Ngexesha uApolo eshumayela eKorinte, uPawulos wasizalisa isithembiso sakhe sokubuyela e-Efese. Watyelela okwexeshana eYerusalem, wachitha ithutyana kwa-Antiyokwe, indawo awayesebenze kuyo ngaphambili. Ukusuka apho waya kwiAsia Minor, “ilizwe laseGalati , nelaseFrigi” (Zenzo 18:23), etyelela amabandla awayewamise ngokwakhe, esomeleza ukholo kumakholwa.IZ 281.1

Ngexesha labapostile, intshona yeAsia Minor yayisakwaziwa ngokuba sisithili seRoma esiseAsiya. IEfese, isixeko esiyintloko, yayiliziko elikhulu lorhwebo. Izibuko lakhona lalixinene ziinqanawa, izitrato zizele ngabantu bamazwe ngamazwe. NjengeKorinte, yayibukeka iyindawo enomfaneleko wokuvangelwa.IZ 281.2

Ngeli xesha, amaYuda awayesasazeke kuwo onke amazwe anenkcubeko, ayekhangele ekufikeni kukaMesiya.NgexeshauYohane umBhaptizi wayeshumayela, amaninzi kutyelelo lwawo kwizidlo zonyaka eYerusalem, aphuma aya kwiindonga zomlambo iYordane ukuba amphulaphule. Khona apho eva kuvakaliswa ngoYesu njengaLowo kwakuthenjiswe ngaYe, azithabatha iindaba ezo azisa kulo lonke ihlabathi. Ngaloo ndlela iZulu laba liyayilungisa indlela yokusebenza kwabapostile.IZ 281.3

Ekufikeni kwakhe e-Efese, uPawulos wafumana abazalwana abalishumi elinambini, abaye, njengoApolo, njengabafundi bakaYohane umBhaptizi, kwanje ngaye [uApolo] benolwazi oluthile abalufumanayo ngomsebenzi kaKristu. Babengenaso isakhono sika-Apolo, kodwa ngokunyaniseka nokholo olufana nolwakhe, babefuna ukuya kusasaza emazweni ulwazi ababelufumene. Aba bazalwana, babengazi nto ngomsebenzi kaMoya Oyingcwele. Bathi bakubuzwa nguPawulos ukuba babemfumene na uMoya Oyingcwele, baphendula bathi, “asizanga sive nokuva ukuba kukho uMoya Oyingcwele.” “Nanibhaptizelwe enini na phofu?” wababuza uPawulos, bathi bona, “Elubhaptizweni lukaYohane.”IZ 282.1

Umpostile waya wabeka phambi kwabo iinyaniso ezinkulu ezisisiseko sethemba lomKristu. Wabaxelela ngobomi bukaKristu apha kulo mhlaba, nangokufa kwaKhe ngendlela ekhohlakeleyo nelihlazo. Wabaxelela ngendlela iNkosi yobomi eyayaphula ngayo imiqobo evale ingcwaba yavuka inoloyiso phezu kokufa. Wawuphinda umyalelo woMsindisi kubafundi baKhe: “Linikwe mna lonke igunya emazulwini nasehlabathini. Hambani ngoko niye kuzenza abafundi zonke iintlanga, nibabhaptizela egameni loYise, loNyana, loMoya Oyingcwele.” Mateyu 28:18, 19. Wabaxelela nangesithembiso sikaKristu sokuthumelauMthuthuzeli ekuya kuthi ngamandla aKhe, imiqondiso enamandla nemimangalisoyenziwe, watsho echaza nangendlela enobuqaqawuli esazaliseka ngayo esi sithembiso ngeMini yePentekoste.IZ 282.2

Abazalwana bawaphulaphula amazwi kaPawulos ngomdla omkhulu nangovuyo oluzaliswe ngumbulelo nakukumangala. Ngokholo bayibamba inyaniso emangalisayo engombingelelo wocamagusho kaKristu, bamamkela njengoMhlanguli wabo. Baya babhaptizwa egameni likaYesu, waza wathi uPawulos “akubeka izandla phezu kwabo” bazuza nobhaptizo lukaMoya Oyingcwele, abathi ngalo bakwazi ukuthetha iilwimi zezinye izizwe nokuprofeta. Ngaloo ndlela, bakulungela ukusebenza njengabavangeli e-Efese nakwiindawo ezikufuphi kwanokuhamba bevakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo eAsia Minor.IZ 283.1

