1. Kuyini umphostoli uPhawuli akuvumayo?

UMPHOSTOLI uPhawuli wakunanzelela ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi wayesiba buthakathaka. Wavuma ukuthi umzimba wakhe wawusiba “buthakathaka,” ukuthi kwakumele alwise ukuze enze okulungileyo lokuthi uJehova wayengaphenduli imithandazo yakhe ngendlela ayekhangelele ngayo. (2 Khor. 4:16; 12:7-9; Rom. 7:21-23) Waphinda wathi abantu ababemphikisa babembona ebuthakathaka. * Lanxa kunjalo, kazange avume ukuthi izinto ezimbi ezazikhulunywa ngaye loba amaphutha akhe kumenze acabange ukuthi kalancedo.​—2 Khor. 10:10-12, 17, 18.

2. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-2 Khorinte 12:9, 10, yisiphi isifundo esiqakathekileyo uPhawuli asifundayo?

² UPhawuli wafunda isifundo esiqakathekileyo sokuthi umuntu angaba lamandla lanxa ezizwa ebuthakathaka. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 12:9, 10.) UJehova wamtshela wathi: “Nxa ubuthakathaka, kulapho engiveza khona amandla ami ngokugcweleyo.” Lapha uJehova wayesitsho ukuthi uzanika uPhawuli amandla ayewadinga. Khathesi asixoxeni ngokuthi kungani kungamelanga sikhathazeke nxa abaphikisi besithethisa.

3. Kungani kumele sijabule nxa sithethiswa?

³ Akula loyedwa wethu ofuna ukuthethiswa. Kodwa nxa izitha zethu zingasithethisa besesikhathazeka kakhulu ngokuthi zitheni, singaphela amandla. (Zaga. 24:10, NWT) Pho kumele senzeni? Kumele senze njengoPhawuli ‘sijabule nxa sithethiswa.’ (2 Khor. 12:10) Phela ukuthethiswa lokuphikiswa kutshengisa ukuthi singabafundi bakaJesu beqiniso. (1 Phet. 4:14) UJesu wathi abafundi bakhe babezahlukuluzwa. (Joh. 15:18-20) Lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi sabaphostoli. Ngalezonsuku labo ababelandela amasiko amaGrikhi babebona amaKhristu engafundanga futhi engasibantu balutho. Kanti njalo amaJuda amanengi ayesithi amaKhristu ‘ayengafundanga futhi engabantu makhaza.’ (ImiSeb. 4:13) Abantu abanengi babecabanga ukuthi amaKhristu abuthakathaka njalo awenelisi ukuzivikela. Ayengangeni kwezombusazwe yikho kwakungelalutho ayengalutsho kuhulumende. Kanti njalo ayengangeni esisotsheni ngakho ayengelamandla okulwa izimpi kumbe okuzivikela.

4. AmaKhristu akuqala enzani lapho abantu bekhuluma izinto ezimbi ngawo?

⁴ AmaKhristu la avumela yini ukuthi izinto ezazikhulunywa ngabaphikisi ziwaqede amandla? Hatshi. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPhetro kanye loJohane babekubona kuyisibusiso ukuhlukuluzwa ngenxa yokulandela uJesu langokufundisa abanye ngaye. (ImiSeb. 4:18-21; 5:27-29, 40-42) Kwakungabayangisi ukuba ngabafundi bakaJesu. Lanxa abantu emphakathini babengawahloniphi amaKhristu, wona anceda kakhulu abanye ukwedlula lokho okwakusenziwa ngabaphikisi. Ngokwesibonelo, amabhuku eBhayibhili abhalwa ngamanye amaKhristu alokhu enceda futhi enika amamiliyoni abantu ithemba. Kanti njalo uMbuso ayetshumayela ngawo usubusa ezulwini futhi sekuseduze ukuthi ubuse bonke abantu. (Mat. 24:14) Kodwa uhulumende wamaRoma owawulamandla njalo uhlukuluza amaKhristu awuzange uhlale isikhathi eside. AmaKhristu lawo aqotho asengamakhosi ezulwini. Kodwa labo ababewaphikisa sebafa futhi nxa kungenzakala ukuthi bavuswe bayabe bezabuswa nguMbuso owawutshunyayelwa ngamaKhristu ababewazonda.​—Isam. 5:10.

5. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuJohane 15:19, kungani abantu bakaJehova bengahlonitshwa?

