Kutheni Ufanele Ubhaptizwe?

‘Hambani niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, nibabhaptize.’—MATEYU 28:19.

1, 2. (a) Abanye abantu babhaptizwa phantsi kwaziphi iimeko? (b) Kuphakama yiphi imibuzo ngokuphathelele ubhaptizo?

UKUMKANI uCharlemagne waseFransi wanyanzela amaSaxon awawoyisiwe ukuba abhaptizwe ngobuninzi bawo ngowe-775-77 C.E. Umbhali-mbali uJohn Lord wabhala: “Wawanyanzela ukuba aguqukele koko kufane kubizwe ngokuba bubuKristu.” Ngokufanayo, emva kokutshata nenkosazana eyayililungu lobuOthodoki bamaGrike ngowe-987 C.E., umlawuli waseRashiya uVladimir I wafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba bonke abantu ababephantsi kolawulo lwakhe bamele babe “ngamaKristu.” Wamisela umthetho wokuba abantu bakhe babhaptizwe bonke—bagrogriswe ngokubulawa xa bengavumi!

² Ngaba olo hlobo lokubhaptizwa lwalufanelekile? Ngaba lunentsingiselo ngokwenene? Ngaba nabani na ufanele abhaptizwe?

Ukubhaptizwa—Njani?

3, 4. Kutheni ukufefa okanye ukugalela amanzi entloko kungeyiyo indlela efanelekileyo yokubhaptiza amaKristu?

³ Xa uCharlemagne noVladimir I banyanzela abantu ukuba babhaptizwe, abo balawuli babesenza ngokuchaseneyo neLizwi likaThixo. Eneneni, ubhaptizo alubi yongenelo xa umntu efefwa ngamanzi, egalelwa amanzi entloko okanye kwanaxa kuntywiliselwa abantu abangakhange bafundiswe inyaniso yeZibhalo.

⁴ Khawuphawule oko kwenzekayo xa uYesu waseNazarete waya kuYohane umBhaptizi ngowama-29 C.E. UYohane wayebhaptiza abantu kuMlambo iYordan. Abantu babezizela ngokuthanda kwabo kuye ukuze ababhaptize. Ngaba babesima nje apho eYordan aze akhe amanzi emlanjeni agalele intwana yawo kwiintloko zabo okanye abafefe ngawo? Kwenzeka ntoni xa uYohane wayebhaptiza uYesu? UMateyu uthi emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe “uYesu ngoko nangoko wenyuka emanzini.” (Mateyu 3:16) Wayengaphantsi kwamanzi, entywiliselwe kuMlambo iYordan. Ngokufanayo, ithenwa elingumTiyopiya, elizinikeleyo labhaptizwa ‘emanzini amaninzi.’ Kwakufuneka amanzi amaninzi ngolo hlobo ngenxa yokuba uYesu nabafundi bakhe babentywiliselwa ngokupheleleyo xa bebhaptizwa.—IZenzo 8:36.

 5. AmaKristu okuqala ayebabhaptiza njani abantu?

⁵ Amagama esiGrike aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ukubhaptiza,” “ubhaptizo,” njalo njalo, athetha ukuntywilisela, ukutshonisa okanye ukufaka phantsi kwamanzi. ISmith’s Bible Dictionary ithi: “Igama elithi ubhaptizo ngokoqobo nangokufanelekileyo lithetha ukuntywilisela.” Ngaloo ndlela ezinye iinguqulelo zeBhayibhile zithi “uYohane Umntywiliseli” ezinye zithi “uYohane umtshonisi.” (Mateyu 3:1, Rotherham; Diaglott interlinear) IHistory of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries ka-Augustus Neander ithi: “Ekuqaleni, umntu wayentywiliselwa xa ebhaptizwa.” Incwadi eyaziwayo yesiFrentshi ethi Larousse du XX^e Siècle (Paris, 1928) ithi: “AmaKristu okuqala ayebhaptizwa ngokuntywiliselwa nakuyiphi na indawo eyayinamanzi.” Yaye iNew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Kucacile ukuba kwiCawa yamandulo uBhaptizo lwalukukuntywilisela.” (1967, uMqulu II, iphepha 56) Ngoko namhlanje, umntu uyazenzela isigqibo sokubhaptizwa njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova yaye untywiliselwa ngokupheleleyo emanzini.

