1, 2. Kodi mbani anatsandzaya na midzidzi ya ubatizo?

KHALA imwe muli na pyaka pizinji mbamutumikira Yahova, mwabvesera nkhani zizinji za ubatizo m’misonkhano yacisa pabodzi na misonkhano ya gawo. Mbwenye, mwakukhonda tsalakana ndzidzi udagumanika imwe pa mbuto zenezi, imwe musakulumizika peno musafunisisa kukhala nanthu mu ndzidzi unakhala anyakufuna kubatizwa pa mpando wakutsogolo mbalimira toera kubatizwa. Mu ndzidzi unoyu wakucepa, anyakubvesera asakomerwa kakamwe, mbamenya manja mwamphambvu. Misozi inakwanisa kubuluka mungaona nsoka unango wa anthu akufunika adasankhula kuphedzera kukhundu ya Yahova. Ndi kwakutsandzayisa kakamwe kugumanika midzidzi ineyi!

² Maseze tisaona ubatizo m’midzidzi yakucepa pa caka n’cisa cathu, aanju ali na mwai wakuona anyakufuna kubatizwa kazinji kene. Nyerezerani ‘kukomerwa kukulu kudzulu’ kunakhala na aanju angaona anthu azinji pa dziko yonsene yapantsi mbakacita khundu ya gulu yakuoneka ya Yahova masumana onsene. (Luka 15:7, 10) Mwakukhonda penula, aanju asakomerwa kuona kuthimizirika kweneku!—Ageu 2:7.

3. Thangwi yanji Sathani ‘akundzendza-ndzendza ninga nkhalamu yakulira,’ na ndi ninji pinafuna iye kucita?

³ Natenepa, pana aanju anango akuipa akuti asayang’ana anyakubatizwa anewa na bibvu. Sathani na mademonyo, asaipirwa kakamwe angaona anthu azinji kupasira nkhodolo  dziko ino yakubvunda. Kusiyapo pyenepi, Sathani asarunkuma mbalonga kuti nkhabepo munthu anatumikira Yahova na ufuni wandimomwene na nkhabepo munthu anapitiriza kukhala wakukhulupirika angayeserwa kakamwe. (Lerini Yobe 2:4, 5.) Ndzidzi onsene unatonga munthu kuperekeka ekhene kwa Yahova, Sathani asabweresa pyakuipa. Pisakhala ninga Sathani asatambira pikwi pya mbama masumana onsene. Si pyakudzumisa tayu, thangwi iye ‘akundzendza-ndzendza ninga nkhalamu yakulira, mbisaka munthu toera kumudya’! (1 Pedro 5:8) “Nkhalamu” ineyi isafuna kakamwe kuti itidye mwauzimu, mbicitisa kuti tifudze peno kumalisa uxamwali wathu na Mulungu.—Masalmo 7:1, 2; 2 Timoti 3:12.

4, 5. (a) Ndi munjira zipi ziwiri zakuti Yahova akhondesa mphambvu yakunyengeta? (b) Nkristu wandimomwene asafunika kukhala na cinyindiro cipi?

⁴ Maseze tithimbane na nyamalwa wakugoswa, ife nkhabe  mathangwi toera kugopa. Thangwi yanji nee tisagopa? Thangwi Yahova akhondesa mphambvu ya ‘nkhalamu yakulira’ ineyi munjira ziwiri. Ndi zipi njira zenezi? Njira yakutoma, Yahova akhadalonga kuti ‘mwinji ukulu’ wa Akristu andimomwene unadzapulumuka pa ‘nyatwa ikulu,’ inafuna kudza. (Apokalipse 7:9, 14) Maprofesiya a Mulungu cipo asaphonya. Na thangwi ineyi, Sathani asafunika kudziwa kuti iye cipo anakwanisa kupambusa anthu onsene a Mulungu.

