1, 2. (a) Kuyini okujayele ukwenziwa ngabazali nxa umntanabo ebatshela ukuthi usefuna ukubhabhathizwa? (b) Kungani ababhabhathizwayo bebuzwa ukuthi sebezinikele yini kuJehova? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

INTOMBAZANA eleminyaka engu-9 okuthiwa nguMaria iyasukuma kanye labanye abazabhabhathizwa ukuze iphendule imibuzo ebuzwe ngumzalwane obesenza inkulumo yokubhabhathizwa. UMaria uphendula imibuzo leyo ngelizwi elizwakalayo. Ngemva kwalokho uyaphuma labanye ukuze bayebhabhathizwa.

² Abazali bakaMaria bayathokoza kakhulu ngoba indodakazi yabo isizinikele njalo yabhabhathizwa ukuze ikhonze uJehova. Kodwa ngesikhathi uMaria ebatshela ukuthi usefuna ukubhabhathizwa unina waba lemibuzo eminengi. Wayezibuza ukuthi: ‘UMaria usekhulile yini okokuthi usengabhabhathizwa? Uyakuzwisisa yini ukuthi isinqumo asenzayo sikhulu kangakanani? Bekungasoze kube ngcono yini ukuthi aqale ame kancane?’ Le yimibuzo ejayele ukukhathaza abazali abanengi nxa abantwababo bebatshela  ukuthi sebefuna ukubhabhathizwa. (UmTshu. 5:5) Kufanele sibili ukuthi bakhathezeke ngoba ukuzinikela lokubhabhathizwa yizinto ezimbili eziqakatheke kakhulu.​—Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Usuzinikele Yini KuJehova?”

3, 4. (a) Umphostoli uPhetro watshengisa njani ukuthi ukubhabhathizwa kuqakathekile? (b) Kungani ukubhabhathizwa kungafaniswa lokwakha umkhumbi okwenziwa nguNowa?

³ Umphostoli uPhetro wafanisa ukubhabhathizwa lokwakha umkhumbi okwenziwa nguNowa. Wathi: “Umfuziselo wawo [umkhumbi] lubhabhathizo olusisindisayo lathi khathesi.” (1 Phet. 3:20, 21, TBS) Umkhumbi owakhiwa nguNowa waba yibufakazi obabutshengisa ukuthi uzinikele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. UNowa wawenza ngenhliziyo yonke umsebenzi ayewuphiwe nguJehova. Lokhu kwatshengisa ukuthi ulokholo njalo kwenza uJehova wamsindisa kanye lemuli yakhe. Kodwa lokho okwatshiwo nguPhetro kuhambelana njani lokubhabhathizwa?

⁴ Ukwakha umkhumbi kwaba yibufakazi obabutshengisa ukuthi uNowa ulokholo kuNkulunkulu. Kunjalo lokubhabhathizwa, nxa ubhabhathizwa uyabe utshengisa ukuthi usuzinikele kuJehova lokuthi uyakholwa ukuthi uJesu wasifela. Nxa usuzinikele njalo wabhabhathizwa, lingisela uNowa ngokulalela uNkulunkulu lokwenza umsebenzi akunike wona. Ungenza njalo uJehova uzakusindisa ngesikhathi umhlaba lo ubhujiswa. (Mak. 13:10; Isam. 7:9, 10) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi ukuzinikela lokubhabhathizwa kuqakatheke kakhulu. Umuntu ohlala ebala amabala engwe kulokuthi abhabhathizwe uzifaka engozini yokuthi angakutholi ukuphila okuphakade.

5. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁵ Sesibonile ukuthi ukubhabhathizwa kuqakathekile. Ngakho ake sixoxe ngemibuzo emithathu engasinceda ukuthi siyizwisise indaba  le. IBhayibhili lithini ngokubhabhathizwa? Kuyini okumele kwenziwe ngumuntu ofuna ukubhabhathizwa? Kungani kuqathekile ukuthi uchasisele umntanakho loba ofunda laye iBhayibhili ukuthi ukubhabhathizwa kuqakatheke kangakanani?

