1, 2. IMibhalo itshengisa njani ukuthi uthando luqakathekile?

UTHANDO lungumgogodla wobuntu bukaJehova uNkulunkulu. (1 Joh. 4:16) UNkulunkulu waqala ngokudala uJesu njalo wahlala laye ezulwini okwezigidi lezigidi zeminyaka efunda izindlela zakhe zothando. (Kol. 1:15) Ngesikhathi uJesu esezulwini lalapho esesemhlabeni watshengisa ukuthi uyakuzwisisa ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu olothando, futhi laye ulothando njengaye. Ngakho kasithandabuzi ukuthi indlela uJehova loJesu abazasibusa ngayo izabe ikhokhelwa luthando kuze kube phakade.

² Lapho uJesu ebuzwa ukuthi yiwuphi umlayo odlula yonke eMthethweni, waphendula wathi: “‘Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke.’ Yiwo oyingqala njalo odlula yonke imilayo. Owesibili unjengawo: ‘Thanda umakhelwana wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.’”—Mat. 22:37-39.

3. Ngubani ‘ongumakhelwana’ wethu?

³ Ubonile ukuthi uJesu waqamba ukuthanda umakhelwana kwaba ngumlayo wesibili oqakathekileyo? Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi  kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthanda bonke abantu. Kodwa ngubani vele ‘ongumakhelwana’ wethu? Nxa utshadile, umakhelwana wakho oseduze kulabo bonke ngumkakho. Abanye abangomakhelwana bethu abaseduze yilabo abasebandleni lobuKhristu, loba labo esikhonza labo uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Abanye futhi yilabo esihlangana labo ekutshumayeleni. Izikhonzi zikaJehova ezilandela izimfundiso zeNdodana yakhe kumele zitshengise njani ukuthi ziyabathanda omakhelwana bazo?

4. Kuyini okungenza ukuthi imitshado yethu iphumelele lanxa singabantu abalesono?

⁴ UJehova wasungula umtshado wokuqala ngokudala u-Adamu lo-Eva wasebahlanganisa. Wayehlose ukuthi umtshado wabo uthokozise lokuthi uhlale kuze kube nini lanini, futhi wayefuna bagcwalise umhlaba ngenzalo yabo. (Gen. 1:27, 28) Kodwa ukuhlamukela ubukhosi bukaJehova kwawona umtshado wokuqala, kwalethela abantu bonke isono lokufa. (Rom. 5:12) Lanxa kunjalo iMibhalo iyasitshela ukuthi kuyini esingakwenza ukuze sithokoze emitshadweni yethu. Isinika iseluleko esingcono kulazo zonke ezindabeni zomtshado ngoba ivela kuJehova, uMsunguli womtshado.—Bala u-2 Thimothi 3:16, 17.

5. Uthando luqakatheke kangakanani emtshadweni?

⁵ ILizwi likaNkulunkulu litshengisa ukuthi okuqakathekileyo ukuze abantu bahlale bethokoza yikuthi babe lothando, umuzwa wokuthakazelela umuntu loba ukuzizwa usondelene laye. Ngakho kuqakathekile ukuthi abantu abatshadileyo bathandane. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhalela ibandla laseKhorinte wathi: “Uthando luyabekezela, uthando lulomusa. Kalulamona, kaluzincomi, kaluzigqaji. Kalusisosiqholo, kaluzifuneli okwalo, kaluphangisi ukuthukuthela, kalubambeli zikhwili. Uthando kaluthokozeli okubi kodwa luthokozela iqiniso. Luhlezi luvikela, luhlezi lukholwa, luhlezi luthemba, luhlezi lubekezela. Uthando kalupheli.” (1 Khor. 13:4-8) Nxa abatshadileyo bengacabangisisa ngamazwi la futhi bawasebenzise, bazathokoza kakhulu emitshadweni yabo.

6, 7. (a) IBhayibhili lithini ngobunhloko? (b) Indoda engumKhristu kumele imphathe njani umkayo?

