Ingabe ‘Uyazithengisisela Ithuba’?

UMPHOSTOLI UPAWULU weluleka amaKristu ase-Efesu yekhulu lokuqala: “Ngakho qaphelisisani ukuthi indlela enihamba ngayo ayinjengeyabantu abangahlakaniphile kodwa injengeyabahlakaniphileyo, nizithengisisela ithuba, ngoba izinsuku zimbi.” (Efesu 5:15, 16) Kungani sasidingeka lesi seluleko? Ukuze siphendule lowo mbuzo kudingeka sazi izimo amaKristu ayebhekene nazo kulowo muzi wasendulo.

I-Efesu yayaziwa ngengcebo yayo enkulu, ukuziphatha okubi okwedlulele, ubugebengu obudlangile nezinye izinto zobudemoni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaKristu akhona kwakudingeka amelane nezinkolelo zefilosofi ephathelene nesikhathi. AmaGreki ase-Efesu ayengewona amaKristu ayengakholelwa ukuthi isikhathi sihamba sibheke endaweni eyodwa. Ifilosofi yamaGreki yayiwafundise ukuthi ukuphila kuyaphindaphinda emijikelezweni engapheli. Umuntu odlala ngesikhathi sakhe komunye umjikelezo wokuphila wayengaphinda asithole komunye umjikelezo. Le ndlela yokucabanga yayingayengela amaKristu ase-Efesu ekubeni abe nesimo sengqondo sokungabi nandaba nohlelo lukaJehova lwezenzakalo, kuhlanganise nolwesahlulelo saphezulu. Ngakho, iseluleko sikaPawulu ‘sokuzithengisisela ithuba’ sasifaneleka.

UPawulu wayengakhulumi ngesikhathi ngomqondo nje ovamile. Igama lesiGreki alisebenzisa lisho isikhathi esimisiwe, inkathi ethile yokwenza okuthile ngokukhethekile. UPawulu wayeluleka amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ukuba ayisebenzise kahle inkathi eyithuba, noma inkathi yomusa, ayenayo ngaleso sikhathi, ngaphambi kokuba iphele, umusa waphezulu nethuba lensindiso kususwe.—Roma 13:11-13; 1 Thesalonika 5:6-11.

Nathi siphila enkathini enjalo eyithuba. Kunokuba adlale ngayo le nkathi yomusa engeke iphinde ibuye ngokuphishekela izinjabulo zesikhashana ezinikezwa yizwe, amaKristu enza ngokuhlakanipha lapho esebenzisa isikhathi anaso ukuze enze ‘izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu,’ kanjalo aqinise ubuhlobo bawo noMdali, uJehova uNkulunkulu.—2 Petru 3:11; IHubo 73:28; Filipi 1:10.