Ngaba Ufanele Ubhaptizwe?

MALUNGA nabantu abasisigidi baye babhaptizwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova kwiminyaka emithathu edluleyo. Oku kuthetha ukuthi ngokomlinganiselo kubhaptizwa abantu abangama-824 ngosuku, okanye rhoqo ngemizuzu esixhenxe kubhaptizwa abantu abane. Ngaba oku kufana neloo hlombe lalisenziwa ziinkonzo ngenkulungwane ye-15 neye-16?

Akunjalo, aba bantu abakhange babhaptizwe ngenxa yokunyanzelwa, njengenxalenye yezihlwele eziguqukayo, okanye ngenxa yokuchukunyiswa sisithethi esithile sonqulo. Baye babhaptizwa kuba uYesu Kristu, iNkosi neNkokeli yamaKristu, yayalela ukuba oku kwenziwe. Baye balandela amanyathelo nemigaqo eyamiselwa nguYesu neyayisetyenziswa ngabapostile awabanyulayo waza wabaqeqesha.

Emva kokuvuka kukaYesu ngaphambi kokunyukela kwakhe emazulwini, wanika abalandeli bakhe lo myalelo wokugqibela: “Hambani ngoko niye kuzenza abafundi zonke iintlanga, nibabhaptizela egameni loYise, loNyana, loMoya oyiNgcwele; nibafundisa ukuba bazigcine zonke izinto endiniwisele umthetho ngazo. Niyabona, mna ndinani yonke imihla kude kube sekuphelisweni kwephakade eli.” (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Ukususela ngelo xesha ukubheka phambili, olu kuphela kobhaptizo lwamanzi olwalamkelekile kuThixo.

Ngokuvisisana noko, iBhayibhile isixelela ukuba abo balandeli bakaKristu bamandulo baba “ngamangqina [kaYesu] eYerusalem, kwanakulo lonke elakwaYuda nelaseSamariya kude kuse nasekupheleni komhlaba.” (IZenzo 1:8) Njengoko uYesu wayexele kwangaphambili, umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela nowokufundisa wawuya kubangela ukuba kubhaptizwe amakholwa awayeya kuba ngabalandeli bakaKristu.

Umzekelo wokuqala woku wenzeka eYerusalem ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. Ngelo xesha umpostile uPetros “wema nabalishumi elinamnye” waza wathetha ngoYesu uMesiya kweso sihlwele sasihlanganisene. Ingxelo isixelela ukuba intetho yakhe ‘yabahlaba entliziyweni,’ baza babuza oko babefanele bakwenze. UPetros wathi, “Guqukani nibhaptizwe nonke ngabanye egameni likaYesu Kristu, ukuze nixolelwe izono.” Umphumo waba kukuba abo ‘balamkelayo ilizwi lakhe ngovuyo, babhaptizwa; kongezelelwa ngaloo mini imiphefumlo engathi imawaka mathathu.’ (IZenzo 2:14-41) Iingxelo ezilandelayo zingqina ukuba abafundi babebhaptizwa emva kokuba beye beva isigidimi samaKristu, bakholelwa kwiindaba ezilungileyo, baza baguquka.—IZenzo 8:12, 13, 34-38; 10:34-48; 16:30-34; 18:5, 8; 19:1-5.

Ngayiphi Indlela?

Kodwa aba bafundi batsha babeza kubhaptizwa njani emanzini? Ngaba kwakuza kuba ngokutshiza (ukufefa), ngokugalela (ukugalela entloko), okanye ngokuntywiliselwa (ukuntywiliselwa ngokupheleleyo)? Ibonisa ntoni ingxelo yeBhayibhile? Ekubeni uYesu wasishiya nomzekelo “ukuze silandele emkhondweni wakhe,” wabhaptizwa ngayiphi indlela?—1 Petros 2:21.

IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba uYesu wabhaptizwa eYordan, umlambo omkhulu. Emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe, wenyuka “ephuma emanzini.” (Marko 1:10; Mateyu 3:13, 16) Ngoko uYesu wantywiliselwa ngokuthe ngqo kuMlambo iYordan. Wabhaptizwa nguYohane, owathi, xa wayefuna indawo efanelekileyo yokubhaptizela, wakhetha indawo kwiNtlambo yeYordan kufuphi neSalem “ngokuba amanzi abe maninzi khona apho.” (Yohane 3:23) Isibakala sokuba ukuntywilisela ngokupheleleyo emanzini yayingumgaqo wobhaptizo owawusenziwa ngabalandeli bakaYesu sibonakala kumazwi ethenwa elingumTiyopiya. Lisabela kwimfundiso kaFilipu, lathi: “Nanga amanzi; kwala ntoni na ukuba ndingabhaptizwa?” Emva koko siphawula ukuba “behla bobabini, baya emanzini” yaye emva koko benyuka “baphuma emanzini.”—IZenzo 8:36-39.

