Hlala Ekukhanyeni​—Ungangeni Ebumnyameni

1-2. (a) Yayinjani imeko awayekuyo uPawulos xa wayebhalela amaKristu ase-Efese? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo eza kuphendulwa kweli nqaku?

XA WAYELIBANJWA eRoma, umpostile uPawulos wafuna ukukhuthaza abazalwana bakhe. Wayengakwazi ukuya kubabona, ngoko wababhalela iileta. Enye yezo leta wayibhalela amaKristu ase-Efese malunga nonyaka ka-60 okanye ka-61 C.E.​—Efe. 1:1; 4:1.

² Malunga neminyaka eyi-10 ngaphambi koko, uPawulos wachitha ixesha e-Efese, eshumayela futhi efundisa abantu iindaba ezilungileyo. (IZe. 19:​1, 8-10; 20:​20, 21) Wayebathanda kakhulu abazalwana noodade, efuna nokubanceda ukuba bahlale bethembekile kuYehova. Kodwa kwakutheni ukuze abhalele amaKristu athanjisiweyo ngobumnyama nokukhanya? Yintoni enokufundwa ngawo onke amaKristu kwinto awayibhalayo? Yiloo mibuzo eza kuphendulwa leli nqaku.

UKUSUKA EBUMNYAMENI UKUYA EKUKHANYENI

3. Kwileta awayeyibhalela amaKristu ase-Efese, uPawulos wathelekisa ntoni nantoni?

³ UPawulos wabhalela amaKristu ase-Efese esithi: “Nanikhe nabubumnyama, kodwa ngoku nikukukhanya.” (Efe. 5:8) Apha uPawulos wayethelekisa ubumnyama nokukhanya ukuze achaze indlela awayetshintshe ngayo kwinto awayekade eyiyo amaKristu ase-Efese. Makhe sibone ukuba kwakutheni ukuze athi ‘ayekhe abubumnyama.’

4. Ziintoni ababezikholelwa abantu base-Efese ezazibonisa ukuba basebumnyameni?

⁴ Ayesebumnyameni ngenxa yezinto awayezikholelwa. Ngaphambi kokuba amaEfese afunde inyaniso aze abe ngamaKristu, ayekholelwa kwiimfundiso zobuxoki nakwimilingo. Kwisixeko sase-Efese kwakukho itempile ka-Artemis, ekwakukholelwa ukuba sesinye sezona zakhiwo zimangalisayo kwezakha zakho emhlabeni. Abantu babesiya kuloo tempile ukuze bakhonze izithixo. Abantu abangamachule babesenza iitempilana zikathixokazi uArtemis baze bazithengise. Elo shishini lalibenzela imali eninzi. (IZe. 19:​23-27) Enye into ababesaziwa ngayo abantu balapho kukwenza imilingo.​—IZe. 19:19.

5. Yeyiphi indlela ababeziphethe ngayo abantu base-Efese eyayibonisa ukuba basebumnyameni?

⁵ Ayesebumnyameni ngenxa yendlela awayeziphethe ngayo. Abantu base-Efese babedume ngokuziphatha kakubi ngendlela emasikizi nangokungabi nazintloni ngaloo nto. Kwakuqhelekile ukuva iincoko ezingcolileyo kwimidlalo yeqonga nakwimibhiyozo yeecawe zalapho. (Efe. 5:3) Abantu abaninzi ‘babeqaqadekile kwindlela yokuziphatha.’ Ngokoqobo la magama athetha ukuba ‘babengasaziva tu iintlungu.’ (Efe. 4:​17-19) Ngaphambi kokuba amaEfese afunde ukuba yeyiphi eyona nto ilungileyo iyeyiphi eyona imbi, izazela zawo zazingasebenzi. Ayengayikhathalelanga indlela uYehova awayeziva ngayo ngezinto awayezenza. Ngoko uPawulos wathi xa ethetha ngawo: ‘Iingqondo zawo zisebumnyameni yaye awanalo ithemba lobomi uThixo asinika lona.’

6. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos athi kumaEfese, “ngoku nikukukhanya”?

