Ukuhlangabezana Nezimfuneko Zobhapathizo LwamaKristu

“Yini engivimbela ukuba ngibhapathizwe?”—IZENZO 8:36.

1, 2. UFiliphu wayiqala kanjani ingxoxo nesikhulu esingumTopiya, futhi yini efakazela ukuthi lo muntu wayethambekele ezintweni ezingokomoya?

NGEMVA konyaka owodwa noma emibili uJesu afa, isikhulu esithile sikahulumeni sasisohambweni emgwaqweni osuka eJerusalema uya eGaza silibangise eningizimu. Sasisazohamba uhambo olukhandlayo ngenqola olungaba amakhilomitha angu-1 500. Le ndoda enokholo yayilihambe lonke leli banga isuka eTopiya iya eJerusalema ukuyokhulekela uJehova. Njengoba ikulolu hambo olude isigoduka, yayisisebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha isikhathi sayo, ifunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu—ubufakazi bokuthi yayinokholo. UJehova wayiqaphela le ndoda eqotho, futhi esebenzisa ingelosi, waqondisa umfundi uFiliphu ukuba ayoyishumayeza.—IzEnzo 8:26-28.

² UFiliphu wakuthola kulula ukuqala ingxoxo, ngoba lesi sikhulu esingumTopiya sasifunda ngokuzwakalayo, njengoba kwakuyinhlalayenza ngalezo zinsuku. Ngakho uFiliphu wakwazi ukuzwa ukuthi sasifunda umqulu ka-Isaya. UFiliphu wabuza umbuzo olula owavusa isithakazelo salo muntu: “Empeleni, ingabe uyakwazi lokho okufundayo?” Lokhu kwaholela engxoxweni ngo-Isaya 53:7, 8. Ekugcineni, uFiliphu “wamemezela kuye izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu.”—IzEnzo 8:29-35.

3, 4. (a) Kungani uFiliphu engazange anqikaze ukubhapathiza umTopiya? (b) Imiphi imibuzo esizoyicabangela manje?

³ Ngesikhashana nje, umTopiya wayiqonda indima kaJesu enjongweni kaNkulunkulu, kanye nesidingo sokuba umfundi obhapathiziwe kaKristu. Kwathi lapho ebona amanzi amaningi ayeseduze, wabuza uFiliphu: “Yini engivimbela ukuba  ngibhapathizwe?” Yebo lesi kwakuyisimo esihlukile. Lona kwakungumuntu onokholo owayesevele ekhulekela uNkulunkulu njengomproselithe ebuJudeni. Cishe kwakuyothatha isikhathi eside ukuba athole elinye ithuba lokubhapathizwa. Okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi lo muntu wayekuqonda lokho uNkulunkulu ayekufuna kuye, futhi efuna ukuzinikela ngokungagodli. UFiliphu wakujabulela ukufeza isicelo salo mTopiya, okwathi ngemva kokubhapathizwa kwakhe, “waqhubeka nendlela yakhe ejabula.” Ngokungangabazeki waba umshumayeli oshisekayo wezindaba ezinhle ezweni lakubo.—IzEnzo 8:36-39.

⁴ Nakuba izinyathelo zokuzinikezela nobhapathizo kungamelwe zithathwe kalula noma ngokuxhamazela, isibonelo sesikhulu esingumTopiya sibonisa ukuthi kuke kwenzeka abantu abathile babhapathizwa ngokushesha ngemva kokuzwa iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu. * Ngakho, kuyafaneleka ukucabangela le mibuzo elandelayo: Umuntu kufanele alulungiselele kanjani ubhapathizo? Ubudala kufanele bucatshangelwe ngezinga elingakanani? Iyiphi intuthuko engokomoya okufanele ibonakale ngaphambi kokuba umuntu abhapathizwe? Ngaphezu kwakho konke, kungani uJehova efuna ukuba izinceku zakhe zisithathe lesi sinyathelo?

