1. Indlela Nkulunkulu lakutsandza ngayo ikwenta utive njani?

UMPHOSTOLI Johane wabhala watsi: “Nkulunkulu ulutsandvo.” (1 Joh. 4:8) Lamavi lamelula asikhumbuta ngeliciniso lelibalulekile: Nkulunkulu longuMtfombo wekuphila, uphindze abe nguMtfombo welutsandvo. Jehova uyasitsandza! Lutsandvo lwakhe lusenta sitive sivikelekile, sijabulile futsi senetisekile.

2. Ngekusho kwaMatewu 22:37-40, ngumiphi imiyalo lemibili lemikhulu, futsi kungani kungase kube matima kulalela lona wesibili?

² EmaKhristu kufanele akhombise lutsandvo ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi futsi lona ngumyalo. (Fundza Matewu 22:37-40.) Nasimati kahle Jehova, kungaba melula ngatsi kulalela lomyalo wekucala. Loku kungenca yekutsi Jehova ute sono, uyacabangela futsi usiphatsa ngemusa. Nobe kunjalo, kungenteka kube matima kulalela lomyalo wesibili. Leni? Ngenca yekutsi bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu lababomakhelwane betfu labasedvute, banesono. Ngalesinye sikhatsi bangase bente tintfo letikhombisa kutsi abasikhatsaleli futsi letikhombisa kutsi bete umusa. Jehova bekati kutsi sitawubhekana nalenkinga, ngako waphefumulela labanye babhali beliBhayibheli kutsi babhale teluleko leticondzile ngekutsi kungani kufanele sibatsandze labanye nekutsi singakukhombisa njani loko. Lomunye walababhali bekunguJohane.—1 Joh. 3:11, 12.

3. Yini Johane layigcizelela?

³ Kuloko lakubhala, Johane wagcizelela kutsi emaKhristu kufanele akhombise lutsandvo. Ecinisweni, nakabhala ngekuphila kwaJesu, Johane wasebentisa ligama lelitsi “lutsandvo” nalelitsi “wasitsandza” tikhatsi letinyenti kunaleto  letasetjentiswa ngulalabanye babhali bemavangeli lamatsatfu bahlangene. Johane bekacishe abe neminyaka lengu-100 ngesikhatsi abhala incwadzi yaJohane kanye naleletinye tincwadzi takhe letintsatfu. Letincwadzi letiphefumulelwe tikhombisa kutsi konkhe lesikwentako kufanele kukhombise kutsi siyabatsandza labanye. (1 Joh. 4:10, 11) Nanobe kunjalo, kwatsatsa sikhatsi kutsi Johane akufundze loko.

4. Johane bekahlale abakhombisa yini labanye kutsi uyabatsandza?

⁴ Ngesikhatsi Johane aselijaha, bekangalukhombisi ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi lutsandvo. Nasi sibonelo, ngalelinye lilanga Jesu bekahamba nebafundzi bakhe baya eJerusalema futsi bebatawendlula eSamariya. Bantfu bakulelinye lidolobha laseSamariya ababemukelanga. Yini Johane layenta? Wacela kubita umlilo lovela ezulwini kuze ubhubhise bonkhe bantfu bakulelidolobha! (Luk. 9:52-56) Ngalelinye lilanga, Johane akazange akhombise kutsi uyabatsandza labanye baphostoli. Johane kanye nemnakabo Jakobe bacela make wabo kutsi abacelele kuJesu kutsi abanike tikhundla letisetulu eMbusweni wakhe. Labanye baphostoli nabeva kutsi yini lebeyentiwe nguJakobe naJohane, batfukutsela kakhulu! (Mat. 20:20, 21, 24) Ngisho nobe Johane enta lamaphutsa lamanyenti kangaka, Jesu bekamtsandza.—Joh. 21:7.

5. Yini lesitayihlolisisa kulesihloko?

⁵ Kulesihloko, sitawuhlolisisa sibonelo saJohane kanye naletinye tintfo latibhala ngelutsandvo. Nasenta njalo, sitawufundza kutsi singakhombisa njani kutsi siyabatsandza bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu. Sitawufundza nangendlela lebalulekile inhloko yemndeni lengakhombisa ngayo kutsi iyawutsandza umndeni wayo.

