1-2. (a) UPhawuli wayengaphi ngesikhathi ebhalela abase-Efesu incwadi njalo wayeyibhalelani? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?

 NGESIKHATHI umphostoli uPhawuli ebotshiwe eseRoma wayefuna ukukhuthaza abazalwane. Njengoba wayengenelisi ukubavakatshela wayebabhalela izincwadi. Eyinye wayibhalela amaKhristu ase-Efesu ngo-60 kumbe ngo-61 C.E.—Efe. 1:1; 4:1.

² UPhawuli wayeke wahlala e-Efesu etshumayela futhi efundisa izindaba ezinhle eminyakeni engaba ngu-10 eyayedlule. (Imiseb. 19:​1, 8-10; 20:​20, 21) Wayebathanda kakhulu abafowabo futhi wayefuna ukubancedisa ukuthi bahlale bethembekile kuJehova. Kodwa kungani wabhalela amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ewatshela ngobumnyama lokukhanya? Yiziphi izifundo wonke amaKhristu angazithola kulokho akubhalayo? Asixoxeni ngezimpendulo zemibuzo le.

LASUKA EBUMNYAMENI LAYA EKUKHANYENI

3. Yiwaphi amabala asetshenziswa ngumphostoli uPhawuli ukuze atshengise ukuthi amaKhristu ase-Efesu ayesetshintshile?

³ Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhalela amaKhristu ase-Efesu wathi: “Kuqala lalisemnyameni kodwa khathesi selisekukhanyeni.” (Efe. 5:8) Emavesini la uPhawuli wasebenzisa ubumnyama lokukhanya ukuze acacise indlela amaKhristu ase-Efesu ayetshintshe ngayo. Asixoxeni ngokuthi kungani uPhawuli wathi abase-Efesu ‘kuqala babesemnyameni.’

4. Abase-Efesu babesebumnyameni wenkolo yamanga ngaziphi izindlela?

⁴ Babesemnyameni wenkolo yamanga. Abase-Efesu bathi bengakafundi iqiniso futhi bengakabi ngamaKhristu, babekholwa imfundiso ezinengi ezingamanga futhi belandela amasiko  esidimoni. Edolobheni lase-Efesu kwakulethempeli likankulunkulukazi okwakuthiwa ngu-Athemisi njalo abantu bakudala babebona ithempeli leli lingesinye sezakhiwo ezazizinhle kakhulu. Abantu babesiya ethempelini lelo ukuze bakhonze izithombe. Abakhandi besiliva babesenza amathempeli amancane kankulunkulukazi u-Athemisi besebewathengisa futhi ibhizimusi le yayibanika imali enengi kakhulu. (Imiseb. 19:​23-27) Phezu kwalokho idolobho leli lalidume ngabantu ababesenza amasalamusi.—Imiseb. 19:19.

5. Abantu base-Efesu babeziphatha njani?

⁵ Babesebumnyameni ngenxa yokuziphatha kubi. Abantu base-Efesu babeziphatha kubi kakhulu futhi babengelanhloni ngokuxhwala kwabo. Izikhathi ezinengi imidlalo eyayisenziwa edolobheni lelo kanye lemibuthano yokukhonza ababeyenza yayimayelana lezinto zemacansini. (Efe. 5:3) Abantu abanengi ababehlala e-Efesu ‘kwakungasathi thiki kubo nxa beziphatha kubi.’ (Efe. 4:​17-19) Ngesikhathi amaKhristu ase-Efesu engakafundi ukuthi yikuphi okulungileyo lokungalunganga, imizwangedwa yawo yayingawahluphi nxa ayesenza okubi futhi ayengelandaba lokuthi uJehova uzwa njani ngalokho ayekwenza. Yikho uPhawuli wathi ‘ingqondo zabo zasisemnyameni futhi babehlukanisiwe lokuphila okuvela kuNkulunkulu.’