⁵ Njira yaciwiri yapangizika pakweca kakamwe kubulukira mu undimomwene wakuwanga udalongwa na m’bodzi wa amuna akale akukhulupirika a Mulungu. Mprofeta Azariya alonga kuna Mambo Asa: ‘Yahova anadzakhala na imwe, imwe mungakhala na iye.’ (2 Pya dziko ya Israele 15:2; lerini 1 Akorinto 10:13.) Pitsandzo pizinji pidalembwa pisapangiza kuti kalene, Sathani akhacimwana kuphekesa m’bodzi na m’bodzi wa atumiki a Mulungu, ale akuti akhapitiriza kukhala cifupi na Yahova. (Ahebere 11:4-40) Lero, Nkristu anakhala cifupi na Mulungu anakwanisa kukhonda na kukunda Dyabo. Na thangwi ineyi, Mafala a Mulungu asatipasa cinyindiro: “Khondani demonyo [peno Dyabo], penepo inadzathawuka kwa imwe.”—Tyago 4:7.

6. Kodi Sathani asamenyana tani na Nkristu m’bodzi na m’bodzi?

⁶ Sathani nkhabe kuwina mu nkhondo ineyi, mbwenye iye anaphekesa m’bodzi na m’bodzi wa ife tingakhonda khala akucenjera. Sathani asapidziwa kuti anatiphekesa angafewesa uxamwali wathu na Yahova. Kodi Sathani asayesera tani toera kucita pyenepi? Mu kutipomokera mwakuwanga ninga nsoka, munthu paekha na kunyengerera. Tendeni tidinge misampha ineyi mikulu ya Sathani.

7. Thangwi yanji Sathani asapomokera mwakuwanga mbumba a Yahova?

⁷ Kupomokera mwakuwanga. Mpostolo Jwau alemba: ‘Pantsi pano pali m’manja mwa demonyo.’ (1 Jwau 5:19) Mafala anewa ali na cenjezo kwa Akristu onsene andimomwene. Nakuti  Sathani adya kale anthu a dziko yonsene yakuipa, iye cincino asasaka anthu a Yahova. (Mikeya 4:1; Jwau 15:19; Apokalipse 12:12, 17) Iye ali na ukali wakugoswa thangwi asadziwa kuti ndzidzi wace wasala pang’ono basi. Ndi pyenepi pinancitisa kuthimizira nyatwa. Lero, tiri kuthimbana na mphambvu zace zikulu zakumalisa toera kufudza uxamwali wathu na Mulungu. Na thangwi ineyi, cincino kupiringana midzidzi yonsene, tisafunika ‘kudziwa pyakufunika maka toera’ kucita.—1 Pya dziko ya Israele 12:32, 33.

8. Mpostolo Paulu akhafuna kulonganji pidalemba iye kuti tiri na “nkhondo” yakumenyana na mizimu yakuipa?

⁸ Nkhondo ya munthu paekha. Mpostolo Paulu acenjeza Akristu andzace: ‘Tiri na nkhondo yakumenyana na mizimu yakuipa yakuthambo.’ (Aefesi 6:12, CC) Thangwi yanji Paulu aphatisira fala yakuti “nkhondo”? Ndi thangwi yakuti fala ineyi isabveka kumenyana na manja pontho cifupi na cifupi. Natenepa, mu kuphatisira fala ineyi, Paulu agomezera kuti munthu m’bodzi na m’bodzi ali na nkhondo yakuthimbana na mizimu yakuipa. Khala tiri mu dziko yakuti pikhulupiro pya mizimu yakuipa ndi pyamphambvu kakamwe peno nkhabe, tilekeni kuduwala kuti mudaperekeka ife kwa Yahova, tacita thanyo mu nkhondo ineyi yauzimu. Kutomera ntsiku idaperekeka ife kwa Yahova mpaka ntsogolo, Nkristu m’bodzi na m’bodzi ali mu nkhondo yakuti nkhabe thawika. Ndi thangwi yace Paulu aona kukhala pyakufunika kudembetera katatu Akristu a ku Efeso kuti ‘akhale dzololo’!—Aefesi 6:11, 13, 14.

9. (a) Thangwi yanji Sathani na mademonyo asaphatisira “manyengerero” akusiyana-siyana? (b) Thangwi yanji Sathani asayesera kufudza manyerezero athu, na tinakhonda tani kuwangisira kwace? (Onani bokosi “ Citani Mphole-mphole Na Kucenjera Kwa Sathani!”) (c) Ndi ntundu upi wa manyengerero unafuna ife kudinga cincino?

