1. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Thesalonika 5:11, yiwuphi umsebenzi okumele sonke siwenze?

 IBANDLA lenu selake lakha kumbe lalungisa iWolu yoMbuso yini? Kumele ukuthi usalikhumbula ilanga owaqala ngalo ukungena imihlangano eWolu le. Mhlawumbe wathaba waze wehluleka lokuhlabela ingoma yokuqala futhi wambonga kakhulu uJehova. AmaWolu ethu oMbuso akhiwe kuhle futhi enza uJehova adunyiswe. Kodwa kulomunye umsebenzi wokwakha esingawenza ongasisiza ukuthi simdumise kakhulu uJehova. Umsebenzi lo ngowokwakha abafowethu labodadewethu labanye abantu abasivakatshelayo endaweni zethu zokukhonzela njalo uqakatheke ukwedlula ukwakha izakhiwo. Umphostoli uPhawuli wayekhuluma ngomsebenzi lo ngesikhathi ebhala amazwi aku-1 Thesalonika 5:11, okuyiwo okuthethwe kuwo isihloko sethu.—Bala.

2. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

² Umphostoli uPhawuli wayeyisibonelo esihle endabeni yokukhuthaza abanye. Wayebazwela abazalwane ayekhonza labo. Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngokuthi wabanceda njani abanye ukuthi (1) baqinisele nxa bephakathi kwenhlupho, (2) bagcine ukuthula labanye abazalwane (3) lokuthi baqinise ukholo lwabo kuJehova. Asiboneni ukuthi singamlingisela njani umphostoli uPhawuli ukuze lathi sakhe abafowethu labodadewethu.—1 Khor. 11:1.

3. UPhawuli wayekubona njani ukusebenza kanye lokukhonza?

³ UPhawuli wayebathanda kakhulu abafowabo njalo laye wayeke wahlupheka yikho wayesenelisa ukuzwela abanye lokuba  lomusa kubo nxa bephakathi kwenhlupho. Ngesinye isikhathi uPhawuli waphelelwa yimali njalo wadinga umsebenzi ukuze yena labanye ayehamba labo bathole okokuziphilisa. (ImiSeb. 20:34) UPhawuli wayesenza umsebenzi wokulungisa amatende. Wathi efika eKhorinte wasebenza lo-Akhwila loPrisila ababesenza amatende njengaye. Kodwa “ngamasabatha wonke” wayetshumayeza amaJuda lamaGrikhi. Kwathi kufika uSila loThimothi, “uPhawuli waqalisa ukusebenzisa isikhathi sonke etshumayela ilizwi.” (ImiSeb. 18:2-5) Kazange akhohlwe ukuthi into eqakatheke kakhulu empilweni yakhe yikukhonza uJehova. UPhawuli wenelisa ukukhuthaza abazalwane ngoba wayekhuthele ekutshumayeleni lasemsebenzini wokuziphilisa ayewenza. Wabakhumbuza ukuthi bangavumeli inhlupho kanye lemisebenzi yokunakekela izimuli zabo kubenze bakhohlwe “izinto eziqakatheke kakhulu,” okutsho yonke imisebenzi ephathelane lokukhonza uJehova.—Flp. 1:10.

