Yakheka Ngenxa Yothando

“Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela.”—MATEYU 22:37.

1. (a) Ziziphi ezinye zezinto ezihlakulelwa ngumKristu? (b) Luluphi olona phawu lobuKristu lubalulekileyo, yaye ngoba?

ZININZI izinto ezihlakulelwa ngumKristu ukuze abe ngumlungiseleli ophumelelayo. Incwadi yeMizekeliso ibalaselisa ukuxabiseka kolwazi, ukuqonda nobulumko. (IMizekeliso 2:1-10) Umpostile uPawulos waxubusha ngemfuneko yokuba nokholo olungaxengaxengiyo nethemba eliqinisekileyo. (Roma 1:16, 17; Kolose 1:5; Hebhere 10:39) Kubalulekile nokuba nonyamezelo nokuzeyisa. (IZenzo 24:25; Hebhere 10:36) Noko ke, lukho olunye uphawu ekunokuthi, xa lungekho, luzenze zifiphale ezinye lude luzenze zingabi naxabiso. Olo phawu luthando.—1 Korinte 13:1-3, 13.

2. UYesu wakubonakalisa njani ukubaluleka kothando, yaye oku kubangela ukuba kubuzwe yiphi imibuzo?

² UYesu wabonisa ukubaluleka kothando xa wathi: “Ngako oko bonke baya kwazi ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Yohane 13:35) Ekubeni uthando luluphawu olwahlula umKristu wokwenyaniso, sifanele sizibuze le mibuzo, Yintoni uthando? Kutheni lubaluleke kangangokuba uYesu athi, ngaphezu kwazo zonke izinto, luphawu olwahlula abafundi bakhe? Sinokuluhlakulela njani uthando? Ngoobani esifanele sibathande? Makhe siqwalasele le mibuzo.

Yintoni Uthando?

3. Lunokuchazwa njani uthando, yaye kutheni lubandakanya kokubini ingqondo nentliziyo?

³ Enye indlela oluchazwa ngayo uthando kukuba ‘luyimvakalelo yokusondela ngokusenyongweni okanye ukuba nomsa ngokunzulu, ukuthanda okanye ukutsaleleka komnye umntu.’ Luphawu olushukumisela abantu ukuba benzele abanye okulungileyo, maxa wambi bezincama ngokwenene ukuze benze oko. Uthando, njengoko luchazwa eBhayibhileni, lubandakanya kokubini ingqondo nentliziyo. Ingqondo inendima yayo kuba umntu othanda omnye, ukwenza oko eqonda ukuba yena kunye nabanye abantu abathandayo, bonke banobuthathaka kunye neempawu ezintle. Ingqondo ibandakanyekile ngokubhekele phaya ekubeni umKristu enabantu abathandayo—mhlawumbi angatyekelanga ekubathandeni ngokwemvelo—ngenxa yokuba esazi ngokusuka koko akufunde eBhayibhileni ukuba uThixo ufuna ukuba enjenjalo. (Mateyu 5:44; 1 Korinte 16:14) Sekunjalo, ngokusisiseko uthando lusuka entliziyweni. Uthando lokwenene njengoko luchazwe eBhayibhileni asinto nje isuka engqondweni. Lubandakanya ukunyaniseka ngokunzulu nokuzibophelela ngokupheleleyo ngokweemvakalelo.—1 Petros 1:22.

4. Uthando luliqhina elinamandla ngayiphi indlela?

⁴ Abantu abazingca ngokusuk’ entliziyweni kunqabile ukuba babandakanyeke kulwalamano lothando lokwenene kuba umntu othanda omnye ukulungele ukubeka izilangazelelo zomnye ngaphambi kwezakhe. (Filipi 2:2-4) Amazwi kaYesu athi “kunoyolo ngakumbi ukupha kunokwamkela” ayinyaniso ngokukodwa xa ukupha kusisenzo sothando. (IZenzo 20:35) Uthando liqhina elinamandla. (Kolose 3:14) Ngokufuthi lubandakanya ubuhlobo, kodwa amaqhina othando omelele ngakumbi kunalawo obuhlobo. Ulwalamano oluphakathi kwendoda nomfazi wayo maxa wambi luchazwa njengothando; noko ke, uthando iBhayibhile ekhuthaza ukuba siluhlakulele luhlala ixesha elide kunokutsaleleka ngokomzimba. Xa isibini sithandana ngokwenene, sihlala kunye kwanokuba asisenakuba nazo iintlobano zesini ngenxa yobulwelwe obubangelwa kukwaluphala okanye ngenxa yokuba omnye wabo enesiphene esithile.

