1. Abazali abangamaKristu bafuna ukuqiniseka ngani ngaphambi kokuba izingane zabo zibhapathizwe?

“KWAPHELA izinyanga ngilokhu ngitshela ubaba nomama ukuthi ngifuna ukubhapathizwa futhi babexoxa nami njalo ngalokhu. Babefuna ukuqiniseka ukuthi ngiyaqonda ukuthi isinqumo sami asiyona into encane. Lolu suku olubalulekile ekuphileni kwami lwafika ngoDisemba 31, 1934.” Yileyo indlela uBlossom Brandt achaza ngayo izenzakalo ezaholela esinqumweni sokuba abhapathizwe. Ngendlela efanayo, namuhla abazali abangamaKristu bafuna ukusiza izingane zabo zenze izinqumo ezihlakaniphile. Ukuhlehlisa ukubhapathizwa ngokungenasidingo kungaletha izinkinga ngokomoya. (Jak. 4:17) Nokho, ngokuhlakanipha abazali bafuna ukuqiniseka ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba izingane zabo zibhapathizwe ziwulungele umthwalo ohambisana nokuba amaKristu.

2. (a) Kungani abanye ababonisi besigodi bekhathazeka? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

² Abanye ababonisi besigodi bayakhathazeka ngokuthi intsha eyevile eminyakeni engu-16 abahlangana nayo, ekhuliswe amaKristu,  ayikabhapathizwa. Ezimweni eziningi, le ntsha iyeza emihlanganweni yebandla futhi iyashumayela. Izibheka njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Noma kunjalo, ngasizathu simbe le ntsha iyanqikaza ukuzinikezela kuJehova futhi ibhapathizwe. Kungabangelwa yini lokhu? Ngezinye izikhathi, abazali bakhuthaza izingane zabo ukuba zihlehlise ukubhapathizwa. Kulesi sihloko sizoxoxa ngezinto ezine ezikhathaza futhi zivimbele abanye abazali abangamaKristu ukuba basize izingane zabo zibhapathizwe.

3. Abazali bakaBlossom babekhathazeke ngani?

³ Abazali bakaBlossom okukhulunywe ngabo esigabeni sokuqala, babekhathazeke kufanele ngokuthi indodakazi yabo ikhule ngokwanele yini ukuba iqonde ukuthi ukubhapathizwa kubalulekile futhi kuyinto okungafanelwe ithathwe kalula. Abazali bangazi kanjani ukuthi ingane ikulungele yini ukuzinikezela?

4. Umyalo kaJesu okuMathewu 28:19, 20 ungabasiza kanjani abazali njengoba befundisa izingane zabo?

⁴ Funda uMathewu 28:19, 20. Njengoba kuchaziwe esihlokweni esidlule, iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi umuntu angabhapathizwa eneminyaka emingaki. Noma kunjalo, abazali bangazuza ngokucabanga ngokuthi kusho ukuthini ukwenza umfundi. Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “niyokwenza . . . abafundi” elikuMathewu 28:19 linomqondo wokufundisa ngenjongo yokwenza abafundi. Umfundi ufunda izimfundiso zikaJesu bese eziqonda futhi azimisele ukuphila ngokuvumelana nazo. Yingakho umgomo wabazali abangamaKristu kumelwe ube ukufundisa izingane zabo kusukela ziseyizinsana ngenjongo yokuzisiza zibe abafundi bakaKristu ababhapathiziwe. Kuyavunywa, usana lusuke lungakakulungeli ukubhapathizwa. Nokho, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ngisho nezingane ezisencane zingawaqonda futhi ziwathande amaqiniso eBhayibheli.

5, 6. (a) Indlela iBhayibheli elichaza ngayo uThimothewu lisenza sifinyelele ziphi iziphetho mayelana nokubhapathizwa kwakhe? (b) Abazali abanokuqonda bangazisiza kanjani izingane zabo?

