1, 2. (a) Amezwi kaJesu akuMatewu 24:12 ekuthomeni bewaqalisele kibobani? (b) Incwadi yezEnzo itjengisa njani bona amaKrestu wokuthoma amanengi aragela phambili nokutjengisa izenzo zethando? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

HLANGANA nokhunye uJesu athi kuzokuveza ‘ukuphela kwesikhathi’ wathi “ithando labanengi lizokuya liphola.” (Mat. 24:3, 12) Ngesikhathi sabapostoli amaJuda ebawazibiza ngabantu bakaZimu avumela ithando lawo laphola.

² Ngakelinye ihlangothi, amanye amaKrestu ngesikhatheso bewamajadu “nokumemezela ivangeli bona uJesu unguKrestu” enza izenzo zethando kuZimu, emaKrestwini akunye nawo nebantwini abangakholwako. (IzE. 2:44-47; 5:42) Nanyana kunjalo abanye abalandeli bakaJesu bavumela ithando labo laphola.

3. Yini okungenzeka yabangela ithando lamaKrestu amanengi laphola?

³ Ngemva kobana avuswe ekufeni, uJesu wakhuluma namaKrestu we-Efesu wangesikhathi sabapostoli wathi: ‘Nginalokhu ngani: Nililahlile ithando lenu lokuthoma.’ (IsAm. 2:4) Bekuyini unobangela walokho? Phela abantu ebebaphila nabo bebathanda izinto zakanokutjho, yeke nawo kungenzeka bona angenwa mumukghwa loyo. (Efe. 2:2, 3) Njengamadorobho amanengi namhlanjesi, idorobho le-Efesu ngesikhathi  sabapostoli belikhohlakele. I-Efesu bekulidorobho elinjingileko, abantu balapho bekungananto abayithanda njengokuphila ipilo kanokutjho, bathanda ukuzithabisa nokunethezeka. Ubumarhamaru besele buthethe isikhundla sethando labo. Ukungezelela kilokho imikghwa bekuyinto abanganayo, babuye baziphathe nakumbi ngokwamabhayi banjalo nje.

4. (a) Ngiziphi iindlela ezitjengisa ukuthi ithando liyaphela ebantwini abanengi? (b) Ngiziphi iingcenye ezintathu ithando lethu elizokuvivinyeka kizo?

⁴ Isiphorofido sakaJesu sokuphela kwethando sisasithinta nathi nanamhlanjesi. Abantu abanengi abasamthandi uZimu. Iingidi zabantu azisamfuni uZimu kunalokho ziqale ebantwini bona basombulule imiraro abantu abaqalene nayo. Ngikho ithando liphela nje ebantwini abangamlotjhiko uJehova uZimu. Njengombana sifunde ngesibonelo sebandla le-Efesu ngesikhathi sabapostoli, amaKrestu wamambala namhlanjesi nawo kungenzeka avumela ithando lawo liphole. Njenganje sizokufunda ngeengcenye ezintathu ithando lethu elingavivinyeka kizo: (1) Indlela esithanda ngayo uJehova, (2) ukuthanda iqiniso leBhayibheli, (3) nokuthanda abafowethu nabodadwethu.

5. Kubayini kufuze sithande uZimu?

⁵ Khona mhlokho uJesu bekhe wakhalimela ngokuphelelwa lithando, emezwinakhe wakhuluma khulu ngokuqakatheka kokuthanda uJehova. Wathi: “‘Thanda [“uJehova, NW”] uZimakho ngehliziywakho yoke, ngomphefumulwakho woke nangomkhumbulwakho woke.’ Lo myalo wokuthoma nongomkhulu.” (Mat. 22:37, 38) Ukuthanda uJehova ngehliziywakho yoke kukwenza ufune ukulalela imiyalwakhe, ukghodlhelele bewuhloye nezinto ezingakalungi. (Funda iRhubo 97:10.) Ngaphezu kwayo yoke imizamo yokwenza njalo uSathana nephasi lakhe benza kube ngasuthi ithando lethu ngoZimu alisililitho.

