Ani Esa akɛ Abaptisi Bo?
YEHOWA Odasefoi baptisi gbɔmɛi aaashɛ akpeiakpe kome yɛ nyɛsɛɛ afii etɛ ni ho lɛ mli. Kɛ aja mli lɛ, enɛ feɔ mɛi 824 yɛ gbi kome mli, aloo gbɔmɛi 4 ni abaptisiɔ yɛ minitii fɛɛ minitii 7 mli. Ani jamɔ mli henumɔ ni mli wa ni hi shi yɛ afii ohai 15 kɛ 16 lɛ mli lɛ kpojiemɔ nɛ?
Dabi, anyɛɛɛ nakai gbɔmɛi lɛ anɔ abaptisiii amɛ, ákɛ gbɔmɛi akuu ni atsakeɔ amɛ fɛɛ lɛ fã, aloo nɔ ni jɛ henumɔ ni mɔ ko ni ale lɛ waa yɛ jamɔ mli lɛ ha amɛna hewɔ. Abaptisi amɛ, ejaakɛ Yesu Kristo, mɔ ni ji Kristofoi fɛɛ a-Nuŋtsɔ kɛ Hiɛnyiɛlɔ lɛ fa akɛ afee enɛ. Amɛnyiɛ gbɛ kɛ nifeemɔi ni Yesu tsɔɔ, ni bɔfoi lɛ, ni lɛ diɛŋtsɛ ehala amɛ ni etsɔse amɛ lɛ kɛtsu nii lɛ sɛɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ.
Yesu gbohiiashitee lɛ sɛɛ dani ebaakwɔ kɛya ŋwɛi lɛ, ekɛ shɛɛyeli famɔ nɛɛ ha esɛɛnyiɛlɔi lɛ akɛ: “No hewɔ lɛ nyɛyaa ni nyɛyafea jeŋmaji fɛɛ mikaselɔi, nyɛbaptisia amɛ nyɛwoa Tsɛ lɛ kɛ Bi lɛ kɛ mumɔ krɔŋkrɔŋ lɛ gbɛi amli, ni nyɛtsɔɔ amɛ ni amɛye nii fiaa ni mikɛɛ nyɛ lɛ nɔ. Ni naa, mi lɛ mikɛ nyɛ yɛ daa kɛyashi jeŋ naagbee lɛ” (Mateo 28:19, 20) Kɛjɛ nakai be lɛ mli kɛbaa nɛɛ fɛɛ, enɛ pɛ ji nu mli baptisimɔ ni Nyɔŋmɔ kpɛlɛɔ nɔ.
Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, Biblia lɛ kɛɔ wɔ akɛ nakai mra be mli Kristo sɛɛnyiɛlɔi lɛ batsɔmɔ” [Yesu] [o]dasefoi yɛ Yerusalem kɛ Yudea kɛ Samaria fɛɛ, kɛyashi shikpɔŋ lɛ naagbee hei lɛ.” (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 1:8) Taakɛ Yesu gba efɔ shi lɛ, nɔ ni baajɛ amɛ shiɛmɔ kɛ nitsɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli aba ji heyelilɔi ni baatsɔmɔ Kristo sɛɛnyiɛlɔi hu lɛ abaptisimɔ.