⁵ Lamuhla abanye abantu ababahloniphi oFakazi bakaJehova futhi bayabachothoza besithi abafundanga njalo babuthakathaka. Lokhu kubangelwa yikuthi asenzi njengabo. Siyazama ukuthobeka, ukuba mnene lokulalela. Kodwa umhlaba lamuhla uthanda abantu abazigqajayo, abaziphakamisayo labangalaleliyo. Asingeni kwezombusazwe kumbe esisotsheni. Kasisibo abomhlaba yikho abantu besibona singasibantu balutho.​—Bala uJohane 15:19; Rom. 12:2.

6. UJehova uncedisa abantu bakhe ukuthi benze wuphi umsebenzi omkhulu?

⁶ UJehova uyasisebenzisa ukwenza izinto ezimangalisayo kungelani lokuthi abantu bathini ngathi. Uyasisebenzisa ukuthi sitshumayele ngendlela okungakaze kutshunyayelwe ngayo selokhu kwadabuka umhlaba. Omagazini bethu bahunyutshwa ngezindimi ezinengi ukwedlula loba yiphi imagazini futhi batholakala ezindaweni ezinengi emhlabeni ukwedlula abanye. Kanti njalo sisebenzisa iBhayibhili ukunceda amamiliyoni abantu ukuthi baphile impilo engcono. UJehova nguye owenza izimanga ezinje esebenzisa iqembu labantu umhlaba ocabanga ukuthi libuthakathaka. Kodwa  kuthiwani ngawe? UJehova angakuncedisa yini ukuthi ube lamandla? Nxa kunjalo, kumele wenzeni ukuze akuncedise? Khathesi kasixoxeni ngezinto ezintathu esizifunda kumphostoli uPhawuli.

7. Yikuphi okunye esikufundayo esibonelweni sikaPhawuli?

⁷ Okunye esikufundayo esibonelweni sikaPhawuli yikuthi akumelanga sithembe amandla ethu kumbe iziphiwo esilazo ekukhonzeni uJehova. Abantu abanengi babebona uPhawuli engumuntu kuzwa ngenxa yezimo zakhe kanye leziphiwo ayelazo. Kwakungabalula ukuthi azigqaje futhi azithembe. Wakhulela eThasu, idolobho elaliyisigodlo sesabelo seRoma okuthiwa yiKhilikhiya. IThasu yayilidolobho elinothileyo futhi elalileyunivesithi edumileyo. UPhawuli wayefundile njalo wayefundiswe ngomunye wabakhokheli bamaJuda owayehlonitshwa kakhulu okwakuthiwa nguGamaliyeli. (ImiSeb. 5:34; 22:3) Kanti njalo uPhawuli wake waba ngumuntu odumileyo emphakathini wamaJuda. Wathi: “Okholweni lwesiJuda ngangithuthuka kulabanengi engangilingana labo esizweni sakithi.” (Gal. 1:13, 14; ImiSeb. 26:4) Lanxa kunjalo kazange azithembe.

8. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuFiliphi 3:8 lamabala angaphansi, uPhawuli wayezibona njani izinto azitshiyayo njalo kungani ‘kwakumjabulisa ukuba buthakathaka’?

⁸ UPhawuli watshiya izinto ezazimenza akhanye engumuntu olamandla ngokubona komhlaba futhi kazange azisole ngokwenza njalo. Wacina enanzelela ukuthi izinto lezo ‘zaziyinqumbi yengcekeza.’ (Bala uFiliphi 3:8 lamabala angaphansi.) Wathwala amagabha avuzayo ngenxa yokuba ngumlandeli kaKhristu. Wazondwa ngabantu besizwe sakibo. (ImiSeb. 23:12-14) Watshaywa njalo wabotshwa ngamaRoma lanxa laye wayengumRoma. (ImiSeb. 16:19-24, 37) Kanti njalo wananzelela ukuthi wayelesono lokuthi kwakunzima kakhulu ukwenza okuqondileyo. (Rom. 7:21-25) Kodwa kazange avume ukuthi ukuphikiswa loba amaphutha akhe amyekelise ukulandela uKhristu. ‘Kwakumjabulisa ukuba buthakathaka’ ngoba nxa wayenjalo wayebona  ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayemnika amandla.​—2 Khor. 4:7; 12:10.

