1-2. (a) Pawula bekakusiphi simo ngesikhatsi abhalela base-Efesu? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto lesitawucoca ngayo?

 NGESIKHATSI umphostoli Pawula aboshiwe eRoma, bekafuna kukhutsata bazalwane bakhe nabodzadze. Bekangeke akhone kubabona buso nebuso ngako wabhala tincwadzi. Yinye yato wayibhala ngabo-60 nobe 61 C.E. ayibhalela base-Efesu.​—Ef. 1:1; 4:1.

² Pawula bekase-Efesu ngaphambi kwekutsi abhale letincwadzi, ashumayela futsi afundzisa ngetindzaba letimnandzi. (Imis. 19:1, 8-10; 20:20, 21) Bekabatsandza kakhulu bazalwane bakhe nabodzadze futsi bekafuna kubasita kutsi bahlale betsembekile kuJehova. Kodvwa yini leyenta Pawula wabhalela emaKhristu lagcotjiwe mayelana nebumnyama nekukhanya? Yini onkhe emaKhristu langayifundza kuleseluleko saPawula? Ase sicoce ngetimphendvulo talemibuto.

KUSUKA EBUMNYAMENI KUYA EKUKHANYENI

3. Ngumaphi emagama lasetjentiswa nguPawula encwadzini layibhalela base-Efesu?

³ Pawula wabhalela emaKhristu ase-Efesu watsi: “Nake naba sebumnyameni, kodvwa nyalo senisekukhanyeni.” (Ef. 5:8) Kulelivesi, Pawula wasebentisa ligama lelitsi bumnyama nalelitsi kukhanya kuze avete lushintjo lolukhulu lolwentiwa base-Efesu, behluka kuloko lebebake baba ngiko. Ase sicoce ngekutsi yini leyenta Pawula watsi base-Efesu ‘bake baba sebumnyameni.’

4. Kushiwo ngamuphi umcondvo kutsi base-Efesu bebasebumnyameni ngenca yenkholo yemanga?

⁴ Kuba sebumnyameni ngenca yenkholo yemanga. Ngaphambi  kwekutsi base-Efesu bafundze liciniso futsi babe ngemaKhristu, bebagcilatwe yinkholo yemanga kanye nekukholelwa etintfweni letilite. Bekunelithempeli la-Athemisi lelidvumile edolobheni lase-Efesu, futsi bantfu bangaleso sikhatsi bebachaza lesakhiwo njengalesinye setintfo letingu-7 letimangalisa kakhulu emhlabeni. Bantfu lebebaya kulelithempeli bebangene shi ekukhonteni tithico. Ibhizinisi yekwakha nekutsengisa tithico telithempeli la-Athemisi beyingenisa imali lenyenti kakhulu. (Imis. 19:23-27) Ngetulu kwaloko, lelidolobha belidvume ngekusebentisa imilingo.​—Imis. 19:19.

5. Kushiwo ngamuphi umcondvo kutsi base-Efesu bebasebumnyameni ngenca yekutiphatsa kabi?

⁵ Kuba sebumnyameni ngenca yekutiphatsa kabi. Bantfu base-Efesu bebadvume ngekutiphatsa kabi kakhulu futsi kona kwabo bekuhambisana nekwedzelela. Imidlalo yabo nemicimbi yabo yenkholo beyivame kukhuluma ngetintfo letingcolile. (Ef. 5:3) Linyenti lebantfu base-Efesu ‘belingasadliwa ngunembeza,’ loko nakuhunyushwe njengobe kunjalo kusho kutsi “bebangasabuva ngisho nalobuncane buhlungu.” (Ef. 4:17-19) Ngaphambi kwekutsi bafundze kutsi yini lelungile nobe lengakalungi, nembeza wabo bewungabekhuti futsi bebangacabangi kutsi batawulandzisa kuJehova. Kungako Pawula atsi “tingcondvo tabo tisebumnyameni, futsi bakhashane nekuphila kwaNkulunkulu.”

