1. Kungani isikhulu esingumTopiya sacela ukubhapathizwa?

“BHEKA! Amanzi amaningi; yini engivimbela ukuba ngibhapathizwe?” Lowo mbuzo wabuzwa isikhulu esingumTopiya ekhulwini lokuqala. UmKristu ogama lakhe linguFiliphu wayesichazele ukuthi uJesu unguMesiya othenjisiwe.  Ethinteke inhliziyo ngenxa yalokho ayekufundile emiBhalweni, lo mTopiya wathatha isinyathelo. Wabonisa ukuthi uyafuna ukubhapathizwa!—IzEnzo 8:26-36.

2. Kungani kufanele ucabange ngokujulile ngokubhapathizwa?

² Uma uzifunde ngokucophelela izahluko zokuqala zale ncwadi noFakazi BakaJehova, ungase uzizwe ukulungele ukubuza, ‘Yini evimbela ukuba mina ngibhapathizwe?’ Manje usufundile ngesithembiso seBhayibheli sokuphila phakade ePharadesi. (Luka 23:43; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Ufundile nangeqiniso ngesimo sabafileyo nethemba lovuko. (UmShumayeli 9:5; Johane 5:28, 29) Cishe ubulokhu uya emihlanganweni yebandla yoFakazi BakaJehova, wazibonela nokuthi bakuqhuba kanjani ukukhulekela kweqiniso. (Johane 13:35) Okubaluleke kakhulu, cishe usuqalile ukuzakhela ubuhlobo noJehova uNkulunkulu.

3. (a) Imuphi umyalo uJesu awunika abalandeli bakhe? (b) Ubhapathizo lwamanzi lwenziwa kanjani?

³ Ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi ufuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu? UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe: “Hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, nibabhapathize.” (Mathewu 28:19) UJesu ngokwakhe wabeka isibonelo ngokubhapathizwa emanzini. Akafafazwanga ngamanzi, futhi akazange athelwe ngamanzi nje ekhanda. (Mathewu 3:16) Igama elithi “bhapathiza” livela kwelesiGreki elisho ukuthi “cwilisa.” Ngakho-ke ubhapathizo lobuKristu lusho ukucwiliswa noma ukufakwa ngokuphelele emanzini.

4. Ukubhapathizwa emanzini kubonisani?

⁴ Ubhapathizo lwamanzi luyimfuneko kubo bonke abafuna ukuba nobuhlobo noJehova uNkulunkulu. Ukubhapathizwa kubonisa obala ukuthi ufisa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Kubonisa ukuthi uyakujabulela ukwenza intando kaJehova. (IHubo 40:7, 8) Nokho, kunezinyathelo ezithile okumelwe uzithathe ukuze ufanelekele ukubhapathizwa.

5. (a) Isiphi isinyathelo sokuqala sokufanelekela ubhapathizo? (b) Kungani imihlangano yobuKristu ibalulekile?

⁵ Ususithathile kakade isinyathelo sokuqala. Kanjani? Ngokungenisa ulwazi ngoJehova uNkulunkulu nangoJesu Kristu, mhlawumbe ngesifundo seBhayibheli esihleliwe. (Johane 17:3) Kodwa kusekuningi okusafanele ukufunde. AmaKristu afuna ‘ukugcwala ulwazi olunembile ngentando [kaNkulunkulu].’ (Kolose 1:9) Ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla yoFakazi BakaJehova kuwusizo olukhulu kule ndaba. Kubalulekile ukuya kuleyo mihlangano. (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni kuyokusiza wandise ulwazi lwakho ngoNkulunkulu.

