NAʻE manavasiʻi ʻa Feleti. * Naʻe kole ange ʻe he mātuʻa ʻe toko ua ke nau talanoa. Hili ha ngaahi ʻaʻahi ʻa e ʻovasia sēketí, naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe he kau mātuʻá kiate ia ʻa e meʻa naʻe fiemaʻu ke ne faí koeʻuhí ke ne taau ai ki ha monū lahi ange ʻi he fakatahaʻangá. ʻI he faai atu ʻa e taimí, naʻe kamata ke fifili ʻa Feleti pe ʻe faifai ange ʻo fakanofo ia ko ha mātuʻa. Ko e taimi ko ení ko e toki ʻosi pē ia ʻa e toe ʻaʻahi atu ʻa e ʻovasia sēketí ki he fakatahaʻangá. Ko e hā ʻe leaʻaki he taimi ko ení ʻe he kau mātuʻá?

Naʻe fanongo ʻa Feleti ʻi he lea ange kiate ia ha taha ʻo e kau mātuʻá. Naʻe lave ʻa e tokouá ki he 1 Tīmote 3:1 pea pehē naʻe maʻu ʻe he kau mātuʻa ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ha tohi ʻo pehē ai kuo fakanofo ia ko ha mātuʻa. Naʻe ʻohovale ʻa Feleti ʻo ne ʻeke ange, “Ko e hā naʻá ke leaʻakí?” Naʻe toe leaʻaki ʻe he tokouá ʻa e meʻa naʻá ne leaʻakí, pea naʻe malimali ʻa Feleti. Hili iá, ʻi he taimi naʻe fanongonongo ai hono fakanofó ki he fakatahaʻangá, naʻe malimali ʻa e tokotaha kotoa.

ʻOku hala ke holi ki ha ngaahi monū ʻi he fakatahaʻangá? ʻIkai ʻaupito. Fakatatau ki he 1 Tīmote 3:1, “kapau ʻoku ʻi ai ha tangata ʻoku kakapa atu ki he fatongia ʻo e ʻovasiá, ʻokú ne holi ai ki ha ngāue lelei.” ʻOku ngāueʻaki ʻe he kau tangata Kalisitiane tokolahi ʻa e fakalototoʻa ko iá pea fai ʻa e fakalakalaka fakalaumālie ke taau ki he ngaahi monū ʻi he fakatahaʻangá. Ko e olá ʻoku tāpuakiʻi ai ʻa e kakai ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻaki ʻa e kau mātuʻa mo e kau sevāniti fakafaifekau taau ʻe laui kilu. Ka koeʻuhi ko e tupulaki ʻoku hā ʻi he ngaahi fakatahaʻangá ʻoku ʻi ai ha fiemaʻu ki he fanga tokoua lahi ange ke nau kakapa atu. Ko e hā ʻa e founga totonu ke fai ai iá? Pea ʻoku totonu ke hohaʻa ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku holi ke hoko ko ha ʻovasiá, hangē ko Feletí?

Ko e kupuʻi lea Fakatohitapu ko e “kakapa atu” ʻoku liliu ia mei ha foʻi veape faka-Kalisi ʻoku maʻu ai ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e holi fakamātoato, pe fano atu. ʻE ʻai nai ai koe ke ke fakakaukau ki ha tokotaha ʻokú ne kakapa atu ke toli ha fuaʻiʻakau ifo ʻoku tautau ʻi ha fuʻu ʻakau. Ka ko e kakapa atú ʻoku ʻikai ʻuhinga ia ko e mānumanu ki he monū ke hoko ko e “ʻovasiá.” Ko e hā hono ʻuhingá? Koeʻuhí ko e taumuʻa ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku nau mahuʻingaʻia loto-moʻoni ʻi he ngāue ko ha mātuʻá  ʻoku totonu ke nau fai ia ko ha “ngāue lelei” kae ʻikai ko hono maʻu ha tuʻunga.

Ko e lahi ʻo e ngaahi fiemaʻu ʻoku fekauʻaki mo e ngāue lelei ko ení ʻoku hā ia ʻi he 1 Tīmote 3:2-7 mo e Taitusi 1:5-9. ʻI he fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi tuʻunga māʻolunga ko iá, ʻoku fakamatala ha mātuʻa fuoloa ko Leimoni: “Kiate au, ko e meʻa ʻoku mahuʻinga tahá ko hotau tuʻungá tonu. Ko e malangá mo e faiakó ʻoku mahuʻinga, ka ko e ongo malava ko iá ʻoku ʻikai ke mahuʻinga ange ia ʻi he fiemaʻu ke hoko ʻo ʻikai ala tukuakiʻi, anga-fakamaʻumaʻu ʻi he ngaahi tōʻongá, fakakaukau lelei, maau, anga-talitali kakai mo fakakaukau fakaʻatuʻi.”

