Uthando LukaThixo Lukho Ngonaphakade

1-2. Yeyiphi ingxaki anokuba nayo amaKristu amaninzi?

KHAWUBE nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wesikhephe xa kukho isaqhwithi esikhulu. Sibethwa ngamaza amakhulu, asisa ngapha nangapha. Eso sikhephe sinokuya naphi na apho amaza asisa khona, ngaphandle kokuba kuye kwakho umntu osebenzisa iankile. Yona inokusenza sizinze, singakhukuliseki ngoxa kukho isaqhwithi.

² Xa unyamezele ingxaki enzima, usenokuzibona ufana nesi sikhephe. Isenokutshintshatshintsha indlela oziva ngayo. Namhlanje, uqinisekile ukuba uYehova uyakuthanda futhi uyakunceda, ngosuku olulandelayo uyazibuza ukuba uyayibona na imeko okuyo. (INdu. 10:1; 13:1) Mhlawumbi umhlobo wakho uyakukhuthaza, utsho uzive bhetele okwexeshana. (IMize. 17:17; 25:11) Kodwa emva koko uphinda uthandabuze. Usenokude uzibuze ukuba uYehova usakuthanda na. Ungayisebenzisa njani iankile, ngokungathi kunjalo, xa ujongene nengxaki? Ngamanye amazwi, yintoni enokukunceda uqiniseke, uze uhlale uqinisekile ukuba uYehova uyakuthanda futhi uyakunceda?

3. Athetha ukuthini amazwi athi ‘uthando olungagungqiyo’ akwiNdumiso 31:7 no-​136:1? Kutheni sinokuthi uYehova ngoyena Mntu unalo olo thando? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

³ Enye into enokukunceda uzinze xa kunzima, kukungalulibali uthando lukaYehova olungagungqiyo. (Funda iNdumiso 31:7; 136:1.) Xa kusithiwa umntu ‘ukuthanda ngokungagungqiyo’ kuthethwa ukuba ufuna ukuhlala ethe nca kuwe, akafuni nohlukane. UYehova ngoyena Mntu onothando olungagungqiyo. Phofu neBhayibhile ide ithi ‘uphuphuma luthando olungagungqiyo.’ (Eks. 34:​6, 7) Iphinda ithi ngoYehova: “Uthando lwakho olungagungqiyo luyaphuphuma kwabo bakhalela kuwe.” (INdu. 86:5) Khawuyicinge le nto ithethwa zezi zibhalo: UYehova akasoze abashiye abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo kuye! Ukukhumbula ukuba uYehova akagungqi kunokukunceda uzinze xa unengxaki enzima.​—INdu. 23:4.

KHUMBULA UKUBA UTHANDO LUKAYEHOVA YIMFUNDISO ELULA YEBHAYIBHILE

4. Zeziphi ezinye iimfundiso ezilula zeBhayibhile? Kutheni kungekho lula ukuba siyeke ukuzikholelwa?

⁴ Enye into enokukunceda uzinze xa unengxaki kukukhumbula ukuba uthando lukaYehova yimfundiso elula yeBhayibhile. Athetha ukuthini kuwe amagama athi “imfundiso elula yeBhayibhile”? Mhlawumbi ucinga ngezinto ozikholelwayo ozifunde kwiLizwi LikaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, ufundile ukuba igama likaThixo nguYehova, uYesu nguNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, abantu abafileyo abazi nto, nokuba umhlaba uza kuba yiparadesi, apho abantu baza kuhlala ngonaphakade. (INdu. 83:18; INtshu. 9:5; Yoh. 3:16; ISityhi. 21:​3, 4) Wathi wakuzamkela ezo mfundiso, kwanzima kwabanye abantu ukukutshintsha. Kwakutheni? Kuba wabona ukuba ziyinyani. Makhe sibone ukuba ukukhumbula ukuba uthando lukaYehova yimfundiso elula yeBhayibhile, kungakunceda njani uyikhuphe engqondweni yakho into yokuba uYehova akayiboni okanye akayikhathalelanga into eyenzeka kuwe?