Enɛ he klɛŋklɛŋ nɔkwɛmɔ nɔ ni aŋma afɔ shi lɛ ba mli yɛ Yerusalem yɛ Pentekoste gbi lɛ nɔ yɛ afi 33 Ŋ.B. Yɛ nakai be lɛ mli lɛ, bɔfo Petro “kɛ mɛi nyɔŋma kɛ ekome lɛ te shi damɔ shi” ni ekɛ gbɔmɛi babaoo ni ebua amɛhe naa lɛ wie Yesu ni ji Mesia lɛ he. Sane lɛ kɛɔ wɔ akɛ ewiemɔ lɛ ‘tsurɔ amɛ kɛshɛ amɛtsuii ahe,’ ni amɛbi nɔ ni sa akɛ amɛfee. Petro kɛɛ amɛ akɛɛ “Nyɛtsakea nyɛtsuii amli ni nyɛteŋ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ aha abaptisi lɛ awo Yesu Kristo gbɛi amli, koni aŋɔ nyɛhe eshai lɛ afa nyɛ.” Nɔ ni jɛ mli ba ji akɛ “mɛi ni hé ewiemɔ lɛ kpɛlɛ yɛ tsuijurɔ naa lɛ, abaptisi amɛ, ni nakai gbi lɛ nɔ nɔŋŋ lɛ aŋɔ susumai aaafee akpei etɛ afata amɛhe.” (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 2:14-41) Saji krokomɛi ni nyiɛ sɛɛ hu tsɔɔ akɛ nɔ ni tsɔɔ kaselɔi lɛ abaptisimɔ lɛ hiɛ klɛŋklɛŋ ji Kristofoi asane lɛ ni amɛnuɔ, ni amɛheɔ sanekpakpa lɛ amɛyeɔ, ni amɛtsakeɔ amɛtsui.—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 8:12, 13, 34-38; 10:34-48; 16:30-34; 18:5, 8; 19:1-5.
Yɛ Mɛɛ Gbɛ Nɔ?
Shi mɛɛ gbɛ nɔ esa akɛ atsɔ abaptisi kaselɔi hee nɛɛ yɛ nu mli? Ani abaatsɔ̃ nu-shwãmɔ (ni akɛ nu shwãa mɛi ayiteŋ lɛ), nu fɔsemɔ (ni atsɔɔ nu ashwieɔ mɔ lɛ yiteŋ lɛ ), aloo numiimɔ (ni akɛ mɔ lɛ baawo nu lɛ mli kwraa) lɛ nɔ? Mɛni Biblia mli sane ni aŋma lɛ tsɔɔ? Akɛni Yesu to okadi efɔ shi eha wɔ “koni [wɔ]nyiɛ enanemaa hei lɛ asɛɛ” hewɔ lɛ, mɛɛ gbɛ nɔ atsɔ abaptisi lɛ?—1 Petro 2:21.
Biblia lɛ tsɔɔ akɛ abaptisi Yesu yɛ Yordan, ni ji faa ko ni da saŋŋ lɛ mli. Beni abaptisi lɛ agbe naa lɛ, eje “kpo yɛ nu lɛ mli.” (Marko 1:10; Mateo 3:13, 16) No hewɔ lɛ amii Yesu nu diɛŋtsɛ yɛ Yordan Faa lɛ mli. Yohane ji mɔ ni baptisi lɛ, mɔ ni, beni etaoɔ he ko ni hi kɛha baptisimɔ lɛ, ehala he ko yɛ Yordan Jɔɔ lɛ mli yɛ Salim masɛi lɛ, “ejaakɛ nu pii yɛ jɛi.” (Yohane 3:23) Anaa anɔkwale ni eji akɛ nu lɛ mli ni akɛ mɔ lɛ woɔ kwraa lɛ ji gbɛ titri ni atsɔɔ nɔ abaptisiɔ mɛi yɛ Yesu sɛɛnyiɛlɔi lɛ ateŋ lɛ yɛ wiemɔi ni Etiopia piafonyo lɛ wie lɛ mli. Beni ekpɛlɛ nii ni Filipo tsɔɔ lɛ lɛ nɔ sɛɛ lɛ, ebo waa akɛ: “Naa nu; mɛni tsiɔ mibaptisimɔ gbɛ?” No sɛɛ lɛ wɔkadiɔ akɛ amɛ “fɛɛ [amɛ]yimɔ shi kɛtee nu lɛ mli,” ni sɛɛ mli lɛ “amɛje nu lɛ mli.”—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 8:36-39.
