Ngaba Kufanelekile Ukuba Abantwana Babhaptizwe?

“UCARLOS, * utata ongumKristu wakwiiPhilippines uthi, “Iyandivuyisa gqitha into yokuba intombi yam ngoku ingumkhonzi kaYehova, ibe ndiyazi ukuba nayo iyavuya.” Omnye utata waseGrisi wabhala wathi: “Isenza sivuye mna nomfazi wam into yokuba abantwana bethu abathathu babhaptizwa njengamaNgqina kaYehova ngoxa babekwishumi elivisayo. Benza inkqubela ngokomoya yaye bayakuvuyela ukukhonza uYehova.”

Abazali abangamaKristu banesizathu sokuba nemincili xa abantwana babo bebhaptizwa, kodwa maxa wambi uvuyo lwabo luye luhambisane nexhala. Omnye umama wathi, “Ndandonwabe gqitha kodwa kwangaxeshanye ndixhalabile.” Yintoni eyayimbangela ukuba avakalelwe ngale ndlela? “Ndandiqonda ukuba ngoku unyana wam kuza kufuneka ephendule kuYehova kuyo yonke into ayenzayo.”

Lonke ulutsha lufanele luzibekele usukelo lokukhonza uYehova njengamaNgqina abhaptiziweyo. Sekunjalo, abazali abahlonel’ uThixo basenokuzibuza, ‘Ndiyazi ukuba umntwana wam wenze inkqubela, kodwa ngaba womelele ngokwaneleyo ukuba angakwazi ukuxhathisa ingcinezelo yokuziphatha kakubi aze ahlale ecocekile phambi kukaYehova?’ Abanye basenokuzibuza, ‘Xa ejamelene nesilingo sokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, ngaba umntwana wam uya kuqhubeka ekhonza uThixo ngovuyo nangenkuthalo?’ Noko ke, luluphi ukhokelo lweBhayibhile olunokunceda abazali bagqibe enoba abantwana babo bakulungele ukubhaptizwa kusini na?

Ukuba Ngumfundi KaKristu—Imfaneleko Ebalulekileyo

Kunokuba lichaze iminyaka yokufanelekela ukubhaptizwa, iLizwi likaThixo lichaza imeko yokomoya abafanele babe kuyo abo bafanelekela ukuthatha elo nyathelo. UYesu wayalela abalandeli bakhe esithi: ‘Yenzani abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, nibabhaptize.’ (Mat. 28:19) Ngenxa yoko, ubhaptizo lolwabo sele bengabafundi bakaKristu.

Yintoni umfundi? I-Insight on the Scriptures ithi: “Eli binzana ngokuyintloko libhekisela kwabo banganeli nje ukukholelwa kwiimfundiso zikaKristu kodwa abazilandela ngokusondeleyo.” Ngaba abantwana banokukwazi ukuba ngabafundi bakaKristu bokwenene? Omnye udade obengumthunywa wevangeli kuMbindi  nakuMzantsi Merika kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwama-40 xa ethetha ngaye noodadewabo ababini ubhala athi: “Sasibadala ngokwaneleyo ukwazi ukuba sifuna ukukhonza uYehova nokuphila eParadesi. Uzahlulelo lwethu lwasinceda sakwazi ukuxhathisa izilingo zobutsha. Asizisoli ngokuzahlulela kuThixo sisebancinane.”

Unokwazi njani ukuba umntwana wakho uye waba ngumfundi kaKristu? IBhayibhile ithi: “Kwangoqheliselo lwayo inkwenkwe izenza iqondwe enoba usulungekile na yaye uthe tye na umsebenzi wayo.” (IMize. 20:11) Phawula izinto ezibonisa ukuba umntwana wenza ‘ukuhambela kwakhe phambili njengomfundi kubonakale.’—1 Tim. 4:15.

Izinto Ezingqina Ukuba Ungumfundi

Ngaba umntwana wakho uyakuthobela? (Kol. 3:20) Ngaba uyayenza imisetyenzana yekhaya ayinikiweyo? IBhayibhile ithetha la mazwi ngoYesu xa wayeneminyaka eli-12 ubudala: “Waqhubeka ezithobile [kubazali bakhe].” (Luka 2:51) Kakade ke, akakho umntwana namhlanje onokuthobela abazali bakhe ngokugqibeleleyo. Kodwa amaKristu enene afanele ‘alandele emanyathelweni kaYesu ngokusondeleyo.’ Ngoko abantwana abafuna ukubhaptizwa bafanele baziwe ngokuthobela abazali babo.—1 Pet. 2:21.

Cinga ngale mibuzo ilandelayo: Ngaba umntwana wakho ‘uqhubeka efuna kuqala uBukumkani’ ngokuya entsimini? (Mat. 6:33) Ngaba unomdla wokuxelela abanye abantu iindaba ezilungileyo okanye kufuneka umkhuthaze ngokungqongqo ukuze aye entsimini aze athethe nabantu? Ngaba uyayiqonda imbopheleleko yakhe njengomvakalisi ongabhaptizwanga? Ngaba uye afune ukubuyela kubantu abanomdla adibana nabo entsimini? Ngaba uyazichaza kubantwana afunda nabo nakootitshala ukuba uliNgqina likaYehova?

