1, 2. (a) Ekuqaleni, ayebhekisela koobani amazwi kaYesu akuMateyu 24:12? (b) Incwadi yeZenzo isibonisa njani ukuba amaKristu okuqala amaninzi ayesoloko ebonisa ukuba ayamthanda uThixo nabanye abantu? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

ENYE yezinto uYesu awathetha ngazo ngokuphathelele ‘ukupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto’ kukuba ‘uthando lwabaninzi lwaluya kuphola.’ (Mat. 24:3, 12) Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, amaYuda awayesithi wona angabantu bakaThixo, ayeka ukumthanda uThixo.

² Kwelinye icala, amaKristu amaninzi ayexakeke kukushumayela “iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoKristu,” ebonisa ukuba ayamthanda uThixo, nabo bakhonza nawo kunye nabo bangakhonzi nawo. (IZe. 2:44-47; 5:42) Kodwa ke, abanye babalandeli bakaYesu benkulungwane yokuqala baluvumela lwaphola uthando lwabo.

3. Yintoni esenokuba yenza uthando lwamanye amaKristu lwaphola?

³ Ethetha namaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala awayehlala e-Efese, uYesu Kristu ovusiweyo wathi: “Ndinale nto ngakuwe,  yokuba uye walushiya uthando owawunalo kuqala.” (ISityhi. 2:4) Yabangelwa yintoni loo nto? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ihlabathi elihleli licinga ngezinto zenyama laba nefuthe kwaba bafundi bakaKristu bokuqala. (Efe. 2:2, 3) Njengakwizixeko ezininzi namhlanje, abantu ababephila e-Efese ngenkulungwane yokuqala babesenza izinto ezimbi. Sasityebe ngeyona ndlela eso sixeko, ibe abantu baso babethanda izinto eziphambili, ukuzipholela nobomi obutofotofo. Kuyabonakala ukuba ukuthanda izinto ezanelisa bona kwabenza bayeka ukuthanda abanye abantu. Ngaphezu koko, babenehambo egabadeleyo kwaye beziphethe kakubi.

4. (a) Luye lwaphola njani uthando namhlanje? (b) Zeziphi iinkalo ezintathu uthando lwethu olunokuvavanywa kuzo?

⁴ Oko kwathethwa nguYesu ngokuphola kothando kusenzeka nanamhlanje. Abantu baya bengamthandi uThixo. Izigidi zabantu ziye zamnikel’ umva zaza zafuna ukuconjululelwa iingxaki zazo yimibutho yabantu. Yiloo nto uthando lusiya luphola kubantu abangamkhonziyo uYehova uThixo. Sekunjalo, njengoko sibonile kwibandla lase-Efese lenkulungwane yokuqala, namaKristu enene anamhlanje asenokungenwa kukungakhathali aze avumele uthando lwawo luphole. Siza kuthetha ngeenkalo ezintathu uthando lwethu olunokuvavanywa kuzo: (1) Ukuthanda uYehova, (2) ukuthanda imfundiso yeBhayibhile, (3) nokuthanda abazalwana bethu.

5. Kutheni simele simthande uThixo?

⁵ Kwangolo suku uYesu awayelumkise ngalo ukuba uthando lwabaninzi lwaluya kuphola, wasixelela ukuba ngubani oyena mntu sifanele simthande. Wathi: “‘Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela.’ Lo ngowona myalelo mkhulu nowokuqala.” (Mat. 22:37, 38) Ukumthanda nyhani uThixo kusinceda sithobele imithetho yakhe, sinyamezele yaye sithiye okubi. (Funda iNdumiso 97:10.) Kodwa, uSathana nehlabathi lakhe benza konke abanako ukuze siyeke ukumthanda uThixo.

