1. Abazali bamele baqiniseke ngantoni ngaphambi kokuba umntwana abhaptizwe?

“KWADLULA iinyanga ndixelela utata nomama ukuba ndifuna ukubhaptizwa, ibe nabo babethetha ngobhaptizo nam. Babefuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba ndiyayazi le nto ndiyifunayo. NgoDisemba 31, 1934, yade yafika loo mini ndingasoze ndiyilibale.” UBlossom Brandt uthi kwenzeka loo nto ke xa wagqiba ekubeni abhaptizwe. Abazali abangamaKristu nangoku basafuna ukunceda abantwana benze izigqibo ezizizo. Xa umntu elibazisa okanye engade abhaptizwe unokungena engxakini, axabane noYehova. (Yak. 4:17) Kodwa ke, ngaphambi kokuba umntwana abhaptizwe, abazali abalumkileyo kufuneka baqiniseke ukuba uza kukwazi ukuyimela into yokuba ngumKristu.

2. (a) Yintoni exhalabisa abanye abaveleli besiphaluka? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

² Abanye abaveleli besiphaluka baxhalatyiswa yinto yokuba kukho abantwana abasondele kwiminyaka eyi-20, nabasele bedlulile kuyo, abakhuliswe ngamaKristu kodwa abakabhaptizwa. Abaninzi kubo baya qho ezintlanganisweni nasentsimini.  Bacinga ukuba bangamaNgqina KaYehova. Kodwa ikhona nje into ebenza bangade bazinikele kuYehova baze babhaptizwe. Yintoni leyo? Abanye abazali baxelela abantwana babo ukuba bangangxami ngokubhaptizwa. Kweli nqaku siza kuthetha ngezinto ezine ezenza abanye abazali bangabancedi abantwana babo babhaptizwe.

3. Yintoni eyayixhalabisa abazali bakaBlossom?

³ Abazali bakaBlossom esithethe ngabo kwisiqendu sokuqala babefanele ukuxhalaba, bafune ukuqonda ukuba intombi yabo indala ngokwaneleyo na ukuba yazi ukuba kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa. Abazali bangazi njani ukuba umntwana wabo angakwazi ukuzinikela kuYehova ngendlela eyamkelekileyo kuye?

4. Umyalelo kaYesu okuMateyu 28:19, 20 ubanceda njani abazali xa befundisa abantwana babo?

⁴ Funda uMateyu 28:19, 20. Njengoko sele litshilo inqaku elingaphambi kweli, iBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba umntu umele abe neminyaka emingaphi ukuze abhaptizwe. Kodwa ke, abazali bangancedwa kukucinga ngokuba kuthetha ntoni ukwenza umfundi. Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ukwenza abafundi’ kuMateyu 28:19 lithetha ukufundisa ngenjongo yokuba umntu abe ngumlandeli kaKristu. Umfundi ngumntu ofunda aze aziqonde iimfundiso zikaYesu, afune ukuzenza. Ngoko injongo yabo bonke abazali abangamaKristu imele ibe kukufundisa abantwana babo beseziintsana ukuze babe ngabafundi bakaKristu ababhaptiziweyo. Azibhaptizwa iintsana, kodwa ke, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba nabantwana abancinci bayakwazi ukuyiqonda baze bayixabise inyaniso.

5, 6. (a) Indlela iBhayibhile emchaza ngayo uTimoti, isenza sigqibe ngelithini ngobhaptizo? (b) Abazali abalumkileyo bangabanceda njani abantwana babo?

⁵ UTimoti ngumfundi owakhetha ukukhonza uYehova esemncinci. Umpostile uPawulos wathi uTimoti wafunda inyaniso eselusana. Nangona utata kaTimoti wayengakholwa, umama nomakhulu wakhe ababengamaYuda, bamnceda wazixabisa iZibhalo. Ngenxa yaloo nto, waba nokholo oluqinileyo. (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14, 15) Wathi esiba na-20 okanye ngaphezulwana kunoko, wabe ebonakala ukuba angasetyenziswa ukuba enze imisebenzi ekhethekileyo ebandleni.—IZe. 16:1-3.

⁶ Abantwana abafani, abanye bayakhawuleza ukukhula kanti abanye bathatha ixesha. Abanye baqabuka besebancinci baze bafune ukubhaptizwa. Abanye kuye kufuneke babe ngathi bayakhula ngaphambi kokuba babhaptizwe. Ngoko, abazali abalumkileyo ababanyanzeli abantwana babo ukuba babhaptizwe. Kunoko, banceda umntwana ngamnye akhule elukholweni, kodwa bengamxheshi. Abazali bayavuya xa bebona abantwana babo besenza lento ichazwe kwiMizekeliso 27:11. (Yifunde.) Kodwa ke, abamele balibale ukuba eyona nto bayifunayo kukuba abantwana babo babe ngabafundi bakaKristu. Becinga ngaloo nto, inoba abazali bayazibuza, ‘Ngaba umntwana wam unolwazi olwaneleyo kangangokuba angazinikela kuThixo aze abhaptizwe?’

