Kungani Kufanele Ubhapathizwe?

“Hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, nibabhapathize.”—MATHEWU 28:19.

1, 2. (a) Abanye baye babhapathizwa ezimweni ezinjani? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo ephakamayo mayelana nobhapathizo?

INKOSI uCharlemagne engumFrank yaphoqa amaSaxon eyayiwanqobile ukuba abhapathizwe wonke ngo-775-77 C.E. Isazi-mlando uJohn Lord siyabhala: “Wawaphoqa ukuba aphendukele ebuKristwini bokuzisholo.” Ngokufanayo, ngemva kokushada nenkosazana esonta eSontweni LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox ngo-987 C.E., umbusi waseRussia uVladimir I wanquma ukuthi abantu ayebaphethe kwakumelwe babe “ngamaKristu.” Wakhipha izwi lokuba bonke abantu bakhe babhapathizwe—ngenkemba uma kudingekile!

² Ingabe ukubhapathizwa okunjalo kwakufaneleka? Ingabe kunayo injongo yangempela? Kufanele yini ukuba kubhapathizwe noma ubani nje?

Ukubhapathiza—Kufanele Kwenziwe Kanjani?

3, 4. Kungani ukufafazwa noma ukuthelwa ngamanzi ekhanda kungelona ubhapathizo olufanelekayo lobuKristu?

³ Lapho uCharlemagne noVladimir I bephoqa abantu ukuba babhapathizwe, labo babusi babenza ngokuphambene neZwi likaNkulunkulu. Empeleni, ukubhapathiza akusizi lutho lapho kuwukufafazwa, ukuthelwa ngamanzi ekhanda, noma ngisho ukucwiliswa kwabantu abangafundiswanga iqiniso lemiBhalo.

⁴ Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka lapho uJesu waseNazaretha eya kuJohane uMbhapathizi ngo-29 C.E. UJohane wayebhapathiza abantu eMfuleni iJordani. Babezizele ngokuzithandela kuye bezobhapathizwa. Ingabe wayevele abamise eJordani, abathele ngamanzana omfula emakhanda noma abachele ngawo? Kwenzekani lapho uJohane ebhapathiza uJesu? UMathewu ubika ukuthi ngemva kokuba  ebhapathiziwe, “uJesu wakhuphuka masinyane emanzini.” (Mathewu 3:16) Wayekade engaphansi kwamanzi, ecwilisiwe eMfuleni iJordani. Ngokufanayo, umthenwa ozinikele ongumTopiya wabhapathizwa ‘emanzini amaningi.’ Amanzi anjalo amaningi ayedingeka ngoba ukubhapathizwa kukaJesu nokwabafundi bakhe kwakuhilela ukucwiliswa ngokuphelele.—IzEnzo 8:36.

5. AmaKristu okuqala ayebabhapathiza kanjani abantu?

⁵ Amagama esiGreki ahunyushwa ngokuthi “bhapathiza,” “ubhapathizo,” njalonjalo, abhekisela ekucwiliseni, ekushoniseni, noma ekugxumbuziseni emanzini. I-Smith’s Bible Dictionary ithi: “Empeleni ukubhapathiza kusho ukucwilisa ngokoqobo.” Ngakho ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli zikhuluma ‘ngoJohane uMcwilisi’ ‘nangoJohane umshonisi.’ (Mathewu 3:1, Rotherham; Diaglott, eyi-interlinear) I-History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries ka-Augustus Neander ithi: “Ekuqaleni ubhapathizo lwalwenziwa ngokucwilisa.” Incwadi yesiFulentshi edumile ethi Larousse du XX^e Siècle (Paris, 1928) ithi: “AmaKristu okuqala ayebhapathizwa ngokucwiliswa yonke indawo lapho kwakutholakala khona amanzi.” Ne-New Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Kusobala ukuthi eBandleni lokuqala uBhapathizo lwalwenziwa ngokucwilisa.” (1967, uMqulu II, ikhasi 56) Ngakho namuhla, ukubhapathizwa njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova kuyisinyathelo sokuzithandela esihilela ukucwiliswa ngokuphelele emanzini.

Isizathu Esisha Sokubhapathizwa

6, 7. (a) UJohane wayebhapathizelani? (b) Yini eyayiyintsha ekubhapathizeni kwabalandeli bakaJesu?