6. Ibe yintoni imiphumo yokungamthandi uThixo?

⁶ Abantu abaninzi namhlanje bayalubhidanisa uthando. Endaweni yokuba bathande uMdali, ‘bathanda iziqu zabo.’ (2 Tim. 3:2) Eyona nto ikhuthazwa leli hlabathi lilawulwa nguSathana ‘yinkanuko yenyama nenkanuko yamehlo nokuqhayisa ngezinto zobu bomi.’ (1 Yoh. 2:16) Umpostile uPawulos walumkisa amaKristu ngokwanelisa inyama, wathi: “Ukunyamekela inyama kuthetha ukufa . . . [kuba] ukunyamekela inyama kuthetha ubutshaba noThixo.” (Roma 8:6, 7) Nyhani ke, abo bachithe ubomi babo befuna ubutyebi okanye ukwanelisa inkanuko yesondo baye baphoxeka yaye beva intlungu engathethekiyo.—1 Kor. 6:18; 1 Tim. 6:9, 10.

7. Abalandeli bakaKristu namhlanje banokuba kweziphi iingozi?

⁷ Kwamanye amazwe, abantu abangazifihliyo ukuba abakholelwa kuThixo, nabo bakholelwa ekubeni izinto zazivelela beza neembono ezenzelwe ukuba abantu bangayeki nje ukumthanda uThixo, kodwa bangakholelwa kuye. Benze abantu abaninzi bacinga ukuba umntu okholelwa kuMdali ufane akholwe nje okanye usisidenge. Kwangaxeshanye, izazinzulu zona ziyahlonelwa, ibe loo nto yenze abantu bahoya zona kunoMdali. (Roma 1:25) Ukuba simamela iimfundiso ezifana nezi, sinokuya sibhekela kuYehova luze luphole uthando lwethu.—Heb. 3:12.

8. (a) Zeziphi izinto ezinokudimaza abantu bakaYehova? (b) INdumiso 136 isiqinisekisa ngantoni?

 ⁸ Ukudimazeka kunokulwenza lube buthathaka ukholo lwethu size siyeke ukumthanda uThixo. Zininzi izinto ezisenza sidimazeke ngamany’ amaxesha kule nkqubo ingendawo ilawulwa nguSathana. (1 Yoh. 5:19) Mhlawumbi sinengxaki yokwaluphala, yempilo enkenenkene okanye yokungabi namali. Okanye siyazeya, siphoxekile kuba izinto ebesilindele ukuba zenzeke zingenzeki, okanye izinto esizenzayo zingaphumeleli. Kodwa asifanele sicinge ukuba uYehova akasasifuni kuba sikuloo meko okanye siziva ngaloo ndlela. Kunoko sifanele sihlale sicinga ngamazwi asiqinisekisayo ukuba uYehova akasoze ayeke ukusithanda. AkwiNdumiso 136:23, athi: “Owasikhumbulayo ebudeni bokuthotywa kwethu. Kuba [uthando lwakhe olungagungqiyo lukho] ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” Ngokwenene uYehova akaze ayeke ukubathanda abakhonzi bakhe. Ngenxa yoko, siqinisekile ukuba uyaziva ‘izibongozo zethu,’ ibe uyaziphendula.—INdu. 116:1; 136:24-26.

9. Yintoni eyanceda uPawulos akayeka ukumthanda uThixo?

⁹ Njengomdumisi, uPawulos womelezwa kukucinga ngokuba uYehova uya kusoloko emxhasa. Wabhala wathi: “UYehova ungumncedi wam; andiyi koyika. Angandenza ntoni na umntu?” (Heb. 13:6) Ukumthemba kangako uYehova ukuba uyamthanda yaye umkhathalele kwamnceda uPawulos wajijisana neengxaki awayenazo. Zange avumele iimeko ezazingahambi kakuhle zimtyhafise. Phofu ngoxa wayebanjiwe, uPawulos wabhala iileta eziliqela ezikhuthazayo. (Efe. 4:1; Fil. 1:7; Filem. 1) Kwanaxa wayevavanywa ngokuqatha, zange ayeke ukumthanda uThixo. Womelezwa yintoni ukuze akwazi ukwenjenjalo? Wayethembele ngoThixo “wentuthuzelo yonke, osithuthuzelayo kuyo yonke imbandezelo yethu.” (2 Kor. 1:3, 4) Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze sifane noPawulos, singaze siyeke ukumthanda uYehova?

10. Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze singaze siyeke ukumthanda uYehova?

