1, 2. (a) Chaza ukuthi kungani ukubhapathizwa kuyisinyathelo esibalulekile. (b) Yini umuntu okufanele aqiniseke ngayo ngaphambi kokuba abhapathizwe, futhi ngani?

INGABE usemusha futhi ufisa ukubhapathizwa? Uma kunjalo, leli ilungelo elikhulu kunawo wonke oyoke ube nawo. Njengoba kubonisiwe esihlokweni esidlule, ubhapathizo luyisinqumo esibalulekile. Lubonisa abanye ukuthi usuzinikezele kuJehova, okuwukuthi, umthembise ukuthi uyomkhonza phakade nokuthi ukwenza intando yakhe kuyinto ebaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwakho. Ngenxa yokuthi lesi isithembiso esibaluleke kakhulu kuNkulunkulu, kufanele ubhapathizwe kuphela lapho usuvuthwe ngokwanele, kuyisifiso sakho ukwenza kanjalo, futhi uqonda ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu.

² Nokho, kungenzeka ukuthi ubona sengathi awukakulungeli ukubhapathizwa. Noma mhlawumbe ukulungele kodwa abazali bakho bacabanga ukuthi kufanele ulinde uze ube  mdala futhi ube nolwazi oluthe xaxa ekuphileni. Yini okufanele uyenze? Ungadikibali. Kunalokho, sebenzisa lesi sikhathi ukwenza intuthuko ukuze ngokushesha nje ufanelekele ukubhapathizwa. Unalokho engqondweni, ungazibekela imigomo kulezi zinto ezintathu: (1) izinkolelo zakho, (2) izenzo zakho, kanye (3) nokwazisa.

3, 4. Yisiphi isifundo abasha abangasifunda esibonelweni sikaThimothewu?

³ Cabanga ngendlela ongaphendula ngayo le mibuzo: Kungani ngikholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona? Kungani ngiqiniseka ukuthi iBhayibheli livela kuNkulunkulu? Kungani ngilalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu kunokulingisa izindinganiso zezwe zokuziphatha? Leyo mibuzo ingakusiza ulandele iseluleko somphostoli uPawulu esithi: “Nizitholele ngokwenu okuyintando kaNkulunkulu enhle neyamukelekayo nepheleleyo.” (Roma 12:2) Kungani kufanele wenze kanjalo?

⁴ Isibonelo sikaThimothewu singakusiza. Wayeyazi kahle imiBhalo ngenxa yokuthi unina nogogo wakhe babemfundisile. Nokho, uPawulu watshela uThimothewu: “Qhubeka ezintweni owazifunda futhi wathonyelwa ukuba uzikholelwe.” (2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15) Kulo mBhalo, igama elithi “wathonyelwa” lisho “ukuqiniseka ngamaqiniso ento ethile.” Ngakho uThimothewu kwakudingeka akholiseke ngokuthi iqiniso lalingatholakala emiBhalweni. Walamukela, hhayi ngoba ayetshelwe unina nogogo wakhe ukuba enze kanjalo, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wacabangisisa ngalokho ayekufundile futhi wathonyeka.—Funda eyabaseRoma 12:1.

5, 6. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba ufunde ukusebenzisa ‘amandla okucabanga’ usemncane?

⁵ Kuthiwani ngawe? Mhlawumbe sekuyisikhathi eside ulazi iqiniso. Uma kunjalo, kwenze umgomo wakho ukucabanga ngezizathu zezinkolelo zakho. Lokho kuyokusiza uqinise ukholo lwakho, futhi ugweme ukwenza izinqumo ezingalungile ngenxa yokucindezela kontanga, ukucabanga kwezwe, noma ngisho nemizwa yakho.

⁶ Uma ufunda ukusebenzisa ‘amandla okucabanga’ lapho usemusha, uyokwazi ukuphendula imibuzo yontanga yakho, efana nethi: ‘Yini ekwenza uqiniseke ngokuthi uNkulunkulu ukhona? Uma uNkulunkulu esithanda, kungani evumela izinto ezimbi ukuba zenzeke? Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubelokhu ekhona?’ Uma usukulungele, imibuzo enjalo ngeke ikwenze ungabaze, kodwa iyokushukumisela ukuba ufunde iBhayibheli ngokwengeziwe.

