Ubhaptizwa Egameni Likabani Nelantoni?

‘Hambani ke ngoko niye kwenza abafundi, nibabhaptiza egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele.’—MAT. 28:19.

1, 2. (a) Yintoni eyenzekayo eYerusalem ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E.? (b) Yintoni eyabangela ukuba izihlwele zichukumiseke yaye zibhaptizwe?

IYERUSALEM yayizele ithe qhu zizihlwele ezivela kumazwe amaninzi. Ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., kwakukho iindwendwe ezininzi ezazize emsithweni. Kodwa kwenzeka into engaqhelekanga, yaye emva koko umpostile uPetros wanikela intetho echukumisayo. AmaYuda amalunga nama-3 000 aquka abo babeguqukele ebuYudeni achukunyiswa yiloo ntetho, aguquka aza abhaptizwa emanzini. Emva koko baba yinxalenye yebandla lamaKristu elalisandul’ ukumiselwa. (IZe. 2:41) Ukubhaptizwa kwabantu abaninzi ngolu hlobo emachibini aseYerusalem kumele ukuba kwabangela ingxokozelo!

² Yintoni eyabangela ukuba kubhaptizwe abantu abaninzi kangaka? Ngaloo mini “kwabakho ingxolo evela ezulwini enjengaleyo kanye yempepho ebhudla ngamandla.” Kwigumbi eliphezulu lendlu ethile, abafundi bakaYesu abali-120 bazaliswa ngumoya oyingcwele. Emva koko, amadoda namabhinqa awoyika uThixo awayehlanganisene apho achukumiseka kukuva abafundi ‘bethetha ngeelwimi ezahlukileyo.’ Kubantu abaninzi ababephulaphule oko kwakuthethwa nguPetros noko wakuthethayo ngokufa kukaYesu, “kwathi xhokro entliziyweni.” Kwafuneka benze ntoni? UPetros waphendula wathi: “Guqukani, yaye ngamnye wenu makabhaptizwe egameni likaYesu Kristu . . . , kwaye niya kwamkela isipho sesisa somoya oyingcwele.”—IZe. 2:1-4, 36-38.

3. Yintoni ekwafuneka yenziwe ngamaYuda aguqukileyo nabo babeguqukele ebuYudeni ngomhla wePentekoste?

³ Khawucinge ngolwazi awayenalo ngonqulo loo maYuda nabo babeguqukele ebuYudeni ababephulaphule uPetros. Babesele bemamkele uYehova njengoThixo wabo. Ngokusuka kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere babewazi umoya oyingcwele, amandla kaThixo awawasebenzisa ekudaleni nasekwenzeni ezinye izinto. (Gen. 1:2; ABagwe. 14:5, 6; 1 Sam. 10:6; INdu. 33:6) Kodwa kwakufuneka bazi okungakumbi. Kwakufuneka baqonde baze bamkele ilungiselelo likaThixo losindiso—uMesiya, onguYesu. Ngenxa yeso sizathu, uPetros wabethelela imfuneko ‘yokubhaptizwa egameni likaYesu Kristu.’ Kwiintsuku ezingaphambi koko uYesu ovusiweyo wayalela uPetros nabanye ukuba babhaptize abantu “egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele.” (Mat. 28:19, 20) Oko kwakunentsingiselo ebalulekileyo ngenkulungwane yokuqala, yaye kusenayo nangoku. Yiyiphi?

Egameni LoYise

4. Abantu ababesele benolwalamano noYehova kwafuneka benze luphi utshintsho?

⁴ Njengokuba sele kubonisiwe, abo babephulaphule intetho kaPetros babengabanquli bakaYehova yaye babesele benolwalamano naye. Babezama ukuphila ngeMithetho yakhe yaye yiloo nto eyayibangele ukuba beze eYerusalem. (IZe. 2:5-11) Noko ke, uThixo wayetshintshe indlela awayeqhubana ngayo nabantu. Wawagatya amaYuda aza ayeka ukuba luhlanga lwakhe olukhethekileyo; ngoko ukugcina kwawo uMthetho kwakungasayi kubangela ukuba uThixo akholiswe ngawo. (Mat. 21:43; Kol. 2:14) Ngenxa yoko ukuba abo babephulaphule babefuna ukuqhubeka benolwalamano noYehova, kwakufuneka benze okungakumbi.