6, 7. (a) Abantu babebhabhathizelwani ngesikhathi sikaJohane? (b) Yisiphi isibusiso esikhulu esatholwa nguJohane uMbhabhathizi?

⁶ IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi uJohane uMbhabhathizi waba ngowokuqala ukubhabhathiza abantu. (Mat. 3:1-6) Ukubhabhathizwa kwabantu ngalesosikhathi kwakutshengisa ukuthi bayazisola ngokwephula uMthetho kaMosi lokuthi sebephendukile. UJohane waphinda wathola ithuba lokubhabhathiza iNdodana kaNkulunkulu futhi lesi kwakuyisibusiso esikhulu okumangalisayo. (Mat. 3:13-17) Phela uJesu kwakungadingakali ukuthi aphenduke ezonweni zakhe ngoba wayengelasono. (1 Phet. 2:22) Kodwa ukubhabhathizwa kwakhe kwakutshengisa ukuthi usezinikele kuNkulunkulu ukuthi enze intando yakhe.​—Heb. 10:7.

⁷ Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni abafundi bakhe labo babebhabhathiza abantu. (Joh. 3:22; 4:1, 2) Ukubhabhathiza kwabo kwakufanana lokukaJohane ngoba labo babebhabhathiza abantu ababezisola ngokwephula uMthetho kaMosi. Kodwa ngemva kokufa lokuvuswa kukaJesu ukubhabhathizwa kwakuzabe sekulomunye umutsho omkhulu.

8. (a) Yiwuphi umlayo uJesu awunika abalandeli bakhe ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe? (b) Kungani kumele amaKhristu abhabhathizwe?

⁸ UJesu wathi esevusiwe ngo-33 C.E. * wabonakala exukwini labantu abedlula 500. Phakathi kwexuku lelo kwakulamadoda labesifazane, kungenzakala ukuthi labantwana babekhona. Kumele ukuthi leso yiso isikhathi uJesu akhuluma ngaso amazwi athi: ‘Hambani lenze abafundi ezizweni zonke, libabhabhathize ebizweni likaBaba, leleNdodana lelomoya ongcwele, njalo libafundise ukulalela konke engililaye ngakho.’ (Mat. 28:19, 20; 1 Khor. 15:6) Kungenzakala ukuthi ngesikhathi uJesu ekhipha umlayo lo kwakulabalandeli bakhe abanengi. Ngokutsho amazwi la, wayetshengisa ukuthi wonke umuntu ofuna ukuba ngumKhristu kumele abhabhathizwe. (Mat. 11:29, 30) Ngakho loba ngubani owayefuna ukubhabhathizwa kwakumele avume ukuthi uJehova usebenzisa uJesu ukuze afeze injongo yakhe. Nxa umuntu esekwenzile lokho wayesengabhabhathizwa futhi uJehova wayemamukela. IBhayibhili liveza ukuthi ngalesosikhathi abalandeli bakaJesu babekuzwisisa ukuqakatheka kokubhabhathizwa. Babengatshoni bezilazila nxa sekumele babhabhathizwe.​—ImiSeb. 2:41; 9:18; 16:14, 15, 32, 33.

9, 10. Ufundeni ngokubhabhathizwa endabeni yomTopiya lomphostoli uPhawuli?

⁹ Bala ImiSebenzi 8:35, 36. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala kwenye indoda engumTopiya eyayivela khonza ethempelini eJerusalema. Ingilosi kaJehova yakhokhela uFiliphi imqondisa kuleyondoda wafika “wayitshela izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu.” Yathini indoda leyo isizwa lokho? Kayizange itshone ibalisa kodwa yahle yacela ukubhabhathizwa. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zayithinta inhliziyo futhi yayisizimisele ukwenza intando kaJehova.

