‘Hambani Niye Kwenza Abafundi, Nibabhaptize’
‘Hambani ke ngoko niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, nibabhaptize, nibafundise ukuba bazigcine zonke izinto endiniyalele zona.’—MATEYU 28:19, 20.
1. Sisiphi isigqibo esenziwa luhlanga lakwaSirayeli kumazantsi eNtaba yeSinayi?
MALUNGA neminyaka engama-3 500 eyadlulayo, uhlanga oluthile luphela lwenza isifungo kuThixo. Ehlanganisene kumazantsi eNtaba yeSinayi, amaSirayeli athi: “Konke akuthethileyo uYehova sikulungele ukukwenza.” Ukususela ngoko, amaSirayeli aba ngabantu abazahlulele kuThixo, “inqobo” kuye. (Eksodus 19:5, 8; 24:3) Ayejonge phambili ekukhuselweni nguye nasekuhlaleni kwezizukulwana ngezizukulwana zawo kwilizwe “eliqukuqela ubisi nobusi.”—Levitikus 20:24.
2. Abantu banokuba naluphi ulwalamano noThixo namhlanje?
2 Noko ke, njengoko umdumisi uAsafu watshoyo, amaSirayeli ‘akazange awugcine umnqophiso kaThixo, yaye ala ukuhamba emthethweni wakhe.’ (INdumiso 78:10) Akazange asigcine isifungo esenziwa ngooyisemkhulu kuYehova. Ekugqibeleni, olo hlanga lwaphulukana nokuba nolwalamano olukhethekileyo noThixo. (INtshumayeli 5:4; Mateyu 23:37, 38) UThixo, ‘waphethulela ingqalelo yakhe ezintlangeni ukuba kuzo athabathe isizwana segama lakhe.’ (IZenzo 15:14) Kule mihla yokugqibela, uhlanganisa ‘isihlwele esikhulu, ekungekho mntu ukwaziyo ukusibala, esiphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana,’ ngovuyo sithi: “Usindiso silufumene kuThixo wethu, ohleli etroneni, nakuyo iMvana.”—ISityhilelo 7:9, 10.
3. Ngawaphi amanyathelo ubani amele awathabathe ukuze abe nolwalamano noThixo?
3 Ukuze ubani abe ngomnye wabo banolwalamano oluxabisekileyo noThixo, umele azahlulele kuYehova aze akufuzisele oko ngokubhaptizwa emanzini esidlangalaleni. Ngokwenjenjalo uya kuba uthobela umyalelo kaYesu ongqalileyo awawunika abafundi bakhe, othi: “Hambani ke ngoko niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, nibabhaptiza egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele, nibafundisa ukuba bazigcine zonke izinto endiniyalele zona.” (Mateyu 28:19, 20) AmaSirayeli ayephulaphule njengoko uMoses wayefunda “incwadi yomnqophiso.” (Eksodus 24:3, 7, 8) Ngenxa yoko, ayeyazi imbopheleleko anayo kuYehova. Ngokufanayo namhlanje, umntu umele aqale abe nolwazi oluchanileyo ngokuthanda kukaThixo njengoko lufumaneka kwiLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile, ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe.
4. Yintoni ubani afanele ayenze ukuze afanelekele ukubhaptizwa? (Quka nebhokisi engasentla.)
4 Kucacile ukuba uYesu wayefuna abafundi bakhe babenokholo olunesiseko esiqinileyo ngaphambi kokuba babhaptizwe. Akazange ayalele abalandeli bakhe ukuba bayokwenza abafundi nje kuphela kodwa wabayalela nokuba bafundise abo bafundi ‘ukugcina zonke izinto abayalele zona.’ (Mateyu 7:24, 25; Efese 3:17-19) Ngoko ke, abo bakufanelekelayo ukubhaptizwa ngokuqhelekileyo baye bafundisisa iBhayibhile kangangeenyanga, abanye unyaka okanye iminyaka emibini, ukuze benze isigqibo sobulumko. Ngosuku lokubhaptizwa, baphendula imibuzo emibini ebalulekileyo ngokuthi ewe. Ekubeni uYesu wabethelela ukuba ‘uEwe wethu abe nguEwe, uHayi wethu, abe nguHayi,’ kuya kuba kuhle ukuba sonke sihlolisise ngenyameko kwakhona intsingiselo yale mibuzo mibini yobhaptizo.—Mateyu 5:37.
