1-2. Okwenziwa ngumphostoli uPhawuli kungabanceda njani abadala?

 UMPHOSTOLI uPhawuli wayebathanda abafowabo labodadewabo. Wayesebenza nzima ukuze abancedise. (ImiSeb. 20:31) Lokhu yikho okwenza abazalwane bamthanda. Ngelinye ilanga abadala be-Efesu “bakhala ezimathonsi sibili” esebatshele ukuthi babengasoze baphinde bambone. (ImiSeb. 20:37) Lamuhla abadala labo bayabathanda abafowabo labodadewabo futhi benza konke abangakwenza ukuthi babancedise. (Flp. 2:16, 17) Kodwa ngezinye izikhathi kungaba nzima ukuthi benze konke okukhangelelwe ukuthi bakwenze. Kuyini okungabanceda?

² Abadala kumele balingisele uPhawuli. (1 Khor. 11:1) UPhawuli laye wayelesono njalo ngezinye izikhathi wayethwala nzima ukwenza okuqondileyo. (Rom. 7:18-20) Kanti njalo kwakumele alwisane lobunzima obutshiyeneyo. Kodwa kazange akhalale kumbe adane. Nxa abadala bangalingisela uPhawuli labo bazaqhubeka bekhonza uJehova bethokoza lanxa behlangana lenhlupho. Asiboneni ukuthi bangakwenza njani lokhu.

3. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

³ Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngezinto ezine ezingathwalisa nzima abadala. Okokuqala, yikuthola isikhathi eseneleyo sokutshumayela ngapha besenza eminye imisebenzi okumele bayenze. Okwesibili, yikuthola isikhathi sokukhuthaza abafowabo labodadewabo. Okwesithathu, ngamaphutha abo. Okwesine, yikubekezelela abanye nxa besenza amaphutha. Sizaphinda sixoxe ngalokho okwanceda uPhawuli lokuthi abadala bangamlingisela njani.

4. Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi abadala bakhokhele emsebenzini wokutshumayela?

⁴ Okungenza kube nzima. Abadala kumele bakhokhele emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Lanxa kunjalo baleminye imisebenzi okumele bayenze. Ngokwesibonelo, abanengi bajayele ukuba ngomgcinisihlalo emhlanganweni waphakathi kweviki njalo baqhuba leSifundo SeBhayibhili Sebandla. Bangabe besenza lezinye inkulumo. Baqeqetsha inceku ezikhonzayo njalo bahlala bekhuthaza abafowabo labodadewabo. (1 Phet. 5:2) Abanye abadala basebenza ukwakha lokulungisa amaWolu oMbuso lezinye izakhiwo zenhlanganiso. Lanxa kunjalo umsebenzi oqakatheke kulayo yonke okumele abadala bawenze ngowokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle njengabo bonke abamemezeli ebandleni.—Mat. 28:19, 20.

5. Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli waphumelela enkonzweni yakhe?

⁵ Okwenziwa nguPhawuli. KuFiliphi 1:10, uPhawuli uyasitshela ukuthi kuyini okwenza wathola isikhathi esinengi sokutshumayela. Uthi: “Libe leqiniso lokuthi yiziphi izinto eziqakatheke kakhulu.” UPhawuli wakwenza lokho ayekukhuthaza abanye. Wayephathiswe inkonzo njalo wayeyiqakathekisa kakhulu. Wayetshumayela “obala lasendlini ngendlu.” (ImiSeb. 20:20) Wayengakhethi ukuthi utshumayela ngasiphi isikhathi kumbe akhethe ilanga elilodwa ngeviki. Wayetshumayela loba ngaphi, loba nini. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi emelele abanye bakhe e-Athene watshumayeza iqembu labantu ababedumile futhi abanye babo balalela. (ImiSeb. 17:16, 17, 34) Wayetshumayela lanxa ‘ebotshiwe.’—Flp. 1:13, 14; ImiSeb. 28:16-24.

