Izinto Ezenza Ubani Afanelekele Ukubhaptizwa NjengomKristu
“Yintoni na endithintelayo ukuba ndibhaptizwe?”—IZENZO 8:36.
1, 2. UFilipu wayiqalisa njani incoko negosa elingumTiyopiya, yaye yintoni ebonisa ukuba le ndoda yayinomdla kunqulo lokwenyaniso?
EMVA konyaka okanye emibini uYesu efile, igosa laseburhulumenteni lalisinge emazantsi livela eYerusalem lisiya eGaza. Kwakusafuneka lihambe ngenqwelo indlela edinisayo mhlawumbi eziikhilomitha ezili-1 500. Le ndoda inenzondelelo yayisuka eTiyopiya isiya eYerusalem ukuya kunqula uYehova. Kuloo ndlela inde igodukayo, yayisebenzisa ixesha layo ngobulumko ngokufunda iLizwi likaThixo—oku kubonisa indlela eyayinokholo ngayo. UYehova wayibona le ndoda inyanisekileyo, waza esebenzisa ingelosi, wathumela umfundi uFilipu ukuba aye kushumayela kuyo.—IZenzo 8:26-28.
2 UFilipu akazange abe nengxaki yokuqalisa incoko, kuba eli gosa lomTiyopiya lalifunda ngokuvakalayo, njengoko kwakusenziwa njalo ngaloo mihla. Ngenxa yoko, uFilipu wakwazi ukuva ukuba lalifunda umsongo kaIsaya. Umbuzo nje omnye olula kaFilipu othi: “Uyakwazi na okunene oku ukufundayo?,” wavusa umdla kule ndoda. Oku kwakhokelela ekubeni baxubushe uIsaya 53:7, 8. Ekugqibeleni, uFilipu ‘wazivakalisa kuyo iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoYesu.’—IZenzo 8:29-35.
3, 4. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uFilipu angaphozisi maseko ukubhaptiza umTiyopiya? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiqwalasela?
3 Ngexesha nje elingephi, lo mTiyopiya wayiqonda indima kaYesu kwinjongo kaThixo, nesizathu sokuba efanele abe ngumfundi kaKristu obhaptiziweyo. Xa wabona amanzi amaninzi wabuza uFilipu: “Yintoni na endithintelayo ukuba ndibhaptizwe?” Kakade ke, le yayiyimeko ekhethekileyo. Le yayiyindoda enokholo eyayisele inqula uThixo kuba yayiguqukele ebuYudeni. Mhlawumbi kwakuza kufuneka ilinde ixesha elide ngaphambi kokuba ifumane elinye ithuba lokubhaptizwa. Okubaluleke ngakumbi, le ndoda yayikuqonda oko uThixo akufunayo kuyo, ibe yayifuna ukukwenza ngokupheleleyo. Ngovuyo uFilipu wenza ngokwesicelo sayo, yaye emva kokuba lo mTiyopiya ebhaptiziwe, ‘wahamba enemihlali.’ Akuthandabuzeki ukuba waba ngumshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo onenzondelelo kwilizwe lakhe.—IZenzo 8:36-39.
4 Nangona amanyathelo okuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa engamele athatyathwe lula nangokungxama, umzekelo wegosa elingumTiyopiya ubonisa ukuba kukho izihlandlo apho abathile baye babhaptizwa kamsinya emva kokuba beve inyaniso yeLizwi likaThixo.a Ngoko, kuhle ukuqwalasela le mibuzo ilandelayo: Ubani unokululungiselela njani ubhaptizo? Ifanele iqwalaselwe xa kutheni iminyaka kabani? Yiyiphi inkqubela yokomoya efanele ibonakale ngaphambi kokuba ubani abhaptizwe? Ngaphezu kwako konke, kutheni uYehova efuna abakhonzi bakhe babhaptizwe?
Isithembiso Esinyanisekileyo
5, 6. (a) Ngaphambili abantu bakaThixo basabela njani kuthando lwakhe? (b) Luluphi ulwalamano olusondeleyo esinokuba nalo noThixo sakuba sibhaptiziwe?