Ukuguquka Nokuzahlulela
5. Ngawaphi amanyathelo amabini abalulekileyo agxininiswa kumbuzo wokuqala wabo baza kubhaptizwa?
5 Umbuzo wokuqala kwabo baza kubhaptizwa ubuza ubani ukuba uguqukile na kwindlela yakhe yokuphila yangaphambili waza wazahlulela kuYehova ukuze enze ukuthanda kwakhe. Lo mbuzo ugxininisa amanyathelo amabini abalulekileyo amele ubani awathabathe ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe, loo manyathelo kukuguquka nokuzahlulela.
6, 7. (a) Kutheni bemele baguquke bonke abaza kubhaptizwa? (b) Ziziphi iinguqulelo ubani amele azenze emva kokuba eguqukile?
6 Kutheni ubani emele aguquke ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe? Umpostile uPawulos uyachaza: “Sonke ngaxesha lithile sasikhe saziphatha ngokuvisisana neminqweno yenyama yethu.” (Efese 2:3) Ngaphambi kokuba sibe nolwazi oluchanileyo ngokuthanda kukaThixo, sasiphila ngokuvisisana nehlabathi nemilinganiselo yalo. Indlela yethu yokuphila yayilawulwa nguthixo wale nkqubo yezinto, uSathana. (2 Korinte 4:4) Noko ke, ekubeni siye sakwazi ukuthanda kukaThixo, sizimisele ukungabi saphilela ‘iminqweno yabantu, kodwa ukuthanda kukaThixo.’—1 Petros 4:2.
7 Le ndlela intsha yokuphila ineengenelo ezininzi. Ngokuyintloko, yenza ubani abe nolwalamano oluhle noYehova, uDavide awalufanisa nesimemo sokungena ‘kwintente’ kaThixo ‘nakwintaba yakhe engcwele’—ilungelo elibalasele ngokwenene. (INdumiso 15:1) Kusengqiqweni ukuba, uYehova engenakumema nabani na kodwa kuphela abo ‘bahamba ngokungenasiphoso beqhelisela ubulungisa yaye bethetha inyaniso ngentliziyo yabo.’ (INdumiso 15:2) Ngenxa yeemeko zethu ezahlukahlukeneyo ngaphambi kokuba sifunde inyaniso, ukuze sifikelele le milinganiselo kusenokufuneka senze iinguqulelo ezithile—kwindlela esiziphatha ngayo nakubuntu bethu. (1 Korinte 6:9-11; Kolose 3:5-10) Into enokusishukumisela ekubeni senze ezo nguqulelo yinguquko—ukuzisola gqitha ngendlela ebesiphila ngayo ngaphambili nokuzimisela ngokwenene ukukholisa uYehova. Oku kukhokelela kwinguquko epheleleyo—ukushiya indlela yehlabathi yokuphila ubomi bokuzingca size sifune ukukholisa uThixo.—IZenzo 3:19.
8. Sizahlulela njani, yaye ukuzahlulela kunxulumene njani nobhaptizo?
8 Inxalenye yesibini yombuzo wokuqala wabo baza kubhaptizwa ubuza ukuba baye bazahlulela na kuYehova ukuze benze ukuthanda kwakhe. Ukuzahlulela linyathelo elibalulekileyo elimele lithatyathwe ngaphambi kobhaptizo. Kwenziwa ngomthandazo, esiye sichaze kuwo umnqweno wethu wokunikela ubomi bethu kuYehova ngoKristu. (Roma 14:7, 8; 2 Korinte 5:15) Emva koko uYehova uba yiNkosi noMnini wethu, ibe njengoYesu siyakuvuyela ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. (INdumiso 40:8; Efese 6:6) Esi sithembiso sinyanisekileyo kuYehova senziwa kube kanye kuphela. Ekubeni sizahlulela ngasese, ukubhaptizwa esidlangalaleni kwenza bonke abantu bazi ukuba siye sazahlulela kuBawo wethu wasezulwini.—Roma 10:10.
