1. Ithando lakaZimu likwenza uzizwe njani?

 UMPOSTOLI uJwanisi watlola wathi, “uZimu ulithando.” (1 Jwa. 4:8) Amezwi la asikhumbuza iqiniso elisisekelo: uZimu uMthombo wokuphila abuye abeMthombo wethando. UJehova uyasithanda! Ithando lakhe lisenza sizizwe sivikelekile, sithabile begodu singatjhodi ngalitho.

2. Ngokuya ngokomtlolo kaMatewu 22:37-40, ngimiphi imithetho emikhulu kunayo yoke begodu kubayini kungaba budisi ukulalelela wesibili?

² Njengombana simaKrestu kufuze sithande abantu. (Funda uMatewu 22:37-40.) Nasithoma ukwazi uJehova kuhle, singakufumana kubulula ukulalela umthetho wokuthoma ngombana uJehova uphelele, uyasicabangela endleleni asiphatha ngayo, usiphatha ngomusa nangendlela elungileko. Kodwana singakufumana kubudisi ukulalela umyalo wesibili. Lokho kubangelwa kukuthi abafowethu nabodadwethu babomakhelwana bethu esitjhidelene khulu nabo begodu banesono. Ngasikhathi bangenza namkha batjho izinto ezibenza baqaleke njengabantu abangazweli nabanganamusa. UJehova bekazi bona sizokuqalana nemiraro le kungebangelo asebenzisa abatloli beBhayibheli bona bafake isiyalwesi eBhayibhelini bebasitjengise ukuthi singathandana njani. Omunye wabatlolabo nguJwanisi.—1 Jwa. 3:11, 12.

3. Khuyini uJwanisi adzimelela kiyo?

³ UJwanisi nakatlolako, wadzimelela endabeni yokuthi amaKrestu kufuze athandane. Kuhlekuhle, uJwanisi nakatlola ngokuphila kwakaJesu, wasebenzisa ibizo elithi ‘ithando’ nelithi “wasithanda” iinkhathi ezinengi ukudlula amaVangeli amathathu sele ahlanganisiwe. UJwanisi besele  aneminyaka engabalikhulu nakatlola iVangeli lakhe neencwadi zakhe ezintathu. Imitlolo ephefumulelweko le, itjengisa ukuthi yoke into umKrestu ayenzako kufuze isunduzwe lithando. (1 Jwa. 4:10, 11) Kodwana kwamthatha isikhathi uJwanisi ukufunda isifundwesi.

4. Inga-kghani uJwanisi bekavele abathanda abantu?

⁴ UJwanisi nakaseselisokana, bekangalitjengisi ithando ngasosoke isikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngelinye ilanga waphekelela uJesu eGalile neSamariya bona bayokutjhumayela. Kenye indawo eSamariya, bala ukwamukela uJesu nalabo akhamba nabo. Alo, uJwanisi wenzani ngendaba le? Wafuna ukubiza umlilo ovela ezulwini bona utjhabalalise boke abantu balapho. (Luk. 9:52-56) Ngelinye ilanga, uJwanisi wabhalelwa kutjengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abapostoli. Yena nomfowabo uJakopo kungenzeka bakhombela unina ukuthi ababawele kuJesu bona babeneenkhundla eziphezulu emBuswenakhe. Abanye abapostoli bathi nabafumana indaba leyo, basilingeka khulu! (Mat. 20:20, 21, 24) Naphezu kwayo yoke imitjhapho uJwanisi ebekayenza, uJesu bekamthanda.—Jwa. 21:7.

5. Sizokucoca ngani esihlokwenesi?

⁵ Esihlokwenesi sizokucoca ngesibonelo sakaJwanisi besicoce nangokhunye akutlolako malungana nethando. Njengombana senza njalo, sizokufunda ukuthi singabathanda njani abafowethu nabodadwethu. Sizokubuye sifunde ngendlela eqakathekileko ihloko yomndeni engatjengisa ngayo ukuthi iyawuthanda umndenayo.

