Isahluko 18

Zibekele Usukelo Lokukhonza UThixo Ngonaphakade

1, 2. Yintoni efunekayo ngaphandle kokuba nolwazi ngoThixo?

YIBA nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wakho umi phambi kocango olutshixiweyo olukhokelela kwigumbi elinobutyebi obuninzi. Masithi umntu onegunya ukunike isitshixo waza wakuxelela ukuba ungazithabathela kwezo zinto zixabisekileyo. Eso sitshixo asiyi kukunceda ngaphandle kokuba usisebenzise. Ngokufanayo, umele ulusebenzise ulwazi ukuze lukuncede.

² Oku kuyinyaniso ngokukodwa ngolwazi ngoThixo. Eneneni, ulwazi oluchanileyo ngoYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu luthetha ubomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 17:⁠3) Kanti, elo themba alinakufunyanwa ngokuba nolwazi nje kuphela. Kanye njengokuba ubuya kusebenzisa isitshixo esixabisekileyo, kufuneka ulusebenzise ebomini bakho ulwazi ngoThixo. UYesu wathi ngabo benza ukuthanda kukaThixo abaya “kungena ebukumkanini.” Abantu abanjalo baya kuba nelungelo lokukhonza uThixo ngonaphakade!​—⁠Mateyu 7:​21; 1 Yohane 2:⁠17.

3. Kuyintoni ukuthanda kukaThixo ngathi?

³ Emva kokufumanisa oko kukuko ukuthanda kukaThixo, kubalulekile ukukwenza. Ucinga ukuba kuyintoni ukuthanda kukaThixo ngawe? Kunokushwankathelwa ngala mazwi: Xelisa uYesu. Eyoku-⁠1 kaPetros 2:​21 isixelela oku: “Nabizelwa oko; ngokuba noKristu weva ubunzima ngenxa yethu, esishiya nomzekelo, ukuze silandele emkhondweni wakhe.” Ngoko ke, ukuze wenze ukuthanda kukaThixo, kufuneka ulandele umzekelo kaYesu ngokusondele kangangoko. Ulusebenzisa ngolo hlobo ke ulwazi ngoThixo.

INDLELA UYESU AWALUSEBENZISA NGAYO ULWAZI NGOTHIXO

4. Kutheni uYesu esazi okuninzi kangaka ngoYehova, yaye ulusebenzise njani olu lwazi?

⁴ UYesu Kristu umazi ngokusondele ngakumbi uThixo kunokuba abanye bemazi. Wayehlala yaye esebenza noYehova uThixo ezulwini kangangeminyaka emininzi ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni. (Kolose 1:​15, 16) Yaye wenza ntoni uYesu ngalo lonke olo lwazi? Akazange aneliswe kukuba nalo nje kuphela. UYesu wayephila ngokuvisisana nalo. Kungenxa yoko wayenobubele, enomonde yaye enothando kangaka kwiinkqubano zakhe nabanye abantu. Ngaloo ndlela uYesu wayexelisa uYise wasezulwini yaye esenza ngokuvisisana nolwazi lwakhe ngeendlela nobuntu bukaYehova.​—⁠Yohane 8:​23, 28, 29, 38; 1 Yohane 4:⁠8.

5. Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu abhaptizwe, yaye waphila njani ngokuvisisana nentsingiselo yobhaptizo lwakhe?

⁵ Kwakhona ulwazi uYesu awayenalo lwamshukumisela ekubeni athabathe inyathelo elibalulekileyo. Wasuka eGalili weza kuMlambo iYordan, apho uYohane wambhaptiza khona. (Mateyu 3:​13-15) Kwakufuzisela ntoni ukubhaptizwa kukaYesu? NjengomYuda, wayezalelwe kuhlanga oluzahlulele kuThixo. Ngenxa yoko, uYesu wayahlulelwe kwasekuzalweni kwakhe. (Eksodus 19:​5, 6) Ngokuzinikela ukuba abhaptizwe, wayezinikela kuYehova ukuze enze ukuthanda kukaThixo ngelo xesha. (Hebhere 10:​5, 7) Yaye uYesu waphila ngokuvisisana nentsingiselo yokubhaptizwa kwakhe. Wazibhokoxa enkonzweni kaYehova, esabelana nabantu ngolwazi ngoThixo ngawo onke amathuba. UYesu wayekholiswa kukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, wade wathi oku kwakufana nokudla kuye.​—⁠Yohane 4:⁠34.

6. UYesu wazincama ngayiphi indlela?

⁶ UYesu wayeqonda kakuhle ukuba ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova kwakuya kuthetha ukuncama lukhulu ​—⁠kwa⁠ku⁠ya kuthetha ukuphulukana nobomi bakhe. Sekunjalo, uYesu wazincama, wabeka iimfuno zakhe zobuqu kwindawo yesibini. Ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo ngalo lonke ixesha kwakukwindawo yokuqala. Kule nkalo, sinokuwulandela njani umzekelo kaYesu ogqibeleleyo?

