1. Indlela uNkulunkulu asithanda ngayo yenza sizizwe njani?

UMPHOSTOLI uJohane wabhala wathi: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Joh. 4:8) Amazwi la asikhumbuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu, onguMthombo wokuphila, nguye futhi onguMthombo wothando. UJehova uyasithanda njalo lokhu kwenza sizizwe sivikelekile, sithokoza futhi sisuthiseka.

2. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuMathewu 22:37-40, yiphi imilayo emibili eqakatheke kulayo yonke njalo kungani kungaba nzima ukulalela owesibili?

² AmaKhristu kumele athandane ngoba alaywa ukuthi enze njalo. (Bala uMathewu 22:37-40.) Nxa sesimazi kuhle uJehova kuzakuba lula ukuthi silalele umlayo wokuqala. Phela uJehova uphelele, ulendaba lathi futhi ulomusa. Kodwa kungaba nzima ukuthi silalele umlayo wesibili ngoba abafowethu labodadewethu abangomakhelwane bethu abaseduze kabafanani loJehova, balesono. Yikho kwezinye izikhathi bangenza izinto ezitshengisa ukuthi abalandaba lathi kumbe abalamusa. UJehova wayekwazi ukuthi kuzasithwalisa nzima ukulalela umlayo lo, yikho wasebenzisa abanye abalobi beBhayibhili ukusifundisa ukuthi kungani kumele sithandane lokuthi singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyathandana. Omunye wabo kwakunguJohane.—1 Joh. 3:11, 12.

3. Kuyini uJohane akugcizelelayo?

³ Emabhukwini awabhalayo, uJohane wagcizelela ukuthi amaKhristu kumele abe lothando. EVangelini lakhe ukhuluma kakhulu ngothando ukwedlula abanye abalobi bamaVangeli abathathu. UJohane wayengabe eleminyaka engu-100 ngesikhathi ebhala iVangeli lakhe lencwadi zakhe ezintathu.  Akubhala lapho kutshengisa ukuthi kumele sifuqwe luthando kukho konke esikwenzayo. (1 Joh. 4:10, 11) Kodwa kwathatha isikhathi ukuthi uJohane akufunde lokhu.

4. UJohane wayehlala etshengisa uthando yini?

⁴ Ngesikhathi uJohane esesemutsha eloJesu, wayengahlali etshengisa uthando. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu labafundi bakhe bathi besiyatshumayela eJerusalema badabula eSamariya. Abazange bamukelwe kuhle kwelinye idolobho leSamariya. Lokhu kwabangela ukuthi uJohane lomfowabo uJakhobe bacele kuJesu ukuthi babize umlilo uvela ezulwini uzeqothula bonke abantu bedolobho lelo. (Luk. 9:52-56) Sekungelinye ilanga uJohane kazange atshengise ukuthi uyabathanda abanye abaphostoli. Kukhanya yena lomfowabo uJakhobe bathuma unina kuJesu ukuthi ayebacelela izikhundla eziphezulu eMbusweni. Abanye abaphostoli bathi bekuzwa lokhu bacaphuka. (Mat. 20:20, 21, 24) Lanxa uJohane wenza amaphutha anje, uJesu wayelokhu emthanda.—Joh. 21:7.

5. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁵ Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngokwenziwa nguJohane kanye lezinye izinto azibhalayo mayelana lothando. Sizafunda ukuthi singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu labodadewethu. Sizafunda lendlela eqakathekileyo inhloko yemuli engatshengisa ngayo ukuthi iyayithanda imuli yayo.

6. UJehova utshengise njani ukuthi uyasithanda?

⁶ Singacabanga ukuthi ukuthanda umuntu kutsho ukuzwa simthanda kumbe ukukhuluma laye ngomusa. Kodwa nxa simthanda sibili, kumele sitshengise langezenzo. (Khangela uJakhobe 2:17, 26.) Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova uyasithanda futhi uyasitshela lokho esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe iBhayibhili. (1 Joh. 4:19; Hubo. 25:10; Rom. 8:38, 39) Kodwa okwenza siqiniseke ukuthi uyasithanda yilokho akwenzayo hatshi lokho asitshela khona kuphela. UJohane wabhala wathi: “Uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwabonakaliswa kithi ngalokhu: UNkulunkulu wathuma iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuthi ize emhlabeni ukuze sithole ukuphila ngayo.” (1 Joh. 4:9) UJehova wavumela iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo ukuthi ihlupheke futhi ibulawe ngenxa yethu. (Joh. 3:16) Lokhu kwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi uyasithanda.