Ngaba ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla kubalulekile kuye? (INdu. 122:1) Ngaba uyakuthanda ukugqabaza kwiSifundo SeMboniselo nakwiSifundo SeBhayibhile Sebandla? Ngaba uyakuvuyela ukuba nenxaxheba kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo?—Heb. 10:24, 25.

Ngaba umntwana wakho wenza umgudu wokuhlala ecocekile ngokuziphatha ngokuphepha abahlobo abanempembelelo embi esikolweni nakwezinye iindawo? (IMize. 13:20) Luluphi uhlobo alukhethayo lomculo, iimovie, iinkqubo zikamabonwakude, imidlalo yevidiyo yaye uyisebenzisa njani i-Internet? Ngaba indlela athetha ngayo nezinto azenzayo zibonisa ukuba ufuna ukuphila ngemilinganiselo yeBhayibhile?

Uyazi kangakanani umntwana wakho iBhayibhile? Ngaba oko akufunda ngengokuhlwa yoNqulo Lwentsapho unako ukukubeka ngamazwi akhe? Ngaba unokukwazi ukucacisa iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ezisisiseko? (IMize. 2:6-9) Ngaba unomdla wokufunda iBhayibhile neempapasho zodidi lwekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi? (Mat. 24:45) Ngaba ubuza imibuzo ngeemfundiso zeBhayibhile neendinyana zayo?

Loo mibuzo inokukunceda ubone ukuba umntwana wakho wenze inkqubela engakanani  ngokomoya. Emva kokuba uyiqwalasele, usenokugqiba kwelokuba usafanele aphucule kwiinkalo ezithile ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe. Noko ke, ukuba indlela aphila ngayo ingqina ukuba ungumfundi yaye ngokwenene uzahlulele kuThixo, usenokuvakalelwa kukuba umvumele ukuba abhaptizwe.

Abantwana Banako Ukumdumisa UYehova

Abakhonzi bakaThixo abaninzi babonisa ukuthembeka nokunyaniseka ngoxa babekwishumi elivisayo nangaphambi koko. Cinga ngoYosefu, uSamuweli, uYosiya noYesu. (Gen. 37:2; 39:1-3; 1 Sam. 1:24-28; 2:18-20; 2 Kron. 34:1-3; Luka 2:42-49) Iintombi ezine zikaFilipu, ezaziprofeta, kumele ukuba nazo zaqeqeshwa ziselula.—IZe. 21:8, 9.

Elinye iNgqina laseGrisi lathi: “Ndabhaptizwa xa ndandineminyaka eli-12 ubudala. Andizange nakanye ndikhe ndizisole ngesigqibo endasenzayo. Ukususela ngoko, sele kudlule iminyaka engama-24, yaye engama-23 kuyo ndiye ndayichithela kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ukumthanda kwam uYehova bekusoloko kundinceda ndikwazi ukumelana neengxaki zobutsha. Xa ndandineminyaka eli-12, iZibhalo ndandingazazi ngendlela endizazi ngayo ngoku. Kodwa ndandisazi ukuba ndiyamthanda uYehova yaye ndifuna ukumkhonza ngonaphakade. Ndiyavuya kuba eye wandinceda ndaqhubeka ndisenkonzweni yakhe.”

Enoba uselula okanye mdala, umntu ozingqina engumfundi wenene ufanele abhaptizwe. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Ngentliziyo ubani ubonisa ukholo lobulungisa, kodwa ngomlomo wenza uvumo lwasesidlangalaleni losindiso.” (Roma 10:10) Xa umfundi kaKristu oselula ethatha inyathelo elibalulekileyo lokubhaptizwa, sukube yena nabazali bakhe benze umsebenzi omhle kakhulu. Ungaze uvumele nantoni na ukuba ithintele wena okanye abantwana bakho ekunandipheni uvuyo olungathethekiyo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 5]

Imbono Efanelekileyo Ngobhaptizo

Abanye abazali bakugqala ukubhaptizwa kwabantwana babo njengenyathelo eliyingenelo nelisenokuba yingozi—njengokufumana iphepha-mvume lokuqhuba imoto. Kodwa ngaba ubhaptizo nenkonzo engcwele zinokubeka ikamva lomntu engozini? IBhayibhile ithi akunjalo. IMizekeliso 10:22 ithi: “Intsikelelo kaYehova—yiyo etyebisayo, yaye akongezi ntlungu kuyo.” NoPawulos wathi xa wayebhalela uTimoti oselula: “Phofu ke, iyinene yona into yokuba, uzinikelo lobuthixo kunye nokwanela, kuyinzuzo enkulu.”—1 Tim. 6:6.