9, 10. (a) Kuquka ntoni ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo? (b) Yintoni eyayibonisa ukuba amagosa amaNazi ayekuqonda ukuzahlulela kwethu?
9 Kuquka ntoni ukulandela umzekelo kaYesu wokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo? UYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Ukuba nabani na ufuna ukundilandela, makazincame, athabathe isibonda sakhe sentuthumbo aze aqhubeke endilandela.” (Mateyu 16:24) Apha wachaza izinto ezintathu esimele sizenze. Okokuqala, simele ‘sizincame.’ Ngamany’ amazwi, sigatye utyekelo lwethu lokuzingca nokungafezeki size sithobele isiluleko nolwalathiso lukaThixo. Okwesibini, ‘sithabathe isibonda sethu sentuthumbo.’ Ngomhla kaYesu isibonda sentuthumbo sasifuzisela ihlazo nokubandezeleka. NjengamaKristu, siyayamkela into yokuba maxa wambi sisenokubandezeleka ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo. (2 Timoti 1:8) Nangona ihlabathi lisenokusigculela okanye lisigxeke, njengoKristu ‘siyalidela ihlazo’, sivuyiswa kukwazi ukuba sikholisa uThixo. (Hebhere 12:2) Okokugqibela, ‘siqhubeka’ silandela uYesu.—INdumiso 73:26; 119:44; 145:2.
10 Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, kwanabathile abasichasayo bayaqonda ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova azahlulele kuThixo ukuze anqule yena kuphela. Ngokomzekelo, eBuchenwald kwinkampu yoxinaniso yamaNazi eJamani, amaNgqina angafun’ ukulahla ukholo lwawo kwakufuneka atyobele umbhalo othi: “NdisenguMfundi weBhayibhile ozinikeleyo ibe andisayi kuze ndisaphule isifungo endisenze kuYehova.” Ngokuqinisekileyo oku kubonisa ngokucacileyo isimo sengqondo sabo bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo nabazahluleleyo!—IZenzo 5:32.
Ukwaziwa NjengeNgqina LikaYehova
11. Liliphi ilungelo elifunyanwa ngulowo ubhaptizwayo?
11 Umbuzo wesibini ubuza lowo uza kubhaptizwa ukuba uyaqonda na ukuba ukubhaptizwa kuza kumenza aziwe njengeNgqina likaYehova. Emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe, umiselwa njengomlungiseleli othwala igama likaYehova. Eli lilungelo elingathethekiyo nembopheleleko enkulu. Likwanika lowo ubhaptizwayo ithemba lokusindiswa ngonaphakade ukuba uhlala ethembekile kuYehova.—Mateyu 24:13.
12. Yiyiphi imbopheleleko ehambisana nelungelo lokuthwala igama likaYehova?
12 Ngokuqinisekileyo, lilungelo elingathethekiyo ukuthwala igama likaThixo ongusomandla, uYehova. Umprofeti uMika wathi: “Zonke izizwana ziya kuhamba ngasinye egameni lothixo waso; kodwa thina siya kuhamba egameni likaYehova uThixo wethu ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo, ewe ngonaphakade.” (Mika 4:5) Sekunjalo, eli lungelo lihamba nembopheleleko. Simele sizabalazele ukuphila ngendlela ezisa uzuko kulowo sithwele igama lakhe. Njengoko uPawulos watshoyo kumaKristu aseRoma, xa ubani engakwenzi oko akushumayelayo, igama likaThixo “liyanyeliswa,” okanye liyahlaziswa.—Roma 2:21-24.