Isizathu Esitsha Sokubhaptizwa

6, 7. (a) Yayiyintoni injongo kaYohane yokubhaptiza abantu? (b) Yintoni eyayintsha ngobhaptizo lwabalandeli bakaYesu?

⁶ Injongo yobhaptizo olwalusenziwa nguYohane yayahlukile kuleyo yobhaptizo olwalusenziwa ngabalandeli bakaYesu. (Yohane 4:1, 2) UYohane wayebhaptiza abantu ngenjongo yokubonakalisa ekuhleni ukuba baguqukile kwizono abebezenza ngokuchasene noMthetho.a (Luka 3:3) Kodwa kwakukho nenye into entsha eyayibandakanyekile kubhaptizo olwalusenziwa ngabalandeli bakaYesu. NgePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., umpostile uPetros wabongoza abo babemphulaphule esithi: “Guqukani, yaye ngamnye wenu makabhaptizwe egameni likaYesu Kristu ukuze kuxolelwe izono zenu.” (IZenzo 2:37-41) Nangona wayethetha namaYuda kunye namaguquka, uPetros wayengathethi ngobhaptizo olufuzisela ukuguquka ezonweni ezichasene noMthetho; yaye wayengathethi kuthi ukubhaptizelwa egameni likaYesu kufanekisela ukuhlanjululwa kwezono.—IZenzo 2:10.

⁷ Ngeso sihlandlo, uPetros wasebenzisa ‘isitshixo sokuqala sobukumkani.’ Ngayiphi injongo? Ukuze atyhilele abo babephulaphule, ngelungelo abanalo lokungena eBukumkanini bamazulu. (Mateyu 16:19) Ekubeni amaYuda amgatyayo uYesu njengoMesiya, inkalo entsha nebalulekileyo yayikukuba aguquke, abe nokholo kuye ukuze akwazi ukucela uxolo nokuze axolelwe nguThixo. Ayenokubonakalisa ekuhleni ukuba analo olo kholo ngokuntywiliselwa emanzini egameni likaYesu Kristu. Ngaloo ndlela, ayeya kuba abonakalisa ukuzahlulela kwawo kuThixo ngoKristu. Bonke abo bafuna ukuzuza inkoliseko kaThixo namhlanje bamele babonakalise ukholo olufanayo, bazahlulele kuYehova uThixo, baze babhaptizwe njengamaKristu, njengembonakaliso yokuzahlulela kwabo ngokungagogotye lutho kOyena Thixo Uphakamileyo.

Ulwazi Oluchanileyo Lubalulekile

 8. Kutheni ingengabo bonke abantu abakufanelekelayo ukubhaptizwa njengamaKristu?

⁸ Asingabo bonke abantu abakufanelekeleyo ukubhaptizwa njengamaKristu. UYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Hambani . . . niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, nibabhaptiza egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele, nibafundisa ukuba bazigcine zonke izinto endiniyalele zona.” (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Ngaphambi kokuba umntu abhaptizwe, umele ‘afundiswe ukugcina zonke izinto uYesu awaziyalela abafundi bakhe.’ Ngenxa yoko, abo banyanzelwayo ukuba babhaptizwe bengenalo ukholo olusekelwe kulwazi oluchanileyo lweLizwi likaThixo, ubhaptizo lwabo lilize yaye aluvisisani nothumo uYesu awalunika abalandeli bakhe bokwenyaniso.—Hebhere 11:6.

 9. Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizelwa “egameni loYise”?