7. UJesu wenzani ukuze atshengise ukuthi uyasithanda?

⁷ UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi uyabathanda. (Joh. 13:1; 15:15) Watshengisa ukuthi ubathanda kangakanani lokuthi lathi usithanda kangakanani ngalokho  akwenzayo, hatshi lokho akutshoyo kuphela. Wathi: “Kakho olothando olwedlula olwalowo onikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (Joh. 15:13) Ukucabanga ngendlela uJehova loJesu abatshengise ngayo ukuthi bayasithanda kumele kusifuqe ukuthi senzeni?

8. U-1 Johane 3:18 uthi kumele senzeni?

⁸ Sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova loJesu ngokubalalela. (Joh. 14:15; 1 Joh. 5:3) UJesu wasinika umlayo wokuthi sithandane. (Joh. 13:34, 35) Yikho kumele sibatshele abafowethu labodadewethu ukuthi siyabathanda. Kodwa akumelanga kuphelele ekukhulumeni kuphela, kufanele sikutshengise langezenzo. (Bala u-1 Johane 3:18.) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabathanda?

9. UJohane watshengisa njani ukuthi uyabathanda abanye?

⁹ Aluba uJohane wayefuna wayengaqhubeka eloyise, bezikhandela imali ebhizimusini yabo yokugola inhlanzi. Kodwa yena wakhetha ukuzinikela emsebenzini wokuncedisa abantu ukuthi bafunde ngoJehova loJesu. Impilo uJohane ayikhethayo yayingalula. Wahlukuluzwa futhi kwathi sekusiyaphela isikhathi samaKhristu akuqala wabotshwa. Ngalesosikhathi wayeselixhegu. (ImiSeb. 3:1; 4:1-3; 5:18; Isam. 1:9) Lalapho esejele ebotshelwe ukutshumayela ngoJesu, uJohane watshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abanye. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi esesihlengeni sasePhathimosi wabhala ibhuku leSambulo futhi walithumela emabandleni ukuze abazalwane babezazi izinto “okufanele zenzakale masinyane.” (Isam. 1:1) Kanti njalo kumele ukuthi ngesikhathi esekhululiwe wabhala iVangeli lakhe elimayelana lempilo kanye lenkonzo kaJesu. Waphinda wabhala incwadi ezintathu ukuze akhuthaze njalo aqinise abafowabo labodadewabo. Singamlingisela njani uJohane?

10. Ungatshengisa njani ukuthi uyabathanda abantu?

¹⁰ Ungatshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abantu ngalokho okhetha ukukwenza empilweni. Umhlaba lo obuswa nguSathane ufuna uqakathekise okufunwa nguwe kuphela lokuthi ukhande imali kumbe ube ngumuntu odumileyo. Kodwa amaKhristu angaqakathekisi kakhulu akufunayo asebenzisa isikhathi sawo esinengi etshumayela izindaba ezinhle futhi encedisa abantu ukuthi basondele kuJehova. Amanye aze akhethe ukuba senkonzweni yesikhathi sonke.

11. Abamemezeli abanengi batshengisa njani ukuthi bayamthanda uJehova kanye labafowabo labodadewabo?

¹¹ AmaKhristu amanengi athembekileyo ayasebenza ukuze azinakekele wona kanye lezimuli zawo. Lanxa kunjalo enza konke okusemandleni awo ukuthi asekele inhlanganiso kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, amanye ayancedisa nxa kube lomonakalo futhi amanye ayancedisa emsebenzini owenziwa ezakhiweni zenhlanganiso. Kanti njalo wonke ayanikela ukuze asekele umsebenzi owenziwa emhlabeni wonke. Enza konke lokhu ngoba ayamthanda uNkulunkulu kanye labanye. Maviki wonke sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu labodadewethu ngokuya emihlanganweni yebandla lokuhlanganyela kuyo. Siyahamba lanxa singabe sidiniwe futhi siyaphendula lanxa singabe sitshaywa luvalo njalo siyakhuthazana imihlangano ingakaqalisi lalapho isiphelile lanxa sonke silenhlupho. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Siyababonga kakhulu abafowethu labodadewethu ngakho konke abakwenzayo!

