1, 2. (a) Kodi makolo ena amadzifunsa mafunso ati mwana wawo akafuna kubatizidwa? (b) N’chifukwa chiyani anthu ofuna kubatizidwa amafunsidwa ngati anadzipereka kwa Yehova? (Onani chithunzi choyambirira.)

KAMTSIKANA kena kamene tangokapatsa dzina loti Maria kanaima limodzi ndi anthu ena ofuna kubatizidwa pamsonkhano. Iye anayankha nawo mokweza mafunso awiri amene anafunsidwa ndi wokamba nkhani. Kenako anabatizidwa. Mmene zonsezi zinkachitika n’kuti makolo ake akuona.

² Makolo a Maria anasangalala kwambiri kuona kuti mwana wawo wasankha kudzipereka kwa Yehova komanso kubatizidwa. Koma izi zisanachitike, mayi ake ankadzifunsa mafunso ambiri. Ankadzifunsa kuti: ‘Koma Maria wafikadi pa msinkhu woti n’kubatizidwa? Kodi akumvetsadi zimene wasankha kuchitazi? Kapena tidikire pang’ono?’ Makolo ambiri amadzifunsa mafunso ngati amenewa akaona kuti mwana wawo akufuna kubatizidwa. (Mlal. 5:5) Zimenezi n’zomveka chifukwa kudzipereka kwa Mulungu komanso kubatizidwa ndi zinthu zofunika kwambiri pa moyo wa Mkhristu  aliyense.​—Onani bokosi lakuti, “ Kodi Mwadzipereka kwa Yehova?”

3, 4. (a) Kodi mtumwi Petulo anapereka chitsanzo chiti posonyeza kufunika kwa ubatizo? (b) N’chifukwa chiyani tinganene kuti ubatizo ukufanana ndi ntchito yomanga chingalawa imene Nowa anagwira?

³ Pofotokoza za ubatizo, mtumwi Petulo anatchula za ntchito yomanga chingalawa imene Nowa anagwira. Iye anati: “Chofanana ndi chingalawacho chikupulumutsanso inuyo tsopano. Chimenechi ndicho ubatizo.” (Werengani 1 Petulo 3:20, 21.) Chingalawa chinali umboni woonekeratu wakuti Nowa anali wodzipereka pochita zimene Mulungu ankafuna. Iye anagwira mokhulupirika ntchito imene Mulungu anamupatsa. Zimene Nowa anachita chifukwa cha chikhulupiriro zinathandiza kuti iye ndi banja lake apulumuke Chigumula. Koma kodi zimene Petulo ananenazi zikutanthauza chiyani?

⁴ Chingalawa chinali ngati umboni wakuti Nowa anali ndi chikhulupiriro. N’chimodzimodzinso ndi ubatizo. Umakhala ngati umboni wosonyeza kuti munthu wadzipereka kwa Yehova chifukwa choti amakhulupirira Khristu amene anaukitsidwa. Mofanana ndi Nowa, anthu amene adzipereka kwa Mulungu amagwira mokhulupirika ntchito imene Mulunguyo wawapatsa. Mofanana ndi Nowa amene anapulumutsidwa pa nthawi ya Chigumula, anthu obatizidwa amene adzakhalebe okhulupirika adzapulumuka pamene dziko loipali lizidzawonongedwa. (Maliko 13:10; Chiv. 7:9, 10) N’chifukwa chake kudzipereka kwa Mulungu komanso kubatizidwa n’kofunika kwambiri. Ndipo munthu amene amazengereza kubatizidwa akhoza kutaya mwayi wodzakhala ndi moyo wosatha.

5. Kodi tikambirana chiyani munkhaniyi?

⁵ Popeza ubatizo ndi wofunika kwambiri, tiyeni tikambirane mafunso atatu awa: Kodi Baibulo limanena zotani pa nkhani ya ubatizo? Kodi  ndi zinthu ziti zimene munthu ayenera kuchita asanabatizidwe? N’chifukwa chiyani Mkhristu ayenera kukumbukira kufunika kwa ubatizo akamaphunzitsa mwana wake kapena munthu wina?