¹⁰ UPawulos usixelela enye yezona zinto ziphambili enokusinceda singaze siyeke ukumthanda uYehova. Wabhalela abo akhonza nabo wathi: “Thandazani ngokungapheziyo.” Waphinda wathi: “Emthandazweni zingisani.” (1 Tes. 5:17; Roma 12:12) Ukuthandaza kuThixo kusisiqalo sokusondela kuye. (INdu. 86:3) Xa sizipha ixesha elaneleyo lokuxelela uYehova eyona nto siyicingayo nendlela esiziva ngayo, asikwazi kungasondelelani noBawo wethu wasezulwini, ‘umphulaphuli wemithandazo.’ (INdu. 65:2) Kwakhona xa sibona ukuba uYehova uyayiphendula imithandazo yethu, siya kumthanda nangakumbi. Siya kuqonda ngakumbi ukuba “usondele uYehova kubo bonke abo bambizayo.” (INdu. 145:18) Ukumthemba ngaloo ndlela uYehova ukuba uza kusixhasa kuya kusinceda sizinyamezele izinto ezivavanya ukholo lwethu.

11, 12. Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze siyithande nyhani iBhayibhile?

¹¹ Thina maKristu, siyayithanda ibe siyithathela phezulu inyaniso. ILizwi LikaThixo lingowona mthombo wenyaniso. Xa wayethandaza kuYise, uYesu wathi: “Ilizwi lakho liyinyaniso.” (Yoh. 17:17) Ngoko ukuze siyithande inyaniso kufuneka kuqala silazi kakuhle iLizwi LikaThixo. (Kol. 1:10) Kodwa ke, kufuneka okungakumbi kunokunkqaya nje iZibhalo. Umbhali ophefumlelweyo weNdumiso 119 usinceda siqonde ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuthanda imfundiso eseBhayibhileni. (Funda iNdumiso 119:97-100.) Ngaba sikhe sibe nalo ixesha lokucingisisa ngeSibhalo  esithile ebudeni bosuku? Siya kuyixabisa nangakumbi imfundiso eseBhayibhileni ukuba sicingisisa ngendlela esinceda ngayo xa siyisebenzisa kubomi bethu.

¹² Lo mdumisi waphinda wathi: “Hayi indlela agude ngayo amazwi akho enkalakahleni yam, agude ngakumbi kunobusi emlonyeni wam!” (INdu. 119:103) Nathi, sinokukunandipha ukutya okondla ukholo okusekelwe eBhayibhileni esikufumana kwintlangano kaThixo. Ngokungathi kunjalo, sinokukugcina kwiinkalakahla zethu, ukuze siwakhumbule “amazwi ayolisayo” enyaniso size sincede abanye abantu ngawo.—INtshu. 12:10.

13. Yintoni eyanceda uYeremiya wazithanda iZibhalo, ibe yaba naliphi ifuthe kuye loo nto?

¹³ UYeremiya wayezithanda iZibhalo. Jonga indlela amazwi kaThixo awaba nefuthe ngayo kwintliziyo yakhe. “Amazwi akho afunyanwa, ndaza ndawadla; nelizwi lakho kum liba kukugcoba nemihlali yentliziyo yam; kuba ndibizwe ngegama lakho, Yehova Thixo wemikhosi.” (Yer. 15:16) UYeremiya wacingisisa ngamazwi kaThixo axabisekileyo, ngoko kwakungathi uwatyile aza acolwa ngumzimba. Ngenxa yoko, walixabisa nyhani ilungelo lokubizwa ngegama likaThixo. Ngaba ukuyithanda kwethu imfundiso yeBhayibhile kusincede sayibona indlela ekulilungelo ngayo ukubizwa ngegama likaThixo nokushumayela ngoBukumkani bakhe kule mihla yesiphelo?

14. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze siyithande nyhani iBhayibhile?