5 Emva kokukhulula amaSirayeli eYiputa, uYehova wayekulungele ukuwamkela ‘njengayinqobo kuye,’ awathande aze awakhusele yaye awenze ‘uhlanga olungcwele.’ Noko ke, ukuze afumane ezo ntsikelelo, ayefanele axabise uthando lukaThixo. Oku akwenza ngokuvuma ukwenza ‘konke akuthethileyo uYehova’ aze enza umnqophiso naye. (Eksodus 19:4-9) Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, uYesu wayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba benze abafundi abantu bazo zonke iintlanga, yaye bonke abamkela iimfundiso zakhe babebhaptizwa. Ukuze babe nolwalamano oluhle noThixo babemele babe nokholo kuYesu Kristu baze babhaptizwe.—Mateyu 28:19, 20; IZenzo 2:38, 41.
6 Ezi ngxelo zeZibhalo zibonisa ukuba uYehova uyabasikelela abo benza isithembiso esinyanisekileyo sokumkhonza baze basigcine. KumaKristu, ukuzahlulela nobhaptizo ngamanyathelo afunekayo akhokelela ekufumaneni intsikelelo kaYehova. Sizimisele ukulandela iindlela zakhe nokufuna ukhokelo lwakhe. (INdumiso 48:14) Ngenxa yoko, uYehova ngokufuziselayo usibamba ngesandla aze asikhokelele kwindlela esimele sihambe ngayo.—INdumiso 73:23; Isaya 30:21; 41:10, 13.
7. Kutheni ukuzahlulela nobhaptizo imele ibe sisigqibo sobuqu?
7 Isizathu sokubhaptizwa imele ibe kukuthanda uYehova nomnqweno wokumkhonza. Akukho mntu umele abhaptizwe kuba exelelwa ngomnye umntu ukuba sele efunde ixesha elide okanye kuba abahlobo bakhe bebhaptizwa. Ngokwemvelo, abazali namanye amaKristu aqolileyo anokukhuthaza ubani ukuba acinge ngokuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa. Umpostile uPetros wabongoza abo babemphulaphule ngePentekoste ukuba ‘babhaptizwe.’ (IZenzo 2:38) Sekunjalo, ukuzahlulela sisigqibo esimele sizenzele ngokwethu, akukho mntu unokusenzela sona. Simele sizenzele isigqibo sokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo.—INdumiso 40:8.
Izinto Ubani Afanele Azenze Ngaphambi Kokubhaptizwa
8, 9. (a) Kutheni ukubhaptizwa kweentsana kungavisisani neZibhalo? (b) Yiyiphi inkqubela yokomoya abafanele bayenze abaselula ngaphambi kokuba babhaptizwe?
8 Ngaba abantwana banokuzahlulela ngokusekelwe kulwazi abanalo? IZibhalo azichazi ukuba ubani ufanele abe mdala kangakanani na ukuze abhaptizwe. Sekunjalo, iintsana azinakukwazi ukuzenzela izigqibo ngokusekelwe kukholo lwazo okanye zizahlulele kuThixo. (IZenzo 8:12) Ngokuphathelele amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, kwincwadi yakhe ethi General History of the Christian Religion and Church umbhali-mbali uAugustus Neander wathi: “Ekuqaleni kwakubhaptizwa kuphela abantu abadala, kuba abantu babenengcamango yokuba ubhaptizo nokholo zinxulumene ngokusondeleyo.”
9 Kwimeko yabaselula, bambi besebancinane bayakwazi ukuqonda izinto ezisisiseko ngoThixo nenjongo yakhe baze babe nomnqweno wokwenza ngokuvisisana noko akufunayo, ngoxa kwabanye kuye kuthabath’ iminyaka. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba oselula abhaptizwe ufanele abe nolwalamano noYehova, aziqonde ngokuchanileyo iimfundiso zeZibhalo ezisisiseko, akuqonde ngokucacileyo oko ukuzahlulela kuquka kona, njengoko bekuya kufuneka njalo kumntu omdala.