Isivumelwano Esibalulekile

5, 6. (a) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu esikhathini esidlule babonisa kanjani ukuthi bayalwazisa uthando lukaJehova? (b) Singaba nabuphi ubuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu lapho sesibhapathiziwe?

⁵ Ngemva kokukhulula ama-Israyeli eGibhithe, uJehova wayezimisele ukuwamukela ‘njengempahla yakhe ekhethekile,’ ukuba awathande, awavikele futhi awenze ‘isizwe esingcwele.’ Nokho, ukuze lesi sizwe sithole lezo zibusiso, kwakudingeka sibonise ngezenzo ukuthi siyalwazisa uthando lukaNkulunkulu. Sakwenza lokhu ngokuvuma ukwenza ‘konke uJehova ayekukhulumile’ nokungena esivumelwaneni naye. (Eksodusi 19:4-9) Ekhulwini lokuqala, uJesu wayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba benze abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, futhi ababemukela imfundiso yakhe babebhapathizwa. Ukuze babe nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu kwakudingeka babe nokholo kuJesu Kristu bese bebhapathizwa.—Mathewu 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 2:38, 41.

⁶ Lokhu kulandisa kwemiBhalo kubonisa ukuthi uJehova ubusisa labo abenza isivumelwano esiqotho sokumkhonza futhi basigcine. Ukuze amaKristu athole isibusiso sikaJehova kudingeka athathe izinyathelo zokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa. Sizimisele ukulandela izindlela zakhe nokufuna isiqondiso sakhe. (IHubo 48:14) UJehova ube esebamba isandla sethu ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso asihole ngendlela okufanele sihambe ngayo.—IHubo 73:23; Isaya 30:21; 41:10, 13.

7. Kungani ukuzinikezela nobhapathizo kumelwe kube isinqumo somuntu siqu?

⁷ Ukuze sithathe lezi zinyathelo kumelwe sishukunyiswe ukuthanda uJehova nesifiso sokumkhonza. Akekho okufanele abhapathizwe ngoba nje othile emtshela ukuthi sesiside ngokwanele isikhathi efunda iBhayibheli noma ngoba abangane bakhe bebhapathizwa. Kulindelekile ukuthi abazali namanye amaKristu avuthiwe bangase bakhuthaze umuntu ukuba acabangele ukuzinikezela nobhapathizo. Umphostoli uPetru wanxusa labo ababemlalele ngePhentekoste ukuba ‘babhapathizwe.’ (IzEnzo 2:38) Noma kunjalo, ukuzinikezela kwethu kuyindaba yomuntu siqu, futhi akekho omunye umuntu ongasenzela kona. Isinqumo sokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kumelwe kube esethu.—IHubo 40:8.

Ukulungiselela Ubhapathizo Ngokwanele

8, 9. (a) Kungani ukubhapathiza izinsana kungamukeleki ngokwemiBhalo? (b) Iyiphi intuthuko engokomoya abasebasha okudingeka ukuba babe sebeyenzile ngaphambi kokubhapathizwa?

⁸ Ingabe izingane zingakwazi ukwenza ukuzinikezela okucatshangelwe kahle? ImiBhalo ayibunikezi ubudala obufunekayo ukuze umuntu abhapathizwe. Noma kunjalo, izinsana azinakukwazi ukuba amakholwa, ukubonisa ukholo, noma ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 8:12) Ngokuphathelene namaKristu  ekhulu lokuqala, isazi-mlando u-Augustus Neander, encwadini yaso ethi General History of the Christian Religion and Church, sithi: “Ekuqaleni kwakubhapathizwa abantu abadala kuphela, njengoba abantu ngokujwayelekile babeqonda ukuthi ubhapathizo luhlobene kakhulu nokholo.”

⁹ Endabeni yentsha, enye ifinyelela izinga lokuvuthwa isencane uma kuqhathaniswa, kanti enye ithatha isikhathi eside. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba osemusha abhapathizwe kumelwe abe enobuhlobo bomuntu siqu noJehova, eziqonda kahle izimfundiso zemiBhalo eziyisisekelo, futhi ekuqonda ngokucacile ukuthi ukuzinikezela kuhilelani, njengoba nje kunjalo nangabantu abadala.