Uthando—Uphawu Olubalulekileyo

5. Kutheni uthando luluphawu olubalulekileyo kumKristu?

⁵ Kutheni uthando luluphawu olubalulekileyo kumKristu? Okokuqala, ngenxa yokuba uYesu wayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandane. Wathi: “Ningabahlobo bam ukuba nenza oko ndiniyalela kona. Ndiniyalela ezi zinto, ukuze nithandane.” (Yohane 15:14, 17) Okwesibini, ngenxa yokuba uYehova eluthando lumntwisiwe, thina njengabanquli bakhe sifanele simxelise. (Efese 5:1; 1 Yohane 4:16) IBhayibhile ithi ukungenisa ulwazi ngoYehova noYesu kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade. Sinokutsho njani ukuba siyamazi uThixo ukuba asizami ukuba njengaye? Umpostile uYohane waqiqa ngolu hlobo: “Lowo ungenaluthando akamazi uThixo, kuba uThixo uluthando.”—1 Yohane 4:8.

6. Uthando lunokuzilungelelanisa njani iinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobomi bethu?

⁶ Uthando lubalulekile ngenxa yesizathu sesithathu: Lusinceda ukuba silungelelanise iinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobomi bethu yaye lukhulisa intshukumisa elungileyo koko sikwenzayo. Ngokomzekelo, kubalulekile ukuqhubeka ungenisa ulwazi lweLizwi likaThixo. Ulwazi olunjalo lufana nokutya kumKristu. Lumnceda ukuba akhule aze aqole enze ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kukaThixo. (INdumiso 119:105; Mateyu 4:4; 2 Timoti 3:15, 16) Noko ke, uPawulos walumkisa esithi: “Ulwazi luyakhukhumalisa, kodwa uthando luyakha.” (1 Korinte 8:1) Akukho nto iphosakeleyo ngolwazi oluchanileyo. Ingxaki ikuthi—sinotyekelo lwesono. (Genesis 8:21) Ukuba impembelelo elungelelanisayo yothando ayikho, ulwazi lunokwenza umntu akhukhumale, azicingele ukuba ubhetele kunabanye abantu. Akuyi kwenzeka oko ukuba ngokusisiseko ushukunyiswa luthando. “Uthando . . . alugwagwisi, alukhukhumali.” (1 Korinte 13:4) UmKristu oshukunyiswa luthando akakhukhumali nokuba sele ezuza ulwazi olunzulu. Uthando lumenza ahlale ethobekile yaye luyamthintela ekufuneni ukuzenzela igama.—INdumiso 138:6; Yakobi 4:6.

7, 8. Uthando lusinceda njani sinikele ingqalelo kwezona zinto zibalulekileyo?

⁷ UPawulos wabhalela abaseFilipi esithi: “Ndiqhubeka ndithandazela ukuba uthando lwenu luphuphume ngakumbi nangakumbi lulwazi oluchanileyo nokuqonda okupheleleyo; ukuze niqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke ngakumbi.” (Filipi 1:9, 10) Uthando lobuKristu luya kusinceda ukuba silandele olu khuthazo ukuze siqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke ngakumbi. Ngokomzekelo, phawula amazwi kaPawulos aya kuTimoti: “Ukuba ubani uzabalazela isigxina sobuveleli, unqwenela umsebenzi omhle.” (1 Timoti 3:1) Ebudeni bonyaka wenkonzo wama-2000, inani lamabandla ehlabathini lonke liye lantinga laya kutsho kwi-1 502, nto leyo eye yabangela isimbuku esitsha sama-91 487. Ngenxa yoko, kukho imfuneko enkulu yabadala abangakumbi, yaye bamele banconywe abo bazabalazela eli lungelo.

⁸ Noko ke, abo bazabalazela amalungelo okuba ngabaveleli baya kuba ngabalungeleleneyo ukuba bahlala bekhumbula injongo yelo lungelo. Ukuba negunya okanye ukuba ngumntu obalaseleyo akuyonto ibalulekileyo. Abadala abakholisa uYehova bashukunyiswa kukuthanda yena nabazalwana babo. Abafuni kubalasela okanye ukulawula abanye. Umpostile uPetros, emva kokululeka abadala bebandla ukuba babe nesimo sengqondo esihle, wabethelela imfuneko yokuba ‘nokuthobeka kwengqondo.’ Waluleka bonke ebandleni esithi: “Zithobeni . . . phantsi kwesandla esinamandla sikaThixo.” (1 Petros 5:1-6) Nabani na ozabalazela amalungelo enkonzo uyatyapha ukuqwalasela imizekelo yabadala abaninzi ehlabathini lonke abazibhokoxayo, bethobekile yaye ngaloo ndlela abayintsikelelo emabandleni abo.—Hebhere 13:7.