⁶ Uthando luqakatheke kakhulu lasendabeni yobunhloko eyamiswa nguNkulunkulu. UPhawuli wachasisa wathi: “Ngifuna ukuba likwazi  ukuthi inhloko yamadoda wonke nguKhristu, lenhloko yowesifazana yindoda, lenhloko kaKhristu nguNkulunkulu.” (1 Khor. 11:3) Lanxa indoda iyinhloko, akumelanga ibe lokhahlo. Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova uyinhloko kaKhristu elomusa, kamphathi ngolunya, yikho uJesu ezithoba kuye. Uyabuhlonipha ubunhloko bukaNkulunkulu ngoba umphatha ngothando, yikho waze wathi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (Joh. 14:31) UJesu wayengasoze atsho amazwi la aluba uJehova wayenguntandokayiphikiswa futhi eyiphatha ngokhahlo iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo.

⁷ Liqiniso sibili ukuthi indoda iyinhloko yomkayo, kodwa iBhayibhili lithi kumele ‘imphathe ngenhlonipho.’ (1 Phet. 3:7) Indoda ingakwenza lokhu ngokuqakathekisa izidingo zomkayo langokumvumela ukuthi kube nguye okhethayo kwezinye izinto. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Madoda, thandani omkenu, njengoKhristu owathanda ibandla wazinikela ngenxa yalo.” (Efe. 5:25) UJesu wabathanda abalandeli bakhe waze wabafela. Ngakho nxa indoda isebenzisa ubunhloko bayo ngendlela elothando njengoJesu, kuzakuba lula ukuthi umkayo ayithande, ayihloniphe njalo azithobe kuyo.—Bala uThithusi 2:3-5.

8. Izikhonzi zikaJehova kumele zibaphathe njani abanye abazalwane?

⁸ Emhlabeni wonke kulamamiliyoni ezikhonzi zikaJehova ezifakaza ngebizo lakhe langenjongo yakhe. UmKhristu ngamunye kumele abaphathe njani abanye abazalwane? ILizwi likaNkulunkulu liphendula lisithi: “Kasenzeni okulungileyo ebantwini bonke, ikakhulu kulabo abangabemuli yabakholwayo.” (Gal. 6:10; bala uRoma 12:10.) Umphostoli uPhetro wabhala wathi: “Njengoba khathesi selizihlambulule ngokulalela iqiniso ukuze libe lothando oluqotho kubazalwane benu, thandanani kakhulu, kusuka enhliziyweni.” Waphinda watshela ayekholwa labo wathi: “Phezu kwakho konke, thandanani ngokupheleleyo.”—1 Phet. 1:22; 4:8.

9, 10. Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu bemanyene?

⁹ Kayikho enye inhlanganiso elabantu abamanyeneyo emhlabeni wonke njengeyethu ngenxa yokuthi sibathanda ngobuqotho labo esikhonza labo uJehova. Kanti njalo ukuthanda uJehova lokulalela imithetho yakhe kwenza ukuthi asisekele ngomoya wakhe ongcwele, amandla akhe amakhulukazi kukho konke okudaliweyo. Lokhu kusenza sijabulele ukumanyana okukhulu labazalwane bethu abasemhlabeni wonke.—Bala u-1 Johane 4:20, 21.

¹⁰ UPhawuli wabhala ngokuqakatheka kokuthi amaKhristu athandane wathi: “Zembeseni ngesihawu, umusa, ukuzithoba, ubumnene kanye lokubekezela. Bekezelelanani, lithethelelane loba kuyinsolo bani omunye angaba layo ngomunye. Thethelelani njengoba iNkosi yalithethelela. Phezu kwakho konke lokhu ukulunga yembathani uthando, olukubophela ndawonye kube yikumanyana okupheleleyo.” (Kol. 3:12-14) Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ukuthi lanxa singabantu abasuka ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo lasemazweni atshiyeneyo, silothando phakathi kwethu ‘olusibophela ndawonye kube yikumanyana okupheleleyo’!

11. Uthando kanye lokumanyana okusenhlanganisweni kaJehova kutshengisani?

¹¹ Uthando oluqotho kanye lokumanyana okuphakathi kwezinceku zikaJehova kutshengisa ukuthi zisenkolweni yeqiniso, ngoba uJesu wathi: “Bonke abantu bazakwazi ukuthi lingabafundi bami uma lithandana.” (Joh. 13:34, 35) Umphostoli uJohane laye wabhala wathi: “Sibazi kanje ukuthi abantwana bakaNkulunkulu ngobani kanye  lokuthi abangabantwana bakaSathane ngobani: Lowo ongenzi okulungileyo kasuye mntakaNkulunkulu; loba lowo ongamthandiyo umfowabo. Leli yilizwi elalizwayo kusukela ekuqaleni: Kumele sithandane.” (1 Joh. 3:10, 11) Uthando olumanyanisa oFakazi bakaJehova lutshengisa ukuthi bangabalandeli bakaKhristu beqiniso. Yibo uNkulunkulu abasebenzisayo ukuze agcwalise injongo yakhe yokuthi izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso zitshunyayelwe kuwo wonke umhlaba.—Mat. 24:14.