6. UJehova usitjengise njani ithando?

⁶ Kanengi nasicabanga ngethando, sicabanga ngamezwi anomusa. Kodwana ithando nalizokuba ngelamambala, kufuze litjengiswe nangezenzo. (Madanisa noJakopo 2:17, 26.) Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova uyasithanda. (1 Jwa. 4:19) Usitjengisa indlela asithanda ngayo ngamezwi anefudumalo atlolwe eBhayibhelini. (Rhu. 25:10; Rom. 8:38, 39) Ngaphezu kwalokho, okusiqinisekisako ukuthi uyasithanda akusimamezwakhe kwaphela, kodwana nalokho akwenzako. UJwanisi watlola wathi: “Ngalokhu ithando lakaZimu lembuliwe endabenethu, ukuthi uZimu wathumela iNdodanakhe ebelethwe yodwa ephasini ukuze sifumane ukuphila ngayo.” (1 Jwa. 4:9) UJehova wavumela iNdodanakhe iphathwe kabuhlungu beyife ngebanga lethu. (Jwa. 3:16) Ukhona na umuntu ongasola ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda?

7. Khuyini uJesu ayenzako ukutjengisa ukuthi uyasithanda?

 ⁷ UJesu waqinisekisa abafundi bakhe bona uyabathanda. (Jwa. 13:1; 15:15) Wabatjengisa indlela abathanda ngayo, nathi asithanda ngayo, ingasi ngamezwi kwaphela kodwana nangezenzo. UJesu wathi: “Akakho onethando elikhulu kunaleli, bona umuntu angadela ukuphila kwakhe ngebanga labangani bakhe.” (Jwa. 15:13) Nasicabanga ngezinto uJehova noJesu abasenzele zona, kufuze sizizwe njani?

8. Yoku-1 kaJwanisi 3:18 ithi kufuze senzeni?

⁸ Sitjengisa ukuthi sithanda uJehova noJesu ngokuthi sibalalele. (Jwa. 14:15; 1 Jwa. 5:3) UJesu wasiyala ngokunqophileko ukuthi kufuze sithandane. (Jwa. 13:34, 35) Akukafuzi sigcine ngokuthi sitjele abafowethu nabodadwethu ukuthi siyabathanda kodwana kufuze sitjengise ithandwelo nangezenzo. (Funda yoku-1 kaJwanisi 3:18.) Khuyini esingayenza ngokunqophileko ukutjengisa ukuthi siyabathanda?

9. Ithando lasiza uJwanisi bona enzeni?

⁹ UJwanisi bekangahlala noyise enze imali njengombana bekasebenza ebhizinisini yekhabo. Kodwana kunokobana enze njalo, wasebenzisa ipilwakhe ekusizeni abantu bazi iqiniso ngoJehova nangoJesu. Ipilo uJwanisi ayikhethako beyingasilula. Wahlunguphazwa, kwathi nasele amdala, wasiwa ekudingisweni ngebanga lokutjhumayela. (IzE. 3:1; 4:1-3; 5:18; IsAm. 1:9) Ngitjho nanyana bekavalelwe ngebanga lokutjhumayela ngoJesu, bekacabanga ngabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi asesihlengeleni sePatmosi, watlola ngesambulo asibonako bewasithumela emabandleni ukwenzela bona bazi ngezinto “ekufuze zenzeke msinyana.” (IsAm. 1:1) Kungenzeka bona ngemva kokutjhatjululwa ePatmosi, uJwanisi watlola iVangeli lakhe ngepilo kaJesu. Wabuye watlola iincwadi ezintathu bona akhuthaze bekaqinise abafowabo nabodadwabo. Alo, wena ungasilingisa njani isibonelo sakaJwanisi sokuzidela?

10. Ungatjengisa njani bona uyabathanda abantu?

¹⁰ Ungatjengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abantu ngalokho okhetha ukukwenza ngepilwakho. Iphasi lakaSathana lifuna usebenzise amandlakho woke ulinga ukuzenzela imali nedumo. Ngakelinye ihlangothi, abatjhumayeli bomBuso abazidelako ephasini mazombe, basebenzisa isikhathi sabo batjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi bebasize abantu batjhidelane noJehova. Abanye bakghona ukufundisa bebatjhumayele isikhathi sabo esinengi.

