1, 2. (a) Yintoni ebavuyisayo abantu bakaThixo namhlanje? (b) Abazali abangamaKristu nabadala banokubanceda njani abasebatsha bayiqonde intsingiselo yobhaptizo?

OMNYE umdala wathi kuChristopher, oneminyaka eyi-12 ubudala: “Ndakwazi uselusana, ibe ndiyavuya ukuva ukuba ufuna ukubhaptizwa. Kodwa khawutsho, ‘Kutheni ufuna ukubhaptizwa?’” Lo mdala wayenesizathu esihle sokubuza loo mbuzo. Kuyasivuyisa ukubona amawakawaka olutsha ebhaptizwa nyaka ngamnye. (INtshumayeli 12:1) Kodwa abazali abangamaKristu nabadala abasebandleni bamele baqinisekise ukuba abasebatsha bazenzela ngokwabo isigqibo, ibe bayayiqonda intsingiselo yobhaptizo.

² EBhayibhileni sifunda ukuba ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa sisiqalo sobomi obutsha bomKristu. Obu bomi buzisa iintsikelelo ezininzi ezivela kuYehova, nenkcaso  evela kuSathana. (IMizekeliso 10:22; 1 Petros 5:8) Yiloo nto abazali abangamaKristu bemele bazinike ixesha lokufundisa abantwana babo oko kuthethwa kukuba ngumfundi kaKristu. Xa abasebatsha bengenabo abazali abangamaKristu, ngothando abadala bebandla babanceda bayiqonde intsingiselo yokuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa. (Funda uLuka 14:27-30.) Njengoko kufuneka ulungiselele kakuhle ukuze uyakhe uyigqibe indlu, abasebatsha bamele balungiselele ngaphambi kokubaptizwa ukuze bamkhonze uYehova ngokunyaniseka ‘kude kuse ekupheleni.’ (Mateyu 24:13) Yintoni eya kulunceda ulutsha luzimisele ukukhonza uYehova ngonaphakade? Makhe sibone.

3. (a) Amazwi kaYesu noPetros asifundisa ntoni ngokubaluleka kokubhaptizwa? (Mateyu 28:19, 20; 1 Petros 3:21) (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuthetha ngayo, yaye ngoba?

³ Ngaba usemtsha ibe ufuna ukubhaptizwa? Lusukelo oluhle gqitha olo! Kulilungelo ngokwenene ukubhaptizwa njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Yinto amaKristu amele ayenze leyo, ibe ibaluleke gqitha ukuze sisinde kwimbandezelo enkulu. (Mateyu 28:19, 20; 1 Petros 3:21) Xa ubhaptizwa, ubonisa ukuba uthembise ukukhonza uYehova ngonaphakade. Ufuna ngokwenene ukusigcina eso sithembiso, ngoko le mibuzo ilandelayo iza kukunceda ubone ukuba ukulungele na ukubhaptizwa: (1) Ngaba ndiqole ngokwaneleyo ukuba ndingazenzela eso sigqibo? (2) Ngaba ndinomnqweno wobuqu wokwenjenjalo? (3) Ngaba ndiyaqonda ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuzahlulela kuYehova? Makhe sithethe ngale mibuzo.

4, 5. (a) Kutheni ukubhaptizwa ingekokwabantu abadala kuphela? (b) Kuthetha ukuthini ukuqola komKristu?

⁴ IBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba ngabakhulileyo okanye abakubudala obuthile kuphela abanokubhaptizwa. IMizekeliso 20:11 ithi: “Kwangoqheliselo lwayo inkwenkwe izenza iqondwe enoba usulungekile na yaye uthe tye na umsebenzi wayo.” Ngoko kwanomntwana unako ukukuqonda oko kuthe tye noko kuthethwa kukuzahlulela kuMdali wakhe. Ngoko kubalulekile yaye kufanelekile ukuba abhaptizwe umntu osemtsha oqolileyo nozahluleleyo kuYehova.—IMizekeliso 20:7.