6. Yini leyenta Pawula watsi base-Efesu ‘bese basekukhanyeni’?

⁶ Nobe kunjalo, labanye base-Efesu abazange bachubeke basebumnyameni. Pawula wabhala watsi ‘nyalo bese basekukhanyeni eNkhosini.’ (Ef. 5:8) Bese bemukele kukhanya kweliciniso lelisemiBhalweni. (Hla. 119:105) Labantfu base-Efesu bebashiye imikhuba yenkholo yemanga nekutiphatsa kabi. ‘Balingisa Nkulunkulu’ futsi benta konkhe lokusemandleni abo kuze bamkhonte futsi bamjabulise.​—Ef. 5:1.

7. Simo setfu sifana njani nesemaKhristu lamanyenti ase-Efesu?

⁷ Ngendlela lefanako, natsi besisebumnyameni ngenca yenkholo yemanga nangenca  yekutiphatsa kabi ngaphambi kwekutsi sifundze liciniso. Labanye betfu bebagubha imikhosi yenkholo yemanga futsi labanye bebatiphatsa kabi. Kodvwa satsi nasifundza ngetimiso taJehova talokulungile nalokungakalungi, sashintja. Sacala kuphila ngekuvumelana nemitsetfo yakhe yalokulungile. Loko kwente kutsi sitfole tibusiso letinyenti. (Isa. 48:17) Nobe kunjalo, siyachubeka sibhekana netinkinga. Kufanele sichubeke setama kungahlali ebumnyameni lesabushiya kodvwa ‘sichubeke sihamba njengebantfwana bekukhanya.’ Singakwenta njani loko?

GWEMA BUMNYAMA

8. Ngekusho kwembhalo waKubase-Efesu 5:3-5, yini base-Efesu lebekufanele bayigweme?

⁸ Fundza Kubase-Efesu 5:3-5. Kuze emaKhristu ase-Efesu agweme bumnyama lobubangelwa kutiphatsa kabi, bekufanele achubeke angatenti tintfo letingamjabulisi Jehova. Loko bekufaka ekhatsi bugwadla nenkhulumo lengcolile. Pawula wakhumbuta base-Efesu kutsi bekufanele batigweme letintfo nangabe bafuna kuba ‘nelifa eMbusweni waKhristu newaNkulunkulu.’

9. Kubaluleke ngani kutsi sicaphelisise singatenti tintfo letingenta sigcine sitiphetse kabi?

⁹ Natsi kufanele sichubeke silwisana ‘nemisebenti yebumnyama lengasiti ngalutfo.’ (Ef. 5:11) Sekukanyenti bufakazi bukhombisa kutsi nangabe umuntfu achubeka abuka, alalela nobe akhuluma ngetintfo letingcolile nobe letinekutiphatsa lokubi, manyenti ematfuba ekutsi agcine ente lokubi. (Gen. 3:6; Jak. 1:14, 15) Kulelinye live, labanye bazalwane bebacoca balicembu etindzaweni tekuchumana. Ekucaleni, linyenti labo belikhuluma ngaJehova nangeliciniso. Kodvwa kancane kancane bacala kukhuluma ngetintfo letingamjabulisi Jehova. Bacala kucoca ngekuya ecansini. Linyenti lalabazalwane litsi lenkhulumo lengcolile yabangela kutsi bagcine batiphetse kabi.

10. Sathane wetama njani kusiyenga? (Kubase-Efesu 5:6)

¹⁰ Live laSathane letama kusiyenga kutsi sikholelwe kutsi akusikubi loko Jehova latsi kukutiphatsa kabi futsi kungcolile. (2 Phet. 2:19) Loko akusimangalisi! Kusukela kadzeni, Develi bekasebentisa lichinga lekudida bantfu kuze bangakhoni kubona kutsi yini lelungile nalengakalungi. (Isa. 5:20; 2 Khor. 4:4) Kungako ema-movie lamanyenti, tinhlelo te-TV kanye nema-website kukhutsata tintfo letiphambene netimiso taJehova letilungile! Sathane wetama kusiyenga kuze sicabange kutsi kwenta tintfo letingcolile nekutiphatsa kabi kuyemukeleka, kumnandzi futsi akusiyo ingoti.​—Fundza Kubase-Efesu 5:6.