⁹ Misampha yakunyengeta. Paulu acenjeza Akristu kuti akhale dzololo pakuthimbana na “manyengerero” a Sathani. (Aefesi 6:11) Onani kuti Paulu aphatisira fala yakuti manyengerero, nkhubveka kuti ndi mazinji. Mizimu yakuipa isaphatisira manyengerero akusiyana-siyana na iri na mathangwi akucita pyenepi. Mu kupita kwa ndzidzi, anyakukhulupira anango  adakhala dzololo pakuthimbana na ntundu ubodzi wa nyatwa akhathimbanambo na nyatwa zinango. Mwacitsandzo, Dyabo na mademonyo asayang’ana makhaliro a m’bodzi na m’bodzi wa ife toera kudzindikira khundu yathu yakufewa. Buluka penepo, iwo asasaka padafewa ife mwauzimu toera kufudza uxamwali wathu na Yahova. Natenepa, mwaluso ife tinakwanisa kudzindikira njira zinaphatisira Dyabo, zakuti zapangizwa pakweca m’Bhibhlya. (2 Akorinto 2:11) Pakutoma kwene kwa bukhu ino, tafokotoza njira zenezi ninga ng’ambo yakufuna mpfuma, ubalangazi wakuphekesa, na makhaliro aulukwali. Tendeni tidinge cincino ntundu unango wa manyengerero a Sathani—kukhulupira mizimu.

10. (a) Kodi kukhulupira mizimu ndi ninji? (b) Yahova asaona tani kukhulupira mizimu, na imwe musakuonambo tani?

¹⁰ Munthu angakhulupira mizimu, peno mademonyo, ali kucita uxamwali mwapakweca na mizimu yakuipa. Kulotera, ufiti, kulodza, na kusaka kudziwa pya anyakufa ndi njira zinango zakukhulupira mizimu. Ninga tisapidziwa mwadidi, Yahova asaona kukhulupira mizimu ninga ‘pyakunyanyasa.’ (Deuteronomyo 18:10-12; Apokalipse 21:8) Nakuti tisafunikambo ‘kutcinga pyakuipa,’ mphyakusowa ndzeru kwa ife kucita uxamwali na mizimu yakuipa. (Aroma 12:9) Unoyu ndi ncitiro wakunyanyasa wakusandukira Babathu wakudzulu, Yahova!

11. Thangwi yanji Sathani anawina kakamwe angatipambusa toera kukhulupira mizimu? Perekani citsandzo.

¹¹ Natenepa, na thangwi yakuti kukhulupira mizimu ndi kusandukira Yahova, Sathani asacitisa anango a ife kukhulupira mizimu. Ndzidzi onsene unanyengerera iye Nkristu kuti apambuke mbacita pyaudemonyo, Sathani ali kuwina kakamwe kukhundu ineyi. Thangwi yanji? Nyerezerani kulandanisa uku: Khala nyankhondo atunduswa kuti athawe na apomokere nsoka wace wakubverana mbapita mu nsoka wa anyamalwa, nkadamu wa nsoka unoyu anakhala wakukomerwa kakamwe. Nkadamu wa nsoka wa anyamalwa panango anakwata  nyakusandukira unoyu mbancita ninga cipangizo toera kuxola nkadamu wa anyankhondo a nsoka unango. Munjira ibodzi ene, Nkristu angapeuka mbakhulupira mizimu, iye mwakufuna na mwakudziwa ali kukhonda Yahova mbaikhika ekhene pantsi pa utongi wa Sathani. Nyerezerani kukomerwa kunafuna kukhala na Sathani kucita nyakusandukira unoyu ninga cipangizo cakuwina kwace! Kodi m’bodzi wa ife asafuna kucitisa kuti Sathani awine? Nkhabe! Ife nee ndife anyakusandukira.