10. Iziphi izinyathelo okumelwe zandulele ukuzinikezela nobhapathizo?

¹⁰ UJesu wayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba bafundise abafundi abasha zonke izinto ayeyale ngazo. (Mathewu 28:20) Ngakho-ke, abasanda kuhlanganyela kudingeka baqale ngokuzuza ulwazi olunembile ngeqiniso, oluyobenza babe nokholo kuJehova naseZwini lakhe. (Roma 10:17; 1 Thimothewu 2:4; Hebheru 11:6) Khona-ke, lapho iqiniso lemiBhalo lithinta inhliziyo yomuntu, limshukumisela ukuba aphenduke futhi aguquke endleleni yakhe yokuphila yangaphambili. (IzEnzo 3:19) Ekugcineni, umuntu ufinyelela iqophelo lapho efisa khona ukuzinikezela kuJehova futhi abhapathizwe, njengoba uJesu ayala.

11. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba sihlanganyele njalo emsebenzini wokushumayela ngaphambi kokubhapathizwa?

¹¹ Esinye isinyathelo esibalulekile ekuthuthukeleni obhapathizweni yileso sokuhlanganyela ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Lona umsebenzi oyinhloko uJehova awabele abantu bakhe kulezi zinsuku zokugcina. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngakho, abamemezeli abangabhapathiziwe banganambitha injabulo yokukhuluma ngokholo lwabo nabanye. Ukuhlanganyela kulo msebenzi kubaqeqeshela futhi ukuba bahlanganyele njalo nangentshiseko enkonzweni yasensimini ngemva kokubhapathizwa.—Roma 10:9, 10, 14, 15.

Ingabe Kukhona Okukuvimbela Ukuba Ubhapathizwe?

12. Yini engase yenze abanye bazindele ukubhapathizwa?

¹² Abantu abathile bangase bazindele ukubhapathizwa ngoba benqena umthwalo wemfanelo ohambisana nako. Bayaqaphela ukuthi kuzodingeka benze izinguquko eziphawulekayo ekuphileni kwabo ukuze bahlangabezane nezindinganiso zikaJehova. Noma kungenzeka banovalo lokuthi hleze kubehlule ukuphila ngokuvumelana nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu ngemva kokubhapathizwa. Abanye bangase ngisho bacabange, “Mhlawumbe ngolunye usuku ngiyokwenza into embi bese ngisuswa ekuhlanganyeleni.”

13. Ngosuku lukaJesu, yini eyabamba abantu abathile ukuba babe abalandeli bakhe?

¹³ Ngosuku lukaJesu, abanye bavumela izithakazelo zomuntu siqu nezibopho zemikhaya zabavimbela ukuba babe abafundi bakhe. Omunye umbhali wathi wayeyolandela uJesu nomaphi lapho ayeya khona. Kodwa uJesu waveza ukuthi ezikhathini eziningi, wayengabi nayo ngisho nendawo yokulala. Lapho uJesu emema omunye wababemlalele ukuba abe umlandeli wakhe, lo mlisa waphendula ngokuthi kwakusazodingeka ‘angcwabe’ uyise kuqala. Cishe wayekhetha ukuhlala ekhaya alinde uyise aze ashone kunokuba alandele uJesu abese enakekela lowo mthwalo wemfanelo ayenawo kumzali wakhe lapho usufika. Ekugcineni, owesithathu wathi ngaphambi kokulandela uJesu, kwakusadingeka ‘avalelise’  kwabendlu yakhe. UJesu wachaza lokho kuzindela ‘njengokubheka izinto ezingemuva.’ Ngakho, kubonakala sengathi labo abafuna ukuzindela bayohlale benezaba zokubalekela umthwalo wabo wemfanelo wokuba amaKristu.—Luka 9:57-62.

