Intsingiselo Yokubhaptizwa Kwakho
Isahluko Seshumi Elinesibini
Intsingiselo Yokubhaptizwa Kwakho
1. Kutheni ngamnye wethu efanele abe nomdla kubhaptizo lwamanzi?
NGOWAMA-29 C.E., uYesu wabhaptizwa, entywiliselwa nguYohane uMbhaptizi kuMlambo iYordan. UYehova wayesibukele esi siganeko ibe wavakalisa ukuba uyakholiswa siso. (Mateyu 3:16, 17) Ngaloo ndlela uYesu wamisela umzekelo owawuza kulandelwa ngabo bonke abafundi bakhe. Kwiminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha emva koko, uYesu wanikela le miyalelo kubafundi bakhe: “Linikwe mna lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Hambani ke ngoko niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, nibabhaptiza egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele.” (Mateyu 28:18, 19) Ngaba sele ubhaptiziwe ngokuvisisana noko uYesu wakuyalelayo ngala mazwi? Ukuba akukabhaptizwa, ngaba ulungiselela ukwenjenjalo?
2. Ngokuphathelele ubhaptizo, yiyiphi imibuzo efuna ukuphendulwa?
2 Enoba sele ubhaptiziwe okanye akunjalo, ukuluqonda kakuhle ubhaptizo kubalulekile kuye wonke ubani ofuna ukukhonza uYehova aze aphile kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha elinobulungisa. Imibuzo efuna ukuphendulwa iquka le: Ngaba ubhaptizo lwamaKristu lwanamhlanje lunentsingiselo efanayo nobhaptizo lukaYesu? Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa “egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele”? Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekuphileni ngokuvisisana noko kufuziselwa lubhaptizo lwamanzi lwamaKristu?
Ubhaptizo Olwenziwa NguYohane
3. Lwalupheleliselwe koobani ubhaptizo lukaYohane?
3 Kwisithuba seenyanga ezintandathu ngaphambi kokuba uYesu abhaptizwe, uYohane uMbhaptizi wayehamba eshumayela kwintlango yakwaYuda, esithi: “Guqukani, kuba ubukumkani bamazulu busondele.” (Mateyu 3:1, 2) Abantu bakuva oko uYohane wayekuthetha baza basithobela eso sibongozo. Bazivuma ekuhleni izono zabo, baguquka kuzo, baza beza kuYohane ukuze ababhaptize kuMlambo iYordan. Olo bhaptizo lwalulolwamaYuda.—Luka 1:13-16; IZenzo 13:23, 24.
4. Kutheni kwakufuneka amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala aguquke ngokukhawuleza?
4 Loo maYuda kwakufuneka aguquke ngokukhawuleza. KwiNtaba yeSinayi ngowe-1513 B.C.E., ooyisemkhulu babenze umnqophiso obopha uhlanga luphela—isivumelwano esibalulekileyo nesisemthethweni—noYehova uThixo. Kodwa ngenxa yezono zabo ezinzulu, abazange baziphumeze iimbopheleleko zabo phantsi kwaloo mnqophiso, ngoko bagwetywa nguwo. Ngomhla kaYesu imeko yawo yayisele imbi kakhulu. ‘Imini kaYehova enkulu neyoyikekayo’ eyayixelwe kwangaphambili nguMalaki yayisemnyango. Ngowama-70 C.E., loo “mini” yagaleleka xa imikhosi yamaRoma yatshabalalisa iYerusalem, itempile yayo kunye namaYuda angaphezu kwesigidi. UYohane uMbhaptizi, eqhutywa kukuzondelela unqulo lokwenyaniso, wathunyelwa isekude loo ntshabalalo, “ukuze alungiselele uYehova isizwana esilungisiweyo.” Kwakufuneka aguquke kwizono awayezenze nxamnye nomnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses aze alungele ukwamkela uNyana kaThixo, uYesu, uYehova awayemthumela kuwo.—Malaki 4:4-6; Luka 1:17; IZenzo 19:4.
5. (a) Xa uYesu weza ukuze abhaptizwe, kwakutheni ukuze uYohane athandabuze? (b) Kwakufuzisela ntoni ukubhaptizwa kukaYesu?
5 Phakathi kwabo beza kuYohane ukuze ababhaptize kwakukho uYesu ngokwakhe. Ngoba? Esazi ukuba uYesu akanazono anokuzivuma, uYohane wathi: “Indim nje ekufuneka ebhaptizwe nguwe, kutheni na usiza kum?” Kodwa ukubhaptizwa kukaYesu kwakuza kufuzisela nto yimbi. Ngoko uYesu waphendula: “Vuma okwangoku, kuba kufanelekile ngathi ukuphumeza konke oko kububulungisa.” (Mateyu 3:13-15) Ngenxa yokuba uYesu wayengenasono, ukubhaptizwa kwakhe kwakungafuziseli ukuguquka esonweni; kungazange kananjalo kufuneke ukuba azahlulele kuThixo, ekubeni wayelilungu lohlanga olwalusele luzahlulele kuYehova. Kunoko, ubhaptizo lwakhe eneminyaka engama-30 ubudala lwalupheleliselwe kuye yedwa, kwaye lwalufuzisela ukuzinikela kwakhe kuYise osezulwini ukuze aqhubeke esenza ukuthanda Kwakhe.