5, 6. Yintoni eyenziwa ngamaYuda amaninzi nabo babeguqukele ebuYudeni ukuze babe nolwalamano noThixo?

⁵ Oku kwakungathethi ukuba kufuneka bashiye uYehova, onguMniki-bomi. (IZe. 4:24) Abo babephulaphule ingcaciso kaPetros babona kakuhle ukuba uYehova nguBawo onobubele. Wathumela uMesiya ukuba aze kubahlangula yaye wayekulungele ukuxolela nabo uPetros awathi kubo: “Yonke indlu kaSirayeli mayazi ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba uThixo umenze iNkosi wamenza noKristu, lo Yesu nambethelelayo nina.” Eneneni, abo babevisisanisa izenzo zabo noko kwakuthethwa nguPetros babeya kuba nezizathu ezingakumbi zokuba noxabiso ngoko uBawo akwenzele bonke abantu abafuna ukuba nolwalamano noThixo!—Funda iZenzo 2:30-36.

⁶ Enyanisweni, loo maYuda nabo babeguqukele ebuYudeni baqonda ukuba, ukuba nolwalamano noYehova kwakuquka ukugqala uYehova olungiselele usindiso ngoYesu. Iyaqondakala ke into yokuba baguquke kwizono zabo eziquka ukuba negalelo ekubulaleni uYesu. Yaye babefanele ‘nokuqhubeka bezinikela emfundisweni yabapostile’ kwiintsuku ezilandelayo. (IZe. 2:42) Babenako ‘ukusondela benenkululeko yokuthetha kwitrone yobubele obungasifanelanga.’—Heb. 4:16.

7. Abantu abaninzi namhlanje baye bayitshintsha njani imbono yabo ngoThixo baza babhaptizwa egameni loYise?

⁷ Namhlanje abantu abazizigidi abaneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo baye bafunda inyaniso eseBhayibhileni ngoYehova. (Isa. 2:2, 3) Abanye babefudula bengakholelwa ukuba uThixo ukho okanye bengabaxhasi bobudeism,a kodwa ekugqibeleni bakholelwa kubukho boMdali abanokuba nolwalamano naye. Abanye babenqula uthixo ongubathathu emnye okanye ezinye izithixo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Baye bafunda ukuba uYehova nguye kuphela onguThixo onamandla, yaye ngoku bambiza ngegama lakhe. Oko kuyavisisana noko kwathethwa nguYesu, ukuba abafundi bakhe bafanele babhaptizwe egameni loYise.

8. Abo babengazi nto ngesono sika-Adam kuye kwafuneka baqonde ntoni ngoYise?

⁸ Baye bafunda nokuba isono basizuz’ ilifa kuAdam. (Roma 5:12) Bebeqala ukuyiva loo nto kodwa baye bayikholelwa ukuba yinyaniso. Aba bantu banokufaniswa nendoda egulayo kodwa engazaziyo ukuba iyagula. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ikhe ive ukuba ikho into engahambi kakuhle emzimbeni wayo, mhlawumbi maxa wambi ibe neentlungu. Kodwa ekubeni ingazazi ukuba iphethwe sisiphi isifo, isenokucinga ukuba iphilile. Noko ke asiyonyaniso leyo. (Thelekisa eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 4:4.) Kuthekani ukuba inokuxilongwa ize ichazelwe isifo esiyiphetheyo? Ngaba ayinokuba bubulumko ukuba ifune unyango olunokuyinceda? Ngokufanayo, xa befunda inyaniso ngokuphathelele isono esasizuz’ ilifa, abaninzi baye bavuma xa iBhayibhile isithi “bayagula” yaye baye baqonda ukuba uThixo ufuna “ukubanyanga.” Bonke abo bahlukanisiweyo noYise bafanele babuyele kuLowo ‘unokubanyanga.’—Efe. 4:17-19.