12, 13. Kuyini okwenziwa ‘lixuku elikhulukazi’ khathesi, njalo kuyini osekuseduze ukuthi uJehova alenzele khona?

¹² Inengi lezinceku zikaJehova libumba ‘ixuku elikhulukazi elivela ezizweni zonke, lezizwaneni, lasebantwini kanye lasezindimini zonke.’ Ixuku leli “limi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi [sikaNkulunkulu] laphambi kweWundlu [uJesu Khristu].” Ngobani laba? “Laba yibo abaphume ekuhluphekeni okukhulu; bagezise izambatho zabo egazini leWundlu bazenza zaba mhlophe,” ngoba balokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wenhlawulo. Lamuhla bonke ababumba ‘ixuku elikhulukazi’ eliqhubeka lisanda bayamthanda uJehova leNdodana yakhe njalo ‘bakhonza [uNkulunkulu] emini lobusuku.’—Isam. 7:9, 14, 15.

¹³ Sekuseduze ukuthi uNkulunkulu abhubhise umhlaba lo omubi ngesikhathi ‘sokuhlupheka okukhulu.’ (Mat. 24:21; bala uJeremiya 25:32, 33.) Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi uJehova uyazithanda izinceku zakhe, uzazilondoloza njalo azikhokhele ziliqembu azingenise emhlabeni omutsha. Njengoba kwaphrofethwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 000 eyadlulayo, uNkulunkulu “uzazesula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo. Akusayikuba khona futhi ukufa loba ukulila loba ukukhala loba ubuhlungu.” Uyakufisa yini ukuphila ePharadayisi lapho “umumo omdala wezinto usudlule”?—Isam. 21:4.

14. Selilikhulu kangakanani ixuku elikhulukazi?

¹⁴ Lapho kuqalisa izinsuku zokucina ngo-1914, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke zazingaba yizinkulungwane ezinhlanu. Iqembu elincane lamaKhristu agcotshiweyo lakhuthazela emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoMbuso ngenxa yokuthi lalibathanda omakhelwana futhi lalisekelwa ngumoya kaNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yomsebenzi walo, lamuhla kuqoqwa ixuku elikhulukazi elilethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. OFakazi bakaJehova sebesedlula 8 miliyoni emhlabeni wonke njalo basemabandleni edlula 115 400, futhi inani leli liqhubeka lisanda. Ngokwesibonelo, kwabhaphathizwa abantu abangu-275 500 ngomnyaka wenkonzo ka-2014, okufanana lokuthi iviki ngayinye bekubhaphathizwa abantu abangaba ngu-5 300.

15. Chaza ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso usuqhele kangakanani.

¹⁵ Iyamangalisa indlela izindaba ezinhle esezisakazwe ngayo ebantwini abanengi. Khathesi amabhuku adindwa yinhlanganiso yethu asetholakala ngezindimi ezedlula 700. Ayikho enye imagazini esakazwa njenge-Nqabayokulinda emhlabeni wonke ngoba inani elidindwayo inyanga ngayinye ledlula 52 miliyoni ngezindimi ezingu-247. Kanti njalo sekudindwe izingwalo ezedlula 200 miliyoni zebhuku elithi IBhayibhili Lifundisani Sibili? ngezindimi ezedlula 250.

16. Kuyini okwenza ukuthi ingxenye yenhlanganiso kaJehova esemhlabeni iphumelele?

¹⁶ Ukwanda esikubonayo lamuhla kubangelwa yikuthi silokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu lokuthi siyakwamukela ukuthi iBhayibhili liLizwi lakhe eliphefumulelweyo. (1 Thes. 2:13) Okuhle kakhulu yikuthi abantu bakaJehova baqhubeka bephumelela kungelani lokuthi  uSathane, “unkulunkulu walesisikhathi,” uyabazonda njalo uyabaphikisa.—2 Khor. 4:4.