9. Kumele sizibone njani izinto ezingenza sizikhangelele phansi?

⁹ Nxa ufuna ukuthi uJehova akunike amandla akumelanga ucabange ukuthi ukuba lempilakahle, lemfundo, lemali enengi kumbe imvelaphi yakho yikho okwenza uqakatheke kuye. Izinto lezi ayisizo ezenza uJehova asisebenzise. Phela ebantwini bakaNkulunkulu kababanengi “abahlakaniphileyo ngokubona kwabantu, kababanengi abalamandla futhi kababanengi abazalelwe esikhosini.” Kodwa uJehova ukhetha ukusebenzisa “izinto zomhlaba ezibuthakathaka.” (1 Khor. 1:26, 27) Ngakho lanxa ungelazo izinto eziqanjwe ekuqaliseni kwendima le ungacabangi ukuthi awusoze wenelise ukukhonza uJehova. Ukungabi lazo kuzakunceda ubone ukuthi uJehova ukunika njani amandla. Ngokwesibonelo, nxa usesaba abantu abaphikisa esikukholwayo, thandaza kuJehova ucele akunike isibindi sokulwela ukholo lwakho. (Efe. 6:19, 20) Nxa uthwaliswe nzima yikuhlala ugula, mcele akunike amandla owadingayo ukuze wenze konke okusemandleni akho ekumkhonzeni. Sonke isikhathi nxa ubona indlela uJehova akuncedisa ngayo ukholo lwakho luyaqina futhi uba lamandla.

10. Kungani kumele sihlole izibonelo zezinceku ezazithembekile ezinjengalezo okukhulunywa ngazo kuHebheru 11:32-34?

¹⁰ UPhawuli wayekukhuthalele ukutaditsha iMibhalo njalo wafunda okunengi ezincekwini zikaJehova ezithembekileyo ayebala ngazo. Wathi ebhalela amaKhristu angamaHebheru wawacela ukuthi acabangisise ngezibonelo lezo. (Bala uHebheru 11:32-34.) Omunye wazo yiNkosi uDavida. Wathwaliswa nzima yizitha zakhe kanye labanye ababeke baba ngabangane bakhe. Ngesikhathi sihlola isibonelo sikaDavida sizabona ukuthi ukucabangisisa ngaso kungabe kwamnceda njani uPhawuli ukuthi abe lamandla. Sizabona lokuthi singamlingisela njani uPhawuli.

11. Kuyini okwakusenza uDavida akhanye engelamandla? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

¹¹ Isotsha elilamandla okwakuthiwa nguGoliyathi lalibona uDavida engelamandla. Lathi limbona ‘lameyisa.’ Phela uGoliyathi wayemkhulu, ehlomile futhi eqeqetshwe ngcono kwezempi. UDavida yena wayengumfana nje owayekhanya engakulungelanga ukulwa. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi wayelamandla. Phela wayethembe uJehova njalo uJehova wamnika amandla okuthi amlahle phansi uGoliyathi.​—1 Sam. 17:41-45, 50.

12. Yiluphi olunye uhlupho olwehlela uDavida?

¹² UDavida wehlelwa ngolunye uhlupho olwalungamenza azizwe ebuthakathaka. Wayethembekile kuSawuli owayebekwe nguJehova ukuthi abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli. Ekuqaleni iNkosi uSawuli yayimhlonipha uDavida. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ukuzigqaja kwabangela ukuthi ibe lomhawu ngaye. USawuli wamphatha kubi uDavida waze wazama lokumbulala.​—1 Sam. 18:6-9, 29; 19:9-11.

13. UDavida wenzani ngesikhathi ephathwa kubi yiNkosi uSawuli?

¹³ Kungelani lokuthi iNkosi uSawuli yayimphatha kubi, uDavida waqhubeka eyihlonipha inkosi le eyayibekwe nguJehova. (1 Sam. 24:6) Kazange asole uJehova ngezinto ezimbi ezazisenziwa nguSawuli kodwa wathembela kuye ukuthi amnike amandla okuqinisela.—Hubo. 18:1 lesihloko sendaba.

14. Yibuphi ubunzima obehlela umphostoli uPhawuli obabuhambelana lobukaDavida?

 ¹⁴ Umphostoli uPhawuli wehlelwa yibunzima obabuhambelana lobukaDavida. Izitha zakhe zazilamandla kakhulu kulaye. Kanti njalo abakhokheli benkolo labezombusazwe abanengi babemzonda. Babemtshaya njalo bamvalele ejele kanengi. Waphathwa kubi ngabantu okwakumele ukuthi ngabe bangabangane bakhe. Amanye amaKhristu ayeze amphikise. (2 Khor. 12:11; Flp. 3:18) Lanxa kunjalo uPhawuli wabanqoba bonke ababesilwa laye. Wakwenza njani lokho? Waqhubeka etshumayela kungelani lokuphikiswa. Wahlala ebathanda abafowabo labodadewabo lanxa babeke bamdanise. Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi wathembeka kuNkulunkulu waze wafa. (2 Tim. 4:8) Wamelana lobunzima ubukhulu ngenxa yokuthi wayethembe uJehova hatshi ngamandla akhe.

