1-3. (a) Yiliphi iqiniso esingenakuliphika elivezwa iBhayibheli? (b) Singabakhetha kanjani abangane abazosithonyela kokuhle?

ABANTU bafana neziponji ngandlela-thile; bamunca noma yini ebazungezile. Kulula kakhulu ukuncela izimo zengqondo, izindinganiso nezici zobuntu babantu esisondelene nabo—ngisho singahlosile.

² IBhayibheli lisho iqiniso elingenakuphikwa uma lithi: “Ohamba nabahlakaniphile uyohlakanipha, kodwa osebenzelana neziphukuphuku kuyomhambela kabi.” (IzAga 13:20) Lesi saga asikhulumi nje ngokujwayelana nomuntu. Amagama athi “ohamba na-” asikisela ubudlelwane obuqhubekayo. * Ikhuluma ngaleli vesi, enye incwadi ehlaziya iBhayibheli ithi: “Ukuhamba nomuntu kubonisa uthando nokunamathelana.” Awuvumi yini ukuthi sivame ukulingisa abantu esibathandayo? Ngempela, ngenxa yokuthi inhliziyo yethu inamathela kubantu esibathandayo, bangaba nethonya elinamandla kithi—ithonya elihle noma elibi.

³ Ukuze sihlale sisothandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kubalulekile ukuba sifune abangane abazosithonyela kokuhle. Singakwenza kanjani lokho? Kalula nje, singakwenza ngokuthanda labo abathandwa uNkulunkulu, senze abangane bakhe babe abangane bethu. Cabanga ngakho. Konje yibaphi abangane abangcono esingabakhetha uma kungebona labo  abanezimfanelo uJehova azifunayo kubangane bakhe? Ngakho-ke, asihlole uhlobo lwabantu abathandwa uNkulunkulu. Uma usucace bhá umbono kaJehova ezingqondweni zethu, siyobe sesikuhlomele kahle ukukhetha abangane abahle.

4. Kungani uJehova enelungelo lokungakhethi noma ubani ukuba abe umngane wakhe, futhi kungani abiza u-Abrahama ngokuthi “umngane wami”?

⁴ Uma kuziwa endabeni yabangane, uJehova akakhethi noma ubani ukuba abe umngane wakhe. Akanalo yini ilungelo lokwenza kanjalo? Ingani uyiNkosi EnguMbusi wendawo yonke, futhi ukuba umngane wakhe kuyilungelo eliwedlula wonke. Obani-ke abakhetha njengabangane bakhe? UJehova usondela kulabo abamethembayo futhi babe nokholo oluphelele kuye. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngenzalamizi u-Abrahama, umuntu owaziwayo ngokholo lwakhe oluvelele. Kunzima ukucabanga uvivinyo lokholo ubaba ongumuntu angabhekana nalo olwedlula ukuba acelwe ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe njengomhlatshelo. * Noma kunjalo, ku-Abrahama “kwafana nokuthi usenikele ngo-Isaka,” enokholo oluphelele lokuthi “uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukumvusa ngisho nakwabafileyo.” (Hebheru 11:17-19) Ngenxa yokuthi u-Abrahama wabonisa ukholo olukhulu kangaka futhi walalela, ngothando uJehova wambiza ngokuthi “umngane wami.”—Isaya 41:8; Jakobe 2:21-23.

5. UJehova ubabheka kanjani labo abamlalela ngobuqotho?

⁵ UJehova ukwazisa kakhulu ukulalela okuqotho. Uyabathanda abantu abazimisele ukubeka ubuqotho kuye ngaphambi kwezinye izinto. (2 Samuweli 22:26) Njengoba sibonile  eSahlukweni 1 sale ncwadi, uJehova ujabula kakhulu ngalabo abakhetha ukumlalela ngoba bemthanda. IzAga 3:32 zithi: “Yena usondelana nabaqotho.” Labo abahlangabezana ngobuqotho nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu bathola isimemo somusa esivela kuJehova: Bangaba izimenywa “etendeni” lakhe—bamukelekile ukuba bamkhulekele futhi bangakwazi nokukhuluma naye ngomthandazo noma nini.—IHubo 15:1-5.

6. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda uJesu, futhi uJehova uzizwa kanjani ngalabo abathanda iNdodana yakhe?

⁶ UJehova uyabathanda labo abathanda uJesu, iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa. UJesu wathi: “Uma umuntu engithanda, uyogcina izwi lami, noBaba uyomthanda, futhi siyoza kuye sihlale naye.” (Johane 14:23) Singalubonisa kanjani uthando lwethu ngoJesu? Ngokuqinisekile ngokugcina imiyalo yakhe, kuhlanganise nomyalo wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle nokwenza abafundi. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; Johane 14:15, 21) Sibonisa uthando lwethu ngoJesu nalapho ‘silandela izinyathelo zakhe eduze,’ simlingisa ngamazwi nangezenzo ngangokusemandleni ethu njengabantu abangaphelele. (1 Petru 2:21) Inhliziyo kaJehova ijatshuliswa imizamo yalabo abaluthando lwabo ngeNdodana yakhe lubashukumisela ukuba balandele inkambo enjengekaKristu.

7. Kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba ngabangane babangane bakaJehova?

⁷ Ukholo, ubuqotho, ukulalela nothando ngoJesu nezindlela zakhe—lezi zimfanelo ziphakathi kwalezo uJehova azifunayo kubangane baKhe. Kuhle ngamunye wethu azibuze: ‘Ingabe izimfanelo nezindlela ezinjena ziyabonakala kubangane engisondelene nabo? Sengibenzile na abangane bakaJehova baba abangane bami?’ Kuwukuhlakanipha ukwenza kanjalo. Abantu abahlakulela izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu, bashumayele nezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngomdlandla bangaba usizo kithi, basithonyele ekubeni siphile ngokuvumelana nesinqumo sethu sokujabulisa  uNkulunkulu.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Unjani Umngane Omuhle?” ekhasini 29.

8. Yini oyithandayo ngobungane (a) bukaNawomi noRuthe? (b) amaHebheru amathathu asemasha? (c) uPawulu noThimothewu?

⁸ ImiBhalo inezibonelo eziningi zabantu abazuza ngenxa yokukhetha abangane abahle. Ungafunda ngobungane bukaNawomi nomalokazana wakhe uRuthe, amaHebheru amathathu asemasha angazange alahlane eBhabhiloni, kanye nobungane bukaPawulu noThimothewu. (Ruthe 1:16; Daniyeli 3:17, 18; 1 Korinte 4:17; Filipi 2:20-22) Kodwa ake sigxile kwesinye isibonelo esivelele: ubungane bukaDavide noJonathani.

9, 10. Babusekelwephi ubungane bukaDavide noJonathani?

⁹ IBhayibheli lithi ngemva kokuba uDavide ebulale uGoliyathi, “umphefumulo kaJonathani wanamathelana nomphefumulo kaDavide, uJonathani waqala ukumthanda njengoba ethanda umphefumulo wakhe.” (1 Samuweli 18:1) Baqala kanjalo ubungane obungazange buphele, okwathi naphezu kokushiyana kakhulu ngobudala, baqhubeka kwaze kwaba yilapho uJonathani efa empini. * (2 Samuweli 1:26) Sasisekelwephi isibopho esiqinile esasiphakathi kwalaba bangane ababili?

