Qhubekani Nihamba Ngeyona Ndlela Igqwesileyo Yokuphila!
“Ukuba siyaphila nokuba siyafa, singabakaYehova.”—ROMA 14:8.
1. Ngokutsho kukaYesu, yiyiphi eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo yokuphila?
UYEHOVA ufuna siphile ngeyona ndlela ibalaseleyo ebomini. Zininzi iindlela abantu abanokuphila ngazo, kodwa inye kuphela eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo yokuphila. Eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo esinokuphila ngayo kukwenza ngokuvisisana neLizwi likaThixo size sifunde kuNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu. UYesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba banqule uThixo ngomoya nenyaniso yaye wabathuma ukuba benze abafundi. (Mat. 28:19, 20; Yoh. 4:24) Xa siphila ngokuvisisana nemiyalelo kaYesu, siyamkholisa uYehova ibe uya kusisikelela.
2. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, benza ntoni abaninzi bakuva isigidimi soBukumkani yaye kwakuthetha ukuthini ukuba ‘ngoweNdlela’?
2 Xa abo ‘banotyekelo olufanelekileyo ngobomi obungunaphakade’ besiba ngamakholwa baze babhaptizwe, sinokuthi kubo, “Qhubekani nihamba ngeyona ndlela igqwesileyo yobomi!” (IZe. 13:48) Ebudeni benkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, amawakawaka abantu abavela kuzo zonke iintlanga bamkela inyaniso baza babhaptizwa bebonisa esidlangalaleni ukuba bazahlulele kuThixo. (IZe. 2:41) Abo bafundi bokuqala ‘babengabeNdlela.’ (IZe. 9:2; 19:23) Eli binzana lalifaneleka, kuba abo babengabalandeli bakaKristu babephila ngendlela ebonisa ukuba banokholo kuYesu Kristu yaye baxelisa umzekelo wakhe.—1 Pet. 2:21.
3. Kutheni abantu bakaYehova bebhaptizwa yaye bangaphi abaye babhaptizwa kule minyaka ilishumi edluleyo?
3 Umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi utyhalela phambili kule mihla yokugqibela ibe ngoku wenziwa kumazwe angaphezu kwama-230. Kwiminyaka elishumi edluleyo, abantu abaye benza isigqibo sokukhonza uYehova baza babhaptizwa bebonisa ukuba bazahlulele kuye, bangaphezu kwezigidi ezi-2 700 000. Loo nto ithetha ukuba kubhaptizwa abantu abangaphezu kwama-5 000 veki nganye! Isigqibo sokubhaptizwa kwabo sisekelwe ekuthandeni uThixo, kulwazi lweZibhalo nasekukholelweni izinto ezifundiswa zizo. Ubhaptizo yeyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini bethu, kuba ngenxa yalo siye sikwazi ukuba nolwalamano olusondeleyo noYehova. Lukwabonisa ukuba siqinisekile ukuba uya kusinceda simkhonze ngokuthembeka kanye njengokuba wanceda abakhonzi bakhe bamandulo ukuba bahambe ngendlela yakhe.—Isa. 30:21.
Kutheni Ufanele Ubhaptizwe?
4, 5. Chaza ezinye zeentsikelelo neengenelo zokubhaptizwa.
4 Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uye wafunda ngoThixo, wenza utshintsho ebomini bakho yaye ngoku ungumvakalisi ongabhaptizwanga. Wenze isigqibo esihle kakhulu. Kodwa ngaba uzahlulele kuThixo yaye uceba ukubhaptizwa? Njengoko ufunda iBhayibhile, uye wabona ukuba eyona nto ifanele ibe phambili ebomini bakho kukudumisa uYehova, kungekhona ukuzikholisa okanye ukufuna izinto eziphathekayo. (Funda iNdumiso 148:11-13; Luka 12:15) Ngoko ke, ziziphi iintsikelelo neengenelo zokubhaptizwa?
5 Xa ungumKristu ozahluleleyo, uya kuphila ubomi obunenjongo. Uya kuba novuyo kuba usenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. (Roma 12:1, 2) Umoya oyingcwele kaYehova uya kukwenza ube neempawu zikaThixo ezinjengoxolo nokholo. (Gal. 5:22, 23) UThixo uza kuyiphendula imithandazo yakho aze asikelele imigudu oyenzayo yokuphila ngokuvisisana neLizwi lakhe. Uya kuba novuyo entsimini yaye ukuphila kwakho ngendlela uThixo ayifunayo kuya kuliqinisa ithemba lakho lokuphila ngonaphakade. Ngaphezu koko, xa uzahlulela uze ubhaptizwe uya kubonisa ukuba ufuna ukuba liNgqina likaYehova.—Isa. 43:10-12.