Ngaba imbali yehlabathi ikwabonisa ukuba amaKristu ayebhaptiza ngohlobo lontywiliselo? Ngokwenene yenjenjalo. Yaye kubangela umdla ukuphawula ukuba iindawo ezininzi ezinkulu ekwakubhaptizelwa kuzo nezazilungele ukuntywilisela zisekho kumazwe amaninzi. Ulindixesha iMinistry uthi, “Ubungqina bezinto zakudala ezembiweyo bubonisa ukuba untywiliselo lwaluyindlela eqhelekileyo yokubhaptiza ebudeni beenkulungwane zokuqala ezilishumi ukuya kwezilishumi elinesine.” Wongezelela oku: “Kumabhodlo ezakhiwo zamaKristu okuqala kwanakwiicawa zamandulo ezisasetyenziswayo, imbali yobhaptizo lwamaKristu inokulandwa. Imizobo esemangcwabeni nakwiicawa, imifanekiso eyenziwe ngamatye amancinane kwimigangatho, ezindongeni, nakumaphahla, imifanekiso eqingqiweyo, imikrolo ekwimibhalo-ngqangi yamandulo yeTestamente Entsha inikela iinkcukacha ezingakumbi kule mbali . . . Oku kongezelela kubungqina obufumaneka kuyo yonke imibhalo yabaseki beecawa ethi untywiliselo lwaluyindlela eqhelekileyo yobhaptizo eyayisetyenziswa yicawa mandulo.”

INew Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma: “Kucacile ukuba kwiCawa yamandulo kwakuntywiliselwa xa kuBhaptizwa.” Ngoko, akumangalisi ukuba sifumana imixholo efana nale kumaphephandaba: “AmaKotolika Abuyisela UBhaptizo Ngohlobo Lokuntywilisela” (IThe Edmonton Journal, yaseKhanada, kaSeptemba 24, 1983), “UBhaptizo Ngohlobo Lokuntywilisela Lubalasele KumaKatolika Apha” (ISt. Louis Post-Dispatch, ka-Aprili 7, 1985), “AmaKatolika Amaninzi Akhetha UBhaptizo Ngohlobo Lokuntywilisela” (IThe New York Times, kaMatshi 25, 1989), nothi “UkuBhaptiza Ngohlobo Lokuntywilisela Ukuvuyela Ukuvuselelwa Kwalo” (IThe Houston Chronicle, ka-Agasti 24, 1991).

Ngayiphi Injongo?

Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu afune abalandeli bakhe babhaptizwe? Kaloku, lwaluyimbonakaliso efanelekileyo yokuzinikela kwabo ngentliziyo epheleleyo kuThixo. “Iindaba ezilungileyo” zaziza kushunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba, yaye kwakuza kwenziwa “abafundi zonke iintlanga.” (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19) Oku kwakuthetha ukuba uThixo wayengasasebenzisani nohlanga lwamaYuda ngokukhethekileyo, olwalungabantu ababezahlulele kuye ukususela ekuzalweni. UKorneli nentsapho yakhe babeziiNtlanga zokuqala, okanye abantu ababengengomaYuda, abamkela inyaniso engoYesu Kristu baza babhaptizwa.

Ukuntywiliselwa phantsi kwamanzi kwakubonisa ukuba abo babebhaptizwa babefile kwikhondo lokuziphilela ubomi babo. Ukunyuswa kwabo bephuma emanzini kwakubonisa ukuba ngoku babephilela ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo yaye bekubeka kwindawo yokuqala ebomini babo, njengoko uYesu wenzayo. (Mateyu 16:24) Ukubhaptizwa kwabo “egameni loYise, loNyana, loMoya oyiNgcwele” kwabonisa ukuba babefunde baza bamkela inyaniso ngokuphathelele aba baza bakuqonda oko bakuko. (Mateyu 28:19; thelekisa IZenzo 13:48.) Ubhaptizo lwalulinyathelo nje lokuqala lokuthobela uThixo nokuvuma ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe.

IZibhalo aziyixhasi imbono yonqulo ekhoyo ngokubanzi yokuba ubhaptizo ngumgaqo-nqulo, oko kukuthi, umbhiyozo wonqulo wokudlulisela umvuzo—uzuko, ubungcwele, okanye ingenelo yokomoya—kulowo ubhaptiziweyo. Ngokomzekelo, umthetho wecawa kaPopu Eugenius IV ocatshulwe kwinqaku elandulela eli ngokuphathelele ubhaptizo wahlabela mgama wathi: “Umphumo walo mgaqo-nqulo kukushenxiswa kwaso sonke isono, esengqalo nesangoku; ngokunjalo nokwaso sonke isohlwayo esifanele isono. Ngokomphumo, akukho sohlwayo ngezono ezidluleyo esifunyanwa ngabo babhaptiziweyo; yaye ukuba bayafa ngaphambi kokuba bone, ngokukhawuleza bafumana ubukumkani bamazulu baze babone uThixo.”