Ani je lɛŋ yinɔsane hu yeɔ he odase akɛ numiimɔ nɔ atsɔɔ atsuɔ baptisimɔ he nii yɛ Kristofoi lɛ ateŋ? Hɛɛ eyeɔ he odase. Ni eji miishɛɛ sane akɛ aaakadi akɛ ayɛ baptisimɔ bɛnsiŋ agboi ni sa kɛha numiimɔ yɛ shikpɔji pii anɔ lolo. Wolo ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Ministry lɛ wie akɛ: “Shitsaa mli odaseyeli yeɔ numiimɔ he odase babaoo kɛtekeɔ nɔ akɛ baptisimɔ gbɛ ni akɛfɔɔ nitsumɔ yɛ klɛŋklɛŋ afii ohai nyɔŋma kɛyashi nyɔŋma kɛ ejwɛ lɛ mli.” Ekɛfataa he akɛɛ “Anyɛɔ anaa Kristofoi abaptisimɔ he yinɔsane yɛ Kristofoi atsũi ni etsɔmɔ tsũkoi, kɛ blema sɔlemɔ tsui ni akɛtsuɔ nii lolo lɛ amli. Nibii ni atɛŋ yɛ gbonyo bui kɛ sɔlemɔ tsui amli, mfonirii ni atɛŋ yɛ shikpɔŋ, kɛ gbogboi ahe, kɛ ŋsɛŋdoi amli, blema nibii ni ashɔ̃, kɛ nibii ni atɛŋ yɛ blema Kpaŋmɔ Hee lɛ woji ni akɛ niji ŋmala lɛ amli lɛ kɛ otii babaoo fataa yinɔsane nɛɛ he . . . Enɛ fataa odaseyeli ni anaa yɛ sɔlemɔ tsɛmɛi aniŋmaai lɛ amli fɛɛ lɛ he akɛ numiimɔ ji gbɛ ni mra be mli sɔlemɔ lɛ tsɔɔ nɔ ebaptisiɔ mɛi.”
New catholic Encyclopedia lɛ kpɛlɛɔ nɔ akɛ: “Anaa faŋŋ akɛ atsuɔ Baptisimɔ he nii yɛ mra be mli Sɔlemɔ lɛ mli kɛtsɔɔ numiimɔ nɔ.” No hewɔ lɛ, ebɛ naakpɛɛ akɛ wɔnaa adafitswaa woji amli saji tamɔ enɛɛmɛi, akɛ: “Katolekbii kɛ Numiimɔ Baptisimɔ Esaa Eba Ekoŋŋ” (The Edmonton Journal, Canada, September 24, 1983), “Baptisimɔ Kɛtsɔ Numiimɔ nɔ Miihe Shi Waa yɛ Katolekbii Ateŋ yɛ Biɛ” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 7, 1985), “Katolekbii Pii Miisumɔ Baptisimɔ Kɛtsɔ Numiimɔ Nɔ” (The New York Times, March 25, 1989), kɛ “Numiimɔ Baptisimɔ Eku Sɛɛ Eba Ekoŋŋ” (The Houston Chronicle, August 24, 1991).
Yɛ Mɛɛ Yiŋtoo Hewɔ?
Mɛni hewɔ ni Yesu bi ni abaptisi ekaselɔi lɛ? Ojogbaŋŋ, eji amɛtsuiŋ fɛɛ ni amɛjɛ amɛjɔɔ amɛhe nɔ amɛha Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ he okadi ni sa jogbaŋŋ. Esa akɛ ashiɛ “sanekpakpa” lɛ yɛ shikpɔŋ lɛ nɔ fɛɛ, koni afee “jeŋmaji fɛɛ” kaselɔi. (Mateo 24:14; 28:19) Enɛ tsɔɔ akɛ jeee Yudafoi amaŋ lɛ, ni emlibii lɛ ji gbɔmɛi ni ejɔɔ amɛhe nɔ amɛha Nyɔŋmɔ kɛjɛ amɛfɔmɔ mli tɔŋŋ lɛ pɛ ekɛtsuɔ nii dɔŋŋ. Kornelio kɛ eweku lɛ ji klɛŋklɛŋ Jeŋmajiaŋbii, aloo mɛi ni jeee Yudafoi, ni kpɛlɛ anɔkwale ni kɔɔ Yesu Kristo he lɛ nɔ ni abaptisi amɛ.
