Ukuthelela Abagcini Bengqibelelo BakaYehova

“Mna ke okwam ndihamba engqibelelweni yam; . . . Ndimbonga uYehova ndisemabandleni.”—INDUMISO 26:11, 12.

1, 2. (a) Zimbi iinkonzo zeNgqobhoko ziye zabafumana njani abalandeli? (b) Yiyiphi indlela yokufundisa eyasetyenziswa nguYesu? (Mateyu 11:28-30)

NGOWE-1985, kwabakho abantu abali-189 800 ababhaptizwayo ukufuzisela uzahlulelo lwabo kuYehova njengamaNgqina akhe angamaKristu. Lowo ngumlinganiselo wabantu abangama-520 ngosuku. Bonke aba bantu basenza njani isigqibo sabo sokuba babhaptizwe? Ngaba baya kwintlanganiso yezihlwele, baphulaphula kumfundisi owayeqhutywa ziimvakalelo, baza ke benza isigqibo esithile esasiphenjelelwa ziimvakalelo kuKristu? Leyo yindlela ezinye iinkonzo zamaProtestanti nezabaVangeli ezisebenza ngayo. Kodwa ngaba leyo yindlela uKristu abafumana ngayo abalandeli?

² Xa sikuhlolisisa ngenyameko ukushumayela kukaYesu esidlangalaleni, asimfumani engowayephembelela iimvakalelo. Ngokomzekelo, ngaba wazama ukuchukumisa iintliziyo zabaphulaphuli bakhe ngeekwayala zomculo neengoma? Okanye ngaba wasebenzisa ubuchule bobukrelekrele ukwenza abaphulaphuli bakhe ukuba bazive benetyala aze ke ababangele ukuba bazipokothe? Ngokwahlukileyo koko, indlela yakhe yokufundisa yabangela abantu ukuba bacinge baze baqiqe. Ekubeni inkoliso yabaphulaphuli bakhe yayingamaYuda, ayesele enolwazi ngeZibhalo zesiHebhere. Wayenokuwenza ukuba aqiqe ngesiseko solwazi lwawo lwangaphambili ukuze amqonde yena njengoMesiya.—Mateyu, isahluko 5-7; Luka 13:10-21.

3. Sazi njani ukuba uPawulos wayengaphembeleli iimvakalelo ekufundiseni kwakhe?

³ Ngokufanayo, nangona wayegqalwa njengowayeswele ubuchule bokuthetha, uPawulos wasebenzisa ubuchule bokuqiqa. (IZenzo 20:7-9; 2 Korinte 10:10; 11:6) Wabhala oku: “Ndiyanivuselela ngoko, bazalwana, ngeemfefe zikaThixo, ukuba niyinikele imizimba yenu ibe lidini eliphilileyo, elingcwele, elikholekileyo kuThixo: inkonzo yenu ke leyo yasengqondweni. . . . Manibe kumila kumbi ngokuhlaziyeka kwengqiqo yenu, ukuze nikucikide into okuyiyo ukuthanda kukaThixo okulungileyo, okukholekileyo, okuzalisekileyo.”—Roma 12:1, 2.

4. Ngaphambi kokuba umntu abe angabhaptizwa njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, ngawaphi amanyathelo amele awathabathe?

⁴ Ngokukwanjalo namhlanje, abo babhaptizwayo bangabantu abaye bazifundisisa iZibhalo baza baqiqa ngenyameko ngazo ngaphambi kokuba bathabathe inyathelo elinzulu lokubhaptizwa, okanye ukuntywiliseIwa ngokupheleleyo emanzini. (IZenzo 17:11, 12) Isigqibo sabo asibanga sesokungxama beqhutywa ziimvakalelo. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, ngaphambi kokuba bamkelelwe ukubhaptizwa, baye baya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu ngembono yokufumana ulwazi oluchanileyo ngoYehova uThixo neenjongo zakhe ngoKristu Yesu. (Hebhere 10:25) Kwakhona baye banenxaxheba ngokuthe rhoqo kubulungiseleli bamaKristu, besabelana nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. (IZenzo 5:42; 1 Korinte 9:16) Emva koko, kwiiveki zokugqibela ngaphambi kokubhaptizwa kwabo, baye baphinda bayihlolisisa ngenyameko nabadala abahlukahlukeneyo bebandla imibuzo engaphezu kwe-120 yemfundiso nehambo yamaKristu, kunye nezicatshulwa ezininzi zeBhayibhile ezixhasa oko eziye zaqwalaselwa—konke oku kwenzelwa ukuba babe ngabagcini bengqibelelo abamkelekileyo ngaphambi kokubhaptizwa kwabo.—IZenzo 8:34-36.a

