1-2. Uma ungakakulungeli ukubhapathizwa, kungani kungafanele udikibale? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

 UMA ufuna ukubhapathizwa, uzibekele umgomo omuhle ngempela. Ingabe ukulungele ukuthatha leso sinyathelo njengamanje? Uma ubona ukuthi ukulungele nabadala bebona kanjalo, ungangabazi ukubhapathizwa emhlanganweni olandelayo. Ziningi izibusiso ozozithola enkonzweni oyenzela uJehova.

² Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ingabe utshelwe ukuthi kusadingeka uqhubeke uthuthuka ngaphambi kokuba ubhapathizwe? Noma ingabe uzibonele wena ukuthi kudingeka uqhubeke uthuthuka? Uma kunjalo, ungadikibali. Ungakwazi ukuthuthuka uze ubhapathizwe kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usemusha noma umdala.

3. Isikhulu segceke esingumTopiya sambuza ukuthini uFiliphu, futhi imuphi umbuzo ophakamayo? (IzEnzo 8:36, 38)

³ Funda izEnzo 8:36, 38. Isikhulu segceke saseTopiya sabuza uFiliphu umvangeli: “Yini engivimbela ukuba ngibhapathizwe?” Le ndoda engumTopiya yayifisa ukubhapathizwa, kodwa ingabe yayikulungele ngempela ukuthatha leso sinyathelo esibalulekile?

4. UmTopiya wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uzimisele ukuqhubeka efunda?

⁴ Le ndoda engumTopiya ‘yayikade iye eJerusalema iyokhulekela.’ (IzE. 8:27) Ngakho, kumele ukuba yayingumproselithe, okusho ukuthi yayamukele inkolo yamaJuda. Akungabazeki ukuthi yayifunde ngoJehova emiBhalweni YesiHebheru engcwele. Noma kunjalo, yayizimisele ukufunda okwengeziwe.  Empeleni, sasenzani lesi sikhulu lapho uFiliphu ehlangana naso emgwaqweni? Sasifunda umqulu obhalwe umprofethi u-Isaya. (IzE. 8:28) Lawo kwakungamaqiniso eBhayibheli ajulile. Isikhulu segceke sasingafuni nje ukwazi amaqiniso ambalwa ayisisekelo kuphela; sasifuna ukuqhubeka sifunda.

5. Yini umTopiya ayenza ngayekufundile?

⁵ Le ndoda yayiyisikhulu esikhonza ngaphansi kwendlovukazi yaseTopiya, uKhandakhe; “yayengamele yonke ingcebo yale ndlovukazi.” (IzE. 8:27) Ngakho kumele ukuba yayimatasa, inemisebenzi eminingi okwakufanele iyenze. Yize kunjalo, yazinika isikhathi sokukhonza uJehova. Ayaneliswanga ukufunda iqiniso kuphela; yakwenza eyayikufundile. Ngakho yasuka kude eTopiya yaya eJerusalema ukuze ikhulekele uJehova ethempelini. Kumele ukuba lolo hambo lwadla isikhathi nemali, kodwa le ndoda yayizimisele ukwenza noma yini ukuze ikhonze uJehova.

6-7. Indlela umTopiya ayemthanda ngayo uJehova yaqhubeka kanjani ikhula?

⁶ UmTopiya wafundiswa uFiliphu amaqiniso amasha abalulekile, ahlanganisa nokuthi ungubani uMesiya. (IzE. 8:34, 35) Kumele ukuba kwasithinta inhliziyo lesi sikhulu segceke ukufunda ngalokho uJesu ayesenzele kona. Sasizokwenzenjani? Sasingavele sizihlalele nje singenzi lutho, siqhubeke singumproselithe ohlonishwayo. Kunalokho, uthando lwaso ngoJehova neNdodana yaKhe lwakhula. Sathinteka, sathatha isinqumo esibalulekile sokuba sibhapathizwe, sibe umlandeli kaJesu Kristu. UFiliphu wabona ukuthi le ndoda yayikulungele ukubhapathizwa, ngakho wayibhapathiza.

⁷ Uma ulandela isibonelo salowo mTopiya, ungakulungela ukubhapathizwa. Nawe ungakwazi ukusho ngokuqiniseka ukuthi, “Yini engivimbela ukuba ngibhapathizwe?” Ake sixoxe ngokuthi singazithatha kanjani izinyathelo ezathathwa yile ndoda: Yaqhubeka ifunda, yakwenza eyayikufundile, lwaqhubeka lukhula nothando lwayo ngoNkulunkulu.