Nu lɛ shishi ni akɛ amɛ woɔ lɛ tsɔɔ akɛ mɛi ni abaptisiɔ amɛ lɛ egboi amɛha tsutsu shihilɛ gbɛ ni damɔ amɛ diɛŋtsɛ amɛnɔ lɛ. Amɛnɔ ni awoɔ kɛjɛɔ nu lɛ mli lɛ feɔ he mfoniri akɛ, agbɛnɛ amɛba wala mli kɛha Nyɔŋmɔ suɔmɔnaa nifeemɔ, ni amɛkɛmiiye klɛŋklɛŋ gbɛhe yɛ amɛshihilɛ mli, taakɛ Yesu fee lɛ. (Mateo 16:24) Baptisimɔ ni abaptisiɔ amɛ yɛ “Tsɛ lɛ kɛ Bi lɛ kɛ mumɔ krɔŋkrɔŋ lɛ gbɛi amli” lɛ tsɔɔ akɛ amɛkase anɔkwale ni kɔɔ mɛnɛɛmɛi ateŋ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ he lɛ ni amɛkpɛlɛ nɔ, ni amɛkpɛlɛɔ gbɛhe ni amɛteŋ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ yɔɔ mli lɛ nɔ. (Mateo 28:19; okɛto Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 13:48 he.) Baptisimɔ lɛ ji shishijee gbɛ-kɔmɔ ni tsɔɔ toiboo ni afeɔ ahaa Nyɔŋmɔ kɛ heshibaa ni ayɔɔ kɛha esuɔmɔnaa nifeemɔ.
Ŋmalɛi lɛ fiii jamɔ mli susumɔ ni mɛi pii ena akɛ baptisimɔ ji duromɔ-namɔ, ni ji, jamɔ mli kusum-nifeemɔ ni kɛ hegbɛ—anunyam, krɔŋŋ-feemɔ, aloo mumɔŋ sɛɛnamɔ—haa mɔ ni abaptisi lɛ lɛ sɛɛ. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔ nɔ lɛ, paapa lɛ wolo ni Paapa Eugenius IV ŋma eha, ni atsɛ yisɛɛ yɛ sane ni tsɔ enɛ hiɛ lɛ mli lɛ tee nɔ ewie yɛ baptisimɔ he akɛ: “Nɔ ni jɛɔ nɛkɛ duromɔ-hamɔ nifeemɔ nɛɛ mli baa ji eshai fɛɛ jiemɔ, tsutsu nɔ kɛ nɔ ni afee diɛŋtsɛ lɛ fɛɛ; nakai nɔŋŋ eji yɛ esha he toigbalamɔ hu fɛɛ gbɛfaŋ. No hewɔ lɛ, nɔ ni jɛɔ mli baa ji akɛ, abiii ni mɛi ni abaptisi amɛ lɛ awo amɛ tsutsu eshai lɛ ahe nyɔmɔ; kɛji amɛgboi ni amɛfeko esha ko lɛ, amɛnine shɛɔ ŋwɛi maŋtsɛyeli lɛ kɛ Nyɔŋmɔ he ninaa nɔ amrɔ nɔŋŋ.”
Shi kɛlɛ, abaptisi Yesu, tsɛbelɛ “efeee esha” ko. (1 Petro 2:22) Kɛfata he lɛ, taakɛ Ŋmalɛi lɛ tsɔɔ lɛ, eshaifaa baa kɛtsɔɔ Yesu Kristo kpɔmɔ afɔleshaa lɛ pɛ nɔ. Anania wo Saul ni jɛ Tarso lɛ hewalɛ akɛ: “Tee shi ni oha abaptisio, ni afɔ ohe eshai lɛ ashwie ahao, ni obo otsɛ [Yesu] gbɛi.” (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 22:12-16) Hɛɛ, Yesu la ni afɔse ashwie shi lɛ kɛ ‘egbɛi lɛ tsɛmɔ’ yɛ hemɔkɛyeli mli pɛ nɔ atsɔɔ anyɛɔ anaa yiwalaheremɔ.—Hebribii 9:22; 1 Yohane 1:7.