Ukuba Nentshukumisa Entle Kusinceda Sinyamezele

9. Kutheni amaKristu ehlala ecinga ngeentsikelelo azithenjiswe nguYehova?

⁹ Ukubaluleka kokushukunyiswa luthando kubonwa nangenye indlela. Kwabo basukela uzinikelo lobuthixo ngenxa yothando, iBhayibhile ithembisa iintsikelelo ezityebileyo ngoku neentsikelelo ezingummangaliso nezingenakuthelekelelwa kwixesha elizayo. (1 Timoti 4:8) UmKristu owakholelwa ngamandla la madinga noweyisekileyo kukuba uYehova “ungumvuzi wabo bamfuna ngenyameko” uyancedwa ukuba ahlale omelele elukholweni. (Hebhere 11:6) Inkoliso yethu iyakulangazelela ukuzaliseka kwamadinga kaThixo yaye ivakalelwa njengompostile uYohane owathi: “Amen! Yiza, Nkosi Yesu.” (ISityhilelo 22:20) Ewe, ukucamngca ngeentsikelelo esizigcinelweyo ukuba sithembekile kuyasomeleza, nanjengoko noYesu wancedwa kukuhlala ecinga ‘ngovuyo olwalubekwe phambi kwakhe’ ukuze anyamezele.—Hebhere 12:1, 2.

10, 11. Ukushukunyiswa luthando kusinceda njani ukuba sinyamezele?

¹⁰ Kuthekani ke ngoko ukuba umnqweno wethu wokuphila kwihlabathi elitsha kuphela kwentshukumisa yokukhonza kwethu uYehova? Ngoko sinokuphelelwa ngumonde lula okanye singaneliseki xa izinto zisiba nzima okanye xa izinto zingenzeki ngendlela okanye ngexesha ebesithembe ukuba ziya kwenzeka ngalo. Singaba kwingozi enkulu yokukhukuliseka. (Hebhere 2:1; 3:12) UPawulos wathetha ngeqabane lakhe langaphambili elibizwa ngokuba nguDemas, elamshiyayo. Ngenxa yantoni? Ngenxa “yokuthanda inkqubo yezinto yangoku.” (2 Timoti 4:10) Nabaphi na abakhonza ngenxa nje yokuzingca basengozini yokwenza okufanayo. Basenokutsalwa ngamathuba anikelwa lihlabathi ngoku baze bangavumi ukuzincama ngoku kuba bethembe iintsikelelo ezizayo.

¹¹ Ngoxa kufanelekile yaye kuyimvelo ukuba nomnqweno wokufumana iintsikelelo kwixesha elizayo nokufumana isiqabu kwiimvavanyo, uthando lwakha uxabiso ngoko kufanele kube kwindawo yokuqala ebomini bethu. Into ebalulekileyo kukuthanda kukaYehova, kungekhona okwethu. (Luka 22:41, 42) Ewe, uthando luyasakha. Lusenza saneliseke size silindele kuThixo wethu ngomonde, saneliseke zizo naziphi na iintsikelelo asinika zona sinentembelo yokuba ngexesha lakhe elifanelekileyo siya kufumana yonk’ into asithembise yona—nokungakumbi. (INdumiso 145:16; 2 Korinte 12:8, 9) Okwangoku, uthando lusinceda ukuba siqhubeke sikhonza ngokungazingci ngenxa yokuba “uthando . . . alufuni ezalo izilangazelelo.”—1 Korinte 13:4, 5.

Ngubani Ofanele Athandwe NgamaKristu?

12. Ngokutsho kukaYesu, ngubani esifanele simthande?

¹² UYesu wasinika umgaqo osebenza ngokubanzi ngalowo esifanele simthande xa wacaphula amasolotya amabini kuMthetho kaMoses. Wathi: “Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela” yaye “Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.”—Mateyu 22:37-39.