⁶ Abanye abantu base-Efese baphuma ebumnyameni. UPawulos wathi, “Ngoku nikukukhanya kuba nimanyene neNkosi.” (Efe. 5:8) Ngoku babesenza izinto ezikwiLizwi LikaYehova elalifana nokukhanya okubabonisa indlela amabahambe ngayo. (INdu. 119:105) Babeyekile ukwenza izinto ezazifundiswa kwiinkonzo zobuxoki nokuziphatha kakubi. ‘Babelinganisa uThixo,’ besenza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bamkhonze baze bamvuyise.​—Efe. 5:1.

7. Sifana ngantoni namaKristu amaninzi ase-Efese?

⁷ Nathi, ngaphambi kokuba sifunde inyaniso, sasisebumnyameni ngenxa yezinto esasizikholelwa nendlela esasiziphethe ngayo. Abanye bethu babebhiyozela iiholide zeenkonzo zobuxoki; abanye beziphethe kakubi. Kodwa sathi sakufunda ngezinto athi uYehova zilungile nathi azilunganga, satshintsha. Saqalisa ukuphila ngendlela ayifunayo. Loo nto iye yasinceda ngeendlela ezininzi. (Isa. 48:17) Kodwa ngamanye amaxesha akubi lula ukuhambela kude nobumnyama esabushiyayo size ‘siqhubeke sihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya.’ Yintoni esinokuyenza?

Image digitally reproduced with the permission of the Papyrology Collection, Graduate Library, University of Michigan, P.Mich.inv. 6238. Licensed under CC by 3.0

HAMBELA KUDE NOBUMNYAMA

8. AmaEfese 5:​3-5 athi yintoni ekwakufuneka angayenzi amaKristu ase-Efese?

⁸ Funda amaEfese 5:​3-5. Ukuze amaKristu ase-Efese angabi sebumnyameni ngenxa yendlela awayeziphethe ngayo, kwakufuneka aqhubeke engazenzi izinto angazithandiyo uYehova. Ezo zinto yayingekokuziphatha kakubi ngesondo kuphela, kodwa nokuthetha izinto ezingcolileyo. UPawulos wakhumbuza la maKristu ukuba ukuze ‘afumane ilifa kuBukumkani bukaKristu noThixo,’ kwakufuneka angazenzi ezi zinto.

9. Kutheni simele silumkele nantoni na enokusenza siziphathe kakubi?

⁹ Nathi kufuneka siqhubeke sisilwa ukuze singaziboni ‘sesisenza imisebenzi yobumnyama engavelisi siqhamo.’ (Efe. 5:11) Inyaniso kukuba xa umntu ebukela, emamela okanye ethetha izinto ezingcolileyo, kuba lula ukuba enze into engalunganga. (Gen. 3:6; Yak. 1:​14, 15) Kwelinye ilizwe abazalwana abaninzi baqalisa ukuncokola kunye kwiwebhsayithi yokuncokola. Ekuqaleni, abaninzi kubo babencokola ngoYehova nangenyaniso. Kodwa ngokuya ixesha lihamba baqalisa ukuncokola ngezinto angazifuniyo uYehova. Baqalisa ukuncokola kakhulu ngesondo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha aba bazalwana bavuma ukuba kukuncokola ngezinto ezingcolileyo okwabenza baziphatha kakubi ngesondo.

10. USathana uzama njani ukusiqhatha? (Efese 5:6)

¹⁰ Ihlabathi likaSathana lizama ukusiqhatha ukuze sikholelwe ukuba izinto uYehova athi azilunganga futhi zingcolile azikho rongo. (2 Pet. 2:19) Ayisothusi ke loo nto! Kaloku elinye lamaqhinga ekudala ewasebenzisa uMtyholi kukubhida iingqondo zabantu ukuze bangayazi into elungileyo nengalunganga. (Isa. 5:20; 2 Kor. 4:4) Yiloo nto iimuvi, iinkqubo zeTV neewebhsayithi ezininzi zikhuthaza abantu ukuba benze izinto ezingafunwayo nguYehova. USathana ufuna sicinge ukuba kuvumelekile ukwenza izinto ezingcolileyo nokuziphatha kakubi, kumnandi futhi akuzukusifaka ngxakini.​—Funda amaEfese 5:6.