6. UPhawuli wabafundisani abanye?

⁶ UPhawuli wasisebenzisa kuhle isikhathi sakhe. Wayejayele ukucela abanye ukuthi bahambe laye ekutshumayeleni. Ngokwesibonelo, ohambweni lwakhe lokuqala etshumayela wahamba loMakho, kolwesibili wahamba loThimothi. (ImiSeb. 12:25; 16:1-4) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uPhawuli wabafundisa ukwenza imisebenzi yebandla lokwelusa abazalwane kanye lokuba zingcitshi ekufundiseni.—1 Khor. 4:17.

7. Abadala bangakulandela njani lokho okwatshiwo nguPhawuli ku-Efesu 6:14, 15?

⁷ Abadala bafundani? Abadala bangalingisela uPhawuli ngokutshumayela endlini ngendlu langokuzimisela ukutshumayela loba ngaphi, loba nini. (Bala u-Efesu 6:14, 15.) Ngokwesibonelo, bangatshumayela emsebenzini kumbe  nxa bethenga ezitolo. Nxa bencedisa ekwakheni iWolu yoMbuso bangatshumayeza omakhelwane lalabo abathengisayo. Kanti njalo abadala bangalingisela uPhawuli ngokuthi nxa besekutshumayeleni baqeqetshe abanye okugoqela lenceku ezikhonzayo.

8. Kuyini okungadingeka ukuthi umdala akwenze?

⁸ Abadala akumelanga bavumele imisebenzi abayenza ebandleni kumbe esiqintini ibatshiye bengaselasikhathi sokutshumayela. Kwesinye isikhathi kungadingeka ukuthi bale eminye imisebenzi abayiphiwayo ukuze benze kuhle leyo abalayo. Nxa umdala angathandaza njalo acabangisise angananzelela ukuthi nxa angamukela umsebenzi othile kasoze abelesikhathi sokwenza izinto eziqakatheke kakhulu. Izinto lezi zigoqela ukuba lokukhonza kwemuli maviki wonke, ukukhuthala emsebenzini wokutshumayela lokufundisa abantwabakhe ukwenza umsebenzi lo. Abanye bakuthola kunzima ukwala eminye imisebenzi kodwa bangaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyazwisisa ukuthi bafuna ukwenza kuhle imisebenzi abalayo.

9. Kuyini okungaba nzima ukuthi abadala bakwenze?

⁹ Okungenza kube nzima. Abantu bakaJehova behlelwa zinhlupho ezinengi. Kulezinsuku zokucina, sonke siyakudinga ukukhuthazwa lokuncediswa kanye lokududuzwa. Ngezinye izikhathi abanye bangadinga ukuxwayiswa nxa sebephambuka. (1 Thes. 5:14) Abadala abenelisi ukuqeda zonke inhlupho ezehlela abantu bakaJehova. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova ufuna benze konke abangakwenza ukuthi bakhuthaze njalo bavikele izimvu zakhe. Pho abadala bangasithola njani isikhathi sokuncedisa abafowabo labodadewabo njengoba belemisebenzi eminengi kangaka?

10. U-1 Thesalonika 2:7 uthi uPhawuli wayebaphatha njani abantu bakaNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ Okwenziwa nguPhawuli. UPhawuli wayehlala ebancoma njalo ebakhuthaza abafowabo labodadewabo. Abadala kumele bamlingisele ngokuthanda abafowabo labodadewabo langokuba lomusa kubo. (Bala u-1 Thesalonika 2:7.) UPhawuli watshela abafowabo labodadewabo ukuthi uyabathanda lokuthi uJehova laye uyabathanda. (2 Khor. 2:4; Efe. 2:4, 5) Labo abasebandleni wayebabona bengabangane bakhe njalo wayezinika isikhathi sokuba labo. Watshengisa ukuthi uyabathemba ngokubatshela ngalokho okwakumkhathaza langobuthakathaka bakhe. (2 Khor. 7:5; 1 Tim. 1:15) Kodwa wayengafuni ukuthi bacabange kakhulu ngenhlupho zakhe. Ayekufuna yikubancedisa.

