1. Yintoni eyavunywa ngumpostile uPawulos?

UMPOSTILE UPAWULOS wavuma ukuba wayekhe aphelelwe ngamandla. Wathi umzimba wakhe ‘wawusiya usonakala.’ Kwakusiba nzima ukwenza okulungileyo. Kwaye ngamanye amaxesha imithandazo yakhe yayingaphendulwa ngendlela ebecinga ngayo. (2 Kor. 4:16; 12:7-9; Roma 7:21-23) UPawulos wayesazi ukuba iintshaba zakhe zazisithi akanamandla. * Kodwa akazange avumele izinto ezimbi ezazithethwa ngabantu ngaye okanye ukungabi namandla kwakhe kumenze azive engabalulekanga.​—2 Kor. 10:10-12, 17, 18.

2. Ngokutsho Kuka-2 Korinte 12:9, 10, yeyiphi into ebalulekileyo eyafundwa nguPawulos?

² Nantsi into ebalulekileyo eyafundwa nguPawulos. Umntu anganamandla ngoku eziva ngathi akanawo. (Funda 2 Korinte 12:9, 10.) UYehova waxelela uPawulos ukuba amandla akhe ‘abonakala ngokupheleleyo xa yena [Pawulos] engenamandla.’ Loo nto ithetha ukuba uPawulos wayeza kufumana amandla awayewadinga kuYehova. Okokuqala makhe sibone ukuba kutheni singamele sikhathazeke xa iintshaba zethu zisithuka.

3. Kutheni sivuya xa sithukwa?

³ Akukho mntu ukuthandayo ukuthukwa, kodwa xa iintshaba zethu zisithuka size sikhathazeke kakhulu, loo  nto inokusityhafisa. (IMize. 24:10) Ngoko simele sithini xa sithukwa? NjengoPawulos simele ‘sivuye xa sithukwa.’ (2 Kor. 12:10) Ngoba? Kuba xa abantu besithuka okanye besichasa, loo nto ibonisa ukuba singabafundi bakaYesu nyhani. (1 Pet. 4:14) UYesu wathi abalandeli bakhe baza kutshutshiswa. (Yoh. 15:18-20) Yenzeka loo nto ngexesha labapostile. Ngelo xesha abantu ababosulelwe yindlela yamaGrike yokuphila, babebona amaKristu engabhadlanga, engenamandla. Naphakathi kwamaYuda, amaKristu ayejongwa njengabantu abangafundanga nabantu ‘abaqhelekileyo’ njengompostile uPetros noYohane. (IZe. 4:13) Abantu abaninzi babecinga ukuba amaKristu awanamandla, awakwazi nokuzikhusela. Ayengazifaki kwiipolitiki nakwizinto zikarhulumente. Ayengavumi nokungena emkhosini, ngoko ayengenamandla okulwa amadabi okanye okuzikhusela. Ayengahlonitshwa ngabantu ekuhlaleni.

4. Enza ntoni amaKristu exesha labapostile xa abantu babethetha kakubi ngawo?

⁴ Ngaba amaKristu exesha labapostile avumela izinto ezimbi ezazithethwa ziintshaba zawo ukuba ziwatyhafise? Hayi! Ngokomzekelo, umpostile uPetros noYohane bakubona kufanelekile ukuba batshutshiswe ngenxa yokulandela uYesu. (IZe. 4:18-21; 5:27-29, 40-42) Kwakungekho sizathu sokuba abafundi babe neentloni. Ethubeni la maKristu athobekileyo abenzela izinto ezintle abantu kunabo bachasi. Ngokomzekelo, iincwadi eziphefumlelweyo ezabhalwa ngaloo maKristu zisanceda abantu abaninzi nanamhlanje kwaye zibanika ithemba. UBukumkani awayeshumayela ngabo buyalawula ezulwini, ibe kungekudala buza kulawula bonke abantu. (Mat. 24:14) Kodwa uKumkani waseRoma owayetshutshisa loo maKristu, kwathi cwaka ngaye. Wona loo maKristu athembekileyo angookumkani ezulwini. Iintshaba zawo zasweleka, nokuba zingavuka, ziza kulawulwa ngala maKristu zazingafuni nokuwabona.​—ISityhi. 5:10.