6. Ubhaptizo lwethu lubonisa ntoni?
6 Xa sizahlulela kuThixo size sibhaptizwe, sibonisa esidlangalaleni ukuba singabakaYehova. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Akukho namnye kuthi, enyanisweni, ophilela yena kuphela, yaye akukho bani ufela yena kuphela; kuba ukuba siyaphila, siphilela uYehova, yaye ukuba siyafa, sifela uYehova. Ngoko ke ukuba siyaphila nokuba siyafa, singabakaYehova.” (Roma 14:7, 8) UThixo ubonisa indlela asixabise ngayo, ngokusinika inkululeko yokuzikhethela. Xa sisenza isigqibo sokuphila ngale ndlela ngenxa yokuba sithanda uThixo, siyenza ibe nemihlali intliziyo yakhe. (IMize. 27:11) Ukubhaptizwa kwethu kubonisa ukuzahlulela kwethu kuThixo nokuvuma kwethu esidlangalaleni ukuba uYehova nguMlawuli wethu. Kukwabonisa ukuba singakwicala lakhe kwimbambano yolongamo lwendalo iphela. (IZe. 5:29, 32) NoYehova ungakwicala lethu. (Funda iNdumiso 118:6.) Ubhaptizo lusenza sikwazi ukufumana iintsikelelo ezininzi ngoku nakwixa elizayo.
Sisikelelekile Ngokuba Nabazalwana Abasithandayo
7-9. (a) UYesu wabaqinisekisa ngantoni abo bashiya zonke izinto baza bamlandela? (b) Sizaliseka njani isithembiso sikaYesu esikuMarko 10:29, 30?
7 Umpostile uPetros wathi kuYesu: “Khangela! Sishiye zonke izinto saza sakulandela; yintoni okunene esiya kuyifumana?” (Mat. 19:27) UPetros wayefuna ukwazi into yena nabanye abafundi bakaYesu ababenokulindela ukuyifumana. Zininzi izinto ababezincamile ukuze bazinikele ngokupheleleyo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani. (Mat. 4:18-22) UYesu wabaqinisekisa ngantoni?
8 Ingxelo kaMarko ibonisa ukuba uYesu wathi abafundi babeza kufumana abazalwana bokomoya. Wathi: “Akukho bani ushiye indlu okanye abantakwabo okanye oodade wabo okanye unina okanye uyise okanye abantwana okanye amasimi ngenxa yam nangenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo ongayi kufumana ngokuphindwe kalikhulu ngoku kwesi sihlandlo sexesha, izindlu nabantakwabo noodade wabo noonina nabantwana namasimi, kunye neentshutshiso, nakwinkqubo yezinto ezayo ubomi obungunaphakade.” (Marko 10:29, 30) AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, anjengoLidiya, uAkwila, uPrisila noGayo amkela amanye amaKristu ‘ezindlwini’ zawo aza aba ‘ngabantakwabo noodade wabo noonina’ njengoko uYesu wayethembisile.—IZe. 16:14, 15; 18:2-4; 3 Yoh. 1, 5-8.
9 Amazwi kaYesu azaliseka nangakumbi namhlanje. “Amasimi” ashiywa ngabalandeli bakhe abhekisela kwimisebenzi yokuziphilisa eye yancanywa ngabaninzi, abaquka abathunywa bevangeli, amalungu entsapho yaseBheteli, abakhonzi abavela kumazwe ngamazwe nabanye, kuba befuna ukuhambisela phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kumazwe awahlukahlukeneyo. Abazalwana noodade abaninzi baye bashiya amakhaya abo ukuze baphile ubomi obulula yaye kuyavuyisa ukuva amava abo abonisa indlela uYehova aye wabanyamekela ngayo nendlela abaye bonwaba ngayo kwinkonzo yabo. (IZe. 20:35) Ukongezelela, bonke abakhonzi bakaYehova ababhaptiziweyo banokufumana iintsikelelo xa ‘befuna kuqala ubukumkani nobulungisa bukaThixo’ njengenxalenye yabazalwana abangamaKristu ehlabathini lonke.—Mat. 6:33.
Sihleli Ngokukhuselekileyo “Kwindawo Efihlakeleyo”
10, 11. Yintoni ‘indawo efihlakeleyo yOyena Uphakamileyo’ yaye sinokwenza ntoni ukuze sihlale kuyo?
10 Ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa kusenza sifumane enye intsikelelo—ilungelo lokuhlala “kwindawo efihlakeleyo yOyena Uphakamileyo.” (Funda iNdumiso 91:1.) Yindawo ekhuselekileyo yokomfuziselo—esikhusela kwiingozi zokomoya. ‘Yindawo efihlakeleyo’ kuba abantu abangenamdla kwizinto zokomoya nabangamthembiyo uThixo abayazi. Xa siphila ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kwethu size sithembele kuYehova ngokupheleleyo, kufana nokungathi sithi kuye: “Uyindawo yam yokusabela negwiba lam, Thixo wam, endiza kukholosa ngaye.” (INdu. 91:2) UYehova uba yindawo yethu yokuhlala ekhuselekileyo. (INdu. 91:9) Ayikho enye into elunge ngakumbi kunaleyo.