11. Kungani uPhawuli wanika abafowabo labodadewabo iseluleko?

 ¹¹ Ngezinye izikhathi kwakudingeka ukuthi uPhawuli anike abafowabo labodadewabo iseluleko. Wayebeluleka ngoba ebathanda hatshi ngenxa yokuthi ubacaphukele. Kanti njalo wayefuna ukubavikela ezintweni ezazingabalimaza. Wayezama ukwenza ukuthi iseluleko sakhe sizwisiseke futhi samukelwe. Ngokwesibonelo, eyinye incwadi ayibhalela abaseKhorinte yayileseluleko esilamandla. Wathi eseyibhalile wathuma uThithusi kubo. UPhawuli wayefuna ukuzwa ukuthi bayamukele njani incwadi yakhe. Wathokoza sibili esizwa ukuthi babesamukele iseluleko sakhe.—2 Khor. 7:6, 7.

12. Abadala bangabakhuthaza njani abafowabo labodadewabo?

¹² Abadala bafundani? Abadala bangalingisela uPhawuli ngokuzinika isikhathi sokuba labafowabo labodadewabo. Okunye abangakwenza yikuphangisa ukufika emihlanganweni yebandla ukuze baxoxe labo futhi babakhuthaze. Ngemizuzu emilutshwana nje bangabe sebemkhuthazile umfowabo kumbe udadewabo. (Rom. 1:12; Efe. 5:16) Umdala kumele alingisele uPhawuli ngokukhuthaza abanye esebenzisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu langokubaqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda. Kanti njalo kumele enze kukhanye ukuthi laye uyabathanda. Uhlala exoxa labo njalo edinga okuhle abakwenzayo ukuze abancome. Uba leqiniso lokuthi iseluleko abanika sona sisekelwe eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. Kababhodi nxa ebanika iseluleko kodwa ulomusa ngenxa yokuthi ufuna basamukele.—Gal. 6:1.

13. Umdala angazizwa njani ngamaphutha akhe?

¹³ Okungenza kube nzima. Abadala balesono futhi bayaphambanisa njengomuntu wonke. (Rom. 3:23) Abanye abadala bangakhathazeka kakhulu ngamaphutha abo baze bazibone bengelancedo. Abanye bona bangacabanga ukuthi amaphutha abo awamabi kangako okokuthi sebengaze batshintshe.

14. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuFiliphi 4:13, ukuthobeka kwamnceda njani uPhawuli ukuthi alwisane lobuthakathaka bakhe?

¹⁴ Okwenziwa nguPhawuli. UPhawuli wayethobekile yikho wananzelela ukuthi wayengeke alwisane lobuthakathaka bakhe eyedwa. Wayedinga ukuncediswa nguJehova. Engakabi ngumKhristu wayewahlukuluza okuzwayo amaKhristu. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi wananzelela ukuthi ayekwenza kwakungaqondanga wasezimisela ukutshintsha.  (1 Tim. 1:12-16) UJehova wamncedisa ukuthi abe ngumelusi olothando, olozwelo lothobekileyo. Wayekwazi ukuthi kunengi ayekuphambanisa kodwa kazange azihluphe kakhulu ngakho. Wayekholwa ukuthi uJehova uzamthethelela. (Rom. 7:21-25) Wayengakhangelelanga ukuthi wayezahlala esenza okuqondileyo sonke isikhathi. Kodwa wasebenza nzima ukuze abe lobuntu obuhle njalo wathobeka, wathemba uJehova ukuthi amncedise awenze kuhle umsebenzi wakhe.—1 Khor. 9:27; bala uFiliphi 4:13.

15. Umdala kumele enzeni?

¹⁵ Abadala bafundani? Abadala balesono futhi uJehova ukhangelele ukuthi bavume ukuthi balaso besebezama ukuthuthuka. (Efe. 4:23, 24) Umdala kumele azihlole esebenzisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu abeselungisa lapho okudinga ukuthi alungise khona. Nxa angakwenza lokhu uJehova uzamncedisa ukuthi abe ngumdala omuhle futhi othokozayo.—Jak. 1:25.

16. Kuyini okungenzakala nxa umdala ekhangela kakhulu amaphutha enziwa ngabanye?

¹⁶ Okungenza kube nzima. Kubalula ukuthi abadala babone amaphutha abafowabo labodadewabo nxa beqeda isikhathi esinengi belabo. Nxa bengananzeleli bangacina sebebacaphukela, bebaphatha ngokhahlo kumbe bebahlulela. UPhawuli waxwayisa amaKhristu ukuthi angakwenzi lokhu ngoba yikho okufunwa nguSathane.—2 Khor. 2:10, 11.