Belɛ, Petro wiemɔi ni yɔɔ 1 Petro 3:21 lɛ hu? Ewie yɛ jɛmɛ akɛ: “No nɔŋŋ agbɛnɛ ehereɔ wɔ hu wɔyiwala yɛ baptisimɔ ni akɛ no to he okadi lɛ mli, nɔ ni jeee hewolo nɔ muji jiemɔ, shi moŋ eji henilee kpakpa kpaŋmɔ ni ekɛ Nyɔŋmɔ kpaŋɔ, kɛtsɔ Yesu Kristo shitee lɛ nɔ.” Petro kɛ baptisimɔ miito niiashikpamɔ ni Noa na, ni ji Nu Afua lɛ mli nui ni etsɔ mli lɛ he. (1Pe 3 Kuku 20) Akɛni Noa na hemɔkɛyeli kwraa yɛ Nyɔŋmɔ mli kɛmɔ shi hewɔ lɛ, ekpɛ adeka lɛ kɛha eweku lɛ yiwalaheremɔ (Hebribii 11:7) Nakai nɔŋŋ hu, kɛ wɔna Yehowa Nyɔŋmɔ kɛ gbɛjianɔ ni eto kɛha yiwalaheremɔ kɛtsɔ Kristo Yesu nɔ lɛ mli hemɔkɛyeli lɛ, abaanyɛ ahere gbɔmɛi ni yɔɔ ŋmɛnɛ lɛ ayiwala kɛjɛ amrɔ nɛɛ jeŋ fɔŋ nɛɛ mli. Esa akɛ amɛtsu nakai hemɔkɛyeli lɛ he nii hu. Kɛ amɛtsake amɛtsui kɛjɛ eshai ahe, ni amɛkpale yɛ amɛ gbɛ fɔŋ lɛ nɔ, ni amɛjɔɔ amɛhe nɔ kwraa amɛha Yehowa Nyɔŋmɔ yɛ sɔlemɔ mli lɛ, no tsɔɔ akɛ amɛmiibi Nyɔŋmɔ ni eha amɛ henilee kpakpa. Shi Yesu afɔleshaa lɛ, kɛ egbohiiashitee ni etsɔ nɔ ekɛ efɔleshaa lɛ jarawalɛ lɛ yaha Nyɔŋmɔ yɛ ŋwɛi lɛ nɔ atsɔɔ akɛ eshai faa ni anaa hegbɛ hu kɛhaa yiwalaheremɔ namɔ.—1 Petro 3:22.
Mɛni Obaafee?
Ani oji mɔ ko ni kɛ Yehowa Odasefoi ebɔ aahu be saŋŋ nɛ? Ekolɛ ofee tsakemɔi ni he hiaa yɛ oshihilɛ mli momo yɛ Biblia mli shishitoo mlai lɛ kɛ gbeekpamɔ naa, shi kɛlɛ, okɔko gbɛi ni he hiaa ni ji henɔjɔɔmɔ kɛ baptisimɔ lɛ. Ekolɛ osumɔɔ ni ofee Nyɔŋmɔ suɔmɔnaa nii, shi kɛlɛ osheɔ gbeyei akɛ baptisimɔ kɛ sɔ̃ ko baafɔ onɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, ekolɛ osumɔɔ ni otsi ohe kɛjɛ nakai gbɛnaa nii kɛ he-akɔntaabuu lɛ he fioo. Nyɛsɛɛ afi lɛ, gbɔmɛi aaashɛ akpekpei 11.5 ba Nuŋtsɔ lɛ Gbɛkɛnaashi Niyenii lɛ yeli shishi. Shi, mɛi ni naa nitsumɔ ni ji sanekpakpa shiɛmɔ lɛ mli gbɛfaŋnɔ yɛ afi muu lɛ fɛɛ mli lɛ ayifalɛ ni fe fɛɛ lɛ shɛɛɛ mɛi akpekpei 4.5. Enɛ tsɔɔ akɛ gbɔmɛi ni naa shɛɔ akpekpei kpawo miijie hiɛsɔɔ kpo yɛ Nyɔŋmɔ anɔkwale lɛ he, eyɛ mli akɛ amɛjeee Yehowa Odasefoi ni abaptisi amɛ. Eji anɔkwale akɛ, mɛnɛɛmɛi ateŋ mɛi komɛi lɛ, gbekɛbii ni darako kwraa kɛ mɛi heei ni yɔɔ wiemɔ lɛ he miishɛɛ ji amɛ. Shi mɛi ni kɛ amɛhe woɔ shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli lɛ ateŋ mɛi komɛi hu yɛ ni abaptisiko amɛ lolo. No hewɔ lɛ mɛi pii yɛ ni amɛna Biblia mli anɔkwa nilee lɛ, shi amɛhako gbɛjianɔ ni Nyɔŋmɔ eto kɛha yiwalaheremɔ lɛ he aba sɛɛnamɔ aha amɛ kɛtsɔ amɛ baptisimɔ nɔ.
