Ngekusho kwa-1 KubaseKhorinte 15:8, Pawula watsi: “Ekugcineni wabonakala nakimi kwaba shengatsi ubonakala kumuntfu lotelwe sisengakefiki sikhatsi.” Esikhatsini lesendlulile, besitsi kungenteka Pawula bekasho loko lakubona embonweni lomayelana naJesu ngesikhatsi asenkhatimulweni yasezulwini. Bekungatsi uniketwe litfuba lekutalwa nobe lekuvuswa sekasidalwa semoya sisengakefiki sikhatsi, kusesele emakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kwekutsi loluvuko lwenteke. Kodvwa ngemuva kwekulidadisha tikhatsi letinyenti lelivesi, kuvele sidzingo sekutsi siyilungise indlela lebesilicondza ngayo.

Kusebaleni kutsi lana Pawula bekakhuluma ngesikhatsi agucuka aba ngumKhristu. Kodvwa bekasho kutsini nakatsi utelwe “sisengakefiki sikhatsi”? Tinyenti tizatfu lebetingamenta asho njalo.

Kugucuka kwakhe abe ngumKhristu kwenteka angakakulindzeli futsi bekwetfusa. Kubeleka kungakefiki sikhatsi kwenteka kungakalindzeleki. Njengobe Sawula (lowabese ubitwa ngekutsi nguPawula) bekaya eDamaseku ayohlupha emaKhristu lebekalapho, bekangakakulindzeli kubona umbono lomayelana naJesu lovusiwe. Kugucuka kwakhe akugcinanga nje ngekumangalisa yena kodvwa kwamangalisa nalamaKhristu lebekahlele kuyowahlupha kulelodolobha. Ngetulu kwaloko, loko lokwenteka kwatfusa kakhulu kangangekutsi wavaleka emehlo kwesikhashana.​—Imis. 9:1-9, 17-19.

Wagucuka “ngesikhatsi lesikabi.” Ligama lesiGriki lelihunyushwe ngekutsi “lotelwe sisengakefiki sikhatsi” lingaphindze lihunyushwe ngekutsi “lotelwe ngesikhatsi lesikabi.” I-The Jerusalem Bible itsi: “Bekungatsi ngitelwe ngesikhatsi lesingakalindzeleki.” Ngesikhatsi Pawula agucuka aba ngumKhristu, Jesu besekavele abuyele ezulwini. Ngekungafani nalabo Pawula lakhuluma ngabo kulamavesi langenhla bekangakamboni Jesu lovusiwe ngaphambi kwekutsi anyukele ezulwini. (1 Khor. 15:4-8) Kubonakala kwaJesu kuPawula angakalindzeleki kwamniketa litfuba lekumbona nanobe bekubonakala ngatsi ‘bekusikhatsi lesikabi.’

Loko lakusho bekuveta kutsi utfobekile. Ngekusho kwaletinye tati, emavi lasetjentiswa nguPawula lana anemcondvo wekubukela lokutsite phasi. Nangabe Pawula bekanaloku engcondvweni, bekavuma kutsi bekangakufaneli kwenta lomsebenti lanikwa wona. Ecinisweni watsi: “Ngingulomncane kubaphostoli, futsi akungifaneli kubitwa ngekutsi ngingumphostoli, ngobe ngahlupha libandla laNkulunkulu. Kodvwa ngemusa lomkhulu waNkulunkulu nginguloku lengingiko.”​—1 Khor. 15:9, 10.

Ngako, kubonakala shengatsi Pawula bekakhuluma ngalesikhatsi Jesu abonakala kuye angakalindzeleki, nangekugucuka kwakhe abe ngumKhristu ngesikhatsi lesingakalindzeleki nobe ngekutsi bekungakamfaneli kutfola lombono. Kunobe ngukuphi, loko lokwenteka kwamjabulisa Pawula. Kwamkhombisa ngalokucacile kutsi Jesu bekavusiwe ekufeni. Kungako bekavame kukhuluma ngaloku nakashumayela labanye ngekuvuswa kwaJesu.​—Imis. 22:6-11; 26:13-18.