4. UPhawuli loThimothi babancedisa njani abanye ukuthi baqinisele lanxa behlukuluzwa?

⁴ Ibandla laseThesalonika lathi lisanda kubunjwa abafowethu labodadewethu ababekuleyo ndawo bahlukuluzwa. Iqembu labaphikisi abalodlakela lathi seliswele uPhawuli loSila lahudula ‘abanye abazalwane labasa kubabusi bedolobho’ limemeza lisithi: “Bonke baphikisana lemithetho kaKhesari.” (ImiSeb. 17:6, 7) Akucabange ukuthi abantu laba ababesanda ukuba ngamaKhristu bethuka njani besizwa ukuthi amadoda edolobho ayesebahlamukele. Kwakungenzakala ukuthi bacine bengasatshiseki ekukhonzeni kodwa uPhawuli wayengafuni ukuthi lokhu kwenzakale. Lanxa yena loSila kwasekumele basuke, baba leqiniso lokuthi ibandla leli elalisaselitsha lalizanakekelwa. UPhawuli watshela abaseThesalonika wathi: “Sathuma uThimothi umfowethu . . . , ukuthi azoliqinisa futhi aliduduze ukuze ukholo lwenu luqine, kungabi lomuntu onganyikinywa zinhlupho lezi.” (1 Thes. 3:2, 3) Kungenzakala ukuthi uThimothi laye wayeke wahlukuluzwa edolobheni akhulela kulo iListra. Wayezibonele ngawakhe uPhawuli eqinisa abazalwane ebandleni. UThimothi wayesenelisa ukuqinisekisa abafowabo labodadewabo ukuthi izinto zazizalunga ngoba wayezibonele lokho uJehova ayekwenzile.—ImiSeb. 14:8, 19-22; Heb. 12:2.

5. Omunye umdala wamnceda njani umfowethu okuthiwa nguBryant?

⁵ UPhawuli waphinda wabakhuthaza njani abanye? UPhawuli loBhanabha bathi sebebuyela eListra le-Ikhoniyamu kanye lase-Antiyokhi “babeka abadala ebandleni ngalinye.” (ImiSeb. 14:21-23) Abadala labo babaduduza abazalwane emabandleni njengalokho okwenziwa ngabadala lamuhla. Zwana okwatshiwo ngomunye umfowethu okuthiwa nguBryant. Wathi: “Ngathi ngisanda kufikisa iminyaka engu-15, ubaba wasuka ekhaya wasitshiya lomama, umama laye wasuswa ebandleni. Ngazizwa ngilahliwe njalo ngadana.” Kuyini okwanceda uBryant ukuthi aqinisele ebunzimeni lobu? Uthi: “Omunye umdala okuthiwa nguTony wayexoxa lami emihlanganweni langezinye izikhathi. Wangixoxela ngabanye abazalwane ababehlelwe zinhlupho kodwa ababelokhu bethokoza. Wangibalela iHubo 27:10 njalo wayejayele ukungitshela ngoHezekhiya owaqhubeka ekhonza uJehova ethembekile lanxa uyise wayesenza okubi.” Lokhu kwamnceda njani uBryant? Uthi: “UTony wangikhuthaza kakhulu njalo lokhu kwanginceda ukuthi ngingene enkonzweni yesikhathi sonke.” Badala, wobani lelihlo elibukhali ukuze lenelise ukuncedisa abanye abanjengoBryant abadinga ‘amazwi omusa’ okubakhuthaza.—Zaga. 12:25.

6. UPhawuli wabakhuthaza njani abafowabo labodadewabo esebenzisa izindaba ezenzakala empilweni zabanye?

 ⁶ UPhawuli wakhumbuza abazalwane ayekhonza labo ukuthi uJehova wayencedise ‘iyezi labofakazi elikhulu’ ukuthi liqinisele ebunzimeni. (Heb. 12:1) Wayekwazi ukuthi nxa abafowabo bangezwa ukuthi abanye ababethembekile kuNkulunkulu bazibekezelela njani inhlupho babezakuba lesibindi sokuqhubeka bekhangele “edolobheni likaNkulunkulu ophilayo.” (Heb. 12:22) Lalamuhla lokhe kunjalo. Kuyasiqinisa sonke ukuzwa indlela uJehova ancedisa ngayo uGidiyoni, loBharakhi, loDavida, loSamuyeli kanye labanye. (Heb. 11:32-35) Ukholo lwabafowethu labodadewethu lusinceda njani lamuhla? Abafowethu abasemawofisini amakhulu bahlala besamukela izincwadi ezivela kubazalwane bebonga ukuthi izindaba abazibalayo ezilandiswa ngabanye oFakazi bakaJehova ziyaluqinisa ukholo lwabo.