6. UYesu wayezimisele kangakanani ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo ngaye?
6 Ukuthanda kukaThixo ngoKristu uYesu kwakubandakanya umsebenzi onxibelelene noBukumkani. (Luka 8:1) Kwakuquka nokunikela kwakhe ngobomi bakhe obufezekileyo njengentlawulelo nanjengesiseko somnqophiso omtsha. (Mateyu 20:28; 26:26-28; Hebhere 10:5-10) UYesu wakugqala njengento ebalulekileyo oko kwakufuziselwa kukubhaptizwa kwakhe emanzini. Akazange avumele ingqalelo yakhe ukuba iphazanyiswe zezinye izinto. Waqhubeka esenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, esenza umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo bube yeyona nto iphambili de kwasekupheleni kobomi bakhe basemhlabeni.—Yohane 4:34.
Ubhaptizo Lwamanzi Lwabafundi AbangamaKristu
7. Ukususela ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., axelelwa ntoni amaKristu ngobhaptizo?
7 Abafundi bokuqala bakaYesu babhaptizwa ngamanzi nguYohane baza balathiselwa kuYesu njengabo babeza kuba ngamalungu oBukumkani basezulwini. (Yohane 3:25-30) Phantsi kolwalathiso lukaYesu, nabo aba bafundi babhaptiza abantu ngobhaptizo olwalunentsingiselo efanayo neyobhaptizo lukaYohane. (Yohane 4:1, 2) Noko ke, ukususela ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., baqalisa ukuzalisekisa uthumo lokuba babhaptize “egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele.” (Mateyu 28:19) Uya kukufumanisa kuyingenelo ukuhlolisisa intsingiselo yoku.
8. Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa “egameni loYise”?
8 Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptiza “egameni loYise”? Kuthetha ukwamkela igama, isikhundla, igunya, injongo kunye nemithetho yakhe. Khawucinge ngoko kubandakanyekileyo. (1) Ngokuphathelele igama lakhe, INdumiso 83:18 ithi: “Wena, ogama linguYehova, nguwe wedwa Oyena Uphakamileyo phezu komhlaba wonke.” (2) Ngokuphathelele isikhundla sakhe, eyesi-2 yooKumkani 19:15 ithi: “Owu Yehova . . . , nguwe wedwa onguThixo.” (3) Ukanti ISityhilelo 4:11 sisixelela oku ngegunya lakhe: “Ufanele, Yehova, Thixo wethu, ukwamkela uzuko nembeko namandla, ngenxa yokuba wadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yokuthanda kwakho zabakho yaye zadalwa.” (4) Simele sivume kananjalo ukuba uYehova unguMniki-Bomi, onjongo yakhe ikukusisindisa esonweni nasekufeni: “Usindiso lolukaYehova.” (INdumiso 3:8; 36:9) (5) Kufuneka siyamkele into yokuba uYehova unguMwisi-Mthetho Ophakamileyo: “Kuba uYehova nguMgwebi wethu, uYehova nguMmisi-mthetho wethu, uYehova nguKumkani wethu.” (Isaya 33:22) Ekubeni ezizo zonke ezi zinto, siyabongozwa: “Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela.”—Mateyu 22:37.
9. Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa “egameni . . . loNyana”?
9 Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa “egameni . . . loNyana”? Kuthetha ukuligqala igama, isikhundla negunya likaYesu Kristu. Igama lakhe, elithi Yesu, lithetha ukuthi “UYehova Ulusindiso.” Isikhundla sakhe sisekelwe kwisibakala sokuba yena ungokuphela koNyana ozelwe nguThixo, owokuqala kwindalo kaThixo. (Mateyu 16:16; Kolose 1:15, 16) Ithetha ngalo Nyana, incwadi kaYohane 3:16 isixelela oku: “UThixo walithanda kakhulu ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.” Ngenxa yokuba uYesu wafa ethembekile, uThixo wamvusa kwelabafileyo waza wamnika igunya elongezelelekileyo. Ngokutsho kukampostile uPawulos, uThixo “wamphakamisela [uYesu] kwisigxina esongamileyo” kwindalo iphela, yaza yanguYehova kuphela ongaphezu kwakhe. Kungoko ‘egameni likaYesu efanele agobe onke amadolo . . . zize zonke iilwimi zivume ekuhleni ukuba uYesu Kristu uyiNkosi nto leyo eluzuko kuThixo uYise.’ (Filipi 2:9-11) Oku kuthetha ukuthobela imiyalelo kaYesu esuka kuYehova.—Yohane 15:10.
10. Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa “egameni . . . lomoya oyingcwele”?
10 Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa “egameni . . . lomoya oyingcwele”? Kuthetha ukuyamkela indima kunye nomsebenzi owenziwa ngumoya oyingcwele. Phofu ke uyintoni umoya oyingcwele? Ungamandla kaYehova asebenzayo, awasebenzisa ukuze aphumeze iinjongo zakhe. UYesu waxelela abalandeli bakhe oku: “Ndiza kumcela uBawo yaye uya kuninika omnye umncedi wokuba kunye nani ngonaphakade, umoya wenyaniso.” (Yohane 14:16, 17) Yintoni owawuza kubanceda bakwazi ukuyenza? UYesu wahlabela mgama ebaxelela: “Niya kwamkela amandla xa umoya oyingcwele ufika kuni, yaye niya kuba ngamangqina am eYerusalem nakulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya kude kuse nakwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba.” (IZenzo 1:8) UYehova wakwasebenzisa umoya oyingcwele ukuze aphefumlele ukubhalwa kweBhayibhile: “Isiprofeto asizange nangaliphi na ixesha siziswe ngokuthanda komntu, kodwa abantu bathetha ngokuphuma kuThixo njengoko babeqhutywa ngumoya oyingcwele.” (2 Petros 1:21) Ngoko siyayamkela indima ephunyezwa ngumoya oyingcwele xa sifundisisa iBhayibhile. Enye indlela esiwamkela ngayo umoya oyingcwele kukucela uYehova ukuba asincede sivelise “isiqhamo somoya,” ‘esiluthando, uvuyo, uxolo, ukuzeka kade umsindo, ububele, ukulunga, ukholo, ubulali, ukuzeyisa.’—Galati 5:22, 23.
11. (a) Iyintoni intsingiselo yokwenene yobhaptizo lwanamhlanje? (b) Ubhaptizo lufana njani nokufa uze uphinde uvuswe?
11 Abokuqala ukubhaptizwa ngokuvisisana nemiyalelo kaYesu yayingamaYuda nabo babeguqukele ebuYudeni, ukususela ngowama-33 C.E. Kamsinya emva koko, eli lungelo lokuba ngabafundi abangamaKristu lanikwa namaSamariya. Kwandula ke, ngowama-36 C.E., ubizo lwaya kufikelela nakwabeeNtlanga ababengaluswanga. Ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe, amaSamariya nabeeNtlanga kwafuneka bazahlulele kuYehova ukuze bakhonze njengabafundi boNyana wakhe. Oku kusaqhubeka kuyintsingiselo yobhaptizo lwamanzi lwamaKristu unanamhla. Ukuntywiliselwa ngokupheleleyo emanzini kungumfuziselo wolu zahlulelo, kuba ubhaptizo lufuzisela ukufa okungumfuziselo. Ukutshona kwakho ngaphantsi kwamanzi kumela ukufa kwakho kwikhondo lobomi obuphile ngaphambili. Ukuphuma kwakho ngaphantsi kwamanzi kufuzisela ukuphiliswa kwakho ukuze wenze ukuthanda kukaThixo. Olu ‘bhaptizo lunye’ lusebenza kubo bonke ababa ngamaKristu okwenyaniso. Xa bebhaptizwa, baba ngamaKristu angamaNgqina kaYehova, abalungiseleli abamiselweyo bakaThixo.—Efese 4:5; 2 Korinte 6:3, 4.
12. Lufana nantoni ubhaptizo lwamanzi lwamaKristu, yaye njani?
12 Olu bhaptizo lunexabiso elisindisayo emehlweni kaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, emva kokukhankanya ukwakha kukaNowa umkhombe, awayeza kuthi yena nentsapho yakhe balondolozwe kuwo de kudlule uMkhukula, umpostile uPetros wabhala: “Oku kufanekisela ubhaptizo, olunisindisayo nani ngoku, (olungekuko ukuhlanjwa kokungcola kwenyama, kodwa olusisicelo esenziwa kuThixo sokuba nesazela esilungileyo,) ngovuko lukaYesu Kristu.” (1 Petros 3:21) Umkhombe wawububungqina obubambekayo bokuba uNowa wayewenze ngokuthembeka umsebenzi awayewabelwe nguThixo. Emva kokuba ugqityiwe umsebenzi wokwakha umkhombe, “ihlabathi langoko latshatyalaliswa xa lakhukuliswa ngamanzi kanogumbe.” (2 Petros 3:6) Kodwa uNowa nentsapho yakhe, “imiphefumlo esibhozo, bathwalwa ngokukhuselekileyo emanzini.”—1 Petros 3:20.