9. Yintoni eyenziwa nguYehova ukuze sikwazi ukuba nolwalamano kunye naye?

⁹ Ukuba sele uzahlulele kuYehova uThixo yaye ungumKristu obhaptiziweyo, uyayazi indlela ekumnandi ngayo ukuba nolwalamano naye. Uyayazi indlela uBawo uYehova anothando ngayo. (Funda eyabaseRoma 5:8.) Nangona uAdam noEva bonayo, uThixo wenza amalungiselelo okuba inzala yabo—kuquka thina—ibe nolwalamano oluhle kunye naye. Ukuze enze oko, uThixo kwafuneka anyamezele ukubukela uNyana wakhe amthandayo ebandezeleka de wagqibela ngokufa. Ngaba ukwazi oko akusincedi siqonde ukuba uThixo unegunya size sithobele imithetho yakhe kuba simthanda? Ukuba akukazahluleli kuThixo waza wabhaptizwa, unezizathu ezivakalayo zokwenjenjalo.

Egameni LoNyana

10, 11. (a) Umtyala ntoni uYesu? (b) Uvakalelwa njani ngokufa kukaYesu njengedini lentlawulelo?

¹⁰ Noko ke, cinga ngenye into eyathethwa nguPetros kwisihlwele. Wabethelela ukubaluleka kokwamkela uYesu yaye oko kunxibelelene nokubhaptizwa ‘egameni loNyana.’ Kutheni oko kwakubalulekile ngelo xesha yaye kutheni kubalulekile ngoku? Ukwamkela uYesu nokubhaptizwa egameni lakhe kuthetha ukwamkela indima anayo kulwalamano lwethu noMdali. UYesu kwafuneka axhonywe kwisibonda sentuthumbo ukuze asuse isiqalekiso soMthetho kumaYuda; noko ke, ukufa kwakhe kweza neengenelo ezingakumbi. (Gal. 3:13) Waba lidini lentlawulelo elalifuneka ebantwini. (Efe. 2:15, 16; Kol. 1:20; 1 Yoh. 2:1, 2) Ngenxa yoko, uYesu wanyamezela ukuphathwa ngokungekho sikweni, ukugculelwa, ukubandezeleka waza wagqibela ngokubulawa. Ulixabisa kangakanani eli dini lentlawulelo? Masithi ungumfana oneminyaka eli-12 ubudala ohamba ngeTitanic, inqanawa eyantlitheka kwintaba yomkhenkce yaza yazika ngowe-1912. Xa uzama ukutsibela kwiphenyana, ufumanisa ukuba lizele. Kuthi kusenjalo ndoda ithile esephenyaneni incamise umfazi wayo, ibuyele enqanaweni ize ikufake ephenyaneni. Uvakalelwa njani? Ngokuqinisekileyo unombulelo ongazenzisiyo! Unokuyiqonda indlela awavakalelwa ngayo omnye umfana okwenzeka kuye oku.b Noko ke uYesu wakwenzela okungakumbi. Wafa ukuze uphile ubomi obungunaphakade.