12. Ndi njira ipi inaphatisira Sathani toera kupingiza maonero athu pa pinthu pya kukhulupira mizimu?

¹² Munapitiriza ife na kutcinga peno kukhonda kukhulupira mizimu, Sathani nkhabe kudzapembera pakuthimbana na ife angaphatisira njira ineyi. Na thangwi ineyi, iye asanyerezera kuti anakwanisa kucinja manyerezero athu. Asacita tani pyenepi? Iye asasaka njira yakupangiza Akristu kuti ‘pyakuipa ndi pyadidi, pyadidimbo ndi pyakuipa.’ (Izaiya 5:20) Toera kucita pyenepi, kazinji kene Sathani asaphatisira njira ibodzi yakuti asapembera nayo kutomera kale, kucitisa anthu kupenula.

13. Kodi Sathani aphatisira tani mafala akucitisa kupenula?

¹³ Onani kuti Sathani aphatisira tani njira ineyi kalene. Mu Edeni iye abvundza Eva: ‘Ndimomwene kuti Mulungu akukhondesani kudya nsapo wa muti ubodzi pa tapada?’ Mu ndzidzi wa Yobe, pikhadagumanyikana aanju kudzulu, Sathani acita mbvundzo: “Kodi iye asagopa Mulungu pezi basi?” Pontho pakutoma kwa utumiki wa Yezu pa dziko yapantsi, Sathani athimbana na Kristu mukulonga: ‘Khala ndiwe mwana wa Mulungu longa kuti miyala iyi isanduke kudza mikate.’ Nyerezerani, kukhundu ya Yezu, Sathani akhasingirira mafala andimomwene adalonga Yahova pa kupita masumana matanthatu: “Uyu [ndiye] mwana wanga wakufunika kakamwe mbandikomerwa naye”!—Genesi 3:1; Yobe 1:9; Mateo 3:17; 4:3.

14. (a) Sathani asaphatisira tani misampha yace toera kucitisa kupenula mu pinthu pya kukhulupira mizimu? (b) Cincino tinadinganji?

¹⁴ Lero, Dyabo asaphatisira njira ibodzi ene toera kucitisa kupenula pya kuipa kwa kukhulupira mizimu. Mwakutsukwalisa,  iye asapembera mu kucitisa kupenula m’manyerezero mwa anyakukhulupira anango. Iwo asatoma kubvundzika khala macitiro anango onsene akukhulupira mizimu ndi akuipa peno nkhabe. (2 Akorinto 11:3) Kodi tinaphedza tani anthu anewa kuti acinje manyerezero awo? Tinakwanisa tani kukhala na cinyindiro cakuti manyengerero a Sathani asaphonya pakutinyengerera? Kuti titawire, tendeni tidinge makhundu mawiri akuti Sathani asaaphingiza na pinthu pya kukhulupira mizimu. Pana pyakubalangaza na matsalakaniro a ungumi.

15. (a) Anthu azinji akumadokero a dzuwa asaona tani kukhulupira mizimu? (b) Ndi munjira ipi Akristu anango asakhuyiwa na maonero a dziko akukhulupira mizimu?

¹⁵ Makamaka m’madziko akumadokero a dzuwa, kuombedza, ufiti, na macitiro anango akukhulupira mizimu ali kuthimizirika pikulu pyene. Mafilimu, mabukhu, maprogramu a Televizau, na masendzekero a mu ntcini wandzeru asapangiza mwakuthimizirika macitiro a pyaudemonyo ninga pyadidi, pyakutsandzayisa, na pyakukhonda kuphekesa. Mafilimu anango na mabukhu anapangiza pyaufiti akukhala akudzolowereka kwakuti anthu anapiphatisira asagumanyisa misoka. Mwapakweca, mademonyo asapembera mu kucepesa peno kupwaza ngozwi za pyaufiti. Kodi cipendamiro ceneci cakukhulupira mizimu cisakhuyadi Akristu? Manyerezero a anango asakhuyiwa na pyenepi. Munjira ipi? Toera kupangiza citsandzo ca pyenepi, pidamala Nkristu unango kuona filimu yakuti ikhapangiza pyaufiti, iye alonga: “Ndikhaona filimu mbwenye sidacita tayu macitiro akukhulupira mizimu.” Thangwi yanji manyerezero anewa ndi akugopswa?