11 Ukuhlala “kwindawo efihlakeleyo” kaYehova kukwathetha ukuba sijizekwe ngelungelo lokuba nolwalamano naye. Kodwa kufuneka kuqala sizahlulele size sibhaptizwe. Emva koko, siba nolwalamano olusondeleyo noThixo ngokufunda iBhayibhile, sithandaze kuye ngokunyanisekileyo size simthobele ngokupheleleyo. (Yak. 4:8) Akukho mntu owakha wasondela kuYehova njengoYesu owayemthemba ngokupheleleyo uMdali. (Yoh. 8:29) Ngoko masingaze simthandabuze uYehova okanye umnqweno wakhe namandla akhe okusinceda sizalisekise izifungo esizenzileyo. (INtshu. 5:4) Amalungiselelo okomoya uThixo awenzele abantu bakhe abubungqina obungenaphikiswa bokuba usithanda ngokwenene yaye ufuna simkhonze.
Masiyixabise Iparadesi Yethu Yokomoya
12, 13. (a) Yintoni iparadesi yokomoya? (b) Sinokubanceda njani abasebatsha?
12 Ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa kwethu kukwasinceda sihlale kwiparadesi yokomoya. Le paradesi iyindlela esiphila ngayo nabazalwana noodadewethu, abaseluxolweni noYehova uThixo nabaphila ngoxolo ndawonye. (INdu. 29:11; Isa. 54:13) Akukho nto ikweli hlabathi enokuthelekiswa neparadesi yokomoya. Oku kubonakala kwiindibano zezizwe ngezizwe xa abazalwana noodadewethu beentlanga neelwimi ezahlukahlukeneyo behleli kunye ngoxolo, ngomanyano nangothando.
13 Iparadesi yokomoya esikuyo yahluke ngokupheleleyo kwimeko yehlabathi emaxongo. (Funda uIsaya 65:13, 14.) Xa sivakalisa isigidimi soBukumkani, siba nelungelo lokumemela abanye kule paradesi yokomoya. Enye intsikelelo esiyifumanayo kukunceda abo basandul’ ukunxulumana nebandla nabanokukuvuyela ukuncedwa entsimini. Sisenokufumana ilungelo lokucelwa ngabadala ukuba sincede abasebatsha, kanye njengokuba uAkwila noPrisila “bacokisa ukumcacisela ngokuchane ngakumbi indlela kaThixo” uApolo.—IZe. 18:24-26.
Qhubeka Ufunda KuYesu
14, 15. Ziziphi izizathu esinazo zokuqhubeka sifunda kuYesu?
14 Sinezizathu ezivakalayo zokuqhubeka sifunda kuYesu. Ngaphambi kokuba aphile njengomntu, uYesu wasebenza noYise amawakawaka eminyaka. (IMize. 8:22, 30) Wayesazi ukuba ukuphila ngeyona ndlela igqwesileyo kuthetha ukukhonza uThixo nokuvakalisa inyaniso. (Yoh. 18:37) KuYesu lalicace mhlophe elokuba kwakungayi kuba bubulumko ukuphila ngenye indlela, kunoko kwakuya kuba kukuzingca. Wayesazi ukuba wayeza kuvavanywa aze abulawe. (Mat. 20:18, 19; Heb. 4:15) NjengoMzekelo wethu wasifundisa indlela yokugcina ingqibelelo.
15 Emva kokubhaptizwa kukaYesu, uSathana wamhendela ukuba ayeke ukuphila ngeyona ndlela igqwesileyo yobomi—kodwa akazange aphumelele. (Mat. 4:1-11) Oku kusifundisa ukuba sinako ukugcina ingqibelelo yethu enoba uSathana angenza ntoni na. Usenokuhenda ngokukhethekileyo abo baceba ukubhaptizwa nabo basandul’ ukubhaptizwa. (1 Pet. 5:8) Sisenokuchaswa ngamalungu eentsapho zethu angenazinjongo zimbi phofu, kodwa abangelwa kukungabi nalwazi lwaneleyo. Sekunjalo, ezo mvavanyo zisinika ithuba lokubonisa iimpawu ezintle zamaKristu, ezinjengentlonelo nokuthetha ngobuchule xa siphendula imibuzo naxa sishumayela. (1 Pet. 3:15) Ngoko ukutyhubela ezi mvavanyo kunokubanceda nabo basiphulaphulayo.—1 Tim. 4:16.
Namathela Kweyona Ndlela Igqwesileyo Yokuphila!