Ko ha tokoua ʻoku kakapa moʻoni atu ʻokú ne fakahaaʻi tonu ʻene hoko ʻo ʻikai ala tukuakiʻí ʻaki ʻene fakaʻehiʻehi mei he taʻefaitotonu mo e taʻemaʻa kotoa pē. ʻOkú ne anga-fakamaʻumaʻu ʻi heʻene ngaahi tōʻongá, fakakaukau lelei, maau mo fakakaukau fakaʻatuʻi; ko ia ai, ko hono kaungālotú te nau falala kiate ia ʻi heʻene takimuʻá pea tokoniʻi kinautolu ʻi heʻenau ngaahi palopalemá. ʻI he hoko ʻo anga-talitali kakaí, ko ha matavai ia ʻo e fakalototoʻa ki he fānaú mo e faʻahinga foʻou ʻi he moʻoní. ʻOkú ne ʻoatu ʻa e fakafiemālie mo e tokoni ki he kau puké mo e kau taʻumotuʻá koeʻuhí ko e tokotaha ʻofa ia ki he leleí. ʻOkú ne fakatupulekina ʻa e ngaahi ʻulungaanga ko ení ke maʻu ʻaonga ai ʻa e niʻihi kehé, ʻo ʻikai ke fakatupulekina pē ʻene ngaahi ʻamanaki ke hoko ʻo fakanofó. *

ʻOku fiefia ʻa e kulupu ʻo e kau mātuʻá ke ʻoatu ʻa e akonaki mo e fakalototoʻa, ka ko hono fakahoko ʻa e ngaahi fiemaʻu Fakatohitapú ʻoku fakatefito pē ia ki he faʻahinga tāutaha ʻoku nau kakapa atú. Ko Henelī, ko ha ʻovasia taukei, ʻokú ne pehē: “Kapau ʻokú ke kakapa atu, ngāue mālohi ke fakamoʻoniʻi ʻokú ke taau.” ʻI he lave ki he Koheleti 9:10, ʻokú ne fakamatala: “‘Ko ia kotoa ʻoku ʻilo ʻe ho nima te ne mafai, fai ʻaki ho iví.’ Pe ko e hā pē ha ngāue ʻoku ʻoatu kiate koe ʻe he kau mātuʻá, fai ho lelei tahá. ʻOfa ʻi he ngāue kotoa ʻoku ʻoatu ke ke fai ʻi he fakatahaʻangá, kau ai ʻa e tafi ʻo e falikí. ʻI he faai mai ʻa e taimí, ko hoʻo ngāué mo e ngaahi feingá ʻe hoko ʻo fakatokangaʻi.” Kapau ʻokú ke fakaʻamu ke ngāue ko ha mātuʻa ʻi ha ʻaho, hoko ʻo ngāue mālohi mo alafalalaʻanga ʻi he ngaahi tafaʻaki kotoa pē ʻo e ngāue toputapú. Ko e  fakakaukau anga-fakatōkilaló, ʻikai ko e hīkisiá, ʻoku totonu ke hā mai ʻi hoʻo moʻuí.—Māt. 23:8-12.

Ko e niʻihi ʻoku holi ki he ngaahi monū ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ʻe fakataueleʻi nai ke fakahaaʻi taʻefakahangatonu ʻenau holi ke hoko ko ha mātuʻá pe feinga nai ke tākiekina ʻa e kulupu ʻo e kau mātuʻá. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he niʻihi ʻa e loto-mamahi ʻi he taimi ʻoku akonakiʻi ai kinautolu ʻe he kau mātuʻá. Ko e faʻahinga peheé ʻoku totonu ke nau ʻeke hifo, ‘ʻOku ou loto ke fakalahi pē ʻeku lelei pē ʻaʻaku, pe ʻoku ou loto anga-fakatōkilalo ke tokanga ki he fanga sipi ʻa Sihová?’

