Ko e kau sevāniti ʻe niʻihi ʻa e ʻOtuá kuo nau leaʻaki ʻa e meʻa meimei tatau. ʻOku nau ʻiloʻi ʻoku loto ʻa Sihova ke mali ʻene kau sevānití “ʻi he ʻeikí pē,” ʻa ia, ke mali mo e kau Kalisitiane moʻoní pē. (1 Kol. 7:39) Ko ia ko e hā ʻoku leaʻaki ai ʻe he kau Kalisitiane ʻe niʻihi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ko ení?

Ko e kau Kalisitiane ʻoku nau leaʻaki ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ko ení ʻoku nau ongoʻi nai ʻoku tokolahi ange ʻa e fanga tuofāfine taʻemalí ʻi he fanga tokoua taʻemalí. ʻI he ngaahi fonua lahi, ʻoku moʻoni eni. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi Kōlea, ko e pēseti ʻe 57 ʻo e kau Kalisitiane taʻemalí ko e fanga tuofāfine pea ko e pēseti ʻe 43 ko e fanga tokoua. Pea ʻi Kolomupia, ko e pēseti ʻe 66 ʻo e kau Kalisitiané ko e fanga tuofāfine pea ko e pēseti ʻe 34 ko e fanga tokoua.

ʻI he ngaahi feituʻu ʻe niʻihi, ko e ngaahi mātuʻa ʻikai Fakamoʻoní te nau fiemaʻu nai ha paʻanga lahi pe ngaahi meʻaʻofa totongi mamafa ʻi he taimi ʻe mali ai honau ʻofefiné. Pea ko e fanga tokoua taʻemali ʻe niʻihi ʻe ʻikai nai malava ke nau maʻu ʻa e ngaahi meʻaʻofa ko ení. Ko hono olá, ʻoku hohaʻa ʻa e fanga tuofāfine ʻe niʻihi pe ʻe malava koā ke nau maʻu ha husepāniti Kalisitiane. a

Kapau kuo faifai angé ʻo ke maʻu ha ongoʻi meimei tatau, ʻe lava ke ke fakapapauʻi ʻoku mahinoʻi ʻe Sihova ho tuʻungá pea ʻiloʻi moʻoni ʻa e anga hoʻo ongoʻí.—2 Kal. 6:29, 30.

Ka, ʻi he Tohi Tapú, ʻoku fekauʻi kitautolu ʻe Sihova ke mali ʻi he ʻEikí pē. Ko e hā hono ʻuhingá? Koeʻuhí ʻokú ne ʻafioʻi ʻa e lelei taha maʻa kitautolú pea ʻokú ne loto ke maluʻi kitautolu. ʻOku ʻikai ke ne loto  ke tau fai ha fili hala ʻa ia te ne fakamamahiʻi kitautolu pe ʻai ke tau loto-mamahi. ʻI he ʻaho ʻo Nehemaiá, ko e kau Siu tokolahi naʻa nau mali mo e kau fefine naʻe ʻikai ke nau tauhi ki he ʻOtuá. Ko ia naʻe lave ʻa Nehemaia ki he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga kovi ʻa Solomoné. Ko e “pele ia ʻo hono ʻOtua, pea naʻe tuku ʻe he ʻOtua ke ne tuʻi ki Isileli katoa. Ka naʻa mo ia ka naʻe fakaangahalaʻi ʻe he kau fefine muli.” (Nehe. 13:23-26) ʻOku ʻiloʻi ʻe Sihova ko ʻene ngaahi fakamanatú ʻoku lelei kia kitautolu, pea ko e ʻuhinga ia kuó ne fakahinohinoʻi ai ʻa e kau Kalisitiané ke mali ʻi he ʻEikí pē. (Saame 19:7-10; ʻAi. 48:17, 18) ʻOku tau fakamālō lahi he ʻokú ne ʻomai kia kitautolu ʻa e akonaki ʻoku anga-ʻofa mo falalaʻanga. ʻI he taimi ʻoku tau talangofua ai kia Sihova ko hotau Tokotaha-Pulé, ʻoku tau tali ai ʻa e totonu ʻokú ne maʻu ke tala mai ʻa e meʻa ke tau faí.—Pal. 1:5.

