1. Uthando lukaNkulunkulu lukwenza uzizwe kanjani?

UMPHOSTOLI uJohane wabhala ukuthi, “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Joh. 4:8) Lawo mazwi asikhumbuza leli qiniso elibalulekile: uNkulunkulu, onguMthombo wokuphila, ubuye abe uMthombo wothando. UJehova uyasithanda! Uthando lwakhe lusenza sizizwe silondekile, sijabule futhi sanelisekile.

2. NgokukaMathewu 22:37-40, yimiphi imiyalo emibili emikhulu, futhi kungani kungase kube nzima ukulalela owesibili?

² KumaKristu, ukubonisa uthando akuyona into angazikhethela ukuthi azoyenza noma cha. Kuwumyalo. (Funda uMathewu 22:37-40.) Lapho sesimazi kahle uJehova, sikuthola kulula ukulalela umyalo wokuqala. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uJehova akanasono, uyacabangela futhi usiphatha ngomusa. Kodwa kungase kube nzima ukulalela umyalo wesibili. Kungani? Ngoba abafowethu nodadewethu—abaphakathi komakhelwane bethu abaseduze—banesono. Ngezinye izikhathi bangase benze noma basho izinto ezingasenza sicabange ukuthi abanandaba noma abanamusa. UJehova wayazi ukuthi siyobhekana nale nkinga, ngakho waphefumulela abanye ababhali beBhayibheli ukuba bafake isiqondiso esicacile sokuthi kungani kufanele sibonisane uthando futhi singakwenza kanjani lokho. Omunye walabo babhali kwakunguJohane.—1 Joh. 3:11, 12.

3. Yini uJohane ayigcizelela?

³ Ezincwadini azibhala, uJohane wagcizelela ukuthi amaKristu kumelwe abonise uthando. Empeleni, lapho elandisa ngokuphila kukaJesu, uJohane usebenzisa igama  elithi “uthando” nelithi “ukuthandwa” kaningana kunabanye ababhali abathathu bamaVangeli behlangene. UJohane wayeneminyaka engaba yikhulu ubudala lapho ebhala iVangeli lakhe kanye nezincwadi zakhe ezintathu. Lezo zincwadi eziphefumulelwe zembula ukuthi yonke into umKristu ayenzayo kumelwe isekelwe othandweni. (1 Joh. 4:10, 11) Noma kunjalo, kwamthatha isikhathi uJohane ukuba afunde leso sifundo.

4. Ingabe uJohane wayehlale ebabonisa uthando abanye?

⁴ Lapho uJohane esemusha, wayengalubonisi ngaso sonke isikhathi uthando. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesinye isikhathi uJesu nabafundi bakhe babeya eJerusalema, banqamula eSamariya. Abantu abathile baseSamariya benqaba ukubangenisa. Wenzani uJohane? Wacela uJesu ukuba behlise umlilo ezulwini uqothule bonke abantu kuleyo ndawo! (Luka 9:52-56) Ngesinye isikhathi, uJohane wahluleka ukubonisa abanye abaphostoli uthando. Yena nomfowabo uJakobe, bancenga unina ukuba abacelele izikhundla kuJesu babe seduze kwakhe eMbusweni. Lapho abanye abaphostoli bezwa ngalokho okwenziwa uJakobe noJohane, bathukuthela! (Math. 20:20, 21, 24) Naphezu kwawo wonke lawo maphutha kaJohane, uJesu wayemthanda.—Joh. 21:7.

5. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

⁵ Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngesibonelo sikaJohane nezinye izinto azibhala ngothando. Sizofunda indlela esingalubonisa ngayo uthando kubafowethu nodadewethu. Sizofunda nangendlela ebalulekile inhloko yomndeni engabonisa ngayo ukuthi iyawuthanda umndeni wayo.

6. UJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyasithanda?

⁶ Sivamise ukucabanga ukuthi uthando luwumuzwa ofudumele oboniswa ngamazwi amnandi. Kodwa ukuze uthando lube ngokoqobo, kumelwe luboniswe nangezenzo. (Qhathanisa noJakobe 2:17, 26.) Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova uyasithanda. (1 Joh. 4:19) Uthando lwakhe uluveza ngamazwi amnandi abhalwe eBhayibhelini. (IHu. 25:10; Roma 8:38, 39) Kodwa siyaqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uyasithanda hhayi nje ngenxa yalokho akushoyo, kodwa nangenxa yalokho akwenzayo. UJohane wabhala: “Ngalokhu uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwaboniswa kithi, ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ezweni ukuze sizuze ukuphila  ngayo.” (1 Joh. 4:9) UJehova wavumela iNdodana yakhe ayithandayo ukuba ihlupheke futhi isifele. (Joh. 3:16) Ngakho asikungabazi ukuthi uJehova usithanda ngempela!

7. Yini uJesu ayenza ukuze abonise ukuthi uyasithanda?

⁷ UJesu waqinisekisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi wayebathanda. (Joh. 13:1; 15:15) Wabonisa uthando lwakhe olujulile ngabo nangathi hhayi nje ngalokho akusho kodwa nangalokho akwenza. UJesu wathi, “Akekho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu anikele ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (Joh. 15:13) Lapho sicabanga ngalokho uJehova noJesu abasenzele khona, kufanele sizizwe kanjani?

8. Eyoku-1 Johane 3:18 ithi kufanele senzeni?

⁸ Sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova noJesu ngokubalalela. (Joh. 14:15; 1 Joh. 5:3) UJesu wasiyala ngokuqondile wathi masithandane. (Joh. 13:34, 35) Akumelwe sigcine ngokubatshela ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu nodadewethu, kodwa kumelwe siphinde sikubonise ngezenzo lokho. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 3:18.) Yini esingayenza ngokuqondile ukuze sibonise ukuthi siyabathanda?

9. Uthando lwashukumisa uJohane ukuba enzeni?

⁹ Ukube wayethanda, uJohane wayengazihlalela noyise bagaye imali ngebhizinisi lomndeni lokudoba. Kodwa akakwenzanga lokho, wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ekusizeni abanye bafunde iqiniso ngoJehova nangoJesu. Ukuphila uJohane akukhetha kwakungelula. Washushiswa futhi ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala lapho esemdala, waboshwa. (IzE. 3:1; 4:1-3; 5:18; IsAm. 1:9) Ngisho nalapho esejele ngenxa yokushumayela ngoJesu, uJohane wabonisa ukuthi wayecabanga ngabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho esesiqhingini sasePhatmose, wabhala isambulo asithola futhi wasithumela emabandleni ukuze azi “izinto okumelwe zenzeke maduzane.” (IsAm. 1:1) Cishe ngemva kokukhululwa ePhatmose, uJohane wabhala iVangeli lakhe elikhuluma ngokuphila kukaJesu nenkonzo yakhe. Wabuye wabhala nezincwadi ezintathu ukuze akhuthaze futhi aqinise abafowabo nodadewabo. Ungazidela kanjani njengoJohane ekuphileni kwakho?

10. Ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabathanda abantu?

¹⁰ Ungabonisa ukuthi uyabathanda abantu ngalokho okhetha ukukwenza ekuphileni kwakho. Izwe likaSathane lifuna uchithe isikhathi sakho sonke namandla ekuzizuziseni wena, uzama ukugaya imali noma ukuzenzela igama. Kodwa, abashumayeli boMbuso abazidelayo emhlabeni wonke bachitha isikhathi sabo esiningi beshumayela izindaba ezinhle futhi besiza abanye ukuba basondele kuJehova. Abanye baze bashumayele futhi bafundise isikhathi esigcwele.

