1, 2. Kutheni abanye abazali besiba nexhala xa abantwana babo befuna ukuzinikela kuThixo baze babhaptizwe?

BANINZI abantu abathi bakufunda iBhayibhile bazinikele kuYehova baze babhaptizwe. Uninzi lwabo iba ngabantwana abakhuliselwe enyanisweni, ibe baye bakhetha obona bomi bumnandi. (INdu. 1:1-3) Ukuba ungumzali ongumKristu, siqinisekile ukuba uyilindele imini umntwana wakho aza kubhaptizwa ngayo.—Thelekisa neyesi-3 kaYohane 4.

² Kodwa ke, inoba unexhala. Mhlawumbi ubone olunye ulutsha lubhaptizwa luze kamva luzibuze ukuba kububulumko na ukuthobela uThixo. Uninzi lude lwayeka ukumkhonza uThixo. Yiloo nto nawe usenokuba nexhala lokuba umntwana wakho uza kumkhonza uThixo aze ethubeni ayeke. Mhlawumbi ucinga ukuba uza kufana nabantu base-Efese uYesu awathi ngabo: “Uye walushiya uthando owawunalo kuqala.” (ISityhi. 2:4) Ungenza njani ukuze ingenzeki loo nto, aze umntwana  wakho ‘akhulele elusindisweni’? (1 Pet. 2:2) Ukuze siphendule lo mbuzo, masifunde ngoTimoti.

3. (a) UTimoti waba nguye njani umKristu, ibe wenza ntoni emva kokuba enguye? (b) Ziintoni ezintathu uPawulos awathetha ngazo?

³ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uTimoti waqala ukuva ngobuKristu ngo-47 C.E., xa umpostile uPawulos wayetyelele eListra okokuqala. Nangona uTimoti wayesengumfana ngelo xesha kuyabonakala ukuba wayezimisele. Kwiminyaka emibini kamva watyelela amabandla ehamba noPawulos. Kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-16 emva koko, uPawulos wabhalela uTimoti wathi: “Yima ezintweni owazifundayo waza weyiselwa ekuzikholelweni, ubazi abantu owazifunda kubo, kuba uyaze kwasebusaneni imibhalo engcwele [iZibhalo ZesiHebhere], enako ukukunika ubulumko obusa elusindisweni ngokukholwa kuKristu Yesu.” (2 Tim. 3:14, 15) Qaphela ukuba uPawulos wathetha (1) ngokwazi imibhalo engcwele, (2) ngokweyiselwa ekuyikholelweni (3) nangokufumana ubulumko obusa elusindisweni ngokukholelwa kuKristu Yesu.

4. Zintoni ozisebenzisayo ukuze ufundise abantwana bakho? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁴ Siqinisekile ukuba, umzali ongumKristu ufuna umntwana wakhe azazi izibhalo ezingcwele, iZibhalo ZesiHebhere neZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike. Nabantwana abancinci banokubazi abantu nezinto ekuthethwa ngazo eBhayibhileni. Intlangano kaYehova yenze izinto ezininzi ezinokunceda abazali bafundise abantwana babo. Zeziphi ezikhoyo ngolwimi lwakho? Nikhumbule kaloku bazali ukuba into enokwenza abantwana benu babe nobuhlobo obuqinileyo noYehova kukwazi iZibhalo.

5. (a) Kuthetha ukuthini ‘ukweyiselwa ekuzikholelweni’ izinto? (b) Sazi njani ukuba uTimoti wancedwa wakholwa kuYesu?

⁵ Kubalulekile ukwazi izibhalo ezingcwele. Kodwa ke, akumelanga uphelele nje ekufundiseni abantwana bakho ngabantu okanye izinto eziseBhayibhileni. UTimoti ‘weyiselwa ukuba akholwe.’ Igama lesiGrike elisetyenziswe apha lithetha “ukuqinisekiswa” okanye “ukwenziwa uqiniseke ukuba into ethile yinyani.” UTimoti wazazi eselusana iZibhalo ZesiHebhere. Kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha, wabona ubungqina obucacileyo bokuba uYesu wayenguMesiya. Ngamanye amazwi singathi, ulwazi awaba nalo lwamnceda xa waba nokholo. UTimoti waqiniseka ngezinto awazifundayo kangangokuba wabhaptizwa waza waba ngumvangeli noPawulos.