5. UYohane 15:19 uthi kutheni abantu bakaYehova bejongelwa phantsi?

⁵ Namhlanje abantu bakaYehova bajongelwa phantsi. Bayagxekwa kusithiwa ababhadlanga kwaye abanamandla. Ngoba? Kuba abacingi njengabantu behlabathi. Bazama ukuthobeka baze bathobele. Kwelinye icala, ihlabathi lithanda abantu abanekratshi, abaziindlobongela nabavukeli. Thina, asizifaki kwiipolitiki nasemkhosini walo naliphi na ilizwe. Ngoko sohlukile kubantu behlabathi namhlanje, yiyo loo nto besijongela phantsi.​—Funda uYohane 15:19; Roma 12:2.

6. Ngowuphi umsebenzi omkhulu uYehova awenzayo esebenzisa abantu bakhe?

⁶ Nokuba ihlabathi licinga ntoni ngathi, uYehova usisebenzisa kwizinto ezinkulu. Wenza owona msebenzi mkhulu wokushumayela ngendlela engazange yabonwa ehlabathini. Abakhonzi bakhe basasaza baze baguqulele iimagazini ngeelwimi ezininzi emhlabeni wonke. Basebenzisa neBhayibhile ukuze bancede abantu abaninzi batshintshe indlela abaphila ngayo. Lonke uzuko lwendlela owenziwa ngayo lo msebenzi mkhulu luya kuYehova osebenzisa iqela labantu ababonakala bengenamandla. Kodwa uYehova uthini ngawe? Angakunceda ube namandla? Ukuze akuncede kufuneka wenze ntoni? Makhe sibone izinto ezintathu esinokuzifunda kumpostile uPawulos.

7. Sifunda ntoni kuPawulos?

⁷ Nantsi into esiyifunda kuPawulos: Sukuthembela kumandla akho nobuchule onabo xa ukhonza uYehova. Ethanda, uPawulos wayenokuba nekratshi aze azithembe kakhulu. Wakhulela eTarso, ikomkhulu lephondo laseRoma. ITarso yayisisixeko esimi kakuhle kwezoqoqosho, sineyunivesithi edumileyo. UPawulos wayefunde wayityekeza, efundiswa yenye yeenkokheli zamaYuda eyayihlonitshwa kakhulu ngexesha lakhe, uGamaliyeli. (IZe. 5:34; 22:3) Naye, wayekhe wangumntu ohlonitshwayo ngamaYuda akowabo. Wathi: “Ndandihambela phambili kule nkonzo yobuYuda ndizogqitha iintanga zam kwisizwe sakowethu.” (Gal. 1:13, 14; IZe. 26:4) Kodwa uPawulos akazange azithembe.

8. AmaFilipi 3:8, athi wayezijonga njani uPawulos izinto awazincamayo, ibe yintoni ‘eyayimvuyisa xa engenamandla’?

⁸ UPawulos wakuvuyela ukuncama izinto ezazimenza abaluleke ehlabathini. Wazibona ‘ziyinkunkuma eninzi.’ (Funda amaFilipi 3:8.) Kwamenzela iingxaki ezininzi ukuba ngumlandeli kaKristu. Bamcaphukela abantu bakowabo. (IZe. 23:12-14) Wabethwa waza wavalelwa ngamaRoma akowabo. (IZe. 16:19-24, 37) Wabona nokuba kunzima ukwenza okulungileyo ngenxa yokungafezeki. (Roma 7:21-25) Zonke ezo zinto azizange zimenze ayeke ukulandela uKristu, kodwa ‘wavuyiswa kukungabi namandla.’ Ngoba? Kuba wayebona amandla kaThixo esebenza ebomini bakhe kanye xa engenamandla.​—2 Kor. 4:7; 12:10.

