1. Iyiphi imfanelo kaNkulunkulu evelele futhi lokhu kukwenza uzizwe kanjani ngaye?

IBHAYIBHELI lisitshela ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Kodwa kusho ukuthini ngempela lokhu? Uthando aluyona nje enye yezimfanelo eziningi zikaJehova ezinhle. Luyimfanelo yakhe evelele. Akanalo nje uthando. Uluthando. Uthando luqondisa yonke into ayenzayo. Yeka ukuthi sibonga kanjani ngokuthi uthando lwashukumisa uJehova ukuba adale indawo yonke nazo zonke izinto eziphilayo!

2. Uthando lukaNkulunkulu lusiqinisekisa ngani? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

² UJehova unomusa futhi uyikhathalela ngokujulile indalo yakhe. Uthando analo ngathi lusiqinisekisa ngokuthi injongo yakhe ngesintu izofezeka ngendlela engcono kakhulu. Lokhu kuyoholela enjabulweni yangempela kulabo abamlalelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngenxa yothando, uJehova “umise usuku ajonge ukwahlulela ngalo umhlaba owakhiwe ngokulunga ngomuntu ammisile,” uJesu Kristu. (IzEnzo 17:31) Siyaqiniseka ukuthi lokhu kwahlulela kuzokwenzeka. Kubantu abalalelayo,  lokhu kuyosho ikusasa laphakade elijabulisayo.

3. Ukuphila bekuyoba njani ukube uNkulunkulu ubengasithandi isintu?

³ Beliyoba njani ikusasa lesintu ukube uthando belungeyona imfanelo kaNkulunkulu evelele? Abantu bebeyoqhubeka bebusana bodwa futhi bethonywe unkulunkulu ongenalo uthando nonenzondo, uSathane. (2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Johane 5:19; funda isAmbulo 12:9, 12.) Ikusasa beliyogcwala usizi ukube uJehova akazange asithande!

4. Kungani uJehova avumela ukuba ubukhosi bakhe buvukelwe?

⁴ Lapho uSathane evukela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu, wathonya nabazali bethu bokuqala ukuba bavukele. Wangabaza ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokuba uMbusi Wendawo Yonke. USathane wathi ukubusa kwakhe kungaba ngcono kunokukaNkulunkulu. (Genesise 3:1-5) Ngokuhlakanipha, uJehova wavumela uSathane ukuba abuse isikhashana ukuze afakazele lokho akusho. Kodwa imiphumela ibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi abantu noma uSathane abakwazi ukuba ababusi abahle.

5. Yini umlando wesintu oyibonise ngokucacile?

⁵ Namuhla izwe liya liba libi nakakhulu. Kunabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyikhulu abaye babulawa ezimpini eminyakeni eyikhulu edlule. IBhayibheli lisho lokhu ‘ngezinsuku zokugcina’: “Abantu ababi nabakhohlisi bayoqhubeka besuka kokubi baye kokubi kakhulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1, 13) IBhayibheli liphinde lithi: “Ngazi kahle, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu wasemhlabeni akuyona eyakhe. Akukona okomuntu ohambayo ngisho nokuqondisa isinyathelo sakhe.” (Jeremiya 10:23) Umlando ukubonise ngokucacile ukuba yiqiniso kwalawo mazwi. UJehova akabadalanga abantu benekhono noma ilungelo lokuzibusa ngaphandle kwesiqondiso sakhe.

6. Kungani uNkulunkulu evumele ububi?

⁶ Ngokuvumela ububi buqhubeke isikhathi esithile, uJehova uye wabonisa nokuthi ukubusa kwakhe kuphela okungaphumelela. Esikhathini esizayo, uNkulunkulu uyobabhubhisa bonke ababi. Ngemva kwalokho, uma noma ubani engabaza indlela yakhe yokubusa enothando uyomthathela isinyathelo ngaso leso sikhathi. Angasebenzisa umlando wesintu njengobufakazi bokuthi abavukeli abanjalo kufanele basuswe ngokushesha. Ububi ngeke buphinde buvunyelwe.

7, 8. UJehova ulubonise kanjani uthando lwakhe?

⁷ UJehova ubonise uthando lwakhe olukhulu ngezindlela eziningi. Cabanga ngobukhulu nangobuhle bendawo yonke. Inezigidi ngezigidi zemithala futhi umthala ngamunye unezigidi ngezigidi zezinkanyezi namaplanethi. Emthaleni wethu, iMilky Way, enye yezinkanyezi, ilanga. Ngaphandle kwelanga,  ukuphila bekungeke kube khona emhlabeni. Yonke le ndalo ibonisa ukuthi uJehova unguMdali wethu futhi ibonisa izimfanelo zakhe, ezinjengamandla, ukuhlakanipha nothando. Yebo, “izimfanelo [zikaNkulunkulu] ezingabonakali zibonakala ngokucacile kusukela ekudalweni kwezwe kuye phambili, ngoba ziqondakala ngezinto ezenziwe, ngisho namandla akhe angunaphakade nobuNkulunkulu bakhe.”—Roma 1:20.