⁶ Ukubhapathiza okwakwenziwa nguJohane kwakunenjongo ehlukile kweyokucwilisa okwenziwa abalandeli bakaJesu. (Johane 4:1, 2) UJohane wayebhapathiza abantu njengophawu lwasobala lokuphenduka kwabo ezonweni zokwephula uMthetho. * (Luka 3:3) Kodwa ukubhapathiza kwabalandeli bakaJesu kwakuhilela okuthile okusha. NgePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., umphostoli uPetru wanxusa izilaleli zakhe: “Phendukani, futhi yilowo nalowo kini abhapathizwe egameni likaJesu Kristu ngenjongo yokuthethelelwa kwezono zenu.” (IzEnzo 2:37-41) Nakuba ayekhuluma namaJuda namaproselithe, uPetru wayengakhulumi ngobhapathizo lokubonisa ukuphenduka ezonweni zokwephula uMthetho; futhi wayengasho ukuthi ukubhapathizwa egameni likaJesu kufanekisela ukuhlanzwa kwezono.—IzEnzo 2:10.

⁷ Kuleso senzakalo, uPetru wasebenzisa ‘isihluthulelo sokuqala sombuso.’ Ngayiphi injongo? Ukuze embulele izilaleli zakhe ulwazi ngethuba lazo lokungena eMbusweni wamazulu. (Mathewu 16:19) Njengoba amaJuda ayemenqabile uJesu njengoMesiya, ukuphenduka nokubonisa ukholo kuye kwakuyisici esisha nesibalulekile ekufuneni nasekutholeni intethelelo kaNkulunkulu. Ayenganikeza ubufakazi basobala bokuba nalolo kholo ngokuba acwiliswe emanzini egameni likaJesu Kristu. Ngaleyo ndlela ayeyobonisa ukuzinikezela kwawo kuNkulunkulu ngoKristu. Bonke abafisa ukwamukelwa ngokwaphezulu namuhla kumelwe babonise lolo kholo, bazinikezele kuJehova uNkulunkulu, bathole ubhapathizo lobuKristu oluwuphawu lokuzinikezela ngokungazigodli kuNkulunkulu oPhezukonke.

Ulwazi Olunembile Lubalulekile

8. Kungani ubhapathizo lobuKristu lungelona olwawo wonke umuntu?

⁸ Ubhapathizo lobuKristu alulona olwawo wonke umuntu. UJesu wayala abalandeli bakhe: “Hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele, nibafundise ukugcina zonke izinto enginiyale ngazo.” (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Ngaphambi kokuba babhapathizwe, abantu kumelwe ‘bafundiswe ukugcina zonke izinto uJesu ayala abafundi bakhe ngazo.’ Ngakho, ukubhapathiza ngempoqo abantu abangenalo ukholo olusekelwe olwazini olunembile lweZwi likaNkulunkulu akusizi lutho futhi kuphambene nomyalo uJesu awunika abalandeli bakhe beqiniso.—Heberu 11:6.

9. Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise”?

 ⁹ Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise”? Kusho ukuthi lowo obhapathizwayo uyasivuma isikhundla negunya likaBaba wethu osezulwini. Kanjalo uyavuma ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu unguMdali wethu, “oPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke,” noMbusi Wendawo Yonke.—IHubo 83:18; Isaya 40:28; IzEnzo 4:24.

10. Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni leNdodana’?

¹⁰ Ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni leNdodana’ kusho ukuqaphela isikhundla negunya likaJesu njengeNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa. (1 Johane 4:9) Labo abakufanelekelayo ukubhapathizwa bayamamukela uJesu njengalowo uNkulunkulu aye wanikeza ngaye “isihlengo esenana abaningi.” (Mathewu 20:28; 1 Thimothewu 2:5, 6) Labo ababhapathizwayo kumelwe bavume ‘nesikhundla esiphakeme’ uNkulunkulu ayiphakamisele kuso iNdodana yakhe.—Filipi 2:8-11; IsAmbulo 19:16.

11. Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni lomoya ongcwele’?

¹¹ Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni lomoya ongcwele’? Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi ababhapathizwayo bayaqaphela ukuthi umoya ongcwele ungamandla kaNkulunkulu asebenzayo, awasebenzisa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ngokuvumelana nenjongo yakhe. (Genesise 1:2; 2 Samuweli 23:1, 2; 2 Petru 1:21) Labo abakufanelekelayo ukubhapathizwa bayavuma ukuthi umoya ongcwele uyabasiza baqonde ‘izinto ezijulile zikaNkulunkulu,’ benze umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso, futhi babonise izithelo zomoya ‘eziwuthando, injabulo, ukuthula, ukubhekakade, umusa, ubuhle, ukholo, ubumnene, ukuzithiba.’—1 Korinte 2:10; Galathiya 5:22, 23; Joweli 2:28, 29.