10. Yintoni ubani afanele ayenze ngaphambi kokuba azahlulele aze abhaptizwe?
10 UYesu wayalela abafundi bakhe ukuba bafundise abasebatsha zonke izinto aziyaleleyo. (Mateyu 28:20) Okokuqala, abasebatsha bamele babe nolwazi oluchanileyo ngenyaniso, nto leyo eya kubenza babe nokholo kuYehova nakwiLizwi lakhe. (Roma 10:17; 1 Timoti 2:4; Hebhere 11:6) Ngoko, xa inyaniso yeZibhalo ichukumisa intliziyo kabani, imshukumisela ekubeni aguquke aze ajike kwindlela ebephila ngayo. (IZenzo 3:19) Ekugqibeleni, ubani ufikelela kwinqanaba lokuba afune ukuzahlulela kuYehova aze abhaptizwe, njengoko uYesu wayalelayo.
11. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba sibe nenxaxheba rhoqo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngaphambi kokubhaptizwa?
11 Elinye inyathelo elibalulekileyo ngaphambi kokubhaptizwa kukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Lo ngumsebenzi obalulekileyo uYehova aye wawunika abantu bakhe ebudeni bale mihla yokugqibela. (Mateyu 24:14) Abavakalisi abangabhaptizwanga banokuvuyela ukufumana ithuba lokuthetha ngokholo lwabo kwabanye. Ukuba nesabelo kulo msebenzi kubenza balungele ukuba nenxaxheba rhoqo nokuba nenzondelelo entsimini emva kokuba bebhaptiziwe.—Roma 10:9, 10, 14, 15.
Ngaba Kukho Into Ekuthintelayo Ukuba Ubhaptizwe?
12. Yintoni esenokubangela abanye ukuba bangabhaptizwa?
12 Bambi basenokungabhaptizwa kuba bebaleka iimbopheleleko ezinxulumene nako. Bayaqonda ukuba ukuze bafikelele imilinganiselo kaYehova, bafanele benze iinguqulelo ezinkulu ebomini babo. Okanye basenokoyika ukuba kuya kuba kunzima ukuphila ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo kaThixo emva kokuba bebhaptiziwe. Abanye basenokude bathi, “Mhlawumbi ngenye imini ndiya kwenza into embi ndize ndisuswe kubudlelane ebandleni.”
13. Ngomhla kaYesu, yintoni eyayithintela abathile ukuba babe ngabalandeli bakaYesu?
13 Ngomhla kaYesu, bambi bavumela ukuba izilangazelelo zobuqu nolwalamano lwentsapho lubathintele ekubeni ngabafundi bakhe. Omnye umbhali wathi uya kumlandela uYesu naphina apho aya khona. Kodwa uYesu wathi izihlandlo ezininzi, wayengenayo nendawo yokufihl’ intloko. Xa uYesu wamema omnye owayemphulaphule ukuba abe ngumlandeli wakhe, le ndoda yathi kuya kufuneka iqale iye “kungcwaba” uyise. Kuyabonakala ukuba, yakhetha ukuya kuhlala ekhaya ilinde uyise ade afe kunokuba ilandele uYesu ize inyamekele loo mbopheleleko yentsapho xa kuyimfuneko. Ekugqibeleni, owesithathu wathi ngaphambi kokuba alandele uYesu, kufuneka aqale aye kuthi “salani kakuhle” kwabo basendlwini yakhe. UYesu wakuchaza oko kuzibekela amangomso izinto ngokuthi ‘kukukhangela izinto ezisemva.’ Ngoko ke, kuyabonakala ukuba abo bazibekela amangomso izinto baya kusoloko benezingxengxezo ezibenza baphephe iimbopheleleko zamaKristu.—Luka 9:57-62.
14. (a) Benza ntoni uPetros, uAndreya, uYakobi noYohane xa uYesu wabamema ukuba babe ngabalobi babantu? (b) Kutheni singamele sithingaze ukuthabatha idyokhwe kaYesu?