14. (a) UPetru, u-Andreya, uJakobe noJohane basabela kanjani lapho uJesu ebamema ukuba babe abadobi babantu? (b) Kungani kungafanele sinqikaze ukwamukela ijoka likaJesu?

¹⁴ UPetru, u-Andreya, uJakobe noJohane babeka isibonelo esihluke kakhulu. IBhayibheli lithi lapho uJesu ebamema ukuba bamlandele futhi babe abadobi babantu, ‘bashiya amanetha ngaso leso sikhathi, bamlandela.’ (Mathewu 4:19-22) Ngokwenza leso sinqumo ngokushesha, bazizwela mathupha lokho uJesu abatshela kona kamuva: “Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu nifunde kimi, ngoba nginomoya omnene futhi ngithobekile ngenhliziyo, nizotholela imiphefumulo yenu ukuqabuleka. Ngoba ijoka lami ngelomusa nomthwalo wami ulula.” (Mathewu 11:29, 30) Nakuba ubhapathizo luhambisana nejoka lomthwalo wemfanelo, uJesu wasiqinisekisa ukuthi ngelomusa nokuthi liyathwaleka futhi liyosiqabula kakhulu.

15. Isibonelo sikaMose nesikaJeremiya zibonisa kanjani ukuthi singathembela kuNkulunkulu ukuba asisekele?

¹⁵ Yebo, kungokwemvelo ukuzizwa ungafaneleki. OMose noJeremiya ekuqaleni bazizwa bengakufanelekele ukusingatha izabelo uJehova abanika zona. (Eksodusi 3:11; Jeremiya 1:6) UNkulunkulu wabaqinisekisa kanjani? KuMose wathi: “Ngizoba nawe.” KuJeremiya wathembisa: “Nginawe ukuba ngikukhulule.” (Eksodusi 3:12; Jeremiya 1:8) Nathi singaqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyosisekela. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu nokuthembela kuye kungasisiza ukuba sinqobe ungabazane olubeleselayo lokuthi siyokwazi yini ukuphila ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwethu. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Akukho ukwesaba othandweni, kodwa uthando oluphelele luphonsa ukwesaba ngaphandle.” (1 Johane 4:18) Umfanyana angase esabe uma kudingeka ahambe yedwa, kodwa luphela nya uvalo uma ehamba ebambe isandla sikayise. Ngokufanayo, uma sithembela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu, uthembisa ‘ukwenza izindlela zethu ziqonde’ njengoba sihambisana naye.—IzAga 3:5, 6.

Isenzakalo Esihloniphekile

16. Kungani ubhapathizo luhilela ukucwiliswa ngokuphelele emanzini?

¹⁶ Ubhapathizo ngokuvamile lwandulelwa inkulumo yemiBhalo echaza ukubaluleka kobhapathizo lwamaKristu. Ekuphetheni kwale nkulumo, abazobhapathizwa bacelwa ukuba bavume ukholo lwabo obala ngokuphendula imibuzo emibili yobhapathizo. (Roma 10:10; bheka ibhokisi ekhasini 22.) Abazobhapathizwa babe sebecwiliswa-ke emanzini, ngokuvumelana nesibonelo sikaJesu ngokwakhe. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ngemva kokubhapathizwa,  uJesu ‘wakhuphuka emanzini.’ (Mathewu 3:16; Marku 1:10) Ngokusobala, uJohane uMbhapathizi wayecwilise uJesu ngokuphelele. * Ukucwiliswa ngokuphelele kulufanekisela kahle ushintsho olukhulu esilwenzile ekuphileni kwethu—siyafa ngokomfanekiso enkambweni yethu yangaphambili yokuphila futhi siqale ukuphila kabusha enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu.