Ukubaluleka Kokuphenduka Nokuguquka

12. Ubhapathizo lobuKristu luhlobene kanjani nokuphenduka?

¹² Ngaphandle kwasendodeni engenasono enguJesu, ubhapathizo luwuphawu oluvunyelwe nguNkulunkulu oluhambisana nokuphenduka. Lapho siphenduka, sizisola ngokujulile, noma sidabuke, ngokuthile esikwenzile noma esingakwenzanga. AmaJuda ekhulu lokuqala ayefuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu kwadingeka aphenduke ezonweni ayezenze kuKristu. (IzEnzo 3:11-19) Amakholwa athile angabeZizwe eKorinte aphenduka ebufebeni, ekukhonzeni izithombe, ekwebeni nakwezinye izono ezimbi kakhulu. Ngenxa yokuphenduka kwawo, “agezwa” egazini likaJesu “ahlanzeka”; ‘angcweliselwa,’ noma ahlukaniselwa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu; ‘kwathiwa alungile’ egameni likaKristu nangomoya kaNkulunkulu. (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Ukuphenduka kuyisinyathelo esibalulekile sokuthola unembeza omuhle nempumuzo enikezwa nguNkulunkulu emuzweni wecala ngenxa yesono.—1 Petru 3:21.

13. Mayelana nobhapathizo, kuhilelani ukuguquka?

¹³ Kumelwe siguquke ngaphambi kokuba sibhapathizwe njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Ukuguquka kuyisenzo sokuzithandela esenziwa umuntu oye wanquma ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke ukulandela uKristu Jesu. Abantu abanjalo bayayilahla inkambo yabo yangaphambili engalungile, banqume ukwenza okulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. EmiBhalweni, isenzo sesiHeberu nesesiGreki eziphathelene nokuguquka zinomqondo wokuphindela emuva, wokufulathela. Lesi senzo sibonisa ukuphendukela kuNkulunkulu ufulathele indlela engalungile. (1 AmaKhosi 8:33, 34) Ukuguquka kudinga “imisebenzi efanele ukuphenduka.” (IzEnzo 26:20) Kudinga ukuba sishiye ukukhulekela kwamanga, senze ngokuvumelana nemiyalo kaNkulunkulu, futhi sizinikele kuJehova yedwa. (Duteronomi 30:2, 8-10; 1 Samuweli 7:3) Ukuguquka kuphumela oshintshweni ekucabangeni, emigomweni nasesimweni sethu sengqondo. (Hezekeli 18:31) ‘Siyaguquka’ lapho sigqoka ubuntu obusha esikhundleni sezici ezingqubuzana nobuntu bukaNkulunkulu.—IzEnzo 3:19; Efesu 4:20-24; Kolose 3:5-14.

Ukuzinikezela Ngenhliziyo Yonke Kubalulekile

14. Ukuzinikezela kwabalandeli bakaJesu kubonisani?

¹⁴ Ukubhapathizwa kwabalandeli bakaJesu kumelwe futhi kwandulelwe ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo yonke. Ukuzinikezela kubonisa ukuzihlukanisela injongo engcwele. Lesi sinyathelo  sibaluleke kangangokuthi kufanele simtshele ngomthandazo uJehova ngesinqumo sethu sokuzinikela kuye yedwa kuze kube phakade. (Duteronomi 5:9) Yebo, asizinikezeli emsebenzini noma kumuntu othile, kodwa sizinikezela kuNkulunkulu uqobo.

15. Kungani ababhapathizwayo becwiliswa?

¹⁵ Lapho sizinikezela kuNkulunkulu ngoKristu, sizwakalisa ukuzimisela ukusebenzisa ukuphila kwethu ekwenzeni intando yaphezulu njengoba ivezwe emiBhalweni. Njengophawu lwalokho kuzinikezela, ababhapathizwayo bacwiliswa emanzini, njengoba noJesu abhapathizwa eMfuleni iJordani ebonisa ukuziletha kwakhe kuNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 3:13) Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi uJesu wayethandaza kuleso senzakalo esibaluleke kakhulu.—Luka 3:21, 22.