Kwaba ngokuba nomoya othobekileyo nofundisekayo ukuze la madoda afumane amava awawenza ukuba aphume njengabasebenzi aye emasimini okuvunwa. Umzekelo wawo unika amaKristu isifundo esinexabiso elikhulu. Baninzi abanenkqubela encinane ebomini obungcwele kuba bazibona beneliseke kakhulu ukuba bangade bathabathe indawo yabafundi. Banelisekile lulwazi lwelizwi likaThixo olubaleka nje phezulu. Abanalo ulangazelelo lokutshintsha ukholo lwabo okanye into abayenzayo, ngenxa yaloo nto bangenzi malinge okuzuza ukukhanyaokungaphezukokobanako.IZ 283.2

Ukuba abalandeli bakaKristu babengabafuni bobulumko abanyanisekileyo, babeya kukhokelelwa kumadlelo atyebileyo enyaniso abangazange bawazi. Othe wazinikela ngokupheleleyo kuThixo uya kukhokelwa sisandla sezulu. Usenokuba utobekile ade abe akanabo ubuchule; kanti ukuba uthi, ngentliziyo enothando nethembayo, athobele konke okuthethwayo kwentando kakThixo, amandla wakhe aya kwenziwa nyulu, azukiswe, zize izakhono zakhe zandiswe. Uya kuthi xa ezixabisa izifundo zobulumko obungcwele, umyalelo ongcwele unikelwe kuye; enziwe ukuba akwazi ukwenza ukuba ubomi bakhe bumzukise uThixo bube yintsikelelo nasehlabathini. “Ukutyhila kwamazwi akho kuyakhanyisa, kuqondisa abazizidenge.” Ndumiso 119:130.IZ 283.3

Baninzi nanamhla abangazi nto ngokusebenza kukaMoya Oyingcwele entliziyweni, njengoko ayenjalo amakholwa ase-Efese, ukanti ayikho inyaniso efundiswa ngokucacileyo kakhulu elizwini likaThixo. Abaprofeti nabapostile bayigxininisile le ngongoma. UKristu ngokwaKhe usibiza ukuba sigqale elizweni lokukhula kwemifuno njengesibonelo sesenzeli esinguMoya waKhe ekuxhaseni ubomi basemoyeni. Incindi yomdiliya, inyuka isuka engcanjini, ingene ityhutyhe amasebe, ixhasa ukukhula iveze iintyatyambo nesiqhamo. Anjalo ke amandla kaMoya Oyingcwele anika ubomi, aphuma kuMsindisi, atyhutyhe umphefumlo, ahlaziye iinjongo nemitsalane, neengcinga azizise ekuthobeleni intando kaThixo, amenze lowo uwamkelayo ukuba athwale isiqhamo sezenzo ezingcwele.IZ 284.1

IMbangi yobu bomi basemoyeni ayibonakali, neyona ndlela obunikwa buxhaswe ngayo obo bomi, ingaphaya kwamandla olwazi lomntu ukuba ichazwe. Noko kunjalo, ukusebenza kukaMoya kusoloko kuhambelana nelizwi elibhaliweyo. Njengasendalweni, kunjalo nakwilizwe likamoya. Ubomi bendalo bugcinwe umzuzu nomzuzu ngamandla ezulu; ukanti abuxhaswa ngommangaliso othe ngqo, kodwa ngokusetyenziswa kweentsikelelo esinokufikelela kuzo. Ngoko ke, ubomi basemoyeni buxhaswangokusebenzisaizixhoboezinikwalulwazelelolukaThixo. Ukuba umlandeli kaKristu angakhulaafikelele “ebudodeni obupheleleyo, emlinganisweni wobukhulu bokuzala kukaKristu” (Efese 4:13), kufuneka atye isonka sobomi asele amanzi osindiso. Kufuneka ahlale aphaphame, athandaze, asebenze, kwizinto zonke, athobele imiyalelo kaThixo elizwini laKhe.IZ 284.2