14 Umzekelo kaPetros, uAndreya, uYakobi noYohane wawahluke gqitha. Xa uYesu wabamema ukuba bamlandele baze babe ngabalobi babantu, iBhayibhile ithi: ‘Bayishiya kwaoko iminatha yabo, bamlandela.’ (Mateyu 4:19-22) Ngokwenza eso sigqibo ngaphandle kokuthingaza, bafumana oko uYesu kamva wabaxelela kona esithi: “Thabathani idyokhwe yam nize nifunde kum, kuba ndinomoya wobulali, ndithobekile ngentliziyo, kwaye niya kuyifumanela ukuhlaziyeka imiphefumlo yenu. Kuba idyokhwe yam yeyobubele nomthwalo wam ukhaphukhaphu.” (Mateyu 11:29, 30) Ngoxa ukubhaptizwa kuzisa idyokhwe yembopheleleko, uYesu uyasiqinisekisa ukuba yeyobubele nenyamezelekayo eya kusihlaziya gqitha.
15. Umzekelo kaMoses noYeremiya ubonisa njani ukuba sinokuba nentembelo yokuba uThixo uya kusixhasa xa sifuna uncedo?
15 Kakade ke, yinto yokwemvelo ukuziva ungakufanelekeli ukuthwala iimbopheleleko ezibakho emva kokubhaptizwa. UMoses noYeremiya ekuqaleni babeziva bengakufanelekeli ukuphumeza izabelo awayebanike zona uYehova. (Eksodus 3:11; Yeremiya 1:6) Wabaqinisekisa njani uThixo? Wathi kuMoses: “Ndiya kuba nawe.” Yena uYeremiya wamthembisa wathi: “Mna ndinawe ukuba ndikuhlangule.” (Eksodus 3:12; Yeremiya 1:8) Nathi sinokuba nentembelo yokuba uThixo uya kusixhasa. Ukuthanda uThixo nokukholosa ngaye kuya kusinceda soyise amathandabuzo okuba siya kukwazi ukuphila ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kwethu kusini na. Umpostile uYohane wathi: “Akukho loyiko eluthandweni, kodwa uthando olugqibeleleyo luluphosela phandle uloyiko.” (1 Yohane 4:18) Inkwenkwana inokoyika ukuhamba yodwa, kodwa iba nesibindi xa ihamba ibambe isandla sikayise. Ngokufanayo, ukuba sikholose ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo, uthembisa ‘ukuwenza uthi tye umendo wethu’ njengoko sihamba naye.—IMizekeliso 3:5, 6.
Isihlandlo Esindilisekileyo
16. Kutheni ubhaptizo luquka ukuntywiliselwa emanzini ngokupheleleyo?
16 Ngaphambi kobhaptizo kuye kubekho intetho esekelwe eBhayibhileni echaza ukubaluleka kokubhaptizwa kwamaKristu. Ngasekupheleni kwaloo ntetho, abo baza kubhaptizwa baye bacelwe ukuba bavakalise ukholo lwabo ekuhleni ngokuphendula imibuzo emibini elungiselelwe bona. (Roma 10:10; bona ibhokisi ekwiphepha 22.) Abo babhaptizwayo bantywiliselwa emanzini, ngokuvisisana nomzekelo owamiselwa nguYesu. IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe, uYesu “wenyuka emanzini” okanye ‘waphuma emanzini.’ (Mateyu 3:16; Marko 1:10) Kucacile ukuba, uYohane umBhaptizi wamntywilisela ngokupheleleyo uYesu.b Ukuntywiliselwa ngokupheleleyo kufuzisela inguqulelo enkulu esiyenze ebomini bethu—kufuzisela ukufa kwikhondo lobomi bangaphambili size siphile ubomi obutsha kwinkonzo kaThixo.
17. Abo baza kubhaptizwa nabo bakhoyo banokuzenza njani izinto ngokuthozama kwesi sihlandlo sindilisekileyo?
17 Ubhaptizo sisihlandlo esindilisekileyo nesovuyo. IBhayibhile ithi uYesu wayethandaza xa uYohane emntywilisela kuMlambo iYordan. (Luka 3:21, 22) Ngokuvisisana nalo mzekelo, namhlanje abo baza kubhaptizwa bamele baziphathe ngendlela endilisekileyo. Ekubeni iBhayibhile isibongoza ukuba sisoloko sinxiba ngokuthozama, ngokuqinisekileyo simele sinxibe ngokundilisekileyo xa siza kubhaptizwa! (1 Timoti 2:9) Abanye abantu abakhoyo bamele babonise intlonelo ngokuphulaphula ngenyameko intetho yobhaptizo baze babukele esi siganeko ngocwangco.—1 Korinte 14:40.