Ko hono moʻoní, ʻoku ʻikai te ke loto ke hoko ʻo “haʻi hōhoatamaki,” ʻa ia, ko e mali mo ha taha ʻoku ʻikai ʻofa kia Sihova. ʻE lava ke ʻai koe ʻe he tokotaha ko iá ke taʻofi hoʻo tauhi ki he ʻOtuá. (2 Kol. 6:14) ʻOku ʻaonga maʻu pē ʻa e akonaki ʻa e ʻOtuá, pea ko e kau Kalisitiane tokolahi ʻi he ʻahó ni kuo nau fili fakapotopoto ke talangofua kia Sihova. Kae kehe, kuo fai ʻe he niʻihi ʻa e fili kehe ʻaupito.

Ko ha tuofefine ʻi ʻAositelēlia ko Make naʻá ne kamata faialea mo ha taha naʻe ʻikai ko ha Kalisitiane moʻoni. b ʻOkú ne pehē: “Naʻá ku toutou liʻaki ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá koeʻuhí pē ke u fakataha mo ia. Naʻe tōlalo ʻaupito hoku tuʻunga fakalaumālié.” Ko ha kiʻi fefine ʻe taha ʻi ʻInitia ko Lata naʻá ne faialea mo ha kaungāako ʻa ia naʻá ne kamata ako Tohi Tapu. Kae kehe, naʻá ne ako pē ʻa e Tohi Tapú koeʻuhí ke lava ʻo ne faialea mo ia. Faifai atu pē, naʻe taʻofi ʻe Lata ʻene tauhi kia Sihová pea kau ʻi ha lotu kehe koeʻuhi ke lava ʻo ne mali mo ia.

Ko Tina mei Kameluni naʻá ne taʻu 19 ʻi he taimi naʻá ne mali ai mo ha tangata naʻe ʻikai tauhi kia Sihova. Ki muʻa ke na malí, naʻe palōmesi ange ʻe he tangatá kiate ia ʻe lava ke hokohoko atu ʻene hoko ko ha Fakamoʻoní. Kae kehe, ʻi he uike ʻe ua hili ʻena malí, naʻe tala ange ʻe he tangatá kiate ia naʻe ʻikai ʻatā ke ne toe ʻalu ki he ngaahi fakataha ʻa e fakatahaʻangá. ʻOkú ne pehē: “Naʻá ku tangi mo taʻelata moʻoni. Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi kuo ʻikai ke u kei puleʻi ʻeku moʻuí. Naʻá ku ongoʻi fakaʻiseʻisa maʻu pē.”

Ko e moʻoni ko e kau Kalisitiane ʻe niʻihi kuo nau mali mo ha hoa ʻoku ʻikai tauhi kia Sihova ka ʻokú ne kei anga-lelei mo fakaʻatuʻi. Kae kehe, neongo kapau ʻoku anga-lelei ho hoa ʻoku ʻikai tauhi kia Sihová, ʻe anga-fēfē hono uesia ho vahaʻangatae mo Sihová? ʻE anga-fēfē hoʻo ongoʻi ʻi hoʻo ʻiloʻi naʻe ʻikai ke ke fanongo ki he akonaki naʻá ne ʻoatu kiate koe ke ke fiefia aí? Pea ko e mahuʻinga tahá, ʻe anga-fēfē ongoʻi ʻa Sihova fekauʻaki mo e meʻa kuó ke faí?—Pal. 1:33.