13. Sinokufunda njani ukuthanda uYehova, nangona singenakumbona?

¹³ Ngokusuka kumazwi kaYesu, kucacile ukuba okokuqala sifanele sithande uYehova. Noko ke, asizalwa sinothando olupheleleyo ngoYehova. Yinto esimele siyihlakulele. Ekuqaleni kwethu ukuva ngaye, satsaleleka kuye ngenxa yoko sakuvayo. Ngokuthe ngcembe, safunda indlela awawulungisa ngayo umhlaba esenzela uluntu. (Genesis 2:5-23) Safunda indlela aye waqhubana ngayo noluntu, akazange asityeshele emva kokuba isono singene kwintsapho engabantu, kodwa wathabatha amanyathelo okusikhulula. (Genesis 3:1-5, 15) Wabaphatha ngobubele abo babethembekile, yaye ekugqibeleni wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ukuze kuxolelwe izono zethu. (Yohane 3:16, 36) Olu lwazi lungakumbi lwalwandisa uxabiso lwethu ngoYehova. (Isaya 25:1) UKumkani uDavide wathi uyamthanda uYehova ngenxa yenyameko Yakhe yothando. (INdumiso 116:1-9) Namhlanje, uYehova uyasinyamekela, uyasikhokela, uyasomeleza yaye uyasikhuthaza. Okukhona sifunda ngaye, kokukhona luya lukhula uthando lwethu.—INdumiso 31:23; Zefaniya 3:17; Roma 8:28.

Sinokulubonakalisa Njani Uthando Lwethu?

14. Sinokubonisa ngayiphi indlela ukuba simthanda ngokwenene uThixo?

¹⁴ Kakade ke, abaninzi ehlabathini jikelele bathi bayamthanda uThixo, kodwa indlela abazenza ngayo izinto iyakuphikisa oko bakutshoyo. Sinokwazi njani ukuba siyamthanda uYehova ngenene? Sinokuthetha naye emthandazweni size simxelele indlela esivakalelwa ngayo. Yaye sinokwenza ngendlela ebonisa olo thando lwethu. Umpostile uYohane wathi: “Nabani na othi aligcine ilizwi [likaThixo], eneneni uthando lukaThixo lwenziwe lwagqibelela kuloo mntu. Yiyo ke leyo indlela esiya kwazi ngayo ukuba simanyene naye.” (1 Yohane 2:5; 5:3) Phakathi kwezinye izinto, iLizwi likaThixo lisixelela ukuba masihlanganisane ndawonye yaye siphile ubomi obucocekileyo bokuziphatha. Siyakuphepha ukuhanahanisa, sithetha inyaniso size sigcine iingcinga zethu zicocekile. (2 Korinte 7:1; Efese 4:15; 1 Timoti 1:5; Hebhere 10:23-25) Sibonisa uthando ngokunika abo basweleyo uncedo lwezinto eziphathekayo. (1 Yohane 3:17, 18) Yaye asiyeki ukuxelela abanye ngoYehova. Oku kuquka ukuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani owenziwa ehlabathini lonke. (Mateyu 24:14; Roma 10:10) Ukuthobela iLizwi likaThixo kwizinto ezinjalo bubungqina bokuba uthando lwethu ngoYehova lolokwenene.

15, 16. Uthando ngoYehova lubachaphazele njani abantu abaninzi kulo nyaka uphelileyo?

¹⁵ Ukuthanda uYehova kunceda abantu benze izigqibo ezifanelekileyo. Kulo nyaka uphelileyo, olo thando lwashukumisa abantu abangama-288 907 ukuba bahlulele ubomi babo kuye baze bafuzisele eso sigqibo ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Uzahlulelo lwabo lwalunentsingiselo. Lwaluphawula inguquko ebomini babo. Ngokomzekelo, uGazmend wayengomnye wabona badlali badumileyo bebhola yomnyazi eAlbania. Kangangeminyaka ethile, yena nenkosikazi yakhe babefundisisa iBhayibhile yaye nangona kwakukho imiqobo ekugqibeleni bakufanelekela ukuba ngabavakalisi boBukumkani. Kunyaka ophelileyo, uGazmend uye wabhaptizwa, ungomnye wabangama-366 ababhaptizwe eAlbania kunyaka wenkonzo wama-2000. Iphephandaba lapapasha inqaku elithetha ngaye lisithi: “Ubomi bakhe bunenjongo, yaye ngenxa yoku, yena nentsapho yakhe banandipha elona xesha limnandi ebomini babo. Kuye, akusabalulekanga ukubona ukuba unokuzuza kangakanani ebomini, kodwa kunoko, ufuna ukubona ukuba unokunikela kangakanani ukuze ancede abanye abantu.”