5. Chaza indlela umntu anokwahlukana ngayo neemfundiso zobuxoki.

⁵ Xa wawuqala ukufundelwa iBhayibhile, yintoni eyakunceda wayeka ukuzikholelwa iimfundiso zobuxoki? Mhlawumbi yayikukuthelekisa into owawuyifundiswa ecaweni naleyo ifundiswa ziZibhalo. Nanku omnye umzekelo: Masithi wawukholelwa ukuba uYesu nguThixo uSomandla. Kodwa njengoko wawufunda iBhayibhile wazibuza, ‘Ngaba yinyani leyo?’ Emva kokuba uhlolisise iZibhalo, wabona ukuba ayiyonyani. Endaweni yokukholelwa obo buxoki, wakholelwa le mfundiso yeZibhalo: UYesu “kwaqala kwadalwa yena kuyo yonke indalo,” nguye “okuphela koNyana ozelwe nguThixo.” (Kol. 1:15; Yoh. 3:18) Kakade ke, iimfundiso zobuxoki ‘zinokwendela,’ kuze kube nzima ukwahlukana nazo. (2 Kor. 10:​4, 5) Kodwa wena wathi wakukwazi ukwahlukana nazo, awaphinda ubuyele kuzo.​—Fil. 3:13.

6. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba “uthando [lukaYehova] olungagungqiyo lukho ngonaphakade”?

⁶ Unokwenza into efanayo ke nangento esiyifundiswa yiBhayibhile ngothando lukaYehova. Ukuba xa unengxaki uqalisa ukuthandabuza ukuba uThixo uyakuthanda, zibuze, ‘Ngaba ndicinga kakuhle?’ Thelekisa amathandabuzo onawo ngothando lukaYehova namazwi akwiNdumiso 136:​1, umbhalo othathwe kuwo umxholo weli nqaku. Kutheni uYehova esithi uthando lwakhe ‘alugungqi’? Kutheni amazwi athi “uthando lwakhe olungagungqiyo lukho ngonaphakade” ephindwe kayi-26 kule ndumiso? Njengoko sesifundile, indlela uYehova abathanda ngayo ngokungagungqiyo abantu bakhe yimfundiso ebalulekileyo yeBhayibhile, efana nezinye ekuye kwalula ukuzamkela. Bubuxoki into yokuba awubalulekanga kuYehova okanye akakuthandi. Sukuyifaka nokuyifaka engqondweni yakho loo nto, kanye njengokuba ubuza kwenza nangezinye iimfundiso zobuxoki.

7. Zeziphi ezinye izibhalo ezisenza siqiniseke ukuba uYehova uyasithanda?

⁷ EBhayibhileni kukho nezinye izibhalo ezininzi ezisenza siqiniseke ngothando lukaYehova. Ngokomzekelo, uYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Nixabiseke ngaphezulu lee kunezo ntaka.” (Mat. 10:31) NoYehova ngokwakhe wathi kubantu bakhe: ‘Ndiza kuniqinisa, nakanjani ndiza kuninceda, ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, ndiza kunibamba ngesandla sam sasekunene sobulungisa.’ (Isa. 41:10) Uyiqaphele indlela uYehova noYesu abaqiniseke ngayo ngale nto bayithethayo. UYesu akathi ‘Kusenokwenzeka ukuba nixabiseke ngaphezulu lee,’ noYehova akathi ‘Ndisenokuninceda.’ Endaweni yaloo nto, uYesu uthi, “Nixabiseke ngaphezulu lee,” aze uYehova athi, ‘Ndiza kuninceda.’ Ukuba kunokwenzeka uthandabuze ukuba uThixo uyakuthanda xa unengxaki, izibhalo ezifana nezi azizukuphelela nje ekukwenzeni uzive bhetele; zinokukwenza wazi bhetele. Ziyinyani. Xa uthandaza kuYehova, umxelele ngamathandabuzo onawo uze ucingisise ngezi zibhalo, uza kutsho uthethe la mazwi aku-1 Yohane 4:16: “Siyazi ibe siyakholwa ukuba uThixo uyasithanda.”a

8. Yintoni onokuyenza ukuba ukhe uthandabuze ukuba uYehova uyakuthanda?

⁸ Uza kuthini ke ukuba ngamanye amaxesha usathandabuza ukuba uYehova uyakuthanda? Thelekisa indlela oziva ngayo nento oyaziyo. Indlela oziva ngayo isenokutshintsha, kodwa yona inyani ihlala injalo. Ngoko into esiyifundiswa ziZibhalo yokuba uYehova uyasithanda, yinyaniso engasoze itshintshe. Ukuba sicinga ngendlela eyahlukileyo kule, silujongela phantsi olona phawu lubalulekileyo lukaYehova, uthando.​—1 Yoh. 4:8.