Ko e fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine takatakai ʻi he māmaní kuo nau talangofua ki he akonaki ʻa Sihova ke mali “ʻi he ʻEikí pē” ʻoku nau tuipau ko e fili lelei tahá ia. Ko e fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine taʻemalí ʻoku nau fakapapauʻi ke ʻai ʻa e loto ʻo Sihová ke fiefia ʻaki ʻa e mali mo ha taha ʻoku lotu kiate ia. Ko Malia mei Siapani naʻá ne fakapapauʻi ke talangofua ki he ʻOtuá neongo ʻa e feinga hono ngaahi kāingá ke fakaʻaiʻai ia ke mali mo ha taha naʻe ʻikai ʻofa kia Sihova. Pea naʻe faingataʻa kiate ia ke sio ki he niʻihi hono ngaahi kaungāmeʻá naʻa nau mali mo e kau Kalisitiane moʻoni lolotonga ia ʻene nofoʻaki taʻemali. ʻOkú ne pehē: “Naʻá ku hanganaki pehē hifo kiate au koeʻuhi ko Sihová ko ha ‘ʻOtua fiefia,’ ko ʻetau fiefiá ʻoku ʻikai makatuʻunga ia pe ʻoku tau mali pe ʻikai. ʻOku ou tui foki ʻokú ne ʻomai kia kitautolu ʻa e ngaahi holi hotau lotó. Ko ia kapau ʻoku ʻikai lava ke tau maʻu ha hoa neongo kapau ʻoku tau fie mali, ʻoku lelei tahá ke tau nofoʻaki taʻemali ʻi he taimi ko iá.” (1 Tīm. 1:11) Ki mui ai, naʻe mali ʻa Malia mo ha tokoua lelei, pea ʻokú ne fiefia ʻi heʻene fanongo ki he akonaki ʻa Sihová.

ʻOku ʻi ai foki mo e fanga tokoua ʻe niʻihi kuo nau tatali ke maʻu ʻa e tokotaha totonu ke mali mo iá. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻoku pehē ʻe Pila mei ʻAositelēlia ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi naʻá ne saiʻia ʻi ha fefine naʻe ʻikai ko ha Fakamoʻoni. Kae kehe, naʻe ʻikai ke ne fuʻu anga-fakakaumeʻa ki ha taha ʻo kinautolu koeʻuhí naʻe ʻikai ke ne loto ke kamataʻi ha vahaʻangatae ʻe iku atu ai ki haʻane hoko ʻo “haʻi hōhoatamaki” mo ha tokotaha taʻetui. ʻI he faai mai ʻa e ngaahi taʻú, naʻá ne toe saiʻia foki ʻi he fanga tuofāfine ʻe niʻihi, ka naʻe ʻikai ke nau saiʻia ʻiate ia. Naʻe tatali ʻa Pila ʻi he taʻu ʻe 30 ʻo aʻu ki heʻene maʻu ha fefine Kalisitiane  naʻá na maʻu ha ngaahi taumuʻa meimei tatau. ʻOkú ne pehē: “Kuo ʻikai haʻaku fakaʻiseʻisa. ʻOku ou ongoʻi fiefia he ʻokú ma ʻalu fakataha ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú, ako fakataha, pea lotu fakataha. ʻOku ou fiefia ʻi he fetaulaki mo feohi mo e ngaahi kaungāmeʻa hoku uaifí koeʻuhí ʻoku nau lotu kotoa kia Sihova. ʻOkú ma ngāueʻaki ʻa e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni Fakatohitapú ʻi heʻema nofo malí.”

Ko e hā ʻe lava ke ke fai lolotonga hoʻo falala ki he akonaki ʻa Sihová pea tatali ki ha husepāniti pe ko ha uaifi ʻoku tauhi kiate iá? ʻE lava ke ke fakakaukau ki he ʻuhinga ʻoku ʻikai ai ke ke malí. Kapau ʻokú ke pehē koeʻuhí ʻokú ke loto ke talangofua ki he fekau ʻa Sihová, pea ʻe lava leva ke ke fakapapauʻi ʻe ʻai ʻe he meʻá ni ʻa Sihova ke fiefia. (1 Sām. 15:22; Pal. 27:11) Pehē foki, hokohoko atu ke lotu maʻu pē kia Sihova pea tala ange kiate ia hoʻo ongoʻi moʻoní. (Saame 62:8) ʻI hoʻo fai ho lelei tahá ke talitekeʻi ʻa e ngaahi tengé pea tauʻi ʻa e ngaahi holi fehālākí, ʻe fakaivimālohiʻi ai ho vahaʻangatae mo Sihová ʻi he ʻaho ki he ʻaho. ʻE lava ke ke falala-pau ʻoku tokanga mai ʻa Sihova ki hoʻo ngaahi holí mo hoʻo ngaahi fiemaʻú koeʻuhí ʻokú ke mahuʻinga kiate ia. ʻOku ʻikai ke ne palōmesi mai hao husepāniti pe ko ha uaifi. Ka ʻo kapau ko e malí ʻa e meʻa ʻokú ke fiemaʻu moʻoní, ʻoku ʻiloʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa e founga lelei taha ke fakalato ai hoʻo ngaahi fiemaʻú.—Saame 145:16; Māt. 6:32.