¹⁰ Omunye owakwenzayo lokhu ngumJuda okwakuthiwa nguSawuli. Indoda le  yayidabuka esizweni sabantu ababekhonza uJehova kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abantu laba bahlamuka bamtshiya uJehova. USawuli wayewathwalele ubhulo amaKhristu njalo etshisekela amasiko enkolo yesiJuda. Ngelinye ilanga uJesu wabonakala kuye wakhuluma laye esezulwini. Wenzani uSawuli? Wakwamukela lokho ayekutshelwa yiNkosi njalo wavuma ukuncediswa ngumKhristu okuthiwa ngu-Ananiya. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi ngemva kwalokho uSawuli “wasukuma wabhabhathizwa.” (ImiSeb. 9:17, 18; Gal. 1:14) Indoda le yiyo eyacina isaziwa ngokuthi ngumphostoli uPhawuli. Kodwa unanzelele yini ukuthi uPhawuli wathi esezwe izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu wahle wathatha inyathelo wabhabhathizwa?​—Bala ImiSebenzi 22:12-16.

11. (a) Kuyini okufuqa abantu abafunda iBhayibhili ukuthi babhabhathizwe? (b) OFakazi bakaJehova bezwa njani nxa abantu abafunda iBhayibhili bebhabhathizwa?

¹¹ Kulezinsuku banengi abantu abafunda iBhayibhili. Iqiniso abalitholayo liyabafuqa ukuthi babelokholo njalo bazinikele kuJehova besebebhabhathizwa kungelani lokuthi badala kumbe ngabasakhulayo. Yikho emihlanganweni yethu emikhulu kusiba lenkulumo yokubhabhathizwa eyenzelwe abantu abanjalo. OFakazi bakaJehova bayathokoza nxa umuntu angafunda iBhayibhili aze abhabhathizwe. Labazali bayajabula nxa bebona abantwababo bethatha inyathelo leli. Ngomnyaka wenkonzo ka-2017 abantu abedlula 284 000 ‘abamiselwe ukuphila okungapheliyo’ babhabhathizwa. (ImiSeb. 13:48) Kuyacaca ukuthi abantu labo babekunanzelela ukuthi wonke umuntu ofuna ukuba ngumKhristu kumele abhabhathizwe. Kuyini abakwenzayo ukuze balungele ukubhabhathizwa?

12. Kuyini okumele kwenziwe ngumuntu ofuna ukubhabhathizwa?

¹² Umuntu ofuna ukubhabhathizwa kumele afunde ngoNkulunkulu langenjongo yakhe langalokho asenzela khona ukuze asikhulule. (1 Tim. 2:3-6) Ulwazi lolo luzamenza abe lokholo njalo azimisele ukutshiya imikhuba engamthokozisiyo uNkulunkulu. (ImiSeb. 3:19) Lokhu kuqakatheke kakhulu ngoba akumelanga umuntu azinikele kuJehova ngapha esenza izinto ezimbi. (1 Khor. 6:9, 10) Okunye okufanele akwenze yikungena imihlangano yebandla zikhathi zonke kanye lokukhuthala emsebenzini wokutshumayela. UJesu wayevele etshilo ukuthi amaKhristu eqiniso yiwo ayezakwenza umsebenzi lo. (ImiSeb. 1:8) Wonke umuntu owenza lokhu uyabe esekulungele ukuzinikela kuJehova ngomthandazo kanye lokubhabhathizwa.

13. Kungani kumele sichasisele esifunda labo ngokubhabhathizwa?

¹³ Nxa ufunda iBhayibhili lomntanakho loba omunye umuntu hlala ukhumbula ukuthi ukubhabhathizwa yikho okungamvulela ithuba lokuthi abe ngumlandeli kaKhristu. Lokhu kuzakusiza ukuthi wenelise ukumchazela ukuthi kuyini okukhangelelwe kuye. Ngakho zinike isikhathi sokuxoxa lofunda laye ukuze abone ukuthi ukuzinikela kuJehova lokubhabhathizwa kuqakatheke kangakanani. Kuyisifiso sethu ukuthi labo esifunda labo iBhayibhili bathuthuke baze babhabhathizwe.