⁵ Kuthetha ukuthini ukuqola? Ukuqola akusoloko kubhekisela kubudala bomntu okanye ukukhula ngomzimba. IBhayibhile ithi abantu abaqolileyo basebenzisa “amandla abo okuqonda”  ukuze bazi umahluko phakathi kokulungileyo nokubi. (Hebhere 5:14) Umntu oqolileyo uyakwazi okulungileyo, ibe uye wagqiba entliziyweni yakhe ukuba akwenze. Ngoko akanakuphenjelelwa ngokulula ukuba enze okubi. Yaye akasoloko efuna ukuxelelwa ukuba enze okulungileyo. Sinokulindela ukuba umntu osemtsha obhaptiziweyo enze okulungileyo naxa abazali okanye abantu abadala bengekho.—Thelekisa eyabaseFilipi 2:12.

6, 7. (a) Chaza izilingo awajamelana nazo uDaniyeli eBhabhiloni. (b) UDaniyeli wabonisa njani ukuba uqolile?

⁶ Ngaba nyhani ingenzeka into yokuba umntu osemtsha aqole ngaloo ndlela? Khawukhe uhlole umzekelo kaDaniyeli. Umel’ ukuba wayesemtsha xa wathathwayo kubazali bakhe wasiwa eBhabhiloni. Ngequbuliso, uDaniyeli wazibona sel’ ephila nabantu abangayithobeliyo imithetho kaThixo. Kodwa makhe siyihlolisise ngokusondeleyo imeko kaDaniyeli. Wayephethwe njengomntu okhethekileyo eBhabhiloni. Wayengomnye wabantu abasebatsha abambalwa abakhethwayo ukuba balungiselele ukumkani. (Daniyeli 1:3-5, 13) Kubonakala ukuba uDaniyeli wayenesikhundla esingcono eBhabhiloni kunaso nasiphi na awayesenokuba naso kwaSirayeli.

⁷ Ngoko wasabela njani uDaniyeli oselula? Ngaba wabavumela abantu baseBhabhiloni ukuba bamtshintshe okanye balwenze buthathaka ukholo lwakhe? Akunjalo konke konke! IBhayibhile  ithi ngoxa wayeseBhabhiloni, wagqiba “entliziyweni yakhe ukuba angazingcolisi,” nokuba ahlalele kude kuyo nantoni na eyayinento yokwenza nonqulo lobuxoki. (Daniyeli 1:8) Yayikukuqola kokwenene oko!

8. Yintoni onokuyifunda kumzekelo kaDaniyeli?

⁸ Yintoni onokuyifunda kumzekelo kaDaniyeli? Umntu osemtsha oqolileyo uya kunamathela kwiinkolelo zakhe, naxa kunzima. Akayi kufana nolovane olujika umbala walo ufane naloo ndawo lukuyo. Akazenzi umhlobo kaThixo kwiHolo yoBukumkani kodwa abe ngumhlobo wehlabathi esikolweni. Kodwa uhlala ethembekile nkqu naxa elingwa.—Funda eyabase-Efese 4:14, 15.

9, 10. (a) Kungamnceda njani umntu oselula ukucingisisa ngendlela aye wasabela ngayo xa ebevavanywa? (b) Kuthetha ukuthini ukubhaptizwa?

⁹ Ewe kona, sonke asifezekanga. Abantu abaselula kunye nabadala bayazenza iimpazamo ngamaxesha athile. (INtshumayeli 7:20) Ngoko ukuba ufuna ukubhaptizwa, kububulumko ukwazi ukuba uzimisele kangakanani ukuthobela imiyalelo kaYehova. Zibuze, ‘Ngaba ndisoloko ndimthobela uYehova?’ Cinga ngendlela owasabela ngayo xa wawuvavanywa kwisihlandlo esidlulileyo. Ngaba wakwazi ukuqonda eyona nto ilungileyo omele uyenze? NjengoDaniyeli, ngaba kukho umntu okukhuthazela ukuba usebenzise isiphiwo sakho kwihlabathi likaSathana? Ukuba oku kuluvavanyo kuwe, ngaba uyakuqonda ukuthanda kukaYehova kulo mba?—Efese 5:17.