12. Yiphi enye indlela uJohane atshengisa ngayo ukuthi uyabathanda abafowabo labodadewabo?

 ¹² UJohane watshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abafowabo labodadewabo ngokubancoma. Kodwa waphinda wabanika iseluleko. Ngokwesibonelo, ezincwadini azibhalayo wabancoma ngokuthi babelokholo futhi besenza imisebenzi emihle. Kodwa wabanika leseluleko esimayelana lesono. (1 Joh. 1:8–2:1, 13, 14) Lathi kumele sincome abafowethu labodadewethu ngokuhle abakwenzayo. Kodwa nxa umuntu eseqalisa ukwenza into ezaphambanisa ubungane bakhe loNkulunkulu, kumele sitshengise ukuthi siyamthanda ngokumkhuza. Khona akulula ukwenza njalo kodwa iBhayibhili lithi abangane beqiniso bayalolana kumbe bayakhuzana.—Zaga. 27:17.

13. Kuyini okungamelanga sikwenze?

¹³ Ngezinye izikhathi sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu labodadewethu ngalokho esingakwenziyo. Ngokwesibonelo, asiphangisi ukucatshulwa ngabakutshoyo. Cabanga ngokunye okwenzakala uJesu elabafundi bakhe. Wabatshela ukuthi kwakumele badle inyama yakhe banathe legazi lakhe ukuze bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo. (Joh. 6:53-57) Amazwi akhe abethusa okokuthi abanengi bamtshiya kodwa abangane bakhe beqiniso okugoqela loJohane kabazange bamtshiye. Babengakuzwisisi lokho ayekutsho futhi kumele ukuthi kwabamangalisa. Kodwa abazange bacabange ukuthi kwakungaqondanga njalo abazange bacaphuke. Babemthemba besazi ukuthi wayehlala ekhuluma iqiniso. (Joh. 6:60, 66-69) Lathi akumelanga siphangise ukucatshulwa yilokho abangane bethu abakutshoyo. Kodwa kumele sibanike ithuba lokuchasisa lokho esingakuzwisisanga.—Zaga. 18:13; UmTsh. 7:9.

14. Kungani kungamelanga sibazonde abafowethu labodadewethu?

¹⁴ UJohane waphinda wathi akumelanga sizonde abafowethu labodadewethu. Nxa singayekela ukulalela lokho akutshoyo, uSathane angabangela ukuthi senze akufunayo. (1 Joh. 2:11; 3:15) Lokhu kwenzakala kwabanye ekupheleni kwesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala. Ngalesosikhathi uSathane wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuthi enze izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zizondane lokuthi kube lokwahlukana phakathi kwazo. UJohane wathi ebhala izincwadi zakhe, ebandleni kwasekulamadoda ayelingisela  uSathane. Ngokwesibonelo, uDiyotrefe wayedala ukwahlukana okukhulu ebandleni. Wayengawahloniphi amadoda ayethunywe liqula elibusayo. Wazama lokuxotsha ebandleni labo ababesamukela abantu ayebazonda. Wayezikhukhumeza sibili! (3 Joh. 9, 10) USathane ulokhu ezama ngamandla ukudala ukwahlukana phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kasingaqali ukuzonda abafowethu labodadewethu ukuze kungabi lokwahlukana.