Iintsikelelo Ezinanditshwa Ngabafundi Ababhaptiziweyo
18, 19. Ngawaphi amalungelo neentsikelelo ezifumaneka ngenxa yokubhaptizwa?
18 Sakuba sizahlulele kuThixo saza sabhaptizwa, siba yinxalenye yentsapho ekhethekileyo. Okukuqala, uYehova uba nguBawo noMhlobo wethu. Ngaphambi kokuba sibhaptizwe sasahlukanisiwe noThixo; ngoku sixolelaniswe naye. (2 Korinte 5:19; Kolose 1:20) Ngenxa yedini likaKristu, siye sasondela kuThixo naye usondela kuthi. (Yakobi 4:8) Umprofeti uMalaki uchaza indlela uYehova anikel’ ingqalelo ngayo aze aphulaphule abo basebenzisa nabathwala igama lakhe, ibe amagama abo uwaqukile kwincwadi yakhe yokukhumbuza. UThixo uthi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kuba ngabam, . . . Kwaye ndiza kubabonisa imfesane, kanye njengomntu obonisa imfesane kunyana wakhe omkhonzayo.”—Malaki 3:16-18.
19 Ubhaptizo lukwasenza sibe yinxalenye yabazalwana abasehlabathini lonke. Xa umpostile uPetros wabuza ngeentsikelelo ezaziya kufunyanwa ngabafundi bakaKristu ngenxa yokuzincama kwabo, uYesu wenza esi sithembiso: “Wonk’ ubani oshiye izindlu okanye abantakwabo okanye oodade okanye uyise okanye unina okanye abantwana okanye imihlaba ngenxa yegama lam uya kwamkela izihlandlo ezininzi ngakumbi yaye uya kudla ilifa ubomi obungunaphakade.” (Mateyu 19:29) Kwiminyaka kamva, uPetros wabhala “ngomanyano lwabazalwana luphela” oluye lwakho “ehlabathini.” UPetros waxhaswa waza wancedwa ngokoqobo ngabazalwana abanothando, ibe kunokuba njalo nakuthi.—1 Petros 2:17; 5:9.
20. Liliphi ithemba elimangalisayo abanalo abo babhaptiziweyo?
20 Ngaphezulu, uYesu wathi abo bamlandelayo baya “kudla ilifa ubomi obungunaphakade.” Ewe, ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa kusinika ithemba lokufumana “ubomi benene”—ubomi obungunaphakade kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. (1 Timoti 6:19) Asikho esinye isiseko sekamva esodlula esi esinokusakhela thina neentsapho zethu. Eli themba limangalisayo liya kusinceda ‘sihambe egameni likaYehova uThixo wethu ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo, ewe ngonaphakade.’—Mika 4:5.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a AmaYuda angamawaka amathathu nabo babeguqukele ebuYudeni ababephulaphule intetho kaPetros ngePentekoste nabo babhaptizwa ngaphandle kokulibazisa. Kakade ke, njengomTiyopiya olithenwa, babesele bezazi iimfundiso ezisisiseko nemigaqo yeLizwi likaThixo.—IZenzo 2:37-41.
b Ngokutsho kwe-Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words kaVine, igama lesiGrike elithi baʹpti·sma (ubhaptizo) lithetha “ukuntywiliselwa nokunyuka.”
Ngaba Unokucacisa?
• Kutheni simele sisabele kuthando lukaYehova yaye sinokusabela njani?
• Ubani ufanele enze yiphi inkqubela yokomoya ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe?
• Kutheni singamele sivumele uloyiko lokuba singasilela okanye ukuthingaza ukwamkela imbopheleleko kusithintele ekubeni sibhaptizwe?
• Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezinokunanditshwa ngabafundi bakaYesu Kristu ababhaptiziweyo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
“Yintoni na endithintelayo ukuba ndibhaptizwe?”
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 29]
Ubhaptizo sisihlandlo esindilisekileyo nesovuyo