¹⁶ Ngokufanayo, udade osandul’ ukubhaptizwa osebenza kwinkampani yeoli eGuam wathenjiswa okuthile okwakunokumhenda. Emva kokumana enyukela kwizikhundla eziphezulu zengqesho kangangeminyaka, ekugqibeleni wavulelwa ithuba lokuba abe libhinqa lokuqala kuloo nkampani elilisekela-mphathi. Noko ke, ngoku wayesele ahlulele ubomi bakhe kuYehova. Ngoko emva kokuwuxubusha lo mbandela nomyeni wakhe, lo dade usemtsha akazange akuvume oko yaye endaweni yoko walungiselela ukuba afumane umsebenzi wesingxungxo ukuze akwazi ukwenza inkqubela yokuba ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo, uvulindlela. Ukuthanda uYehova kwamshukumisela ukuba afune ukumkhonza njengovulindlela kunokuba asukele iingenelo zemali zeli hlabathi. Eneneni, olo thando luye lwashukumisa abantu abangama-805 205 ehlabathini lonke ukuba babe nesabelo kwiinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobulungiseleli bobuvulindlela ebudeni bonyaka wenkonzo wama-2000. Enjani yona imbonakaliso yothando nokholo eyenziwa ngabo vulindlela!

Bashukunyiselwa Ukuthanda UYesu

17. Nguwuphi umzekelo omhle wothando esiwubona kuYesu?

¹⁷ UYesu ngowona mzekelo ubalaseleyo womntu owashukunyiswa luthando. Ngaphambi kokuba aphile njengomntu, wayemthanda uYise eluthanda noluntu. Njengobulumko bumntwisiwe, wathi: “Ndandisecaleni [koYehova] njengomsebénzi onobuchule, yaye wayendithanda ngokukhethekileyo imihla ngemihla, ndichulumanca phambi kwakhe amaxesha onke, ndichulumanca kwilizwe elinemveliso lomhlaba wakhe, nezinto endazithandayo zazikoonyana babantu.” (IMizekeliso 8:30, 31) Uthando lukaYesu lwamshukumisela ukuba ancame ukuhlala ezulwini aze kuzalwa njengemveku engenakuzenzela nto. Wabonakalisa umonde nobubele kubantu abalulamileyo nabathobekileyo yaye wabandezeleka ezandleni zeentshaba zikaYehova. Ekugqibeleni, wafela lonke uluntu kwisibonda sentuthumbo. (Yohane 3:35; 14:30, 31; 15:12, 13; Filipi 2:5-11) Onjani ukuba mhle wona umzekelo wentshukumisa efanelekileyo!

18. (a) Siluhlakulela njani uthando ngoYesu? (b) Sibonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uYesu?

¹⁸ Xa abo baneentliziyo ezilungileyo befunda ngengxelo yobomi bukaYesu kwiiVangeli baze bacamngce ngeendlela ezininzi ngayo iintsikelelo abaye bazifumana ngenxa yekhondo lakhe lokuthembeka, oku kubangela ukuba babe nothando olungakumbi ngaye. Thina namhlanje sifana nabo wayethetha nabo uPetros xa wayesithi: “Nakuba ningazange nimbone [uYesu], niyamthanda.” (1 Petros 1:8) Uthando lwethu lubonakala xa siqhelisela ukholo kuye size sixelise ubomi bakhe bokuzincama. (1 Korinte 11:1; 1 Tesalonika 1:6; 1 Petros 2:21-25) NgoAprili 19, 2000, isimbuku sabantu abali-14 872 086 sakhunjuzwa ngezizathu zokuthanda uYesu xa sasize kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe saminyaka le. Elinjani lona ukuba likhulu inani! Yaye hayi indlela ekomeleza ngayo ukwazi ukuba baninzi kangaka abantu abanomdla ekusindisweni ngedini likaYesu! Enyanisweni, siyakheka ngenxa yokuthandwa nguYehova noYesu nangenxa yokubathanda kwethu.

19. Yiyiphi imibuzo ethetha ngothando eza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁹ UYesu wathi sifanele simthande uYehova ngentliziyo, umphefumlo ingqondo namandla ethu ephela. Kodwa waphinda wathi sifanele sithande ummelwane wethu njengokuba sizithanda. (Marko 12:29-31) Kuquka bani oku? Yaye ukuthanda ummelwane kusinceda njani sihlale silungelelene yaye sinentshukumisa efanelekileyo? Le mibuzo iza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.

Uyakhumbula Na?

• Kutheni uthando luluphawu olubalulekileyo nje?

• Sinokufunda njani ukuthanda uYehova?

• Ihambo yethu ibonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uYehova?

• Silubonisa njani uthando lwethu ngoYesu?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10, 11]

Uthando luyasinceda ukuba silindele ukufumana isiqabu ngomonde

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]

Idini elikhulu likaYesu lisishukumisela ukuba simthande