8. UJohane 17:3 uthi yini okumele siyenze?

⁸ Funda uJohane 17:3. Ingabe la mazwi kaJesu akusiza wenza isinqumo sokufundelwa iBhayibheli? Abaningi kithi abasiza lawo mazwi. Kodwa ingabe la mazwi asitshela ukuba siqhubeke sifunda? Yebo. Akusoze kwaphela ukuthola ‘ulwazi ngowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (UmSh. 3:11) Siyoqhubeka sifunda kuze kube phakade. Lapho siqhubeka sifunda, siyosondela nakakhulu kuJehova.​—IHu. 73:28.

9. Yini okudingeka siyenze ngemva kokufunda amaqiniso ayisisekelo?

 ⁹ Kuyaqondakala ukuthi ukufunda ngoJehova kuqala ngokufunda izimfundiso eziyisisekelo. Encwadini ayibhalela amaHebheru, umphostoli uPawulu wabiza izimfundiso eziyisisekelo ngokuthi “izinto zokucathula.” Wayengayibukeli phansi ‘imfundiso yokuqala,’ kunalokho wayeyifanisa nobisi oluqinisa umzimba wengane. (Heb. 5:12; 6:1) Kodwa waphinde wanxusa wonke amaKristu ukuba aqhubeke efunda okungaphezu kwezimfundiso eziyisisekelo nokuba afunde amaqiniso ajulile eZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ingabe uyakulangazelela ukufunda amaqiniso ajulile aseBhayibhelini? Uzimisele yini ukuqhubeka ukhula, uqhubeke ufunda ngoJehova nangezinjongo zakhe?

10. Kungani kwabanye kungase kube inselele ukutadisha?

¹⁰ Nokho, abaningi kithi bakuthola kuyinselele ukutadisha. Kuthiwani ngawe? Esikoleni, wakufunda yini ukufunda nokutadisha kahle? Ingabe wawukuthola kujabulisa futhi kuzuzisa ukutadisha? Noma, ingabe wavele wabona ukuthi ukufunda usebenzisa izincwadi akukulungele wena? Uma kunjalo, akuwena wedwa ozizwa kanjalo. Noma kunjalo, uJehova angakusiza. Akanasono futhi unguMfundisi obedlula bonke.

11. UJehova uzibonisa kanjani ‘enguMfundisi Omkhulu’?

¹¹ UJehova uzibiza ‘ngoMfundisi wakho Omkhulu.’ (Isaya 30:20, 21) UnguMfundisi onesineke, onomusa noziqondayo izimo zethu. Ubheka okuhle kubantu abafundisayo. (IHu. 130:3) Akalokothi alindele okungaphezu kwamandla ethu. Khumbula, uyena owadala ingqondo yakho, eyisipho esimangalisayo. (IHu. 139:14) Ngokwemvelo nje sinesifiso sokufunda. UMdali wethu ufuna siqhubeke sifunda kuze kube phakade​—futhi sikujabulele. Ngakho, kuwukuhlakanipha ‘ukuwalangazelela’ kusemanje amaqiniso eBhayibheli. (1 Pet. 2:2) Zibekele imigomo ongayifinyelela, unamathele esimisweni sakho sokufunda nokutadisha iBhayibheli. (Josh. 1:8) Ngosizo lukaJehova, uzokujabulela nakakhulu ukufunda ngaye.

12. Kungani kufanele sigxile ekuphileni kukaJesu lapho senza isifundo somuntu siqu?

¹² Yenza isikhathi sokuzindla njalo ngokuphila nenkonzo kaJesu. Ukulandela izinyathelo zikaJesu eduze kuyindlela eyinhloko yokukhonza uJehova, ikakhulukazi kulezi zikhathi ezinzima. (1 Pet. 2:21) UJesu akazange abafihlele abalandeli bakhe izinkinga ababezobhekana nazo. (Luka 14:27, 28) Yize kunjalo, wayeqiniseka ukuthi abalandeli bakhe beqiniso babeyophumelela, njengoba nje naye aphumelela. (Joh. 16:33) Tadisha imininingwane ephathelene nokuphila kukaJesu, uzibekele nemigomo yokumlingisa ekuphileni kwansuku zonke.

13. Yini okufanele uqhubeke uyicela kuJehova, futhi kungani?

¹³ Ulwazi lulodwa alwanele. Ukubaluleka kwalo kubonakala endleleni olukusiza ngayo ufunde okwengeziwe ngoJehova nasendleleni olukusiza ngayo uhlakulele izimfanelo ezinjengothando nokholo kuye. (1 Kor. 8:1-3) Njengoba uqhubeka ufunda, qhubeka ucela uJehova akusize ube nokholo olwengeziwe. (Luka 17:5) Uyayiphendula impela imithandazo enjalo. Ukholo lwangempela olusekelwe olwazini olunembile ngoNkulunkulu wethu luzokusiza uthathe isinyathelo esilandelayo.​—Jak. 2:26.