⁹ Kuthetha ukuthini ukubhaptizelwa “egameni loYise”? Kuthetha ukuba loo mntu ubhaptizwayo uyasigqala isikhundla sikaBawo negunya analo. Ngaloo ndlela, uYehova uThixo ugqalwa njengoMdali wethu, “Oyena Uphakamileyo phezu komhlaba wonke,” noMongami Wendalo Iphela.—INdumiso 83:18; Isaya 40:28; IZenzo 4:24.

10. Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizelwa ‘egameni loNyana’?

¹⁰ Ukubhaptizelwa ‘egameni loNyana’ kuthetha ukugqala isikhundla negunya likaYesu njengoNyana okuphela kozelwe nguThixo. (1 Yohane 4:9) Abo bakufanelekelayo ukubhaptizwa bamkela uYesu njengalowo uThixo alungiselele ngaye ‘intlawulelo ngenxa yabaninzi.’ (Mateyu 20:28; 1 Timoti 2:5, 6) Abantu ababhaptizwayo bamele basigqale ‘isigxina esongamileyo’ eso uThixo amphakamisele kuso uNyana wakhe.—Filipi 2:8-11; ISityhilelo 19:16.

11. Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizelwa ‘egameni lomoya oyingcwele’?

¹¹ Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizelwa ‘egameni lomoya oyingcwele’? Oku kubonisa ukuba abo baza kubhaptizwa bayaqonda ukuba umoya oyingcwele ngamandla kaYehova asebenzayo, awasebenzisa ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ngokuvisisana nenjongo yakhe. (Genesis 1:2; 2 Samuweli 23:1, 2; 2 Petros 1:21) Abo bakufanelekeleyo ukubhaptizwa bayaqonda ukuba umoya oyingcwele ubanceda baqonde ‘izinto ezinzulu zikaThixo,’ baqhubeke nomsebenzi wokushumayela uBukumkani, ubanceda babonakalise nesiqhamo somoya ‘esiluthando, uvuyo, uxolo, ukuzeka kade umsindo, ububele, ukulunga, ukholo, ubulali, ukuzeyisa.’—1 Korinte 2:10; Galati 5:22, 23; Yoweli 2:28, 29.

Ukubaluleka Kokuguquka Nokujika Kwikhondo Langaphambili

12. Ubhaptizo lwamaKristu lunxulumene njani nokuguquka?

¹² Ngaphandle kwakwimeko kaYesu owayengenasono, ubhaptizo ngumqondiso owamkelekileyo kuThixo obonisa ukuguquka kukabani. Xa siguquka, siyazisola ngokunzulu, sibe buhlungu ngento esiye sayenza okanye ngokusilela kwethu ukwenza okuthile. AmaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala awayefuna ukukholisa uThixo kwakufuneka aguquke kwizono awayezenzile nxamnye noKristu. (IZenzo 3:11-19) EKorinte, amakholwa athile abeeNtlanga aguquka kwizenzo zohenyuzo, unqulo-zithixo, ukuba, nakwezinye izono ezinzulu. Ngenxa yokuguquka kwawo, ‘ahlanjwa ahlambuluka’ egazini likaYesu, ‘angcwaliswa,’ okanye akhethelwa ukwenza inkonzo kaThixo; yaye ‘avakaliswa engamalungisa’ egameni likaKristu nangomoya kaThixo. (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Ukuguquka linyathelo elibalulekileyo ukuze ubani azuze isazela esicocekileyo aze uThixo amenze azive engenatyala ngenxa yesono aye wasenza.—1 Petros 3:21.

