1. Yini umuntu okudingeka ayenze ngaphambi kokwakha indlu?

CABANGA ngomuntu ofisa ukwakha indlu. Uyazi ukuthi indlu afuna ukuyakha injani. Ingabe kufanele ngokushesha aye estolo ayothenga izinto zokwakha aqale ukwakha? Lutho. Ngaphambi kokuba aqale, kunento ebalulekile okudingeka ayenze—ukubala ukuthi kuzoba yimalini ukuyakha. Kungani? Yingoba kufanele azi ukuthi unemali eyanele yini yokuthi engayakha ayiqede indlu. Uma ezibale kahle izindleko kusengaphambili, nakanjani uzokwazi ukuyakha ayiqede indlu yakhe.

2. Ngokwencwadi kaLuka 14:27-30, yini okufanele ucabangisise ngayo ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe?

² Ingabe ukuthanda uJehova nokumbonga ngakho konke akwenzele kona kukwenza ukucabangele ukubhapathizwa? Uma kunjalo, uhlalelwe ukwenza isinqumo esifana nesomuntu ofuna ukwakha indlu. Kungani sisho kanjalo? Cabanga ngamazwi kaJesu akuLuka 14:27-30. (Funda.) UJesu wayekhuluma ngokuthi kusho ukuthini ukuba umfundi wakhe. Ukuze sibe abalandeli bakhe, kufanele sizimisele ukukhuthazelela ubunzima futhi sidele ezinye izinto. (Luka 9:23-26; 12:51-53) Ngakho ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe, kudingeka ucabange ngakho konke ozobhekana nakho uma uba umfundi kaKristu. Uma wenza kanjalo, uyokulungela kahle ukukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka njengomKristu obhapathiziwe.

3. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

³ Nakuba kungase kudingeke ubhekane nezinkinga noma udele izinto ezithile ngemva kokubhapathizwa, ingabe uyoke uzisole ngesinqumo osenzile? Lutho neze! Ukubhapathizwa kukuvulela umnyango wezibusiso eziningi—manje nasesikhathini esizayo. Ake sixoxe ngeminye imibuzo ebalulekile ngokubhapathizwa.  Ukwenza kanjalo kuzokusiza ukwazi ukuphendula lo mbuzo: “Ingabe sengikulungele ukubhapathizwa?”

4. (a) Kuyini ukuzinikezela? (b) Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuzidela,’ njengoba kuboniswe kuMathewu 16:24?

⁴ Kuyini ukuzinikezela? Ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe, kufanele uzinikezele. Lapho uzinikezela kuJehova, uyathandaza kuye ngokusuka enhliziyweni umtshele ukuthi uzosebenzisa ukuphila kwakho ukuze umkhonze kuze kube phakade. Lapho uzinikezela kuNkulunkulu usuke ‘uzidela.’ (Funda uMathewu 16:24.) Usuke usungokaJehova, okuyilungelo elikhulu. (Roma 14:8) Uyamtshela ukuthi kusukela manje kuqhubeke, uzogxila ekukhonzeni yena hhayi ekuzijabuliseni wena. Ukuzinikezela kwakho kuyisifungo—isithembiso esibalulekile osenza kuNkulunkulu. UJehova akasiphoqi ukuba senze lesi sifungo. Kodwa lapho sifunga, ulindele ukuba sisigcine isifungo sethu.—IHu. 116:12, 14.

5. Uyini umehluko phakathi kokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa?

⁵ Uyini umehluko phakathi kokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa? Ukuzinikezela ukwenza uwedwa ngasese. Ukubhapathizwa ukwenza obala phambi kwabantu, ngokuvamile kuba semhlanganweni omncane noma omkhulu. Lapho ubhapathizwa, ubonisa abanye ukuthi usuzinikezele kuJehova. * Ngakho ukubhapathizwa kwenza abantu bazi ukuthi uthanda uJehova ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, umphefumulo, ingqondo namandla futhi uzimisele ukumkhonza kuze kube phakade.—Marku 12:30.

6-7. Ngokwencwadi yoku-1 Petru 3:18-22, yiziphi izizathu ezimbili ezenza kudingeke ukuba sibhapathizwe?