Sinaso nesinye isifundo kumava aloo makholwa amaYuda. Xa ayebhaptizwa nguYohane, ayengawuqondi ngokupheleleyo umsebenzi kaYesu njengomThwali weSono. Babethwele iimpazamo ezinkulu. Noko kunjalo, kwathi ngokukhanya okucacileyo, ngovuyo, bamamkela uKristu njengoMsindisi wabo baza bathi, ngokuthabatha unyawo ukubheka phambili, bafikelela ekutshintsheni kweemfanelo zabo. Ekufumaneni kwabo ukholo oluthe chatha ngobunyulu, kwabakho utshintsho oluhambelana noko ebomini babo. Ngokomqondiso wolu tshintsho, nanjengesiqinisekiso sokholo lwabo kuKristu, baphinda ukubhaptizwa egameni likaYesu.IZ 285.1

Ngokwesiko lakhe, uPawulos wawuqala umsebenzi wakhe e-Efese ngokushumayela endlwini yesikhungu samaYuda. Waqhubeka ukusebenza apho iinyanga ezintathu, “exoxa . . . ebeyisela kwizinto ezingabo ubukumkani bukaThixo.” Ekuqaleni wamkeleka kakuhle; kodwa njengakwezinye iindawo, wachaswa kakubi ngokukhawuleza. “Abanye babo baba neenkani abavuma ukuzinikela, basuka bayingcikiva iNdlela yeNkosi esidlangalaleni.” [IBHAYIBHILE]. Bathi bakuzingisa ukuzala iindaba ezilungileyo, bayeka abapostile ukushumayela endlwini yesikhungu.IZ 285.2

UMoya kaThixo wabakho ekwasebenza ngaye uPawulos ekusebenzeleni kwakhe abantu bezwe lakubo. Kwanikwa ubungqina obaneleyo ukoyisela bonke abalangazelela ngokwenene ukwazi inyaniso. Sekunjalo, abaninzi baziyekela ukuba balawulwe yintiyo nokungakholwa, baza bala ukuzinikela kobona bungqina bungathandabuzekiyo. Ngokoyikela ukuba ukholo lwamakholwa lwaluya kuba sengozini ngokusoloko benxulumene naba bachasi benyaniso, uPawulos wawahlula kubo wabahlanganisa abafundi baliqela elilodwa, liqhubeka neemfundiso zakhe kwisikolo sikaTirano, ititshala eyayibalulekile.IZ 285.3

UPawulos wabona ukuba “umnyango omkhulu onamandla” wawuvuleka phambi kwakhe, nangona “bebaninzi nabachasi” 1 Korinte 16:9. IEfese yayinganelanga kuba yeyona ndawo intle kakhulu, kodwa yayikwayeyona ikhohlakeleyo, kwizixeko zase-Asiya. Iinkolo kunye neziyolo zenkanuko ezihlazisayo zazinolawulo kuluntu lwakhona. Phantsi kwesithunzi seetempile zayo, abophuli bomthetho bazo zonke iindidi babefumana ukhuseleko, buphuhla apho obona bubi buhlazisayo.IZ 286.1

IEfese yayiyindawo edume ngonqulo lukaDiana [uAtemis]. Udumo lwetempile eyayinobuhle obumangalisayo ka“Diana uthixo wase-Efese” lwahamba kulo lonke elase-Asiya nelizwe lonke. Ukubengezela kwayo okudlulisileyo kwayenza yaligugu, kungekuphela esixekweni, kodwa nasesizweni. Isithixo esasiphakathi etempileni, ngokwesithethe, kwakuthiwa siwe siphuma esibhakabhakeni. Kwakukrolwe kuso amagama angumfuziselo, ekwakukholelwa ukuba anamandla amakhulu. Kwabhalwa iincwadi ngabantu base-Efese ukuzama ukuchaza indlela yokusetyenziswa kwale mifuziselo.IZ 286.2

Phakathi kwabo babezifundisisa ezi ncwadi zexabiso elikhulu, kwakukho iinkunkqele zobugqi, ezazinempembelelo enamandla kwiingqondo zabantu ababezaliswe ziinkolo, abanqulaumfanekiso owawulapho phakathi etempileni.IZ 286.3