13. Kutheni abakhonzi bakaYehova abazahluleleyo benembopheleleko yokunikel’ ubungqina ngoThixo wabo?
13 Xa ubani esiba liNgqina likaYehova, wamkela nembopheleleko yokunikel’ ubungqina ngoThixo wakhe. UYehova wamema uhlanga lakwaSirayeli oluzinikele kuye ukuba libe ngamangqina akhe ukuze lungqine ukuba unguThixo ngonaphakade. (Isaya 43:10-12, 21) Kodwa olu hlanga lwasilela ukufeza le mbopheleleko, yaye ekugqibeleni uYehova walulahla. Namhlanje, amaKristu okwenyaniso aneqhayiya ngokuba nelungelo lokunikel’ ubungqina ngoYehova. Oko sikwenza ngenxa yokuba simthanda yaye silangazelela ukuba igama lakhe lingcwaliswe. Asikwazi nje kwaphela ukuthula singabaxeleli abanye inyaniso ngoBawo wethu wasezulwini nenjongo yakhe. Sivakalelwa njengompostile uPawulos xa wathi: “Oko kuyimfuneko. Yeha ke mna ukuba andizivakalisanga iindaba ezilungileyo!”—1 Korinte 9:16.
14, 15. (a) Intlangano kaYehova isinceda njani sikhule ngokomoya? (b) Ngawaphi amalungiselelo esinawo okusinceda ngokomoya?
14 Umbuzo wesibini ukwakhumbuza lowo uza kubhaptizwa ngembopheleleko yakhe yokusebenzisana nentlangano kaYehova ayalathisa ngomoya wakhe. Asinakuba ngoonkom’ edla yodwa xa sikhonza uThixo, kodwa sifuna uncedo, inkxaso nokhuthazo oluvela ‘kumanyano lwabazalwana luphela.’ (1 Petros 2:17; 1 Korinte 12:12, 13) Intlangano kaThixo idlala indima ebalulekileyo ekukhuleni kwethu ngokomoya. Ilungiselela intaphane yeempapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni ezinceda ukuba ulwazi lwethu oluchanileyo lukhule, senze ngobulumko xa sijamelene neengxaki size sihlakulele ulwalamano olusondeleyo noThixo. Njengomama oqinisekayo ukuba umntwana wakhe uyondleka yaye unyanyekelwa kakuhle, “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” lilungiselela ukutya kokomoya okuninzi okufika ngexesha ukuze sikhule ngokomoya.—Mateyu 24:45-47; 1 Tesalonika 2:7, 8.
15 Kwiintlanganiso zeveki ngeveki, abantu bakaYehova bafumana uqeqesho olufunekayo nokhuthazo ukuze babe ngamaNgqina kaYehova athembekileyo. (Hebhere 10:24, 25) ISikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo sisifundisa ukuthetha esidlangalaleni, yaye iNtlanganiso Yenkonzo isiqeqesha ukuze sikwazi ukunikela isigidimi sethu ngokuphumelelayo. Iintlanganiso nokufundisisa kwethu iimpapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni, kusenza sibone indlela umoya kaYehova osebenza ngayo ekwalathiseni intlangano yakhe. Ngala malungiselelo siwafumana rhoqo, uThixo usilumkisa kwiingozi, usiqeqesha ukuba sibe ngabalungiseleli abaphumelelayo yaye usenza sihlale siphaphile ngokomoya.—INdumiso 19:7, 8, 11; 1 Tesalonika 5:6, 11; 1 Timoti 4:13.
