1, 2. ImiBhalo ikubonisa kanjani ukubaluleka kothando?

UTHANDO luyimfanelo evelele kaJehova uNkulunkulu. (1 Johane 4:16) Indalo yakhe yokuqala, uJesu Kristu, wachitha izigidi ngezigidi zeminyaka noYise ezulwini futhi wafunda indlela uJehova anguNkulunkulu onothando ngayo. (Kolose 1:15) UJesu ubonise uthando olufanayo ukuphila kwakhe konke, ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova noJesu bayohlale bebusa ngothando.

² Lapho umuntu othile ebuza uJesu ukuthi yimuphi umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke, uJesu wathi: “‘Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho.’ Lona ngumyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke futhi ungowokuqala. Owesibili, onjengawo, yilo, ‘Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena’”—Mathewu 22:37-39.

3. Ubani “umakhelwane” wethu?

 ³ Kubalulekile ukubonisa uthando kubo bonke abantu esisebenzelana nabo. UJesu wathi kumelwe sithande uJehova siphinde sithande nomakhelwane wethu. Kodwa ubani “umakhelwane” wethu? Uma ushadile, umakhelwane osondelene kakhulu nawe umyeni noma inkosikazi yakho. Omakhelwane bethu bahlanganisa nabafowethu nodadewethu ebandleni, kanye nabantu esihlangana nabo enkonzweni. Kulesi sihloko, sizofunda indlela esingabonisa ngayo uthando komakhelwane bethu.

4. Ungaphumelela kanjani umshado naphezu kokungapheleli kobuntu?

⁴ UJehova wadala u-Adamu no-Eva wabe esebashadisa. Lowo kwakuwumshado wokuqala. UNkulunkulu wayefuna babe nomshado ojabulisayo futhi bagcwalise umhlaba ngezingane zabo. (Genesise 1:27, 28) Nokho, ngemva kokungamlaleli uJehova, umshado wabo wonakala, futhi isono nokufa kwadluliselwa kithi sonke. (Roma 5:12) Naphezu kwalokho, umshado ungaphumelela namuhla. EBhayibhelini, uJehova, uMsunguli womshado, unike amadoda nabafazi iseluleko esihle kakhulu.—Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.

5. Lubaluleke kangakanani uthando emshadweni?

⁵ IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uthando olufudumele nolunesisa lubalulekile ukuze abantu babe nobuhlobo obujabulisayo. Lokhu kuyiqiniso nakakhulu emshadweni. Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza uthando lwangempela lapho ethi: “Uthando luyabekezela futhi lunomusa. Uthando alunamhawu, aluzigabisi, aluzikhukhumezi, aluziphathi ngokuhlazisayo, aluzifuneli izinzuzo zalo siqu, alucasuki. Alunamagqubu. Alujabuli ngokungalungi, kodwa lujabulela iqiniso. Lubekezelela zonke izinto, lukholelwa yizo zonke izinto, luthemba zonke izinto, lukhuthazelela zonke izinto. Uthando alusoze lwaphela nanini.” (1 Korinte 13:4-8) Lapho sicabanga ngamazwi kaPawulu futhi siwasebenzisa, singaba nomshado ojabulisayo.

6, 7. (a) Lithini iBhayibheli ngokuba yinhloko? (b) Indoda engumKristu kufanele imphathe kanjani umkayo?

⁶ UJehova wanquma ukuthi ubani okufanele abe yinhloko yomndeni. UPawulu wachaza: “Ngifuna ukuba nazi ukuthi inhloko yawo wonke amadoda nguKristu; nenhloko yowesifazane yindoda; nenhloko kaKristu nguNkulunkulu.” (1 Korinte 11:3) Kepha uJehova ulindele ukuba amadoda abe yizinhloko ezinothando, angalokothi adelele noma abe nonya. UJehova ngokwakhe uyiNhloko enomusa nebacabangelayo abanye. Ngenxa yalokho, uJesu uyalihlonipha igunya likaNkulunkulu lothando. Wathi: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba.” (Johane 14:31) UJesu wayengeke azizwe ngaleyo ndlela ukube uJehova wayemphatha ngokhahlo.

⁷ Nakuba indoda iyinhloko yomkayo, iBhayibheli liyitshela ukuba imazise. (1 Petru 3:7) Indoda ingakwenza kanjani lokho? Ingacabangela izidingo zakhe futhi ihloniphe izinto azikhethayo. IBhayibheli lithi:  “Madoda, qhubekani nithanda omkenu, njengoba nje noKristu alithanda ibandla futhi wazinikela ngenxa yalo.” (Efesu 5:25) Yebo, uJesu waze wanikela ngisho nangokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabalandeli bakhe. Lapho indoda iyinhloko enothando njengoJesu, kuyoba lula ngomkayo ukuba ayithande futhi ayihloniphe bese ehlonipha nezinqumo zayo.—Funda uThithu 2:3-5.