¹⁰ UDavide noJonathani babehlanganiswe uthando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu nesifiso sabo esinamandla sokuhlala bethembekile kuye. La madoda amabili ayehlanganiswe isibopho esingokomoya. Ngamunye wayenezimfanelo ezimenza athandeke komunye. Akungabazeki ukuthi sasimhlabe umxhwele uJonathani isibindi nentshiseko yensizwa eyalwela igama likaJehova ngokungesabi. Ngokungangabazeki uDavide wayeyihlonipha  le ndoda esikhulile eyayiwasekela ngobuqotho amalungiselelo kaJehova futhi ibeka inhlalakahle yakhe ngaphambi kweyayo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngokwenzeka ngesikhathi uDavide ecindezeleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe, ephila njengombaleki ehlane ebalekela ulaka lwenkosi embi uSawule, uyise kaJonathani. UJonathani wabonisa ubuqotho obumangalisayo wathatha isinyathelo “waya  kuDavide . . . ukuze aqinise isandla sakhe ngokuphathelene noNkulunkulu.” (1 Samuweli 23:16) Cabanga indlela okumelwe ukuba uDavide wazizwa ngayo lapho kuthi gqi umngane wakhe amthandayo ezomnikeza usizo nesikhuthazo! *

11. Yini oyifundayo ngobungane esibonelweni sikaJonathani noDavide?

¹¹ Sifundani kulesi sibonelo sikaJonathani noDavide? Okubaluleke kakhulu, sithola ukuthi into esemqoka ukuba abangane babe nayo yizimiso ezingokomoya. Uma sisondela  kulabo abanezinkolelo, izimiso zokuziphatha, nesifiso esifana nesethu sokuhlala sithembekile kuNkulunkulu, kuyoba khona ukwakhana nokukhuthazana ngemicabango, ngemizwa nangokuhlangenwe nakho. (Roma 1:11, 12) Abangane abanomqondo ongokomoya kanjalo sibathola phakathi kwabantu esikhonza nabo. Kodwa ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi noma ubani nje oza ezifundweni eHholo LoMbuso ungumngane okahle? Cha, akunjalo ngempela.

12, 13. (a) Kungani kufanele sibe abakhethayo lapho sifuna abangane ngisho naphakathi kwamaKristu? (b) Iyiphi inkinga ayenayo amabandla ekhulu lokuqala, okwenza uPawulu wanikeza siphi isixwayiso esinamandla?

¹² Ngisho naphakathi ebandleni, kumelwe sikhethe ukuze abangane bethu kube abantu abasakhayo ngokomoya. Ingabe kufanele kusimangaze lokhu? Cha akufanele. Amanye amaKristu ebandleni angase ephuze ukufinyelela ukuvuthwa ngokomoya, njengoba nje nezinye izithelo esihlahleni zingephuza ukuvuthwa. Ngakho, kunoma yiliphi ibandla, kukhona amaKristu ashiyashiyanayo ngamazinga okukhula ngokomoya. (Hebheru 5:12–6:3) Yiqiniso, sibonisa isineke nothando kwabasanda kuhlanganyela noma ababuthaka ngoba sifuna ukubasiza bakhule ngokomoya.—Roma 14:1; 15:1.

¹³ Kuyenzeka ngezinye izikhathi ebandleni kuphakame isimo esidinga ukuba siqaphe endabeni yabangane. Abanye abantu bangase baziphathe ngendlela esolisayo. Kanti abanye bangase bangenwe umoya wenzondo noma wokukhononda. Amabandla ekhulu lokuqala C.E. aba nenkinga efanayo. Nakuba iningi lalithembekile, abanye abazange baziphathe ngendlela efanele. Ngenxa yokuthi abathile ebandleni laseKorinte abazange bazisekele izimfundiso ezithile zobuKristu, umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa lelo bandla: “Ningadukiswa. Ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba emihle.” (1 Korinte 15:12, 33) UPawulu waxwayisa  uThimothewu ngokuthi ngisho naphakathi kwawo amaKristu, bangase babe khona abangaziphathi ngendlela efanele. UThimothewu watshelwa ukuba abagweme abanjalo, angabenzi babe abangane bakhe abakhulu.—2 Thimothewu 2:20-22.