¹¹ Wavakalelwa njani xa ufunda ngento owayenzelwa nguNyana kaThixo? (Funda eyesi-2 yabaseKorinte 5:14, 15.) Mhlawumbi waba noxabiso olunzulu. Oko kwabangela ukuba uzahlulele kuThixo uze ‘ungabi saziphilela, kodwa uphilele yena lowo wakufelayo.’ Ukubhaptizwa egameni loNyana kuthetha ukuba uyakuqonda oko uYesu akwenzele kona yaye uyalihlonela negunya analo ‘njengoMmeli Oyintloko wobomi.’ (IZe. 3:15; 5:31) Ngaphambili ubungenalo ulwalamano noMdali yaye ubungenalo ithemba eliqinisekileyo. Kodwa ngoku ngenxa yokuba unokholo kwigazi likaYesu Kristu yaye ubhaptiziwe, unolwalamano noBawo. (Efe. 2:12, 13) Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Nina enanikhe nangabahlukanisiweyo neentshaba ngenxa yokuba iingqondo zenu zazikwimisebenzi engendawo, [uThixo] uye ngoku waphinda wanixolelanisa ngomzimba wenyama [kaYesu] ngako ukufa kwakhe, ukuze anizise ningcwele yaye ningenasiphako kwaye ningamangaleleki phambi kwakhe.”—Kol. 1:21, 22.

12, 13. (a) Ukubhaptizwa egameni loNyana kufanele kuyichaphazele njani indlela osabela ngayo xa ukhutyekisiwe? (b) NjengomKristu obhaptizwe egameni likaYesu unayiphi imbopheleleko?

¹² Nangona ubhaptizwe egameni loNyana, uyazazi ukuba unotyekelo lwesono. Loo nto iyakunceda yonke imihla. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba ukhutyekiswa ngumntu othile, ngaba uyaqonda ukuba nobabini ninesono? Nobabini niyakufuna ukuxolelwa nguThixo yaye nani nimele nixolele. (Marko 11:25) Ukuze abethelele le ngongoma, uYesu wenza lo mzekeliso: Inkosi yacima ityala lekhoboka layo elaliyityala ishumi lamawaka eetalente (ama-60 ezigidi zeedenariyo). Kamva, elo khoboka alizange livume ukukhulula elinye ikhoboka elalilityala i-100 leedenariyo. UYesu wahlabela mgama wathi: UYehova akanakumxolela umntu ongamxoleliyo umzalwana wakhe. (Mat. 18:23-35) Ukubhaptizwa egameni loNyana kuthetha ukwamkela igunya likaYesu nokuxelisa umzekelo wakhe, kuquka ukuxolela abanye.—1 Pet. 2:21; 1 Yoh. 2:6.

¹³ Kuba ungafezekanga, akunakukwazi ukumxelisa ngokupheleleyo uYesu. Nakuba kunjalo, ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kwakho ngokupheleleyo kuThixo, ufuna ukuxelisa uYesu kangangoko unako. Oku kuquka ukuqhubeka uzama ukubulahla ubuntu obudala uze wambathe obutsha. (Funda eyabase-Efese 4:20-24.) Xa umhlonela umhlobo wakho, uzama ukuxelisa iimpawu zakhe ezintle. Ngokufanayo, ufuna ukufunda kuKristu uze umxelise.

14. Unokubonisa njani ukuba uyalihlonela igunya likaYesu njengoKumkani wasezulwini?

¹⁴ Ikho enye indlela onokubonisa ngayo ukuba ukuqonda kakuhle okubandakanyekileyo xa ubhaptizwe egameni loNyana. UThixo “izinto zonke uzithobele phantsi kweenyawo [zikaYesu], waza wamenza intloko yezinto zonke kulo ibandla.” (Efe. 1:22) Ngenxa yoko, ufanele uyihlonele indlela uYesu abakhokela ngayo abo bazahlulele kuYehova. UKristu usebenzisa abantu abangafezekanga ebandleni, ngokukodwa amadoda amakhulu, abadala abamiselweyo. La madoda amiselwe “ngenjongo yokulungiswa kwabo bangcwele, . . . ukuze kwakhiwe umzimba kaKristu.” (Efe. 4:11, 12) Nokuba umntu ongafezekanga wenza impazamo, uYesu njengoKumkani woBukumkani basezulwini uyakwazi ukuyilungisa loo mpazamo ngexesha nangendlela yakhe. Ngaba uyakukholelwa oko?