6. Jehova ukhombise njani kutsi uyasitsandza?

⁶ Singase sicabange kutsi kuze sitsandze bantfu kufanele sikhulume tintfo letinhle kubo. Kodvwa nangabe sibatsandza mbamba, loko kufanele sikukhombise ngekubentela tintfo letinhle. (Catsanisa naJakobe. 2:17, 26.) Sibonelo saloko kutsi Jehova uyasitsandza. (1 Joh. 4:19) Usitjela kutsi uyasitsandza asebentisa emavi lamahle labhalwe eBhayibhelini. (Hla. 25:10; Rom. 8:38, 39) Nanobe kunjalo, siyaciniseka kutsi Nkulunkulu uyasitsandza, hhayi ngaloko lakushoko kuphela, kodvwa nangaloko lakwentako. Johane wabhala watsi: “Nayi indlela Nkulunkulu lakhombise ngayo kutsi uyasitsandza: Nkulunkulu watfumela iNdvodzana yakhe lekuphela kwayo eveni kuze sitfole kuphila ngayo.” (1 Joh. 4:9) Jehova wavumela kutsi indvodzana yakhe layitsandzako  ihlupheke futsi isifele. (Joh. 3:16) Ngako, siyaciniseka kutsi Jehova uyasitsandza.

7. Yini Jesu layenta kuze akhombise kutsi uyasitsandza?

⁷ Jesu wacinisekisa bafundzi bakhe kutsi uyabatsandza. (Joh. 13:1; 15:15) Wakhombisa kutsi ubatsandza kangakanani nekutsi natsi usitsandza kangakanani, hhayi ngaloko lakusho nje kuphela, kodvwa nangaloko lakwenta. Jesu watsi: “Kute umuntfu lonelutsandvo lolukhulu kunalolu, kutsi anganikela ngekuphila kwakhe ngenca yebangani bakhe.” (Joh. 15:13) Nasicabanga ngaloko Jehova naJesu labasentele kona, yini lokufanele sifune kuyenta?

8. UmBhalo wa-1 Johane 3:18 utsi kufanele senteni?

⁸ Sikhombisa kutsi siyamtsandza Jehova naJesu ngekubalalela. (Joh. 14:15; 1 Joh. 5:3) Jesu wasiyala kutsi kufanele sitsandzane. (Joh. 13:34, 35) Kufanele sibatjele bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu kutsi siyabatsandza. Loko kufanele sikukhombise ngaloko lesikwentako. (Fundza 1 Johane 3:18.) Ngutiphi letinye tintfo lesingatenta kuze sikhombise kutsi siyabatsandza?

9. Lutsandvo lwenta Johane kutsi enteni?

⁹ Johane bekangahlala nababe wakhe futsi bakhe imali njengobe bebanelibhizinisi lekudweba tinhlanti. Kunekutsi ente njalo, wasebentisa kuphila kwakhe kuze asite labanye bati ngaJehova naJesu. Kuphila Johane lakukhetsa bekungasimelula. Wahlushwa futsi waboshwa ngasekupheleni kwelikhulu lekucala ngesikhatsi sekamdzala kakhulu. (Imis. 3:1; 4:1-3; 5:18; Semb. 1:9) Ngisho nalapho aboshiwe ngenca yekushumayela ngaJesu, Johane wakhombisa kutsi bekabatsandza labanye. Sibonelo saloko kutsi ngesikhatsi asesichingini sasePhatmose, wabhala incwadzi yeSembulo layitfumelela emabandla kuze ati kutsi yini ‘lebeyitawenteka masinyane.’ (Semb. 1:1) Kungenteka nekutsi ngemuva kwekukhululwa ePhatmose, Johane wabhala liVangeli lebelikhuluma ngekuphila kwaJesu nemsebenti wakhe. Waphindze wabhala tincwadzi letintsatfu kuze akhutsate futsi acinise bazalwane nabodzadze wakhe. Ungayilingisa njani indlela yekuphila yaJohane yekutinikela?

10. Ungakhombisa njani kutsi uyabatsandza bantfu?

¹⁰ Ungakhombisa kutsi uyabatsandza bantfu ngaloko lokhetsa kukwenta ngekuphila kwakho. Lelive laSathane lifuna kutsi usebentise sonkhe sikhatsi sakho nemandla akho utinaka wena futsi wetama kwakha imali lenyenti nobe kuba ngumuntfu lodvumile. Kodvwa emaKhristu lasemhlabeni wonkhe asebentisa sonkhe sikhatsi sawo kanye nemandla awo kuze ashumayele tindzaba letimnandzi futsi asite bantfu basondzelane naJehova. Labanye bayakhona kushumayela nekufundzisa sikhatsi sonkhe.