6. Lungakanani ulwazi lweBhayibheli okumelwe ube nalo ukuze ufanelekele ukubhapathizwa?

⁶ Yiqiniso, akudingeki wazi konke okuseBhayibhelini ukuze ufanelekele ukubhapathizwa. Isikhulu esingumTopiya sasinolwazi oluthile, kodwa sasidinga usizo ukuze siqonde izingxenye ezithile zemiBhalo. (IzEnzo 8:30, 31) Ngokufanayo, kuningi nawe osazokufunda. Empeleni, awusoze waqeda ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu. (UmShumayeli 3:11) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe, kudingeka wazi futhi wamukele okungenani izimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo. (Hebheru 5:12) Lezo zimfundiso zihlanganisa iqiniso ngesimo sabafileyo nokubaluleka kwegama likaNkulunkulu noMbuso wakhe.

7. Ukutadisha iBhayibheli kufanele kube namuphi umphumela kuwe?

⁷ Nokho, ulwazi lulodwa alwanele ngoba “ngaphandle kokholo akwenzeki ukumjabulisa” uNkulunkulu. (Hebheru 11:6) IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi lapho abanye abantu eKorinte lasendulo bezwa isigijimi sobuKristu, “bakholwa futhi babhapathizwa.” (IzEnzo 18:8) Ngendlela efanayo, ukutadisha iBhayibheli kufanele kukwenze ube nokholo lokuthi liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe. Ukutadisha iBhayibheli  kufanele kukusize ube nokholo ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu nasemandleni okusindisa omhlatshelo kaJesu.—Joshuwa 23:14; IzEnzo 4:12; 2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.

8. Yini eyokunika ugqozi lokukhuluma nabanye ngalokho okufundile?

⁸ Njengoba ukholo lukhula enhliziyweni yakho, uyokuthola kunzima ukukugcina kuwe lokho okufundile. (Jeremiya 20:9) Uyoba nogqozi lokukhuluma nabanye ngoNkulunkulu nezinjongo zakhe.—2 Korinte 4:13.

9, 10. (a) Obani ongaqala ngabo ukubaxoxela ngeqiniso leBhayibheli? (b) Kufanele wenzeni uma ufuna ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela ohleliwe woFakazi BakaJehova?

⁹ Ungase uqale ukuxoxa ngokuhlakanipha nabanye ngeqiniso leBhayibheli, njengezihlobo, abangane, omakhelwane nosebenza nabo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uyofuna ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela ohleliwe woFakazi BakaJehova. Uma usuzizwa kanjalo, zizwe ukhululekile ukutshela uFakazi okufundisa iBhayibheli. Uma kubonakala ukuthi uyakufanelekela ukushumayela, kuyohlelwa ukuba wena nalowo okufundelayo nihlangane nabadala bebandla ababili.

¹⁰ Lokhu kuyokujwayelanisa kangcono nabadala abangamaKristu, abelusa umhlambi kaNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 20:28; 1 Petru 5:2, 3) Uma abadala bebona ukuthi uyaziqonda futhi uyazikholelwa izimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo, uphila ngokuvumelana nezimiso zikaNkulunkulu, futhi ufuna ngempela ukuba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, bayokutshela ukuthi uyakufanelekela ukushumayela obala njengommemezeli wezindaba ezinhle ongabhapathiziwe.

11. Iziphi izinguquko abanye okungase kudingeke bazenze ngaphambi kokufanelekela ukushumayela obala?

¹¹ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kungase kudingeke wenze izinguquko ezithile endleleni ophila ngayo nasemikhubeni yakho ukuze ufanelekele ukushumayela obala. Lokhu  kungahlanganisa ukuyeka imikhuba obulokhu uyifihlile. Ngakho, ngaphambi kokucela ukuba ube ummemezeli ongabhapathiziwe, kudingeka uziyeke izono ezimbi, njengokuziphatha okubi kobulili, ukudakwa nokusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa.—1 Korinte 6:9, 10; Galathiya 5:19-21.

