Ingabe Kufanele Ubhapathizwe?

ABANTU abacishe babe yisigidi babhapathizwa oFakazi BakaJehova eminyakeni emithathu edlule. Lokhu kuyisilinganiso sabantu ababhapathizwayo abangu-824 ngosuku, noma abantu abane njalo ngemva kwemizuzu engu-7. Ingabe lokhu kumane nje kuyisibonelo sentshiseko yenkolo yekhulu le-15 nele-16?

Cha, labantu abazange babhapathizwe ngokuphoqelelwa, njengengxenye yokuguqulwa koquqaba lwabantu, noma ngenxa yokukhangwa okungokomzwelo umshumayeli othile oqephuzayo wenkolo. Babhapathizwa ngenxa yokuthi uJesu Kristu, iNkosi noMholi wamaKristu, wayala ukuba lokhu kwenziwe. Baye balandela izinyathelo nenqubo uJesu ayiveza futhi yasetshenziswa abaphostoli abakhetha ngokwakhe futhi wabaqeqesha.

Ngemva kokuvuswa kukaJesu nangaphambi kokwenyukela kwakhe ezulwini, wavalelisa abafundi bakhe ngalokhu kuthunywa: “Ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya oNgcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyalé ngakho; bhekani, mina nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube-sekupheleni kwezwe.” (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke, lolu kwakuwukuphela kobhapathizo lwamanzi olwalwemukelwa uNkulunkulu.

Ngokufanelekile, iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi labobalandeli bakaKristu bokuqala baba ‘ofakazi [bakaJesu] eJerusalema, naseJudiya lonke, naseSamariya kuze kube-sekugcineni komhlaba.’ (IzEnzo 1:8) Njengoba uJesu ayebikezele, umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela nokufundisa wawuyophumela ekubhapathizweni kwabakholwayo nabo ababeyoba abalandeli bakaKristu.

Isibonelo sokuqala esilotshiwe salokhu senzeka eJerusalema ngosuku lwePentekoste lika-33 C.E. Ngalesosikhathi umphostoli uPetru ‘wasukuma nabayishumi nanye’ futhi wakhuluma ngoJesu uMesiya esixukwini esasibuthene. Ukulandisa kusitshela ukuthi inkulumo yakhe ‘yabahlaba enhliziyweni,’ futhi babuza ukuthi kwakufanele benzeni. UPetru wathi: “Phendukani, yilowo nalowo abhapathizwe egameni likaJesu Kristu kukho ukuthethelelwa kwezono zenu.” Umphumela waba ukuthi “abalamukelayo izwi lakhe babhapathizwa, kwenezelwa ngalowomuhla abantu kungathi izinkulungwane ezintathu.” (IzEnzo 2:14-41) Ukulandisa okulandelayo kuqinisekisa ukuthi ukubhapathizwa kwabafundi kwakwandulelwa ukuzwa kwabo isigijimi sobuKristu, ukukholelwa izindaba ezinhle, nokuphenduka.—IzEnzo 8:12, 13, 34-38; 10:34-48; 16:30-34; 18:5, 8; 19:1-5.

Ngayiphi Indlela?

Kodwa labafundi abasha babeyobhapathizwa kanjani emanzini? Ingabe babeyobhapathizwa, ngokufafazwa, ngokuthelwa ngamanzi ekhanda, noma ngokucwiliswa? Umlando weBhayibheli ubonisani? Njengoba uJesu asishiyela isibonelo sokuba ‘silandele ezinyathelweni zakhe,’ iyiphi indlela abhapathizwa ngayo?—1 Petru 2:21.

IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uJesu wabhapathizwa eJordani, emfuleni omkhulu. Ngemva kokubhapathizwa, ‘wakhuphuka emanzini.’ (Marku 1:10; Mathewu 3:13, 16) Ngakho eqinisweni uJesu wayecwiliswe eMfuleni iJordani. Wabhapathizwa uJohane, owathi, lapho efuna indawo efanelekayo yokubhapathiza, wakhetha indawo esesiGodini saseJordani eduze neSalimi “ngokuba amanzi ayemaningi lapho.” (Johane 3:23) Iqiniso lokuthi ukucwiliswa ngokuphelele emanzini kwakuyindlela evamile yokubhapathiza eyayisetshenziswa phakathi kwabalandeli bakaJesu libonakala emazwini omthenwa waseTopiya. Esabela emfundisweni kaFiliphu, wamemeza: “Bheka, nanka amanzi; kwalani ukuba ngibhapathizwe na?” Khona-ke siphawula ukuthi “behlela emanzini bobabili” futhi ngemva kwalokho ‘bakhuphuka emanzini.’—IzEnzo 8:36-39.