Umpostile uPawulos, ekusebenzeni kwakhe e-Efese, wanikwa imiqondiso eyodwa yokwamkelwa lizulu. Amandla kaThixo awayehamba kunye namalinge akhe, bababaninzi abaphiliswa izigulo zomzimba. “Waye noThixo esenza ngezandla zikaPawulos imisebenzi yamandla engahlali isihla; ngokokude kusiwe nakwimilwelwe iiqhiya nemibhinqo, ivela emzimbeni wakhe, zisuke kubo izifo, bathi noomoya abakhohlakeleyo baphume kubo.” Ezi zibonakaliso zamandla angasentla zaba namandla ngakumbi kunokuba zakha zanjalo e-Efese, zaye zaziluhlobo olungenakulinganiswa ngabanobugqi okanye ukuthakatha kwamagqwirha. Njengokuba le mimangaliso yayisenziwa ngegama likaYesu waseNazarete, abantu babanethuba lokubona ukuba uThixo wasezulwini wayenamandla angaphezu kwawabantu abanobugqi ababenqula isithixo uDiana. Kungoko iNkosi yasiphakamisa isicaka saYo, phambi kwabanquli-zithixo, phezulu kakhulu kwabona banamandla nabathandwa kakhulu abanobugqi.IZ 286.4

Kanti ke, Lowo ethi yonke imimoya yobubi ithobe kuye nowanikela abakhonzi baKhe igunya phezu kwayo [imimoya], wayesaza kuba zisela okunye okulihlazo nokoyiswa abo babelidelile balingcolisa igama laKhe elingcwele. Ubugqi babalelwe ngumthetho kaMoses, ngokubulawa, ukanti amaxesha ngamaxesha babusenziwa emfihlakalweni ngamaYuda akreqileyo. Ngexesha lokutyelela kukaPawulos e-Efese, kwakukho apho esixekweni, “amaJuda athile awayejikeleza ekhupha iindimoni” (IBHAYIBHILE), awathi akubona imimangaliso awayeyenza “[b]azamela ukulibiza igama leNkosi uYesu phezu kwabanoomoya abakhohlakeleyo.” Oonyana “[a]basixhenxe bakaSkeva, umYuda, umbingeleli omkhulu,” bazama ukwenza oko. Bafumana umntu owayephethwe yidemon, bathetha naye besithi, “Sinifungisa uYesu lowo uvakaliswayo nguPawulos.” Waphendula“umoyaokhohlakeleyo,wathi,UYesu ndiyamazi, noPawulos ndiyamazi kakuhle; ke nina ningoobani na? Wesuka umntu obukuye umoya okhohlakeleyo, wabatsibela, wabagagamela wabeyisa, ngokokude babaleke baphume kuloo ndlu bengxwelerhiwe, beze.”IZ 287.1

Ngolo hlobo, kwanikwa ubungqina obungenakuphazanyiswa bobungcwele begama likaKristu, kunye nentlekele ejongene nabo baya kulibiza bengenalo ukholo kubungcwele bomsebenzi woMsindisi. “Angenwa kukoyika onke, lenziwa likhulu igama leNkosi uYesu.”IZ 288.1

Iinyaniso ezazisoloko zifihliwe ngexesha elingaphambili zaya zaziswa ekuhleni. Ekwamkeleni kwawo ubuKristu, amanye amakholwa ayengazishiyanga ngokupheleleyo iinkolo zawo. Ayesakuthanda ukwenza izinto zobugqi . Ngoku, bakuba beyibonile imposiso yabo: “into eninzi yabakholiweyo [yeza] izivuma izixela izenzo za[yo].” Umsebenzi omhle wagqithela nakwabanye ababengamagqwirha; “yathi ke nento eyaneleyo yabasebenza izenzo zobugqi, yazizisa ndaweni-nye iincwadi zayo yazitshisa phambi kwabo bonke; bawabala amaxabiso azo, bafumana engamawaka amashumi mahlanu esilivere. Lenjenjalo ke ilizwi leNkosi ukwanda ngamandla nokweyisa.”IZ 288.2

Ngokutshisa iincwadi zabo zobugqi, amakholwa aguqukileyo ase-Efese ayebonisa ukuba izinto awayefudula ukuzonwabela, ngoku ayezithiyile. Kwakungenxa yobu bugqi abaya bamkhubekisauThixo baza babeka ubomi babo esichengeni; baza bayibonisa ingqumbo yabo ngakobu bugqi. Ngaloo ndlela babonisa inguquko yenene.IZ 288.3