11. Into eyenzeka kuAngela iyibonisa njani indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukwenza into ethethwa kumaEfese 5:7? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹¹ USathana ufuna sivane nabantu abaza kwenza kube nzima ukuba sithobele imithetho kaYehova. Yiloo nto uPawulos wathi kumaKristu ase-Efese: “Sanukuzenza izinto abazenzayo” abantu abenza izinto ezingafunwayo nguThixo. (Efe. 5:7) Thina simele silumke kakhulu kunamaKristu ase-Efese kuba asincokoli nabantu xa sikunye nabo kuphela, siyakwazi ukuncokola nabo nangeewebhsayithi zokuncokola. UAngelaa ohlala eAsia wafumanisa ukuba zinokuba yingozi nyhani iiwebhsayithi zokuncokola. Uthi: “Ungaqondanga zinokuyitshintsha kancinci kancinci indlela ocinga ngayo. Ndazibhaqa sele ingasandikhathazi into yokuncokola nabantu abangayikhathalelanga imigaqo yeBhayibhile. Ekugqibeleni ndaqalisa ukucinga ukuba akukho ngxaki xa uphila ngendlela engamvuyisiyo uYehova.” Okuvuyisayo kukuba abadala bamnceda uAngela watshintsha. Uthi: “Ngoku ndicinga kakhulu ngoYehova nangendlela azibona ngayo izinto kuneewebhsayithi zokuncokola.”

12. Yintoni eza kusinceda sibambelele kwimithetho kaYehova?

¹² Masilwele ukuba singafani nabantu behlabathi abacinga ukuba ukuziphatha kakubi kwamkelekile. Thina siyayazi inyani. (Efe. 4:​19, 20) Sekunjalo, kuhle ukuba sizibuze le mibuzo: ‘Ngaba ndiyaqiniseka ukuba xa kunganyanzelekanga andichithi xesha nabantu endisebenza nabo, endifunda nabo okanye abanye abangenaxesha lemithetho kaYehova? Ngaba ngesibindi ndibambelela kwimithetho kaYehova ngoxa abanye besenokuthi ndikholwe kakhulu?’ Njengokuba kubonisiwe ku-2 Timoti 2:​20-22, nasebandleni kufuneka silumke xa sikhetha abahlobo. Masikhumbule ukuba abanye basenokungasincedi sihlale sithembekile kuYehova.

HAMBANI “NJENGABANTWANA BOKUKHANYA”

13. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuqhubeka sihamba “njengabantwana bokukhanya”? (Efese 5:​7-9)

¹³ UPawulos wakhuthaza amaKristu ase-Efese ukuba angapheleli nje ekuphepheni ubumnyama, kodwa aqhubeke ehamba “njengabantwana bokukhanya.” (Funda amaEfese 5:​7-9.) Ithetha ukuthini loo nto? Ithetha ukuthi ngalo lonke ixesha izinto esizenzayo mazibonise ukuba singamaKristu okwenyaniso. Enye into enokusinceda sikwazi ukuyenza le nto, kukukhuthalela ukufunda iBhayibhile neencwadi ezithetha ngayo. Eyona nto ibaluleke ngokukhethekileyo kukufunda kwizinto ezazisenziwa nezazifundiswa nguYesu Kristu, ‘okukukhanya kwehlabathi.’​—Yoh. 8:12; IMize. 6:23.

14. Unokusinceda njani umoya oyingcwele?

¹⁴ Ukuze siqhubeke sihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya, siyawudinga nomoya kaThixo. Kutheni sisitsho? Kaloku kunzima nyhani ukuhlala uziphethe kakuhle kweli hlabathi liziphethe kakubi kangaka. (1 Tes. 4:​3-5, 7, 8) Umoya oyingcwele unokusinceda silwe nendlela elicinga ngayo eli hlabathi. Kaloku lona alijongi izinto ngendlela uThixo azijonga ngayo. Enye into onokusinceda kuyo kukuba sibe ngabantu ‘abalungileyo kuyo yonke into, senze ubulungisa.’​—Efe. 5:9.