AMANYATHELO AKHOKELELA KUBOMI OBUNGUNAPHAKADE

7. Ngawaphi amanyathelo athile ubani amele awathabathe ukuze afanelekele ubhaptizo?

⁷ Ngokungafaniyo noYesu, thina asifezekanga yaye inyathelo elibalulekileyo lokubhaptizwa sinokulifikelela kuphela emva kokuba sithabathe amanye amanyathelo ayimfuneko. La aqala ngokungenisa ulwazi oluchanileyo ngoYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu entliziyweni yethu. Ukwenza oku kusibangela sibe nokholo yaye sibe nothando olunzulu ngoThixo. (Mateyu 22:​37-40; Roma 10:​17; Hebhere 11:⁠6) Ukuvumelana nemithetho, imigaqo nemilinganiselo kaThixo kufanele kusishukumisele ekubeni siguquke, sibonise ukuzisola kobuthixo ngezono zethu zangaphambili. Oku kukhokelela kwinguquko, oko kukuthi, ekubuyeni size silahle naliphi na ikhondo eliphosakeleyo ebesililandela ngoxa besingenalo ulwazi ngoThixo. (IZenzo 3:​19) Ngokuzenzekelayo, ukuba ngokufihlakeleyo sisaqhelisela isono esithile kunokwenza ubulungisa, asikabuyi, yaye singacingi ukuba simkhohlisile noThixo. UYehova ulubona lonke uhanahaniso.​—⁠Luka 12:​2, 3.

8. Ufanele wenze ntoni xa unqwenela ukuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani?

⁸ Ekubeni ngoku ubungenisa ulwazi ngoThixo, ngaba akufanelekanga ukuba ukhangele indlela imicimbi yokomoya esebenza ngayo kuwe? Umele ukuba ulangazelela ukuxelela izalamane zakho, abahlobo nabanye ngoko ukufundayo. Enyanisweni, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ubusele ukwenza oku, kwananjengokuba uYesu wayesabelana nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo ngokungacwangciswanga. (Luka 10:​38, 39; Yohane 4:​6-15) Ngoku kusenokwenzeka ukuba ufuna ukwenza okungakumbi. Abadala abangamaKristu baya kukuvuyela ukuthetha nawe ukuze baqonde enoba uyafaneleka kusini na yaye ungakwazi ukuba nesabelo rhoqo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani wamaNgqina kaYehova. Ukuba kunjalo, abadala baya kwenza amalungiselelo okuba uhambe nelinye iNgqina kubulungiseleli. Abafundi bakaYesu balandela imiyalelo yakhe ukuze ubulungiseleli babo babuphumeze ngendlela elungeleleneyo. (Marko 6:​7, 30; Luka 10:⁠1) Uya kungenelwa kuncedo olufanayo njengoko usiba nesabelo ekusasazeni isigidimi soBukumkani kwindlu ngendlu nangezinye iindlela.​—⁠IZenzo 20:​20, 21.

9. Umntu uzahlulela njani kuThixo, yaye ukuzahlulela kubuchaphazela njani ubomi bomntu?

⁹ Ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuzo zonke iindidi zabantu kummandla oyintsimi yebandla yindlela yokufumana abo batyekele ebulungiseni yaye kuphakathi kwemisebenzi emihle engqina ukuba unokholo. (IZenzo 10:​34, 35; Yakobi 2:​17, 18, 26) Kwakhona ukubakho rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu nokuba nesabelo ngendlela enentsingiselo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ziindlela zokubonisa ukuba uguqukile waza wabuya yaye ngoku uzimisele ukuphila ngokuvisisana nolwazi ngoThixo. Liliphi inyathelo elilandelayo? Kukuzahlulela kuYehova uThixo. Oku kuthetha ukuba emthandazweni osuka entliziyweni, uxelela uThixo ukuba ngokuzithandela nangentliziyo iphela unikela ubomi bakho kuye ukuze wenze ukuthanda kwakhe. Le yindlela yokuzahlulela kuYehova nokwamkela idyokhwe emnandi kaYesu Kristu.​—⁠Mateyu 11:​29, 30.

UBHAPTIZO​—⁠OKO LUKUTHETHAYO KUWE

10. Kutheni ufanele ubhaptizwe emva kokuba uzahlulele kuYehova?

¹⁰ Ngokutsho kukaYesu, bonke abo baba ngabafundi bakhe bamele babhaptizwe. (Mateyu 28:​19, 20) Kutheni oku kuyimfuneko emva kokuba uzahlulele kuThixo? Ekubeni uzahlulele kuYehova, uyazi ukuba uyamthanda. Kodwa ngokungathandabuzekiyo uya kufuna ukuthabatha inyathelo elibhekele phaya ukuze wenze nabanye bazi ukuba uyamthanda uThixo. Kaloku, ubhaptizo lukunika ithuba lokwenza ukuzahlulela kwakho kuYehova uThixo kwaziwe ekuhleni.​—⁠Roma 10:​9, 10.