7-9. Chaza indlela uchungechunge olutholakala kuyi-Internet lwezinsiza-kufunda, oluthi “Lifundisani Ngempela IBhayibheli?,” olungakusiza ngayo uqiniseke ngalokho okukholelwayo.

⁷ Isifundo somuntu siqu esingakhi phezulu singakusiza uphendule imibuzo, uyeke ukungabaza futhi uqiniseke ngalokho okukholelwayo. (IzEnzo 17:11) Sinezincwadi eziningana ezingakusiza ukuba  wenze kanjalo. Abaningi bakuthole kuwusizo ukufunda incwajana ethi The Origin of Life—Five Questions Worth Asking nethi Is There a Creator Who Cares About You? Futhi, intsha eningi iye yalujabulela futhi yazuza ochungechungeni oluthi “Lifundisani Ngempela IBhayibheli?” olusengosini i-jw.org/zu. Ungaluthola ngaphansi kwesithi IZIMFUNDISO ZEBHAYIBHELI. Insiza-kufunda ngayinye kulolu chungechunge iklanyelwe ukukusiza uqiniseke ngokwengeziwe ngendaba ethile eseBhayibhelini.

⁸ Ungumfundi weBhayibheli, ngakho kungenzeka usuyazazi izimpendulo zeminye yemibuzo etholakala ezincwadini zokutadisha. Kodwa ingabe uyaqiniseka ngezimpendulo zakho? Izinsiza-kufunda ziyokusiza ukuba ucabangisise ngemiBhalo ehlukahlukene bese zikukhuthaza ukuba ubhale phansi izizathu zezinkolelo zakho. Lokho kuyokusiza wazi ukuthi ungabachazela kanjani abanye ngezinkolelo zakho. Uma ukwazi ukuvula uchungechunge oluthi “Lifundisani Ngempela IBhayibheli?” kuyi-Internet, ungalusebenzisa esifundweni sakho somuntu siqu ukuze lukusize uqiniseke ngalokho okukholelwayo.

⁹ Kumelwe uzitholele ngokwakho ukuthi leli iqiniso. Lokho kuyokusiza ululungele ubhapathizo. Omunye udade osevile eminyakeni eyishumi nambili wathi: “Ngaphambi kokuba nginqume ukubhapathizwa, ngatadisha iBhayibheli futhi ngabona ukuthi lena inkolo yeqiniso. Futhi usuku ngalunye, ngiqiniseka ngokwengeziwe ngalokhu.”

10. Kungani kunengqondo ukulindela ukuba izenzo zomKristu obhapathiziwe zihambisane nokholo lwakhe?

¹⁰ IBhayibheli lithi: ‘Ukholo uma lungenayo imisebenzi, lufile.’ (Jakobe 2:17) Uma unokholo oluqinile, uyokubonisa ngezenzo zakho lokho. Uyoba nalokho iBhayibheli elikubiza ngokuthi ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezenzo  zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.’—Funda 2 Petru 3:11.

11. Chaza inkulumo ethi ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele.’

¹¹ Ziyini ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele’? Uma izenzo zakho zingcwele, uhlanzekile ngokokuziphatha. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngezinyanga eziyisithupha ezidlule. Lapho ulingeka ukuba wenze into engalungile, ingabe wacabanga ngokucophelela ngokwakulungile nokwakungalungile? (Hebheru 5:14) Ingabe uyazikhumbula izikhathi eziqondile lapho wenqaba khona ukuwela esilingweni noma ukucindezelwa ontanga? Esikoleni, ingabe uyisibonelo esihle kwabanye? Ingabe uhlala uthembekile kuJehova, noma uzama ukufana nofunda nabo ukuze bengakwedeleli? (1 Petru 4:3, 4) Yiqiniso, akekho umuntu ophelele. Ngezinye izikhathi, ngisho nalabo asebekhonze uJehova iminyaka eminingi bangazizwa benamahloni futhi bakuthole kunzima ukushumayela kwabanye. Kodwa umuntu ozinikezele kuNkulunkulu uyoziqhenya ngokuba uFakazi kaJehova, futhi lokhu ukubonisa ngokuziphatha kwakhe okuhlanzekile.