Umahluko Owenziwa Lubhaptizo

5. Liliphi ikhondo lehambo elifanisa umntu ngoxa ebhaptizwa?

⁵ Yintoni umntu ayiphumezayo ngokubhaptizwa? Okokuqala, uzifanisa noyena mgcini wengqibelelo mkhulu owakha wakho emhlabeni—uKristu Yesu. Yena wamisela umzekelo ngokubhaptizwa xa wayeneminyaka engama-30 ubudala. (Luka 3:21-23) Emva koko wayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bafundise baze babhaptize ukutyhubela ihlabathi. (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Kodwa ngaba wayethetha ukuba abafundi bakhe babefanele babhaptize nje bonke abantu kungabikho mahluko yaye kungathethwa nto ngehambo yabo yangoku?

6, 7. (a) Yintoni efunekayo ngomlandeli kaKristu wokwenyaniso? (b) Ubungcwele buthetha ntoni?

⁶ Umpostile uPetros uvakalisa imbono elungileyo xa ebhala esithi: “Nibe ngcwele nani ngokwenu kuyo yonke ihambo. Ngenxa enokuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, Yibani ngcwele, ngokuba ndingcwele mna.” (1 Petros 1:15, 16) Ke, kumKristu ozahluleleyo, kuthetha ukuthini ukuba “ngcwele”?

⁷ Ngokwe-Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words kaW. E. Vine, igama lesiGrike elithi haʹgi·os (eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ngcwele”) “ngokusisiseko lithetha ukwahluka . . . yaye ngenxa yoko, eSibhalweni kwintsingiselo yalo yokuziphatha nengokomoya, kukwahlukana nesono yaye ngoko ke uzinikele kuThixo.” Omnye umphengululi ongumGrike uthi “kukufana noThixo ngokweempawu.” Oku kuqondwa kwalo kuvelisa umlinganiselo ophakamileyo kwabo baza kubhaptizwa njengamaKristu okwenyaniso. Ngumlinganiselo wengqibelelo, yaye ingqibelelo ‘kukunamathela ngokuqinileyo kumthetho wokuxabiseka kokuziphatha’—kwimeko yamaKristu, ukuxabiseka kukaKristu.—Yohane 17:17-19; 18:36, 37.

8. (a) Yiyiphi imilinganiselo eyayesamele kwibandla lamaKristu okuqala ngokubhekisele kwihambo? (b) Ngaba iNgqobhoko iye yayilandela loo milinganiselo? Nika imizekelo yeziganeko zasekuhlaleni.

⁸ Ibandla lamaKristu okwenyaniso belisoloko lizingisa kwingqibelelo, ligcine intlangano ecocekileyo. Ngaloo ndlela uPawulos wayalela amaKristu okuqala ukuba ‘angazidibanisi nosukuba enegama lokuba ngumzalwana, ukanti wenza umbulo, nokuba ulibawa, nokuba ungumkhonzi wezithixo, nokuba ungumtshabhisi, nokuba ulinxila, nokuba ungumphangi; ningakhe nidle nokudla nonjalo. Ize nimnyothule nina lowo ungendawo.’ (1 Korinte 5:9-13; 2 Yohane 10, 11) Ngaba abefundisi beNgqobhoko baye bawusebenzisa loo mlinganiselo uphakamileyo wengqibelelo kwimihlambi yabo? INgqobhoko ibamkela—njengamalungu ayo ahamba nje okanye akhutheleyo—abantu abenza rhoqo isono okanye ulwaphulo-mthetho olunzulu lwalo naluphi na uhlobo. Imigaqo yeBhayibhile ayikuvumeli ukuyekelela okunjalo.—Thelekisa uYeremiya 8:5, 6, 10.

9. Yintoni etsalela abantu abaninzi kuzahlulelo nobhaptizo?

⁹ Ngenxa yalo mlinganiselo uphakamileyo okumaNgqina kaYehova, abo bathanda inyaniso nengqibelelo batsalelwa ekubeni bazahlulele kwiNkosi enguMongami wendalo iphela, uYehova uThixo. (Habhakuki 3:18, 19) Babona umahluko ocacileyo phakathi kwehambo yeenkonzo zehlabathi naleyo yamaNgqina kaYehova. Kuyinyaniso ukuba, abantu abaninzi bayalugatya unqulo olunyulu. (1 Petros 4:3, 4) Kanti abathandi bengqibelelo bangena enyanisweni bengamawaka. Babonakalisa uthando lwabo ngoThixo nemilinganiselo yakhe xa bebhaptizwa ngamanzi.—Thelekisa uMarko 1:10; Yohane 3:23; IZenzo 8:36.