16. Singayibonisa kanjani injabulo yethu ngendlela efanelekayo lapho sibona abantu bebhapathizwa?

¹⁶ Ukubhapathizwa kukaJesu kwakuyisenzakalo esingathi sína, kodwa esijabulisayo. Lunjalo nobhapathizo lobuKristu lwanamuhla. Lapho sibona abantu bebonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuNkulunkulu, singabonisa injabulo yethu ngokushaya ihlombe ngenhlonipho nangokubancoma ngemfudumalo. Kodwa ukuchwaza, ukushaya amakhwelo, nokunye okunjalo siyakugwema ngoba sihlonipha ubungcwele balokhu kubonakaliswa kokholo. Injabulo yethu siyibonakalisa ngendlela enesizotha.

17, 18. Yini esizayo ekuboneni ukuthi umuntu uyakufanelekela yini ukubhapathizwa?

¹⁷ Ngokungafani nalabo abachela izingane noma baphoqe izixuku ezingazi ngemiBhalo ukuba zibhapathizwe, oFakazi BakaJehova abaphoqi muntu ukuba abhapathizwe. Empeleni, labo abangafaneleki ngokomoya abababhapathizi. Ngaphambi kokuba noma ubani akwazi ukuba ngisho nawumshumayeli ongabhapathiziwe wezindaba ezinhle, abadala abangamaKristu bayaqiniseka ukuthi uyaziqonda izimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo, uphila ngokuvumelana nazo futhi uwuphendula ngoyebo umbuzo onjengalona, “Uyafuna ngempela ukuba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova?”

¹⁸ Ezimweni eziningi, lapho umuntu ehlanganyela ngokwanele emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso futhi ethi angathanda ukubhapathizwa, abadala abangamaKristu baxoxa naye ukuze baqiniseke ukuthi uyikholwa elizinikezele kuJehova futhi elihlangabezana nezimfuneko zobhapathizo. (IzEnzo 4:4; 18:8) Izimpendulo zakhe emibuzweni engaphezu kweyikhulu ephathelene nezimfundiso zeBhayibheli zisiza abadala ukuba babone ukuthi uyahlangabezana yini nezimfuneko ezingokomBhalo zokucwiliswa. Abanye abafaneleki, futhi ngenxa yalokho abamukelwa ukuba bathole ubhapathizo lobuKristu.

Ingabe Kukhona Okukuvimbayo?

19. NgokukaJohane 6:44, obani abayoba yizindlalifa kanye noJesu?

¹⁹ Abaningi ababebhapathizwa ngempoqo bewuquqaba kungenzeka babetshelwa ukuthi lapho befa bayokuya ezulwini. Kodwa lapho ekhuluma ngabalandeli bezinyathelo zakhe uJesu wathi: “Akekho umuntu ongeza kimi ngaphandle kokuba uBaba ongithumile, emdonsa.” (Johane 6:44) UJehova uye wadonsela kuKristu abangu-144 000 abayoba yizindlalifa kanye noJesu eMbusweni wasezulwini. Ukubhapathizwa ngempoqo akukaze kungcwelisele muntu leyo ndawo ekhazimulayo elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu.—Roma 8:14-17; 2 Thesalonika 2:13; IsAmbulo 14:1.

20. Yini engase isize abathile abangakabhapathizwa?

²⁰ Kusukela ikakhulu phakathi nawo-1930, izixuku ezinethemba lokusinda “osizini olukhulu” ziphile phakade emhlabeni ziye zahlangana “nezinye izimvu” zikaJesu. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14; Johane 10:16) Ziyakufanelekela ukubhapathizwa ngoba ziye zavumelanisa ukuphila kwazo neZwi likaNkulunkulu  futhi zimthanda ‘ngayo yonke inhliziyo, umphefumulo, izikhwepha nengqondo yazo.’ (Luka 10:25-28) Nakuba beqaphela ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova ‘bakhulekela uNkulunkulu ngomoya nangeqiniso,’ abanye abantu abakasilandeli isibonelo sikaJesu sokunikeza ubufakazi basobala bothando oluqotho nokuzinikela kuJehova yedwa ngokubhapathizwa. (Johane 4:23, 24; Duteronomi 4:24; Marku 1:9-11) Umthandazo oqotho noqondile mayelana nalesi sinyathelo esibalulekile ungase ubashukumise futhi ubanike isibindi sokuzivumelanisa ngokugcwele neZwi likaNkulunkulu, bazinikezele ngokungazigodli kuJehova uNkulunkulu, babhapathizwe.