8. Kufanele sizizwe kanjani ngabafowethu nodadewethu?

⁸ Namuhla, abantu abayizigidi kuwo wonke umhlaba bakhonza uJehova. Bangabafowethu nodadewethu. Kufanele sizizwe kanjani ngabo? IBhayibheli lithi: “Masenze okuhle kubo bonke, kodwa ikakhulukazi kulabo abahlobene nathi okholweni.” (Galathiya 6:10; funda eyabaseRoma 12:10.) Umphostoli uPetru wabhala ukuthi ‘ukulalela kwethu iqiniso’ kufanele kuholele ‘othandweni lobuzalwane’ oluqotho. UPetru wabuye wathi kumaKristu akanye nawo: “Ngaphezu kwakho konke, yibani nothando olukhulu ngomunye nomunye.”—1 Petru 1:22; 4:8.

9, 10. Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu benobunye?

⁹ Inhlangano yethu yomhlaba wonke  ihlukile. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi sinothando olujulile nolweqiniso ngabafowethu nodadewethu. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda uJehova futhi silalela imithetho yakhe, usisekela ngamandla amakhulu kunawo wonke endaweni yonke, umoya wakhe ongcwele. Umoya kaNkulunkulu usisiza sibe nobuzalwane obunobunye beqiniso emhlabeni wonke.—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 4:20, 21.

¹⁰ UPawulu wagcizelela isidingo sothando phakathi kwamaKristu lapho ebhala ukuthi: “Gqokani uthando lomzwelo, umusa, ukuthobeka, ubumnene, nokubekezela. Qhubekani nibekezelelana futhi nithethelelana ngokukhululekile uma umuntu enesizathu sokukhononda ngomunye. Njengoba nje uJehova anithethelela ngokukhululekile, yenzani kanjalo nani. Kodwa, ngaphezu kwazo zonke lezi zinto, gqokani uthando, ngoba luyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.” (Kolose 3:12-14) Asive sibonga ngokuthi uthando, ‘isibopho esiphelele sobunye,’ lukhona phakathi kwethu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sivela kuphi!

11. Ibonakala ngani inhlangano kaNkulunkulu?

¹¹ Uthando olungenabuzenzisi nobunye bezinceku zikaJehova kuzibonakalisa njengezisenkolweni yeqiniso. UJesu wathi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami—uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:34, 35) Kanti umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Abantwana bakaNkulunkulu nabantwana bakaDeveli babonakala ngalokhu: Wonke umuntu ongaqhubeki enza ukulunga akaveli kuNkulunkulu nalowo ongamthandi umfowabo. Ngoba yilesi isigijimi enisizwile kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi kufanele sithandane.” (1 Johane 3:10, 11) Uthando nobunye kubonakalisa oFakazi BakaJehova njengabalandeli bakaKristu beqiniso, abantu uNkulunkulu abasebenzisela ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke.—Mathewu 24:14.

12, 13. Yini “isixuku esikhulu” esiyenzayo namuhla, futhi yini esizoyibona yenzeka maduzane?

¹² Iningi lezinceku zikaJehova namuhla liyingxenye ‘yesixuku esikhulu’ esiphuma ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba, futhi libonisa ukusekela kwalo uMbuso. Laba “yilabo abaphuma osizini olukhulu, abaye bahlanza izembatho zabo zaba mhlophe egazini leWundlu” ngokubonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kaJesu. Labo ‘besixuku esikhulu’ bayamthanda uJehova neNdodana yakhe, futhi bakhulekela uJehova “imini nobusuku.”—IsAmbulo 7:9, 14, 15.

¹³ Maduzane uNkulunkulu uzolibhubhisa leli zwe elibi ‘osizini olukhulu.’ (Mathewu 24:21; funda uJeremiya 25:32, 33.) Kodwa uJehova uzozivikela izinceku zakhe  futhi azihole zingene ezweni elisha ngoba uyazithanda. Njengoba athembisa eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-2 000 edlule, “uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo, ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona.” Ingabe uyakulangazelela ukuphila ePharadesi lapho ububi, ukuhlupheka nokufa kungasekho?—IsAmbulo 21:4.

14. Sesisikhulu kangakanani isixuku esikhulu?

¹⁴ Ekuqaleni kwezinsuku zokugcina ngo-1914, kwakunezinkulungwane ezimbalwa zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Lishukunyiswa uthando ngomakhelwane nangosizo lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, lelo qembu elincane labafowethu nodadewethu abagcotshiwe lashumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso naphezu kobunzima. Ube yini umphumela? Namuhla, kubuthwa isixuku esikhulu sabantu abanethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. KunoFakazi abangaba ngu-8 000 000 emabandleni angaphezu kuka-115 400 emhlabeni wonke, futhi isibalo silokhu sikhula. Ngokwesibonelo, bangaphezu kuka-275 500 oFakazi abasha ababhapathizwe phakathi nonyaka wenkonzo ka-2014. Lokhu kusho ukuthi bangu-5 300 ababhapathizwayo isonto ngalinye.