7. Ufundani emazwini kaPhawuli abhalwe kuRoma 14:19-21?

⁷ Nxa singenza ukuthi kube lokuthula ebandleni siyabe sisakha abafowethu labodadewethu. Akumelanga sivumele ukuthi ukutshiyana kwemibono kusehlukanise kumbe siqine ngokuthi izinto zenziwe ngendlela esiyifunayo nxa kungelamthetho weBhayibhili owephuliweyo. Ngokwesibonelo, ebandleni laseRoma kwakulamaKhristu angamaJuda langayisiwomaJuda. UMthetho kaMosi wathi usumile ukusebenza kwakungaselasizatho sokuthi amaKhristu la alandele imithetho emayelana lokungadli ukudla okuthile. (Mak. 7:19) Kusukela ngalesosikhathi amanye amaKhristu angamaJuda ayesekhululekile ukudla loba yini. Kodwa amanye ayelokhu ecabanga ukuthi ukwenza lokho akuqondanga. Lokhu kwenza ibandla lehlukana phakathi. UPhawuli wawakhuthaza ukuthi aqakathekise ukuthi kube lokuthula phakathi kwawo, wathi: “Kungcono ukuthi ungayidli inyama njalo ungalinathi iwayini lokuthi ungenzi loba yini ekhuba umfowenu.” (Bala uRoma 14:19-21.) UPhawuli wabancedisa abafowabo labodadewabo ukuthi bananzelele ngoba ingxabano lezi zazilimaza abanye ebandleni futhi zisenza ukuthi ibandla lonke lingabi lokuthula. Kanti njalo laye wayezimisele ukutshintsha ukuze angakhubi abanye. (1 Khor. 9:19-22) Lathi singenelisa ukwakha abanye lokwenza ukuthi kuhlale kulokuthula ebandleni nxa singatshiyana lomkhuba wokuphikisana labanye ngezinto abalelungelo lokuzikhethela zona.

8. UPhawuli wenzani ngesikhathi kuvuke indaba eyayingaphambanisa ukuthula ebandleni?

⁸ UPhawuli wabeka isibonelo esihle sokugcina ukuthula lanxa abanye babengavumelani laye kwezinye indaba eziqakathekileyo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi sabaphostoli kulabanye ababesithi amaKhristu angayisiwomaJuda lawo kumele asokwe ukuze angasolwa ngabanye ababengayisiwomaKhristu. (Gal. 6:12) UPhawuli wayengavumelani lawo umbono lo kodwa kulokuthi athi balandele umbono wakhe, wathobeka wathi indaba le iyephathwa ngabaphostoli labadala eJerusalema. (ImiSeb. 15:1, 2) Okwenziwa nguPhawuli kwanceda amaKhristu lawo ukuthi ahlale ethokoza futhi kube lokuthula ebandleni.—ImiSeb. 15:30, 31.

9. Singasilingisela njani isibonelo sikaPhawuli?

⁹ Nxa kungavuka ingxabano enkulu, singenza kube lokuthula ngokucela uncedo kulabo uJehova ababeke ukuthi banakekele ibandla. Izikhathi ezinengi iziqondiso ezisekelwe eBhayibhilini  sizithola emabhukwini ethu lakokunye okutshiyeneyo esikuphiwa yinhlanganiso. Nxa singalandela iziqondiso lezi kulokuthi silandele lokho thina esikucabangayo, sizakwenza kube lokuthula ebandleni.

10. Kuyini okunye uPhawuli akwenzayo ukuze kube lokuthula ebandleni?

¹⁰ UPhawuli wayesenza ukuthi kube lokuthula ngokukhuluma ngokuhle okwakusenziwa ngabafowabo hatshi ukuhlala edinga amaphutha abo. Ngokwesibonelo, wathi esephetha incwadi ayeyibhalele amaKhristu aseRoma, waqamba abantu abanengi ngamabizo futhi izikhathi ezinengi wayekhuluma kuhle ngabo eqamba lokunye ababekwenza. Lathi singamlingisela uPhawuli ngokukhuluma ngobuntu obuhle abafowethu labodadewethu abalabo. Nxa singenza njalo abazalwane bazahlala bezwanana futhi kuzalakha ibandla.