Ingqibelelo Isekelwe Kuthando Nakunyamezelo

10. Yintoni efunekayo ngomKristu ukuze agcine ingqibelelo yakhe?

¹⁰ Ingqibelelo inomvuzo. UYesu wakwenza kwacaca oko xa wamema abantu ukuba babe ngabalandeli bakhe. “Osukuba ethanda ukundilandela, makazincame [“makashiye okungasemva,” The New English Bible], awuthwale umnqamlezo wakhe, andilandele ke.” (Marko 8:34) Ikhondo lengqibelelo yamaKristu libandakanya iimvavanyo nokuzincama ngesizathu esinye kokwenzeka kuKristu—sinotshaba olunye, uSathana. (Efese 6:11, 12) Ngaloo ndlela kufuneka unyamezelo ukuze silandele uYesu. Ngenxa yeso sizathu, ukuzahlulela akubandakanyi nje isigqibo esilula; kumele kungabi ngumnqweno nje ophelayo. Kanti abambalwa baye bayishiya inyaniso kwiinyanga okanye kwiminyaka embalwa yokubhaptizwa kwabo. Sinokukucacisa njani oko?

11. Kutheni le nto, mhlawumbi, bambi bengaqhubekanga nekhondo lengqibelelo?

¹¹ Mhlawumbi bambi babhaptizwa bekwimo yokuqhutywa ziimvakalelo kunokuba kwimo esengqiqweni yengqondo. Kusenokuba abanye babefuna imiphumo ekhawulezileyo baza benza uzahlulelo lokuzingca, lokwexeshana. Enoba singayintoni na isizathu, balulahla ulwalamano lwabo olomeleleyo noYehova. Abazange ‘base amehlo’ kuwo uMzekelo wabo, uYesu Kristu. (Hebhere 12:1, 2) Ngokomphumo, uthando lwabo ngoThixo lwaphela yaza ingqibelelo yabo yayeyokwexeshana. Kutheni le nto uthando lunguthunywashe obaluleke gqitha nje? Kungenxa yokuba lukukuphela kwesiseko esiqinileyo sokuzahlulela kuYehova okuhlala kuhleli.—Marko 12:30, 31; 1 Yohane 4:7, 8, 16; 5:3.

Ukubala Indleko Yengqibelelo

12. Liliphi ikhondo lobulumko elimele lithatyathwe ngaphambi kobhaptizo?

¹² UYesu akazange akhuthaze abafundi bakhe ukuba bamlandele ngokumfamekileyo ngaphandle kokubala indleko. Wabaluleka wathi: “Kuba nguwuphi na kuni othi, ethanda ukwakha inqaba, angakhe ahlale phantsi kuqala, abale indleko, ukuba unazo na izinto zokuyigqiba?” Ewe, umntu ophaphileyo usilinganisa ngenyameko isenzo sekhondo lekamva lakhe. Umele aqiniseke ngentshukumisa yakhe ngaphambi kokwamkela imbopheleleko epheleleyo yozahlulelo nobhaptizo lwamaKristu. Yaye uYesu wabonisa okunokuthethwa koko xa waqukumbela wathi: “Ngokukwanjalo ngoko, wonke umntu kuni ongazishiyiyo zonke iimpahla zakhe, akanakuba ngumfundi wam.”—Luka 14:28-33.

13. Ukuba imbalasane yokufundisa kaYesu iluthando, wayethetha ukuthini xa wathetha ‘ngokuthiya’ amalungu entsapho kabani? (Mateyu 22:37-40)

¹³ Ukuzahlulela kuYehova kufuna ingqibelelo yomphefumlo uphela ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo. Akukho mntu okanye into enokuvunyelwa ukuba igqwese uthando lukabani ngoThixo. Kungenxa yoko le nto uYesu wathi: “Ukuba ubani uza kum, angamthiyi uyise, nonina, nomfazi, nabantwana, nabazalwana, noodade, nobakhe ubomi, akanakuba ngumfundi wam.” (Luka 14:26) Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu xa wathetha ngokuthiya amalungu entsapho kabani kwanaye ngokwakhe? Ekubeni wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathande kwaneentshaba zabo, apha walisebenzisa ngokwayiphi ingqiqo igama elithi ukuthiya? (Luka 6:27, 35) Apha ukuthiya kunengcamango yokuthanda kancinane.—Thelekisa uMateyu 12:46-50.