⁵ UThimothewu wayengumfundi owathanda iqiniso ngokusuka enhliziyweni kusukela esemncane. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi uThimothewu wafunda amaqiniso emiBhalo kusukela esewusana. Ngisho noma uThimothewu akhulela emndenini ohlukene phakathi ngokwenkolo, umama nogogo wakhe abangamaJuda bamfundisa ukuthanda imiBhalo. Ngenxa yalokho wayenokholo oluqinile. (2 Thim. 1:5; 3:14, 15) Lapho esevile eminyakeni engu-19, uThimothewu wayengumfundi ongumKristu ofanelekela imisebenzi ekhethekile ebandleni.​—IzE. 16:1-3.

⁶ Kuyiqiniso ukuthi izingane azifani; azivuthwa ngezinga elifanayo noma ngesikhathi esifanayo. Ngenxa yekhono lokwenza izinqumo eziphusile, ezinye izingane nakuba zisencane ngeminyaka ziye zithi zifisa ukubhapathizwa. Kanti ezinye zingase zilungele ukubhapathizwa sezithe ukukhula. Ngakho, abazali abanokuqonda abazicindezeli izingane zabo ukuba zibhapathizwe. Kunalokho, bayazisiza zithuthuke ngokomoya ngokuvumelana nendlela ingane ngayinye ekhula futhi ithuthuke ngayo. Abazali bangajabula lapho ingane iphila ngokuvumelana nalokho okushiwo izAga 27:11. (Funda.) Nokho, akufanele bawukhohlwe umgomo wabo wokuba izingane zabo zibe abafundi abangamaKristu. Benalokho engqondweni, abazali kungakuhle bazibuze, ‘Ingabe ingane yami inolwazi olwanele ukuze izinikezele kuNkulunkulu futhi ibhapathizwe?’

7. Ingabe umuntu ofuna ukubhapathizwa kufanele abe nolwazi oluningi lweBhayibheli kuqala? Chaza.

⁷ Abazali, njengabafundisi emndenini, kuyafaneleka ukuba bafune izingane zabo zibe nolwazi olwanele oluzozisiza zizinikezele. Noma kunjalo, akudingeki ukuba umuntu abenolwazi oluningi ukuze azinikezele kuNkulunkulu futhi abhapathizwe. Ngemva kokubhapathizwa, bonke abafundi kufanele baqhubeke bekhula olwazini olunembile. (Funda eyabaseKolose 1:9, 10.) Pho lungakanani ulwazi oludingekayo ukuze umuntu azinikezele?

8, 9. Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda endabeni kaPawulu nomgcini jele?

⁸ Okwenzeka komunye umndeni ngekhulu lokuqala kungasiza abazali babe nokuqonda. (IzE. 16:25-33) Lapho esohambweni lwakhe lwesibili njengesithunywa sevangeli, cishe ngo-50 C.E., uPawulu waya eFilipi. Ngesikhathi elapho yena noSila, ayehamba naye, bamangalelwa ngamanga base bevalelwa ejele. Phakathi nobusuku, kwazamazama umhlaba kwabe sekuvuleka yonke iminyango yejele. Lapho umgcini jele ecabanga ukuthi iziboshwa zibalekile, wazama ukuzibulala kodwa wavinjwa uPawulu lapho emmemeza. UPawulu noSila bashumayeza umgcini jele nomndeni wakhe. Ukwazisa kwalo mndeni amaqiniso ngoJesu kwawushukumisela ukuba uthathe siphi isinyathelo? Amalungu alo mndeni abhapathizwa ngokushesha. Singafundani kule ndaba?

⁹ Ngokwesiko, kungenzeka umgcini jele wayeyisosha elithathe umhlalaphansi. Wayengajwayelene nemiBhalo. Ngakho ukuze umgcini jele abe nolwazi olwanele lwemiBhalo, kwakudingeka afunde amaqiniso emiBhalo ayisisekiselo, aqonde ukuthi yini ehilelekile ukuze abe inceku kaNkulunkulu futhi azimisele ukugcina izimfundiso zikaJesu. Ngesikhathi esifushane nje, amaqiniso ayisisekelo aseBhayibhelini kanye nokuwazisa kwamshukumisela ukuba abhapathizwe. Ngokungangabazeki akazange ayeke ukwandisa ulwazi lwakhe ngemva kokubhapathizwa. Ucabanga ngalesi sibonelo, yini ongayenza lapho ingane yakho ibonisa ukuthi iyawathanda amaqiniso ayisisekelo aseBhayibhelini kuhlanganise nokubaluleka kokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa? Nina bazali abangamaKristu ningatshela ingane ukuthi ithintane nabadala bebandla ukuze kubonakale ukuthi iyakufanelekela yini ukubhapathizwa. * Njengabanye abafundi ababhapathiziwe, ulwazi lwayo ngenjongo kaJehova luyoqhubeka lukhula ukuphila kwayo konke, ngisho naphakade.​—Roma 11:33, 34.