11. Yintoni intsingiselo yobhaptizo?

¹¹ Ubhaptizo lunentsingiselo enkulu engokomfuziselo. Xa untywiliselwa, okanye “ungcwatywa,” ngaphantsi kwamanzi, kufana nokuba ufile kwikhondo lakho lobomi langaphambili. Xa uphuma emanzini, kufana nokuba ungena kubomi obutsha, obulawulwa kukuthanda kukaThixo kungekhona okwakho. Kakade ke, oko akuthethi ukuba akusayi kuphinda wenze iimpazamo, kuba sonke asifezekanga yaye ngoko sona yonke imihla. Noko ke, njengomkhonzi kaYehova ozahluleleyo nobhaptiziweyo, uya kube ungene kulwalamano olukhethekileyo naye. Ngenxa yokuguquka nokuzithoba kwakho ukuze ubhaptizwe, uYehova ukulungele ukuxolela izono zakho ngesizinzi sedini likaYesu lentlawulelo. Ngaloo ndlela ubhaptizo lukhokelela kwisazela esicocekileyo phambi koThixo.​—⁠1 Petros 3:⁠21.

12. Kuthetha ntoni ukubhaptizelwa (a) “egameni loYise”? (b) ‘egameni loNyana’? (c) ‘egameni loMoya oyiNgcwele’?

¹² UYesu wayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba abafundi abatsha bababhaptizele “egameni loYise, loNyana, loMoya oyiNgcwele.” (Mateyu 28:​19) Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu? Ukubhaptizelwa “egameni loYise” kubonisa ukuba loo mntu ubhaptizwayo umamkela ngentliziyo iphela uYehova uThixo njengoMdali noMongami ofanelekileyo wendalo iphela. (INdumiso 36:⁠9; 83:​18; INtshumayeli 12:⁠1) Ukubhaptizelwa ‘egameni loNyana’ kuthetha ukuba loo mntu uyamamkela uYesu Kristu​—⁠yaye ngokukhethekileyo idini Lakhe lentlawulelo⁠—​njengelikuphela kwendlela yokusindiswa elungiselelwe nguThixo. (IZenzo 4:​12) Ukubhaptizelwa ‘egameni loMoya oyiNgcwele’ kubonisa ukuba lowo ubhaptizwayo uwugqala umoya oyingcwele kaYehova, okanye amandla asebenzayo, njengesixhobo sikaThixo sokuphumeza iinjongo Zakhe nokunika abakhonzi Bakhe amandla okwenza ukuthanda Kwakhe kobulungisa ngokunxulumene nentlangano Yakhe eyalathiswa ngomoya.​—⁠Genesis 1:⁠2; INdumiso 104:​30; Yohane 14:​26; 2 Petros 1:⁠21.

NGABA UKULUNGELE UKUBHAPTIZWA?

13, 14. Kutheni singafanele soyike ukukhetha ukukhonza uYehova uThixo?

¹³ Ekubeni ukubhaptizwa kunentsingiselo kangako yaye kulelona nyathelo libalulekileyo ebomini bomntu, ngaba linyathelo ofanele uloyike? Nakanye! Nangona isigqibo sokubhaptizwa singafanele sijongwe njengesingenamsebenzi, ngokungathandabuzekiyo sesona sobulumko obunokusenza.

¹⁴ Ubhaptizo lunikela ubungqina bokuba ukhetha ukukhonza uYehova uThixo. Khawucinge ngabantu oqhelene nabo. Ngaba ngandlel’ ithile, ngamnye kubo akakhonzi nkosi ithile? Bambi bakhonza ubutyebi. (Mateyu 6:​24) Abanye ngenkuthalo basukela imisebenzi yabo okanye bayazikhonza ngokwenza ukuzaliseka kweminqweno yabo kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini. Sekunjalo abanye bakhonza oothixo bobuxoki. Kodwa wena ukhethe ukukhonza uThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova. Akakho omnye obonisa ububele, imfesane nothando njengaye. UThixo ubaphatha ngesidima abantu ngokubanika umsebenzi onenjongo obakhokelela kusindiso. Abakhonzi bakhe ubavuza ngobomi obungunaphakade. Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukulandela umzekelo kaYesu nokunikela ubomi bakho kuYehova akulokhondo lokoyikwa. Eneneni, kuphela kwekhondo elimkholisayo uThixo nelisengqiqweni ngokupheleleyo.​—⁠1 Kumkani 18:⁠21.