14. Umphostoli uPetru wakugcizelela kanjani ukubaluleka kokwenza esikufundayo? (Bheka nesithombe.)

¹⁴ Umphostoli uPetru wagcizelela ukubaluleka  kokuba abalandeli bakaKristu baqhubeke bekwenza abakufundayo. Wakhuluma ngendaba kaNowa eseBhayibhelini. UJehova watshela uNowa ukuthi wayeyosebenzisa uzamcolo ukuze abhubhise abantu ababi bangesikhathi sakhe. Ukwazi nje ukuthi kwakuza uzamcolo kwakungeke kumsindise uNowa nomndeni wakhe. Phawula ukuthi uPetru wayekhuluma ngenkathi engaphambi kukaZamcolo, “ngesikhathi kusakhiwa umkhumbi.” (1 Pet. 3:20) Yebo, uNowa nomndeni wakhe bakwenza lokho abakufunda kuNkulunkulu ngokuba bakhe umkhumbi omkhulu. (Heb. 11:7) UPetru wabe esefanisa lokho okwenziwa uNowa nobhapathizo, wathi: “Ubhapathizo, oluhambelana nalokhu, nalo manje luyanisindisa.” (1 Pet. 3:21) Ngamanye amazwi, lokho okwenzayo manje ukuze ulungele ukubhapathizwa singase sikufanise nomsebenzi uNowa nomndeni wakhe abawenza iminyaka eminingi bakha umkhumbi. Yimuphi umsebenzi okudingeka uwenze ukuze ulungele ukubhapathizwa?

15. Kuhilelani ukuphenduka kwangempela?

¹⁵ Enye yezinto zokuqala okumele siyenze ukuphenduka ngobuqotho ezonweni zethu. (IzE. 2:37, 38) Ukuphenduka kwangempela kusenza senze ushintsho lwangempela. Ingabe usuyiyekile noma yimiphi imikhuba engamjabulisi uJehova, njengokukipita, ukubhema, ukuthuka inhlamba noma ukusebenzisa ulimi oluhlambalazayo? (1 Kor. 6:9, 10; 2 Kor. 7:1; Efe. 4:29) Uma ungakakwenzi lokho, qhubeka uzama ukwenza ushintsho. Khuluma nomuntu okufundela iBhayibheli noma ucele abadala bebandla bakusize. Uma usemusha futhi usahlala ekhaya, qhubeka ucela usizo lwabazali bakho ukuze uyeke noma yimiphi imikhuba emibi engase ikuvimbe ukuba ubhapathizwe.

16. Kuhlanganisani ukulandela isimiso esihle sokwenza izinto eziqinisa ukholo lwethu?

¹⁶ Kubalulekile nokulandela isimiso esihle sokwenza izinto eziqinisa ukholo lwethu. Lokho kuhlanganisa ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu nokuhlanganyela kuyo. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Lapho usukufanelekela ukuya ensimini, nalokho kwenze kube yingxenye yesimiso sakho. Uma uhlanganyela njalo kulo msebenzi  osindisa ukuphila, uyowujabulela ngokwengeziwe. (2 Thim. 4:5) Uma usemusha futhi usahlala ekhaya, zibuze: ‘Ingabe abazali bami kudingeka bangikhumbuze ukuba ngiye esifundweni noma ensimini? Noma ngiyaziyela nje ngingakhunjuziwe?’ Uma wenza kanjalo ngaphandle kokutshelwa, usuke ubonisa ukuthi unokholo nokuthi uyamthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu futhi uyambonga. Lezi ‘yizenzo zokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu,’ izipho ozipha uJehova. (2 Pet. 3:11; Heb. 13:15) Zonke izipho ozipha uJehova ungaphoqiwe ziyamjabulisa. (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 9:7.) Lokhu sikwenza ngoba siyakuthokozela ukupha uJehova okuhle kakhulu.