16. Thangwi yanji ndi pyakugopswa kusankhula ubalangazi wakuti usapangiza macitiro a pyaufiti?

¹⁶ Maseze pana kusiyana pakati pa kucita pinthu pyakhulupira mizimu na kupiona, pyenepi mwandimomwene nkhabe kubveka kuti kuona macitiro a pya ufiti nkhabe kubweresa ngozwi. Thangwi yanji? Dingani ipi: Mafala a Mulungu asapangiza  kuti Sathani na mademonyo nkhabe luso yakuona piri m’manyerezero mwathu. * Natenepa, ninga pyalongwa kale, toera kudziwa pinanyerezera ife na toera kugumana cinthu consene cakufewesa uxamwali wathu na Mulungu, mizimu yakuipa isayang’anisisa macitiro athu, kuphataniza kusankhula kwathu ubalangazi. Makhaliro a Nkristu angapangiza kuti asakomerwa kuona mafilimu peno mabukhu a pyakuombedza, pyaufiti, mabasa a pyaudemonyo, peno nkhani zinango za pyaudemonyo, iye ali kutumiza mphangwa kwa mademonyo. Natenepa, iye ali kupangiza khundu yace yakufewa kuna mademonyo! Ninga ntawiro, mademonyo anathimizira nkhondo yawo na Nkristu unoyu toera kubera themu kufewa kwace kudapangiza iye mpaka kumuwina. Mwandimomwene, anango akuti asakhulupira mizimu atoma na ubalangazi wakuti ukhakulumiza pyaufiti mpaka kucita pinthu pyakukhulupiradi mizimu.—Lerini Agalata 6:7.

17. Ndi manyengerero api akuti Sathani anakwanisa kubera nawo themu ntenda?

¹⁷ Sathani asayesera kubera themu tayu basi kufuna kwathu ubalangazi mbwenyembo kusaka kwathu pya ukondzi. Asacita tani pyenepi? Nkristu wakuti akubva kupha mu pyaka pizinji, maseze awangisire kusaka ukondzi toera kuwanga, panango anakwanisa kukhala wakutsukwala. (Marko 5:25, 26) Pyenepi pinacitisa Sathani na mademonyo kukhala na mwai wakubera themu Nkristu unoyu. Mademonyo panango anayesera ntenda kuti akundwe na utenda wace na asankhule ukondzi peno macitiro akuti asaphataniza ‘pyonsene pyakugopswa,’ peno kukhulupira mizimu, cinthu cakuphekesa kakamwe. Khala manyengerero anewa a mademonyo aphata basa, iwo anakwanisa kufewesa uxamwali wa ntenda na Mulungu. Munjira ipi?

18. Ndi njira zipi zakuti Nkristu asafunika kuzikhonda, na thangwi yanji?

 ¹⁸ Yahova acenjeza Aisraele akuti akhacita ‘pyonsene pyakugopswa’ peno pyakukhulupira mizimu: ‘Mungathukula manja anu, toera kuphembera, ndinaphopha maso anga. Mungathimiza kuphembera, sinakubverani tayu.’ (Izaiya 1:15) Natenepa, ndzidzi onsene tisafunika kucalira cinthu consene cakuti cinadodomesa maphembero athu na kupwaza ciphedzo cinatambira ife kwa Yahova, makamaka mu ndzidzi unaduwala ife. (Masalmo 41:3) Na thangwi ineyi, khala pana njira yakudzindikira nawo utenda peno ukondzi unaphataniza pinthu pya kukhulupira mizimu, Nkristu wandimomwene asafunika kuikhonda. * (Mateo 6:13) Munjira ineyi, iye anadzakhala na cinyindiro cakuti akupitiriza kuphedzwa na Yahova.—Onani bokosi “ Kodi Kweneku Ndi Kukhulupiradi Mizimu?”

19. (a) Dyabo asacitisa kuti anthu azinji akhulupirenji thangwi ya mphambvu yace? (b) Ndi mbiri ipi yakuti Akristu andimomwene asaikhonda?

