka bilong darkness, bat, tok strong againstim olketa.” (Ephesians 5:10, 11) Iumi maet needim wei for no fraet for helpem nara pipol for lusim darkness and chusim laet. Samting wea moa important, iumi needim fasin for kea and garem feeling for nara pipol and tu wei for heart muvim iumi for sharem laet bilong truth witim olketa mekem olketa kasem help for olowe.—Matthew 28:19, 20.
Keakea Long Olketa Giaman Laet!
14. Long saed bilong laet, wanem warning nao iumi shud followim?
14 For olketa wea gogo long sea long taem bilong darkness, sapos olketa lukim laet, olketa hapi tumas. Long bifor, pipol savve laetem fire long olketa hae cliff bilong England for showim ples for haed from big wind. Olketa crew long ship hapi tumas for followim olketa laet hia for go insaed sef harbor. Nomata olsem, samfala fire laea wan nomoa. Planti ship hia no faendem harbor from fire hem laea wan and olketa shiprek long ston, and pipol stealim kago bilong olketa. Long disfala world wea giaman, iumi mas careful for no letem giaman laet pullim iumi for mekem iumi shiprek long spiritual wei. Bible sei: “Satan go ahed for changem hemseleva olsem wanfala angel bilong laet.” Long sem wei tu, olketa servant bilong hem, insaed diswan hem olketa apostate, “olketa giaman wakman” wea go ahed for “changem olketa seleva for kamap olketa minister bilong raeteous fasin.” Sapos iumi heherem giaman tingting bilong kaen pipol olsem, trust bilong iumi long Word bilong truth bilong Jehovah, Bible, savve kamap wik and faith bilong iumi savve dae.—2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 1 Timothy 1:19.
15. Wanem nao bae helpem iumi for stap long road wea lead go for laef?
15 Man wea raetem psalm hem raet: “Word bilong iu hem wanfala lamp for leg bilong mi, and laet for road bilong mi.” (Psalm 119:105) Tru nao, loving God bilong iumi Jehovah hem shaen go long ‘smol road wea lead go long laef,’ “wea will bilong hem nao for evri difren kaen man mas sev and kasem stretfala savve bilong truth.” (Matthew 7:14; 1 Timothy 2:4) Wei for followim olketa law bilong Bible bae protectim iumi from wei for isisi gogo difren from datfala smol road and go insaed road bilong darkness. Paul hem raet olsem: “Evri Scripture hem kam from God and hem gud for teach, for givim kaonsel, for stretem evri samting, for givim discipline long raeteous fasin.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Taem iumi grow long spiritual wei, Word bilong God teachim iumi. Laet from Word bilong God mekem iumi savve kaonselem iumiseleva or sapos need hem stap, kasem kaonsel from olketa loving shepherd insaed kongregeson. Long sem wei tu, iumi savve stretem olketa samting and hambol for acceptim discipline long raeteous fasin mekem iumi go ahed for wakabaot long road for laef.
Wakabaot Insaed Laet Witim Thankiu
16. Hao nao iumi savve showimaot thankiu for nambawan laet wea Jehovah provaedem?
16 Hao nao iumi savve showimaot thankiu long nambawan present bilong laet wea Jehovah givim? John chapter 9 sei taem Jesus healim man wea born blind, diswan muvim datfala man for talemaot thankiu bilong hem. Long wanem wei? Hem putim faith long Jesus olsem Son bilong God and talemaot long pablik hao hem “wanfala profet.” And tu, hem no fraet for tok againstim olketa wea trae for tokdaonem mirakol bilong Jesus. (John 9:17, 30-34) Aposol Peter kolem olketa anointed member bilong Christian kongregeson “wanfala pipol for spesol waka.” Why nao olsem? Bikos olketa garem sem feeling for tinghae olsem datfala man wea born blind and kasem healing. Olketa showimaot thankiu long Jehovah, Man wea saportim olketa, taem olketa ‘talemaot evriwea olketa nambawan fasin bilong datwan wea kolem olketa kamaot from darkness go long nambawan laet bilong hem.’ (1 Peter 2:9; Colossians 1:13) Olketa wea garem hope for stap long earth garem sem spirit for sei thankiu, and olketa saportim olketa anointed brata bilong olketa for talemaot long pablik “olketa nambawan fasin” bilong Jehovah. No eni privilege hem winim diswan wea God givim long olketa man wea no perfect!
17, 18. (a) Wanem nao responsibility bilong evriwan wanwan? (b) Wanem nao each Christian kasem encouragement for duim for followim example bilong Timothy?
17 Wei for sei thankiu from heart for laet bilong truth hem important tumas. Tingim diswan, no eniwan long iumi born and savve long truth. Samfala lanem taem olketa full-grown finis, and kwiktaem olketa lukim wei wea laet hem winim darkness. Olketa narawan garem spesol privilege for garem dadi and mami wea fraet long God. Maet hem isi for olketa hia ting smol long datfala laet. Wanfala Witness wea parents bilong hem servem Jehovah bifor hem born sei hem tek longtaem and hard waka for hem minim wei wea olketa truth wea hem lanem from taem hem young, hem important tumas. (2 Timothy 3:15) Young or olo, iumi evriwan wanwan need for mekem grow bigfala wei for sei thankiu for truth wea Jehovah showimaot.
18 Young man Timothy hem lanem “olketa holy raeting” from taem hem baby, bat only bikos hem waka hard long ministry nao hem kamap mature olsem wanfala Christian. (2 Timothy 3:15) Then hem fit for helpem aposol Paul, wea encouragem hem olsem: “Duim best bilong iu for mekem God acceptim iu, wanfala wakman wea no shame long eni samting, wea iusim word bilong truth long stretfala wei.” Olsem Timothy, iumi evriwan want for stap klia long wei for duim eni samting wea maet mekem iumi feel shame—or mekem Jehovah feel shame long iumi!—2 Timothy 2:15.
19. (a) Olsem David, iumi evriwan garem reason for talem wanem? (b) Wanem nao next article bae storyim?
19 Iumi garem planti reason for praisem Jehovah, wea givim iumi laet bilong truth bilong hem. Olsem King David, iumi sei: “Iu nao laet bilong mi, O Jehovah, and Jehovah nao mekem darkness bilong mi for shaen.” (2 Samuel 22:29) Nomata olsem, iumi no want for isisi, bikos diswan savve mekem iumi go bak insaed darkness wea iumi sev finis from hem. So, next article bae helpem iumi for lukluk gud long wei wea hem important for putim truth from God insaed laef bilong iumi.
Wanem Nao Iu Lanem?
• Hao nao Jehovah provaedem spiritual savve?
• Spiritual darkness wea stap raonem iumi hem mekem wanem challenge kamap?
• Wanem nao olketa danger wea iumi mas missim?
• Hao nao iumi savve showimaot thankiu for laet bilong truth?
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Physical and spiritual laet start kam from Jehovah
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Olsem Jesus isisi healim man wea blind, hem helpem iumi tu for isisi kamaot from spiritual darkness
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Olketa giaman laet bilong Satan savve lead go for spiritual shiprek