ʻI ha taimi te ke ongoʻi nai ʻo hangē ko Tēvitá, ʻa ia naʻá ne pehē: “Tali vave au, Sihova e; ʻoku toe siʻi pe hoku laumalie: ʻOua te ke hanga kehe meiate au.” (Saame 143:5-7, 10) ʻOua ʻe foʻi. ʻOange kia Sihova ʻa e taimi ke ne fakahaaʻi atu kiate koe ʻa e meʻa ʻokú ne loto ke ke faí. Fanongo kia Sihova ʻaki hono lau ʻa e Tohi Tapú pea fakalaulauloto lahi ki he meʻa kuó ke laú. ʻE tokoniʻi heni koe ke ʻiloʻi ʻa e meʻa ʻoku fiemaʻu ʻe Sihova meiate koé pea mo e founga kuó ne tokoniʻi ʻene kau sevāniti ʻi he kuohilí. ʻI he fanongo kiate iá, te ke maʻu ʻa e falala-pau ke nofoʻaki talangofua kiate ia.

Ko e hā mo ha toe meʻa ʻe lava ke ke fai ke hanganaki fiefia ai mo femoʻuekina lolotonga hoʻo taʻemalí? ʻE lava ke ke ngāue ke fakaivimālohiʻi ho vahaʻangatae mo Sihová pea fakatupulekina ha ongoongo lelei. ʻE lava ke ke toe ako ke nima-homo, ngāue mālohi, fotungofua pea mateaki kia Sihova. Ko e ngaahi ʻulungaanga ko ení ʻoku fiemaʻu ia ki ha nofo mali fiefia. (Sēn. 24:16-21; Lute 1:16, 17; 2:6, 7, 11; Pal. 31:10-27) Fuofua kumi ki he Puleʻangá pea hanganaki femoʻuekina ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú mo hoʻo fakatahaʻangá. Ko e ngaahi meʻa ko ení te ne maluʻi koe mei hono fai ʻa e ngaahi fili taʻefakapotopotó. ʻOku pehē ʻe Pila ʻi he ngaahi taʻu naʻe taʻemali aí: “Naʻe vave ʻaupito ʻa e ʻalu ʻa e taʻú! Naʻá ku ngāueʻaki ʻa e taimí ʻi he ngāue ʻa Sihová ko ha tāimuʻa.”

Ko e fekau ʻa Sihova ke mali “ʻi he ʻEikí pē” ʻoku ʻikai ke ʻolokuonga pe ʻosi hono taimí. ʻI he fili ke mali mo ha Kalisitiane moʻoní, ʻoku tau fakalāngilangiʻi ai ʻa Sihova pea te tau hoko ʻo fiefia. ʻOku pehē ʻe he Tohi Tapú: “Monuʻiaā ka ko e tangata ʻoku ʻapasia kia Sihova, ʻo manako lahi ki he ngaahi tuʻutuʻuni aʻana. ʻOku ʻi hono fale ʻa e mahu mo e koloa: Pea ko ʻene totonu ʻe tuʻu ʻo taʻengata.” (Saame 112:1, 3) Ko ia hoko ʻo fakapapauʻi ke talangofua ki he fekau ʻa e ʻOtuá ke mali “ʻi he ʻEikí pē.”