6. Kungani uPhawuli wathi abase-Efesu ‘basebesekukhanyeni’?

⁶ Kodwa bakhona abanye abantu base-Efesu abasuka ebumnyameni. UPhawuli wabhala wathi ‘basebesekukhanyeni ngenxa yokuthi basebengabeNkosi.’ (Efe. 5:8) Basebesekukhanyeni ngoba basebelandela lokho okutshiwo liLizwi likaNkulunkulu. (Hubo. 119:105) Basebezilahlile izimfundiso zenkolo yamanga batshiya lokuziphatha okubi ababekwenza. Kanti njalo ‘basebelingisela uNkulunkulu’ futhi besenza konke okusemandleni abo ukuthi bakhonze uJehova njalo benze okumthokozisayo.—Efe. 5:1.

7. Okwenzakala kithi kuhambelana njani lalokho okwenzakala kumaKhristu amanengi ayese-Efesu?

⁷ Singakalazi iqiniso lathi sasikholwa izimfundiso zamanga futhi sasingakwazi ukuthi  uNkulunkulu ukhangelele ukuthi siziphathe njani. Abanye bethu babethakazelela amaholideyi asekelwe ezinkolweni zamanga futhi babengaziphathanga. Kodwa sathi sesifunde izimiso zikaJehova eziphathelane lokulungileyo lokungalunganga satshintsha indlela esasiphila ngayo ukuze ihambelane lalokho okufunwa nguJehova. Lokhu kwenze sancedakala ngendlela ezinengi. (Isaya. 48:17) Kodwa zinengi izinto okusamele siqhubeke silwisana lazo. Kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze singabuyeli ebumnyameni esaphuma kubo kodwa ‘siqhubeke sihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya.’ Singakwenza njani lokho?

BALEKELA UBUMNYAMA

8. Yiziphi izinto okukhulunywa ngazo kwabase-Efesu 5:​3-5 okwakumele abase-Efesu bazibalekele?

⁸ Bala u-Efesu 5:​3-5. AmaKhristu ase-Efesu kwakumele aqhubeke elahla izinto ezingamthokozisiyo uJehova ukuze angabuyeli ekuziphatheni okubi. Kwakungamelanga abalekele ukuziphatha kubi kuphela kodwa kwakumele axwaye lokuxoxa ngezemacansini. UPhawuli wakhumbuza abase-Efesu ukuthi kwakumele babalekele izinto ezinjalo ukuze bathole “ilifa eMbusweni kaKhristu loNkulunkulu.”

9. Kungani kumele sibalekele loba yini engenza sicine sifebile?

⁹ Lathi kumele siqhubeke sizama ngamandla wonke ukuthi singacini sesisenza “imisebenzi yobumnyama engancediyo.” (Efe. 5:11) Izikhathi ezinengi kuba lula ukuthi umuntu acine esenza isono nxa ebukela izinto ezingcolileyo kumbe ezemacansini loba nxa ezilalela kumbe ekhuluma ngazo. (Gen. 3:6; Jak. 1:​14, 15) Kwelinye ilizwe iqembu labazalwane laba ngabangane futhi laqalisa ukuxoxa kwezempucuko (i-social media). Abanengi babo baqalisa bexoxa ngezinto eziphathelane lokukhonza kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi basebexoxa ngezinto ezingamthokozisiyo uJehova. Basebexoxa kakhulu ngendaba zemacansini. Abanengi babo bathi inkulumo lezi ezingcolileyo zabenza bacina befeba.

10. USathane uzama njani ukusiqila? (U-Efesu 5:6)

¹⁰ Umhlaba kaSathane uzama ukusiqila. Ufuna sikholwe ukuthi lokho uJehova athi yikuziphatha okubi lalokho athi kungcolile akukubi. (2 Phet. 2:19) Lokhu akusimangalisi ngoba enye indlela uDeveli aselesikhathi eside eyisebenzisa yikuvala abantu ingqondo ukuze bangenelisi ukwehlukanisa okulungileyo lokungalunganga. (Isaya 5:20; 2 Khor. 4:4) Yikho lamuhla amafilimu amanengi, lenhlelo ze-TV kanye lamawebhusayithi kugcwele izinto eziphikisana lemithetho kaJehova. USathane ufuna sicabange ukuthi imikhuba engcolileyo kanye lobufebe obugcwele emhlabeni lamuhla kumnandi njalo akusiphambanisi ngalutho.—Bala u-Efesu 5:6.

