1, 2. (a) Abazadde abamu bawulira batya ng’omwana waabwe abagambye nti ayagala okubatizibwa? (b) Lwaki abo ababa bagenda okubatizibwa babuuzibwa obanga beewaayo eri Yakuwa? (Laba ekifaananyi waggulu.)

BAZADDE b’omuwala omu omuto gwe tujja okuyita Maria baatunuulira muwala waabwe ng’ayimiridde wamu n’abalala abaali bagenda okubatizibwa. Omuwala oyo yaddamu mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka ebibuuzo ebibiri omwogezi bye yabuuza. Oluvannyuma yabatizibwa.

² Bazadde ba Maria baasanyuka nnyo okulaba nga muwala waabwe yeewaddeyo eri Yakuwa era n’abatizibwa. Wadde kyali kityo, emabegako maama we yalina ebibuuzo bye yeebuuza. Yali yeebuuza nti: ‘Ddala Maria akuze ekimala ne kiba nti atuuse okubatizibwa? Ddala amanyi obukulu bw’ekyo ky’akola? Kyandibadde kya magezi okugira ng’alindako okubatizibwa?’ Bino bye bimu ku bibuuzo abazadde bangi bye batera okwebuuza ng’omwana waabwe abagambye nti ayagala okubatizibwa. (Mub. 5:5) Ekyo tekyewuunyisa kubanga okwewaayo eri Yakuwa n’okubatizibwa bye bintu ebisingayo  obukulu mu bulamu bw’Omukristaayo.​—Laba akasanduuko “ Weewaayo eri Yakuwa?”

3, 4. (a) Omutume Peetero yakiraga atya nti okubatizibwa kintu kikulu nnyo? (b) Lwaki okubatizibwa kuyinza okugeraageranyizibwa ku mulimu gw’okuzimba eryato Nuuwa gwe yakola?

³ Omutume Peetero yageraageranya okubatizibwa ku mulimu ogw’okuzimba eryato Nuuwa gwe yakola. Yagamba nti: “Ekifaanana n’ekyo kaakano kibalokola, nga kuno kwe kubatizibwa.” (Soma 1 Peetero 3:20, 21.) Eryato Nuuwa lye yazimba bwali bukakafu obulabwako obulaga nti Nuuwa yali yeemalidde ku kukola Katonda by’ayagala. Nuuwa yatuukiriza omulimu Yakuwa gwe yamuwa. Ebikolwa bya Nuuwa eby’okukkiriza ebyali birabwako, byasobozesa Nuuwa n’ab’omu maka ge okuwonawo mu kiseera ky’Amataba. Kiki Peetero kye yali ayagala tuyige?

⁴ Eryato kaali kabonero akalabwako akalaga nti Nuuwa yalina okukkiriza. Mu ngeri y’emu, okubatizibwa mu maaso g’abantu buba bukakafu obulabwako obulaga nti Omukristaayo yeewaayo eri Yakuwa ng’asinziira ku kukkiriza kw’alina mu Kristo eyazuukizibwa. Okufaananako Nuuwa, Abakristaayo abeewaayo eri Katonda bakola n’obwesigwa omulimu Katonda gwe yabalagira okukola. Nga Nuuwa bwe yawonyezebwawo mu Mataba, n’Abakristaayo ababatize abeesigwa bajja kuwonyezebwawo ng’ensi ya Sitaani ezikirizibwa. (Mak. 13:10; Kub. 7:9, 10) Ekyo kiraga nti okwewaayo eri Yakuwa n’okubatizibwa kintu kikulu nnyo. Omuntu ayongezaayo okubatizibwa ekiteetaagisa ayinza okufiirwa obulamu obutaggwaawo.

5. Biki bye tugenda okwekenneenya mu kitundu kino?

⁵ Okuva bwe kiri nti okubatizibwa kintu kikulu nnyo, tusaanidde okulowooza ku bibuuzo bino ebisatu. Kiki Bayibuli ky’eyogera ku kubatizibwa? Mitendera ki omuntu gy’alina okuyitamu nga tannabatizibwa? Lwaki omubuulizi alina okukuumira mu birowoozo bye obukulu  bw’okubatizibwa bw’aba ng’ayigiriza omwana we oba omuyizi wa Bayibuli omulala?

6, 7. (a) Okubatiza kwa Yokaana kwalina makulu ki? (b) Kubatiza ki okw’enjawulo ennyo Yokaana kwe yakola?