Ko e faʻahinga ʻoku kakapa atú ʻoku totonu ke ʻoua ʻe ngalo ʻia kinautolu ʻa e fiemaʻu ʻe taha ki he kau mātuʻá, ʻa ia ko e “hoko ko e ngaahi faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ki he tākangá.” (1 Pita 5:1-3) Ko ia ʻoku hoko ko ha faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ki he fakatahaʻangá ʻoku fakaʻehiʻehi mei he fakakaukau mo e ngaahi ngāue kākaá. ʻOkú ne fakatupulekina ʻa e anga-kātaki ʻo tatau ai pē pe ʻoku fakanofo ia he taimí ni pe ʻikai. Ko e hoko ko ha mātuʻá ʻoku ʻikai ke hoko fakaemana ai ʻo ʻatā ha tangata mei he ngaahi nunuʻa kovi ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá. (Nōm. 12:3; Saame 106:32, 33) Pehē foki, ko ha tokoua heʻikai nai te ne hoko ʻo ‘lāuʻilo ki ha meʻa ʻoku hala ʻiate ia,’ ka ʻe maʻu nai ʻe he niʻihi kehé ha vakai ʻikai lelei fekauʻaki mo ia. (1 Kol. 4:4) Ko ia ai, kapau ʻoku fai atu ʻe he kau mātuʻá ha akonaki makatuʻunga Fakatohitapu, feinga ke fanongo kae ʻikai ʻita. Pea feinga leva ke ngāueʻaki ʻenau akonakí.

Ko e tatali ʻa ha fanga tokoua tokolahi ʻoku hā ngali ko ha taimi fuoloa ia ki muʻa ke fakanofo kinautolú. Kapau kuó ke “kakapa atu ki he fatongia ʻo e ʻovasiá” ʻi ha laui taʻu, ʻokú ke loto-hohaʻa ʻi ha taimi? Kapau ʻoku pehē, fakatokangaʻi ʻa e ngaahi lea fakamānavaʻi ko ení: “Ko e ʻamanaki fuoloa ʻoku fakatutue loto: Ka ko e holi kuo lava, ko e ʻakau ʻo e moʻui tofu pe.”—Pal. 13:12.

ʻE ongoʻi loto-mamahi lahi nai ha taha ʻi he taimi ʻoku hā ngali taʻemaʻu ai ha taumuʻa mahuʻinga. Naʻe ongoʻi pehē ʻa ʻĒpalahame. Naʻe talaʻofa ange kiate ia ʻe Sihova ha foha, kae hili atu ha ngaahi taʻu mo e ʻikai ke ne maʻu ha fānau mo Sela. (Sēn. 12:1-3, 7) ʻI heʻene hoholo ke motuʻá, naʻe kalanga ʻa ʻĒpalahame: “ʻEī Sihova, ko e ha te ke ʻomi? he ko ʻeku hiki paʻa eni . . . Ko eni kuo ʻikai te ke ʻomi haku hako.” Naʻe fakapapauʻi ange ʻe Sihova kiate ia ko ʻEne talaʻofa fekauʻaki mo ha fohá ʻe hoko moʻoni. Ka naʻe hili atu ʻa e taʻu ʻe 14 pe lahi ange ki muʻa ke fakahoko ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻene folofolá.—Sēn. 15:2-4; 16:16; 21:5.

Lolotonga ʻene tatalí, naʻe mole meia ʻĒpalahame ʻene fiefia ʻi he ngāue kia Sihová? ʻIkai. Naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito haʻane veiveiua fekauʻaki mo e talaʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá. Naʻá ne fakatuʻotuʻa hokohoko atu ki ha ola lelei. Naʻe tohi ʻe he ʻapositolo ko Paulá: “ʻI he hili hono fakahāhā ʻe ʻĒpalahame ʻa e kātakí, naʻá ne aʻusia ai ʻa e talaʻofá ni.” (Hep. 6:15) ʻI he ngataʻangá, naʻe tāpuakiʻi ʻe he ʻOtua Māfimafi-Aoniú ʻa e tangata faitōnunga ko iá ʻo laka mamaʻo ange ia ʻi he meʻa naʻá ne ʻamanekiná. Ko e hā ʻe lava ke ke ako meia ʻĒpalahamé?

Kapau te ke saiʻia ke ngāue ko ha mātuʻa ka ʻoku ʻikai ke hoko ia neongo ʻa e mahili atu ha ngaahi taʻu, hokohoko atu ke falala kia Sihova. ʻOua ʻe mole hoʻo fiefia ʻi heʻene ngāué. ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ia ʻe Uili, ʻa ia kuó ne tokoniʻi ʻa e fanga tokoua tokolahi ke nau fai  ha fakalakalaka fakalaumālie: “ʻOku fiemaʻu ʻa e taimi ki ai ke fakamoʻoniʻi ai ʻoku taau ha tokoua ke fakanofo. ʻI he faai mai ʻa e taimí, ko e ngaahi malava ʻa ha tokoua mo ʻene fakakaukaú ʻe hā māmālie ia ʻi heʻene tōʻongá tonu mo ʻene tokangaʻi hono ngaahi fatongiá. ʻOku tui ʻa e niʻihi ʻoku nau lavameʻa kapau pē te nau maʻu ʻa e monū ko ení pe fatongia ko iá. Ko e fakakaukau peheé ʻoku hala pea ʻe lava ke iku ia ki ha meʻa ke ʻāvea ai. Kapau ʻokú ke ngāue faitōnunga kia Sihova ʻi ha feituʻu pē ʻokú ke ʻi ai pea mo ha meʻa pē ʻokú ke fai, ʻokú ke lavameʻa.”