¹⁹ Maseze anthu azinji a madziko akumadokero a dzuwa alulupise ngozwi ya mphambvu ya Sathani, pinthu pyakusiyana piri kucitika ku makhundu anango a dziko. Kweneku Dyabo ali kunyengeta anthu azinji toera kukhulupira kuti iye ali na mphambvu ikulu kupiringana ina iyedi. Anthu anango  asakhala maso, asadya, asagona, asaphata basa mbagopa mizimu yakuipa. Mbiri ya macitiro amphambvu a mademonyo ikuthimizirika. Mbiri ineyi kazinji kene isafokotozwa munjira yakutsandzayisa; anthu asatunduswa nayo kakamwe. Kodi ife tisafunikambo kucita khundu mu kumwaza mbiri ineyi? Nkhabe, atumiki a Mulungu wandimomwene asakhonda kucita pyenepi na mathangwi mawiri akufunika kakamwe.

20. Munthu anamwaza tani mbiri yauthambi ya Sathani mwakukhonda dziwa?

²⁰ Thangwi yakutoma, munthu angamwaza mbiri yakubera themu kunacitwa na mademonyo akucita pifuno pya Sathani. Asacita tani pyenepi? Mafala a Mulungu asatawirira kuti Sathani asakwanisa kucita mabasa amphambvu, mbwenye iwo asacenjezambo kuti Sathani asacita “pirengo pyakunama” na “manyengerero akuipa onsene.” (2 Atesalonika 2:9, 10) Nakuti Sathani ndi nyakunyengeta wankulu, iye asadziwa kuti ananyengeta tani manyerezero a anthu akuti ali na cipendamiro ca kukhulupira mizimu na kuacitisa kukhulupira pinthu pyakukhonda  khala pyandimomwene. Anthu anewa anakwanisa kukhulupira pinthu pinango pidaona iwo na pidabva iwo na panango analonga pyakugumana napyo pyawo ninga pyandimomwene. Mu kupita kwa ndzidzi, mbiri yawo ineyi inakwanisa kuthimizirika na thangwi yakupitiriza na kulongwa. Khala Nkristu asamwaza pyenepi, iye ali kucita cifuniro ca Dyabo, “Baba wa uthambi.” Iye ali kumwaza mbiri yauthambi ya Sathani.—Jwau 8:44; 2 Timoti 2:16.

21. Ndi pinthu pipi pinafunika ife kugomezera m’makani athu?

²¹ Thangwi yaciwiri, khala Nkristu akhathimbana na mizimu yakuipa, iye mbadacita mwadidi kukhonda kupilonga kwa anyakukhulupira andzace. Thangwi yanji? Ife tisacenjezwa tenepa: ‘Tendeni tiikhe maso athu pana Yezu, nyakutomesa cikhulupiro cathu, pontho nyakucicitisa kukhala cakuthema.’ (Ahebere 12:2, CC) Inde, tisafunika kuikha maso athu kwa Kristu, tayu kwa Sathani. Ndi pyakufunika kudzindikira kuti mu ndzidzi ukakhala iye pa dziko yapantsi, Yezu hadafokotoza kwa anyakupfundzace mbiri ya mizimu yakuipa tayu, maseze iye mbadalonga pinakwanisa Sathani kucita na pinakhonda iye kwanisa. Mbuto mwa pyenepi, Yezu aikha pa mbuto yakutoma mphangwa za Umambo. Natenepa, mu kusangizira Yezu na apostolo, makani athu asafunika kugomezera kakamwe ‘pinthu pikulu pidacita Mulungu.’—Machitiro 2:11; Luka 8:1; Aroma 1:11, 12.

22. Tinaphedzera tani ‘kukomerwa kukulu kudzulu’?

²² Mwandimomwene, Sathani asaphatisira manyengerero akusiyana-siyana, kuphataniza kukhulupira mizimu, toera kufudza uxamwali wathu na Yahova. Natenepa, tingaida pinthu pyakuipa mbaticita pinthu pyadidi, tiri kukhonda kupasa mwai Dyabo wakufewesa kutonga kwathu toera kukhonda mitundu yonsene yakukhulupira mizimu. (Lerini Aefesi 4:27.) Nyerezerani ‘kukomerwa kukulu’ kunafuna kudzaoneka kudzulu tingapitiriza kukhala ‘akuwanga peno kukunda manyengerero a Dyabo’ mpaka ntsiku inafuna fudzwa iye!—Aefesi 6:11.