12. Yiziphi ezinye ‘zezenzo zokuziphatha kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu,’ futhi kufanele sizibheke kanjani?

¹² Ziyini ‘izenzo zokuziphatha kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’? Zihlanganisa imisebenzi oyenzayo ebandleni, njengokuya emihlanganweni nokushumayela. Kodwa zibuye zihlanganise nemisebenzi abanye abangayiboni, njengemithandazo yangasese kuJehova nesifundo somuntu siqu. Umuntu onikezele ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova ngeke acabange ukuthi le misebenzi iwumthwalo. Uyozizwa ngendlela efanayo naleyo iNkosi uDavide eyazizwa ngayo, lapho ithi: “O Nkulunkulu wami, ngikujabulele ukwenza intando yakho, nomthetho wakho usezibilinini zami.”—IHubo 40:8.

13, 14. Iliphi ilungiselelo elingakusiza ukuze ubonise ‘izenzo zokuziphatha kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu,’ futhi abanye abasha baye bazuza kanjani kulo?

¹³ Ukuze sikusize uzibekele imigomo, sineshadi lezimpendulo elisekhasini 308 kuya ekhasini 309 lencwadi ethi Intsha Iyabuza—Izimpendulo Ezisebenzayo, uMqulu 2. Kulelo shadi, ungabhala phansi izimpendulo zemibuzo efana nethi: “Ingabe imithandazo yakho ayigwegwesi, futhi yembulani ngothando lwakho ngoJehova?” “Isifundo sakho somuntu siqu sihlanganisani?” “Ingabe uba khona enkonzweni yasensimini ngisho nalapho abazali bakho bengekho?” Ishadi lezimpendulo linezikhala zokubhala noma yimiphi imigomo ongathanda ukuzibekela yona ngokuphathelene nemithandazo yakho, isifundo sakho somuntu siqu nokushumayela.

¹⁴ Intsha eningi ecabanga ukubhapathizwa ilithole liwusizo leli shadi. Udade osemusha ogama lakhe linguTilda wathi: “Ngasebenzisa ishadi lezimpendulo ukuze ngizibekele imigomo. Ngafinyelela ngamunye waleyo migomo, futhi ngemva konyaka ngase ngikulungele ukubhapathizwa.” Umzalwane osemusha ogama  lakhe linguPatrick waphumelela ngendlela efanayo. Wathi: “Ngase ngazi ukuthi yayiyini imigomo yami, kodwa ukuyibhala phansi kwangenza ngasebenza kanzima ukuze ngiyifinyelele.”

15. Chaza ukuthi kungani ukuzinikezela kufanele kube isinqumo somuntu.

¹⁵ Omunye umbuzo oseshadini lemibuzo uthi: “Ingabe uyomkhonza uJehova ngisho nalapho abazali bakho nabangane bakho beyeka ukwenza kanjalo?” Lapho unikezela ukuphila kwakho kuJehova futhi ubhapathizwa, uyoba nobuhlobo bomuntu siqu naye. Ngakho, okwenzela uJehova akufanele kuncike kubazali bakho noma komunye umuntu. Izenzo zakho zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezenzo zokuziphatha kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu zibonisa ukuthi uyaqiniseka ukuthi uthole iqiniso futhi ufuna ukuphila ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. Ngokushesha uyokufanelekela ukubhapathizwa.

16, 17. (a) Yini okufanele ishukumise umuntu ukuba abe umKristu? (b) Ungakufanekisa kanjani ukubonisa ukubonga ngesihlengo?