6. Unokubanceda njani abantwana bakho bayikholelwe into abayifunda kwiLizwi LikaThixo?

⁶ Unokubanceda njani abantwana bakho babe nokholo baze baqiniseke njengoTimoti? Yiba nomonde. Kuthath’ ixesha ukuba nokholo, ibe abazovele babe nalo abantwana bakho kuba nje wena uye wancedwa waba nalo. Umntwana kufuneka asebenzise awakhe ‘amandla engqiqo’ ukuze ayikholelwe iBhayibhile. (Funda amaRoma 12:1.) Wena mzali unendima ebalulekileyo kuloo nto, ingakumbi xa umntwana wakho ekubuza imibuzo. Makhe sibone kulo mzekelo ulandelayo.

7, 8. (a) UThomas uba nomonde njani kwintombi yakhe xa eyifundisa? (b) Wena, kutheni kuye kwafuneka ube nomonde kubantwana bakho?

⁷ UThomas onentombi eneminyaka  eyi-11, uthi: “Intombi yam ikhe indibuze, ‘Ngaba uYehova wenza into enye ephilayo zaza ezinye zavela kuyo?’ okanye, ‘Kutheni thina singakhe senze izinto ezenziwa ngabanye abantu, njengokuvota ukuze siphucule izinto?’ Ngelinye ixesha kuye kufuneke ndizibambe ukuze ndingayixeleli nje into emayiyikholelwe ndibe ndingayicaciseli. Ngapha koko, ayizukuba nokholo kuba nje ndiyixelela inyani kube kanye. Kufuneka ndimane ndiyifundisa.”

⁸ UThomas uyazi ukuba kufuneka ube nomonde xa ufundisa umntwana. Phofu ke onke amaKristu kufuneka abe nomonde. (Kol. 3:12) UThomas uyazi ukuba kuza kuthath’ ixesha ibe kufuneka amane encokola nentombi yakhe. Kufuneka ayincede iqonde iZibhalo ukuze intombi yakhe iqiniseke ngento ayifundisa yona. Uthi: “Mna nenkosikazi siye sifune ukuqonda ukuba iyayikholelwa nyhani into esiyifundisa yona nokuba iyavakala na kuyo, ingakumbi xa izizinto ezibalulekileyo. Ndiyavuya xa ibuza. Xa ndithetha inyani, bendiza kuba nexhala xa isamkela yonke into ingabuzi.”

9. Ungabanceda njani abantwana bakho balikholelwe iLizwi LikaThixo?

⁹ Xa abazali bebafundisa benomonde, abantwana babo baza kude babuqonde “ububanzi nobude nokuphakama nobunzulu” bokholo. (Efe. 3:18) Kufuneka sibafundise ngokweminyaka yabo nezinto abanokuziqonda. Xa bezikholelwa izinto abazifundayo, baza kukwazi ukuphendula xa bebuzwa ngazo, naxa bebuzwa ngabanye abantwana esikolweni. (1 Pet. 3:15) Ngokomzekelo, ngaba abantwana bakho bayakwazi ukuphendula besebenzisa iBhayibhile, xa bebuzwa ukuba kwenzeka ntoni kumntu xa esifa? Ngaba into ethethwa yiBhayibhile iyavakala kubo? * Kufuneka ube nomonde xa unceda abantwana bakho ukuba balikholelwe iLizwi LikaThixo, kodwa awuyi kuzisola ngokwenza loo nto.—Dut. 6:6, 7.

