1, 2. IZibhalo zikubonisa njani ukubaluleka kothando?

UTHANDO lolona phawu luphambili lukaYehova uThixo. (1 Yohane 4:16) Izibulo lendalo, uYesu Kristu, lachitha iibhiliyoni zeminyaka emazulwini kunye noYise laza lazibonela indlela anothando ngayo uYehova uThixo. (Kolose 1:15) UYesu ebesoloko elubonisa olo thando ubomi bakhe bonke, ezulwini nalapha emhlabeni. Ngoko siqinisekile ukuba uYehova noYesu baya kusoloko belawula ngothando.

² Xa omnye umntu wabuza uYesu ukuba nguwuphi owona myalelo mkhulu, wathi: “‘Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela.’ Lo ngowona myalelo mkhulu nowokuqala. Owesibini, njengawo, ngulo, ‘Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.’”—Mateyu 22:37-39.

3. Ngubani “ummelwane” wethu?

 ³ Kubalulekile ukuba sibonise uthando kwiindlela zonke. UYesu wathi simele sithande uYehova nommelwane wethu. Kodwa ngubani “ummelwane” wethu? Ukuba utshatile, oyena mmelwane wakho liqabane lakho lomtshato. Kwakhona, ummelwane ngabazalwana noodade wethu ebandleni, nabantu esidibana nabo entsimini. Kweli nqaku, siza kufunda indlela esinokubonisa ngayo ukuba siyabathanda abamelwane bethu.

4. Singonwaba njani emtshatweni nangona singafezekanga?

⁴ UYehova wadala uAdam noEva waza wabamanya. Yaba ngumtshato wokuqala lowo. UThixo wayefuna bonwabe emtshatweni baze bazalise umhlaba ngabantwana. (Genesis 1:27, 28) Kodwa ke, emva kokuba bonile kuYehova, umtshato wabo waba neengxaki yaye isono nokufa kwasasazeka kuthi sonke. (Roma 5:12) Sekunjalo, umtshato unokuphumelela kule mihla. EBhayibhileni, uYehova uMyili womtshato, ubanike amacebiso amahle abantu abatshatileyo.—Funda eyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:16, 17.

5. Lubaluleke kangakanani uthando emtshatweni?

⁵ IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uthando ludlala indima enkulu ukuze ubuhlobo buqine. Kunjalo ke nasemtshatweni. Umpostile uPawulos waluchaza ngolu hlobo uthando lokwenene: “Uthando luzeka kade umsindo yaye lunobubele. Uthando alunakhwele, alugwagwisi, alukhukhumali aluziphathi ngokungandilisekanga, alufuni ezalo izilangazelelo, alucaphuki. Alunanzondo. Alubi nemihlali ngentswela-bulungisa, kodwa luvuyisana nenyaniso. Luthwala izinto zonke, lukholelwa izinto zonke, luthemba izinto zonke, lunyamezela izinto zonke. Uthando aluze lutshitshe.” (1 Korinte 13:4-8) Xa sicingisisa ngamazwi kaPawulos size siwasebenzise, singonwaba emtshatweni.

6, 7. (a) Ithini iBhayibhile ngobuntloko? (b) Indoda engumKristu imele imphathe njani umfazi wayo?

⁶ NguYehova owagqibayo ukuba imele ibe ngubani intloko yentsapho. UPawulos uthi: “Ndifuna nazi ukuba intloko yayo yonke indoda nguKristu; intloko yomfazi yindoda; intloko kaKristu nguThixo.” (1 Korinte 11:3) Kodwa uYehova ulindele ukuba amadoda abe nothando, angakhohlakali okanye abe ngqwabalala. NoYehova yiNtloko enobubele nengazicingeli yodwa. Yiloo nto uYesu walihlonelayo igunya likaThixo lothando. Wathi: “Ndiyamthanda uBawo.” (Yohane 14:31) UYesu wayengasoze awathethe loo mazwi ukuba uYehova wayemndlandlathekisa.

⁷ Nangona indoda iyintloko yomfazi, iBhayibhile ithi mayimnike imbeko. (1 Petros 3:7) Ingayenza njani loo nto? Inokucinga ngezinto azidingayo ize iluhloniphe ukhetho lwakhe. IBhayibhile ithi: “Madoda, qhubekani nibathanda abafazi benu, kanye njengokuba noKristu walithandayo  ibandla waza wazinikela ngenxa yalo.” (Efese 5:25) UYesu wade wanikela ngobomi bakhe ngenxa yabalandeli bakhe. Xa indoda iyintloko enothando njengoYesu, kuba lula ngomfazi ukuba ayithande, ayihlonele aze ayithobele kwizigqibo zayo.—Funda uTito 2:3-5.