15. Kumele senzeni nxa siphikiswa futhi lokhu singakwenza njani?

¹⁵ Uyathethiswa loba uyahlukuluzwa yini ngofunda labo, ngosebenza labo kumbe ngabemuli yangakini abangasiboFakazi? Sowake waphathwa kubi yini ngomunye ebandleni? Nxa kunjalo, khumbula okwenziwa nguDavida loPhawuli. Ungenelisa ukuqhubeka ‘unqoba okubi ngokuhle.’ (Rom. 12:21) Nxa abantu besiphikisa asilwi labo njengalokho okwenziwa nguDavida esilwa loGoliyathi kodwa sinqoba okubi ngokuzama ukunceda abantu bafunde iBhayibhili. Lokhu sikwenza ngokulisebenzisa nxa siphendula abantu, ngokuhlonipha langokuba lomusa kulabo abasiphatha kubi kanye lokwenza okuhle kubo bonke okugoqela izitha zethu.​—Mat. 5: 44; 1 Phet. 3:15-17.

16-17. Kuyini uPhawuli angazange akukhohlwe?

¹⁶ Umphostoli uPhawuli wayeziphakamisa futhi ehlukuluza abalandeli bakaJesu engakabi ngumKhristu. (ImiSeb. 7:58; 1 Tim. 1:13) Ngalesosikhathi esabizwa ngokuthi nguSawuli uJesu ngokwakhe wamvimba ukuthi angahlaseli amaKhristu. Wakhuluma laye esezulwini njalo wamenza waba yisiphofu. UPhawuli kwasekumele ayedinga uncedo ebantwini ayebahlukuluza  ukuze aphinde abone. Wathobeka wavuma ukuncediswa ngumfundi okwakuthiwa ngu-Ananiya owamvula amehlo.​—ImiSeb. 9:3-9, 17, 18.

¹⁷ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli waba ngumKhristu owaziwa kakhulu kodwa kazange akukhohlwe akufundiswa nguJesu ngesikhathi esiya eDamaseko. Waqhubeka ethobekile njalo wavuma ukuncediswa ngabafowabo labodadewabo. Wathi ‘babemqinisa.’​—Kol. 4:10, 11, amabala angaphansi.

18. Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi sivume ukuncediswa ngabanye?

¹⁸ Sifundani kuPhawuli? Kungenzakala ukuthi ngesikhathi siqalisa ukufunda iqiniso sasifuna ukuncediswa ngoba sisazi ukuthi kunengi okwakumele sikufunde. (1 Khor. 3:1, 2) Khathesi-ke? Nxa sesileminyaka eminengi sikhonza uJehova futhi sesifunde okunengi kungaba nzima ukuvuma ukuncediswa ngabanye, ikakhulu labo abangelasikhathi eside njengathi bengoFakazi. Kodwa izikhathi ezinengi uJehova usebenzisa abafowethu labodadewethu ukuthi asiqinise. (Rom. 1:11, 12) Yikho kumele sivume ukuthi basincedise nxa sifuna ukuthi uJehova asinike amandla.

19. Kuyini okwanceda uPhawuli ukuthi enze imisebenzi emangalisayo?

¹⁹ UPhawuli wenza imisebenzi eminengi emangalisayo esengumKhristu. Kuyini okwamncedayo? Wafunda ukuthi ukuthobeka lokuthemba uJehova yikho okungenza umuntu enelise ukwenza imisebenzi eminengi emihle hatshi ukuthi uvela ngaphi, ulamandla anganani, ufunde kanganani loba ukuthi ulemali enganani. Sengathi sonke singalingisela uPhawuli (1) ngokuthemba uJehova, (2) ngokufunda ezibonelweni eziseBhayibhilini, (3) langokuvuma ukuncediswa ngabafowethu labodadewethu. Nxa singenza njalo, uJehova uzasinika amandla kungelani lokuthi sizizwa sibuthakathaka kangakanani.