6, 7. (a) Kodi Yohane ankabatiza anthu chifukwa chiyani? (b) Kodi Yohane anabatizanso ndani, ndipo n’chifukwa chiyani ubatizowu unali wapadera?

⁶ Baibulo linanena koyamba za ubatizo munkhani ya Yohane M’batizi. (Mat. 3:1-6) Yohane ankabatiza anthu amene ankafuna kusonyeza kuti alapa machimo awo amene anachita polephera kutsatira Chilamulo cha Mose. Koma munthu wofunika kwambiri amene Yohane anabatiza sanabatizidwe chifukwa chofuna kulapa machimo. Yohane anali ndi mwayi wapadera wobatiza Yesu, yemwe ndi Mwana wangwiro wa Mulungu. (Mat. 3:13-17) Yesu sanachimwepo choncho sankafunika kulapa. (1 Pet. 2:22) Koma ubatizo wake unkasonyeza kuti wadzipereka kuti azichita zimene Mulungu amafuna.​—Aheb. 10:7.

⁷ Pa nthawi imene Yesu ankachita utumiki wake padzikoli, ophunzira ake ankabatizanso anthu. (Yoh. 3:22; 4:1, 2) Mofanana ndi anthu amene Yohane anabatiza, anthuwa anabatizidwa pofuna kusonyeza kuti alapa machimo awo amene anachita polephera kutsatira Chilamulo cha Mose. Koma Yesu atamwalira n’kuukitsidwa, anthu ankabatizidwa pa chifukwa china.

8. (a) Kodi Yesu ataukitsidwa anapereka lamulo liti? (b) Fotokozani tanthauzo la ubatizo wa Akhristu.

⁸ Mu 33 C.E., Yesu ataukitsidwa anaonekera kwa anthu oposa 500, omwe anali amuna, akazi ndipo mwinanso ana. N’kutheka kuti pa nthawiyi m’pamene ananena kuti: “Pitani mukaphunzitse anthu a mitundu yonse kuti akhale ophunzira anga. Muziwabatiza m’dzina la Atate, ndi la Mwana, ndi la mzimu woyera, ndi kuwaphunzitsa kusunga zinthu zonse zimene ndinakulamulirani.” (Mat. 28:19, 20; 1 Akor. 15:6) Choncho zikuoneka kuti otsatira a Yesu ambirimbiri analipo pamene Yesu anapereka lamulo loti aziphunzitsa anthu kuti akhale ophunzira ake. Yesu anasonyeza kuti munthu amene akufuna kukhala Mkhristu ayenera kubatizidwa. (Mat. 11:29, 30) Munthu aliyense amene ankafuna kutumikira Mulungu movomerezeka ankayenera kuzindikira udindo wa Yesu pokwaniritsa cholinga cha Yehova. Munthu sankabatizidwa popanda kuchita zimenezi ndipo umenewu ndi ubatizo wokhawo umene Yehova ankauvomereza. Baibulo limapereka umboni wakuti munthawi ya atumwi ophunzira atsopano a Khristu ankamvetsa tanthauzo la kubatizidwa ndipo sankazengereza kubatizidwa.​—Mac. 2:41; 9:18; 16:14, 15, 32, 33.

9, 10. Kodi tikuphunzira chiyani kwa munthu wa ku Itiyopiya komanso mtumwi Paulo pa nkhani ya ubatizo?

⁹ Werengani Machitidwe 8:35, 36. Choyamba tiyeni tikambirane za munthu wa ku Itiyopiya amene analowa Chiyuda. Munthuyu ankachokera kolambira Mulungu ku Yerusalemu. Ndiyeno mngelo wa Yehova anauza Filipo kuti akakumane ndi munthuyo n’kumuuza “uthenga wabwino wonena za Yesu.” Kodi munthuyo anatani atamva uthengawo? Zimene anachita zinasonyezeratu kuti ankayamikira kwambiri mfundo zimene anaphunzira. Iye ankafuna kuchita zinthu mogwirizana ndi cholinga cha Mulungu moti nthawi yomweyo anabatizidwa.