8. Sifanele sivakalelwe njani ngabazalwana noodade?

⁸ Namhlanje, izigidi zabantu emhlabeni wonke zinqula uYehova. Zingabazalwana noodadewethu. Sifanele sivakalelwe njani ngabo? IBhayibhile ithi: “Masenze okulungileyo kubo bonke, ngokukodwa kwabo bahlobene nathi elukholweni.” (Galati 6:10; funda amaRoma 12:10.) Umpostile uPetros wathi ‘ukuthobela kwethu inyaniso’ kumele kuphumele ‘kumsa wobuzalwana.’ UPetros waphinda wathi kumaKristu: “Ngaphezu kwezinto zonke, yibani nothando olunzulu omnye ngomnye.”—1 Petros 1:22; 4:8.

9, 10. Kutheni abantu bakaThixo bemanyene?

⁹ Intlangano esikuyo yahlukile. Njani? Kaloku sibathanda ngokunyanisekileyo abazalwana noodade wethu. Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, siyamthanda uYehova yaye siyayithobela imithetho  yakhe, ibe yena usinike owona moya unamandla kwindalo yonke, umoya wakhe oyingcwele. Umoya kaThixo usinceda simanyane ngokwenene nabazalwana bethu ehlabathini lonke.—Funda eyoku-1 kaYohane 4:20, 21.

¹⁰ UPawulos wabalaselisa ukubaluleka kothando phakathi kwamaKristu xa wathi: “Yambathani umsa wemfesane, ububele, ukuthobeka kwengqondo, ubulali, nokuzeka kade umsindo. Qhubekani ninyamezelana yaye nixolelana ngesisa ukuba nabani na unesizathu sokukhalazela omnye. Kanye njengoko uYehova wanixolela ngesisa, yenzani njalo nani. Ke, phezu kwazo zonke ezi zinto, yambathani uthando, kuba lungumxokelelwane ogqibeleleyo womanyano.” (Kolose 3:12-14) Sivuya nyhani ngokubakho ‘kothando olungumxokelelwane ogqibeleleyo womanyano’ phakathi kwethu kungakhathaliseki imvelaphi yethu!

11. Intlangano kaThixo ibonakala ngantoni?

¹¹ Uthando lokwenyani nomanyano lwabakhonzi bakaYehova lwenza kucace ukuba bakunqulo lokwenyaniso. UYesu wathi: “Bonke baya kwazi ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Yohane 13:34, 35) Umpostile uYohane yena wathi: “Yiyo ke le indlela ababonakala ngayo abantwana bakaThixo nabantwana bakaMtyholi: Bonke abangaqhubekiyo besenza ubulungisa abaphumi kuThixo, kukwanjalo nangalowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe. Kuba esi sisigidimi enasivayo kwasekuqaleni, ukuba sithandane.” (1 Yohane 3:10, 11) Uthando nomanyano lwenza amaNgqina kaYehova abonakale ukuba angabalandeli bokwenene bakaKristu, abantu abasetyenziswa nguThixo ukuba bashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani emhlabeni wonke.—Mateyu 24:14.

12, 13. Abo ‘besihlwele esikhulu’ benza ntoni namhlanje, ibe kungekudala balindele ntoni?

¹² Uninzi lwabakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje luyinxalenye ‘yesihlwele esikhulu’ esiphuma kwiindawo zonke zomhlaba ibe baxhasa uBukumkani. Baye “bayihlamba imiwunduzo yabo bayenza mhlophe egazini leMvana” ngokuba nokholo kwidini lentlawulelo likaYesu. Abo ‘besihlwele esikhulu’ bayamthanda uYehova noNyana wakhe ibe banqula uYehova “imini nobusuku.”—ISityhilelo 7:9, 14, 15.

¹³ Kungekudala uThixo uza kulitshabalalisa eli hlabathi lingendawo ‘ngembandezelo enkulu.’ (Mateyu 24:21; funda uYeremiya 25:32, 33.) Kodwa uYehova  uza kubakhusela abakhonzi bakhe aze abangenise kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha, kuba uyabathanda. Njengoko wathembisayo kwiminyaka ephantse ibe yi-2 000 eyadlulayo, “uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo, kungabi sabakho kufa, kungabi sabakho kuzila nakukhala nantlungu kwakhona.” Ngaba uyayilangazelela iParadesi, apho kuya kube kungekho bungendawo, ntlungu nakufa?—ISityhilelo 21:4.

14. Isihlwele esikhulu siye sanda kangakanani?

¹⁴ Ekuqaleni kwemihla yokugqibela ngo-1914, kwakukho iqaqobana labakhonzi bakaThixo abathanjisiweyo. Ngenxa yokuthanda ummelwane nangokuncedwa ngumoya oyingcwele kaThixo, eli qaqobana lashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani phezu kwabo nje ubunzima. Kubangele ntoni oko? Kuye kwahlanganiswa isihlwele sabantu abanethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni. Namhlanje, kukho amaNgqina amalunga ne-8 000 000 kumabandla angaphezu kwe-115 400 ehlabathini lonke, ibe kusekho ulwando. Ngokomzekelo, angaphezu kwe-275 500 amaNgqina amatsha aye abhaptizwa ngonyaka wenkonzo ka-2014. Loo nto ithetha ukuba ngeveki kubhaptizwe ayi-5 300.

