1, 2. ImiTlolo ikutjengisa njani ukuqakatheka kwethando?

UJEHOVA waziwa ngethando. (1 Jwanisi 4:16) Umuntu amdala kokuthoma, uJesu Krestu, uhlezi noBabakhe iingidigidi zeminyaka, wafunda ukuthi uJehova uZimu unethando kangangani. (Kolose 1:15) Naye uJesu uziveze njengomuntu onethando elinjengelakaYise, koke ukuphila kwakhe kusukela ezulwini bekube sephasini. Ngikho siqiniseka kangaka bona uJehova noJesu bazosibusa ngethando ngasosoke isikhathi.

² Umrhali omunyapha wakhe wabuza uJesu bona ngimuphi umyalo omkhulu kinayo yoke. UJesu wamphendula wathi: “‘Thanda [uJehova] uZimakho ngehliziywakho yoke, ngomphefumulwakho woke nangomkhumbulwakho woke.’ Lo myalo wokuthoma nongomkhulu. Wesibili ofana nawo ngothi, ‘Thanda umakhelwanakho njengombana uzithanda wena.’”—Matewu 22:37-39.

3. Kanti bobani ‘ababomakhelwana’ bethu?

 ³ Kuqakatheke khulu bona sithande woke umuntu. UJesu wathi kufuze sithande uJehova nabomakhelwana bethu. Kanti bobani ‘ababomakhelwana’ bethu? Nawutjhadileko, umakhelwanakho omkhulu mkakho namkha ubabakwakho. Nawukhuluma ngabomakhelwana bakho usuke ufaka nabafowenu nabodadwenu ebandleni, nabantu obatjhumayeza esimini. Esihlokwenesi sizokufunda bona singabathanda njani abomakhelwana bethwaba.

4. Umtjhado ungaphumelela njani ngitjho nanyana abatjhadikazi banesono?

⁴ UJehova wadala u-Adamu no-Eva bewabatjhadisa. Kazi lowo, bekumtjhado wokuthoma. Bekafuna bawuthabele umtjhado lo, babelethe abantwana bazalise iphasi. (Genesisi 1:27, 28) Kuyatlhuwisa ukuthi u-Adamu nonakwakhe khenge bamlalele uJehova, nomtjhadwabo wathoma waba nemiraro. Ngebangelo-ke, soke nje basinghwathela isono nokufa. (Roma 5:12) Nanyana kunjalo, abantu bangaphumelela emtjhadwenabo namhlanjesi. UJehova umsunguli womtjhado uneenluleko ezihle khulu ezitlolwe eBhayibhelini. Ululeka amadoda, aluleke nabafazi.—Funda u-2 Thimothi 3:16, 17.

5. Ithando liqakatheke kangangani emtjhadweni?

⁵ Umtjhado nawuzakuthabisa, iBhayibheli lithi kufuze kube nethando nomusa. Lokho kuqakatheke khulu emtjhadweni. Umpostoli uPowula nakahlathulula ngethando lamambala uthi: “Ithando liyabekezela, ithando linesisa, alinamona, alizikhukhumezi, alizitjhayi; aliziphathi ngendlela engakafaneli, alizifuneli kwalo, alinasicasucasu, alibibhi imilandu. Ithando alithokoziswa bubumbi kodwana lithabela iqiniso, lembesa yoke into, likholwa yoke into, lirhuluphela yoke into begodu linyamezelela koke. Ithando alihluleki.” (1 Korinte 13:4-8) Nasingazindla ngamezwi kaPowula la, siwasebenzise epilwenethu, umtjhadwethu uzokuthabisa tle.

6, 7. (a) Lithini iBhayibheli ngokuba yihloko? (b) Indoda emKrestu imphatha njani umkayo?