17-18. Iyiphi imfanelo ebalulekile ezokusiza uthuthukele ekubhapathizweni, futhi kungani? (IzAga 3:3-6)

¹⁷ Njengoba uqhubeka uthuthukela ekubhapathizweni, uzobhekana nezinkinga. Abanye abantu bangase bakwenze inhlekisa ngenxa yokholo lwakho olusha; bangase bakuphikise nokukuphikisa noma bakushushise. (2 Thim. 3:12) Njengoba uzama ukunqoba umkhuba omubi, ngezinye izikhathi ungase uzithole uwuphinda lowo mkhuba. Noma ungase uvele uphelelwe isineke noma ithemba ngoba kubonakala sengathi umgomo ozibekele wona kunzima ukuwufinyelela. Yini ezokusiza ukhuthazele? Yimfanelo ebalulekile​—uthando ngoJehova.

¹⁸ Uthando lwakho ngoJehova luyimfanelo enhle, enhle kunazo zonke onazo. (Funda izAga 3:3-6.) Ukumthanda ngokujulile uNkulunkulu kungakusiza ubhekane ngokuphumelelayo nezinkinga. IBhayibheli livame ukukhuluma ngothando oluqotho uJehova analo ngezinceku zakhe. Lolu thando luyisibopho esinamandla esimenza angalokothi azishiye izinceku zakhe, simenza angayeki ukuzithanda. (IHu. 100:5) Wena wenziwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. (Gen. 1:26) Ungalubonisa kanjani uthando olunjalo?

19. Ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyambonga uJehova ngakho konke akwenzele kona? (Galathiya 2:20)

¹⁹ Qala ngokubonga. (1 Thes. 5:18) Usuku ngalunye zibuze, ‘UJehova ubonise kanjani ukuthi uyangithanda?’ Ngemva kwalokho, qiniseka ukuthi uyambonga uJehova emithandazweni yakho, uzisho izinto akwenzele zona. Bheka izinto ezinhle akwenzela zona njengezibhekiswe kuwe ngokukhethekile ngoba ekuthanda njengoba nje nomphostoli  uPawulu akuqaphela lokho ngoJehova. (Funda eyabaseGalathiya 2:20.) Zibuze, ‘Ngiyafuna yini nami ukubonisa ukuthi ngiyamthanda?’ Ukuthanda uJehova kuzokusiza ukwazi ukubhekana ngokuphumelelayo nezilingo nezinkinga. Kuzokwenza unamathele esimisweni sakho sokwenza izinto eziqinisa ukholo, ubonise usuku nosuku ukuthi umthanda ngendlela engashintshashintshi uBaba wakho.

20. Yini okumele uyenze ukuze unikezele ukuphila kwakho kuJehova, futhi sibaluleke kangakanani leso sinqumo?

²⁰ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uthando lwakho ngoJehova luzokwenza uthandaze umthandazo okhethekile. Uzozinikezela kuNkulunkulu. Khumbula, lapho usuzinikezele kuJehova, uzoba naleli themba elimangalisayo: Ungaba ngowakhe kuze kube phakade. Isifungo sokuzinikezela kuJehova sisebenza ezikhathini ezimnandi nasezikhathini ezinzima. Akusoze kwadingeka usivuselele nanini. Yiqiniso, lapho sizinikezela, sisuke senza isinqumo esibalulekile. Nokho, cabanga ngalokhu: Ziningi izinqumo ozozenza ekuphileni kwakho, ezinye zazo ziyoba zinhle kakhulu, kodwa asikho esihle ngaphezu kwesokunikezela ukuphila kwakho kuJehova. (IHu. 50:14) USathane uzozama ukunciphisa uthando lwakho ngoBaba wakho, enethemba lokuthi uzophula ubuqotho bakho. Ungalinge umvumele anqobe! (Jobe 27:5) Uthando lwakho olujulile ngoJehova luzokusiza uphile ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwakho futhi uqhubeke usondela nakakhulu kuBaba wakho wasezulwini.

21. Kungani sithi ukubhapathizwa kuyisiqalo akusona isiphetho?

²¹ Ngemva kokuzinikezela kuJehova, khuluma nabadala basebandleni okulo mayelana nokuthatha isinyathelo esibalulekile esilandelayo. Kodwa hlale ukhumbula ukuthi ukubhapathizwa kuyisiqalo, akusona isiphetho. Kuyisiqalo sokukhonza uJehova kuze kube phakade. Ngakho, luqinise kusemanje uthando lwakho ngoBaba wakho. Zibekele imigomo ukuze uthando lwakho luqine usuku nosuku. Lezo zinyathelo zizokuholela ekubhapathizweni. Akuve kuyoba mnandi ngalolo suku! Kodwa kumane kuyisiqalo nje lesi. Kwangathi uthando lwakho ngoJehova neNdodana yakhe lungaqhubeka lukhula kuze kube phakade!