¹⁰ Chitsanzo chachiwiri ndi cha Saulo amene poyamba anali wodzipereka kwambiri pa miyambo yachiyuda ndipo ankazunza Akhristu. Iye anabadwira mu mtundu wa Ayuda womwe unadzipereka kwa Mulungu. Koma pa nthawiyi  Ayudawo anali atasokoneza ubwenzi wawo wapadera ndi Yehova. Ndiyeno Yesu Khristu, yemwe panthawiyo anali atabwerera kumwamba, anaonekera kwa Saulo. Ndiye kodi Sauloyo anatani? Iye anavomera kuti athandizidwe ndi Mkhristu wina dzina lake Hananiya. Baibulo limanena kuti atangothandizidwa “anapita kukabatizidwa.” (Mac. 9:17, 18; Agal. 1:14) Kenako anayamba kutchedwa kuti mtumwi Paulo. Kodi mwaona kuti Paulo atangozindikira za udindo wa Yesu pokwaniritsa cholinga cha Mulungu anabatizidwa popanda kuzengereza?​—Werengani Machitidwe 22:12-16.

11. (a) N’chiyani chimalimbikitsa ophunzira Baibulo masiku ano kuti abatizidwe? (b) Kodi timamva bwanji tikaona anthu atsopano akubatizidwa?

¹¹ Masiku anonso, ophunzira Baibulo ambiri amachita zimenezi, kaya akhale achikulire kapena achinyamata. Anthu amene amayamikira kuchokera pansi pa mtima choonadi cha m’Baibulo komanso kuchikhulupirira amafunitsitsa kudzipereka kwa Yehova ndiponso kubatizidwa. Pamsonkhano uliwonse anthu amayembekezera mwachidwi nkhani imene amakambira makamaka amene akukabatizidwa. A Mboni za Yehova amasangalala kwambiri akaona wophunzira Baibulo akusintha mpaka kufika pobatizidwa. Nawonso makolo achikhristu amasangalala kuona ana awo akubatizidwa. Mu chaka chautumiki cha 2017, anthu oposa 284,000 a “maganizo abwino” anabatizidwa posonyeza kuti anadzipereka kwa Yehova. (Mac. 13:48) N’zodziwikiratu kuti anthu amenewa anazindikira kuti ubatizo ndi wofunika kwambiri kwa Akhristu. Koma kodi munthu amafunika kuchita zinthu ziti asanabatizidwe?

12. Kodi ophunzira Baibulo ayenera kuchita zinthu ziti asanabatizidwe?

¹² Munthu asanabatizidwe ayenera kukhala ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba. Chikhulupirirochi angakhale nacho akadziwa bwino Mulungu, cholinga chake komanso zimene wakonza kuti apulumutse anthu. (1 Tim. 2:3-6) Chikhulupiriro choterechi chimathandiza munthu kuti azitsatira mfundo zachilungamo za Mulungu n’kumapewa makhalidwe amene Mulungu amadana nawo. (Mac. 3:19) Choncho sizingakhale zomveka kuti munthu adzipereke kwa Mulungu kwinaku akuchita zinthu zimene zingamulepheretse kudzalowa mu Ufumu. (1 Akor. 6:9, 10) Koma pali zinthu zinanso zofunika kuwonjezera pa kutsatira mfundo za Mulungu. Munthu amene akufuna kusangalatsa Yehova amayesetsa kupezeka pamisonkhano ya mpingo komanso kugwira mwakhama ntchito yolalikira ndi kuphunzitsa anthu. Yesu ananena kuti otsatira ake enieni azigwira ntchito yolalikirayi. (Mac. 1:8) Pambuyo pochita zimenezi, munthu akhoza kukhala woyenera kudzipereka kwa Mulungu m’pemphero kenako n’kubatizidwa posonyeza kuti anadzipereka.

13. N’chifukwa chiyani tiyenera kukumbukira kuti ubatizo ndi wofunika kwambiri tikamaphunzitsa anthu?

¹³ Tikamaphunzira Baibulo ndi ana athu kapena anthu ena, tiyenera kukumbukira kuti ubatizo ndi wofunika kwambiri. Tikatero zidzakhala zosavuta kuwathandiza kuzindikira mfundo imeneyi. Tidzatha kukambirana nawo pa nthawi yoyenera kufunika kwa kudzipereka kwa Yehova komanso kubatizidwa. Cholinga chathu chizikhala chakuti ana komanso anthu amene timaphunzira nawo Baibulo asinthe mpaka kufika pobatizidwa.