10, 11. (a) Abanye abazali baye baphetha ngokuthini? (b) Yini umzali okufanele akhathazeke ngayo?

¹⁰ Abanye abazali baye babona kungcono ukuthi izingane zabo zihlehlise ukubhapathizwa, zigxile emfundweni ephakeme kuqala bese ziyasebenza. Abazali abanombono onjalo kungenzeka basuke benezinhloso ezinhle kodwa lokho kuzoyisiza yini ingane yabo iphumelele ngempela? Okubaluleke nakakhulu, lokho kuyavumelana yini nemiBhalo? Likhuthazani iZwi likaJehova?​—Funda umShumayeli 12:1.

¹¹ Kusemqoka ukukhumbula kuthi leli zwe nakho konke okukulo kuphambene nentando nombono kaJehova. (Jak. 4: 7, 8; 1 Joh. 2:15-17; 5:19) Ukuba nobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova kuyindlela engcono kakhulu ingane yakho engazivikela ngayo kuSathane, kuleli zwe nasendleleni yokucabanga ephambene noNkulunkulu. Uma umzali ekhuthaza ingane ukuba igijimise izinto zaleli zwe, lokho kungayidida ingane bese kuyenza ilahlekelwe ubuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu. Ingabe abazali abangamaKristu nabanothando bangafuna leli zwe lilolonge umbono wengane yabo mayelana nokuphumelela? Iqiniso liwukuthi sijabula ngempela futhi siphumelele kuphela lapho sibeka uJehova kuqala ekuphileni kwethu.​—Funda iHubo 1:2, 3.

12. Kungani abanye abazali befuna ingane yabo ihlehlise ukubhapathizwa?

¹² Lapho echaza izizathu zakhe zokungayikhuthazi ingane yakhe ukuba ibhapathizwe, omunye umama ongumKristu wathi: “Nginamahloni okusho ukuthi into engangiyisaba kakhulu ukuthi isuswe ekuhlanganyeleni.” Njengalo dade, abanye abazali baye bacabanga ukuthi kungcono ingane yabo ibhapathizwe lapho isikhule ngokwanele. (Gen. 8:21; IzAga 22:15) Bangase bathi, ‘Uma nje ingane yami ingabhapathiziwe ngeke isuswe ekuhlanganyeleni.’ Kungani lokho kucabanga kuwukuzikhohlisa?​—Jak. 1:22.

13. Ingabe ukuhlehlisa ukubhapathizwa kwenza umuntu angalandisi kuJehova? Chaza.

¹³ Kuyaqondakala ukuthi abazali abangamaKristu bafuna ingane yabo ibhapathizwe lapho isikhule ngokwanele ukuba yenze isinqumo sokuzinikezela. Nokho, kungaba yiphutha ukucabanga ukuthi uma ingane ingabhapathiziwe ngeke ilandise kuJehova. Kungani kunjalo? Ngoba ukubhapathizwa akusona isizathu esenza umuntu alandise kuJehova. Ingane izolandisa kuJehova lapho isinolwazi lokuthi yini elungile nengalungile emehlweni aKhe. (Funda uJakobe 4:17.) Ngakho, kunokuba bayidikibalise lapho ifuna ukubhapathizwa, abazali abahlakaniphile bayazikhandla ukuze babe isibonelo esihle enganeni. Bafuna ukusiza ingane yabo kusukela isewusana ukuba izazise ngokujulile izimiso zikaJehova eziphakeme zokuziphatha. (Luka 6:40) Ukwazisa okunjalo kuyisivikelo esingcono ngoba kuzoyisiza ibambelele endleleni kaJehova yokulunga.​—Isaya 35:8.