11. Singenzani ukuze kuphinde kube lokuthula nxa kungaba lokungazwanani?

¹¹ Kwezinye izikhathi, abafowethu abaqinileyo ekukhonzeni labo bangangavumelani kumbe baphikisane ngendaba ethile. Lokhu yikho okwake kwenzakala kuPhawuli lomngane wakhe uBhanabha. Amadoda la aphikisana kwaba nzima ngokuthi ahambe yini loMakho ngesikhathi bethatha uhambo lwesibili bengabanali. “Baphikisana kwathunqa uthuli” bacina besehlukana. (ImiSeb. 15:37-39) Kodwa uPhawuli loBhanabha loMakho bayilungisa indaba le betshengisa ukuthi babekuqakathekisa ukuthi kube lokuthula ebandleni. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli wakhuluma kuhle ngoBhanabha loMakho. (1 Khor. 9:6; Kol. 4:10) Nxa kulabanye ebandleni esingazwanani labo kumele silungise indaba lezo njalo sikhangele okuhle abakwenzayo. Singenza njalo sizakwenza kube lokuthula ebandleni.—Efe. 4:3.

12. Yibuphi ubunzima abafowethu labodadewethu abahlangana labo?

¹² Abafowethu labodadewethu siyabakha nxa singabancedisa ukuthi baqinise ukholo lwabo kuJehova. Abanye bayahlekwa ngamalunga emuli angasibo oFakazi loba ngabantu abasebenza labo kumbe abafunda labo. Abanye abaphilanga kuhle emzimbeni njalo abanye balokhu besizwa ubuhlungu ngenxa yokuthi bake baphathwa kubi ngabanye abantu. Abanye sebeleminyaka eminengi babhabhathizwa futhi sebelesikhathi eside bekulindele ukuphela komumo lo wezinto. Konke lokhu kungaba yizinto ezingaxegisa ukholo lomKhristu. AmaKhristu aphila ngesikhathi sabaphostoli lawo ahlangana lenhlupho ezifananayo. Manje uPhawuli wenzani ukuze aqinise ukholo lwabafowabo labodadewabo?

13. UPhawuli wabancedisa njani labo ababephikiswa ngenxa yalokho ababekukholwa?

¹³ UPhawuli wasebenzisa iMibhalo ukuze akhe ukholo lwabafowabo labodadewabo. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzakala ukuthi amaJuda ayengamaKhristu ayeswela ukuthi aphendule athini nxa esolwa ngamalunga emuli ayekholwa ukuthi ukuba ngumJuda yikho okwakuqakathekile ukwedlula ukuba ngumKhristu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi incwadi uPhawuli ayibhalela amaHebheru yawaqinisa kakhulu amaKhristu la. (Heb. 1:5, 6; 2:2, 3; 9:24, 25) Amazwi abawabhalelwa nguPhawuli ayezabanceda ukuthi benelise ukuphendula labo ababebaphikisa. Lathi singancedisa esikhonza labo abathwele nzima ngenxa yokuphikiswa ukuthi basebenzise amabhuku ethu asekelwe eBhayibhilini ukuze benelise ukuchasisa lokho abakukholwayo. Nxa abasakhulayo abasebandleni behlekwa ngabanye ngenxa yokuthi abananzi amaholideyi lamalanga  okuzalwa, singabancedisa sisebenzisa isifundo 44 sebhuku elithi Ungathokoza Kuze Kube Nini Lanini! ukuze benelise ukuchasisa ukuthi kungani bengawananzi.