9. Ngaba simele sikhathazeke xa singenazo izinto ezisenza sibaluleke ehlabathini? Cacisa.

⁹ Ukuba sifuna ukufumana amandla kuYehova asimele sicinge ukuba sixabiseke ngenxa yamandla ethu, imfundo, indawo esikhulele kuyo okanye imali esinayo. Ezi zinto azisenzi sibaluleke kuYehova. Kaloku, asingabo bonke abantu bakaThixo abazizilumko ebantwini, ‘abanamandla nabazalwa ngabantu ababalulekileyo.’  UYehova ukhethe “izinto ezingomelelanga zehlabathi.” (1 Kor. 1:26, 27) Nokuba awunazo ezi zinto kuthethwe ngazo ekuqaleni kwesiqendu, unokumkhonza uYehova. Xa ungenazo, uza kuwabona kakuhle amandla kaYehova esebenza kuwe. Ukuba uyoyika ukuthethelela ukholo lwakho kubantu abathetha kakubi ngalo, cela uYehova akuphe isibindi sokukwazi ukuzithethelela. (Efe. 6:19, 20) Ukuba usokoliswa sisigulo esingapheliyo, cela uYehova akuphe amandla okukwazi ukuhlala uxakekile enkonzweni yakhe. Qho ubona uYehova ekunceda, ukholo lwakho luyakhula uze ube namandla.

10. Kutheni kubalulekile ukufunda ngabakhonzi abathembekileyo abaseBhayibhileni, njengabo kuthethwe ngabo kumaHebhere 11:32-34?

¹⁰ UPawulos wayekukhuthalele ukufunda iZibhalo. Zininzi izinto awazifundayo, wafunda nangezinto ezazisenziwa ngabantu ekuthethwe ngabo kwiLizwi LikaThixo. Xa wayebhalela amaKristu angamaHebhere, uPawulos wawacela ukuba acinge ngezinto ezenziwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo abaninzi. (Funda amaHebhere 11:32-34.) Khawucinge ngomnye wabo, uKumkani uDavide. Wayechaswa ziintshaba zakhe nangabahlobo bakhe. Njengokuba sifunda ngoDavide, siza kubona ukuba ukucingisisa ngobomi bukaDavide kwamnceda njani uPawulos, nokuba thina singamlinganisa njani uPawulos.

11. Kwakutheni ukuze uDavide abonakale engenamandla? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

¹¹ Isigantsontso sendoda uGoliyati sabona uDavide elicekecekana njee lomfana. Wathi akubona uDavide, “wamsinekela.” Kaloku, uGoliyati wayemkhulu, enazo zonke izixhobo zemfazwe, eqeqeshelwe ukulwa. Yena uDavide, wayengazi nto ngokulwa, engaxhobelanga nemfazwe. Kodwa loo nto yayingathethi ukuba wayengenamandla kuba wathembela ngoYehova owamnika amandla okoyisa uGoliyati.​—1 Sam. 17:41-45, 50.

12. Yeyiphi enye ingxaki awaba nayo uDavide?

¹² UDavide waba nenye ingxaki eyayinokumenza abonakale engenamandla. Wayethembekile kuKumkani wakwaSirayeli owayekhethwe nguYehova, uSawule. Ekuqaleni uKumkani uSawule wayemhlonipha uDavide. Ekuhambeni kwexesha ikratshi likaSawule lamenza wammonela. Wamphatha kakubi uDavide, wade wazama nokumbulala.​—1 Sam. 18:6-9, 29; 19:9-11.

13. Wenza ntoni uDavide xa wayephethwe kakubi nguKumkani uSawule?

¹³ Nakuba wayephethwe kakubi nguKumkani uSawule, uDavide akazange ayeke ukumhlonipha lo kumkani ukhethwe nguYehova. (1 Sam. 24:6) Zange asole uYehova ngezinto ezimbi ezazisenziwa nguSawule. Kodwa, wathembela kuYehova ukuze amnike amandla okunyamezela.​—INdu. 18:1, umbhalo osemantla.

14. Yeyiphi ingxaki awayenayo umpostile uPawulos eyayifana nekaDavide?

¹⁴ Umpostile uPawulos waba nengxaki efana nekaDavide. Iintshaba zikaPawulos zazinamandla kakhulu kunaye, neenkokheli ezidumileyo zomhla wakhe zazingafuni nokumbona. Zazisoloko ziyalela ukuba abethwe aze avalelwe etrongweni. NjengoDavide, waphathwa kakubi ngabantu ababemele ukuba ngabahlobo bakhe. Wachaswa nangabanye ebandleni. (2 Kor. 12:11; Fil. 3:18) Kodwa waboyisa bonke abantu ababemchasa. Njani?  Ngokuqhubeka eshumayela echaswa enjalo. Wahlala enyanisekile kubazalwana noodadewabo noxa babemphoxa ngamanye amaxesha. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba wathembeka kuThixo de wasweleka. (2 Tim. 4:8) Zonke ezi zinto akazange azenze ngamandla akhe, kodwa wathembela ngoYehova.