11. Abatjhumayeli abanengi batjengisa njani ukuthi bathanda uJehova, abafowabo nabodadwabo?

¹¹ AmaKrestu amanengi athembekileko kufuze asebenze isikhathi esinengi bona akghone ukuzondla wona nemindenawo. Nanyana kunjalo, amaKrestu la asekela ihlangano kaZimu ngendlela angakghona ngayo. Amanye asebenza emsebenzini wokuhlangula, emsebenzini wokwakha bekasize ngokweemali emsebenzini wokutjhumayela ephasini loke. Benza koke lokhu ngebanga lokuthi bathanda uJehova namaKrestu abakunye nawo. Qobe veke, sitjengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu nabodadwethu ngokubakhona esifundweni besihlanganyele ngeempendulo. Nanyana sidiniwe, siyaya esifundweni. Nanyana singangenwa mamanzi emadolweni nakufuze siphendule lokho akusivimbi bona siphendule. Kubhala siqalene nemirarwethu, siyabakhuthaza abanye ngaphambi  nangemva kwesifundo. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Sithokoza khulu ngemisebenzi emihle tle, eyenziwa bafowethu nabodadwethu!

12. Ngiyiphi enye indlela uJwanisi atjengisa ngayo ithando kibafowabo nabodadwabo?

¹² UJwanisi watjengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abafowabo nabodadwabo ngokubabuka nokubalungisa nakutlhogekako. Ngokwesibonelo, encwadinakhe, uJwanisi wababuka ngokusebenza ngokuthembeka wabuye wabayelelisa ngokwenza isono. (1 Jwa. 1:8–2:1, 13, 14) Nathi kufuze sibabuke abafowethu nabodadwethu ngezinto ezihle abazenzako. Akhesithi umuntu uthoma ukuba nomukghwa omumbi, kufuze sikhethe amagamethu kuhle begodu simsize akubone lokho. Kutlhoga isibindi ukusiza umnganakho lokha nakangenzi kuhle, kodwana iBhayibheli ithi abangani bayalolalana namkha balungisane.—IzA. 27:17.

13. Khuyini ekufuze sibalekele ukuyenza?

¹³ Ngezinye iinkhathi sitjengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu nabodadwethu ngalokho esingakwenziko. Ngokwesibonelo, asisilingeki msinya ngalokho abakutjhoko. Cabanga ngalokho ekwenzekako lokha uJesu nakasephasini. Watjela abalandleli bakhe ukuthi nabazakufumana ukuphila, kufuze badle inyamakhe bebasele neengazi zakhe. (Jwa. 6:53-57) Ikulumwakhe leyo yabathusa khulu abanengi kangangokobana abanye abalandeli bakhe bamtjhiya kodwana abangani bakhe beqiniso akhange bamtjhiye, kuhlanganise noJwanisi. Bathembeka, bahlala banaye. Nabo akhenge bakuzwisise lokho uJesu ebekakhuluma ngakho, kungenzeka kwabathusa. Nanyana kunjalo, akhenge bacabange ukuthi lokho uJesu akutjhoko akukalungi bebasilingeke ngakho. Kunalokho, bebamthemba ukuthi ukhuluma iqiniso. (Jwa. 6:60, 66-69) Kuqakatheke khulu ukuthi singasilingeki msinya ngalokho abangani bethu abakutjhoko kodwana sibanikele ithuba lokuhlathulula lokho esingakhenge sikuzwisise.—IzA. 18:13; UMtj. 7:9.

14. Kubayini kungakafuzi sivumele ihloyo yakheke eenhliziyweni zethu?

¹⁴ UJwanisi wasiyelelisa nangokuthi akukafuzi sihloye abafowethu nabodadwethu. Nasingasilaleli isiyelelelisweso, sizokunikela uSathana ithuba lokusidlelezela. (1 Jwa. 2:11; 3:15) Lokho kwakhe kwenzeka kamanye amaKrestu ngesikhathi  sabapostoli. USathana bekenza koke okusemandlenakhe bona amaKrestu ahloyane bekaphadlhuke phakathi. Ngesikhathi uJwanisi atlola iincwadi zakhe, amanye amaKrestu atjengisa ubuntu bakaSathana besele angenile ebandleni. Ngokwesibonelo, uDiyotrefe bekaphadlhula amaKrestu phakathi ebandleni. (3 Jwa. 9, 10) Bekadelela bekanyaze abajameli besihlopha esibusako sangesikhatheso. Walinga nokuqotha amaKrestu atjengisa umusa ebajamelinabo ngebanga lokuthi angabathandi. Watjengisa ukudelela tle! Nanamhlanjesi uSathana usalinga ukuhlukanisa abantu bakaZimu phakathi. Akukafuzi sivumele ihloyo isihlukanise phakathi.