Ingabe umlando wezwe nawo uyabhekisela ekubhapathizeni ngokucwiliswa phakathi kwamaKristu? Yebo uyabhekisela. Futhi kuyathakazelisa ukuphawula ukuthi izindishi zokubhapathizela eziningi ezinkulu okwakungase kucwiliselwe kuzo zisekhona emazweni amaningi. “Imivubukulo inikeza ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi ukucwilisa kwakuyindlela evamile yokubhapathiza phakathi namakhulu eminyaka okuqala ayishumi kuya kwayishumi nane,” kusho umagazini i-Ministry. Uyanezela: “Phakathi kwamanxiwa ezakhiwo zamaKristu okuqala, nasemasontweni asendulo asasetshenziswa namanje, umlando wobhapathizo lwamaKristu ungatholakala. Imifanekiso esemathuneni nasezindlini zamasonto, imihlobiso ephansi, ezindongeni, nasophahleni olungaphakathi, izibhebhe eziqoshiwe, nemidwebo esemibhalweni yesandla yasendulo yeTestamente Elisha inezela imininingwane kulomlando . . . Lokhu kunezela ebufakazini obutholakala kuyo yonke imibhalo yofata besonto bokuthi ukucwilisa kwakuyindlela evamile yokubhapathiza yebandla lokuqala.”

I-New Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma: “Kusobala ukuthi uBhapathizo eBandleni lokuqala lwalwenziwa ngokucwiliswa.” Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuba sithole izihloko zamaphephandaba ezinjengalezi: “AmaKatolika Abuyisa Ubhapathizo Lokucwiliswa.” (The Edmonton Journal, Canada, September 24, 1983), “Ubhapathizo Lokucwiliswa Seluqala Ukuthandeka KumaKatolika Lapha.” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 7, 1985), “AmaKatolika Amaningi Akhetha Ubhapathizo Lokucwiliswa.” (The New York Times, March 25, 1989), nesithi “Ubhapathizo Lokucwiliswa Lujabulela Ukuvuselelwa” (The Houston Chronicle, August 24, 1991).

Ngayiphi Injongo?

Kungani uJesu afuna ukuba abalandeli bakhe babhapathizwe? Kwakuwuphawu olufanelekayo lokuzinikezela kwabo ngenhliziyo yonke kuNkulunkulu. ‘Ivangeli’ kwakumelwe lishunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke, futhi abafundi kwakumelwe benziwe ‘ezizweni zonke.’ (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19) Lokhu kwakusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengasasebenzelani nesizwe samaJuda ngokukhethekile, esasakhiwa abantu ababezinikezele kuye kusukela ekuzalweni. UKorneliyu nomkhaya wakhe babengabeZizwe bokuqala, noma abangewona amaJuda, ukuba bamukele iqiniso ngoJesu Kristu futhi babhapathizwe.

Ukucwiliswa ngaphansi kwamanzi kwakubonisa ukuthi labo ababebhapathizwa baye bafa enkambweni yokuphila eyayigxile kubona ngokwabo. Ukukhushulwa kwabo emanzini kwakubonisa ukuthi manje base bephilela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu futhi beyibeka kuqala ekuphileni kwabo, njengoba uJesu ayenzile. (Mathewu 16:24) Ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikamoya ongcwele’ kwakubonisa ukuthi babeye balifunda futhi balamukela iqiniso eliphathelene nalezici futhi baziqaphela ngokwalokho eziyikho. (Mathewu 28:19; qhathanisa nezEnzo 13:48.) Ubhapathizo lwalumane nje luyisinyathelo sokuqala sokulalela uNkulunkulu nokuzithoba entandweni yakhe.

ImiBhalo ayiwusekeli umbono wenkolo osakazekile wokuthi ubhapathizo luyisenzakalo esingcwele, okungukuthi, umkhosi ongokwenkolo oletha ukufaneleka—umusa, ubungcwele, noma inzuzo engokomoya—kulowo obhapathizwayo. Ngokwesibonelo, isimemezelo sikaPapa u-Eugenius IV esicashunwe esihlokweni esandulelayo saqhubeka sathi ngokuqondene nobhapathizo: “Umphumela walesenzakalo esingcwele uwukukhululwa kuzo zonke izono, zasekuqaleni nezamanje; kanye nakuso sonke isijeziso esibangelwa isono. Ngenxa yalokho, akukho nhlawulo yezono zesikhathi esidlule efunwa kulabo ababhapathizwayo; futhi uma befa ngaphambi kokuba benze noma yisiphi isono, bafinyelela ngokushesha embusweni wezulu nasembonweni kaNkulunkulu.”

Nokho, uJesu wabhapathizwa nakuba ‘ayengenzanga isono.’ (1 Petru 2:22) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokwemiBhalo, ukukhululwa ezonweni kuza ngomhlatshelo kaJesu Kristu wesihlengo kuphela. U-Ananiya wanxusa uSawulu waseTarsu: “Sukuma, ubhapathizwe, uhlambulule izono zakho ngokukhuleka egameni [likaJesu].” (IzEnzo 22:12-16) Yebo, ukusindiswa kungenzeka kuphela ngegazi likaJesu elachitheka ‘nangokukhuleka egameni lakhe’ ngokholo.—Heberu 9:22; 1 Johane 1:7.