Noko ke, uYesu wabhaptizwa nangona ‘engenzanga sono.’ (1 Petros 2:22) Ngaphezu koko, ngokutsho kweZibhalo, izono zishenxiswa kuphela ngedini lentlawulelo likaYesu Kristu. UHananiya wabongoza uSawule waseTarso: “Sukume, ubhaptizwe, uhlambulule izono zakho ngokubiza egameni [likaYesu].” (IZenzo 22:12-16, NW) Ewe, usindiso lunokubakho kuphela ngokuphalala kwegazi likaYesu ‘nangokubiza egameni lakhe’ unokholo.—Hebhere 9:22; 1 Yohane 1:7.

Ngoko, kuthekani ngamazwi kaPetros akweyoku-1 kaPetros 3:21? Apho uthi: “Olusisindisayo ngawo nathi ngoku ubhaptizo ngokomfuziselo; olungekuko ukulahla ubunyhukunyhuku benyama; olukukubuzisa kuThixo kwesazela esilungileyo ngokuvuka kukaYesu Kristu.” UPetros wayefanisa ubhaptizo namava kaNowa okusinda kumanzi kaNogumbe. (1Pe 3 Indinyana 20) UNowa, ebonakalisa ukholo olupheleleyo kuThixo, wakha umkhombe wokusindisa indlu yakhe. (Hebhere 11:7) Ngokufanayo, ngokuba nokholo kuYehova uThixo nakumalungiselelo akhe osindiso ngoKristu Yesu, abantu namhlanje banokusindiswa kweli hlabathi lingendawo likhoyo. Bakwamele benze ngokuvisisana nokholo olunjalo. Ngokuguquka ezonweni, ngokubuya kwikhondo elingalunganga, ngokuzahlulela kuYehova uThixo ngomthandazo bengagogotye lutho, bacela isazela esilungileyo kuThixo. Kodwa kungedini likaYesu, novuko lwakhe awasa ngalo ixabiso lelo dini kuThixo emazulwini, ekunokuthi izono zixolelwe kuze kufumaneke usindiso.—1 Petros 3:22.

Uya Kwenza Ntoni?

Ngaba uye wanxulumana namaNgqina kaYehova kangangexesha elithile? Mhlawumbi sele uzenzile iinguqulelo ezifunekayo ebomini bakho ngokuvisisana nemigaqo yeBhayibhile kodwa awukawathabathi amanyathelo okuzahlulela nawokubhaptizwa. Usenokufuna ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, kodwa usenokoyika ukuba ubhaptizo luya kukubophelela. Ekugqibeleni, usenokukhetha ukuyiphepha imbopheleleko enjalo nokuphenduliswa kangangexesha elithile. Abantu abamalunga ne-11,5 lezigidi baye beza kwisikhumbuzo Sesidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa kunyaka ophelileyo. Noko ke, abantu ababenesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuwo wonke unyaka bebengaphantsi kwe-4,5 lezigidi. Oku kuthetha ukuba malunga nabantu abazizigidi ezisixhenxe babonakalisa uxabiso oluthile ngenyaniso kaThixo, nangona bengengawo amaNgqina kaYehova abhaptiziweyo. Kakade ke, abanye baba ngabantwana abasebancinane nabo basundul’ ukuba nomdla. Kodwa bambi babo banesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela nabo abakabhaptizwa. Baninzi abantu abaye bazuza ulwazi oluchanileyo lweBhayibhile kodwa abakalamkeli ngokupheleleyo ilungiselelo likaThixo losindiso ngokuthi babhaptizwe.

Ingongoma ebalulekileyo emele ikhunjulwe kukuba lulwazi loko uThixo akufunayo kuwe olukwenza uphenduliswe. UYakobi 4:17 uthi, “Ngoko kowaziyo ukwenza okuhle, angakwenzi, kulowo kusisono.” UHezekile 33:7-9 ubonisa ukuba umntu oxelelweyo ngemithetho nemiyalelo kaThixo unembopheleleko yokuyiphumeza. Ngoko imbambano ikukuba ubani unalo kusini na uthando olunyanisekileyo ngoThixo nomnqweno wokwenene wokumkholisa. Umntu onalo ngenene uthando olunjalo yaye efuna ulwalamano olukhethekileyo noYehova uThixo akukho nto inokumbamba ukuba anikele ubomi bakhe kuye engagogotye lutho. Ubhaptizo luyimbonakaliso yasekuhleni yolo zahlulelo. Linyathelo eliyimfuneko lokuya elusindisweni. Amakholwa okwenene ayabhaptizwa.—IZenzo 8:12.

Amathemba azukileyo uThixo awabekele abo bazahluleleyo bathembekileyo kwihlabathi elitsha elizayo angaphezulu kude lee kunazo naziphi na iingenelo zokwexeshana ezingathi zikho kule nkqubo yezinto ingendawo. Ukoyika abanye abantu kuthi shwaka xa sicinga ngesandla sikaThixo esinamandla. (1 Korinte 10:22; 1 Petros 5:6, 7) Eneneni, eli lithuba lokuba uzibuze, njengokuba ithenwa elingumTopiya labuza uFilipu: “Kwala ntoni na ukuba ndingabhaptizwa?”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Njengethenwa elingumTiyopiya, ngaba uyazibuza: “Kwala ntoni na ukuba ndingabhaptizwa?”