11. Lokwenteka ku-Angela kukhombisa njani kutsi kubalulekile kusebentisa simiso lesiKubase-Efesu 5:7? (Buka nesitfombe.)

¹¹ Sathane ufuna sitihlanganise nebantfu labenta kube matima kutsi silalele timiso taJehova. Kungako Pawula ancenga base-Efesu watsi: “Ningahlanganyeli nabo,” lokusho kutihlanganisa nebantfu labenta tintfo letingemukelwa nguNkulunkulu. (Ef. 5:7) Kufanele sikhumbule kutsi bantfu lesitihlanganisa nabo akusibo nje kuphela labo lesibonana nabo buso nebuso. Bafaka ekhatsi labo lesicoca nabo etintfweni tebuchwephesha, lokuyingoti lebeyingekho ngesikhatsi sebase-Efesu. Angela, a lohlala e-Asia, wabona kutsi tiyingoti kangakanani tinhlelo tekuchumana. Utsi: “Tilugibe, futsi tayishintja kancane kancane indlela bengicabanga ngayo. Bekungasangihluphi kutsi nginebangani labangatihloniphi timiso teliBhayibheli. Ekugcineni, besengicabanga kutsi akusikubi kuphila ngendlela  lengamjabulisi Jehova.” Lokuhle kutsi labadzala belibandla bamsita Angela kutsi ente lushintjo loludzingekile. Utsi: “Nyalo ingcondvo yami ngiyigcwalisa ngetintfo letiphatselene naJehova hhayi tintfo letitfolakala etinhlelweni tekuchumana.”

12. Yini letasisita kutsi silalele timiso taJehova talokulungile nalokungakalungi?

¹² Kufanele silwisane nekucabanga kwalelive kutsi kutiphatsa kabi kuyemukeleka. Siyalati liciniso. (Ef. 4:19, 20) Ngako kufanele sitibute: ‘Ngenta konkhe lengingakwenta yini kuze ngingatihlanganisi ngalokungenasidzingo nalabo lengisebenta nabo, lengifundza nabo nobe labanye labangatihloniphi timiso taJehova letilungile? Nginesibindzi yini sekumelela timiso taJehova ngisho nobe labanye batsi ngilukhuni?’ Njengobe kuvetiwe ku-2 KuThimothi 2:20-22, kufanele sicaphelisise ngisho nalapho sikhetsa bangani ebandleni lebuKhristu. Sihlale sikhumbula kutsi labanye bangahle bangasisiti kutsi sichubeke setsembekile kuJehova.

CHUBEKANI NIHAMBA “NJENGEBANTFWANA BEKUKHANYA”

13. Kusho kutsini ‘kuchubeka sihamba njengebantfwana bekukhanya’? (Kubase-Efesu 5:7-9)

¹³ Pawula wakhutsata emaKhristu ase-Efesu kutsi achubeke agwema bumnyama futsi ‘achubeke ahamba njengebantfwana bekukhanya.’ (Fundza Kubase-Efesu 5:7-9.) Kusho kutsini loko? Kusho kutiphatsa njengemaKhristu eliciniso ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi. Lenye indlela lesingakwenta ngayo loko kutsi silifundze ngekutimisela liBhayibheli futsi silidadishe, kanye netincwadzi letisekelwe kulo. Kubaluleke kakhulu kutsi sinakisise sibonelo saJesu Khristu kanye netimfundziso takhe njengobe ‘akukhanya kwelive.’​—Joh. 8:12; Taga 6:23.

14. Ungasisita njani umoya longcwele?

¹⁴ Siphindze siwudzinge umoya longcwele waNkulunkulu kuze usisite sikhone kuhlale sitiphatsa “njengebantfwana bekukhanya.” Ngasiphi sizatfu? Ngobe kumatima kuhlala sihlobile kulelive lelingcolile. (1 Thes. 4:3-5, 7, 8) Umoya longcwele ungasisita kutsi sigweme kucabanga kwalelive nemafilosofi,  lokungahambisani nemicabango yaNkulunkulu. Umoya longcwele ungaphindze usisite kutsi sivete “lonkhe luhlobo lwetintfo letinhle, kulunga neliciniso.”​—Ef. 5:9.