14. Abadala bangayisekela kanjani imizamo yabazali abasiza izingane zabo ukuba zithuthuke futhi zibhapathizwe?

¹⁴ Njengabelusi abangokomoya, abadala bebandla bangasekela imizamo yabazali ngokukhuthaza izingane ukuba zizibekele imigomo engokomoya. Omunye udade osephayone iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-70, ukhumbula imiphumela emihle eyabangelwa ingxoxo yakhe noMfoweth’ uCharles Taze Russell, lapho eneminyaka engu-6. Uthi, “Saxoxa ngemigomo yami engokomoya imizuzu engu-15.” Yebo, amazwi ayisikhuthazo angaba nemiphumela ehlala njalo. (IzAga 25:11) Abadala bangabela abazali nezingane zabo izabelo ezihambelana neminyaka namakhono azo lapho kunemisebenzi eyenziwa eHhlolo LoMbuso.

15. Yiziphi ezinye izindlela abanye ebandleni abangakhuthaza ngazo abasebasha?

¹⁵ Amalungu ebandla angasiza ngokunaka izingane ngendlela efanele. Lokhu kungahlanganisa nokuqaphela izimpawu zokuthuthuka ngokomoya. Ingabe osemusha unikeze impendulo ecatshangelwe kahle noma ubeke inkulumo emhlanganweni waphakathi nesonto? Ingabe osemusha unqobe isilingo esivivinya ubuqotho noma ushumayele esikoleni?  Mncome ngokushesha. Ungakwazi yini ukuzibekela umgomo wokuxoxa nosemusha umbonise ukuthi uyamkhathelela, ngaphambi noma ngemva kwemihlangano? Ngalezi zindlela nangezinye, abasha bangasizwa baqaphele ukuthi bayingxenye ‘yebandla elikhulu.’​—IHu. 35:18.

16, 17. (a) Ubhapathizo luhlobene kanjani namathemba omuntu esikhathi esizayo? (b) Iyiphi injabulo abazali abangamaKristu abafuna ukuba nayo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹⁶ Ukukhulisa ingane ‘ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kaJehova’ kuyilungelo elihle kakhulu abazali abangamaKristu abangaba nalo. (Efe. 6:4; IHu. 127:3) Ngokungafani nezingane zakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, izingane zabazali abangamaKristu azizalwa ziyingxenye yabantu abazinikezele kuJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuthanda uNkulunkulu neqiniso asizalwa nakho. Kusukela ingane izalwa kufanele abazali babe nomgomo wokuyenza ibe umfundi, bayisize izinikezele futhi ibhapathizwe njengenceku kaJehova. Yini ebaluleke ukudlula lokhu? Empeleni, ukuzinikezela komuntu, ukubhapathizwa, nenkonzo yokwethembeka kuNkulunkulu yikho okwenza umuntu aphawulelwe ukusinda osizini olukhulu oluzayo.​—Math. 24:13.

¹⁷ Lapho uBlossom Brandt enquma ukuthi ufuna ukubhapathizwa, abazali bakhe abesaba uNkulunkulu babefuna ukuqiniseka ngokuthi usekulungele yini ukuthatha lesi sinyathelo esibalulekile ekuphileni kwakhe. Lapho sebeqiniseka ngokuthi usekulungele, basisekela isinqumo sakhe. Ebusuku, ngaphambi kosuku lokubhapathizwa, ubaba wakhe wenza into enhle. UBlossom uthi: “Wathi sonke asiguqe ngamadolo, wabe esethandaza. Watshela uJehova ukuthi sasimjabulisa isinqumo sendodakazi yakhe encane sokunikezela ukuphila kwayo kuYe.” Sekudlule iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-60, uBlossom wathi: “Ungaqiniseka ngokuthi angisoze ngabukhohlwa lobo busuku!” Kwangathi nani bazali ningajabula futhi naneliseke ngomphumela wokubona ingane yenu izinikezela futhi ibhapathizwa njengenceku kaJehova.