⁸ UJehova waklama umhlaba ngokukhethekile ukuze kube nokuphila. Yonke into esemhlabeni izuzisa izilwane nabantu. UNkulunkulu wenza ingadi enhle yaba yikhaya labantu futhi wabanikeza izingqondo eziphelele nemizimba eklanyelwe ukuphila phakade. (Funda isAmbulo 4:11.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ‘unika yonke into ephilayo ukudla, ngoba uthando lwakhe oluqotho luhlala kuze kube phakade.’—IHubo 136:25.

9. Nakuba uJehova enguNkulunkulu wothando, yini ayizondayo?

⁹ UJehova unguNkulunkulu wothando, noma kunjalo uyabuzonda ububi. Ngokwesibonelo, iHubo 5:4-6 lithi ngoJehova: “Awuyena uNkulunkulu ojabula ngobubi . . . Uyabazonda bonke abakwenza umkhuba okulimazayo.” Uyabazonda ‘nabantu abachitha igazi nabanenkohliso.’

10, 11. (a) Kuyokwenzekani kubantu ababi? (b) UJehova uyobavuza kanjani abantu abalalelayo?

¹⁰ Ngesikhathi esifanele, uJehova uyosusa ububi endaweni yonke ngoba unguNkulunkulu wothando futhi uyakuzonda okubi. IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyasithembisa: “Abenzi bokubi bazonqunywa, kodwa abathemba uJehova yibo abayodla ifa lomhlaba. Sekuyisikhashana nje, omubi abe engasekho.” Izitha zikaJehova ‘ziyonyamalala njengentuthu.’—IHubo 37:9, 10, 20.

¹¹ IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithembisa nokuthi: “Abalungile bayokudla ifa lomhlaba, futhi bayohlala kuwo kuze kube phakade.” (IHubo 37:29) Abantu abathembekile “bayothola injabulo enkulu ngokuchichima kokuthula.” (IHubo 37:11) Ngani? Ngoba uNkulunkulu wethu onothando uhlale enzela izinceku zakhe ezithembekile okungcono kakhulu. IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo, ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile.” (IsAmbulo 21:4) Yeka ikusasa elimangalisayo labantu abalalelayo abalwazisayo uthando lukaNkulunkulu!

12. Ubani “ongasoleki”?

¹² IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Mbheke ongasoleki futhi ugcine oqotho ephambi kwamehlo akho, ngoba ikusasa lalowo muntu liyoba nokuthula. Kodwa ngokuqinisekile izeqamthetho ziyobhuqwa kanye kanye; ikusasa labantu ababi liyonqanyulwa impela.” (IHubo 37:37, 38) “Ongasoleki” uthola ulwazi ngoJehova nangeNdodana yakhe bese enza intando kaNkulunkulu ngokuzithoba. (Funda uJohane 17:3.) Ukholelwa ngobuqotho ukuthi “izwe liyadlula, kanjalo  nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.” (1 Johane 2:17) Ngenxa yokuthi ukuphela kwezwe kuseduze, kuyaphuthuma ukuba ‘sithembe uJehova futhi sigcine indlela yakhe.’—IHubo 37:34.

13. Kwaba yisiphi isenzo sikaNkulunkulu sothando esikhulu kunazo zonke?

¹³ Nakuba singaphelele, singakwazi ukulalela uNkulunkulu. Singaba nanobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova ngenxa yomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu, oyisenzo sikaNkulunkulu sothando esikhulu kunazo zonke. UJehova walungiselela isihlengo ukuze abantu abalalelayo babe nethuba lokukhululwa esonweni nasekufeni. (Funda eyabaseRoma 5:12; 6:23.) Ezulwini, uJesu wathembeka isikhathi eside kuNkulunkulu, ngakho uJehova wayeqiniseka ukuthi iNdodana yakhe yayiyoqhubeka ithembekile nasemhlabeni. NjengoBaba onothando, uJehova wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu lapho ebona indlela abantu ababeyiphatha kabi ngayo iNdodana yakhe. Nokho, uJesu walisekela ngokwethembeka ilungelo likaNkulunkulu lokubusa, futhi wabonisa ukuthi umuntu ophelele angakwazi ukuhlala eqotho kuNkulunkulu ngisho nangaphansi kwezimo ezinzima kakhulu.