15. Yini lesingayenta kuze sitfole umoya longcwele? (Kubase-Efesu 5:19, 20)

¹⁵ Lenye indlela lesingatfola ngayo umoya longcwele kutsi siwuthantazele. Jesu watsi Jehova “ubapha umoya longcwele labo labamcelako.” (Luk. 11:13) Siphindze siwutfole umoya longcwele nasindzawonye emihlanganweni yebuKhristu kuze sidvumise Jehova. (Fundza Kubase-Efesu 5:19, 20.) Umoya longcwele waNkulunkulu usisita kutsi siphile ngendlela lemjabulisako.

16. Yini letasisita kutsi sente tincumo letikahle? (Kubase-Efesu 5:10, 17)

¹⁶ Nakufanele sente tincumo letibalulekile, kufanele sicondze kutsi “iyini intsandvo yaJehova” bese senta ngekuvumelana nayo. (Fundza Kubase-Efesu 5:10, 17.) Nasifuna timiso teliBhayibheli letingasisita esimeni lesikuso, sisuke sifuna umbono waNkulunkulu ngaleyo ndzaba. Nasisebentisa timiso takhe, sitawukhona kwenta tincumo letikahle.

17. Yini lesingayenta kuze sisisebentise kahle sikhatsi setfu? (Kubase-Efesu 5:15, 16) (Buka nesitfombe.)

¹⁷ Pawula waphindze wakhutsata emaKhristu ase-Efesu kutsi asisebentise kahle sikhatsi sawo. (Fundza Kubase-Efesu 5:15, 16.) ‘Lomubi,’ lokusitsa setfu Sathane, ufuna sibe matasatasa kakhulu ngetintfo talelive size sibebete sikhatsi sekwenta tintfo letiphatselene nekukhonta Nkulunkulu. (1 Joh. 5:19) UmKhristu angacala kunaka kakhulu kwakha imali lenyenti, imfundvo nemsebenti kunekutsi anake iminyango leminyenti lemvulekele emsebentini waJehova. Nangabe loko bekungenteka, bekungakhombisa kutsi sewucala kucabanga njengebantfu balelive. Kuliciniso kutsi letintfo atisitimbi, kodvwa akukafaneli tite kucala ekuphileni kwetfu. Kuze sihambe “njengebantfwana bekukhanya,” kufanele ‘sisisebentise  kahle sikhatsi setfu,’ sinake loko lokubaluleke kakhulu.

18. Yini leyentiwa nguDonald kuze asisebentise kahle sikhatsi sakhe?

¹⁸ Funa tindlela tekwentela Jehova lokunyenti. Nguloko lokwentiwa nguDonald, lohlala eSouth Africa. Utsi: “Ngabuka simo sami futsi ngacela Jehova angisite kutsi ngente lokunyenti emsebentini wakhe. Ngathantazela kutfola umsebenti lotawenta ngikhone kucitsa sikhatsi lesinyenti ngishumayela. Ngekusitwa nguJehova, ngawutfola. Mine nemkami sabese singenela umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe.”

19. Yini lesingayenta kuze sichubeke sihamba “njengebantfwana bekukhanya”?

¹⁹ Incwadzi Pawula layibhalela base-Efesu yabasita kutsi bahlale betsembekile kuJehova. Leseluleko lesiphefumulelwe singasisita natsi. Njengobe sibonile, singasisita kutsi sikukhetse kahle kwekutijabulisa nalabo lesitihlanganisa nabo. Singaphindze sisikhutsate kutsi silidadishe njalo liBhayibheli kuze kukhanya kweliciniso kuchubeke kusicondzisa kuko konkhe lesikwentako. Leseluleko siphindze sagcizelela kubaluleka kwemoya longcwele, longasisita kutsi sivete buntfu lobuhle. Kukusebentisa loko Pawula lakubhala kungasisita kutsi sente tincumo letikahle, letihambisana nendlela Jehova lacabanga ngayo. Nasenta letintfo, sitawukhona kugwema bumnyama balelive futsi sichubeke sisekukhanyeni!