1, 2. (a) Abanye abazali abangamaKristu bazizwa kanjani lapho ingane yabo ithi ifuna ukubhapathizwa? (b) Kungani labo abasuke bezobhapathizwa bebuzwa ukuthi sebezinikezele yini kakade kuJehova? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

NJENGOBA abazali bayo abangamaKristu bebuka, intombazanyane esizoyibiza ngokuthi uMariya, iyasukuma kanye nabanye abazobhapathizwa. Ngezwi elizwakalayo nelicacile, iphendula imibuzo emibili ebuzwe yisikhulumi. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, iyabhapathizwa.

² Abazali bakaMariya bayaziqhenya ngesinqumo sendodakazi yabo sokuzinikezela kuJehova nokubhapathizwa. Noma kunjalo, umama kaMariya ubelokhu ezibuza: ‘Ingabe uMariya mdala ngokwanele ukuba abhapathizwe? Ingabe uyakuqonda ngempela ukuthi ukubhapathizwa akuyona nje into encane? Akungcono yini ukuba alinde isikhashana ngaphambi kokuba abhapathizwe?’ Lena yimibuzo abazali abaningi abanothando abazibuza yona lapho ingane yabo ifuna ukubhapathizwa. (UmSh. 5:5) Phela, ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kuyizinyathelo ezibaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni komKristu.—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Ingabe Uzinikezele KuJehova?”

3, 4. (a) Umphostoli uPetru wakubonisa kanjani ukubaluleka kokubhapathizwa? (b) Kungani ukubhapathizwa kufaniswa nokwakhiwa komkhumbi kaNowa?

 ³ Ekhuluma ngobhapathizo, umphostoli uPetru wabhekisela ekwakhiweni komkhumbi kaNowa: “Lokho okuhambelana nalokhu nakho manje kuyanisindisa, okuwukuthi, ubhapathizo.” (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 3:20, 21.) Umkhumbi wanikeza ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi uNowa wayezinikele ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwethembeka, uNowa wasifeza isabelo uJehova ayemnike sona. Izenzo zokholo zabangela ukuba uNowa nomndeni wakhe basinde kuZamcolo. Yiliphi iphuzu uPetru ayezama ukuliveza ngalo mfanekiso?

⁴ Njengoba umkhumbi wanikeza ubufakazi bokholo lukaNowa, ukubhapathizwa phambi kwabantu kunikeza ubufakazi obusobala. Ubufakazi bani? Bokuthi lo mfundi kaKristu uye wazinikezela kuJehova ngesisekelo sokholo kuKristu ovusiwe. NjengoNowa, umfundi ozinikezele ngokuthobeka wenza umsebenzi uNkulunkulu amnikeze wona. Njengoba uNowa asindiswa kuZamcolo, labo abhapathiziwe abaqotho bayosindiswa lapho leli zwe elibi libhujiswa. (Marku 13:10; IsAm. 7:9, 10) Lokhu kwenza ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kubaluleke kakhulu. Umuntu ohlehlisa ngokungenasidingo ukubhaphathizwa uzibeka engozini yokulahlekelwa ukuphila okuphakade.

5. Sizophendula miphi imibuzo kulesi sihloko?

⁵ Ukuze siqonde ukuthi ukubhapathizwa kubaluleke kangakanani, ake siphendule le mibuzo emithathu. Lithini iBhayibheli ngokubhapathizwa? Yiziphi izinyathelo umuntu okufanele azithathe ngaphambi kokuba abhapathizwe? Lapho ufundela ingane yakho noma omunye umuntu iBhayibheli, kungani kufanele uhlale ukukhumbula ukubaluleka kokubhapathizwa?

6, 7. (a) Chaza ukuthi ubhapathizo lukaJohane lwalubaluleke ngani. (b) Yiluphi ubhapathizo oluhlukile olwenziwa uJohane?