12. Kungani ukuphenduka kudingeka?

¹² Kunezinye izinyathelo okumelwe uzithathe ngaphambi kokufanelekela ukubhapathizwa. Umphostoli uPetru wathi: “Phendukani futhi niguquke ukuze kusulwe izono zenu.” (IzEnzo 3:19) Ukuphenduka kusho ukuzisola ngobuqotho ngento ethile oyenzile. Ukuphenduka kufaneleka impela uma umuntu ebeziphethe kabi, kodwa futhi kuyadingeka ngisho noma ukuziphatha kwakhe bekuhlanzekile ngezinga elithile. Ngani? Ngoba bonke abantu bayizoni futhi badinga intethelelo kaNkulunkulu. (Roma 3:23; 5:12) Ngaphambi kokutadisha iBhayibheli, wawungayazi intando kaNkulunkulu. Kungenzeka kanjani-ke ukuthi ukuphila kwakho kwakuvumelana ngokugcwele nentando yakhe? Ngakho ukuphenduka kuyadingeka.

13. Kuyini ukuguquka?

¹³ Ukuphenduka kumelwe kulandelwe ukuguquka. Kumelwe wenze okungaphezu kokuzisola. Kudingeka uyishiye indlela obukade uphila ngayo bese uzimisela ngenhliziyo yonke ukwenza okulungile kusukela manje kuqhubeke. Ukuphenduka nokuguquka kuyizinyathelo okumelwe uzithathe ngaphambi kokubhapathizwa.

14. Isiphi isinyathelo esibalulekile okumelwe usithathe ngaphambi kokubhapathizwa?

¹⁴ Kunesinye isinyathelo esibalulekile okumelwe usithathe ngaphambi kokubhapathizwa. Kumelwe uzinikezele kuJehova uNkulunkulu.

15, 16. Kusho ukuthini ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu, futhi yini eshukumisa umuntu ukuba azinikezele?

 ¹⁵ Lapho uzinikezela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngomthandazo oqotho, usuke umthembisa ukuthi uzinikela kuye kuphela kuze kube phakade. (Duteronomi 6:15) Kodwa kungani umuntu engafuna ukwenza lokho? Ake sithi nansi insizwa ithanda intombi. Njengoba ilokhu iyibhekile futhi ibona ukuthi inesimo esihle, iyozizwa ikhangeka ngokwengeziwe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, iyovele icele ukuba bashade. Yiqiniso, ukushada kuyosho ukuthatha imithwalo eyengeziwe. Kodwa uthando luyoyenza isithathe leso sinyathelo esibalulekile.

¹⁶ Uma usumazi uJehova futhi usumthanda, ushukumiseleka ukuba umkhonze ngaphandle kokuzigodla futhi ungabeki mingcele ekumkhulekeleni. Noma ubani ofuna ukulandela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, kumelwe “azidele.” (Marku 8:34) Sizidela ngokuba siqiniseke ukuthi izifiso nemigomo yethu akusivimbi ukuba silalele uNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Ngakho-ke, ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe, ukwenza intando kaJehova uNkulunkulu kumelwe kube injongo eyinhloko ekuphileni kwakho.—1 Petru 4:2.

17. Kungani abanye bengase bazindele ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu?

¹⁷ Abanye bayazindela ukuzinikezela kuJehova ngenxa yokwesaba ukuthatha leso sinyathelo esibalulekile. Kungenzeka ukuthi besaba ukulandisa kuNkulunkulu njengamaKristu azinikezele. Njengoba besaba ukuthi bangase bahluleke noma badumaze uJehova, bacabanga ukuthi kungcono ukungazinikezeli kuye.

18. Yini engakushukumisela ukuba uzinikezele kuJehova?

¹⁸ Njengoba uya umthanda uJehova, uyoshukumiseleka ukuba uzinikezele kuye futhi wenze konke ongakwenza ukuze uphile ngokuvumelana naloko kuzinikezela. (UmShumayeli 5:4) Ngemva kokuzinikezela, ngokuqinisekile  uyofuna ‘ukuhamba ngokufanele uJehova ngenjongo yokumjabulisa ngokugcwele.’ (Kolose 1:10) Ngenxa yothando lwakho ngoNkulunkulu, ngeke ucabange ukuthi kunzima kakhulu ukwenza intando yakhe. Akungatshazwa ukuthi uyovumelana nomphostoli uJohane, owabhala: “Yilokhu okushiwo uthando ngoNkulunkulu, ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe; futhi imiyalo yakhe ayiwona umthwalo.”—1 Johane 5:3.