11. Abamemezeli abaningi abathembekile babonise kanjani ukuthi bathanda uJehova nabafowabo nodadewabo?

¹¹ AmaKristu amaningi aqotho kumelwe asebenze isikhathi esigcwele emisebenzini yokuziphilisa ukuze asekele wona nemindeni yawo. Noma kunjalo, laba bamemezeli abathembekile benza konke abangakwenza ukuze basekele inhlangano kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bakwazi ukusiza lapho kuvele khona izinhlekelele, abanye basiza emsebenzini wokwakha, kanti sonke sinethuba lokunikelela  umsebenzi womhlaba wonke. Benza lezi zinto ngoba bethanda uNkulunkulu nabantu. Isonto ngalinye sibonisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu nodadewethu ngokuba khona emihlanganweni yebandla futhi sibe nengxenye kuyo. Ngisho noma sikhathele, siyaya emhlanganweni. Ngisho noma sesaba, siyaphendula. Ngisho noma sonke sinezinkinga zethu, siyabakhuthaza abanye ngaphambi kokuba kuqale imihlangano nangemva kwayo. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Asive sibonga ngomsebenzi owenziwa abamemezeli esikanye nabo!

12. Iyiphi enye indlela uJohane abonisa ngayo ukuthi uyabathanda abafowabo nodadewabo?

¹² UJohane wabonisa ukuthi uyabathanda abafowabo nodadewabo ngokungagcini nje ngokubancoma, kodwa nangokubeluleka. Ngokwesibonelo, encwadini yakhe, uJohane wancoma abafowabo nodadewabo ngokholo lwabo nangemisebenzi emihle, kodwa futhi wabanika iseluleko esingagunci ngesono. (1 Joh. 1:8–2:1, 13, 14) Ngendlela efanayo, nathi kudingeka sibancome abafowethu nodadewethu ngemisebenzi emihle abayenzayo. Kodwa uma othile eqala ukuba nesimo sengqondo esibi noma nemikhuba emibi, singabonisa ukuthi siyamthanda ngokumtshela ngomusa lokho adinga ukukuzwa. Kudinga isibindi ukunikeza umngane iseluleko, kodwa iBhayibheli lithi umngane weqiniso ulola, noma ulungisa, omunye umngane.—IzAga 27:17.

13. Yini okufanele sigweme ukuyenza?

¹³ Ngezinye izikhathi sibonisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu nodadewethu ngalokho esingakwenzi. Ngokwesibonelo, asisheshi ukucasulwa izinto abazishoyo. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka ngesikhathi uJesu esezofa. Watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi ukuze bathole ukuphila kwakumelwe badle inyama yakhe, baphuze negazi lakhe. (Joh. 6:53-57) Leyo nkulumo yabashaqisa kangangokuba abafundi bakhe abaningi bamshiya—kodwa abangane bakhe bangempela abamshiyanga, okuhlanganisa noJohane. Baqhubeka benamathele kuye ngobuqotho. Babengakuqondi okwakushiwo uJesu, cishe kwabamangaza. Noma kunjalo, abangane bakaJesu abaqotho abazange bacabange ukuthi wayekhuluma okungafanele futhi akubacasulanga. Kunalokho, bamethemba, bazi ukuthi wayekhuluma iqiniso. (Joh. 6:60, 66-69) Ave kubalulekile ukuthi singasheshi  ukucasulwa yizinto ezishiwo abafowethu nodadewethu! Kunalokho, sibanika ithuba lokuthi bachaze abasuke beqonde ukukusho.—IzAga 18:13; UmSh. 7:9.

14. Kungani kungafanele sivumele inzondo yakheke ezinhliziyweni zethu?

¹⁴ UJohane waphinde wasinxusa ukuba singabazondi abafowethu nodadewethu. Uma sehluleka ukulalela leso seluleko, sizovumela uSathane ukuba asilawule. (1 Joh. 2:11; 3:15) Lokhu kwenzeka kwabanye ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala C.E. USathane wenza konke angakwenza ukuze agqugquzele inzondo futhi ahlukanise abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi uJohane ebhala izincwadi zakhe, amadoda ayenalo moya kaSathane ayesengene ngesinyenyela ebandleni. Ngokwesibonelo, uDiyotrefe wayebangela ukwahlukana kwelinye ibandla. (3 Joh. 9, 10) Wayengabahloniphi abameleli abajikelezayo bendikimba ebusayo. Waze wazama ngisho nokuxosha ebandleni labo ababamukela abantu angabathandi. Kwakukubi! USathane usazama kanzima ukuhlukanisa futhi anqobe abantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla. Kwangathi singelokothe sivumele inzondo ukuba isihlukanise.