11. EmaKhristu lamanyenti letsembekile akhombisa njani kutsi ayamtsandza Jehova nebazalwane nabodzadze?

¹¹ EmaKhristu lamanyenti letsembekile kudzingeka ente umsebenti wekutiphilisa kuze atinakekele wona kanye nemindeni yawo. Nanobe kunjalo, labamemeteli labetsembekile bayayisekela inhlangano yaNkulunkulu nganobe nguyiphi indlela labakhona ngayo. Nasi sibonelo, labanye bayakhona kusita nakuvele tehlakalo, labanye basebenta ekwakhiweni kwetakhiwo tenhlangano futsi wonkhe muntfu uyakhona kunikelela umsebenti wemhlaba wonkhe. LamaKhristu enta letintfo ngobe atsandza Nkulunkulu kanye nebazalwane babo. Njalo ngeliviki, sikhombisa kutsi siyabatsandza bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu ngekutsi sibe khona emihlanganweni yelibandla futsi sibe nencenye kuyo. Nanobe kungenteka  sisuke sikhatsele, siba khona kulemihlangano. Nanobe sesaba, siyaphendvula kuyo. Ngisho nobe sinato tinkinga, siyabakhutsata labanye isengakacali lemihlangano, nalapho seyiphelile. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Sijabula kakhulu ngemsebenti lowentiwa bazalwane nabodzadze!

12. Nguyiphi lenye indlela Johane lakhombisa ngayo kutsi uyabatsandza bazalwane nabodzadze wakhe?

¹² Johane wakhombisa kutsi uyabatsandza bazalwane nabodzadze ngekubancoma nangekubeluleka. Nasi sibonelo, etincwadzini takhe latibhala, Johane wancoma bazalwane bakhe nabodzadze ngenca yekukholwa kwabo nemisebenti yabo lemihle, kodvwa waphindze wabeluleka ngalokucondzile ngesono. (1 Joh. 1:8–2:1, 13, 14) Ngendlela lefanako, natsi kufanele sibancome bazalwane betfu ngenca yetintfo letinhle labatentako. Nangabe lomunye acala kwenta tintfo letitawulimata buhlobo bakhe naJehova, singakhombisa kutsi siyamtsandza ngekutsi simtjele ngemusa loko lokufanele akuve. Kudzinga sibindzi kuze weluleke umngani, kungako liBhayibheli litsi bangani sibili bayelulekana.—Taga 27:17.

13. Yini lokungakafanele siyente?

¹³ Ngaletinye tikhatsi, sikhombisa kutsi siyabatsandza bazalwane nabodzadze ngaloko lesingakwenti. Sibonelo saloko kutsi asisheshi sitfukutsele nangabe bakhulume lokutsite. Cabanga ngaloko lokwenteka ngemalanga ekugcina aJesu alapha emhlabeni. Watjela bafundzi bakhe kutsi kuze batfole kuphila, bekufanele badle inyama yakhe futsi banatse nengati yakhe. (Joh. 6:53-57) Loko Jesu lakusho kwabetfusa bafundzi bakhe labanyenti kangangekutsi baze bamshiya, kwasala kuphela bangani bakhe mbamba lokufaka ekhatsi Johane. Bebangakucondzi loko Jesu lakusho futsi kungenteka nabo bamangala. Labangani baJesu labetsembekile abazange bacabange kutsi loko Jesu lebekakukhulumile bekukabi, nobe kubatfukutselise. Kunaloko, bebametsemba ngobe bebati kutsi ukhuluma liciniso. (Joh. 6:60, 66-69) Kubalulekile kutsi singasheshi sitfukutsele ngenca yaloko labanye labakushoko! Kunaloko, sibanika litfuba lekuchaza kutsi basho kutsini.—Taga 18:13; Shu. 7:9.

14. Kungani kufanele singabatondzi bazalwane betfu nabodzadzewetfu?

¹⁴ Johane wasikhutsata kutsi singabatondzi bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu. Nasehluleka kusilalela leseluleko, Sathane angatfola  litfuba lekusidukisa. (1 Joh. 2:11; 3:15) Loku kwenteka kulamanye emaKhristu ekupheleni kwelikhulu lekucala  C.E. Sathane wetama kwenta kutsi tikhonti taNkulunkulu titondzane futsi tehlukane ekhatsi. Ngesikhatsi Johane abhala tincwadzi takhe, bantfu lebebanemoya lofanako newaSathane, besebavele bakhona ebandleni. Nasi sibonelo, Diyotrefesi bekehlukanisa emaKhristu kulelinye libandla. (3 Joh. 9, 10) Bekangabahloniphi bazalwane lebebahambela emabandla batfunywe sigungu lesibusako. Wetama nekucosha labanye ebandleni lebebemukela bantfu lebakangabatsandzi. Bekenta intfo lembi kakhulu! Sathane solo uyetama kwehlukanisa nekucedza bantfu baNkulunkulu lamuhla. Kufanele singacali sibatondze bazalwane betfu nabodzadzewetfu futsi kufanele singakuyekeli kubasita.