⁶ Okubatiza Bayibuli kw’esooka okwogerako kw’ekwo okwakolebwa Yokaana Omubatiza. (Mat. 3:1-6) Abantu abaagendanga eri Yokaana okubatizibwa baakikola okulaga nti baali beenenyezza ebibi bye baakola olw’okumenya Amateeka ga Musa. Kyokka okubatiza okusingayo obukulu Yokaana kwe yakola tekwalina kakwate konna na kwenenya. Yokaana yafuna enkizo ey’ekitalo ey’okubatiza Yesu, Omwana wa Katonda atuukiridde. (Mat. 3:13-17) Yesu teyalina kibi era kyali tekimwetaagisa kwenenya. (1 Peet. 2:22) Yesu okubatizibwa kaali kabonero akalaga nti yali yeeyanjudde eri Katonda okukola by’ayagala.​—Beb. 10:7.

⁷ Yesu bwe yali akyali ku nsi, abayigirizwa be nabo baabatizanga abantu. (Yok. 3:22; 4:1, 2) Okufaananako okubatiza kwa Yokaana, abo abayigirizwa ba Yesu be baabatizanga, baabatizibwanga okulaga nti baali beenenyezza ebibi bye baakola olw’okumenya Amateeka ga Musa. Kyokka oluvannyuma lwa Yesu okufa n’okuzuukira, okubatizibwa kwafuna amakulu amalala.

8. (a) Oluvannyuma lw’okuzuukira, kiragiro ki Yesu kye yawa abagoberezi be? (b) Lwaki okubatizibwa kintu kikulu nnyo?

⁸ Mu mwaka gwa 33 E.E., Yesu bwe yamala okuzuukira yalabikira ekibiina ky’abantu abasukka mu 500, nga muno mwalimu abasajja, abakazi, oboolyawo n’abaana. Kirabika ku olwo Yesu lwe yayogera ebigambo bino: “Mugende mufuule abantu b’omu mawanga gonna abayigirizwa, nga mubabatiza mu linnya lya Kitaffe, n’ery’Omwana, n’ery’omwoyo omutukuvu, nga mubayigiriza okukwata ebintu byonna bye nnabalagira.” (Mat. 28:19, 20; 1 Kol. 15:6) Kirabika abagoberezi ba Yesu bangi baaliwo Yesu we yaweera ekiragiro eky’okufuula abantu abayigirizwa. Yesu yakyoleka kaati nti omuntu yenna ayagala okuba omuyigirizwa we aba alina okubatizibwa. (Mat. 11:29, 30) Omuntu yenna aba ayagala okuweereza Katonda mu ngeri gy’asiima aba alina okukkiriza ekifo Yesu ky’alina mu kutuukirizibwa kw’ekigendererwa kya Katonda. Oluvannyuma lw’ekyo, omuntu oyo aba asobola okubatizibwa. Okwo kwe kubatizibwa kwokka Katonda kw’asiima. Bayibuli ekiraga bulungi nti mu kyasa ekyasooka abayigirizwa ba Yesu abapya baali bategeera bulungi obukulu bw’okubatizibwa era tebaalonzalonza kubatizibwa.​—Bik. 2:41; 9:18; 16:14, 15, 32, 33.

9, 10. Ebyo bye tusoma ku Mwesiyopiya n’omutume Pawulo bituyigiriza ki ku kubatizibwa?

⁹ Soma Ebikolwa 8:35, 36. Lowooza ku Mwesiyopiya omukyufu eyali addayo ewaabwe ng’ava e Yerusaalemi okusinza. Oluvannyuma lwa malayika wa Yakuwa okugamba Firipo okugenda okusisinkana Omwesiyopiya oyo, Firipo yagenda n’amusisinkana “n’amubuulira amawulire amalungi agakwata ku Yesu.” Omwesiyopiya yakwatibwako atya? Ekyo kye yaddako okukola kyalaga nti yali asiimye amazima ge yali ayize. Yayagala okukola ebintu nga Yakuwa bw’ayagala, era bw’atyo yabatizibwa awatali kulwa.