13. Ngokuphathelele ubhaptizo, ukujika kukabani kwikhondo langaphambili kuquka ntoni?

¹³ Ngaphambi kokuba sibhaptizwe njengamaNgqina kaYehova simele sijike kwikhondo langaphambili. Umntu ujika ngokuthanda kwakhe kwikhondo langaphambili emva kokuba enze isigqibo esisuka entliziyweni sokulandela uKristu uYesu. Abantu abanjalo bayalilahla ikhondo labo langaphambili eliphosakeleyo baze bazimisele ukwenza okulungileyo phambi kwamehlo kaThixo. EZibhalweni, isenzi sesiHebhere nesesiGrike esiphathelele ukujika kwikhondo langaphambili sinentsingiselo yokuguquka. Eli nyathelo libhekisela ekuguqukeni komntu kwindlela ephosakeleyo eze kuThixo. (1 Kumkani 8:33, 34) Ukuze ubani ajike kwikhondo lakhe langaphambili kufuneka ‘enze imisebenzi efanele inguquko.’ (IZenzo 26:20) Kufuneka silahle unqulo lobuxoki, senze ngokuvisisana nemiyalelo kaThixo, size sizinikele ngokupheleleyo kuYehova. (Duteronomi 30:2, 8-10; 1 Samuweli 7:3) Ukujika kwikhondo langaphambili kubangela ukuba sitshintshe indlela esicinga ngayo, usukelo lwethu, nobuntu bethu. (Hezekile 18:31) ‘Siyajika’ njengoko imikhwa yokungahlonel’ uThixo ithatyathelw’ indawo bubuntu obutsha.—IZenzo 3:19; Efese 4:20-24; Kolose 3:5-14.

Kubalulekile Ukuzahlulela Ngentliziyo Iphela

14. Kubonisa ntoni ukuzahlulela kwabalandeli bakaYesu?

¹⁴ Ukuze umntu abhaptizwe njengomlandeli kaYesu umele aqale azahlulele kuThixo ngentliziyo iphela. Ukubhaptizwa kuthetha ukunyulelwa ukuphumeza injongo engcwele. Eli nyathelo libaluleke kakhulu kangangokuba sifanele sisivakalise kuYehova ngomthandazo isigqibo sethu sokuzinikela ngokupheleleyo kuye ngonaphakade. (Duteronomi 5:9) Kakade ke, asizahluleli ngenjongo yokwenza umsebenzi othile okanye asizahluleli kumntu othile kodwa sizahlulela kuThixo ngokwakhe.

15. Kutheni abo babhaptizwayo bentywiliselwa emanzini?

¹⁵ Xa sizahlulela kuThixo ngoKristu, sivakalisa uzimiselo lwethu lokusebenzisa ubomi bethu ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo njengoko kuchazwe eZibhalweni. Ukufuzisela ukuzahlulela kwabo, abo babhaptizwayo bantywiliselwa emanzini, njengoko noYesu wabhaptizwa kuMlambo iYordan ukuze afuzisele ukuzinikela kwakhe kuThixo. (Mateyu 3:13) Kuyaphawuleka ukuba uYesu wathandaza kanye ngeso sihlandlo sibalulekileyo.—Luka 3:21, 22.

16. Sinokulubonakalisa njani uvuyo ngendlela efanelekileyo xa sibona abantu bebhaptizwa?

¹⁶ Ukubhaptizwa kukaYesu kwakusisiganeko esinzulu kodwa esibangel’ uvuyo. Lunjalo ke nobhaptizo olwenziwa ngamaKristu anamhlanje. Xa sibona abantu befuzisela ukuzahlulela kwabo kuThixo, sinokubonakalisa uvuyo esinalo ngokuqhwaba izandla nokubancoma ngokufudumeleyo ngendlela ebonakalisa intlonelo. Kodwa siyakuphepha ukwenza amayeyeye, ukukhalisa ikhwelo nokwenza izinto ezifana nezo ngenxa yokuhlonela ubungcwele beli nyathelo lokubonakalisa ukholo. Uvuyo lwethu silubonakalisa ngendlela enesidima.

17, 18. Yintoni encedayo ukubona enoba abantu bayakufanelekela kusini na ukubhaptizwa?

¹⁷ Ngokungafaniyo nabo bafefa iintsana okanye banyanzela izihlwele zabantu abangazi nto ngeZibhalo ukuba zibhaptizwe, amaNgqina kaYehova akanyanzeli mntu ukuba abhaptizwe. Eneneni, akababhaptizi abantu abangenazo iimfaneleko ezivisisana neZibhalo. Ngaphambi kokuba umntu abe ngumshumayeli ongabhaptizwanga weendaba ezilungileyo, abadala abangamaKristu bayaqiniseka ukuba uyaziqonda iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ezisisiseko, uphila ngokuvisisana nazo, yaye uphendula eqinisekile kumbuzo othi, “Ngaba ngokwenene uyafuna ukuba ngomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova?”