⁶ Ubhapathizo lokuqala esifunda ngalo eBhayibhelini, yilolo olwenziwa uJohane umBhapathizi. (Math. 3:1-6) Labo ababebhapathizwa uJohane babebonisa ukuthi sebephendukile ezonweni zabo ngokuvumelana noMthetho kaMose. Nokho, kuyaphawuleka ukuthi ubhapathizo olubalulekile olwenziwa uJohane lwalungahlangene nokuphenduka ezonweni. UJohane waba nelungelo elingandele bani lokubhapathiza uJesu, umuntu ophelele, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. (Math. 3:13-17) UJesu wayengenaso isono, ngakho sasingekho isidingo sokuba aphenduke. (1 Pet. 2:22) Ukubhapathizwa kwakhe kwakuyisibonakaliso sokuthi uzimisele ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu.​—Heb. 10:7.

⁷ Phakathi nenkonzo kaJesu yasemhlabeni, abafundi bakhe nabo babebhapathiza. (Joh. 3:22; 4:1, 2) Njengobhapathizo olwalwenziwa uJohane, ubhapathizo lwabafundi lwalubonisa ukuthi umuntu usephendukile ezonweni zakhe ngokuvumelana noMthetho kaMose. Nokho, ngemva kokufa nokuvuswa kukaJesu, ubhapathizo lwase luzosho okuhlukile kunalokhu.

8. (a) Ngemva kokuvuswa, uJesu wabanika umyalo othini abalandeli bakhe? (b) Chaza ukuthi lubaluleke ngani ubhapathizo lobuKristu.

⁸ Ngo-33 C.E., uJesu ovusiwe wabonakala esixukwini sabantu abangu-500—amadoda, abesifazane mhlawumbe nezingane. Kungenzeka ukuthi yilapho asho khona la mazwi athi: “Hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho.” (Math. 28:19, 20; 1 Kor. 15:6) Kubonakala sengathi abalandeli abaningi babekhona lapho uJesu enikeza umyalo wokwenza abafundi. Yingakho uJesu aveza ukuthi ukubhapathizwa kwakuyoba imfuneko kulabo abamukela ijoka lokuba abafundi bakaKristu. (Math. 11:29, 30) Noma ubani ofuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kwakuyodingeka amukele futhi avume indima kaJesu ekugcwalisekeni kwenjongo kaJehova. Ngemva kokwenza lokho, lowo muntu wayengabhapathizwa. Lolu bhapathizo lwaluyoba ukuphela kobhapathizo lwamanzi olwamukelwa uNkulunkulu. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kunikeza ubufakazi obuningi bokuthi ngekhulu lokuqala, abafundi abasha bakaKristu bakuqonda ukubaluleka kokubhapathizwa. Ngenxa yalokho, abazange bakuhlehlise ngokungenasidingo ukubhapathizwa.​—IzE. 2:41; 9:18; 16:14, 15, 32, 33.

9, 10. Yini esingayifunda ngokubhapathizwa komproselithe ongumTopiya nakumphostoli uPawulu?

⁹ Funda izEnzo 8:35, 36. Cabanga ngesibonelo somproselithe ongumTopiya owayebuyela emzini wakhe ngemva kokuyokhulekela eJerusalema. Eqhutshwa ingelosi kaJehova, uFilipi waya kulo mTopiya futhi wamxoxela “izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu.” Wasabela kanjani umTopiya? Lokho abe esekwenza kwanikeza ubufakazi obucacile bokuthi wawazisa ngokusuka enhliziyweni amaqinisio awafunda. Wafisa ukwenza ngokuvumelana nenjongo kaJehova, ngakho wabhapathizwa ngaphandle kokuchitha isikhathi.