15. Yini inhloko yemndeni lokufanele iyikhumbule?

¹⁵ Lenye indlela inhloko yemndeni lekhombisa ngayo kutsi iyawutsandza umndeni wayo, kutsi iwunikete loko lokudzingako. (1 Thim. 5:8) Nobe kunjalo, kufanele ikhumbule kutsi lokubaluleke kakhulu kutsi isite umndeni wayo ube nebuhlobo lobuhle naJehova. (Mat. 5:3) Cabanga ngesibonelo lesihle Jesu lasibekela tinhloko temindeni. Ngekusho kweliVangeli laJohane, ngesikhatsi Jesu abatselwe elugodvweni, bekasolo acabanga ngemndeni wakubo. Johane bekeme namake waJesu lokunguMariya lapho Jesu bekabetselwe khona. Ngisho nobe bekasebuhlungwini lobukhulu, Jesu wacela Johane kutsi anakekele Mariya. (Joh. 19:26, 27) Jesu bekanabo bomnakabo nabodzadzewakhe, kodvwa kubonakala shengatsi bekusete kubo lobekangumlandzeli wakhe. Ngako Jesu bekafuna kuciniseka kutsi Mariya uyanakekeleka ngetidzingo takhe tekuphila nasebuhlotjeni bakhe naJehova.

16. Ngumiphi imisebenti Johane lebekanayo?

¹⁶ Johane bekaphatsiswe imisebenti leminyenti. Njengobe bekangumphostoli, bekahola emsebentini wekushumayela. Kungenteka bekashadile, ngako bekutawudzingeka anakekele umndeni wakhe futsi awusite ube nebuhlobo lobuhle naNkulunkulu. (1 Khor. 9:5) Lamuhla, tinhloko temndeni tingafundzani?

17. Kungani kubalulekile ngenhloko yemndeni kutsi isite umndeni wayo uchubeke ukhonta Jehova?

¹⁷ Umzalwane loyinhloko yemndeni kungenteka abe nemisebenti leminyenti lebalulekile.  Sibonelo saloko kutsi kufanele awente ngekutimisela umsebenti wekutiphilisa kuze loko kutewuletsa ludvumo kuJehova. (Ef. 6:5, 6; Thit. 2:9, 10) Kungenteka abe naleminye imisebenti ebandleni, njengekunakekela nekukhutsata bazalwane ebandleni nekuhola emsebentini wekushumayela. Ngesikhatsi lesifanako, kubalulekile kutsi ahlale atadisha liBhayibheli nemfati wakhe kanye nebantfwana bakhe. Batakujabulela konkhe lakwentako kuze bahlale baphilile futsi bajabulile, batawujabula nangekutsi uyabasita kutsi bachubeke bakhonta Jehova.—Ef. 5:28, 29; 6:4.

18. Johane bekaciniseka ngani?

¹⁸ Johane waphila iminyaka leminyenti, futsi tinyenti tintfo letijabulisako letenteka ekuphileni kwakhe. Wabhekana nebumatima lobunyenti lobebungenta kukholwa kwakhe kube butsakatsaka. Nobe kunjalo, bekatimisela kulalela imiyalo yaJesu lefaka ekhatsi kutsandza bazalwane nabodzadze. Loku kwacinisekisa Johane kutsi Jehova naJesu bayamtsandza nekutsi bebatamniketa emandla ekubeketelela timo letimatima. (Joh. 14:15-17; 15:10; 1 Joh. 4:16) Sathane kanye nalelive lakhe bebangeke bakhone kuyekelisa Johane kutsandza bazalwane bakhe nabodzadzewakhe, kumyekelisa kwenta tintfo letinhle kanye nekusho lokuhle ngabo.

19. UmBhalo wa-1 Johane 4:7 usikhutsata kutsi senteni, futsi leni?

¹⁹ NjengaJohane, siphila eveni lelibuswa nguSathane futsi longabatsandzi bantfu. (1 Joh. 3:1, 10) Njengobe afuna kusiyekelisa kutsandza bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu, angeke akhone kukwenta loko nangabe singamvumeli. Shengatsi singachubeka sibatsandza bazalwane nabodzadzewetfu, futsi loko sikukhombise ngalesikushoko nalesikwentako. Nasibatsandza labanye, sitawujabula ngekuba yincenye yemndeni waJehova, futsi sitakujabulela kakhulu kuphila.—Fundza 1 Johane 4:7.