10. Yeyiphi enye into ebalulekileyo xa ufundisa abantwana bakho?

¹⁰ Enye into ebalulekileyo ukuze abantwana bakho babe nokholo, kukuba ngumzekelo. UStephanie oneentombi ezintathu uthi: “Ukususela besebancinci abantwana bam bendisoloko ndizibuza, ‘Ngaba ndiyathetha nabo ngokuba kutheni mna ndiqinisekile ukuba uYehova ukho, uyasithanda kwaye yonke into ayenzayo ilungile? Ngaba abantwana bam bayabona ukuba mna ndimthanda nyhani uYehova?’ Andinakulindela ukuba abantwana bam baqiniseke ngezi zinto ndibe mna ndingaqinisekanga.”

11, 12. Yintoni ubulumko, ibe kutheni sinokuthi abuxhomekekanga kuphela kwiminyaka yomntu?

¹¹ Njengoko sele sibonile, uTimoti (1) wayezazi iZibhalo ibe (2) eqinisekile ngezinto azikholelwayo. Kodwa wayethetha ukuthini uPawulos xa wayesithi izibhalo ezingcwele zazinokwenza uTimoti abe ‘nobulumko obusa elusindisweni’?

¹² I-Insight on the Scriptures, kumqulu wesi-2 ithi, eBhayibhileni ubulumko buthetha “ukukwazi ukusebenzisa ulwazi nokuqonda ukuze sicombulule iingxaki, silumkele iingozi, senze izinto esiceba ukuzenza okanye sicebise abanye ukuba benze into efanayo. Bahluke mpela kubudenge.”  IBhayibhile ithi, “ubudenge bubotshiwe entliziyweni yenkwenkwe.” (IMize. 22:15) Kucacile ke ngoko ukuba, ukuba nobulumko kubonisa ukuba umntwana ukhulile. Ukukhula elukholweni akuxhomekekanga kwiminyaka yomntu kodwa kubonakala kwindlela amoyika ngayo uYehova nayithobela ngayo imithetho yakhe.—Funda iNdumiso 111:10.

13. Umntwana unokubonisa njani ukuba unobulumko obunokumsindisa?

¹³ Umntwana onokholo ‘akakhukuliswa’ yiminqweno yakhe okanye alandele iitshomi. (Efe. 4:14) Kunoko, ‘amandla akhe okuqonda uwaqeqeshela ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi.’ (Heb. 5:14) Uye abonise ukuba uyakhula ngokwenza izigqibo ezizizo, naxa engabonwa ngabazali okanye ngabanye abantu abadala. (Fil. 2:12) Obo bulumko buyafuneka ukuze umntu asinde. (Funda iMizekeliso 24:14.) Ungabanceda njani abantwana bakho babe nabo? Okokuqala, baxelele ukuba wena uthobela iBhayibhile. Mababone kwizinto ozithethayo nozenzayo ukuba uthobela iBhayibhile.—Roma 2:21-23.

14, 15. (a) Umntwana ofuna ukubhaptizwa kufuneka acinge ngantoni? (b) Ungabanceda njani abantwana bakho bacinge ngeentsikelelo zokuthobela imithetho kaThixo?

¹⁴ Kodwa ke, kufuneka ungabaxeleli nje ukuba yintoni elungileyo nengalunganga. Kufuneka ubancede bakwazi ukuphendula imibuzo efana nale: ‘Kutheni iBhayibhile ingasivumeli senze ezinye zezinto ezikhangeleka ngathi zimnandi? Yintoni endenza ndiqiniseke ukuba iBhayibhile isoloko indinceda?’—Isa. 48:17, 18.