11. Okwenzakala ku-Angela kutshengisa njani ukuqakatheka kokulalela iseluleko esitholakala ku-Efesu 5:7? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹¹ USathane ufuna sijayelane labantu abazakwenza ukuthi kube nzima ukuthi silandele imithetho kaJehova. Lokhu yikho okwenza uPhawuli watshela abase-Efesu wathi: “Lingabi lobudlelwano labo,” esitsho abantu abenza okubi phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (Efe. 5:7) Abase-Efesu babengelazo ezempucuko ngesikhathi sabo. Kodwa thina kumele sikhumbule ukuthi abantu esijayelana labo ayisibo esibabona nsuku zonke kuphela kodwa kugoqela lalabo esingajayelana labo kwezempucuko (i-social media). U-Angela a ohlala e-Asia wakubona ukuthi ezempucuko zingaba yingozi. Uthi: “Zingumjibila sibili ngoba kancane kancane zatshintsha indlela engangicabanga  ngayo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwacina kungasangihluphi ukuba labangane kwezempucuko abangelandaba lemithetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngacina sengicabanga ukuthi akulalutho olubi ngokuphila ngendlela engamthokozisiyo uJehova.” Okuhle yikuthi abadala abalothando bamncedisa u-Angela ukuthi atshintshe. Uthi: “Khathesi sengihlala ngicabanga izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza hatshi izinto engizibona kwezempucuko.”

12. Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi sihlale sibambelele emthethweni kaJehova?

¹² Kumele sihlale silwisana lomcabango womhlaba lo owokuthi ukuziphatha okubi kwamukelekile. Sikwazi mhlophe ukuthi akuqondanga. (Efe. 4:​19, 20) Kuhle ukuthi sizibuze imibuzo le, ‘Ngenza konke yini ukuthi ngingazihlanganisi lengisebenza labo, lengifunda labo kumbe abanye abantu abangalandeli imithetho kaJehova emayelana lokuthi kuyini okulungileyo lokungalunganga? Ngilaso yini isibindi sokuqhubeka nginamathele emthethweni kaJehova lanxa abanye bengabona angani ngizenza umuntu ongcono?’ U-2 Thimothi 2:​20-22 utshengisa ukuthi kumele sinanzelele labangane esibakhethayo ebandleni. Kumele sikhumbule ukuthi abanye ngeke basincedise ukuthi siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova sithembekile.

QHUBEKANI LIHAMBA “NJENGABANTWANA BOKUKHANYA”

13. Kutshoni ukuthi ‘siqhubeke sihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya’? (U-Efesu 5:​7-9)

¹³ Umphostoli uPhawuli wakhuthaza amaKhristu ase-Efesu ukuthi angalahli imisebenzi yobumnyama kuphela kodwa ‘aqhubeke ehamba njengabantwana bokukhanya.’ (Bala u-Efesu 5:​7-9.) Kutshoni lokhu? Kutsho ukuthi ngasosonke isikhathi ukuziphatha kwethu kumele kutshengise ukuthi singamaKhristu eqiniso. Enye indlela esingakwenza ngayo lokhu yikubala kanye lokutaditsha iBhayibhili zikhathi zonke kanye lokubala amabhuku enhlanganiso. Kanti njalo kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi silalele lokho okwakufundiswa nguJesu Khristu ‘oyikukhanya komhlaba’ futhi silingisele lokho ayekwenza.—Joh. 8:12; Zaga. 6:23.

14. Umoya ongcwele ungasincedisa njani?

 ¹⁴ Okunye okuzasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sihamba “njengabantwana bokukhanya” ngumoya ongcwele. Kungani kumele sibe lomoya ongcwele? Kungenxa yokuthi kunzima kakhulu ukuthi siqhubeke simsulwa emhlabeni lo ogcwele abantu abangaziphathanga. (1 Thes. 4:​3-5, 7, 8) Umoya ongcwele uzasinceda ukuthi silwisane lemicabango yomhlaba lo egoqela izimfundiso kanye lemibono engahambelani lemicabango kaNkulunkulu. Ungasincedisa lokuthi ‘senze konke okuhle lokulungileyo.’—Efe. 5:9.