Khona-ke, kuthiwani ngamazwi kaPetru kweyoku-1 Petru 3:21? Lapho uthi: “Enisindiswa ngawo manje nani ngokomfanekiso, okungukuthi ngombhapathizo, kungesikho ukususa insila yenyama kepha ukucela kuNkulunkulu unembeza omuhle, nokuvuka kukaJesu Kristu.” UPetru wayeqhathanisa ubhapathizo nokuhlangenwe nakho kukaNowa kokudlula emanzini kaZamcolo. (Ivesi 20) UNowa, ebonisa ukholo oluphelele kuNkulunkulu, wakha umkhumbi wokusindisa umkhaya wakhe. (Heberu 11:7) Ngokufanayo, ngokubonisa ukholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu naselungiselelweni lakhe lensindiso ngoKristu Jesu, abantu namuhla bangasindiswa kulelizwe lamanje elibi. Futhi kumelwe benze ngokuvumelana nalolokholo. Ngokuphenduka ezonweni, ukuyeka inkambo engalungile, nokuzinikezela ngokungagodli kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngomthandazo, benza isicelo sikanembeza omuhle kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa kungesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu, nokuvuswa kwakhe akwazi ngakho ukuletha inani lalowomhlatshelo kuNkulunkulu ezulwini, okwenza izono zithethelelwe nokusindiswa kube nokwenzeka.—1 Petru 3:22.

Yini Oyoyenza?

Ingabe ungumuntu obelokhu ehlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova isikhathi esithile? Mhlawumbe kakade usuye wenza izinguquko ezidingekayo ekuphileni kwakho ngokuvumelana nezimiso zeBhayibheli, kodwa awuzange usithathe isinyathelo sokuzinikezela nobhapathizo. Ungase ufune ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu, kodwa ungase wesabe ukuthi ubhapathizo luyokubopha. Ngenxa yalokho, ungase ukhethe ukuwugwema umthwalo wemfanelo nokulandisa okunjalo okwamanje. Abantu abacishe babe yizigidi ezingu-11,5 baba khona ekugujweni kweSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ngonyaka odlule. Nokho, inani eliphakeme lalabo abahlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle kuwo wonke unyaka lalingaphansi kwezigidi ezingu-4,5. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi abantu abangaba izigidi eziyisikhombisa babonisa ukwazisa okuthile ngeqiniso likaNkulunkulu, nakuba bengebona oFakazi BakaJehova ababhapathiziwe. Yebo, abanye balaba abantwana abancane nabantu abasanda kuthakazela. Kodwa abanye balabo abahlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela nabo abakabhapathizwa. Ngakho kunabantu abaningi abaye bangenisa ulwazi oluqondile lweBhayibheli kodwa abangakazenzi batholakalele ngokugcwele ilungiselelo likaNkulunkulu lensindiso ngokubhapathizwa.

Iphuzu elibalulekile okumelwe likhunjulwe ukuthi ukuba nolwazi lwalokho uNkulunkulu akufunayo kuwe okuletha ukulandisa. “Owaziyo ukwenza okuhle engakwenzi kuyisono kuye,” kusho uJakobe 4:17. UHezekeli 33:7-9 ubonisa ukuthi umuntu otshelwe imiyalo kaNkulunkulu unomthwalo wemfanelo wokuyifeza. Ngakho umbuzo uwukuthi umuntu unalo yini uthando oluqotho ngoNkulunkulu nesifiso sangempela sokumthokozisa. Umuntu onalo ngempela uthando olunjalo futhi ofuna ubuhlobo obukhethekile noJehova uNkulunkulu ngeke azindele ekunikezeleni ukuphila kwakhe ngokungagodli kuye. Ubhapathizo luwuphawu lwangaphandle lwalokho kuzinikezela. Luyisinyathelo esidingekayo esiholela ensindisweni. Amakholwa angempela ayabhapathizwa.—IzEnzo 8:12.

Amathemba amahle uNkulunkulu awagcinele abantu abathembekile, abazinikezele ezweni elisha elizayo azidlula kude noma yiziphi izinzuzo zesikhashana lesimiso sezinto esibi esidala esingase sibonakale sizinikeza. Ukwesaba abanye abantu kuyanyamalala lapho sicabangela isandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla. (1 Korinte 10:22; 1 Petru 5:6, 7) Ngokuqinisekile, lesi isikhathi sokuzibuza, njengoba umthenwa waseTopiya abuza uFiliphu: “Kwalani ukuba ngibhapathizwe na?”

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Njengomthenwa waseTopiya, ingabe uyazibuza: “Kwalani ukuba ngibhapathizwe na?”