¹⁰ Ekyokulabirako eky’okubiri kye ky’omusajja Omuyudaaya eyali ayigganya Abakristaayo. Yali yazaalibwa mu ggwanga eryali lyewaayo eri Katonda. Naye Abayudaaya baali baafiirwa enkolagana ey’enjawulo gye baalina ne Yakuwa. Omusajja oyo yali munyiikivu nnyo mu ddiini y’Ekiyudaaya, naye oluvannyuma n’ayiga amazima. Yesu kennyini eyali azuukiziddwa ye yamuwa obujulirwa. Omusajja oyo yakolawo ki? Yakkiriza okuyambibwa Omukristaayo ayitibwa Ananiya. Ng’eyogera ku musajja oyo, Bayibuli egamba nti: ‘Yasituka n’abatizibwa.’ (Bik. 9:17, 18; Bag. 1:14) Omusajja oyo  oluvannyuma yamanyibwa ng’omutume Pawulo. Weetegereze nti oluvannyuma lwa Pawulo okuyiga amazima agakwata ku kifo Yesu ky’alina mu kutuukirizibwa kw’ekigendererwa kya Katonda, teyalonzalonza kubatizibwa.​—Soma Ebikolwa 22:12-16.

11. (a) Kiki ekireetera abayizi ba Bayibuli leero okubatizibwa? (b) Tuwulira tutya bwe tulaba abapya nga babatizibwa?

¹¹ Bwe kityo bwe kiri ne bwe kituuka ku bayizi ba Bayibuli leero, ka babe bato oba bakulu. Abo abalina okukkiriza era abasiima amazima agali mu Bayibuli tebalonzalonza kwewaayo eri Yakuwa n’okubatizibwa. Emboozi ekwata ku kubatizibwa y’emu ku mboozi enkulu eziweebwa ku nkuŋŋaana ennene. Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa basanyuka nnyo bwe balaba omuyizi wa Bayibuli ng’akkirizza amazima n’akulaakulana era n’abatizibwa. Kya lwatu nti n’abazadde Abakristaayo basanyuka nnyo bwe balaba omwana waabwe ng’ali omu ku bayigirizwa abapya ababa bagenda okubatizibwa. Mu mwaka gw’obuweereza 2017, abantu abasukka mu 284,000 abalina “endowooza ennuŋŋamu” be beewaayo eri Yakuwa era ne babatizibwa. (Bik. 13:48) Kya lwatu nti abayigirizwa abo abapya baakimanya nti omuntu okufuuka Omukristaayo aba alina okubatizibwa. Mitendera ki gye baayitamu okutuuka ku kubatizibwa?

12. Mitendera ki omuyizi wa Bayibuli gy’alina okuyitamu nga tannabatizibwa?

¹² Omuyizi wa Bayibuli bw’aba tannabatizibwa, aba alina okusooka okufuna okukkiriza okunywevu. Okukkiriza okwo akufuna oluvannyuma lw’okutegeera amazima agakwata ku Katonda, ekigendererwa kye, n’enteekateeka gye yakola okusobola okutulokola. (1 Tim. 2:3-6) Okukkiriza okwo kuleetera omuntu okwewala ebintu ebinyiiza Katonda era kumuleetera okutuukanya obulamu bwe n’emitindo gya Yakuwa egy’obutuukirivu. (Bik. 3:19) Kya lwatu nti omuntu bwe yeewaayo eri Yakuwa kyokka ng’akyakola ebintu abo abanaasikira Obwakabaka bye balina okwewala, okwewaayo kwe kuba tekukkirizibwa mu maaso ga Katonda. (1 Kol. 6:9, 10) Naye ng’oggyeeko okukolera ku mitindo gya Yakuwa egy’empisa, waliwo n’ebirala omuntu by’alina okukola. Omuntu anoonya obutuukirivu era aba alina okubangawo mu nkuŋŋaana n’okwenyigira obutayosa mu mulimu gw’okubuulira n’okufuula abantu abayigirizwa. Yesu yagamba nti abayigirizwa be ab’amazima bandikoze omulimu ogw’okubuulira. (Bik. 1:8) Omuntu bw’akola ebintu ebyo, olwo nno aba asobola okutuukirira Yakuwa mu kusaba ne yeewaayo gy’ali era n’akyoleka mu lujjudde nti yeewaayo eri Yakuwa ng’abatizibwa.

13. Lwaki kikulu ababuulizi okukuumira mu birowoozo obukulu bw’okubatizibwa?

¹³ Bwe tuba tuyamba abaana baffe n’abayizi ba Bayibuli abalala okuyita mu mitendera egyo emikulu ennyo, tulina okukikuumira mu birowoozo nti omuntu okuba omuyigirizwa wa Yesu owa nnamaddala aba alina okubatizibwa. Ekyo bwe tukikuumira mu birowoozo, tujja kuyamba abo be tuyigiriza okukimanya. Buli lwe tufuna akakisa, tetujja kulonzalonza kubayamba kulaba bukulu bwa kwewaayo na kubatizibwa. Mu butuufu, twagala abaana baffe n’abayizi baffe abalala aba Bayibuli okukulaakulana era babatizibwe.