21, 22. Yiziphi izizathu ezenza abathile bangazinikezeli babhapathizwe?

²¹ Abanye bayazigodla bangazinikezeli futhi bangabhapathizwa ngoba baxineke kakhulu ezintweni zezwe noma ekuphishekeleni ingcebo kangangokuthi abanasikhathi sezinto ezingokomoya. (Mathewu 13:22; 1 Johane 2:15-17) Yeka ukuthi bebengajabula kanjani uma bebengashintsha imibono nemigomo yabo! Ukusondela kuJehova bekungabenza bacebe ngokomoya, kusize ekudambiseni ukukhathazeka futhi kubalethele ukuthula nokwaneliseka okubangelwa ukwenza intando yaphezulu.—IHubo 16:11; 40:8; IzAga 10:22; Filipi 4:6, 7.

²² Abanye bathi bayamthanda uJehova kodwa abazinikezeli babhapathizwe ngoba becabanga ukuthi ngokwenza kanjalo bagwema isibopho sokulandisa. Kodwa ngamunye wethu kumelwe alandise kuNkulunkulu. Isibopho sokulandisa sasithola lapho sizwa izwi likaJehova. (Hezekeli 33:7-9; Roma 14:12) ‘Njengesizwe esikhethiwe,’ ama-Israyeli asendulo ayezalelwa esizweni esizinikezele kuJehova, futhi ngenxa yalokho ayenesibopho sokumkhonza ngokwethembeka ngokuvumelana nemithetho yakhe. (Duteronomi 7:6, 11) Namuhla akekho ozalelwa esizweni esinjalo, kodwa uma sesilutholile ulwazi olunembile lwemiBhalo, kudingeka sithathe isinyathelo ngalo sinokholo.

23, 24. Yikuphi ukwesaba okungafanele kubambe abantu ukuba babhapathizwe?

²³ Uvalo lokuthi abanalo ulwazi olwanele lungase lwenze abanye bangabhapathizwa. Nokho, sonke kuningi okumelwe sikufunde ngoba ‘umuntu akasoze afumana umsebenzi awenzile uNkulunkulu kwasekuqaleni kuze kube sekupheleni.’ (UmShumayeli 3:11) Cabanga ngomthenwa ongumTopiya. Njengomproselithe, wayenolwazi  oluthile lwemiBhalo, kodwa wayengenakuphendula yonke imibuzo ephathelene nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Nokho, ngemva kokuzwa ngelungiselelo likaJehova lensindiso ngomhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo, lo mthenwa wabhapathizwa ngokushesha.—IzEnzo 8:26-38.

²⁴ Abanye bayazindela ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu ngoba besaba ukwehluleka. UMonique oneminyaka engu-17 ubudala uthi: “Angibhapathizwa nje yingoba ngesaba ukuthi ngeke ngikwazi ukuphila ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwami.” Nokho, uma sithembela kuJehova ngenhliziyo yethu yonke, ‘uyakuqondisa imikhondo yethu.’ Uyosisiza ukuba ‘siqhubeke sihamba eqinisweni’ njengezinceku zakhe ezithembekile ezizinikezele.—IzAga 3:5, 6; 3 Johane 4.

25. Yimuphi umbuzo osekufanele siwuhlole manje?

²⁵ Ngenxa yokwethembela ngokuphelele kuJehova nangenxa yokumthanda ngokusuka enhliziyweni, izinkulungwane zishukumiseleka ukuba zizinikezele zibhapathizwe unyaka ngamunye. Futhi ngokuqinisekile zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele zifuna ukwethembeka kuye. Nokho, siphila ezikhathini ezibucayi, futhi sibhekana nokuvivinywa okuhlukahlukene kokholo. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Yini esingayenza ukuze siphile ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwethu kuJehova? Lokhu sizoxoxa ngakho esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

• Ubhapathizo lobuKristu lwenziwa kanjani?

• Yiluphi ulwazi oludingekayo ukuze umuntu abhapathizwe?

• Yiziphi izinyathelo eziholela obhapathizweni lwamaKristu eqiniso?

• Kungani abanye bezigodla bangabhapathizwa, kodwa bangasizwa kanjani?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Izithombe ekhasini 14]

Uyazi yini ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni likaYise, neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele’?