14. Kungani kungafanelanga sibambe abantu ngamandla ukuthi babhabhathizwe?

¹⁴ Nxa ungumzali kumbe ufunda lomunye iBhayibhili ungambambi ngamandla ukuthi abhabhathizwe. UJehova kabambi muntu ngamandla ukuthi amkhonze. (1 Joh. 4:8) Kulokuthi sibafuqe ukuthi babhabhathizwe kumele sibasize babone ukuthi kuqakatheke ngani ukuba lobuhlobo obuhle loNkulunkulu. Ukuzwisisa  iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini kanye lesifiso sokukhonza uJehova yikho okuzakwenza umuntu azinikele abesebhabhathizwa.​—2 Khor. 5:14, 15.

15, 16. (a) Ikhona yini iminyaka okumele umuntu ayifikise ukuze abhabhathizwe? Chaza. (b) Kungani kumele umuntu abhabhathizwe ukuze abe nguFakazi kaJehova lanxa wake wabhabhathizwa kwenye isonto?

¹⁵ Ikhona yini iminyaka okumele umuntu ayifikise ukuze abhabhathizwe? Hatshi. Indlela abantu abathuthuka ngayo kayifanani. Abanye babhabhathizwa besesebancane njalo baqhubeke bekhonza uJehova bethembekile. Ikanti abanye babhabhathizwa sebekhulile ngoba bayabe befunde iqiniso sebengabantu abadala. Abanye baze babhabhathizwe sebeleminyaka edlula 100.

¹⁶ Omunye ugogo owayefunda iBhayibhili wabuza udadewethu ukuthi sikhona yini isidingo sokuthi abhabhathizwe. Okwenza wabuza yikuthi wayeke wabhabhathizwa emasontweni atshiyeneyo. Udade lowo wamtshengisa imibhalo eyamsiza wabona ukuqakatheka kokuthi abhabhathizwe. Wakwenza lokho lanxa wayesebanga iminyaka engu-80. Indaba le isifundisa ukuthi ukubhabhathizwa kwakhe kwamanye amasonto kwakungatsho lutho ngoba wayengelalo ulwazi oluqondileyo ngoNkulunkulu. Ngakho loba ngubani osefunde iqiniso walizwisisa kumele abhabhathizwe lanxa wake wabhabhathizwa kwamanye amasonto.​—Bala ImiSebenzi 19:3-5.

17. Kuyini okumele ucabangisise ngakho ngelanga lokubhabhathizwa?

¹⁷ Ilanga lokubhabhathizwa liyathokozisa kakhulu. Kodwa kukhona okunye okumele ukwenze ngelanga leli. Zinike isikhathi sokucabangisisa ngokuthi kutshoni ukuzinikela lokubhabhathizwa. UJesu wafanisa ukuba ngumlandeli wakhe lokuthwala ijogwe. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi nxa usubhabhathiziwe uyabe ‘ungasaziphileli wena ngokwakho kodwa lowo owakufelayo wavuswa njalo.’​—2 Khor. 5:15; Mat. 16:24.

 18. Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Sesibonile ukuthi ukuzinikela lokubhabhathizwa yindaba eqakatheke kakhulu. Lokhu yikho okwenza umama kaMaria wafikelwa yimibuzo esikhulume ngayo ekuqaliseni. Nxa ungumzali kungenzakala ukuthi lawe uyazibuza imibuzo le: ‘Umntanami usekulungele yini ukubhabhathizwa? Usemazi yini uJehova okokuthi usengazinikela kuye? Kumele abhabhathizwe eseqale waqeda isikolo njalo wathola umsebenzi yini? Ngizathini nxa umntanami engabhabhathizwa kodwa abe sesenza isono? Imibuzo le sizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo njalo sizabona ukuthi abazali bangayiphatha njani.