⁶ Kuyadingeka ngempela yini ukuba ubhapathizwe? Cabanga ngamazwi atholakala kweyoku-1 Petru 3:18-22. (Funda.) Njengoba nje nomkhumbi wawuwubufakazi obubonakalayo bokholo lukaNowa, nokubhapathizwa kuwubufakazi obunamandla bokuzinikezela kuJehova. Kodwa kuyadingeka ngempela yini ukuba ubhapathizwe? Yebo. UPetru waphawula ngokuthi kungani kudingeka. Okokuqala, ‘kuzokusindisa.’ Ukubhapathizwa kungasisindisa uma siye sathatha izinyathelo ezidingekayo ukuze sibonise ukuthi sinokholo kuJesu nokuthi siyakholelwa ukuthi wasifela, wabuye wavuswa wanyukela ezulwini futhi manje “ungakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu.”

⁷ Okwesibili, ukubhapathizwa kuzosenza sibe “nonembeza omuhle.” Lapho sinikezela ukuphila kwethu kuJehova futhi sibhapathizwa, sisuke sesinobungane obukhethekile naye. Ngenxa yokuthi siyaphenduka ngempela futhi sinokholo emhlatshelweni, uNkulunkulu uyazithethelela izono zethu. Ngakho siba nonembeza omuhle phambi kwakhe.

8. Yini okufanele ikwenze unqume ukubhapathizwa?

⁸ Yini okufanele ikwenze unqume ukubhapathizwa? Ngenxa yokuthi uye wafunda iBhayibheli ngokucophelela, ufunde okuningi ngoJehova—ubuntu bakhe nezindlela zakhe. Lokho osukufundile ngaye kuye kwakuthinta inhliziyo futhi kwakwenza wamthanda nakakhulu. Isizathu esiyinhloko okufanele sikwenze unqume ukubhapathizwa indlela omthanda ngayo uJehova.

9. Njengoba kuboniswe kuMathewu 28:19, 20 kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele?

⁹ Ukwamukela amaqiniso eBhayibheli kungesinye isizathu esenza ufune ukubhapathizwa. Cabanga ngalokho uJesu akusho lapho enikeza umyalo wokwenza abafundi. (Funda uMathewu 28:19, 20.) NgokukaJesu, labo ababhapathizwayo kufanele babhapathizwe  “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele.” Lokhu kwakusho ukuthini? Kudingeka uwakholelwe ngenhliziyo yakho yonke amaqiniso eBhayibheli aphathelene noJehova; iNdodana yakhe, uJesu; nomoya ongcwele. La maqiniso anamandla kakhulu futhi angakuthinta ekujuleni kwenhliziyo yakho. (Heb. 4:12) Ake sixoxe ngamanye awo.

10-11. Yimaphi amaqiniso osuwafundile futhi wawamukela ngoYise?

¹⁰ Ake ucabange ngesikhathi uqala ukufunda la maqiniso ngoYise: ‘Igama lakhe uJehova,’ “ungoPhezu konke emhlabeni wonke,” futhi uyena yedwa ‘onguNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (IHu. 83:18; Isaya 37:16) UnguMdali wethu futhi “insindiso ingekaJehova.” (IHu. 3:8; 36:9) Uye wenza amalungiselelo okuba asisindise esonweni nasekufeni futhi wasinika nethemba lokuphila phakade. (Joh. 17:3) Ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kuzobonakalisa ukuthi unguFakazi kaJehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Uzoba ingxenye yomndeni womhlaba wonke wabakhulekeli abaziqhenyayo ngokubizwa ngegama likaNkulunkulu nokulenza laziwe kwabanye.—IHu. 86:12.

¹¹ Kuyilungelo ukwazi lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo ngoYise! Lapho wamukela la maqiniso ayigugu, inhliziyo yakho iyokwenza ukuba uzinikezele kuJehova futhi ubhapathizwe.

12-13. Yimaphi amaqiniso osuwafundile futhi wawamukela ngeNdodana?