¹⁸ Kwiimeko ezininzi, xa umntu enesabelo ngokuzeleyo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani aze avakalise umnqweno wokubhaptizwa, abadala abangamaKristu baba nengxubusho kunye naye ukuze baqiniseke ukuba loo mntu ulikholwa, uzahlulele kuYehova yaye uyavisisana nemilinganiselo yobuthixo yobhaptizo. (IZenzo 4:4; 18:8) Iimpendulo zobuqu ezingaphezu kwe-100 eziphathelele iimfundiso zeBhayibhile zinceda abadala babone enoba abo baphendulayo bayayifikelela kusini na imilinganiselo eseZibhalweni ephathelele untywiliselo. Bambi baye bangafaneleki baze ngaloo ndlela bangabhaptizwa njengamaKristu.

Ngaba Kukho Nto Ikuthintelayo?

19. Ngokutsho kwencwadi kaYohane 6:44, ngoobani abaya kuba ziindlalifa noYesu?

¹⁹ Abaninzi abaye banyanzelelwa ukubhaptizwa nomndilili baye baxelelwa ukuba baya kuya ezulwini xa besifa. Ukanti, ebhekisela kwabo babeza kuba ngabalandeli bakhe, uYesu wathi: “Akukho mntu unako ukuza kum ngaphandle kokuba uBawo, owandithumayo, amtsale.” (Yohane 6:44) UYehova uye watsalela kuKristu abali-144 000 abaya kuba ziindlalifa kunye noYesu kuBukumkani basezulwini. Umntu obhaptizwe ngokunyanzelwa akangcwaliswa ukuze afumane eso sikhundla sizukileyo kwilungiselelo likaThixo.—Roma 8:14-17; 2 Tesalonika 2:13; ISityhilelo 14:1.

20. Yintoni enokunceda abathile abangekabhaptizwa?

²⁰ Ukususela phakathi kwiminyaka yee-1930, izihlwele zabantu ezinethemba lokusinda ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ nokuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade ziye zazihlanganisa “nezinye izimvu” zikaYesu. (ISityhilelo 7:9, 14; Yohane 10:16) Ziyakufanelekela ukubhaptizwa ngenxa yokuba ziye zavisisanisa ubomi bazo noko kuthethwa liLizwi likaThixo yaye zimthanda ‘ngentliziyo, ngomphefumlo, ngamandla nangengqondo iphela.’ (Luka 10:25-28) Nangona abanye abantu beqonda ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova ‘anqula uThixo ngomoya nangenyaniso,’ abakawulandeli umzekelo kaYesu baze balubonakalise ekuhleni uthando lwabo lokwenene nokuzinikela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa. (Yohane 4:23, 24; Duteronomi 4:24; Marko 1:9-11) Ukuthandaza ngokunyanisekileyo nangokungqalileyo ngokuphathelele eli nyathelo libalulekileyo kunokuba luncedo ekubashukumiseni nasekubakhuthazeni ukuba baphile ngokuvisisana neLizwi likaThixo ngokupheleleyo, bazahlulele kuYehova uThixo bengagogotye lutho, baze babhaptizwe.

21, 22. Ziziphi izizathu ezibangela ukuba abanye babe mathidala ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa?

²¹ Bambi baba mathidala ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa ngenxa yokuba baxakeke gqitha yimicimbi yehlabathi okanye basukela ubutyebi kangangokude bangabi naxesha laneleyo lokunikela ingqalelo kwizinto zokomoya. (Mateyu 13:22; 1 Yohane 2:15-17) Hayi indlela ebebeya kuvuya ngayo ukuba bebenokuguqula iimbono zabo nosukelo lwabo! Ukusondela kuYehova bekunokubenza bakhule ngokomoya, kunciphise amaxhala abanawo, yaye bekuya kubenza babe noxolo nolwaneliseko olubangelwa kukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo.—INdumiso 16:11; 40:8; IMizekeliso 10:22; Filipi 4:6, 7.