Oti ko ni he hiaa ni sa kaimɔ ji akɛ, nɔ ni Nyɔŋmɔ taoɔ yɛ odɛŋ lɛ he nilee ni ona lɛ ji nɔ ni kɛ he-akɔntaabuu lɛ baa. Yakobo 4:17 kɛɔ akɛ: “Mɔ ni le ekpakpa-feemɔ ni efeee lɛ, esha ji nɔ ha Iɛ.” Ezekiel 33:7-9 tsɔɔ akɛ gbɛnaa nii ka mɔ ni atsɔɔ lɛ Nyɔŋmɔ kitai kɛ egbɛtsɔɔmɔi lɛ nɔ akɛ etsu he nii. No hewɔ lɛ sane lɛ diɛŋtsɛ kɔɔ anɔkwa suɔmɔ ni ayɔɔ kɛha Nyɔŋmɔ kɛ suɔmɔ diɛŋtsɛ hu akɛ aaasa E-hiɛ lɛ he. Gbɔmɔ ni yɔɔ suɔmɔ ni tamɔ nɛkɛ diɛŋtsɛ, ni eetao ni ena ekɛ Yehowa Nyɔŋmɔ teŋ wekukpaa krɛdɛɛ ko lɛ etsiŋ ehe naa kɛjɛŋ esuɔmɔ mli ni eeejɛ ejɔɔ ewala nɔ kwraa eha lɛ lɛ mli. Baptisimɔ ji nakai henɔjɔɔmɔ lɛ he okadi ni anaa yɛ kponɔ kɛkɛ. Eji gbɛ ni he hiaa kɛhaa yiwalaheremɔ. Anɔkwa heyelilɔi haa abaptisiɔ amɛ.—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 8:12.
Gbɛkpamɔi ni yɔɔ nyam ni Nyɔŋmɔ esaa eto aŋkroaŋkroi anɔkwafoi ni ejɔɔ amɛhe nɔ, yɛ jeŋ hee ni baa lɛ mli lɛ jara wa kwraa fe be kukuoo mli sɛɛnamɔi ni nɛkɛ nibii agbɛjianɔtoo momo ni efite nɛɛ kɛhaa. Kɛ wɔsusu Nyɔŋmɔ nine kpeteŋkpele lɛ he lɛ, ehaa gbɔmɔ he gbeyeishemɔ laajeɔ kwraa. (1 Korintobii 10:22; 1 Petro 5:6, 7) Lɛlɛŋ, amrɔ nɛɛ ji be ni sa akɛ obi ohe, taakɛ Etiopia piafonyo lɛ bi Filipo lɛ akɛ: Mɛni tsiɔ mibaptisimɔ gbɛ?”
[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 7]
Taakɛ Etiopia piafonyo lɛ bi lɛ, ani obiɔ ohe akɛ: “Mɛni tsiɔ mibaptisimɔ gbɛ?”