15. Singenzani ukuze sithole umoya ongcwele? (U-Efesu 5:​19, 20)

¹⁵ Okunye okungasinceda ukuthi sithole umoya ongcwele yikuthandaza siwucela. UJesu wathi uJehova ‘uzabapha umoya ongcwele labo abawucela kuye.’ (Luk. 11:13) Enye indlela esithola ngayo umoya ongcwele yikudumisa uJehova sindawonye emihlanganweni yobuKhristu. (Bala u-Efesu 5:​19, 20.) Umoya ongcwele uzasinceda ukuthi siphile ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu.

16. Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle? (U-Efesu 5:​10, 17)

¹⁶ Nxa kulezinqumo eziqakathekileyo okumele sizenze kumele sidinge “lokho okuyintando kaJehova” ukuze senze izinqumo ezihambelana layo. (Bala u-Efesu 5:​10, 17.) Nxa singadinga izimiso eziseBhayibhilini singakenzi isinqumo siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi sifuna ukwenza izinto ezihambelana lendlela uJehova acabanga ngayo. Sizenelisa ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle nxa singasebenzisa izimiso zakhe.

17. Kugoqelani ukusebenzisa kuhle isikhathi sethu? (U-Efesu 5:​15, 16) (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹⁷ UPhawuli waphinda wakhuthaza amaKhristu ase-Efesu ukuthi asisebenzise kuhle isikhathi sawo. (Bala u-Efesu 5:​15, 16.) Isitha sethu uSathane obizwa langokuthi ‘ngomubi,’ ufuna sigijimisane lezinto zomhlaba ukuze sisale singaselasikhathi sokwenza izinto  eziphathelane lokukhonza uNkulunkulu. (1 Joh. 5:19; amabala angaphansi.) UmKhristu angaqalisa ukuqakathekisa imali, imfundo kumbe umsebenzi kulokuthi adinge izindlela angathuthukisa ngazo inkonzo yakhe. Nxa angenza njalo uyabe etshengisa ukuthi usecabanga njengabantu bomhlaba lo. Akulalutho olubi ngezinto lezi kodwa akumelanga siziqakathekise kakhulu ukwedlula ukukhonza uJehova. Ukuze sihambe “njengabantwana bokukhanya” kumele ‘sisisebenzise kuhle isikhathi sethu’ ngokwenza izinto eziqakatheke kakhulu empilweni.

18. Kuyini okwenziwa nguDonald ukuze asisebenzise kuhle isikhathi sakhe?

¹⁸ Hlala udinga izindlela ongangezelela ngazo inkonzo yakho ukuze wenzele uJehova okunengi. UDonald ohlala eSouth Africa wakwenza lokhu. Uthi: “Ngakhangela impilo yami ngasengincenga uJehova ukuthi angincedise ngingezelele inkonzo yami. Ngathandazela umsebenzi owawuzangenza ngithole isikhathi esinengi sokutshumayela. UJehova wangincedisa ukuthi ngiwuthole. Mina lomkami sahle saqalisa inkonzo yesikhathi sonke sindawonye.”

19. Singenzani ukuze siqhubeke sihamba “njengabantwana bokukhanya”?

¹⁹ Kumele ukuthi incwadi uPhawuli ayibhalela abase-Efesu yabanceda ukuthi baqhubeke bekhonza uJehova bethembekile. Incwadi le ephefumulelweyo lathi ingasinceda ukuthi sikhethe kuhle abangane lezinto esizilibazisa ngazo. Ingasikhuthaza ukuthi siqhubeke sibala iBhayibhili nsuku zonke ukuze ukukhanya kweqiniso kuqhubeke kusikhokhela kukho konke esikwenzayo. Kanti njalo iyagcizelela ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi sibe lomoya ongcwele ngoba uyasinceda ukuthi sibe lobuntu obuhle. Ukusebenzisa lokho uPhawuli akubhalayo kungasinceda ukuthi senze izinqumo ezinhle ezivumelana lemicabango kaJehova. Nxa singenza konke esifunde ngakho sizabalekela ubumnyama bomhlaba lo besesihlala ekukhanyeni.