15. Abantu abaninzi namhlanje bazive njani iindaba ezilungileyo?

¹⁵ Kuyamangalisa ukubona abantu abaninzi kangaka abaye beva ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Namhlanje, iimpapasho zethu zifumaneka ngeelwimi ezingaphezu kwe-700. IMboniselo yeyona mpapasho isasaziweyo emhlabeni. Kuprintwa iikopi ezingaphezu kwe-52 000 000 nyanga nganye ngeelwimi eziyi-247. Ibe incwadi esiqhuba ngayo isifundo, ethi Yintoni Ngokwenene Efundiswa YiBhayibhile? iye yaguqulelwa ngeelwimi ezingaphezu kwe-250. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, kuye kwaprintwa iikopi ezingaphezu kwe-200 000 000.

16. Kutheni intlangano kaYehova iqhubeka isanda?

¹⁶ Intlangano esikuyo iqhubeka isanda kuba sinokholo kuThixo yaye siyikholelwa iBhayibhile njengeLizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo. (1 Tesalonika 2:13) Siyaqhubeka sinandipha iintsikelelo zikaYehova nangona uSathana esikhohlakalele yaye esichasa.—2 Korinte 4:4.

17, 18. UYehova ulindele ukuba sibaphathe njani abo bangamkhonziyo?

¹⁷ Abantu basabela ngeendlela ezingafaniyo kwisigidimi sethu. Abanye bayamamela ngoxa abanye besicaphukela isigidimi sethu. UYehova ulindele ukuba sibaphathe njani abo bangamkhonziyo? Enoba abantu basabela njani kwiindaba esizithunyiweyo, sifanele silandele isiluleko seBhayibhile esithi: “Amazwi enu makasoloko ekholekile, enongwe ngetyuwa, ukuze nikwazi ukuphendula bonke ngabanye.” (Kolose 4:6) Nanini na sithethelela iinkolelo zethu, sifuna ukwenza njalo “ngomoya wobulali nentlonelo enzulu,” kaloku siyabathanda abamelwane bethu.—1 Petros 3:15.

¹⁸ Naxa abantu besiba nomsindo ibe besibhebhetha isigidimi sethu, sibonisa uthando ngommelwane size sixelise umzekelo kaYesu. Xa uYesu “wayetshabhiswa, akazange aphindise atshabhise. Xa wayebandezeleka, akazange asongele.” Kunoko, uYesu wayethembele  kuYehova. (1 Petros 2:23) Ngoko ke ngamaxesha onke, sibonisa ukuthobeka yaye siyasithobela esi siluleko: “Ningabuyiseli ububi ngobubi okanye ukutshabhisa ngokutshabhisa, kodwa, kunoko, sikelelani.”—1 Petros 3:8, 9.

19. Sifanele siziphathe njani iintshaba zethu?

¹⁹ Ukuthobeka kuya kusinceda sikwazi ukuthobela amazwi kaYesu athi: “Nivile ukuba kwathiwa, ‘Uze umthande ummelwane wakho, uluthiye utshaba lwakho.’ Ke mna, ndithi kuni: Qhubekani nizithanda iintshaba zenu, nibathandazele abo banitshutshisayo ukuze nizingqine ningoonyana boYihlo osemazulwini, ekubeni elenza ilanga lakhe liphume kubantu abangendawo nabalungileyo nemvula eyinisa kubantu abangamalungisa nabangengomalungisa.” (Mateyu 5:43-45) Njengabakhonzi bakaThixo, simele sizithande iintshaba zethu enoba zisiphatha njani na.

20. Sazi njani ukuba abantu abathanda uThixo nommelwane baya kuzalisa umhlaba? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

²⁰ Ngamaxesha onke, sifanele sibonise ukuba siyamthanda uYehova nommelwane. Nakuba abantu besichasa, siyabanceda xa besengxakini. Umpostile Pawulos wathi: “Musani ukuba natyala lanto nakubani na, ngaphandle kwelokuthandana; kuba lowo ulithandayo idlelane lakhe uwuzalisekisile umthetho. Kuba uluhlu lwemithetho oluthi, ‘Uze ungakrexezi, Uze ungabulali, Uze ungebi, Uze ungakhanuki,’ nawo nawuphi na omnye umyalelo okhoyo, ushwankathelwa ngeli lizwi, lokuba, ‘Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.’ Uthando alusebenzi bubi kummelwane kabani; ngoko ke uthando lukukuzaliseka komthetho.” (Roma 13:8-10) Kweli hlabathi lahluleleneyo, linobundlobongela nelingendawo lilawulwa nguSathana, abakhonzi bakaThixo bayabathanda abamelwane babo. (1 Yohane 5:19) Emva kokuba uYehova etshabalalise uSathana, iidemon zakhe neli hlabathi lingendawo, umhlaba uya kuzaliswa ngabantu abanothando. Baya kusikeleleka nyhani abantu abamthandayo uYehova nommelwane!