⁶ UJehova nguye oqunte bona ngubani okufuze abe yihloko yomndeni. UPowula uthi: “Kodwana ngifuna nazi bonyana ihloko yenye nenye indoda nguKrestu, ihloko yomfazi yindoda, kanti ihloko kaKrestu nguZimu.” (1 Korinte 11:3) Nanyana indoda iyihloko, kusafuze ibe nethando ingathomi ibe mumuntu okhahlamezako. UJehova uyiHloko enomusa ebacabangelako abanye abantu. Ngikho nje uJesu akuhlonipha kangaka ukulawulwa nguZimu. Uyatjho naye uthi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (Jwanisi 14:31) UJesu bengekhe azizwe ngalendlela thana uJehova bekamkhahlameza.

⁷ Nanyana indoda iyihloko yomkayo, iBhayibheli lithi kufuze imhloniphe. (1 Pitrosi 3:7) Indoda ingakwenza njani lokho? Kufuze imcabangele, ihloniphe nalokho akuthandako. IBhayibheli lithi: “Madoda, thandani abafazi benu njengombana  uKrestu athanda ibandla, wadela ukuphila kwakhe ngebanga lalo.” (Efesu 5:25) NoJesu wadela ipilwakhe ngebanga labalandeli bakhe. Nange indoda iba yihloko enethando njengoJesu, kuzokuba lula ngomkayo bona ayithande bekahloniphe neenqunto ezithathako.—Funda uTitosi 2:3-5.

8. Kufuze sizizwe njani ngabafowethu nabodadwethu?

⁸ Namhlanjesi, kunamamiliyoni wabantu ephasini alotjha uJehova. Bangabafowethu nabodadewethu. Alo, kufuze sizizwe njani ngabo? IBhayibheli lithi: “Asenzeni okuhle kibo boke abantu, khulukhulu kilabo abangebokukholwa.” (Galatiya 6:10; funda amaRoma 12:10.) Umpostoli uPitrosi naye watlola wathi ‘nasithobela iqiniso’ kufuze sibe ‘nethando lamambala kubazalwana bethu.’ Nakanabako atjela amaKrestu ebekakunye nawo uthi: “Kikho koke lokhu, thandanani.”—1 Pitrosi 1:22; 4:8.

9, 10. Kubayini abantu bakaZimu babumbene kangaka?

⁹ Ihlangano yabazalwana bethu ikhamba yodwa madoda! Kubayini kunjalo? Kungombana sibathanda kwamambala abafowethu nabodadwethu. Okuqakatheke ukudlula koke, kukuthi njengombana  sithanda uJehova nje, silalela nemithethwakhe, naye uyasisekela ngomoyakhe ocwengileko omamandla adlula woke ezulwini nephasini. Yeke, umoya kaZimu lo uyasisiza bona sibumbane sibe nyanda yinye nabazalwana bethu ephasini loke.—Funda 1 Jwanisi 4:20, 21.

¹⁰ UPowula waligandelela iphuzu lokuthi kufuze sithandane nasimaKrestu nje. Wathi: “Yembathani isirhawu, ukulunga, ukuthobeka, ubumnene nokubekezela. Bekezelelanani nakube omunye uneensolo ngomunye; libalelanani njengombana neKosi yanilibalela, iye nani kumele nilibalele. Ngaphezu kwakho koke lokhu, zembathiseni ngethando lona elibopha koke ndawonye kuzwane.” (Kolose 3:12-14) Awazi sithokoza kangangani ngokuthi ithandweli “elibopha koke ndawonye kuzwane,” likhona kithi kungakhathaliseki bona sivelaphi!

11. Ihlangano kaZimu ibonakala ngani?

¹¹ Ithando lamambala nobunye babantu bakaJehova kubenza babonakale bona basekolweni yeqiniso. UJesu wathi: “Nginipha umyalo omutjha ngithi: Thandanani. Njengombana nginithandile, nje-ke nani nifanele ukuthandana. Ngalokhu boke abantu bazakwazi bona nibafundi bami, nanithandanako.” (Jwanisi 13:34, 35) Nompostoli uPowula wathi: “Ngalokho abantwana bakaZimu nebakaSathana babonakala ngalokhu: Loyo ongenzi okulungileko naloyo ongathandi umzalwana akasuye umntwana kaZimu. Lo, myalo enawuzwa kusukela ekuthomeni wokobana kufuze sithandane.” (1 Jwanisi 3:10, 11) Ithando nobunye baboFakazi bakaJehova, kukubeka ebaleni bona babalandeli bakaKrestu beqiniso. Bababantu abasetjenziswa nguZimu ekurhatjheni iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu ephasini loke.—Matewu 24:14.