13. Ubhaptizo lwamanzi lumsindisa entwenini umKristu?
13 Namhlanje, abo bazahlulela kuYehova ngesizinzi sokholo kuKristu ovusiweyo bayabhaptizwa befuzisela olo zahlulelo. Bayaqhubeka besenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kulo mhla wethu yaye bayasindiswa kweli hlabathi lingendawo. (Galati 1:3, 4) Abasayi kutshatyalalaliswa kunye nale nkqubo ingendawo yezinto. Bayasinda ekutshabalaleni kwaye uThixo ubanika isazela esilungileyo. Umpostile uYohane waqinisekisa abakhonzi bakaThixo esithi: “Ihlabathi liyadlula nenkanuko yalo, kodwa lowo wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo uhleli ngonaphakade.”—1 Yohane 2:17.
Ukuphila Ngokuvisisana Neembopheleleko Zethu
14. Kutheni ubhaptizo lungesosiqinisekiso sosindiso?
14 Besiya kuba siziqaba ngentshongo emehlweni ukuba besiza kugqiba ngelithi ubhaptizo lusisiqinisekiso sosindiso. Luba nexabiso kuphela xa umntu ezahlulele ngokwenene kuYehova egameni likaYesu Kristu aze aqhubeke esenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, yaye athembeke de kuse esiphelweni. “Lowo unyamezele kwada kwasekupheleni uya kusindiswa.”—Mateyu 24:13.
15. (a) Namhlanje kuyintoni ukuthanda kukaThixo ngamaKristu abhaptiziweyo? (b) Kufanele kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba ngumfundi ongumKristu kubomi bethu?
15 Ukuthanda kukaThixo ngoYesu kwakuquka indlela awayebusebenzisa ngayo ubomi bakhe njengomntu. Xa esifa, babuza kunikelwa njengedini. Kwimeko yethu, imizimba yethu imele inikelwe kuThixo, kwaye sifanele siqhubeke siphila ubomi bokuzincama ngokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. (Roma 12:1, 2) Ngokuqinisekileyo besingayi kuba senza ukuthanda kukaThixo ukuba ngamaxesha athile besiziphatha njengabantu behlabathi abasingqongileyo okanye sisekela ubomi bethu kusukelo lokuzingca, size sidlulise nje usana kunina xa sikhonza uThixo. (1 Petros 4:1-3; 1 Yohane 2:15, 16) Xa umYuda othile wabuza oko wayemele akwenze ukuze afumane ubomi obungunaphakade, uYesu wavuma ukuba kubalulekile ukuphila ubomi obucocekileyo ngokokuziphatha. Kodwa ke walatha kwinto ebaluleke nangakumbi: imfuneko yokuba ngumfundi ongumKristu, umlandeli kaYesu. Oko kumele kube ngundoqo ebomini. Akumele kulandele emva kosukelo lwezinto eziphathekayo.—Mateyu 19:16-21.
16. (a) Yiyiphi imbopheleleko anayo onke amaKristu ngokunxibelelene noBukumkani? (b) Njengoko kuboniswe yimifanekiso ekwiphepha 116 nele-117, ziziphi ezinye zeendlela eziphumelelayo zokwenza umsebenzi woBukumkani? (c) Yintoni engqinwa kukuba nesabelo kwethu ngentliziyo epheleleyo kumsebenzi wokunikela ubungqina?
16 Masiyigxininise kwakhona into yokuba ukuthanda kukaThixo ngoYesu kwakuquka umsebenzi obalulekileyo onxibelelene noBukumkani bukaThixo. UYesu wayenguKumkani othanjisiweyo. Kodwa xa wayesemhlabeni, wabunikela ngenzondelelo ubungqina ngokuphathelele uBukumkani. Nathi simele senze umsebenzi ofanayo wokunikela ubungqina, ibe sinezizathu ezibambekayo zokuwenza ngentliziyo epheleleyo. Ngokwenjenjalo, sibonisa ukuba siyaluxabisa ulongamo lukaYehova yaye siyabathanda abanye abantu. (Mateyu 22:36-40) Kwakhona sibonisa ukuba simanyene nabo bonke abanye abanquli abasehlabathini jikelele abangabavakalisi boBukumkani. Ngaxhathalinye yaye simanyene ehlabathini lonke, sixhinela phambili kusukelo lobomi obungunaphakade kummandla osemhlabeni wobu Bukumkani.
Impinda
• Kukuphi ukufana kunye nomahluko okhoyo phakathi kobhaptizo lukaYesu nobhaptizo lwamanzi lwanamhlanje?
• Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa “egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele”?
• Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekuphileni ngokuvisisana nobhaptizo lwamanzi lwamaKristu?
[Imibuzo YeSifundo]
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 116, 117]
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