14, 15. Ukufa kukaJesu kwasenzelani isintu?

¹⁴ Naphezu kovivinyo olunzima kakhulu, uJesu wahlala eqotho futhi wasekela ilungelo likaJehova lokubusa. Kufanele sibonge ngokuthi ngokufa kwakhe, uJesu wakhokha inani lomhlatshelo wesihlengo ngoba linikeza abantu ithuba lokuphila phakade ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu! Umphostoli uPawulu wachaza uthando uJehova noJesu abalubonisa ngomhlatshelo wesihlengo. Wathi: “Impela, ngesikhathi sisebuthakathaka, ngesikhathi esimisiwe uKristu wafela abantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu. Ngoba cishe akekho umuntu ongafela umuntu olungileyo; mhlawumbe othile angalokotha afele umuntu omuhle. Kodwa uNkulunkulu utusa uthando lwakhe siqu kithi ngoba, ngesikhathi siseyizoni, uKristu wasifela.” (Roma 5:6-8) Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Ngalokhu uthando  lukaNkulunkulu lwaboniswa kithi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ezweni ukuze sizuze ukuphila ngayo. Uthando lukulesi sici, akukhona ukuthi thina siye samthanda uNkulunkulu, kodwa ukuthi yena wasithanda futhi wathumela iNdodana yakhe njengomhlatshelo oyisihlawulelo wezono zethu.”—1 Johane 4:9, 10.

¹⁵ UJesu wathi “uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16) Nakuba kwakubuhlungu kuJehova, wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe njengomhlatshelo. Lokhu kubonisa indlela abathanda ngayo abantu. Futhi lolo thando luyohlala phakade. UPawulu wabhala: “Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi nakufa nakuphila nazingelosi nahulumeni nazinto ezikhona manje nazinto ezizayo namandla nakuphakama nakujula nanoma iyiphi enye indalo ngeke kukwazi ukusihlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu olukuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.”—Roma 8:38, 39.

16. Uyini uMbuso kaMesiya, futhi uJehova umise bani ukuba abe uMbusi?

¹⁶ Uhulumeni kaNkulunkulu, uMbuso kaMesiya, nawo uwubufakazi bothando uJehova analo ngesintu. Kanjani? UJehova usemmisile kakade uMbusi othanda abantu futhi okufanelekelayo ukubusa, uJesu Kristu. (IzAga 8:31) UNkulunkulu wakhetha abantu abangu-144 000 ukuba babuse noKristu ezulwini. Lapho bevuswa, abakhohlwa ukuthi kwakunjani ukuba umuntu. (IsAmbulo 14:1) Ngesikhathi uJesu esesemhlabeni, uMbuso kwakuyisona sihloko ayefundisa ngaso, futhi wafundisa abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandaze bathi: “Baba wethu osemazulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho. Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Siyakulangazelela ukuphendulwa kwemithandazo enjalo lapho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyolethela khona abantu izibusiso eziningi!

17. Qhathanisa ukubusa kukaJesu nokwabantu.

¹⁷ Kunomehluko omkhulu phakathi kokubusa kukaJesu kothando nokwabantu. Ukubusa kwabantu kuholele ezimpini eziye zabulala izigidi zabantu. Kodwa uMbusi wethu, uJesu, usithanda ngempela futhi ulingisa izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu ezinhle, ikakhulukazi uthando lwakhe. (IsAmbulo 7:10, 16, 17) UJesu wathi: “Wozani kimi, nina nonke enikhandlekayo nenisindwayo, ngizonenza niqabuleke. Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu nifunde kimi, ngoba nginomoya omnene futhi ngithobekile ngenhliziyo, nizotholela imiphefumulo yenu ukuqabuleka. Ngoba ijoka lami ngelomusa nomthwalo wami ulula.” (Mathewu 11:28-30) Yeka isithembiso sothando!

18. (a) Yini ebilokhu yenzeka kusukela ngo-1914? (b) Yini esizoxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu waqala ukubusa ezulwini ngo-1914. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, kuye kwaqoqwa amalungu okugcina alabo abayobusa noJesu ezulwini kwabuye kwaqoqwa ‘nesixuku esikhulu’ sabantu abayosinda ekupheleni kwalesi simiso sezinto bangene ezweni elisha. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 13, 14) Sikhulu kangakanani isixuku esikhulu namuhla? Yini uNkulunkulu ayifunayo kuso? Isihloko esilandelayo sizophendula le mibuzo.