¹² Wazizwa kanjani lapho ufunda amaqiniso alandelayo ngeNdodana? UJesu ungumuntu wesibili obalulekile ezulwini nasemhlabeni. UnguMhlengi wethu. Wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu. Lapho sibonisa ngezenzo ukuthi sinokholo esihlengweni, singathethelelwa izono zethu, sibe nobungane noNkulunkulu futhi sithole ukuphila okuphakade. (Joh. 3:16) UJesu unguMpristi wethu Ophakeme. Ufuna ukusisiza sizuze esihlengweni futhi sibe nobungane obuseduze noNkulunkulu. (Heb. 4:15; 7:24, 25) NjengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, uJehova uzosebenzisa yena ukuze angcwelise igama laKhe, aqede ububi futhi alethele abantu izibusiso zaphakade ePharadesi. (Math. 6:9, 10; IsAm. 11:15) UJesu uyisibonelo okufanele sisilingise. (1 Pet. 2:21) Wasebenzisa ukuphila kwakhe ukuze enze intando kaNkulunkulu, ngaleyo ndlela esibekela isibonelo okufanele sisilandele.—Joh. 4:34.

¹³ Lapho wamukela lokho okufundiswa iBhayibheli ngoJesu, uqala ukuyithanda iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ayithandayo. Lolo thando lukwenza ufune ukusebenzisa ukuphila kwakho ukuze wenze intando kaNkulunkulu njengoba uJesu enza. Ngenxa yalokho, uzizwa ubophekile ukunikezela ukuphila kwakho kuJehova futhi ubhapathizwe.

14-15. Yimaphi amaqiniso osuwafundile futhi wawamukela ngomoya ongcwele?

¹⁴ Yini owayicabanga ngesikhathi ufunda ngamaqiniso alandelayo ngomoya ongcwele? Awuwona umuntu, kodwa ungamandla kaNkulunkulu asebenzayo. UJehova wasebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze aqondise abantu ukuba babhale iBhayibheli. Lowo moya usisiza siliqonde futhi sikusebenzise lokho esikufunda kulo. (Joh. 14:26; 2 Pet. 1:21) Ngomoya wakhe, uJehova usinikeza “amandla angaphezu kwavamile.” (2 Kor. 4:7) Umoya usinika amandla okushumayela izindaba ezinhle, okulwa nezilingo, okubhekana nokudumazeka nawokukhuthazelela uvivinyo. Usisiza sibonise ubuntu obuhle obakha “izithelo zomoya.” (Gal. 5:22) UNkulunkulu ubanika umoya wakhe labo abamethembayo nabawufuna ngobuqotho.—Luka 11:13.

¹⁵ Akuve kududuza ukwazi ukuthi abakhulekeli bakaJehova bangathembela emoyeni wakhe ongcwele ukuze ubasize bamkhonze! Lapho wamukela amaqiniso owafundile  ngomoya ongcwele, uyozinikezela kuNkulunkulu futhi ubhapathizwe.

16. Yini esesiyifundile kuze kube manje?

¹⁶ Uma unquma ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu futhi ubhapathizwe, usuke uthatha isinyathelo esibaluleke kakhulu. Njengoba sifundile, kudingeka uzimisele ukubhekana nobunzima futhi uzidele. Kodwa izibusiso ozozithola zinkulu kakhulu kunalokho ozokudela. Ukubhapathizwa kungakusindisa, kukwenze ube nonembeza omuhle phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kumelwe kube yisona sizathu esiyinhloko sokuba ubhapathizwe. Kumelwe uwakholelwe ngenhliziyo yakho yonke amaqiniso osuwafundile ngoYise, ngeNdodana nangomoya ongcwele. Ngemva kokucabanga ngakho konke esesikufundile kuze kube manje, ungawuphendula kanjani umbuzo othi: “Ingabe sengikulungele ukubhapathizwa?”

17. Yiziphi ezinye izinyathelo okufanele uzithathe ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe?

¹⁷ Uma ubona sengathi usukulungele ukubhapathizwa, akungabazeki ukuthi kakade usuthathe izinyathelo ezimbalwa ukuze usondelane noJehova. * Ngenxa yokulitadisha njalo iBhayibheli, kuningi osukwazi ngoJehova noJesu. Usunokholo. (Heb. 11:6) Usuzethemba ngokuphelele izithembiso ezivela kuJehova eziseBhayibhelini futhi uyaqiniseka ukuthi ukuba nokholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo sikaJesu kungakusindisa esonweni nasekufeni. Usuphendukile ezonweni zakho; uyazisola ngempela ngobubi obenzile futhi usumcelile uJehova ukuba akuthethelele. Usukushintshile ukuphila kwakho; usuzenqaba ngokusuka enhliziyweni izinto ezimbi obuzenza futhi usuphila ngendlela ejabulisa uNkulunkulu. (IzE. 3:19) Usuzimisele nakakhulu ukutshela abanye lokho okukholelwayo. Manje usungummemezeli ongabhapathiziwe futhi usuqalile ukushumayela nebandla. (Math. 24:14) UJehova uyaziqhenya ngawe ngokuthatha lezi zinyathelo ezidingekayo. Wenze inhliziyo yakhe yajabula kakhulu.—IzAga 27:11.

18. Yini enye okudingeka uyenze ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe?

¹⁸ Kunezinye izinto ezimbalwa okudingeka uzenze ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe. Njengoba sifundile ekuqaleni, kudingeka uzinikezele kuNkulunkulu. Khuluma naye ngasese, thandaza ngobuqotho kuye futhi umthembise ukuthi uzosebenzisa ukuphila kwakho ukuze wenze intando yakhe. (1 Pet. 4:2) Yibe usukhuluma nomxhumanisi wendikimba yabadala umazise ukuthi ufisa ukubhapathizwa. Uzocela abadala ukuba bahlangane nawe. Sicela ungethuki lapho uzohlangana nabo. Akungabazeki ukuthi laba bazalwane abathandekayo bayakwazi kakade futhi bayakuthanda. Bazoxoxa nawe ngezimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo osuzifundile. Bafuna ukuqiniseka ukuthi uyaziqonda lezo zimfundiso nokuthi  uyazi ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa. Uma bevuma ukuthi usukulungele ukubhapathizwa, bazokwazisa ukuthi ungabhapathizwa emhlanganweni olandelayo, kungaba omncane noma omkhulu.

19-20. Yini okuzodingeka uyenze ngemva kokubhapathizwa, futhi ungakwenza kanjani lokho?

¹⁹ Ngemva kokubhapathizwa, yini okudingeka uyenze? * Khumbula ukuthi ukuzinikezela kuyisifungo uJehova alindele ukuba usigcwalise. Ngakho ngemva kokubhapathizwa, kuzodingeka ugcine isithembiso osenze ngesikhathi uzinikezela. Ungakwenza kanjani lokho?

²⁰ Hlale usondelene nebandla. NjengomKristu obhapathiziwe, manje uyobe usuyingxenye ‘yabazalwane’ bomhlaba wonke. (1 Pet. 2:17) Abafowenu nodadewenu ebandleni sebenjengomndeni wakho. Ngokubakhona njalo emihlanganweni, uzosondelana nabo. Funda futhi uzindle ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku zonke. (IHu. 1:1, 2) Ngemva kokufunda ingxenye ethile yeBhayibheli, zinike isikhathi sokucabanga ngokujulile ngalokho okufundayo. Lawo mazwi ayokuthinta inhliziyo. ‘Thandaza njalo.’ (Math. 26:41) Umthandazo wakho oqotho uyokusondeza kuJehova. ‘Qhubeka ufuna kuqala uMbuso.’ (Math. 6:33) Lokhu ungakwenza ngokuthi wenze umsebenzi wokushumayela kube yiwo obaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwakho. Ngokuba nengxenye njalo enkonzweni, uzogcina ukholo lwakho luqinile futhi ungasiza nabanye babe kule ndlela eholela ekuphileni okuphakade.—1 Thim. 4:16.

21. Ukubhapathizwa kuzokuvulela indlela eyaphi?

²¹ Isinqumo sokuzinikezela kuJehova futhi ubhapathizwe, isinqumo esibaluleke kunazo zonke oyoke uzenze. Yiqiniso ukuthi kukhona okufanele ukudele. Kodwa ingabe uzozisola? Lutho neze! Noma ibuphi ubunzima ongase ubhekane nabo kuleli zwe elidala ‘bungobomzuzwana futhi bulula.’ (2 Kor. 4:17) Ngokuphambene nalokho, ukubhapathizwa kuzokwenza uthole ukuphila okungcono kakhulu manje ‘nokuphila kwangempela’ esikhathini esizayo. (1 Thim. 6:19) Ngakho siyakucela, cabangisisa futhi uthandaze ngempendulo yakho yombuzo othi: “Ingabe sengikulungele ukubhapathizwa?”