CINGISISA NGENDLELA ‘AKUTHANDA’ NGAYO UYEHOVA

9-10. Wayethetha ngantoni uYesu xa wayesithi: “Utata [ngokwakhe] uyanithanda,” kuYohane 16:​26, 27? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

⁹ Sinokufunda nezinye izinto ngendlela uYehova asithanda ngayo ngokucingisisa ngala mazwi uYesu wawathetha kubalandeli bakhe: “UTata [ngokwakhe] uyanithanda.” (Funda uYohane 16:​26, 27.) UYesu zange athethe la mazwi kuba nje efuna abafundi bakhe bazive kamnandi. Phofu neevesi ezingaphambi kwale zibonisa ukuba wayengathethi ngendlela ababeziva ngayo ngelo xesha. Wayethetha ngento eyahlukileyo, umthandazo.

¹⁰ UYesu wayesand’ ukuxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba bafanele bathandaze egameni lakhe, bangathandazi kuye. (Yoh. 16:​23, 24) Kwakubalulekile ukuba bayazi loo nto. Emva kokuvuswa kukaYesu, abafundi babesenokufuna ukuthandaza kuye. Kaloku wayengumhlobo wabo. Babesenokucinga ukuba kuba ebathanda, uza kuziva izicelo zabo, aze azise kuTata wakhe. Kodwa uYesu wathi babengamele bacinge ngolu hlobo. Kwakutheni? Kuba wathi: “UTata [ngokwakhe] uyanithanda.” Leyo yenye yeenyaniso ezilula ezifundiswa yiBhayibhile ngomthandazo. Ithetha ukuthini ke loo nto ngawe? Ukufunda kwakho iBhayibhile kukwenze wamazi waza wamthanda uYesu. (Yoh. 14:21) Kodwa njengabafundi bokuqala, unokuqiniseka xa uthandaza kuYehova, usazi ukuba yena ngokwakhe “uyakuthanda.” Qho xa uthandaza kuYehova ubonisa ukuba unokholo kuloo mazwi.​—1 Yoh. 5:14.

YIQONDE EYONA NTO IKWENZA UTHANDABUZE

11. Kutheni enokuvuya uSathana xa sinokuthandabuza ukuba uYehova uyasithanda?

¹¹ Kutheni sithandabuza ukuba uYehova uyasithanda? Usenokuthi kungenxa kaSathana, futhi ikhona inyani kuloo nto. Kaloku uMtyholi ‘ufuna ukusiqwenga,’ futhi angavuya kakhulu xa sinokuthandabuza ukuba uYehova uyasithanda. (1 Pet. 5:8) Inyaniso kukuba indlela asithanda ngayo uYehova imenze wasilungiselela intlawulelo. Naleyo into uSathana ufuna sizive ngathi ayisifanelanga. (Heb. 2:9) Ngubani oye avuye xa sithandabuza ukuba uYehova uyasithanda? NguSathana. Xa kunzima size sinikezele, kwenzeka intando kabani? EkaSathana. Iyamangalisa ke into yokuba ibe nguSathana ozama ukusenza sithandabuze ukuba uYehova uyasithanda. Nguye oyena mntu ungasathandwayo nguYehova. Kodwa esebenzisa elinye lawona ‘maqhinga’ akhe achuliweyo, uzama ukusenza sikholelwe ukuba sithi abangasathandwayo nabangasafunwayo nguYehova. (Efe. 6:11) Xa sikuqonda oko utshaba lwethu luzama ukukwenza, siza kuzimisela nakakhulu ‘ukumchasa uMtyholi.’​—Yak. 4:7.