7. Ngaba umntu ofuna ukubhaptizwa kufuneka azi kwanto eseBhayibhileni? Cacisa.

⁷ Kulindeleke ukuba ibe ngabazali abafundisa abantwana babo ukuze babe nolwazi oluza kubenza bazinikele kuThixo. Sekunjalo, akulindelekanga ukuba umntu azi yonke into ngaphambi kokuba azinikele kuThixo aze abhaptizwe. Bonke abafundi kufuneka baye besiba nolwazi oluchanileyo nasemva kokuba bebhaptiziwe. (Funda kwabaseKolose 1:9, 10.) Ngoko umntu kufuneka abe nolwazi olungakanani ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe?

8, 9. Sifunda ntoni kwinto eyenzeka kunogada wentolongo?

⁸ Into eyenzeka kwenye intsapho ngexesha labapostile ingabanceda abazali baphendule lo mbuzo. (IZe. 16:25-33) Kuhambo lwakhe lobuvangeli lwesibini, malunga no-50 C.E., uPawulos waya eFilipi. Apho, yena noSilas, batyholwa ngento abangayenzanga baza bavalelwa entolongweni. Ebusuku, kwabakho inyikima, zaza zavuleka zonke iingcango zentolongo. Unogada wayecinga ukuba amabanjwa aqhweshile, ngoko wayeza kuzibulala, kodwa uPawulos wamnqanda. UPawulos noSilas bashumayeza lo nogada nentsapho yakhe. Benza ntoni bakuziqonda izinto ababezifunde ngoYesu? Babhaptizwa ngoko nangoko. Sifunda ntoni ke?

⁹ Ngokuqhelekileyo unogada wentolongo wayeba lijoni elidla umhlalaphantsi. Ngoko le ndoda yayingazazi iZibhalo. Ukuze iqonde iZibhalo, kwakufuneka izazi iimfundiso ezisisiseko, iqonde ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuba ngumkhonzi kaThixo, ize izimisele ukuthobela iimfundiso zikaYesu. Ngexesha nje elifutshane, yazazi yaza yaziqonda iimfundiso ezisisiseko zeZibhalo, ibe yafuna ukubhaptizwa. Siqinisekile ukuba yaqhubeka ifunda emva kokuba ibhaptiziwe. Ucinga ngalo mzekelo, uza kuthini xa umntwana wakho esithi uyaziqonda iimfundiso ezisisiseko zeZibhalo, nokuba kuthetha ntoni ukuzinikela kuThixo nokubhaptizwa? Usenokuthi makathethe nabadala baze babone ukuba uyafaneleka na. * Njengabanye abafundi ababhaptiziweyo naye uza kuqhubeka efunda ngoYehova ubomi bakhe bonke, nangonaphakade.—Rom. 11:33, 34.

10, 11. (a) Bathini abanye abazali? (b) Yintoni eya kukhusela umntwana wakho?

¹⁰ Abanye abazali bathi kufuneka umntwana afumane imfundo ephakamileyo nomsebenzi kuqala ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe. Basenokuba bafuna aphumelele, kodwa ngaba yimpumelelo nyhani leyo? Okona kubalulekileyo kukuba, ngaba iZibhalo nazo zithi uphumelele xa enjalo? ILizwi LikaYehova lithi makenze ntoni ukuze aphumelele?—Funda iNtshumayeli 12:1.

¹¹ Kubalulekile ukuba sikhumbule ukuba eli hlabathi, nezinto zalo zonke, lilwa nezinto ezifunwa nguYehova nendlela acinga ngayo. (Yak. 4:7, 8; 1 Yoh. 2:15-17; 5:19) Eyona nto iya kukhusela umntwana wakho kuSathana, kwihlabathi lakhe nakwindlela yalo yokucinga,  bubuhlobo bakhe noYehova. Xa ufundisa umntwana wakho ukuba eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuphumelela kweli hlabathi uza kumenza angazi ukuba yeyiphi kanye kanye efunekayo. Ngaba abazali abangamaKristu, ababathandayo abantwana babo, bangavumela eli hlabathi lifundise umntwana babo ukuba yintoni impumelelo? Eyona nyani kukuba, siye sivuye kwaye siphumelele nyhani xa uYehova engoyena mntu ubalulekileyo kuthi.—Funda iNdumiso 1:2, 3.

12. Kuthini abanye abazali bengavumi xa umntwana wabo efuna ukubhaptizwa?

¹² Omnye umama zange avume ukuba intombi yakhe ibhaptizwe. Uthi: “Ndineentloni zokutsho, kodwa ke ndandisoyika ukuba asuswe.” Njengaye, abanye abazali bacinga ukuba kubhetele ukuba umntwana wabo angabhaptizwa de ayeke ukwenza izinto zobuntwana. (Gen. 8:21; IMize. 22:15) Bathi xa bezithethelela, ‘Xa engabhaptizwanga, akazususwa.’ Umntu ocinga loo nto uyaziqhatha. Ngoba?—Yak. 1:22.

13. Ngaba umntu ongabhaptizwanga akasoze aphenduliswe nguYehova? Cacisa.

¹³ Iyavakala into yokuba abazali abangamaKristu bengafuni umntwana wabo abhaptizwe engekaqoli ngokwaneleyo ukuba azinikele kuYehova ngendlela eyamkelekileyo. Kodwa ke, baya kube bayaphazama xa becinga ukuba umntwana ongabhaptizwanga akanakuphenduliswa nguYehova. Kutheni sisitsho? Umntwana owonayo uba netyala kuYehova xa eyazi into elungileyo nengalunganga, hayi kuba ebhaptiziwe okanye engabhaptizwanga. Ngoko, abazali abalumkileyo abamnqandi umntwana wabo ukuba abhaptizwe, kodwa kufuneka umntwana abone umzekelo wabo. (Funda uYakobi 4:17.) Bafuna umntwana wabo ayithande eselusana imithetho kaYehova ephakamileyo yokuziphatha. (Luka 6:40) Xa eyithanda, uya kusoloko efuna ukwenza izinto ngendlela kaYehova.—Isa. 35:8.

14. Abadala bangabancedisa njani abazali abanceda abantwana babo ukuba babhaptizwe?

¹⁴ Abadala bangabancedisa abazali ngokuncokola nabantwana ngezinto abanokuzenzela uYehova. Omnye udade owaba nguvulindlela iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-70, ukhumbula indlela ekwamnceda ngayo ukuncokola noMzalwan’ uCharles T. Russell xa wayeneminyaka emithandathu. Uthi, “Wancokola nam imizuzu eyi-15 ngezinto endinokumenzela zona uYehova.” Amazwi akhuthazayo anokuba nefuthe kubomi bomntu. (IMize. 25:11) Abadala banokucela abazali beze nabantwana babo xa kusetyenzwa eHolweni YoBukumkani, baze babanike imisebenzi ebalingeneyo.

15. Abanye abantu ebandleni banokubakhuthaza njani abantwana?

¹⁵ Nabanye abantu ebandleni banokuncedisa ngokuthi babahoye abantwana ngendlela efanelekileyo. Banokuyenza loo nto ngokuthi baqaphele izinto ezibonisa ukuba ukholo lwabo luyakhula. Ngokomzekelo, ngaba kukho umntwana oye waphendula ngamazwi akhe ezintlanganisweni okanye obenentetho? Ngaba uye wamela inyaniso okanye wasebenzisa ithuba eliye lavela lokushumayela esikolweni? Yiba  ngowokuqala ukumncoma. Kutheni ungakhe uzimisele ukuba qho ngaphambi okanye ngemva kweentlanganiso uncokole nomntwana noba mnye? Izinto ezifana nezi ziza kubenza bazibone beyinxalenye ‘yebandla elikhulu.’—INdu. 35:18.

16, 17. (a) Ukubhaptizwa kudibana njani nethemba lokusinda kwimbandezelo enkulu? (b) Abazali abangamaKristu basebenzela ukuba bavuyiswe yintoni? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹⁶ Ukukhulisela abantwana ‘kwingqeqesho nasekweyiselweni kwengqondo kuYehova,’ yeyona nyhweba aya kuze abe nayo umzali ongumKristu. (Efe. 6:4; INdu. 127:3) Abantwana bangoku abazalelwa kuhlanga oluzinikele kuYehova njengamaSirayeli. Ukongezelela, ukuthanda uThixo nenyaniso abazukukushiyelwa njengelifa ngabazali babo. Makathi ezalwa nje umntwana, babe abazali benenjongo yokuba abe ngumfundi nomkhonzi kaYehova ozinikeleyo nobhaptiziweyo. Akukho nto ibaluleke ukodlula leyo. Kaloku ngumntu ozinikeleyo, obhaptiziweyo nokhonza uThixo ngokuthembeka oza kuphawulelwa ukusinda kwimbandezelo enkulu ezayo.—Mat. 24:13.

¹⁷ Xa uBlossom Brandt wagqiba ekubeni abhaptizwe, abazali bakhe bafuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba wayeyilungele le nto afuna ukuyenza. Bathi bakuqiniseka, bamxhasa kwisigqibo sakhe. Ngaphambi kosuku awayeza kubhaptizwa ngalo, ebusuku, uyise wenza into entle. Uthi uBlossom: “Wathi masiguqe sonke, waza wathandaza. Waxelela uYehova ukuba uvuya kakhulu kuba intwazana yakhe igqibe ekubeni izinikele kuye.” Emva kweminyaka engaphezu kweyi-60, uBlossom wathi: “Andisoze ndiyilibale loo mini nakwiminyaka ezayo!” Bazali, siyathemba ukuba nani niza kuvuyiswa nize naneliswe kukubona abantwana benu besiba ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abazinikeleyo nababhaptiziweyo.