16, 17. (a) Ziziphi izinto ezintathu eziyimfuneko ukuze sifumane ubomi ekuthethwe ngazo kwiDuteronomi 30:19, 20? (b) UYesu, uYohane noPawulos bakuxhasa njani oko kwathethwa nguMoses?
16 Kwiminyaka emalunga ne-1 500 ngaphambi kokuba uYesu eze emhlabeni, uMoses wabongoza amaSirayeli ukuba akhethe eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo yokuphila. Wathi: “Ndimisela amazulu nehlabathi namhlanje njengamangqina am okuba, ndibeke phambi kwakho ubomi nokufa, intsikelelo nesiqalekiso; nyula ke ubomi ukuze uphile, wena nenzala yakho, ngokuthi umthande uYehova uThixo wakho, uliphulaphule ilizwi lakhe, unamathele kuye.” (Dut. 30:19, 20) USirayeli akazange athembeke kuThixo, kodwa izinto ezintathu uMoses awathi ziyimfuneko ukuze sifumane ubomi azikatshintshi. UYesu nabanye baphinda bathetha ngazo.
17 Okokuqala, ‘simele simthande uYehova uThixo wethu.’ Sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda uThixo ngokwenza ngokuvisisana neendlela zakhe zobulungisa. (Mat. 22:37) Okwesibini, ‘simele siphulaphule ilizwi likaYehova’ ngokufunda iLizwi likaThixo size sigcine imiyalelo yakhe. (1 Yoh. 5:3) Oku kuthetha ukuba sifanele siye rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, apho kuxutyushwa khona iBhayibhile. (Heb. 10:23-25) Okwesithathu, ‘simele sinamathele kuYehova.’ Kungakhathaliseki ukuba sineengxaki ezingakanani, sifanele sihlale sinokholo kuThixo size silandele uNyana wakhe.—2 Kor. 4:16-18.
18. (a) IMboniselo yowe-1914 yayichaza njani inyaniso? (b) Sifanele sivakalelwe njani ngokukhanya kwenyaniso namhlanje?
18 Kuyintsikelelo ngokwenene ukuphila ngokuvisisana nenyaniso yeBhayibhile! Ngowe-1914, iMboniselo yathi: “Ngaba asingobantu abasikelelekileyo nabonwabileyo? Ngaba uThixo wethu akathembekanga? Ukuba ukho umntu onenye into ebhetele, makathathe yona. Ukuba omnye wenu unokuze afumane enye into ebhetele, siyathemba ukuba uya kusixelela nathi. Ayikho enye into ebhetele okanye esondele kwaukusondela koko kuseLizwini likaThixo. . . . Siswele amazwi okuchaza uxolo, uvuyo neentsikelelo esiye sazifumana ebomini bethu ngenxa yokwazi uThixo oyinyaniso. Siye safumana inkcazelo eyaneleyo ngoBulumko, Okusesikweni, Amandla noThando lukaThixo. Asifuni nkcazelo ingakumbi. Ekuphela kwento efunekayo kukuba sibethelele le nkcazelo ezingqondweni zethu.” (IMboniselo yesiNgesi, kaDisemba 15, 1914, iphepha 377-378) Sisakuxabisa ukukhanya kokomoya nenyaniso esiyifumeneyo. Enyanisweni, ngoku sinezizathu ezingakumbi zokuvuya kuba ‘sihamba ekukhanyeni kukaYehova.’—Isa. 2:5; INdu. 43:3; IMize. 4:18.
19. Kutheni abo bakufanelekelayo ukubhaptizwa befanele benjenjalo ngokukhawuleza?
19 Ukuba ufuna ‘ukuhamba ekukhanyeni kukaYehova’ kodwa akukabi ngomKristu ozahluleleyo nobhaptiziweyo, musa ukulibazisa. Yenza nantoni na efunekayo ngokweZibhalo ukuze ufanelekele ukubhaptizwa—okuyeyona ndlela yokubonisa umbulelo esinawo ngenxa yako konke uThixo noKristu abasenzele kona. Nika uYehova eyona nto ixabisekileyo onayo—ubomi bakho. Bonisa ukuba ufuna ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo ngokulandela uNyana wakhe. (2 Kor. 5:14, 15) Akuthandabuzeki ukuba, le yeyona ndlela igqwesileyo yokuphila!
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• Kufuzisela ntoni ukubhaptizwa kwethu?
• Ziziphi iintsikelelo esizifumanayo xa sizahlulele kuThixo saza sabhaptizwa?
• Kutheni kubalulekile ukufunda kuYesu?
• Yintoni eya kusinceda sinamathele kweyona ndlela ibalaseleyo yokuphila?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Ukubhaptizwa kwakho kubonisa ukuba ukhethe eyona ndlela igqwesileyo yokuphila
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]
Ngaba uhleli ngokukhuselekileyo “kwindawo efihlakeleyo”?