¹⁴ Ngaphandle kokufunda iBhayibhile neencwadi zethu ezisifundisa ngayo, yintoni enye esinokuyenza ukuze siyithande nyhani imfundiso yeBhayibhile? Sinokuya rhoqo ezintlanganisweni zethu. Eyona ndlela sifundiswa ngayo kungesifundo seBhayibhile esibakho qho ngeveki kusetyenziswa iMboniselo. Ukuze siyiqonde loo nto kufundwa ngayo kufuneka sisilungiselele kakuhle iSifundo SeMboniselo. Enye indlela esinokuyenza ngayo loo nto kukuzifunda zonke iZibhalo ezikhoyo. Kule mihla, unokuyidawnlowda iMboniselo ku-jw.org/xh, kanti ikhona ngeelwimi ezininzi nakwi-JW Library. Xa siyifunda kwizinto ze-elektroniki siyakwazi ukuzifumana  ngokukhawuleza iZibhalo ezicatshuliweyo. Enoba yintoni na esiyisebenzisayo, xa sizifunda ezi zibhalo size sicingisise ngazo, loo nto iya kusinceda siyithande nyhani iBhayibhile.—Funda iNdumiso 1:2.

15, 16. (a) Ngokutsho kukaYohane 13:34, 35, yintoni le simele nakanjani siyenze? (b) Ukuthanda abazalwana kudibana njani nokuthanda uThixo neBhayibhile?

¹⁵ Ngobusuku bokugqibela elapha emhlabeni, uYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Ndininika umyalelo omtsha, wokuba nithandane; kanye njengoko ndinithandileyo mna, ukuba nani nithandane. Ngako oko bonke baya kwazi ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba ninothando phakathi kwenu.”—Yoh. 13:34, 35.

¹⁶ Ukuthanda abazalwana noodadewethu kunento yokwenza nokuthanda uYehova. Phofu, asinakukwazi ukuthanda uYehova sibe singabathandi abazalwana bethu. Umpostile uYohane wathi: “Lowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe, ambonileyo, akanako ukumthanda uThixo, angambonanga.” (1 Yoh. 4:20) Kwakhona ukuthanda uYehova nokuthanda abazalwana kunento yokwenza nokuthanda iBhayibhile. Ngoba? Kuba xa siyithanda imfundiso yeBhayibhile, siya kufuna ukuyithobela nyhani imithetho eseZibhalweni ethi simele simthande uThixo nabazalwana bethu.—1 Pet. 1:22; 1 Yoh. 4:21.

17. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyabathanda abazalwana?

¹⁷ Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseTesalonika 4:9, 10. Ziintoni esinokuzenzela abazalwana bethu ukubabonisa ukuba siyabathanda? Ngokomzekelo, umzalwana okanye udade osele emdala usenokuba ufuna ukuncedwa ngento yokuya kwiintlanganiso. Umhlolokazi usenokuba unezinto angathanda ukulungiselwa zona ekhayeni lakhe. (Yak. 1:27) Kungakhathaliseki ukuba badala okanye basakhula, abazalwana noodade abadimazekileyo okanye abeva kabuhlungu nabanezinto abajijisana nazo, bafuna ukuncedwa, ukukhuthazwa nokuthuthuzelwa sithi. (IMize. 12:25; Kol. 4:11) Sibonisa ukuba sibathanda nyhani abazalwana bethu ngamazwi nangezenzo ezibonisa ukuba sibaxhalabele ngokwenene “abo bahlobene nathi elukholweni.”—Gal. 6:10.

18. Yintoni eya kusinceda sicombulule iingxaki esinazo nabazalwana bethu?

¹⁸ IBhayibhile yatsho kwakudala ukuba ‘imihla yokugqibela’ yale nkqubo ingendawo yezinto yayiza kubonakala ngabantu abazithandayo nabathanda imali. (2 Tim. 3:1, 2) Thina maKristu kufuneka sisebenze nzima ukuze siye simthanda uThixo, iBhayibhile nabazalwana bethu. Ewe kona, ngamanye amaxesha sisenokungavisisani nabo sikhonza nabo. Kodwa ke, lisikeleleka lonke ibandla xa sizicombulula ngothando ezo ngxaki! (Efe. 4:32; Kol. 3:14) Ngoko ke, singaze siluvumele uthando lwethu luphole! Kunoko, sifanele simthande kakhulu uYehova, iLizwi lakhe nabazalwana bethu.