6. Yini eba mphumela wokuphelelwa lithando ngoZimu?

⁶ Iphasi esiphila kilweli lihlathulula ithando ngedlela ehlukileko. Kunokuthi bathande uMdali ‘bazithanda’ bona. (2 Thim. 3:2) Iphasi elilawulwa nguSathaneli likhuthaza ‘iinkanuko zenyama, iinkanuko zamehlo nokuzigqaja ngepilo.’ (1 Jwa. 2:16) Umpostoli uPowula wakhalimela amaKrestu akunye nawo ngokuzithanda wona wathi: “Ukubeka umkhumbulo kokwenyama kukukufa . . . umkhumbulo osenyameni ulinaba kuZimu.” (Rom. 8:6, 7) Iqiniso kukuthi abantu basebenzisa isikhathi sabo bafuna izinto zakanokutjho namkha ezanelisa iimfiso zabo zobumarhamaru zomseme, baphetha ngokudana begodu balimale kabuhlungu.—1 Kor. 6:18; 1 Thim. 6:9, 10.

7. Abalandeli bakaKrestu baqalene nayiphi ingozi namhlanjesi?

⁷ Kwezinye iinarha, abantu abangakholelwa kuZimu, nabakholelwa ekuziphendukeleni kwemvelo benza abantu baphelelwe lithando nokukholwa ngoZimu. Benze abanengi bakholwa bona nange bakholelwa kuMdala baziindlhadlha ezabuya nentambo ekuthezeni. Kuthi ngesikhathi esifanako abososayensi bahlonitjhwa khulu, lokho kwenza abantu bangamhloniphi uMdali. (Rom. 1:25) Nasijayele ukulalela izinto ezinjalo nathi singaphelelwa lithando lethu ngoJehova.—Heb. 3:12.

8. (a) Abantu abanengi bakaJehova baqalana naziphi iinkinga? (b) Ngikuphi ukuqiniseka esikufumana emtlolweni wamaRhubo 136?

⁸ Ukuhlala sicabanga ngezinto ezisizwisa ubuhlungu kungenza ukukholwa kwethu kubogaboge kuqede nethando esinalo ngoZimu. Ephasini elikhohlakelekweli nelilawulwa nguSathana soke siyaqalana nezinto ezisizwisa ubuhlungu. (1 Jwa. 5:19) Kungenzeka kwanje siqalene neenkinga ezibangelwa  kuluphala, ukubogaboga kwepilo, namkha ukungabi nemali. Kungenzeka siqalene nokuzizwa singasililitho, ngapha nezinto azikhambi ngendlela ebesihlele ngayo besinamazizo wokubhalelwa epilweni. Nanyana kunjalo akukafuzi sivumele koke lokho kusenze sikholwe ukuthi uJehova usitjhiyile. Kunokwenza njalo kufuze sizindle ngamezwi kaJehova akhuthazako, nethando lakhe ngathi. Amezwi lawo, siwafumana kumaRhubo 136:23 athi: “Owasikhumbulako nasisabogabogako, ukwethembeka kwakhe kujame isiphelani.” Indlela uJehova asithanda ngayo ayinasiphetho. Yeke singaqiniseka bona uyazizwa ‘iinlilo zethu.’—Rhu. 116:1; 136:24-26.

9. Yini eyanikela uPowula amandla wokuhlala athanda uZimu?

⁹ UPowula naye njengomrhubi waqiniswa kuzindla ngendlela uJehova amsekela ngayo. Watlola wathi: “[“UJehova, NW”] umsizi wami, angeze ngesaba; umuntu angangenzani na?” (Heb. 13:6) Ukuthembela kuJehova lokho kwasiza uPowula waqalana ngokuphumelelako neenkinga zokuphila. Akhenge avumela izinto ezidanisako ekuphileni zimqede amandla. UPowula wathi nakasesesibotjhwa watlola iincwadi ezinengi ezikhuthazako. (Efe. 4:1; Flp. 1:7; Flm. 1) Ngitjho nanyana kade adinwe aphelile kodwana wakghona ukuthi ahlale athanda uZimu. Umbuzo kukuthi yini eyamupha amandla wokwenza njalo? Ngaso soke isikhathi wathembela ‘kuZimu wenduduzo yoke, osiduduza kizo zoke iinhlupheko zethu.’ (2 Kor. 1:3, 4) Alo-ke thina singasilingisa njani isibonelo sakaPowula sokuhlala simthanda khulu uJehova?