14. Zimbi izihlobo nezalamane zisabela njani xa ubani esiba lingqina likaYehova? (Yohane 15:18, 19)

¹⁴ Ngokuqinisekileyo xa umntu esiba ngumKristu olingqina likaYehova, ngequbuliso ufumana abo bangabahlobo bakhe bokwenyaniso. Mhlawumbi bambi banokumcekisa okanye bamgculele ngenxa yokuba elushiyile unqulo lwakhe lwangaphambili, nakubeni bona ngokwabo bengengabo nabaluphi na unqulo ngokufanelekileyo. Kodwa uYesu wathembisa ukuba kwakuya kubakho imbuyekezo ngayo nayiphi na ilahleko elolo hlobo, esithi: “Akukho namnye ushiye indlu, nokuba ngabazalwana, nokuba ngoodade, nokuba nguyise, nokuba ngunina, nokuba ngumfazi, nokuba ngabantwana, nokuba ngamasimi, ngenxa yam nangenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo ezi, ongayi kuthi amkeliswe kalikhulu: ngoku ngeli xesha, . . . nakwelizayo iphakade, ubomi obungunaphakade.”—Marko 10:29, 30.

15. Kutheni le nto bambi benokuwasingela phantsi amaNgqina kaYehova?

¹⁵ Kwiimeko ezithile ikhondo lokuzahlulela nengqibelelo linokuthetha ukungahlonitshwa ngabanye abantu. (1 Korinte 4:12, 13) Kutheni oko kufanele kube njalo nje? Kungenxa yokuba ngoku ungowonqulo olungajongwa “luloluhloniphekileyo.” (Thelekisa uMarko 2:15, 16.) Ngaphezu koko, akuyontlonipho ‘ukuhamba ukhathaza abanye abantu ngonqulo lwakho kwindlu ngendlu.’ Akuyontlonipho ukuya entolongweni kunokwaphula ubundilele bukabani kwimibandela engobuhlanga nokuthand’ izwe. (Yohane 18:36) Akuyontlonipho ukwala ukutofelwa igazi ngenxa yesazela esiqeqeshwe yiBhayibhile—nangona isibetho esikhoyo seAIDS sibenza abanye abantu ukuba bacinge kabini ngalo mba.—Thelekisa IZenzo 15:28, 29; 17:6, 7; 24:5.

16. Sincedwa njani ukuze sigcine ingqibelelo yethu?

¹⁶ Nakubeni indlela yengqibelelo yamaKristu imxinwa yaye ivavanya, sinalo uncedo oluhlala luhleli olufumanekayo. (Mateyu 7:13, 14) Ngoko ke uPawulos wayenokuthi: “Ndinokuzenza izinto zonke, ndikulowo undomelezayo.” (Filipi 4:13) Ibe sinokuwafumana loo mandla ngokuthandaza rhoqo, ngokufundisisa iLizwi likaThixo nangokunxulumana nebandla lamaKristu. Njengabagcini bengqibelelo ababhaptiziweyo, sinokuhlala sithembekile yaye sinyanisekile, ngoncedo lwamandla uThixo awanikelayo.—Efese 4:11-13; 6:18; INdumiso 119:105.

Iingenelo Zekhondo Lokugcina Ingqibelelo

17. Ubhaptizo lunokukhokelela kuziphi iintsikelelo?

¹⁷ Inyathelo lokuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa likhokelela kwiintsikelelo ezininzi. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, linokuthetha ubulungiseleli obandisiweyo nobanelisa ngakumbi. Kukho ithemba lenkonzo yekamva njengovulindlela ongumncedani, okunokuthi kwiimeko ezithile kukhokelele kumsebenzi wokuba nguvulindlela othe ngxi nokhethekileyo, kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni, kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba nowesithili nenkonzo yaseBheteli. (Bona ibhokisi kwiphepha 26.) Kubazalwana ababhaptiziweyo indlela ivulekele ukukhonza abanye ebandleni njengesicaka solungiselelo yaye, ekuhambeni kwexesha, njengomdala. Kodwa kuzo zonke ezi ntsikelelo, kukho imfuneko enye esisiseko—ingqibelelo.—1 Timoti 3:1-10.

18. Ubomi bethu bokuzahlulela bufanele bubachaphazele njani abanye esidibana nabo?

¹⁸ Iingenelo zobomi bokuzahlulela nengqibelelo zichaphazela abanye. Ngenxa yokulandela ngokusondeleyo umzekelo kaKristu, ubani uba yindoda okanye umfazi, ubawo okanye umama olungileyo. (1 Petros 2:21; Efese 5:21-33; 6:4) Ulutsha luvelisa ulwalamano olwakhayo nabazali balo, abafundisi-ntsapho balo nabadala bebandla. (Tito 2:6, 7) Wonke umKristu obhaptiziweyo uba ngummelwane, umqeshi, okanye umqeshwa olungileyo. (Mateyu 22:39; Efese 6:5-9; Tito 2:9, 10) Ibe njengoKristu, wonke umKristu ufanele abe nonxulumano oluhlaziyayo nabanye, kwananjengokuba uYesu wathi: “Thabathani idyokhwe yam niyithwale, nifunde kum; ngokuba ndinobulali, ndithobekile ngentliziyo; noyifumanela ukuphumla imiphefumlo yenu.”—Mateyu 11:29.