17. Ababhapathizwayo nababukele banaliphi iqhaza ekulondolozeni isithunzi salesi senzakalo?

¹⁷ Ubhapathizo luyisenzakalo esingathí sina kodwa futhi esijabulisayo. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uJesu wayethandaza ngenkathi uJohane emcwilisa eMfuleni iJordani. (Luka 3:21, 22) Ngokuvumelana nalesi sibonelo, ababhapathizwa osukwini lwanamuhla kufanele baziphathe kahle. Futhi njengoba iBhayibheli lisinxusa ukuba sigqoke ngesizotha nsuku zonke, yeka ukuthi kufanele sisilandele kakhulu kangakanani-ke lesi seluleko ngosuku lwethu lokubhapathizwa! (1 Thimothewu 2:9) Ababukele nabo bangabonisa inhlonipho efanele ngokulalelisisa inkulumo yobhapathizo nangokubukela lesi senzakalo ngendlela ehlelekile.—1 Korinte 14:40.

Izibusiso Ezitholwa Abafundi Ababhapathiziwe

18, 19. Imaphi amalungelo nezibusiso okulethwa ubhapathizo?

¹⁸ Lapho sesizinikezele kuNkulunkulu futhi sabhapathizwa, siba ingxenye yomkhaya oyingqayizivele. Okokuqala, uJehova uba uBaba noMngane wethu. Ngaphambi kokuba sibhapathizwe sasihlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu; manje sesibuyisene naye. (2 Korinte 5:19; Kolose 1:20) Ngomhlatshelo kaKristu, siye sasondela kuNkulunkulu naye wasondela kithi. (Jakobe 4:8) Umprofethi uMalaki uchaza indlela uJehova anaka futhi abalalele ngayo labo abaphatha futhi basebenzise igama lakhe, futhi ubhala amagama abo encwadini yakhe yenkumbulo. UNkulunkulu uthi: “Ngokuqinisekile bayoba ngabami . . . Ngiyobabonisa ububele, njengoba nje umuntu ebonisa indodana yakhe emkhonzayo ububele.”—Malaki 3:16-18.

¹⁹ Ubhapathizo lusenza sikwazi nokuba ingxenye yabazalwane bomhlaba wonke. Lapho umphostoli uPetru ebuza ukuthi abafundi bakaKristu babeyothola zibusiso zini ngokuzidela kwabo, uJesu wathembisa: “Wonke umuntu oshiye izindlu noma abafowabo noma odadewabo noma uyise noma unina noma abantwana noma amasimu ngenxa yegama lami uyokwamukela okuphindwe kaningi futhi azuze ngefa ukuphila okuphakade.” (Mathewu 19:29) Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, uPetru waloba ngayo “yonke inhlangano yabazalwane” eyayisikhona “ezweni.” UPetru wayekunambithe mathupha ukusekela nezibusiso zokuba nabazalwane abanothando, futhi nathi singakunambitha.—1 Petru 2:17; 5:9.

20. Iliphi ithemba elihle ubhapathizo olusinikeza lona?

²⁰ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi labo abamlandelayo ‘babeyozuza ngefa ukuphila okuphakade.’ Yebo, ukuzinikezela nobhapathizo kusinikeza ithemba ‘lokubambisisa ukuphila kwangempela’—ukuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu. (1 Thimothewu 6:19) Sikhona yini isisekelo esingcono sekusasa ebesingazakhela sona thina nemikhaya yethu? Leli themba elihle kangaka liyosenza sikwazi ‘ukuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube nini nanini, yebo, kuze kube phakade.’—Mika 4:5.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ungachaza?

• Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyalwazisa uthando lukaJehova futhi ngani?

• Iyiphi intuthuko engokomoya okufanele yandulele ubhapathizo?

• Kungani kungafanele sivumele uvalo lokuthi hleze sihluleke noma ukwenqena ukwamukela umthwalo wemfanelo kusivimbele ukuba sibhapathizwe?

• Iziphi izibusiso eziyingqayizivele abafundi ababhapathiziwe bakaJesu Kristu abangazithola?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

“Yini engivimbela ukuba ngibhapathizwe?”

[Izithombe ekhasini 29]

Ubhapathizo luyisenzakalo esingathí sina kodwa futhi esijabulisayo