10. Singenzani bona sihlale sithanda uJehova?

¹⁰ Enye indlela eyihloko yokuthi sihlale sithanda uJehova yatjhiwo nguPowula ngokwakhe. Watlolela abantu akholwa nabo wathi: “Thandazani njalo ningalisi.” Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wabuye wathi: “Nikhuthale emthandazweni.” (1 Thes. 5:17; Rom. 12:12) Nasizakutjhidelana noZimu kufuze sithandaze, sikhulumisane naye. (Rhu. 86:3) Kufuze sithathe isikhathi sethu sikhulume noJehova simtjele izinto ezingaphakathi eenhliziyweni zethu, simtjele indlela esizizwa ngayo, nasenza njalo sizokutjhidelana noBabethu oseZulwini “ozwa imithandazo.” (Rhu. 65:2, [65:3, NW]) Ukungezelela kilokho, nasibona uJehova aphendula imithandazwethu kusenza simthande khulu. Lokho kusenza sibone ukuthi “[“uJehova, NW”] useduze nabo boke abambizako.” Nasithembela kuJehova siyokukghona ukuqalana neenkinga esiyokuhlangana nazo ngesikhathi esizako.

11, 12. Yini engasisiza bona silithande khulu iqiniso leBhayibheli?

¹¹ NjengamaKrestu siyalithanda begodu siyalivikela iqiniso. IliZwi lakaZimu mthombo oyihloko esingafumana kiwo iqiniso. UJesu nakathandaza kuYise wathi: ‘IliZwi lakho liliqiniso.’ (Jwa. 17:17) Yeke singatjho ukuthi ukuthanda iqiniso kuthoma ngokuthi sibe nelwazi eliyiqiniso ngeliZwi lakaZimu. (Kol. 1:10) Iqiniso kukuthi kutlhogeka okungaphezu kokuthi sise sibe nelwazi. Akhuthi uyatjheja bona umtloli weRhubo 119 usirhelebha sizwisise kuhle kangangani ukuthi kutjho ukuthini ukuthanda iqiniso leBhayibheli. (Funda iRhubo 119: 97-100.) Alo thina siyasithatha na isikhathi sethu sifunde, sirhubhulule besizwisise imiTlolo qobe langa? Nasizindla ngokuthi kusizuzisa ngani ukwenza ngokuvumelana nesikufundako, kuzosenza sithokozele iqiniso leBhayibheli.

¹² Umrhubi waraga ngokuthi: “Amezwakho anandipha kurhwalabhami! Amnandi ukudlula iliju emlonyenami!” (Rhu. 119: 103) Kuyafana-ke nangathi, singanambitha ubumnandi bokudla okuvela kuZimu, okutjho ukufunda iincwadi ezisekelwe eliZwini lakaZimu esizifumana ehlanganwenakhe. Kufuze kube ngasuthi sikumumethe isikhatjhana ngemlonyenethu, siyakunambitha, sikghone ukukhumbula “amezwi afaneleko” aliqiniso siwasebenzise bona sisize abanye abantu.—UMtj. 12:10.

13. Khuyini eyasiza uJoromiya bona athande iqiniso lemiTlolo begodu lokho kwamthinta njani?

¹³ Umphorofidi uJoromiya bekalithanda iqiniso elisemiTlolweni. Akhutjheje indlela ameZwi avela kuZimu athinta ngayo ihliziywakhe. “Ukutholakala kwamezwakho kwaba kukwethaba kimi nokwenama kwehliziywami, ngombana ngibizwa ngawe iye, ngebizo elithi [“Jehova, NW”], Zimu onguMninimandlawoke.” (Jor. 15:16) UJoromiya wadla ukudla okungokomfanekiso okumamezwi afumaneka eliZwini lakaZimu eliligugu ngokuthi azindle ngawo. Lokho kwamenza walithokoza ngokusuka ehliziywenakhe ilungelo lokubizwa ngebizo lakaZimu. Inga-kghani wena ukuthanda kwakho iBhayibheli kukwenze watjheja ilungelo lakho lokubizwa ngebizo lakaZimu? Inga-kghani kuyakuhlohlozela na bona utjhumayele ngomBuswakhe esikhathini sokuphelesi?