Enyanisweni, ukukhonza uYehova akukho lula. UYeremiya wajamelana nobunzima kumsebenzi wakhe wokuba ngumprofeti kaThixo. Sekunjalo, wabhala wathi ngonqulo lwakhe kuThixo wenene: ‘Ilizwi lakho kum liba kukugcoba nemihlali yentliziyo yam; kuba ndibizwe ngegama lakho, Yehova Thixo wemikhosi.’ (Yer. 15:16) UYeremiya wayesazi ukuba yinkonzo kaThixo eyayibangela ukuba avuye. Lihlabathi likaSathana elibangela ubunzima. Abazali bafanele bancede abantwana babo baqonde loo mahluko.—Yer. 1:19.

 [Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 6]

Ngaba Umntwana Wam Ufanele Akhe Athi Xha Ngokubhaptizwa?

Maxa wambi, kwanaxa abantwana bekufanelekela ukubhaptizwa, abazali babo basenokugqiba kwelokuba bakhe beme kancinane. Ziziphi izizathu abasenokuba banazo?

Ndinoloyiko lokuba, ukuba umntwana wam uyabhaptizwa, ekuhambeni kwexesha unokwenza isono esinzulu aze asuswe kubudlelane. Ngaba kusengqiqweni ukukholelwa ukuba umntwana okubekel’ amangomso ukubhaptizwa akayi kuphendula kuThixo ngendlela aziphatha ngayo? USolomon wathetha la mazwi alandelayo kwabaselula: “Yazi ukuba ngenxa yezi zinto zonke uThixo oyinyaniso uya kukusa ekugwetyweni.” (INtshu. 11:9) UPawulos wayengabhekiseli kubantu abakubudala obuthile xa wanikela esi sikhumbuzo: “Ngamnye wethu uya kuziphendulela kuThixo.”—Roma 14:12.

Abakhonzi ababhaptiziweyo nabangabhaptizwanga baza kuphendula kuThixo. Khumbula ukuba, uYehova ukhusela abakhonzi bakhe ‘ngokungabayekeli ukuba bahendwe ngaphaya koko banokukuthwala.’ (1 Kor. 10:13) Ukuba nje bahlala ‘bephaphile’ yaye besilwa nezilingo, banokuqiniseka ukuba uThixo uya kubaxhasa. (1 Pet. 5:6-9) Omnye umama ongumKristu ubhala athi: “Abantwana ababhaptiziweyo banezizathu ezingakumbi zokuphepha izinto ezimbi zeli hlabathi. Unyana wam, owabhaptizwa xa wayeneminyaka eli-15 ubudala, uvakalelwa kukuba ukubhaptizwa kuyakhusela. Wathi: ‘Akuye ucinge ngokwenza into engqubana nomthetho kaYehova.’ Ukubhaptizwa kukukhuthaza ukuba ube lilungisa.”

Ukuba abantwana bakho uye wabaqeqesha ngamazwi nangomzekelo ukuba bathobele uYehova, unokuqiniseka ukuba baya kuqhubeka besenjenjalo nasemva kokuba bebhaptiziwe. IMizekeliso 20:7 ithi: “Ilungisa lihamba ngengqibelelo yalo. Banoyolo oonyana balo emva kwalo.”

Ndifuna lo mntwana afikelele usukelo oluthile kuqala. Abantwana bafanele bafunde ukusebenza ukuze ekuhambeni kwexesha bakwazi ukuzixhasa. Kodwa kuyingozi ukubakhuthaza ukuba baphile ubomi obusekelwe kwimfundo nokuba nemali kunokuba busekelwe kunqulo lwenene. Ngokuphathelele “imbewu” engakhuliyo, okanye ilizwi loBukumkani, uYesu wathi: “Leyo ke ihlwayelwe phakathi kwameva, ngulowo ulivayo ilizwi, kodwa ixhala lale nkqubo yezinto namandla akhohlisayo obutyebi ayaliminxa ilizwi, aze angabi nasiqhamo.” (Mat. 13:22) Ukuba umzali ukhuthaza umntwana wakhe ukuba azibekele usukelo lwehlabathi kunokuba akhulise ulwalamano lwakhe noYehova, oko kunokumenza angabi namdla wokukhonza uThixo.

Ethetha ngabantwana abafanelekayo ukubhaptizwa kodwa abazali bengavumi, omnye umdala onamava wathi: “Ukunqanda umntwana xa efuna ukubhaptizwa kunokumenza angenzi nkqubela ngokomoya yaye unokudimazeka.” Ukanti omnye umveleli ohambahambayo wabhala wathi: “Umntwana unokuziva engento ngokomoya. Usenokuya ehlabathini ukuze azive efeze okuthile.”

[Umfanekiso]

Ngaba ukuya eyunivesithi kufanele kube yeyona nto iphambili?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 3]

Umntwana unokubonisa ubungqina bokuba ungumfundi

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 3]

Ukulungiselela nokuba nenxaxheba kwiintlanganiso

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4]

Ukuthobela abazali

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4]

Ukuya entsimini

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 4]

Ukuthandaza