Ezi ncwadana zokuthetha nemimoya zazinemigaqo neendlela zokuxhumana nemimoyaemibi. YayiyimigaqoyokunqulauSathana —iindlela zokucela uncedo lwakhe nokuzuza ulwazi kuye. Ngokuzigcina ezi ncwadi, abafundi babeya kuba bazibeka esichengeni sokulingwa; ngokuzithengisa babeya kuba babeka isihendo endleleni yabanye. Babebushiyile ubukumkani bobumnyama, kwaye abazange bathandabuze ukuwatshabalalisa amandla abo nokuba kwenzeka ntoni. Ngolo hlobo yaba iyoyisa inyaniso ngaphaya kwekratshi nokuthanda imali kwabantu.IZ 288.4

Ngoku kubonakalaliswa kwamandla kaKristu, kwazuzwa uloyiso olukhulu lobuKristu kanye emnyango wenkolo. Impembelelo yoko kwenzekayo yahamba kulo lonke ngaphezu kokuba nokuyiqaphela kukaPawulos. Zasasazeka iindaba ngokubanzi, lalikhulu igalelo elabakhoyo emsebenzini kaKristu. Le mibono yahlala ezingqondweni zabantu yaba zizixhobo zokuzuza abaguqukela evangelini sekulithuba elide emvakokuba umpostile elugqibile uhambo lwakhe.IZ 289.1

Iye ithethwe ngomdla into ethi, iinkolelo zobuhedeni ziye zathi shwaka phambi kwenkcubeko yenkulungwane yamashumi amabini. Noko kunjalo, ilizwi likaThixo, nobungqina obomeleleyo beenyaniso buxela ukuba ubugqi busenziwa nakule mihla njengakwimihla yabanobugqi bakudala. Indlela yobugqi bakudala, ngokwenene, iyinto enye nale ibizwa ngokuthi lunqulo lwasemoyeni lwale mihla. USathana ufumana inyoba eya kumawaka eengqondo ngokuziveza njengabahlobo abafayo. IziBhalo ziyatsho ukuthi, “ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho.” Intshumayeli 9:5. Iingcinga zabo, uthando lwabo, intiyo yabo, zitshabalele. Abafileyo abathethi nabaphilileyo. USathana, ngokunyaniseka kubuqhophololo bakhe bakuqala, usebenzisa eli qhinga ukuze azilawule iingqondo.IZ 289.2

Ngonqulo lwemimoya, abaninzi abagulayo, abafelweyo, nabafuna ulwazi, bathetha nemimoya engendawo. Bonke abadakasela kulo mhlaba basengozini. Ilizwi lenyaniso lixela indlela uThixo ababona ngayo. Ngamaxesha akudala, [uThixo] wawisa ugwebo olungqongqo kukumkani owaya kufuna icebiso kusiyazi ongumhedeni: “Kungokuba kungekho ThixokwaIsrayelina,lentoniyakubuzisakuBhahali-zebhubhi,IZ 290.1

uthixo wase-Ekron? Ngako oko utsho uYehova ukuthi, Isingqengqelo eso, unyoke waya kuso, akusayi kuhla kuso; inene uya kufa.” 2 Kumkani 1:3, 4.IZ 290.2

Abantu bobugqi bexesha labahedeni, banabantu abafana nabo kwizinyanya, kumagqirha, nakwabaxela izihlo kwangaphambili [fortune-tellers] zale mihla. Amazwi afihlakeleyo awayethetha e-Endore nase-Efese asabalahlekisa abantwana babantu ngamazwi awo axokayo. Ukuba bekungasuswa isigqubuthelo emehlweni ethu, besingabona izithunywa zongendawo zisenza bonke ubuchule bazo ukulahlekisa nokutshabalalisa. Ngalo lonke ixesha kukho impembelelo eyeza ukuba abantu bamlibale uThixo, apho uSathana usebenzisa amandla akhe okuthakatha. Xa abantu beyekela kwimpembelelo yakhe, kuthi bengekaqondi, ibe ingqondo ididekile nomphefumlo ungcolisiwe. Isiyalo sikampostile kwibandla lase-Efese kufuneka sithotyelwe ngabantu bakaThixo namhlanje: “Kanjalo musani ukuba nabudlelane ngemisebenzi yobumnyama engenasiqhamo makube kukhona niyohlwayayo.” Efese 5:11.IZ 290.3

26—Uapolo Ekorinte

28—Imihla Yokusebenza Nzima Nokulingwa