15. Yintoni esinokuyenza kubantu abasichasayo, ibe sinokuyenza njani?

¹⁵ Ngaba ukhe uthukwe okanye utshutshiswe ngabantwana ofunda nabo, ngabantu osebenza nabo okanye ngabantu bakowenu abangengomaNgqina? Wakha waphathwa kakubi ngumntu ebandleni? Ukuba kunjalo, khumbula uDavide noPawulos. ‘Unokuhlala uboyisa ububi ngokwenza izinto ezilungileyo.’ (Roma 12:21) Xa besichasa abantu asilwi nabo njengoDavide esilwa noGoliyati, kodwa soyisa ububi ngokuzama ukubanceda bafunde ngoYehova neBhayibhile. Loo nto singayenza ngokuvumela iBhayibhile iphendule imibuzo abanayo, ngokubahlonipha nokuba nobubele kwabo basiphatha kakubi nangokwenza izinto ezintle kubo bonke, nkqu neentshaba zethu.​—Mat. 5:44; 1 Pet. 3:15-17.

16-17. Yintoni uPawulos angazange ayilibale?

¹⁶ Ngaphambi kokuba umpostile uPawulos abe ngumlandeli kaKristu, wayengumfana odelelayo owayetshutshisa abalandeli bakaKristu. (IZe. 7:58; 1 Tim. 1:13) Ukuze ayeke ukutshutshisa ibandla lamaKristu, lo mfana uPawulos, owayesaziwa ngokuba nguSawule wanqandwa nguYesu ngokwakhe esezulwini. UYesu wathetha noPawulos waza wamenza akabona nangona wayewavulile amehlo. Kwanyanzeleka ukuba uPawulos aye kucela uncedo kwaba bantu wayebatshutshisa ukuze akwazi ukuphinda abone. Ethobekile, wavuma ukuncedwa ngumfundi uAnaniyas owamenza waphinda wabona.​—IZe. 9:3-9, 17, 18.

¹⁷ Ekugqibeleni, uPawulos wayesaziwa lilo lonke ibandla lamaKristu, kodwa zange asilibale isifundo awasifundiswa nguYesu  endleleni eya eDamasko. Wahlala ethobekile, evuma ukuncedwa ngabazalwana noodadewabo. Wayeqonda ukuba ‘bayamthuthuzela.’​—Kol. 4:10, 11.

18. Yintoni enokusenza singavumi ukuncedwa ngabanye?

¹⁸ Sinokufunda ntoni kuPawulos? Xa sasiqala ukufunda inyaniso kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwakulula ukwamkela uncedo oluvela kwabanye kuba sisazi ukuba ininzi into ekufuneka siyifundile. (1 Kor. 3:1, 2) Ngaba kusenjalo nangoku? Ukuba sesinexesha elide sikhonza uYehova, ibe sinezinto ezininzi esizaziyo enkonzweni, sisenokungavumi ukuncedwa ngumntu ongenaxesha lide njengathi enyanisweni. Kodwa uYehova usoloko esebenzisa abazalwana noodade ukuze asomeleze. (Roma 1:11, 12) Simele siyikhumbule le nto ukuba sifuna ukufumana amandla kuYehova.

19. Yintoni eyanceda uPawulos wakwazi ukwenza izinto ezininzi?

¹⁹ Zininzi izinto ezenziwa nguPawulos emva kokuba engumKristu. Wancedwa yintoni? Wafunda ukuba ukuze uphumelele akufuneki uxhomekeke kumandla, imfundo, imali nendawo okhulele kuyo. Kufuneka uthobeke uze uthembele ngoYehova. NjengoPawulos, sonke masizame (1) ukuthembela ngoYehova, (2) ukufunda kubantu ekuthethwa ngabo eBhayibhileni (3) nokuvuma ukuncedwa ngamanye amaKristu. Ngoko, nokuba singaziva singenamandla kangakanani, uYehova uza kusipha amandla.