¹⁰ Isibonelo sesibili esendoda engumJuda eyayishushisa amaKristu. Yazalelwa esizweni esasizinikezele kuNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, amaJuda alahlekelwa ubuhlobo bawo obukhethekile noJehova. Le ndoda yayishisekela amasiko obuJuda kodwa yabe isifunda indlela engcono. UJesu Kristu ovusiwe nokhazinyulisiwe  wafakaza kuyo. Yasabela kanjani le ndoda? Yavuma ukusizwa umfundi kaJesu, u-Ananiya. Mayelana nale ndoda iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi: ‘Yasukuma yabhapathizwa.’ (IzE. 9:17, 18; Gal. 1:14) Lena indoda engumJuda eyagcina yaziwa ngokuthi umphostoli uPawulu. Kodwa cabanga ngendlela uPawulu ashesha ngayo ukuthatha isinyathelo lapho esewazisa amaqiniso ngendima kaJesu ekugcwalisekeni kwentando kaNkulunkulu. Wabhapathizwa ngaphandle kokuzindela.​—Funda izEnzo 22:12-16.

11. (a) Yini eshukumisela abafundi beBhayibheli namuhla ukuba babhapathizwe? (b) Sizizwa kanjani lapho sibona abasanda kuzinikezela bebhapathizwa?

¹¹ Namuhla kwenzeka into efanayo kubafundi beBhayibheli kungakhathaliseki ukuthi basha noma badala. Labo abanokholo nabawazisa ngokusuka enhliziyweni amaqiniso eBhayibheli baba nesifiso esinamandla sokuzinikezela bese bebhapathizwa. Inkulumo ebekelwa ngokukhethekile abazobhapathizwa, iyinkulumo evelele emihlanganweni yesigodi neyesifunda. OFakazi BakaJehova bayajabula lapho umfundi weBhayibheli amukela amaqiniso bese ethuthuka aze abhapathizwe ngokucwiliswa emanzini. Akungatshazwa ukuthi abazali abangamaKristu bayajabula ngempela lapho bebona izingane zabo ziphakathi kwalabo abazobhapathizwa. Phakathi nonyaka wenkonzo ka-2017, abantu abangaphezu kuka-284 000 ‘abathambekele ngokufanele’ baye babonisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. (IzE. 13:48) Kuyacaca ukuthi labo bafundi abasha bayaqonda ukuthi kudingeka babhapathizwe ukuze babe amaKristu. Yini abayenza eyabangela ukuba bagcina bebhapathiziwe?

12. Yiziphi izinto okumelwe zenziwe umfundi weBhayibheli ngaphambi kokuba abhapathizwe?

¹² Ngaphambi kokuba umfundi abhapathizwe, kumelwe ahlakulele ukholo olusekelwe olwazini olunembile ngoNkulunkulu, injongo yaKhe nelungiselelo laKhe lokusindisa. (1 Thim. 2:3-6) Ukholo olunjalo lushukumisela umfundi ukuba enqabe imikhuba engamjabulisi uNkulunkulu bese ephila ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso zikaJehova. (IzE. 3:19) Yiqiniso ukuthi umuntu ngeke azinikezele kuNkulunkulu ngendlela eyamukelekile ebe enza izinto engamenza angawuzuzi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (1 Kor. 6:9, 10) Kudingeka okungaphezu kokuphila ngezindinganiso zikaJehova eziphakeme. Umuntu ofuna ukulunga kudingeka abe khona emihlanganweni yebandla futhi enze umsebenzi osindisa ukuphila nowokwenza abafundi. UJesu wathi lo msebenzi wawuyokwenziwa abafundi bakhe beqiniso. (IzE. 1:8) Ngemva kokwenza zonke lezi zinto, umfundi omusha ube esezinikezela ngasese kuJehova ngomthandazo bese ebonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe ngokubhapathizwa phambi kofakazi.

13. Kungani abafundisi beBhayibheli kumelwe bakhumbule ukuthi ukuze umuntu abe umKristu kumelwe abhapathizwe?

¹³ Njengoba sisiza izingane zethu nesibafundela iBhayibheli ukuba bathuthuke ngokomoya, kufanele singakhohlwa ukuthi ukuze babe abafundi beqiniso kumelwe babhapathizwe. Uma sihlala sikukhumbula lokho, sizobafundela ngendlela efanele abantu. Ngeke sikunqene ukukhuluma nabo ngesikhathi esifanele ngokubaluleka kokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa. Sifuna izingane zethu nesibafundela iBhayibheli bathuthuke baze babhapathizwe.