15. Ukuba akukabhaptizwa, ziziphi iintsikelelo onokukhangela phambili kuzo?

¹⁵ Kukho nabanye abangekazahluleli kuYehova baze babhaptizwe. Ukuba akukazahluleli, ngaba xa ufunda oku kungasentla uyaphawula ukuba ukwamkela uNyana kubonisa ukuba unoxabiso? Ukubhaptizwa egameni loNyana kuya kukwenza ufumane iintsikelelo ezininzi.—Funda uYohane 10:9-11.

Egameni Lomoya Oyingcwele

16, 17. Kuthetha ntoni kuwe ukubhaptizwa egameni lomoya oyingcwele?

¹⁶ Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa egameni lomoya oyingcwele? Njengoko bekuchaziwe ngaphambili, abo babephulaphule ngomhla wePentekoste babewazi umoya oyingcwele. Enyanisweni bazibonela ngamehlo abo ukuba uThixo usebenzisa umoya oyingcwele. UPetros ngomnye wabo “bazaliswa ngumoya oyingcwele, [baza] baqala ukuthetha ngeelwimi ezahlukileyo.” (IZe. 2:4, 8) Ibinzana elithi “egameni” akunyanzelekanga ukuba libhekisele emntwini. Namhlanje izinto ezininzi zenziwa “egameni likarhulumente,” yaye urhulumente ayingomntu. Oku kuthetha ukuba ezi zinto zenziwa ngegunya lomthetho. Ngendlela efanayo, umntu obhaptizwe egameni lomoya oyingcwele uyayiqonda into yokuba umoya oyingcwele asingomntu, kodwa ngamandla kaYehova. Ukubhaptizwa kwakhe kubonisa ukuba uyayiqonda indima onayo umoya oyingcwele ekuphunyezweni kwenjongo kaThixo.

¹⁷ Ngaba akuncedwanga kukufunda iBhayibhile ukuze wazi umoya oyingcwele? Ngokomzekelo uyayiqonda into yokuba iZibhalo ziphefumlelwe ngomoya oyingcwele. (2 Tim. 3:16) Njengoko ukhula ngokomoya, mhlawumbi uyiqonda ngakumbi into yokuba ‘uYihlo osezulwini uyabanika umoya oyingcwele abo bamcelayo,’ kuquka nawe. (Luka 11:13) Mhlawumbi uye wayibona indlela umoya oyingcwele osebenza ngayo ebomini bakho. Kwelinye icala, ukuba akukabhaptizwa egameni lomoya oyingcwele, isiqinisekiso sikaYesu sokuba uBawo usinika umoya oyingcwele sithetha ukuba zininzi iintsikelelo oza kuzifumana xa uwufumene lo moya.

18. Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezifunyanwa ngabo babhaptizwe egameni lomoya oyingcwele?

¹⁸ Licacile elokuba nanamhlanje ibandla lobuKristu likhokelwa ngumoya kaYehova. Loo moya uyasinceda nathi njengabantu ngabanye kwizinto esizenza yonke imihla. Ukubhaptizwa kwethu egameni lomoya oyingcwele kubonisa ukuba siyayiqonda indima yawo ebomini bethu yaye siyakuvuyela ukusebenzisana nawo. Abanye basenokuzibuza ngendlela esinokuphila ngayo ngokuvisisana nokuzahlulela kwethu kuYehova nendlela umoya oyingcwele obandakanyeke ngayo koku. Oku siza kukuxubusha kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ngaba Uyakhumbula?

• Ukubhaptizwa egameni loYise kuthetha ntoni kuwe?

• Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa egameni loNyana?

• Unokubonisa njani ukuba uyakuqonda ukubaluleka kokubhaptizwa egameni loYise neloNyana?

• Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizwa egameni lomoya oyingcwele?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]

Emva kwePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., abafundi abatsha baba naluphi ulwalamano noYise?

[Inkcazelo]

By permission of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem