1, 2. (a) Baye bathini abanye abazali xa umntwana wabo ecela ukubhaptizwa? (b) Kutheni abantu abaza kubhaptizwa beye babuzwe ukuba sele bezinikele na kuYehova? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

ABAZALI bentombazana esiza kuyibiza ngokuba nguMaria, bajonge intombi yabo njengoko iphakama kunye nabanye abaza kubhaptizwa. Iphendula imibuzo emibini yesithethi ngelizwi elivakalayo. Emva koko, iyabhaptizwa.

² Abazali bayo banebhongo ngayo kuba iye yagqiba ekubeni izinikele kuYehova ize ibhaptizwe. Kodwa ke, umama wayo ebekhe wayithandabuza le nto. Ebezibuza: ‘Akamncincanga kodwa lo mntwana ukuba abhaptizwe? Uyayazi phofu le nto ayenzayo? Akubhetelanga ukuba alinde abe ngathi uba mdadlana ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe?’ Abazali abaninzi baye bazibuze le mibuzo xa umntwana wabo ecela ukubhaptizwa. (INtshu. 5:5) Phofu ke bafanele kuba ukuzinikela kuYehova nokubhaptizwa zezona zinto zibalulekileyo umKristu aya kuze azenze.—Jonga ibhokisi ethi “ Ngaba Sele Uzinikele KuYehova?”

3, 4. (a) Ngowuphi umzekeliso awawenzayo umpostile uPetros obonisa indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukubhaptizwa? (b) Kutheni efanisa ubhaptizo nokwakhiwa komkhombe nguNowa?

 ³ Umpostile uPetros wafanisa ubhaptizo nokwakhiwa komkhombe nguNowa, wathi: “Oku [kwakhiwa komkhombe] kufanekisela ubhaptizo, olunisindisayo nani ngoku.” (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 3:20, 21.) Umkhombe wawubonwa ngumntu wonke, ibe wawububungqina obucacileyo bokuba uNowa uzinikele ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo. UNowa wawenza kanye ngendlela uYehova afuna wenziwe ngayo umsebenzi awayemnike wona. Ukuze uNowa nentsapho yakhe basinde kuMkhukula kwafuneka benze izinto ezibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba banokholo. Sifunda ntoni kulo mzekeliso?

⁴ Kanye njengokuba umkhombe wawububungqina bokuba uNowa unokholo, nokubhaptizwa phambi kwabantu bubungqina obucacileyo. Bantoni? Bokuba umKristu uzinikele kuYehova kuba enokholo kuYesu ovusiweyo. NjengoNowa, abantu abazinikele kuThixo baqhubeka bemthobela yaye besenza umsebenzi abawuthunywe nguye. UYehova wamsindisa uNowa, ibe uza kubasindisa abo babhaptiziweyo xa etshabalalisa eli hlabathi, ukuba abamshiyi. (Marko 13:10; ISityhi. 7:9, 10) Le nto ibonisa ukuba ukuzinikela kuYehova nokubhaptizwa kubalulekile. Umntu olibazisayo ukubhaptizwa usengozini yokungabufumani ubomi obungunaphakade.

5. Siza kufunda ngantoni kweli nqaku?

⁵ Ngoku siyazi indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba sibhaptizwe, ngoko kufuneka sazi iimpendulo zale mibuzo mithathu. Ithini iBhayibhile ngobhaptizo? Ziintoni ekufuneka azenze umntu ngaphambi  kokuba abhaptizwe? Kutheni umKristu ofundisa umntwana wakhe okanye omnye umntu kufuneka esoloko ecinga ngendlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukubhaptizwa?

6, 7. (a) Lwaluthetha ntoni ubhaptizo lukaYohane? (b) Loluphi olona bhaptizo lubalulekileyo uYohane awalwenzayo?

⁶ IBhayibhile ithetha okokuqala ngobhaptizo xa isixelela ngolo lwalusenziwa nguYohane. (Mat. 3:1-6) Abantu babebhaptizwa nguYohane ukuze babonise ukuba baguqukile kwizono ababezenza besaphula uMthetho KaMoses. Kodwa, olona bhaptizo lubalulekileyo uYohane awalwenzayo lwalungenanto yakwenza nakuguquka. UYohane waba nenyhweba yokubhaptiza uYesu, uNyana kaThixo ongenasono. (Mat. 3:13-17) Ngenxa yokuba wayengenasono, kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba aguquke. (1 Pet. 2:22) Ngokubhaptizwa wayebonisa ukuba uzinikela ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo.—Heb. 10:7.

⁷ Ngexesha uYesu awayeshumayela ngalo, nabafundi bakhe babebhaptiza abantu. (Yoh. 3:22; 4:1, 2) Nolu ubhaptizo lwalubonisa ukuba umntu uguqukile kwizono abezenza esaphula uMthetho KaMoses. Kodwa emva kokufa nokuvuswa kukaYesu, ubhaptizo lwaluza kuthetha into eyahluke mpela.

8. (a) UYesu wabayalela ukuba benze ntoni abalandeli bakhe emva kokuba evusiwe? (b) Chaza ukuba kutheni kubalulekile ukuba umKristu abhaptizwe.

⁸ Ngo-33 C.E., emva kokuba evusiwe uYesu, wathetha nabantu abangaphezu kwe-500, mhlawumbi kukho nabantwana. Inoba kungeli xesha apho wathi: “Hambani ke ngoko niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, nibabhaptiza egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele, nibafundisa ukuba bazigcine zonke izinto endiniyalele zona.” (Mat. 28:19, 20; 1 Kor. 15:6) Kubonakala ngathi kwakukho abalandeli bakhe abaninzi xa wakhupha lo myalelo othi makwenziwe abafundi. Ngoko uYesu wayebonisa ukuba abo bafuna ukuthwala idyokhwe yakhe okanye ukuba ngabalandeli bakhe kufuneka babhaptizwe. (Mat. 11:29, 30) Nabanina owayefuna ukukhonza ngendlela efunwa nguThixo kwakuza kufuneka ayazi aze ayamkele indima uYesu anayo kwinjongo kaYehova. Kusemva koko apho wayenokubhaptizwa. Le kuphela kwendlela yokubhaptiza ngamanzi uThixo ayamkelayo. IBhayibhile inobungqina obuninzi obubonisa ukuba ngexesha labapostile, abafundi bakaKristu abatsha babeyiqonda indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba babhaptizwe. Ibe babengalibazisi.—IZe. 2:41; 9:18; 16:14, 15, 32, 33.

9, 10. Sifunda ntoni ngobhaptizo kumTiyopiya nakumpostile uPawulos?

⁹ Funda iZenzo 8:35, 36. Makhe sithethe ngomTiyopiya owaguqukela ebuYudeni owayesendleleni egodukayo, evela kukhonza eYerusalem. UFilipu wathunywa yingelosi kaYehova kulo mTiyopiya ukuba ‘avakalise iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoYesu.’ Wenza ntoni lo mTiyopiya? Into awayenzayo yabonisa ukuba wayeziqonda kakuhle izinto awazifundiswayo. Wayefuna ukwenza into uYehova afuna amaKristu ayenze, ngoko zange alibazise ukubhaptizwa.

¹⁰ Omnye umntu esiza kufunda ngaye, yindoda engumYuda eyayitshutshisa amaKristu. Wazalelwa kuhlanga olwaluzinikele kuThixo. Kodwa amaYuda  ayengaselohlanga olukhethekileyo lukaYehova. Le ndoda yayizithanda izithethe zamaYuda, kodwa yabona ukuba kwakungamele kube njalo. Yashunyayezwa nguYesu ovusiweyo ngokwakhe. Yenza ntoni le ndoda? Yavuma ukuncedwa ngumfundi kaKristu, uAnaniyas. IBhayibhile ithi ngale ndoda: ‘Yasukuma yaza yabhaptizwa.’ (IZe. 9:17, 18; Gal. 1:14) Inoba sele uqonda ukuba le ndoda ingumYuda sithetha ngayo ngumpostile uPawulos. Kodwa ubonile phofu ukuba wathi akuqonda indima kaYesu kwinjongo kaThixo wenza into ngaloo nto? Zange alibazise, wabhaptizwa ngoko nangoko.—Funda iZenzo 22:12-16.

11. (a) Yintoni eyenza izifundo zeBhayibhile zifune ukubhaptizwa? (b) Uye uzive njani xa ubona abantu abazinikele kuYehova bebhaptizwa?

¹¹ Nanamhlanje izifundo zeBhayibhile zenza into efanayo enoba lulutsha okanye ngabantu abadala. Zithi zakuba nokholo zize ziyiqonde kakuhle inyaniso, zifune ukuzinikela kuThixo zize zibhaptizwe. Intetho yobhaptizo ihlala iyeyona kuthethwa ngayo kuzo zonke iindibano zethu. AmaNgqina KaYehova ayavuya xa isifundo seBhayibhile siyamkela inyaniso size sibhaptizwe. Abazali abangamaKristu bavuya kakhulu xa abantwana babo bebhaptizwa. Ngonyaka wenkonzo ka-2017, bangaphezu kwe-284 000 abantu ‘abanotyekelo olufanelekileyo’ ababonise ukuba bazinikele kuYehova ngokuthi babhaptizwe. (IZe. 13:48) Le nto ibonisa ukuba bayaqonda ukuba umntu akanakuba ngumKristu de abhaptizwe. Ziintoni abaye bazenza ngaphambi kokuba babhaptizwe?

12. Ziintoni ekufuneka isifundo sizenze ngaphambi kokubhaptizwa?

¹² Ngaphambi kokuba isifundo sibhaptizwe, kufuneka sibe nokholo ngenxa yokwazi inyani ngoThixo, injongo yakhe nento ayenzileyo ukuze asindise abantu. (1 Tim. 2:3-6) Olo kholo lunceda eso sifundo singenzi izinto ezingafunwayo nguYehova size sithobele imithetho yakhe. (IZe. 3:19) Umntu oqhubeka esenza izono ezinzulu ngexesha azinikela ngalo kuThixo, kuyafana nokuba akazinikelanga kuye. (1 Kor. 6:9, 10) Kodwa zikhona nezinye izinto ekufuneka sizenze ngaphandle kokuthobela imithetho kaYehova yokuziphatha kakuhle. Umntu ofuna ukuzinikela kuThixo kufuneka aye ezintlanganisweni, ashumayele aze aqhube nezifundo. UYesu wathi ngabantu abangabalandeli bakhe nyhani abaza kwenza lo msebenzi. (IZe. 1:8) Umthandazo owenziwa sisifundo sisodwa, sizinikela kuThixo, awusebenzi ukuba asizenzi ezi zinto sithethe ngazo. Kuxa sizenza, apho sinokubhaptizwa phambi kwabantu.

13. Kutheni umqhubi wesifundo kufuneka ahlale ekhumbula ukuba umntu akanakuba ngumKristu de abhaptizwe?

¹³ Xa unceda umntwana wakho okanye esinye isifundo ukuba senze ezi zinto sesithethe ngazo, khumbula ukuba ukuze abe ngumlandeli kaYesu nyhani kufuneka abhaptizwe. Ukuba uyayikhumbula loo nto uza kusichazela kakuhle isifundo sakho. Awuzukonqena ukusicacisela indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba sibhaptizwe. Sifuna ukuba abantwana bethu nezinye izifundo esinazo zide zibhaptizwe!

14. Kutheni singanyanzeli mntu ukuba abhaptizwe?

¹⁴ Akukho mntu omele anyanzele omnye ukuba abhaptizwe, enoba ngumzali,  ngumqhubi wesifundo okanye nguye nabanina ebandleni. UYehova akanyanzeli mntu. (1 Yoh. 4:8) Kunoko, xa sifundisa abantu kufuneka sibancede baqonde indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba basondelelane noThixo. Ukubhaptizwa kwabo kuya kuxhomekeka kwindlela abayixabisa ngayo inyaniso nokuba bayafuna na ukuba ngabalandeli bakaKristu.—2 Kor. 5:14, 15.

15, 16. (a) Ngaba umntu kufuneka abe neminyaka ethile ukuze abhaptizwe? Cacisa. (b) Kutheni umntu kufuneka abhaptizwe ukuze abe liNgqina LikaYehova nokuba ebekhe wabhaptizwa kwenye icawa?

¹⁵ Asinakutsho ukuba umntu kufuneka abe ngakanani ngeminyaka ukuze abhaptizwe. Kaloku abantu abafani. Abaninzi babhaptizwa besebancinci kakhulu kodwa baqhubeke bemkhonza uYehova. Abanye abantu babhaptizwa sele bebadala kuba befumene inyaniso ebudaleni, mhlawumbi sele bedlulile nakwiminyaka eyi-100!

¹⁶ Elinye ixhegokazi labuza umntu owayelifundela ukuba ngaba kufuneka libhaptizwe, kuba lalisele libhaptiziwe kwezinye iicawa elalihamba kuzo. Bafunda izibhalo ezaziza kuliphendula. Layiqonda impendulo eseBhayibhileni laza lakhawuleza labhaptizwa emva koko. Nangona lalisondele kwiminyaka eyi-80, labona ukuba kufuneka libhaptiziwe. Kufuneka umntu akwazi kakuhle ukuthanda kukaYehova ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe. Yiloo nto umntu kufuneka abhaptizwe noba ebekhe wabhaptizwa kwenye icawa.—Funda iZenzo 19:3-5.

17. Kufuneka acinge ngantoni umntu ngosuku abhaptizwa ngalo?

¹⁷ Umntu umele avuye nyhani ngosuku abhaptizwa ngalo. Kodwa ikwalixesha lokucinga ngale nto aza kuyenza. Umntu kufuneka asebenze nzima ukuze ahlale ezinikele kuThixo. Yiloo nto uYesu wafanisa ukuba ngumfundi wakhe nokuthwala idyokhwe. Abafundi bakaYesu kufuneka “bangabi saziphilela, kodwa baphilele yena lowo wabafelayo waza wavuswa.”—2 Kor. 5:15; Mat. 16:24.

18. Yeyiphi imibuzo eza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁸ Umama kaMaria ebesithethe ngaye wayecinga ngale nto xa wayezibuza imibuzo esekuqaleni. Ukuba ungumzali, inoba uyazibuza: ‘Ngaba umntwana wam sele ekulungele ukubhaptizwa? Ngaba umazi nyhani uYehova kangangokuba angazinikela kuye ngendlela efanelekileyo? Ngaba kufuneka afunde aze aphangele ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe? Ndiza kuthini xa esenza isono esinzulu sele ebhaptiziwe?’ Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuphendula le mibuzo lize lincede abazali abangamaKristu balujonge ngendlela eyiyo ubhaptizo.