15. Abaningi bazizwa kanjani izindaba ezinhle namuhla?

¹⁵ Kuyamangaza ukubona ukuthi baningi kangakanani asebezwile ngezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Namuhla, izincwadi zethu zitholakala ngezilimi ezingaphezu kuka-700. INqabayokulinda iwumagazini osakazwa kabanzi kunabo bonke emhlabeni. Inyanga ngayinye, kunyatheliswa amakhophi ayo angaphezu kuka-52 000 000 futhi lo magazini ukhishwa ngezilimi ezingu-247. Kanti incwadi yethu yokuqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli ethi Lifundisani Ngempela IBhayibheli? isihunyushelwe ezilimini ezingaphezu kuka-250. Kuze kube manje, angaphezu kuka-200 000 000 amakhophi asenyathelisiwe.

16. Kungani inhlangano kaJehova iqhubeka ikhula?

¹⁶ Inhlangano yethu iqhubeka ikhula ngoba sinokholo kuNkulunkulu futhi samukela iBhayibheli njengeZwi lakhe eliphefumulelwe. (1 Thesalonika 2:13) Siyaqhubeka sithola isibusiso sikaJehova naphezu kwenzondo nokuphikisa kukaSathane.—2 Korinte 4:4.

17, 18. UJehova ulindele ukuba sizizwe kanjani ngalabo abangamkhulekeli?

¹⁷ Abantu basabela ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ekushumayeleni kwethu. Abanye bayasilalela, kuyilapho abanye bewuzonda umyalezo wethu. UJehova ulindele ukuba sizizwe kanjani ngalabo abangamkhulekeli? Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu basabela kanjani emyalezweni wethu, silalela iseluleko esiseBhayibhelini. Sithi: “Amazwi enu ngaso sonke isikhathi mawabe nomusa, ayoliswe ngosawoti, ukuze nazi ukuthi kufanele nimphendule kanjani umuntu ngamunye.” (Kolose 4:6) Noma nini lapho sivikela izinkolelo zethu, sifuna ukwenza kanjalo “ngomoya omnene nangenhlonipho ejulile” ngoba siyabathanda omakhelwane bethu.—1 Petru 3:15.

¹⁸ Ngisho nalapho abantu bethukuthela futhi bewenqaba umyalezo wethu, sibonisa uthando komakhelwane bethu futhi silingisa isibonelo sikaJesu. Lapho uJesu “ethukwa, akaphindiselanga ngokuthuka.  Lapho ehlupheka, akasongelanga.” Kunalokho, wathembela kuJehova. (1 Petru 2:23) Ngakho, ngaso sonke isikhathi, sibonisa ukuthobeka futhi sisebenzise iseluleko esithi: ‘Ningabuyiseli okubi ngokubi noma ukuthukwa ngokuthuka. Ngokuphambene nalokho, nibusise.’—1 Petru 3:8, 9.

19. Kufanele siziphathe kanjani izitha zethu?

¹⁹ Ukuthobeka kusisiza silalele isimiso esibalulekile esanikezwa uJesu. Wachaza: “Nizwile ukuthi kwathiwa, ‘Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho futhi uzonde isitha sakho.’ Nokho, mina ngithi kini: Qhubekani nithanda izitha zenu, nithandazela nalabo abanishushisayo; ukuze nizibonakalise ningamadodana kaYihlo osemazulwini, njengoba yena enza ilanga lakhe liphumele abantu ababi nabahle futhi enza imvula ine phezu kwabantu abalungile nabangalungile.” (Mathewu 5:43-45) Njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu, kumelwe sizithande izitha zethu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zisiphatha kanjani.

20. Sazi kanjani ukuthi uthando ngoNkulunkulu nangomakhelwane luyogcwala umhlaba wonke? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

²⁰ Ngazo zonke izikhathi, kumelwe sibonise ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova nomakhelwane wethu. Ngisho noma abantu bemelana nathi nomyalezo esiwuphethe, siyabasiza lapho bedinga usizo. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ningakweleti muntu nento eyodwa, ngaphandle kokuthandana; ngoba lowo othanda omunye umuntu uwugcwalisile umthetho. Ngoba isimiso somthetho esithi, ‘Ungaphingi, ungabulali, ungebi, ungahahi,’ nanoma yimuphi omunye umyalo okhona, sihlanganiswe kuleli zwi, elithi, ‘Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’ Uthando alwenzi okubi kumakhelwane womuntu; ngakho-ke uthando luwukugcwaliswa komthetho.” (Roma 13:8-10) Kuleli zwe elihlukene phakathi, elinobudlova, elonakele nelibuswa uSathane, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zibonisa uthando lwangempela komakhelwane bazo. (1 Johane 5:19) Ngemva kokuba uJehova esebhubhise uSathane, amademoni akhe kanye naleli zwe elibi, uthando luyogcwala emhlabeni wonke. Yeka ukuthi kuyoba yisibusiso kanjani lapho bonke abasemhlabeni sebethanda uJehova nomakhelwane babo!