15. Khuyini ihloko yomndeni ekufuze ikukhumbule?

¹⁵ Enye indlela iinhloko zomndeni ezingatjengisa ngayo ukuthi ziyayithanda imindenayo, kukuthi ziyitlhogomele ngezinto ezitlhogako. (1 Thim. 5:8) Nanyana kunjalo, kufuze zikhumbule bona izinto ezitlhogwa mndenayo angeze zajamiselela ukufundiswa nguZimu. (Mat. 5:3) Akhutjheje isibonelo uJesu asibekela iinhloko zemindeni. NgokweVangeli lakaJwanisi, ngesikhathi uJesu ahlongakala esigodweni sokuhlunguphazwa bekacabanga ngomndenakhe. UJwanisi bekajame nonina lakaJesu, uMariya lapha uJesu bekabulawela khona. Ngitjho nanyana uJesu bekasesizini elingaka wahlela bona uJwanisi atlhogomele uMariya. (Jwa. 19:26, 27) UJesu bekanabafowabo nabodadwabo abangatlhogomela unina ngezinto azitlhogako kodwana kubonakala kwanga ngaleso sikhathi bebangakabi maKrestu. Yeke, uJesu bekafuna bona uMariya atlhogonyelwe ngezinto azitlhogako bekatlhogonyelwe nethandweni lakhe ngoZimu.

16. Ngiwuphi umthwalo uJwanisi ebekufuze awutlhogomele?

¹⁶ Bekukunengi uJwanisi ebekufuze akutlhogomele. Njengombana bekangomunye wabapostoli bekufuze adose phambili emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Kungenzeka nokuthi bekatjhadile, yeke bekufuze alinganisele ekutlhogomeleni umndenakhe ngezinto ozitlhogako nethandweni lawo ngoZimu. (1 Kor. 9:5) Khuyini iinhloko zomndeni eziyifundako kilokhu?

17. Kubayini kuqakathekile ngeenhloko zomndeni bona zitlhogomele umndenazo ethandweni labo ngoZimu?

¹⁷ Umfowethu oyihloko yomndeni kungenzeka  ukuthi kunezinto ezinengi ekufuze azitlhogomele. Ngokwesibonelo, kufuze akhuthale emsebenzinakhe wokuziphilisa bona amjamele kuhle uJehova. (Efe. 6:5, 6; Tit. 2:9, 10) Kungenzeka kufuze atlhogomele ibandla, aluse umhlambi bekadose phambili emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Ngesikhathi esifanako, kuqakathekile bona ahlale afunda iBhayibheli nomkakhe nabantwana bakhe. Bazokuthabela khulu akwenzako ngokuthi ubatlhogomela ngezinto abazitlhogako bekatlhogomele nethando labo ngoZimu.—Efe. 5:28, 29; 6:4.

18. Khuyini uJwanisi ebekaqiniseka ngayo?

¹⁸ Ipilo kaJwanisi beyimajadu. Zinengi iintjhijilo ebekaqalana nazo ebezingabogabogisa ikholo lakhe. Kodwana wenza koke okusemandlenakhe bona alalele imiyalo kaJesu kuhlanganise nomyalo wokuthanda abafowabo nabodadwabo. Umphumela walokho wabakukuthi bekaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova noJesu bayamthanda begodu bazomupha amandla wokukghodlhelela iintjhijilo ebekaqalana nazo. (Jwa. 14:15-17; 15:10; 1 Jwa. 4:16) Ayikho into uSathana ebekangayenza namkha abukho ubujamo uJwanisi ebekaphila ngaphasi kwabo ebebungamlisisa ukuzwa, ukutjengisa nokutjela abafowabo nabodadwabo indlela abathanda ngayo.

19. Khuyini umtlolo woku-1 kaJwanisi 4:7 osikhuthaza bona siyenze begodu kubayini?

¹⁹ Nathi siyafana noJwanisi, siphila ephasini elibuswa nguSathana. (1 Jwa. 3:1, 10) Ngitjho nanyana afisa ngehliziywakhe yoke ukuthi sihloye abafowethu nabodadwethu, angeze akghona ukusenzisa lokho thina esingafuni ukukwenza. Kwanga singazimisela ukuthanda abafowethu nabodadwethu, sibatjele indlela esibathanda ngayo besibatjengise nangezenzo. Nasenza njalo, sizokwaneliseka ngokuba malunga womndeni kaJehova begodu ipilwethu izokuba nehloso.—Funda yoku-1 kaJwanisi 4:7.