19. Kungani kungadingeki wesabe ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ Akudingeki ukuba uphelele ukuze uzinikezele kuNkulunkulu. UJehova uyazi ukuthi kungakanani ongakwenza futhi akalokothi alindele ukuba wenze okungaphezu kwamandla akho. (IHubo 103:14) Ufuna ukuba uphumelele futhi  uyokusekela, akusize. (Isaya 41:10) Ungaqiniseka ukuthi uma uthembela kuJehova ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, yena “uyokwenza izindlela zakho ziqonde.”—IzAga 3:5, 6.

20. Kungani ukuzinikezela kuJehova kungeke kuhlale kuyindaba yangasese?

²⁰ Ukucabanga ngezinto esisanda kuxoxa ngazo kungakusiza ukuba uzinikezele kuJehova ngomthandazo. Wonke umuntu omthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu kumelwe futhi  ‘avume obala kube yinsindiso.’ (Roma 10:10) Ukwenza kanjani lokhu?

21, 22. ‘Ungaluvuma kanjani obala’ ukholo lwakho?

²¹ Yazisa umxhumanisi wendikimba yabadala webandla lakini ukuthi ufuna ukubhapathizwa. Yena uyohlela ukuba abadala abathile babukeze nawe imibuzo eminingana ephathelene nezimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo. Uma laba badala bevuma ukuthi uyafaneleka, bayokutshela ukuthi ungabhapathizwa emhlanganweni olandelayo. * Inkulumo ebukeza lokho okushiwo ubhapathizo ivame ukubekwa emihlanganweni emikhulu. Isikhulumi siye sicele bonke abazobhapathizwa ukuba baphendule imibuzo emibili elula njengenye yezindlela ‘zokuvuma ukholo lwabo obala’ ngomlomo.

²² Ubhapathizo lukubonakalisa obala njengomuntu osezinikezele kuNkulunkulu nokuthi manje usungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ababhapathizwayo bacwiliswa ngokuphelele emanzini ukuze babonise obala ukuthi sebezinikezele kuJehova.

23. Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele”?

²³ UJesu wathi abafundi bakhe babeyobhapathizwa “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele.” (Mathewu 28:19) Lokhu kusho ukuthi umuntu obhapathizwayo uyaliqaphela igunya likaJehova uNkulunkulu nelikaJesu Kristu. (IHubo 83:18; Mathewu 28:18) Uqaphela nokusebenza komoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, noma amandla asebenzayo.—Galathiya 5:22, 23; 2 Petru 1:21.

24, 25. (a) Kufanekiselani ukubhapathizwa? (b) Imuphi umbuzo odinga ukuphendulwa?

²⁴ Nokho, ukubhapathizwa akuyona indaba yokuthi gqwambi emanzini kuphela. Kufanekisela okuthile okubaluleke  kakhulu. Ukungena ngaphansi kwamanzi kufanekisela ukufa ngokuqondene nenkambo yakho yokuphila yangaphambili. Ukukhushulelwa ngaphandle kwamanzi kubonisa ukuthi manje usuphilela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Khumbula futhi ukuthi uye wazinikezela kuJehova uNkulunkulu uqobo, hhayi emsebenzini othile, entweni ethile, kwabanye abantu noma enhlanganweni ethile. Ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kwakho kuyisiqalo sokuba umngane kaNkulunkulu oseduze kakhulu—ubuhlobo obuseduze naye.—IHubo 25:14.

²⁵ Ubhapathizo alusona isiqinisekiso sokusinda. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Qhubekani nisebenzela ukusindiswa kwenu siqu ngokwesaba nangokuthuthumela.” (Filipi 2:12) Ubhapathizo luyisiqalo. Umbuzo uwukuthi, Ungahlala kanjani usothandweni lukaNkulunkulu? Isahluko sokugcina sizosinika impendulo.