Ko ha tokoua ʻe taha naʻá ne tatali ʻo laka hake ʻi ha hongofuluʻi taʻu ki he taimi ʻe fakanofo ai ia ko ha mātuʻá. ʻI he lave ki ha fakamatala ʻiloa ʻi he tohi ʻa ʻIsikeli, vahe 1, ʻokú ne lave ki he lēsoni naʻá ne akó: “ʻOku fakaʻuli ʻe Sihova ʻene salioté, ʻa ʻene kautahá, ʻi ha vave pē ʻokú ne fili ki aí. Ko e meʻa ʻoku mahuʻingá ʻoku ʻikai ko hotau taimí ka ko e taimi ʻa Sihová. ʻI he fekauʻaki mo e tatali ke hoko ko ha mātuʻá, ʻoku ʻikai ko au—ʻa e meʻa ʻoku ou loto ki aí pe ko e meʻa ʻoku ou fakaʻamu ʻe lava ke hokó. Ko e meʻa ʻoku ou loto nai ki aí ʻoku ʻikai ko e meʻa ia ʻoku ʻiloʻi ʻe Sihova ʻoku ou fiemaʻú.”

Kapau ʻokú ke ʻamanaki ke fai ʻa e ngāue lelei ko ha ʻovasia Kalisitiane ʻi ha ʻaho, kakapa atu ʻaki ʻa e tokoni ki he fiefia ʻa e fakatahaʻangá. Kapau ko e taimí ʻoku hā ngali tuai, tauʻi ʻa e loto-hohaʻá mo e taʻekātakí. Ko Leimoni, naʻe lave ki ai ʻi muʻá, ʻokú ne pehē: “Ko e sio tuʻungá ko ha fili ia ʻo e loto-toponó. Ko e faʻahinga ʻoku loto-hohaʻa maʻu peé ʻoku nau tō mei he fiefia lahi ʻoku maʻu mei he ngāue kia Sihová.” Fakatupulekina lahi ange ʻa e fua ʻo e laumālie ʻo e ʻOtuá, tautefito ki he kātaki-fuoloá. Feinga ke fakaleleiʻi ho tuʻunga fakalaumālié fakafou ʻi hoʻo ako ʻa e Folofolá. Fakalahi hoʻo kau ʻi hono malangaʻi ʻa e ongoongo leleí pea ako ʻa e Tohi Tapú mo e faʻahinga mahuʻingaʻiá. Tataki ho fāmilí ʻi he ngaahi ngāue fakalaumālié pea ʻi he lotu fakafāmilí. Fiefia ʻi he faingamālie taki taha ʻokú ke maʻu ke fakataha ai mo ho fanga tokouá mo e fanga tuofāfiné. ʻI hoʻo kakapa atu ke aʻusia hoʻo taumuʻá, te ke fiefia ʻi ho fonongá.

Ko e ngāue ke taau ki he ngaahi monū ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ko ha faingamālie faitāpuekina ia meia Sihova; ʻoku ʻikai ke ne loto pe ko ʻene kautahá ke hoko ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku kakapa atú ʻo ʻita mo loto-mamahi ʻi heʻene ngāué. ʻOku poupouʻi mo tāpuakiʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e faʻahinga kotoa ʻoku ngāue kiate ia ʻi he ngaahi fakaueʻiloto maʻa. Hangē pē ko e moʻoni ʻi he kotoa ʻo ʻene ngaahi tāpuakí, “ʻoku ʻikai te ne ʻatu mo ia ha mamahi.”—Pal. 10:22.

Neongo kuó ke kakapa atu ʻi ha taimi, ʻe lava ke ke kei fai ʻa e fakalakalaka fakalaumālie lelei. ʻI hoʻo feinga ke fakatupulekina ʻa e ngaahi ʻulungaanga ʻoku fiemaʻú pea ngāue mālohi ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ʻo ʻikai tukunoaʻi ho fāmilí, te ke fokotuʻu ai ha lēkooti ʻo e ngāue heʻikai ke ngalo. ʻOfa ke hoko maʻu pē ʻa e ngāue kia Sihová ko ha meʻa fakafiefia kiate koe, ʻo tatau ai pē pe ko e hā ʻa e ngāue ʻokú ke maʻú.