19. Yiyiphi enye ingenelo enkulu ebangelwa kukuthabatha inyathelo lokuzahlulela?

¹⁹ Ingenelo enkulu ekuthabatheni inyathelo lokuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa kukufumana ulwalamano oluseluxolweni noMdali. Olu lwalamano lukhokelela kuxolo lwengqondo. Kunjengokuba uPawulos waluleka wathi: “Ningaxhaleli nto; mazithi iingcelo zenu ezintweni zonke, ngako ukuthandaza nokukhunga, ndawonye nokubulela, zaziswe kuye uThixo. Lwaye uxololukaThixo, olugqithisele kuko konke ukuqonda, luya kuzigcina iintliziyo zenu neengqiqo zenu kuKristu Yesu.”—Filipi 4:6, 7.

20. (a) “Uxolo lukaThixo” lusekelwe entwenini? (b) Liliphi ithuba elivulekele umntu obhaptizwayo?

²⁰ “Uxolo lukaThixo” lusekelwe ekuwuqondeni nzulu umzekelo nokuzincama kukaYesu. Olu lwazi ngoKristu lukhokelela abantu abaninzi kwinguquko yokwenene nasekuyiguquleni ngokwenyaniso ihambo, okanye ‘ukubuya’ kwisono. (IZenzo 3:19, 20) Ngenxa yoko, njengokuba umdumisi wenzayo, abantu abazahluleleyo bathi: “Mna ke okwam ndihamba engqibelelweni yam; . . . Ndimbonga uYehova ndisemabandleni.” (INdumiso 26:11, 12) Umntu obhaptizwa emanzini ukufuzisela ukuzahlulela kwakhe kuThixo uthelela abagcini bengqibeleio bakaYehova abasehlabathini jikelele. (1 Petros 2:17) ‘Kwakhona uyabubamba ubomi obungunaphakade,’ obuthenjiswe nguYehova ngoKristu Yesu.—1 Timoti 6:19; Tito 1:2.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

◻ AmaKristu okuqala atsalelwa njani okokuqala kwinyaniso eyayifundiswa nguKristu nabapostile?

◻ Ubungcwele buhlobene njani nomKristu ngamnye nebandla?

◻ Ingqibelelo imele isekelwe entwenini?

◻ Kubandakanyeke ntoni ekubaleni indleko yengqibelelo?

◻ Ziyintoni iingenelo zokugcina ingqibelelo?

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 26]

Amalungelo kubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo

Uvulindlela Ongumncedani: Umlungiseleli obhaptiziweyo ochitha ubuncinane iiyure ezingama-60 kumsebenzi wokushumayela ebudeni benyanga.

Uvulindlela Othe Ngxi: Umlungiseleli obhaptiziweyo ochitha umlinganiselo weeyure ezingama-90 ngenyanga kumsebenzi wokushumayela.

Uvulindlela Okhethekileyo: Umlungiseleli obhaptiziweyo ochitha ubuncinane iiyure ezili-140 ngenyanga kubulungiseleli nofumana imali encinane ngenyanga yeenkcitho ezisisisekelo. Aba vulindlela badla ngokwabelwa kumaqela akwanti nakumabandla amancinane.

Umvangeli Wasemazweni WaseGiliyadi: Umlungiseleli obhaptiziweyo oye waqeqeshelwa inkonzo kumazwe angaphandle kwisikolo seBhayibhile saseGiliyadi seWatchtower nokwachitha ubuncinane iiyure ezili-140 ngenyanga kubulungiseleli.

Abavangeli Besiphaluka Nabesithili: Abadala abahambahambayo abatyelela amabandla neziphaluka ngembono yokwakha abazalwana kubulungiseleli nakwiintlanganiso zabo. Bachitha iiyure ezininzi kwinkonzo yasentsimini.

Inkonzo YaseBheteli: Yenziwa ngabalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo kuyo nayiphi na yeeofisi zesebe zeWatch Tower Society nakwiindawo zokushicilela ehlabathini jikelele.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Ubhaptizo luvula indlela . . .

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

. . . yokungena kubulungiseleli bokugcina ingqibelelo