12, 13. “Isiqhubuthu esikhulu” senzani namhlanjesi, begodu khuyini abazokuthabela kungasikade?

¹² Inengi labantu bakaJehova namhlanjesi limalunga ‘wesiqubuthu esikhulu’ esivela eenarheni ezihlukahlukeneko. Ngibo-ke abasekela umBuso kaZimu lo. “Laba ngibo abavela ekuhluphekeni okukhulu. Bazihlanzile iingubo zabo bazenza zaba mhlophe eengazini zeMvana” ngokuthi bakholelwe esihlengweni sakaJesu. Abantwaba bayamthanda uJehova nendodanakhe, bamlotjha “imini nobusuku.”—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14, 15.

¹³ Kungasikade uZimu uzolirhayila iphasi elikhohlakelekweli “ekuhluphekeni” namkha esizini elikhulu. (Matewu 24:21; funda uJoromiya 25:32, 33.) Kodwana  uJehova uzobavikela bekabadose phambili abantubakhe, abafake ephasini elitjha. Lokho ukwenziswa kukuthi uyabathanda. Njengombana athembisa eminyakeni eyi-2 000 edlulileko, “uzokwesula zoke iinyembezi emehlwenabo. Ukufa angekhe kusaba khona, ngitjho nokulila nobuhlungu angekhe kusaba khona.” Uyakululukela na ukuhlala epharadesi nasele ukukhohlakala, umtlhago nokufa sekungasekho?—IsAmbulo 21:4.

14. Sesikhule kangangani isiqubuthu esikhulwesi?

¹⁴ Nakuthoma imihla yokuphela ngo-1914, bekuneenkulungwana ezimbalwa zabantu bakaZimu. Isiqhenyaneso sabazalwana nabodade abakhethelwe ukubusa, sitjhiswa kuthanda uZimu sisizwa namumoya ocwengileko, satjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu nanyana siqalene nobudisi. Kwaba namuphi umphumela? Namhlanjesi, kubuthelelwa isiqubuthu esikhulu sabantu abazokuphila isiphelani ephasinapha. SekunaboFakazi abangaphezu kwabayi-8 000000, abahlanganyela emabandleni ayi-115 400 ephasini loke. Nesibalwesi sisaragela phambili siyathuthuka. Ngokwesibonelo, ngomnyaka waboFakazi wango-2014 kubhajadiswe abantu abangaphezu kwabayi-275 500 baba boFakazi. Ngamanye amagama, kubhajadiswa abantu abayi-5 300 qobe veke.

15. Abantu abanengi namhlanjesi, bazifumana njani iindaba ezimnandi?

¹⁵ Kuyakara ukubona ukuthi sebabanengi abantu abazizwileko iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu. Namhlanjesi, iincwadi zethu zitholakala ngamalimi angaphezu kwayi-700. IsiThala yincwadi ekhanjiswa ukuzidlula zoke ephasini. Kugadangiswa amakhophi angaphezu kwayi-52 000 000 wesiThala ngamalimi ayi-247 qobe nyanga. Necwadethu ethi Khuyini Kwamambala Okufundiswa YiBhayibhili? Itjhugululelwe emalimini angaphezu kwayi-250. Bekube gadesi, sebele kugadangiswe amakhophi ayi-200 000 000.

16. Kubayini ihlangano kaJehova isolo ikhula?

¹⁶ Ihlanganwethu le iyakhula ngombana sikholelwa kuZimu, besilamukele iBhayibheli, sikholelwa nokobana ililiZwi lakaZimu aliphufumuleleko. (1 Thesalonika 2:13) Yeke, siyakuthabela ukubusiswa nguJehova nanyana uSathana asihloyile nje, asiphilisa kabuhlungu.—2 Korinte 4:4.