15. Inhloko yemuli kumele ikhumbuleni?

¹⁵ Enye indlela eqakathekileyo inhloko yemuli etshengisa ngayo ukuthi iyayithanda imuli yayo yikuyinakekela ngalokho ekudingayo. (1 Tim. 5:8) Kodwa kumele ikhumbule ukuthi okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuyincedisa ukuthi isondele kuJehova. (Mat. 5:3) Inhloko zemuli kumele zilingisele uJesu. IVangeli likaJohane liveza ukuthi uJesu wayecabanga ngonina langesikhathi esebethelwe esigodweni sokuhlutshwa. Ngesikhathi leso uJohane wayeme loMariya, duze lalapho uJesu ayebethelwe khona. Lanxa uJesu wayesizwa ubuhlungu obukhulu wacela uJohane ukuthi anakekele uMariya. (Joh. 19:26, 27) Wayelabanawakhe ababengakwenza lokhu kodwa kukhanya angani ngalesosikhathi akula phakathi kwabo owayesengumfundi wakhe. Yikho okwenza uJesu wakhetha uJohane yikuthi wayefuna ukuba leqiniso lokuthi kulomuntu onakekela uMariya ngezinto azidingayo futhi omncedisa ukuthi aqhubeke ekhonza uJehova.

16. UJohane wayelayiphi imisebenzi?

¹⁶ UJohane wayelemisebenzi eminengi. Ngokwesibonelo, wayekhokhela emsebenzini wokutshumayela njengoba wayengumphostoli. Kanti njalo kungenzakala wayetshadile, yikho kwakumele anakekele imuli yakhe futhi ayincedise ukuthi isondele kuNkulunkulu. (1 Khor. 9:5) Inhloko zemuli zingafundani kuye?

17. Kungani kumele inhloko incedise imuli yayo ukuthi ihlale iseduze loJehova?

¹⁷ Umzalwane oyinhloko yemuli angaba leminye imisebenzi eqakathekileyo. Ngokwesibonelo, angabe esebenza ukuze ondle imuli yakhe futhi kuyabe kudingeka ukuthi asebenze nzima ukuze uJehova adunyiswe. (Efe. 6:5, 6; Tit. 2:9, 10) Angabe eleminye imisebenzi ebandleni, egoqela ukwelusa izimvu  zikaNkulunkulu lokukhokhela emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Kanti njalo kuyabe kumele ahlale etaditsha iBhayibhili lemuli yakhe. Kungumlandu wenhloko ukuthi incedise imuli yayo ihlale ilempilakahle futhi ithokoza njalo iseduze loJehova. Lokho kuzakwenza imuli yayo ikuqakathekise ekwenzayo.—Efe. 5:28, 29; 6:4.

18. Kuyini uJohane ayengakuthandabuzi?

¹⁸ UJohane waphila iminyaka eminengi futhi kwenzakala izinto ezinengi ezinhle empilweni yakhe. Kodwa waphinda wehlelwa yibunzima obabungaxegisa ukholo lwakhe. Lanxa kunjalo wayehlala esenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuthi alandele imilayo kaJesu egoqela umlayo wokuthi athande abafowabo labodadewabo. Ukwenza njalo kwamnceda wabona ukuthi uJehova loJesu bayamthanda lokuthi bazamnika amandla okuthi aqinisele kuloba yibuphi ubunzima obumehlelayo. (Joh. 14:15-17; 15:9, 10; 1 Joh. 4:16) Akulalutho olwalungenziwa nguSathane kumbe umhlaba wakhe olwalungavimba uJohane ukuthi atshengise ngamazwi langezenzo ukuthi uyabathanda abafowabo labodadewabo.

19. U-1 Johane 4:7 usikhuthaza ukuthi senzeni futhi kungani kumele senze njalo?

¹⁹ Lathi njengoJohane siphila emhlabeni obuswa nguSathane, ongathandi muntu. (1 Joh. 3:1, 10) Ufuna lathi sibazonde abafowethu labodadewethu kodwa ngeke akwenze lokhu ngaphandle singamvumela. Yikho kasizimiseleni ukutshengisa ngamazwi langezenzo ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu labodadewethu. Nxa singenza njalo sizathokoza ngokuba semulini kaJehova futhi sizakukholisa ukuphila.—Bala u-1 Johane 4:7.