12-13. Isono esasifumana kuAdam sinokusenza njani sithandabuze ukuba uYehova uyasithanda?

¹² Ikhona ke nenye into enokusenza sithandabuze ukuba uYehova uyasithanda. Yintoni? Sisono esasifumana kuAdam. (INdu. 51:5; Roma 5:12) Isono siye sabumosha ubuhlobo babantu noMdali wabo, samosha nendlela esiziva ngayo, esicinga ngayo, nemizimba yethu.

¹³ Isono sisenza sibe neemvakalelo esingazithandiyo, ezifana nokuzisola, ixhala, ukungazithembi neentloni. Sinokuziva ngolo hlobo xa siye sona. Kodwa enye into enokusenza sizive kanjalo zizinto ezisoloko zisikhumbuza ngemeko yethu yokuba nesono, sibe thina singadalelwanga ukuba sibe naso. (Roma 8:​20, 21) Njengokuba imoto enevili eliphelelwa ngumoya ingakwazi ukuhamba kakuhle, nathi ngenxa yesono izinto asizenzi kakuhle ngala ndlela yayifunwa nguThixo xa wayesidala. Ngoko ayisothusi into yokuba ngamanye amaxesha sibe nengxaki yokuthandabuza ukuba uYehova uyasithanda. Xa isenzeka loo nto, simele sikhumbule ukuba uYehova nguThixo “omkhulu nomangalisayo, . . . nobathanda ngokungagungqiyo abo bamthandayo nabathobela imithetho yakhe.”​—Neh. 1:5.

14. Ukucinga ngentlawulelo kunokusinceda njani siyeke ukuthandabuza ukuba uYehova uyasithanda? (Roma 5:8) (Jonga nebhokisi ethi “Walumkele ‘Amandla Esono Aqhathayo.’”)

¹⁴ Kakade ke, ngamanye amaxesha sisenokuziva ngathi uthando lukaYehova alusifanelanga. Xa sithetha inyani, alusifanelanga. Yiloo nto kanye elwenza luxabiseke. Akukho nto sinokuyenza ukuze lusifanele uthando lukaYehova. Sekunjalo, kuba esithanda, walungiselela intlawulelo ukuze akwazi ukuxolela izono zethu. (1 Yoh. 4:10) Khumbula nokuba uYesu wayeze kusindisa aboni, hayi abantu abafezekileyo. (Funda amaRoma 5:8.) Akekho kuthi onokukwazi ukwenza yonke into kakuhle, futhi noYehova akalindelanga loo nto kuthi. Xa siqonda ukuba isono esasifumana kuAdam sinokusenza sithandabuze ukuba uYehova uyasithanda, siza kuzimisela ukuba singasivumeli siphazamise indlela esicinga ngayo.​—Roma 7:​24, 25.

KHETHA UKUHLALA UTHEMBEKILE

15-16. Xa sinamathela kuYehova, yintoni esinokuqiniseka ngayo, futhi kutheni? (2 Samuweli 22:26)

¹⁵ UYehova ufuna senze ukhetho olufanelekileyo ngokuthi ‘sinamathele kuye.’ (Dut. 30:​19, 20) Xa sisenza loo nto, sinokuqiniseka ukuba uza kuhlala ethe nca kuthi. (Funda u-2 Samuweli 22:26.) Ukuba sihlala simkhonza singagungqi uYehova, sinokumthemba ukuba uza kusinceda kuyo nayiphi na imeko evelayo ebomini bethu.

¹⁶ Njengokuba sesivile, sinezizathu ezininzi zokuhlala sizinzile xa sineengxaki. Siyazi ukuba uYehova uyasithanda futhi uza kusixhasa. Isifundisa loo nto iBhayibhile. Ukuba kuyenzeka sithandabuze ukuba uyasithanda, sinokucinga ngezinto esaziyo ukuba ziyinyani kunendlela esiziva ngayo ngelo xesha. Masihlale siyithemba inyaniso eseBhayibhileni yokuba uthando lukaYehova olungagungqiyo lukho ngonaphakade.