¹⁵ Ukuba umntwana wakho ufuna ukubhaptizwa, mbuze ukuba ucinga ntoni ngezinto ekuza kufuneka azenze nekuza kufuneka angazenzi xa engumKristu. Uza kufumana ntoni ngokuba ngumKristu? Uza kudibana neziphi iingxaki? Izinto aza kuzifumana zizodlula njani  ezo ngxaki? (Marko 10:29, 30) Kaloku kusenokufuneka ajongane nezo zinto xa sele ebhaptiziwe. Ngoko kubalulekile ukuba acingisise ngazo ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe. Xa ubanceda abantwana bakho babone ukuba xa bethobela bayasikelelwa kanti xa bengathobeli kubakho imiphumo ebuhlungu, baya kutsho baqiniseke. Baqiniseke ngantoni? Ngokuba ukuphila ngendlela iBhayibhile ethi mabaphile ngayo kuya kusoloko kubanceda.—Dut. 30:19, 20.

16. Kufuneka benze ntoni abazali xa umntwana wabo obhaptiziweyo eqalisa ukuba namathandabuzo?

¹⁶ Uza kuthini xa umntwana wakho esiba nemibuzo emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe? Ngokomzekelo, usenokuqalisa ukuthanda izinto zehlabathi okanye athandabuze iBhayibhile. (INdu. 73:1-3, 12, 13) Indlela omphendula ngayo inokumenza aqhubeke ekhonza uYehova okanye ayeke. Zama ukuba ungalwi naye enoba usemncinci okanye sele ekhulile. Into emele ibe phambili kuwe kukumxhasa nokumnceda umntwana wakho.

17, 18. Umzali angamnceda njani umntwana oqalisa ukuphelelwa lukholo?

¹⁷ Umntwana obhaptiziweyo uzinikele kuYehova. Xa wayezinikela, wathembisa uThixo ukuba uza kumthanda aze enze ukuthanda kwakhe. (Funda uMarko 12:30.) UYehova akasithathi kancinci eso sithembiso, ngoko nomntu osenzileyo akafanele asithathe kancinci. (INtshu. 5:4, 5) Ngexesha elifanelekileyo, mkhumbuze umntwana wakho ngalo nto kodwa uthethe kakuhle. Ngaphambi kokuba wenze loo nto, qala ufunde izinto ezilungiselelwe abazali yintlangano kaYehova. Xa usenjenjalo uza kutsho ukwazi ukumnceda umntwana wakho abone ukuba ukuzinikela kuYehova nokubhaptizwa akuyonto incinci ibe kuzisa iintsikelelo.

¹⁸ Ngokomzekelo incwadi ethi Imibuzo Yabantu Abaselula—Iimpendulo Eziluncedo, uMqulu woku-1, inamacebiso anokukunceda kwisihlomelo esisemva esithi “Imibuzo Ebuzwa Ngabazali.” Sithi: “Ungakhawulezi ugqibe kwelokuba umntwana wakho akalufuni ukholo lwakho. Kwiimeko ezininzi sibakho isizathu sokungabi namdla.” Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ufuna ukuzicengezela kwiitshomi zakhe. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba akanazitshomi okanye ubona ngathi abanye abantwana ebandleni baqhuba kakuhle kunaye. Esi sihlomelo siphinda sithi: “Licacile elokuba, ezi zinto azinanto yakwenza nokholo lwakho. Zizinto nje eziphathelele iimeko ezibangela ukuba kube nzima ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo okwangoku.” Emva koko, sicebisa umzali ngezinto anokuzenza ukuze ancede umntwana wakhe ophelelwa lukholo.

19. Abazali bangabanceda njani abantwana babo babe ‘nobulumko obusa elusindisweni’?

¹⁹ Abazali banendima ebalulekileyo nenyhweba yokukhulisela abantwana babo “kwingqeqesho nasekweyiselweni kwengqondo kuYehova.” (Efe. 6:4) Njengoko sele sifundile, abamele bafundise abantwana babo iBhayibhile nje kuphela kodwa bamele babancede bazikholelwe izinto abazifundayo. Abantwana benu kufuneka babe nokholo oluqinileyo oluza kubenza bazinikele kuYehova baze bamkhonze ngentliziyo epheleleyo. Ngamana iLizwi LikaYehova, umoya wakhe, nemizamo yenu bazali ingabanceda abantwana benu babe ‘nobulumko obusa elusindisweni.’