14. Lwaki tetusaanidde kukaka muntu yenna kubatizibwa?

¹⁴ Kya lwatu nti tetusaanidde kukaka muntu yenna kubatizibwa, k’abe mwana waffe, muyizi waffe owa Bayibuli, oba omuntu omulala yenna mu kibiina. Ekyo Yakuwa takyagala. (1 Yok. 4:8) Mu kifo ky’ekyo, bwe tuba tuyigiriza abantu Bayibuli tusaanidde okubayamba okulaba ensonga lwaki kikulu okuba n’enkolagana eyaabwe ku bwabwe ne Yakuwa. Omuntu bw’asiima amazima  era n’awulira ng’ayagala okufuuka omuyigirizwa wa Kristo, ekyo kijja kumukubiriza okubatizibwa.​—2 Kol. 5:14, 15.

15, 16. (a) Waliwo emyaka omuntu kw’alina okubatirizibwa? Nnyonnyola. (b) Lwaki omuyizi wa Bayibuli aba alina okubatizibwa ng’omu ku Bajulirwa ba Yakuwa ne bwe kiba nti yabatizibwa mu ddiini endala?

¹⁵ Tewali myaka migereke omuntu gy’alina kuba nagyo alyoke abatizibwe. Abayizi ba Bayibuli bakulaakulanira ku sipiidi ya njawulo. Bangi babatizibwa nga bakyali bato era ne beeyongera okuweereza Yakuwa n’obwesigwa. Ate abayizi ba Bayibuli abamu balaba obukulu bw’okubatizibwa oluvannyuma lw’okuyiga Bayibuli mu myaka gyabwe egy’obukadde ng’abamu baba basussa n’emyaka 100!

¹⁶ Omukazi omu eyali akaddiye yabuuza oyo eyali amuyigiriza Bayibuli obanga kyali kimwetaagisa okuddamu okubatizibwa; yali yabatizibwa mu madiini agatali gamu ge yalimu emabega. Oyo eyali amuyigiriza Bayibuli yakubaganya naye ebirowoozo ku byawandiikibwa ebitali bimu okuva mu Bayibuli. Omukazi oyo yakiraba nti okusinziira ku Bayibuli yalina okubatizibwa, era waayita ekiseera kitono n’abatizibwa. Wadde ng’omukazi oyo yali anaatera okuweza emyaka 80, yakiraba nti kyali kimwetaagisa okubatizibwa. Omuntu okubatizibwa mu ngeri entuufu alina okuba ng’afunye okumanya okutuufu okukwata ku ebyo Yakuwa by’ayagala. N’olwekyo, abayigirizwa abapya balina okubatizibwa ne bwe kiba nti baabatizibwa nga bakyali mu madiini amalala.​—Soma Ebikolwa 19:3-5.

17. Kiki omuntu ky’alina okufumiitirizaako ennyo ku lunaku lw’abatirizibwako?

¹⁷ Olunaku omuntu lw’abatirizibwako luba lwa ssanyu nnyo. Kyokka era luba lunaku lwa kufumiitiriza. Omuntu kimwetaagisa okufuba ennyo okusobola okutuukiriza obweyamo bwe yakola nga yeewaayo eri Yakuwa. Eyo ye nsonga lwaki Yesu yageraageranya eky’okuba Omukristaayo ku kikoligo. Omuntu bw’afuuka omuyigirizwa wa Yesu aba ‘takyali mulamu ku lulwe, wabula ku lw’oyo eyamufiirira era n’azuukira.’​—2 Kol. 5:15; Mat. 16:24.

18. Bibuuzo ki ebijja okuddibwamu mu kitundu ekiddako?

¹⁸ Okulowooza ku buvunaanyizibwa obwo kye kyaleetera maama wa Maria okwebuuza ebibuuzo bye twalabye ku ntandikwa. Bw’oba ng’oli muzadde oyinza okuba nga wali weebuuzizzaako ebibuuzo nga bino: ‘Ddala omwana wange atuuse okubatizibwa? Afunye okumanya okumala okusobola okwewaayo eri Yakuwa? Alina kusooka kufuna buyigirize obulungi n’omulimu n’alyoka abatizibwa? Watya singa omwana wange abatizibwa oluvannyuma n’akola ekibi eky’amaanyi?’ Ebibuuzo ebyo bijja kuddibwamu mu kitundu ekiddako era tujja kulaba engeri abazadde Abakristaayo gye basobola okuba n’endowooza ennuŋŋamu ku kubatizibwa.