14. Singasisebenzisa kanjani isimiso okusekelwe kuso isixwayiso sikaPawulu ngabangane?

¹⁴ Singasisebenzisa kanjani isimiso okusekelwe kuso lesi sixwayiso sikaPawulu? Ngokugwema ukusondelana nanoma ubani ongaba ithonya elonakalisayo—ngaphakathi noma ngaphandle kwebandla. (2 Thesalonika 3:6, 7, 14) Kumelwe silivikele ingokomoya lethu. Khumbula ukuthi njengesiponji, sincela izimo zengqondo nezindlela zabangane bethu esisondelene nabo. Njengoba nje singeke safaka isiponji kuviniga bese silindela ukuba sigcwale amanzi, nathi ngeke sizihlanganise nabantu abanethonya elibi kodwa silindele ukuncela izinto ezinhle.—1 Korinte 5:6.

15. Yini ongayenza ukuze uthole abangane abanomqondo ongokomoya ebandleni?

¹⁵ Kuhle ukuthi makhulu kakhulu amathuba okuthola abangane abakahle phakathi kwesikhonza nabo. (IHubo 133:1) Ungabathola kanjani abangane abanomqondo ongokomoya ebandleni? Njengoba uhlakulela izimfanelo nezindlela zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, akungabazeki ukuthi abanye abenza okufanayo bayodonseleka kuwe. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kungase kudingeke uthathe izinyathelo ezithile eziwusizo ukuze wakhe abangane abasha. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Indlela Esabakha Ngayo Abangane Abahle,” ekhasini 30.) Bheka labo ababonakalisa izimfanelo ofuna ukuzibonakalisa nawe. Lalela iseluleko seBhayibheli ‘sokwanuleka,’ ufune ubungane namanye amakholwa kungakhathaliseki uhlanga lwawo, ubuzwe noma amasiko. (2 Korinte 6:13; 1 Petru 2:17) Ungagcini ngokuzimatanisa nabantu abangontanga. Khumbula ukuthi uJonathani wayemdala kakhulu kunoDavide. Abantu abaningi abadala bangabunothisa ubungane ngolwazi nokuhlakanipha kwabo.

16, 17. Uma elinye ikholwa lisiphatha kabuhlungu ngandlela-thile, kungani kungafanele sishiye ibandla?

¹⁶ Njengoba ebandleni kunabantu abanobuntu nezizinda ezihlukahlukene, kungase kuqubuke izinkinga ngezikhathi ezithile. Elinye ikholwa lingase lisho noma lenze okuthile okusizwisa ubuhlungu. (IzAga 12:18) Ngezinye izikhathi izinkinga zidalwa ukungefani kobuntu, ukungaboni ngaso linye, noma ukuphambana kwemibono. Ingabe izinselele ezinjalo ziyosikhuba bese sishiya ibandla? Ngeke kube njalo uma sinothando oluqotho ngoJehova nangalabo abathandayo.

¹⁷ NjengoMdali wethu noMlondolozi Wokuphila, uJehova ufanelwe uthando lwethu nokuzinikela okuphelele. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ibandla ajabulela ukulisebenzisa lifanelwe ukuba silisekele ngobuqotho. (Hebheru  13:17) Ngakho uma elinye ikholwa lisiphatha kabi noma lisidumaza ngandlela-thile, ngeke sishiye ibandla njengendlela yokukhalaza. Singakwenza kanjani nje lokho? Phela akuyena uJehova osicasulile. Uthando lwethu ngoJehova alusoze lwasivumela ukuba simfulathele yena nabantu bakhe!—IHubo 119:165.

18. (a) Yini esingayenza ukuze sikhuthaze ukuthula ebandleni? (b) Ukukhetha ukuthethelela uma sikhona isizathu esizwakalayo kusinikeza ziphi izibusiso?