14. Lanxa uPhawuli wayekhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela lokufundisa, kuyini okunye ayekwenza?

¹⁴ UPhawuli wakhuthaza abafowabo labodadewabo ukuthi batshengise ukuthi bayabathanda abanye ngokwenza ‘imisebenzi emihle.’ (Heb. 10:24) Wancedisa abafowabo ngamazwi langezenzo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi kulendlala eJudiya, uPhawuli wancedisa ukuhambisa ezinye izinto ezazizanceda abafowabo labodadewabo. (ImiSeb. 11:27-30) Lanxa uPhawuli wayesebenzisa isikhathi esinengi etshumayela futhi efundisa, wayehlala edinga izindlela zokuncedisa ababeswela. (Gal. 2:10) Lokho ayekwenza kwanceda ayekhonza labo bangathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uzabanakekela. Lathi nxa sisebenzisa isikhathi sethu lamandla ethu leziphiwo esilazo ukuze sincedise labo abehlelwe ngumonakalo wemvelo, siyabe sisakha ukholo lwabafowethu labodadewethu. Lokhu singakwenza langokuhlala sinikela ngemali ukuze umsebenzi owenziwa emhlabeni wonke uqhubekele phambili. Nxa sisenza izinto lezi lezinye, siyabe sincedisa abafowethu labodadewethu ukuthi bakholwe sibili ukuthi uJehova ngeke abalahle loba sekutheni.

15-16. Kumele sibaphathe njani labo abangasaqinanga ekukhonzeni?

¹⁵ UPhawuli kazange ayekele ukukhuthaza lalabo ababengasaqinanga ekukhonzeni. Wayebazwela abantu abanjalo, ekhuluma labo ngomusa futhi ebakhuthaza. (Heb. 6:9; 10:39) Ngokwesibonelo, encwadini ayibhalela amaHebheru wayesebenzisa ibala elithi, “si” lelithi “thina,” etshengisa ukuthi laye kwakumele akusebenzise ayebatshela khona. (Heb. 2:1, 3) Lathi akumelanga sikhalale ukuncedisa  labo asebedonsa nzima ekukhonzeni kodwa kumele sibakhe ngokubatshengisa ukuthi silendaba labo. Lokho kuzabenza baqiniseke ukuthi siyabathanda futhi amazwi alomusa esiwakhulumayo azabakha.

¹⁶ UPhawuli waqinisekisa abafowabo ukuthi uJehova wayeyibona imisebenzi yabo emihle. (Heb. 10:32-34) Lathi singenza ngendlela efananayo nxa sincedisa umzalwane osedonsa nzima ekukhonzeni. Singamcela ukuthi asixoxele ukuthi iqiniso walithola njani kumbe simkhuthaze ukuthi akhumbule izikhathi lapho uJehova amncedisa khona. Singamqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova kasoze akukhohlwe okuhle ayekwenza futhi kasoze amlahle langesikhathi esizayo. (Heb. 6:10; 13:5,6) Ingxoxo ezinjengalezi zingabakhuthaza abafowethu labodadewethu laba ukuthi baqhubekele phambili bekhonza uJehova.

17. Kuyini okumele siqhubeke sikuthuthukisa?

¹⁷ Singathuthukisa indlela esakha ngayo abafowethu labodadewethu njengoba nje umuntu oyakhayo uyabe elokhu ethuthukisa indlela akha ngayo nxa eqhubeka esenza umsebenzi wakhe. Singancedisa abanye ukuthi baqinisele ebunzimeni ngokubatshela ngabanye abantu abaqiniselayo ebunzimeni. Singenza kube lokuthula ngokukhuluma ngokuhle okwenziwa ngabanye, langokungavumeli loba yini iphambanise ukuthula okusebandleni futhi silungise ukungazwanani okungabakhona. Singaqhubeka sisakha ukholo lwabafowethu labodadewethu ngokuxoxa labo ngezinto eziseBhayibhilini, ngokubancedisa ngendlela ezitshiyeneyo langokukhuthaza labo asebedonsa nzima ekukhonzeni.

18. Uzimisele ukwenzani?

¹⁸ Labo abakha izakhiwo zenhlanganiso bayathokoza futhi bayasuthiseka ngomsebenzi wabo. Lathi sizathokoza futhi sisuthiseke nxa singancedisa emsebenzini wokwakha ukholo lwabafowethu labodadewethu. Izakhiwo ezakhiwayo zingadilika ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kodwa umsebenzi wokwakha labo esikhonza labo uzahlala kuze kube nini lanini. Yikho-ke kasizimiseleni “ukuqhubeka sikhuthazana futhi sisakhana.”—1 Thes. 5:11.