14. Singayithuthukisa njani indlela esithanda ngayo iqiniso leBhayibheli?

¹⁴ Ngaphandle kokuthi sifunde iBhayibheli neencwadi ezisekelwe kilo, yini enye esingayenza bona sithande iqiniso leBhayibheli khudlwana? Singathuthukisa ithando lethu ngokuthi siye esifundweni qobe. Isifundo seBhayibheli saqobe veke sesiThala siyindlela eyihloko esifundiswa ngayo. Bona sikuzwisise kuhle esifunda ngakho, kufuze silungiselele kuhle esinye nesinye isihloko sesifundo sesiThala. Enye indlela esingakwenza ngakho lokho kukuthi sifunde yoke imiTlolo edzujuliweko esihlokweni. Amalanga la isiThala ukghona ukusidawniloda ku-jw.org namkha ungasifunda ku-JW Library efumaneka ngamalimi amanengi. Ezinye izinto ezifumaneka kuzinzolwazi le zenza kubelula bona sifumane imitlolo edzujuliweko msinyana esesihlokweni sesifundo ngasinye. Akutshwenyi ukuthi yini oyisebenzisa ukuthi ufunde imitlolo le, ikani kukuthi uyifunde begodu uzindle ngayo lokho kuzokudephisa  indlela othanda ngayo iqiniso leBhayibheli.—Funda iRhubo 1:2.

15, 16. (a) Ngokuya kwakaJwanisi 13:34, 35 sinasiphi isibopho? (b) Indlela esithanda ngayo abafowethu nabodadwethu ihlangana njani nethando esinalo ngoZimu nangeBhayibheli?

¹⁵ Ngobusuku bakaJesu bamaswaphela asephasina wathi ebalandelini bakhe: “Nginipha umyalo omutjha ngithi; Thandanani. Njengombana nginithandile, nje-ke nani nifanele ukuthandana. Ngalokhu boke abantu bazakwazi bona nibafundi bami, nanithandanako.”—Jwa. 13:34, 35.

¹⁶ Ukuthanda abafowethu nabodadwethu kukhamba kuveze indlela esithanda ngayo uJehova. Eqinisweni angekhe uthande uJehova ungabathandi abafowenu nabodadwenu. Umpostoli uJwanisi watlola wathi: “Loyo ozonda umzalwana wakhe ambonako angekhe athanda uZimu angazange akhe ambone.” (1 Jwa. 4:20) Ukungezelela kilokho, ukuthanda kwethu uJehova, abafowethu nabodadwethu kuveza ukuthi siyalithanda iBhayibheli. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Kungebanga lokuthi ukuthanda iqiniso leBhayibheli kusenza sifune ukuthobela imiyalo yeBhayibheli ngokusuka ehliziyweni nalithi sithande uJehova sibuye sithande abafowethu nabodadwethu.—1 Pit. 1:22; 1 Jwa. 4:21.

17. Ngiziphi iindlela esitjengisa ngazo ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu nabodadwethu?

¹⁷ Funda 1 Thesalonika 4:9, 10. Singalitjengisa njani ithando ebandleni? Kungenzeka umfowethu namkha udadwethu olupheleko utlhoga isithuthi esingamusa esifundweni. Kungenzeka umfelokazi utlhoga ukulungiselwa izinto emzinakhe. (Jak. 1:27) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bancani namkha badala abafowethu nabodadwethu abagandelelekileko namkha abaqalene nanyana ngiziphi iinqabo batlhoga ukuthi sibaduduze besibakhuthaze. (IzA. 12:25; Kol. 4:11) Nasenza njalo sinikela ubufakazi bokuthi siyabathanda abafowethu nabodadwethu begodu lokho sikwenza ngamezwi nangezenzo, siyatshwenyeka ngabantu ‘esikholwa’ nabo.—Gal. 6:10.

18. Yini ezosisiza silwisane nokungazwani esingakhamba sihlangane nakho nabantu esikholwa nabo?

¹⁸ IBhayibheli labikezela kusese ngaphambili ukuthi: “Ngemihla yokuphela” abantu bazozicabangela bona kwaphela begodu babe marhamaru. (2 Thim. 3:1, 2) Thina njengamaKrestu, kufuze sisebenze ngamandla bona sithande uZimu, sithande iqiniso leBhayibheli besithandane thina. Kuliqiniso ukuthi ngezinye iinkhathi singaba nokuphikisana nabantu esikholwa nabo. Kodwana kuba sibusiso ebandleni nange silinga ngamandla bona ngethando silungise nanyana ngikuphi ukungazwani. (Efe. 4:32; Kol. 3:14) Yeke asingavumeli ithando lethu liphole! Asisebenzeni ngamandla bona siragele phambili sithanda uJehova, sithanda iliZwi lakhe kunye nabafowethu nabodadwethu.