²² Bambi bathi bayamthanda uYehova kodwa abazahluleli baze babhaptizwe ngenxa yokuba bacinga ukuba xa besenjenjalo akuyi kuba yimfuneko ukuba baphendule kuThixo. Kodwa ngamnye wethu umele aziphendulele kuThixo. Saba nembopheleleko kuYehova emva kokuba sivile ngelizwi lakhe. (Hezekile 33:7-9; Roma 14:12) ‘Njengesizwana esinyuliweyo,’ amaSirayeli amandulo azalelwa kuhlanga olwaluzahlulele kuYehova yaye ngaloo ndlela ayenembopheleleko yokumkhonza ngokuthembeka ngokuvisisana nemithetho yakhe. (Duteronomi 7:6, 11) Namhlanje, akukho hlanga lunjalo, kodwa ukuba siye safumana imfundiso echanileyo yeZibhalo, kufuneka sibonakalise ukholo.

23, 24. Luloyiko lwantoni olungafanele luthintele abantu ukuba babhaptizwe?

²³ Abanye baba mathidala ukubhaptizwa kuba bevakalelwa kukuba abanalwazi lwaneleyo. Ukanti, sonke kuninzi ekufuneka sikufunde ngenxa yokuba ‘uluntu alusoze luwufumane umsebenzi uThixo oyinyaniso awenzileyo ukususela ekuqaleni kuse ekupheleni.’ (INtshumayeli 3:11) Khawucinge ngethenwa elingumTiyopiya. Njengoko laliliguquka, lalinolwazi oluthile ngeZibhalo, kodwa lalingazi yonke into ngokuphathelele iinjongo zikaThixo. Noko ke, emva kokuba live ngelungiselelo likaYehova losindiso ngedini lentlawulelo likaYesu, ngoko nangoko ithenwa labhaptizwa emanzini.—IZenzo 8:26-38.

²⁴ Bambi baba mathidala ukuzahlulela kuThixo ngenxa yokuba boyika ukuba abayi kukwazi ukuphila ngokuvisisana nozahlulelo lwabo. UMonique oneminyaka eli-17 ubudala uthi: “Bendisoloko ndimathidala ukubhaptizwa ngenxa yokoyika ukuba andiyi kukwazi ukuphila ngokuvisisana nozahlulelo lwam.” Noko ke, ukuba sikholose ngoYehova ngentliziyo yethu yonke, ‘uya kuwenza uthi tye umendo wethu.’ Uya kusinceda ‘sihambe enyanisweni’ njengabakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo.—IMizekeliso 3:5, 6; 3 Yohane 4.

25. Nguwuphi umbuzo esifanele siwuqwalasele?

²⁵ Ngenxa yokukholosa ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo nangenxa yokumthanda ngokusuk’ entliziyweni, nyaka ngamnye abantu abangamawaka bashukunyiselwa ekubeni bazahlulele baze babhaptizwe. Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo abazahluleleyo bafuna ukuthembeka kuye. Ukanti, siphila kumaxesha amanqam, yaye sihlangabezana neemvavanyo ezahlukahlukeneyo zokholo. (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze siphile ngokuvisisana nozahlulelo lwethu kuYehova? Oku siya kukuxubusha kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Ngaba Usakhumbula?

• Abhaptizwa njani amaKristu?

• Yintoni ekufuneka umntu ayazi ukuze abhaptizwe?

• Ngawaphi amanyathelo akhokelela ekubhaptizweni kwamaKristu okwenyaniso?

• Kutheni abanye besiba mathidala ukubhaptizwa, kodwa banokuncedwa njani?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 14]

Ngaba uyazi ukuba kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizelwa “egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele”?