15. Yini okumelwe ikhunjulwe inhloko yomndeni?

¹⁵ Indlela ebalulekile inhloko yomndeni engabonisa ngayo ukuthi iyawuthanda umndeni wayo ukunakekela izidingo zawo. (1 Thim. 5:8) Kodwa kumelwe ikhumbule ukuthi izinto ezingokwenyama ngeke zanelise izidingo ezingokomoya zomndeni wayo. (Math. 5:3) Phawula isibonelo uJesu asibekela izinhloko zemindeni. NgokweVangeli likaJohane, ngesikhathi uJesu efa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, wayesacabanga ngomndeni wakhe. UJohane wayemi nomama kaJesu, uMariya, endaweni lapho uJesu abulawelwa khona. Nakuba ayezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu, uJesu wacela uJohane ukuba anakekele uMariya. (Joh. 19:26, 27) UJesu wayenabo abafowabo nodadewabo ababengakwazi ukunakekela izidingo zikaMariya, kodwa kubonakala sengathi akekho kubo owayengumfundi wakhe. Ngakho uJesu wayefuna ukuqiniseka ngokuthi uMariya wayezonakekelwa ngokwenyama nangokomoya.

16. UJohane wayenaziphi izibopho?

¹⁶ UJohane wayenezibopho eziningi. Njengoba ayengomunye wabaphostoli,  wayehola emsebenzini wokushumayela. Kungenzeka nokuthi wayeshadile, ngakho kwakungase kudingeke anakekele izidingo ezingokwenyama zomndeni wakhe aphinde anakekele nezingokomoya. (1 Kor. 9:5) Zingafundani izinhloko zemindeni namuhla?

17. Kungani kubalulekile ukuthi inhloko yomndeni inakekele izidingo ezingokomoya zomndeni wayo?

¹⁷ Umzalwane oyinhloko yomndeni angase abe nezibopho eziningi ezisindayo. Ngokwesibonelo, kumelwe akhuthale emsebenzini wokuziphilisa ukuze indlela aziphatha ngayo idumise uJehova. (Efe. 6:5, 6; Thithu 2:9, 10) Angase abe nezinye izibopho ebandleni, njengokwalusa nokuhola emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kubalulekile nokuba atadishe iBhayibheli njalo nomkakhe nezingane. Bayoyazisa kakhulu imizamo ayenzayo ukuze bahlale bephile kahle ngokwenyama, ngokomzwelo, nangokomoya.—Efe. 5:28, 29; 6:4.

18. Yini uJohane ayeqiniseka ngayo?

¹⁸ UJohane wayesephile isikhathi eside futhi kuningi abhekana nakho. Wabhekana nalo lonke uhlobo lwezinkinga ezazingenza ukholo lwakhe lube buthaka. Kodwa wayehlale enza konke angakwenza ukuze agcine imiyalo kaJesu, okuhlanganisa nomyalo wokuthanda abafowabo nodadewabo. Ngenxa yalokho, uJohane wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova noJesu bayamthanda nokuthi babezomnika amandla okubhekana nanoma yibuphi ubunzima. (Joh. 14:15-17; 15:10; 1 Joh. 4:16) Akukho lutho uSathane noma izwe lakhe elalingakwenza ukuze angaluzwa futhi angalubonisi uthando.

19. Eyoku-1 Johane 4:7 isikhuthaza ukuba senzeni, futhi kungani?

¹⁹ NjengoJohane, siphila ezweni elibuswa uSathane, unkulunkulu waleli zwe onenzondo. (1 Joh. 3:1, 10) Nakuba efuna siyeke ukuthanda abafowethu nodadewethu, akakwazi ukusiyekisa ngaphandle uma simvumela. Kwangathi singazimisela ukuthanda abafowethu nodadewethu, ukulubonisa lolo thando ngamazwi ethu, futhi sibabonise ngezenzo ukuthi siyabathanda. Uma senza kanjalo siyojabulela ukuba yingxenye yomndeni kaJehova, nokuphila kuyoba mnandi ngempela.—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 4:7.