¹⁶ Ngelinye ilanga, indoda ethile eyayiwazi kahle uMthetho KaMose yabuza uJesu: “Yimuphi umyalo omkhulu kunayo  yonke?” UJesu waphendula: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho.” (Mathewu 22:35-37) UJesu wachaza ukuthi uthando ngoJehova kufanele lube isizathu esenza umuntu abhapathizwe futhi abe umKristu. Enye indlela engcono kakhulu yokuqinisa uthando ngoJehova, ukucabangisisa ngesihlengo, isipho esikhulu uNkulunkulu asiphe abantu. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 5:14, 15; 1 Johane 4:9, 19.) Uma wenza kanjalo, uyofuna ukubonisa ukubonga ngaleso sipho esimangalisayo.

¹⁷ Ukubonisa ukuthi uyabonga ngesihlengo kungachazwa ngale ndlela: Ake uzicabange uminza bese kufika umuntu ezokutakula. Ingabe ungavele uziyele ekhaya nje, uzesule, bese uyakhohlwa ngalokho lo muntu akwenzele khona? Cha! Uyohlale umazisa umuntu owasindisa ukuphila kwakho! Ngendlela efanayo, kufanele sibe nokwazisa okukhulu ngoJehova noJesu ngesihlengo. Sibakweleta ukuphila kwethu! Baye basikhulula esonweni nasekufeni. Ngenxa yothando lwabo ngathi, manje sinethemba lokuphila phakade ePharadesi emhlabeni!

18, 19. (a) Kungani kufanele ungesabi ukuba ngokaJehova? (b) Ukukhonza uJehova kukwenza kanjani ukuphila kwakho kube ngcono?

¹⁸ Ingabe uyakwazisa lokho uJehova akwenzele khona? Uma kunjalo, ukuzinikezela nobhapathizo kuyinto okufanele uyenze. Ukuzinikezela kwakho kusho ukuthembisa uNkulunkulu ukuthi uyokwenza intando yakhe phakade. Ingabe kufanele wesabe ukwenza isithembiso esinjalo? Cha! UJehova ukufunela okungcono kakhulu, futhi uyobavuza abenza intando yakhe. (Hebheru 11:6) Lapho unikezela ukuphila kwakho kuNkulunkulu futhi ubhapathizwa, ukuphila kwakho ngeke konakale, kunalokho kuyoba ngcono! Umzalwane oneminyaka engu-24 owabhapathizwa ngaphambi kokuba abe neminyakeni eyishumi nambili uthi, “Cishe ngangiyokuqonda ngokujule kakhudlwana ukube ngangimdadlana, kodwa ukwenza isinqumo sokuzinikezela kuJehova kwangivikela ekuphishekeleni izinto zezwe.”

¹⁹ UJehova ukufunela okungcono kakhulu. Nokho, uSathane unobugovu futhi akanandaba nawe. Ngeke akunike lutho oluhle uma umlandela. Angakunika kanjani into angenayo? Akanazo izindaba ezinhle, futhi akanathemba. Angakunika khona nje, ikusasa elibi, ngoba yilona kusasa ayoba nalo!—IsAmbulo 20:10.

20. Yini osemusha angayenza ukuze athuthukele ekuzinikezeleni nasekubhapathizweni? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “Ukukusiza Ukuze Uthuthuke.”)

²⁰ Ukunikezela ukuphila kwakho kuJehova kuyisinqumo esingcono kakhulu oyoke usenze. Ingabe ukulungele ukwenza kanjalo? Uma ukulungele, ungesabi ukwenza leso sithembiso. Kodwa uma uzwa sengathi awukakulungeli, sebenzisa amacebiso akulesi sihloko ukuze uqhubeke uthuthuka. UPawulu watshela abazalwane baseFilipi ukuba baqhubeke benza intuthuko. (Filipi 3:16) Uma ulalela leso seluleko, ngokushesha uyofuna ukunikezela ukuphila kwakho kuJehova futhi ubhapathizwe.