14. Kungani singaphoqi muntu ukuba abhapathizwe?

¹⁴ Akekho umuntu okufanele aphoqwe umzali, omfundela iBhayibheli noma yinoma ubani ebandleni ukuba abhapathizwe.  Leyo akuyona indlela kaJehova yokwenza izinto. (1 Joh. 4:8) Kunalokho, njengoba sifundisa abanye, kufanele siqokomise ukubaluleka kokuba nobuhlobo noNkulunkulu. Lapho umfundi azisa amaqiniso ngokusuka enhliziyweni futhi enesifiso sokuthatha ijoka likaKristu, uyoshukumiseleka ukuba abhapathizwe.​—2 Kor. 5:14, 15.

15, 16. (a) Ingabe ikhona iminyaka enqunyiwe umuntu okufanele abhapathizwe ngayo? Chaza. (b) Kungani ofundelwa iBhayibheli kufanele abhapathizwe njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova ngisho noma ebhapathiziwe kwenye inkolo?

¹⁵ Ayikho iminyaka enqunyiwe umuntu okufanele abhapathizwe ngayo. Abafundi bathuthuka futhi bakhule ngamazinga angafani. Abanye babhapathizwa besebasha futhi bahlale bethembekile kuJehova. Kanti abanye babona ukubaluleka kokubhapathizwa ngemva kokufunda ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli sebethe ukukhula ngeminyaka—abanye beneminyaka engaphezu kwengu-100!

¹⁶ Omunye osekhulile wabuza owayemfundela iBhayibheli ukuthi sikhona yini isidingo sokuthi aphinde abhapathizwe njengoba ayelokhu ebhapathizwa emasontweni ahlukahlukene. Umfundi nowayemfundela iBhayibheli bafunda imiBhalo ephathelene nokubhapathizwa. Lokho kwenza umfundi waqonda ukuthi kuyimfuneko ukubhapathizwa futhi wabhapathizwa ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho. Ngisho noma ayevile eminyakeni engu-75, akazange acabange ukuthi sasingekho isidingo sokuba abhapathizwe. Ubhapathizo olwamukelekayo lusekelwe olwazini olunembile ngentando kaJehova. Yingakho abafundelwayo kumelwe babhapathizwe ngisho noma babeke babhapathizwa kwamanye amasonto.​—Funda izEnzo 19:3-5.

17. Kufanele ucabange ngani ngosuku lokubhapathizwa?

¹⁷ Usuku umuntu abhapathizwa ngalo isikhathi sokujabula. Luphinde lube isikhathi sokucabangisisa kanzulu. Ukuphila ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kudinga ukuzikhandla. Yingakho uJesu afanisa ukuba umfundi wakhe nokuthwala ijoka. Abafundi bakaJesu kumelwe “bangabe besaziphilela bona kodwa baphilele lowo owabafela wabuye wavuswa.”​—2 Kor. 5:15; Math. 16:24.

18. Sizoxoxa ngamiphi imibuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Umama kaMaria wayecabanga ngalezi zinto lapho ezibuza imibuzo esekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko. Uma ungumzali, kungenzeka uke wazibuza: ‘Ingabe ingane yami ikulungele ngempela ukubhapathizwa? Ingabe inolwazi olwanele ukuze izinikezele? Kuthiwani ngemigomo ehlobene nemfundo nomsebenzi? Kuthiwani uma ingane yami ibhapathizwa bese yenza isono esibi kakhulu?’ Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngale mibuzo bese sixoxa ngendlela abazali abangamaKristu abangahlala ngayo benombono olinganiselayo ngokubhapathizwa.