Oko Kumele Kusishukumisele Ekwenzeni Isigqibo
16. Yintoni esishukumisela ukuba sizahlulele kuYehova?
16 Imibuzo emibini yobhaptizo ikhumbuza abo baza kubhaptizwa ngentsingiselo yokubhaptizwa emanzini neembopheleleko zako. Ngoko, yintoni efanele ibashukumisele ekubeni benze isigqibo sokubhaptizwa? Siba ngabafundi ababhaptiziweyo kungekhona kuba kukho othile osinyanzelayo, kodwa kuba uYehova ‘uyasitsala.’ (Yohane 6:44) Ekubeni ‘uThixo eluthando,’ unqwenela ukuba zonke izidalwa zimthobele kuba zimthanda kungekhona ngokunyanzelwa. (1 Yohane 4:8) Ziimpawu zikaYehova zobubele nendlela aqhubana ngayo nathi ezisitsalela kuye. UYehova wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ngenxa yethu, waza wasenza sanelona kamva liqaqambileyo. (Yohane 3:16) Oku kusishukumisela ukuba nathi sinikele ubomi bethu ngokuzahlulela kuye.—IMizekeliso 3:9; 2 Korinte 5:14, 15.
17. Yintoni esingazahlulelanga kuyo?
17 Asizahluleli kwingcamango ethile esiyikholelwayo okanye kumsebenzi othile, kodwa sizahlulela kuYehova. Umsebenzi uThixo afuna abantu bakhe bawenze uya kutshintsha, kodwa ukuzahlulela kwabo akusayi kuze kutshintshe. Ngokomzekelo, oko wakuxelela uAbraham ukuba akwenze kwakwahluke gqitha koko wayalela uYeremiya ukuba akwenze. (Genesis 13:17, 18; Yeremiya 1:6, 7) Sekunjalo, bobabini baphumeza isabelo uThixo awayebanike sona kuba babemthanda uYehova yaye babefuna ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe ngokuthembeka. Kule mihla yesiphelo, bonke abalandeli bakaKristu ababhaptiziweyo bazabalazela ukuqhubeka bephumeza umyalelo kaKristu wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani nokwenza abafundi. (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Ukwenza loo msebenzi ngentliziyo epheleleyo yindlela entle esinokubonisa ngayo ukuba siyamthanda uBawo wethu wasezulwini nokuba sizahlulele kuye ngokupheleleyo.—1 Yohane 5:3.
18, 19. (a) Ngawaphi amazwi esiwavakalisa esidlangalaleni xa sibhaptizwa? (b) Yintoni eza kuqwalaselwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?
18 Akuthandabuzeki ukuba, ukubhaptizwa kuvula ithuba lokufumana iintsikelelo ezininzi, kodwa asilonyathelo limele lithatyathwe lula. (Luka 14:26-33) Kubonisa ukuba senze isigqibo esisigqala njengesona sibaluleke ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi na enye imbopheleleko. (Luka 9:62) Xa sibhaptizwa, eneneni sivakalisa la mazwi esidlangalaleni: “Lo Thixo nguThixo wethu ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo, nangonaphakade. Yena uya kusikhokela de sife.”—INdumiso 48:14.
19 Kwinqaku elilandelayo siza kuhlolisisa eminye imibuzo enokuphakama malunga nokubhaptizwa emanzini. Ngaba zinokubakho izizathu ezibambekayo ezinokwenza ubani angabhaptizwa? Ngaba iminyaka kabani ifanele ibe ngumqobo? Sinokuba nayiphi inxaxheba sonke ekwenzeni isihlandlo sobhaptizo sibe sesizukileyo?
Ngaba Unokucacisa?
• Kutheni umKristu ngamnye emele aguquke ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe?
• Kuquka ntoni ukuzahlulela kuThixo?
• Ilungelo lokuthwala igama likaYehova lisenza sibe naziphi iimbopheleleko?
• Yintoni emele isishukumisele ekwenzeni isigqibo sokubhaptizwa?
[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 22]
Imibuzo Emibini Ebuzwa Abo Baza Kubhaptizwa
Ngenxa yedini lentlawulelo likaYesu Kristu, uguqukile na kwizono obuzenza waza wazahlulela ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova?
Uyaqonda na ukuba ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa kwakho kuthetha ukuba ungomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova ahambisana nentlangano kaThixo eyalathiswa ngumoya?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
Uzahlulelo sisithembiso esinyanisekileyo esenziwa kuYehova ngomthandazo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ubonisa ukuzahlulela kwethu kuThixo