17, 18. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu kumele zibaphathe njani abantu abangakholwayo?

¹⁷ Izinceku zikaJehova kumele zibaphathe njani labo abangamkhonziyo uNkulunkulu weqiniso? Nxa sitshumayela, abanye bayasilalela kodwa abanye kabafuni lakusibona. Lanxa kunjalo, iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshengisa lokho okumele sikwenze kungelani lokuthi abantu bayasilalela yini loba hatshi. Lithi: “Ingxoxo yenu kayihlale igcwele umusa, ifakwe itshwayi, ukuze likwazi ukuphendula umuntu wonke.” (Kol. 4:6) Nxa sivikela ukholo lwethu kuloba ngubani ofuna ukwazi isizatho ngethemba esilalo, kumele sikwenze “ngobumnene langenhlonipho” ngenxa yokuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana bethu.—1 Phet. 3:15, 16.

¹⁸ Siqhubeka sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana bethu ngitsho lalapho umninimuzi esidla amalahle, engafuni lakuzwa ukuthi siphetheni. Silingisela uJesu ngoba iBhayibhili lithi ngaye: “Kwathi bemchaphaza ngenhlamba zabo, yena kaphindiselanga; lapho ehlupheka, kazange asonge. Kodwa wathembeka kulowo owahlulela ngokulunga [uJehova].” (1 Phet. 2:23) Ngakho-ke kungelani lokuthi silalabo esikholwa labo kumbe abanye nje, kumele sizithobe njalo sisebenzise iseluleko lesi esithi: “Lingabuyiseli okubi ngokubi loba inhlamba ngenhlamba, kodwa ngesibusiso.”—1 Phet. 3:8, 9.

19. Yisiphi isimiso esanikwa nguJesu mayelana lezitha zethu?

¹⁹ Abantu bakaJehova balandela isimiso esiqakathekileyo esanikwa nguJesu ngokuqhubeka bethobekile. Entshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, wathi: “Selezwa ukuthi kwathiwa, ‘Thanda umakhelwana wakho, usizonde isitha sakho.’ Kodwa mina ngilitshela ukuthi, Thandani izitha zenu, libathandazele labo abalihluphayo, ukuze libe ngamadodana kaYihlo osezulwini. Wenza ilanga lakhe liphume kwababi labalungileyo, anise izulu kwabenza okuhle lakwabangalunganga.” (Mat. 5:43-45) Ngakho-ke sonke esiyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu kumele sifunde ‘ukuthanda izitha zethu’ kungelani lokuthi zona zisiphatha njani.

20. Kuyini okwenza sithi emhlabeni omutsha kuzabe kugcwele abantu abathanda uNkulunkulu kanye lomakhelwana? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

²⁰ Kukho konke ukuphila kwabo, abantu bakaJehova kumele batshengise ngezenzo langendlela abacabanga ngayo ukuthi bayamthanda uJehova lomakhelwana wabo. Ngokwesibonelo, lanxa abanye bengazilaleli izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda ngokubaphathisa nxa bedinga uncedo lwethu. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Lingayekeli umlandu ungahlawulwanga, ngaphandle kokuqhubeka komlandu wokuthandana, ngoba lowo othanda umuntu wakibo usewugcwalisile umthetho. Imilayo ethi, ‘Ungafebi,’ ‘Ungabulali,’ ‘Ungebi,’ ‘Ungahawukeli’ kanye leminye imilayo engabe ikhona ihlanganiswa ngumthetho lo othi: ‘Thanda umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’ Uthando kalwenzi ngozi kumakhelwane. Ngakho uthando luyikugcwaliswa komthetho.” (Rom. 13:8-10) Thina oFakazi bakaJehova silothando oluqotho lanxa siphila emhlabeni omubi obuswa nguSathane, ongelakho ukumanyana njalo ogcwele udlakela. (1 Joh. 5:19) Uthando luzaqondisa zonke izinto ezizakwenziwa emhlabeni omutsha lapho uSathane lamadimoni akhe kanye labo bonke abamlandelayo sebesusiwe. Kuzakuba yisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu ukuphila emhlabeni ozabe ugcwele abantu abathanda uNkulunkulu lomakhelwana!