¹⁰ Kutheni kubalulekile ukwazi iimpendulo zale mibuzo yobuqu? Ziza kukunceda uqonde indlela ubhaptizo olunzulu ngayo. Ukubhaptizwa kubonisa abanye ukuba wenze isithembiso esibalulekileyo kuYehova. Uthembisa ukuba uza kumthanda yaye umkhonze ngonaphakade ngentliziyo yakho iphela. (Marko 12:30) Wonke umntu obhaptizwayo umele azimisele ukugcina isithembiso sakhe kuYehova.—Funda iNtshumayeli 5:4, 5.

11, 12. (a) Umele aqiniseke ngantoni umntu ofuna ukubhaptizwa? (b) Yintoni eza kukunceda ulujonge ubhaptizo ngendlela uYehova alujonga ngayo?

¹¹ IBhayibhile ithi bonke abantu bakaYehova, kuquka abaselula, baya kumkhonza “ngokuvumayo.” (INdumiso 110:3) Ngoko umntu ofuna ukubhaptizwa, umele aqiniseke ukuba lowo ngumnqweno wakhe wobuqu. Oko kusenokufuna ukuba uhlolisise umnqweno wakho, ingakumbi ukuba ukhulele enyanisweni.

¹² Ekukhuleni kwakho, kusenokwenzeka ukuba baninzi abantu obabone bebhaptizwa, kuquka abahlobo bakho kunye nabantwana bakowenu. Kodwa  lumkela ukuziva unyanzelekile ukuba ubhaptizwe kuba ufikelele kwiminyaka ethile, okanye ubona abanye bebhaptizwa. Unokuqiniseka njani ukuba ulujonga ubhaptizo ngendlela uYehova alujonga ngayo? Ziphe ithuba ucingisise ngesizathu sokuba ubhaptizo lubalulekile. Uza kufumana izizathu ezininzi kweli nqaku nakwelilandelayo.

13. Unokwazi njani enoba isigqibo sakho sokufuna ukubhaptizwa sisuka entliziyweni?

¹³ Enye indlela onokuqonda ngayo enoba isigqibo sokubhaptizwa sisuka entliziyweni, kukuhlolisisa imithandazo yakho. Uthandaza kangakaphi kuYehova? Ingqale kangakanani imithandazo yakho? Iimpendulo zale mibuzo zinokukubonisa indlela osondele ngayo kuYehova. (INdumiso 25:4) Kumaxesha amaninzi uYehova uyiphendula imithandazo yethu ngeBhayibhile. Ngoko enye indlela onokubona ngayo ukuba uyafuna na ukusondela kuYehova, uze umkhonze ngokusuka entliziyweni, kukuhlolisisa ucwangciso lwakho lokufundisisa. (Yoshuwa 1:8) Khawuzibuze: ‘Ngaba ndiyifundisisa rhoqo iBhayibhile? Ngaba ndiyalunandipha unqulo lwentsapho?’ Iimpendulo zale mibuzo ziya kukunceda ubone enoba isigqibo sakho sokufuna ukubhaptizwa sisuka entliziyweni okanye akunjalo.

14. Chaza umahluko phakathi kozahlulelo nobhaptizo.

¹⁴ Olunye ulutsha aluwazi umahluko phakathi kozahlulelo nobhaptizo. Abanye basenokuthi sele bezahlulele kuYehova, kodwa abakakulungeli ukubhaptizwa. Kodwa ngaba ngenene kungenzeka oko? Uzahlulelo ngumthandazo othembisa uYehova ukuba uza kumkhonza ngonaphakade. Xa ubhaptizwa, ubonisa abanye ukuba sele uzahlulele kuYehova. Ngoko ngaphambi kokuba ubhaptizwe, umele uqonde ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuzahlulela kuThixo.