15. Zeziphi iindlela esinokuwufumana ngazo umoya oyingcwele? (Efese 5:​19, 20)

¹⁵ Enye indlela esinokuwufumana ngayo umoya oyingcwele kukuthandaza, siwucele. UYesu wathi uYehova uza ‘kubapha umoya oyingcwele abo bamcelayo.’ (Luka 11:13) Naxa sikunye kwiintlanganiso, sidumisa uYehova, siyawufumana umoya oyingcwele. (Funda amaEfese 5:​19, 20.) Lo moya kaThixo unefuthe lokusinceda siphile ngendlela emvuyisayo.

16. Yintoni eza kusinceda senze izigqibo ezifanelekileyo? (Efese 5:​10, 17)

¹⁶ Xa kufuneka senze izigqibo ezibalulekileyo, kufuneka siqonde ukuba “kuyintoni na ukuthanda kukaYehova,” size sizenze ngokuvisisana nako. (Funda amaEfese 5:​10, 17.) Xa sikhangela imigaqo yeBhayibhile esebenza kwimeko esikuyo, sikhangela ukuba uthini uYehova ngaloo meko. Siza kukwazi ukwenza izigqibo ezifanelekileyo xa sisebenzisa loo migaqo.

17. Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze silisebenzise kakuhle ixesha? (Efese 5:​15, 16) (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹⁷ UPawulos waphinda waxelela amaKristu ase-Efese ukuba alisebenzise kakuhle ixesha lawo. (Funda amaEfese 5:​15, 16.) USathana olutshaba lwethu ufuna sixakeke kakhulu zizinto zeli hlabathi de singabi nalo ixesha lokukhonza uThixo. (1 Yoh. 5:19) UmKristu unokuqalisa ukujonga imali, imfundo okanye umsebenzi njengezona zinto zibalulekileyo kuneendlela ezininzi anokumkhonza ngazo uYehova. Xa enokwenza loo nto, angabonisa ukuba sele eqalile ukucinga njengehlabathi. Ewe kona akukho rongo ukuzenza ezi zinto, kodwa asimele sizivumele zibe zezona zibalulekileyo kuthi. Ukuze sihambe “njengabantwana bokukhanya,” kufuneka ‘silisebenzise kakuhle ixesha.’ Le nto ithetha ukuba sixakeke zizinto ezibaluleke nyhani.

18. Ziintoni awazenzayo uDonald ukuze alisebenzise kakuhle ixesha lakhe?

¹⁸ Khangela nezinye iindlela zokumsebenzela ngaphezu kokuba usenza uYehova. Wenza loo nto uDonald ohlala eMzantsi Afrika. Uthi: “Ndacinga ngobomi bam ndaza ndamcenga uYehova ukuba andincede ndisebenze ngaphezu kokuba ndisenza entsimini. Ndathandazela ukuba ndifumane umsebenzi owawuza kundenza ndibe nexesha elininzi lokushumayela. UYehova wandinceda ndawufumana. Emva koko, mna nenkosikazi yam saba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.”

19. Ziintoni ezinokusenza siqhubeke sihamba “njengabantwana bokukhanya”?

¹⁹ Inoba ileta uPawulos awayibhalela amaKristu ase-Efese yawanceda ahlala ethembekile kuYehova. Nathi inokusinceda. Njengoko sesifundile, inokusinceda sibakhethe kakuhle abahlobo neendlela esizonwabisa ngazo. Inokusenza siyifunde qho iBhayibhile ukuze sihlale sikhokelwa kukukhanya kwenyaniso. Ibalaselisa nendlela obaluleke ngayo umoya oyingcwele onokusinceda sibe neempawu ezintle. Ukwenza izinto ezabhalwa nguPawulos kungasinceda senze izigqibo ezifanelekileyo, ezivisisana nendlela uYehova acinga ngayo. Xa sizenza ezi zinto, siza kukwazi ukuhambela kude kubumnyama beli hlabathi, size sihlale ekukhanyeni.