17, 18. UJehova ufuna sizizwe njani ngabantu abangamlotjhiko?

¹⁷ Abantu basabela ngeendlela ezihlukahlukeneko nasitjhumayelako. Abanye bayasilalela, abanye abakuthandi esibatjela khona. Manje, uJehova ufuna sizizwe njani ngabantu abangamlotjhikwaba? Akunandaba bona abantu basabela njani, kwethu kukuthi silalele isiluleko esiseBhayibhelini esithi: “Ikulumo yenu ayibe nomusa njalo, inungwe ngetswayi ukuze nazi bona niphendule njani woke umuntu.” (Kolose 4:6) Nasivikela iinkolelo zethu, sifuna ukukwenza “ngobumnene nangehlonipho.” Ngombana siyabathanda obomakhelwana bethu—1 Pitrosi 3:16, [3:15, NW].

¹⁸ Ngitjho nanyana abantu bangakwata bangawamukeli nomlayezo esibaphathele wona, kusafuze sibathande abomakhelwana bethu, silingise uJesu. UJesu “kwathi athukwa, akhange azibuyiselele;  kwathi ahlutjhwa, akhange asongele.” Kunalokho watjhiyela koke kuJehova. (1 Pitrosi 2:23) Yeke, yewuthobeke ngaso soke isikhathi, usebenzise isiluleko nasi esithi: “Ningabuyiseli ubumbi ngobumbi namkha ihlamba ngehlamba; kunalokho buyiselelani ngokubusisa.”—1 Pitrosi 3:8, 9.

19. Kufuze siwaphathe njani amanabethu?

¹⁹ Ukuthobeka kuzosisiza bona silalele ikambiso eyatjhiwo nguJesu nakathi: “Nizwile bona kwathiwa, ‘Thanda umuntu womphakathi uzonde isitha sakho.’ Kodwana manjesi ngithi kini: Thandani izitha zenu, nithandazele labo abanizumako, ukuze nibe bantwana bakaYihlo osezulwini ngombana wenza ilanga lakhe liphumele abambi nabalungileko, anise nezulu kabalungileko nabakhohlakeleko.” (Matewu 5:43-45) Njengombana siziinceku zakaZimu nje, nakumanabethu wona kufuze siwathande, asinandaba ukuthi asiphatha njani.

20. Sazi njani bona kuzokufika isikhathi lapha ithando ngoZimu nabomakhelwana lizakusabalala iphasi loke? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

²⁰ Kufuze sithande uJehova nabomakhelwana bethu ngaso soke isikhathi. Ngitjho nanyana abantu basiphikisa, baphikisa nomlayezwethu lo, sizobasiza nabatlhoga irhelebho. Umpostoli uPowula watlola wathi: “Ningabi nomlandu wokubamba umuntu ilitho, ngaphandle komlandu wokuthandana ngombana loyo othanda omunye sele awuzalisile umthetho ngokwenza njalo. Imiyalo ethi: ‘Ungahlobongi, ungabulali, ungebi, ungafisi komunye’ kanye neminye imiyalo ekhona, ihlanganiswe yoke emyalweni owodwa othi: ‘Thanda umakhelwanakho njengombana uzithanda wena.’ Ithando alimtjhapheli umakhelwana, ngalokho ithando likuzaliseka komthetho.” (Roma 13:8-10) Ephasini elikhohlakelekweli elibuswa nguSathana, abantu bakaZimu bayabathanda abomakhelwana babo. (1 Jwanisi 5:19) Kuzakuthi uJehova angarhayila uSathana namadimonakhe, kunye nephasi elikhohlakelekweli, ithando lizale iphasi loke. Awazi bona sizokuba sibusiso kangangani isikhathi lapho woke umuntu athanda uJehova nomakhelwanakhe!