15. Kuthetha ntoni ukuzahlulela?

¹⁵ Xa uzahlulela kuYehova, umxelela ukuba uzinikela kuye. Umthembisa ukuba, ukumkhonza kuza kuba yeyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini bakho. (Funda uMateyu 16:24.) Eso sithembiso kuThixo, sinzulu ngenene! (Mateyu 5:33) Ngoko unokubonisa njani ukuba uyazi ukuba akusaziphileli, kodwa uphilela uYehova?—Roma 14:8.

16, 17. (a) Zekelisa oko kuthethwa kukungaziphileli. (b) Umntu ozahlulelayo uthembisa ntoni?

¹⁶ Makhe sikuzekelise oku. Masithi umhlobo wakho ukupha imoto. Ukunika iimpepha zayo aze athi: “Le moto yeyakho.” Kodwa emva koko uthi: “Ziza kuhlala kum izitshixo. Iza kuqhutywa ndim, hayi nguwe.” Ubuya kuvakalelwa njani ngesi sipho? Ubuya kuvakalelwa njani ngomhlobo wakho okuphe esi sipho?

¹⁷ Xa umntu ezahlulela kuYehova, uthi kuye: “Ndikunika ubomi bam. Ndingowakho.” UYehova unelungelo lokulindela ukuba loo mntu asigcine isithembiso sakhe. Kodwa kuthekani ukuba akathobeli, ngokuthandana nomntu ongamkhonziyo uThixo? Okanye kuthekani ukuba wamkela umsebenzi ocutha ixesha alichitha kubulungiseleli  okanye ombangela aphoswe rhoqo ziintlanganiso? Loo mntu ebengayi kuba uyasigcina isithembiso sakhe kuYehova. Oko bekuya kufana nokuzigcina kuye izitshixo zemoto. Xa sizahlulela kuYehova, sithi kuye, “Ubomi bam bobakho, hayi obam.” Ngoko siya kusoloko sisenza oko kufunwa nguYehova, kungekhona oko kufunwa sithi. Masibe njengoYesu owathi: “Ndihlele ukuza kwenza, kungekhona ukuthanda kwam, kodwa ukuthanda kwalowo wandithumayo.”—Yohane 6:38.

18, 19. (a) Oko kuthethwa nguRose noChristopher kubonisa njani ukuba ukubhaptizwa kulilungelo yaye kuzisa iintsikelelo? (b) Uvakalelwa njani ngelungelo lokubhaptizwa?

¹⁸ Kucacile ukuba, ukubhaptizwa sisigqibo esinzulu. Kulilungelo elikhulu ukuzahlulela kuYehova nokubhaptizwa. Ulutsha olumthandayo uYehova nolukuqondayo oko kuthethwa kukuzahlulela, alukubekeli amangomso ukuzahlulela kuThixo nokubhaptizwa. Aluzisoli ngesigqibo salo. URose osemtsha nobhaptiziweyo uthi: “Ndiyamthanda uYehova, ibe ndikuvuyela gqitha ukumkhonza. Ndiqinisekile ukuba isigqibo sokubhaptizwa sesona sigqibo sibalulekileyo ndakha ndasenza.”

¹⁹ Kuthekani ngoChristopher okhankanywe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku? Uvakalelwa njani ngesigqibo sakhe sokubhaptizwa xa wayeneminyaka eyi-12 ubudala? Uthi imvuyisa gqitha into yokuba wenza eso sigqibo. Waba nguvulindlela othe ngxi xa wayena-17, waza waba sisicaka solungiselelo ena-18. Ngoku ukhonza eBheteli. Uthi: “Ukubhaptizwa kwaba sisigqibo esihle. Ngoku ndaneliswa kukusebenzela uYehova nentlangano yakhe.” Ukuba ufuna ukubhaptizwa, ungazilungiselela njani? Lo mbuzo uza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.