¹⁸ Uthando ngamakholwa esikanye nawo lusishukumisela ekukhuthazeni ukuthula ebandleni. UJehova akalindele ukuphelela kubantu abathandayo, nathi akufanele sikulindele. Uthando lusenza sikwazi ukushalazela amaphutha angasho lutho, sikhumbule ukuthi sonke asiphelele futhi siyawenza amaphutha. (IzAga 17:9; 1 Petru 4:8) Uthando lusisiza ukuba siqhubeke ‘sithethelelana ngokukhululekile.’ (Kolose 3:13) Akulula ngaso sonke isikhathi ukusebenzisa lesi seluleko. Uma sizivumela sinqotshwe ukuphatheka kabi, singase sithambekele ekubeni sihlale sicasukile, mhlawumbe sibe nomuzwa wokuthi ukuthukuthela kwethu kuyamjezisa ngandlela-thile osonile. Kodwa empeleni ukuhlala sicasukile kulimaza thina. Ukukhetha ukuthethelela uma sikhona isizathu esizwakalayo kuletha izibusiso ezicebile. (Luka 17:3, 4) Kusinikeza ukuthula kwengqondo nenhliziyo, kugcine ukuthula ebandleni, ngaphezu kwakho konke, kulonda ubuhlobo bethu noJehova.—Mathewu 6:14, 15; Roma 14:19.

19. Yiziphi izimo ezingase ziphakame ezingenza kudingeke siyeke ukuzihlanganisa nothile?

¹⁹ Ngezinye izikhathi siye sicelwe ukuba siyeke ukuzihlanganisa nomuntu obeyilungu lebandla. Lokhu kwenzeka lapho kususwa umuntu owephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu angaphenduki, noma lapho elahla ukholo ngokufundisa  imfundiso engamanga, noma lapho ezehlukanisa yena ngokwakhe nebandla. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ngokucacile ukuba ‘siyeke ukuzihlanganisa’ nabanjalo. * (1 Korinte 5:11-13; 2 Johane 9-11) Kungase kube inselele yangempela ukugwema umuntu obekade engumngane noma oyisihlobo sethu. Ingabe siyokuma siqine, kanjalo sibonise ukuthi ubuqotho kuJehova nemithetho yakhe yokulunga kuza kuqala ngaphezu kwakho konke okunye? Khumbula ukuthi uJehova ubazisa kakhulu ubuqotho nokulalela.

20, 21. (a) Kungani ukususa ekuhlanganyeleni kuyilungiselelo lothando? (b) Kungani kusemqoka ukuba sikhethe abangane bethu ngokuhlakanipha?

²⁰ Ilungiselelo lokususa ekuhlanganyeleni ngempela liyilungiselelo lothando elivela kuJehova. Kanjani? Ukususa isoni esingaphenduki kubonisa uthando ngegama likaJehova elingcwele nakho konke elikumelelayo. (1 Petru 1:15, 16) Ukususa ekuhlanganyeleni kugcina ibandla lilondekile. Amalungu athembekile ayavikeleka emathonyeni amabi ezoni zangamabomu futhi angakwazi ukuqhubeka nokukhulekela kwawo azi ukuthi ibandla liyisiphephelo kuleli zwe elibi. (1 Korinte 5:7; Hebheru 12:15, 16) Lesi sijeziso esiqatha sibonisa uthando ngomenzi wobubi. Kungenzeka siyiyona nto ayidingayo ukuze asanguluke futhi athathe izinyathelo ezidingekayo zokubuyela kuJehova.—Hebheru 12:11.

²¹ Asinakulibalekela iqiniso lokuthi abangane bethu abakhulu bangaba nethonya elinamandla kithi. Kusemqoka-ke ukuba sikhethe abangane bethu ngokuhlakanipha. Ngokwenza abangane bakaJehova babe abangane bethu, ngokuthanda abantu abathandwa uNkulunkulu, siyozungezwa abangane abahle kakhulu esingabathola. Esikuncela kubo kuyosisiza siphile ngokuvumelana nesinqumo sethu sokuthokozisa uJehova.