14. N’chifukwa chiyani sitiyenera kukakamiza munthu kuti abatizidwe?

¹⁴ Munthu sayenera kukakamizidwa ndi makolo, anthu amene akuphunzira nawo Baibulo kapena aliyense mumpingo kuti abatizidwe. Yehova safuna kuti munthu azimumvera chifukwa  chokakamizika. (1 Yoh. 4:8) Choncho tikamaphunzitsa anthu, tiyenera kuwathandiza kuona kuti kukhala pa ubwenzi wolimba ndi Mulungu n’kofunika kwambiri. Wophunzira angafune kubatizidwa akayamba kukonda kwambiri choonadi komanso kufunitsitsa kukhala wotsatira wa Khristu.​—2 Akor. 5:14, 15.

15, 16. (a) Kodi munthu amafunika afike pa msinkhu winawake kuti abatizidwe? Fotokozani. (b) N’chifukwa chiyani wophunzira Baibulo amafunika kubatizidwa ngakhale kuti anabatizidwanso m’chipembedzo china?

¹⁵ Sikuti munthu amayenera kubatizidwa akafika pa msinkhu winawake. Ophunzira Baibulo amaphunzira komanso kusintha mosiyanasiyana. Ambiri amabatizidwa ali aang’ono ndipo amapitiriza kutumikira Yehova mokhulupirika. Ophunzira ena amabatizidwa akaphunzira Baibulo ali achikulire moti ena amatha kubatizidwa atadutsa zaka 100.

¹⁶ Munthu wina amene anaphunzira Baibulo ali wachikulire anafunsa amene ankamuphunzitsa ngati ankafunika kubatizidwanso chifukwa anali atabatizidwa kangapo m’matchalitchi osiyanasiyana. Amene ankamuphunzitsayo anakambirana naye malemba othandiza pa nkhaniyi. Kenako wophunzirayo anamvetsa zimene Baibulo limanena ndipo patapita nthawi yochepa anabatizidwa. Ngakhale kuti anali atayandikira zaka 80, anazindikira kuti ankafunika kubatizidwa. Munthu amakhala woyenera kubatizidwa akadziwa molondola zimene Yehova amafuna. Choncho ophunzira Baibulo ayenera kubatizidwa ngakhale kuti anabatizidwa kale kuchipembedzo china.​—Werengani Machitidwe 19:3-5.

17. Kodi munthu amafunika kuganizira chiyani pa tsiku la ubatizo?

¹⁷ Tsiku la ubatizo limakhala losangalatsa kwambiri. Koma imakhalanso nthawi yakuti munthu aziganizira kwambiri kufunika kwa zimene wasankhazo. Munthu amafunika kuchita khama kuti azichita zimene analonjeza kwa Yehova. N’chifukwa chake Yesu anayerekezera udindo wokhala Mkhristu ndi goli. Otsatira a Yesu sayenera ‘kukhala moyo wongodzisangalatsa okha, koma wosangalatsa amene anawafera n’kuukitsidwa.’​—2 Akor. 5:15; Mat. 16:24.

18. Kodi tidzakambirana mafunso ati munkhani yotsatira?

¹⁸ Zimenezi ndi zimene zinapangitsa mayi ake a Maria kudzifunsa mafunso amene ali kumayambiriro kwa nkhaniyi. Ngati ndinu kholo, mwina munadzifunsaponso kuti: ‘Kodi mwana wangayu akuyeneradi kubatizidwa? Nanga kodi akudziwa zinthu zokwanira mpaka n’kufika podzipereka kwa Mulungu? Kodi ayambe kaye wamaliza maphunziro n’kupeza ntchito? Nanga bwanji atachita tchimo lalikulu atabatizidwa?’ Tidzakambirana mafunso amenewa munkhani yotsatira. Tidzaonanso zimene zingathandize makolo kuti aziona nkhaniyi moyenera.