Mavesi aya ofotokoza minkhalidwe ya mzimu yokwanila 9 yamene ni “cikondi, cimwemwe, mtendele, kuleza mtima, kuwama mtima, ubwino, cikhulupililo, kufasa na kuzilesha.” Koma aya niye lini tyala minkhalidwe iweme yamene mzimu wa Mulungu utiyavya kukulisha.

Kansi tuziŵa tyani? Mtumwi Paulo akaliyotomola minkhalidwe ya mzimu, elemba kuti: “Nchito za muŵili . . . ni dama, vinthu viipa, nkhalidwe yotailila, kulambila mafano, kucita zamizimu, udani, ndeo, nsanje, kupya mtima, mikangano, kugaŵikana, magulu ampatuko, kuipilwa, kumwa mwaucakolwa, maphwando acongo na ziyakine zotetyo.” (Agal. 5:19-21) Tetyo, Paulo esilizhya na mau akuti na ziyakine zotetyo, kuonesha kuti aliyotomole minkhalidwe yonse yamene ni “nchito za muŵili molingana na Akolose 3:5. Pavuli potomola minkhalidwe iweme, elaŵila kuti, “Paliye lamulo ingaleshe minkhalidwe iyi.” Tetyo, Paulo aliyotomole minkhalidwe yonse iweme yatingakulishe moyavyiwa na mzimu utuŵa.

Tingamvwishe bwino tikaona mwecilinganizhyila Paulo minkhalidwe ya mzimu na minkhalidwe ya kuwala yamene elembela mpingo wa ku Efeso kuti: “Pakuti minkhalidwe ya kuwala ni ciliconse ciweme na ciliconse colungama na cacendi.” (Aef. 5: 8, 9) “Ubwino,” cilungamo na cendi ni mbali ya “minkhalidwe ya kuwala,” koma soti ni mbali ya “minkhalidwe ya mzimu.”

Tingamvwishe izi ngati talinganizhya minkhalidwe ya mzimu, na minkhalidwe 6 yamene Paulo euzhya Timoteyo kuti aikulishe yamene ni: “Cilungamo, kuzitwala kwa Mulungu, cikhulupililo, cikondi, cipililo na kufasa.” (1 Tim. 6:11) Pa minkhalidwe iyi, cikhulupililo, cikondi na kufasa niye tyala mbali ya “minkhalidwe ya mzimu.” Timoteyo enzofunika thandizo ya mzimu utuŵa kuti akulishe minkhalidwe monga cilungamo, kuzitwala kwa Mulungu, cikhulupililo, cikondi, cipililo.—Linganizhyani na Akolose 3:12; 2 Petulo 1:5-7.

Tetyo, Agalatiya 5:22, 23 yutomola lini minkhalidwe yonse Yacikhristu yatufunika kukulisha. Mzimu wa Mulungu ungatiyavye kukulisha minkhalidwe 9 yafotokozewa kuti “minkhalidwe ya mzimu.” Koma pali minkhalidwe inyinji yatufunika kukulisha kuti tinkhale Akhristu okhwima. Minkhalidwe iyi ingatiyavye ‘kuvwala umunthu walomba wamene welengewa molingana na cifunilo ca Mulungu m’cilungamo cenecene na pa kukhulupilika.’—Aef. 4:24.