17. UPhawuli wayebabona njani abafowabo labodadewabo?

¹⁷ Okwenziwa nguPhawuli. UPhawuli wayengabacabangeli okubi abafowabo labodadewabo. Wayekwazi sibili ukuthi bayaphambanisa njalo ngezinye izikhathi ababekwenza kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu. Lanxa kunjalo wayekwazi ukuthi ukuphambanisa kwabo kwakungatsho ukuthi bangabantu ababi. Wayebathanda abafowabo labodadewabo njalo wayekhangela kakhulu okuhle ababekwenza. Nxa babethwala nzima ukwenza okuqondileyo wayengabacabangeli okubi kodwa wayebabona bengabantu abafuna ukwenza okuhle lokuncediswa.

18. Ufundani endleleni uPhawuli ancedisa ngayo uYuwodiya loSintikhe? (UFiliphi 4:1-3)

¹⁸ Cabanga ngendlela uPhawuli ancedisa ngayo odade ababili ababesebandleni leFiliphi. (Bala uFiliphi 4:1-3.) Kukhanya uYuwodiya loSintikhe babevumele ukuthi indlela ababebona ngayo izinto ibangele ukuthi bangazwisisani. UPhawuli kazange abaphathe ngokhahlo kumbe abahlulele kodwa wakhangela okuhle ababekwenza. Babethembekile kuJehova njalo basebemkhonze okwesikhathi eside. UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova  wayebathanda. Wakhangela okuhle okwakusenziwa ngodade laba yikho wabakhuthaza ukuthi balungise ukungazwanani kwabo. Indlela ayebona ngayo abanye yamnceda ukuthi aqhubeke ethokoza njalo abe labangane ebandleni lelo.

19. (a) Abadala kumele bababone njani abafowabo labodadewabo? (b) Ufundani kumdala osepikitsheni?

¹⁹ Abadala bafundani? Badala, dingani okuhle okwenziwa ngabafowenu labodadewenu. Bonke balesono. Lanxa kunjalo ngamunye wabo ulokuhle akwenzayo. (Flp. 2:3) Ngezinye izikhathi kungadingeka ukuthi abadala beluleke umKhristu osephambuka. Ngesikhathi bemeluleka kumele balingisele uPhawuli ngokuzama sibili ukungazihluphi kakhulu ngezenzo zakhe lamazwi akhe acaphulayo. Kumele bakhumbule ukuthi uyamthanda uJehova, ukuthi uzimisele ukumkhonza lokuthi uyafuna ukwenza okuhle. Abadala abakhangela okuhle okwenziwa ngabanye benza abafowabo labodadewabo babone ukuthi bayathandwa ebandleni.

20. Abadala bangenzani ukuze baqhubeke befunda kulokho okwenziwa nguPhawuli?

²⁰ Badala, kungalinceda ukuqhubeka lifunda kulokho okwenziwa nguPhawuli. Ngokwesibonelo, lingabala isahluko 12 ebhukwini lesiZulu elithi ‘Ukunikeza Ubufakazi Obuphelele’ NgoMbuso KaNkulunkulu, indima 17 kusiya ku-20. Ngesikhathi libala izihloko ezilapho zibuzeni: ‘Okwenziwa nguPhawuli kunganginceda njani ukuthi ngiqhubeke ngithokoza emsebenzini wami wokuba ngumdala?’

21. Kuyini okungamelanga abadala bakuthandabuze?

²¹ Badala, lingakhohlwa ukuthi uJehova kakhangelelanga ukuthi lingenzi amaphutha kodwa ufuna lithembeke. (1 Khor. 4:2) UJehova wathokoza ngokuthi uPhawuli wayesebenza nzima njalo ethembekile. Lawe ungathandabuzi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakuqakathekisa omenzela khona. Kasoze “awukhohlwe umsebenzi wenu lothando elalutshengisa ebizweni lakhe lapho lisiza abangcwele njalo liqhubeka libasiza.”—Heb. 6:10.