15. Yiyiphi eminye yemiqobo eqhelekileyo ethintela ukubhaptizwa?

¹⁵ Ukanti, ukubhaptizwa akulonyathelo elifanele lithatyathwe ngenxa yengcinezelo yabanye. Ngumcimbi wobuqu phakathi kwakho noYehova. (Galati 6:⁠4) Njengokuba wenze inkqubela ngokomoya, usenokuba ubuzibuza: “Kwala ntoni na ukuba ndingabhaptizwa?” (IZenzo 8:​35, 36) Usenokuzibuza, ‘Ngaba ndibanjwa yinkcaso yentsapho? Ngaba ndisabandakanyeke kwimeko ethile engavumelaniyo nezibhalo okanye ndisaqhelisela isono esithile? Ngaba mhlawumbi ndoyika ukungathandwa kwindawo endihlala kuyo?’ Ezi zezinye zeenkalo ezimele ziqwalaselwe, kodwa zihlolisise ngokusengqiqweni.

16. Uya kungenelwa njani ngokukhonza uYehova?

¹⁶ Akukho ngqiqweni ukubala iindleko ungaziqwalaselanga iingenelo zokukhonza uYehova. Ngokomzekelo, qwalasela umbandela wenkcaso yentsapho. UYesu wathembisa ukuba kwanokuba abafundi bakhe babelahlekelwa zizalamane zabo ngenxa yokumlandela, babeya kuzuza intsapho enkulu ngakumbi yokomoya. (Marko 10:​29, 30) Aba ukhonza kunye nabo baya kukubonisa uthando lobuzalwana, bakuncede unyamezele intshutshiso, baze bakuxhase endleleni esa ebomini. (1 Petros 5:⁠9) Abona bantu banokukunceda ngokukodwa umelane neengxaki nezinye iinzima ngokuphumelelayo ngabadala bebandla. (Yakobi 5:​14-16) Mayela nokungathandwa leli hlabathi, uya kuba wenza kakuhle ukuzibuza ukuba, ‘Yintoni endinokuyithelekisa nokuba nenkoliseko yoMdali wendalo iphela, nokumvuyisa ngenxa yekhondo lobomi endilikhethileyo?’​—⁠IMizekeliso 27:⁠11.

UKUPHILA NGOKUVUMELANA NOKUZAHLULELA NOKUBHAPTIZWA KWAKHO

17. Kutheni ufanele ubhaptizo ulugqale njengesiqalo kungekhona isiphelo?

¹⁷ Kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuba ukubhaptizwa akusosiphelo senkqubela yakho yokomoya. Kuphawula ukuqala kwenkonzo yobomi bonke kuThixo njengomlungiseleli omiselweyo nomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Nangona ubhaptizo lubaluleke kunene, alusosiqinisekiso sokusindiswa. UYesu akazange athi: ‘Bonke ababhaptizwayo baya kusindiswa.’ Kunoko, wathi: “Onyamezele kwada kwaba sekupheleni, lowo uya kusindiswa.” (Mateyu 24:​13) Ngoko ke, kubalulekile ukuba ufune uBukumkani bukaThixo kuqala ngokubenza eyona nto uyixhalabele ngokona kona ebomini bakho.​—⁠Mateyu 6:​25-⁠34.

18. Emva kokubhaptizwa, luluphi olunye usukelo ofanele uzibekele lona?

¹⁸ Ukuze unyamezele enkonzweni yakho kuYehova, uya kufuna ukuzibekela usukelo lokomoya. Olunye usukelo olufanelekileyo kukwandisa ulwazi lwakho ngoThixo ngokulifundisisa ngokobuqu rhoqo iLizwi lakhe. Ceba ukuyifunda imihla yonke iBhayibhile. (INdumiso 1:​1, 2) Yibakho rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, kuba unxulumano olufumana kuzo luya kukunceda lukomeleze ngokomoya. Kutheni ungazibekeli usukelo lobuqu, lokugqabaza kwiintlanganiso zebandla uze ngaloo ndlela udumise uYehova yaye wakhe abanye? (Roma 1:​11, 12) Olunye usukelo isenokuba kukuphucula imithandazo yakho.​—⁠Luka 11:​2-⁠4.

19. Ziziphi iimpawu umoya oyingcwele onokukunceda uzibonakalise?

¹⁹ Ukuba uza kuphila ngokuvisisana nobhaptizo lwakho, kufuneka unikele ingqalelo koko ukwenzayo, uvumele umoya oyingcwele kaThixo uvelise kuwe iimpawu ezinjengothando, uvuyo, uxolo, ukuzeka kade umsindo, ububele, ukulunga, ukholo, ubulali nokuzeyisa. (Galati 5:​22, 23; 2 Petros 3:​11) Khumbula ukuba, uYehova unikela umoya wakhe oyingcwele kubo bonke abawuthandazelayo baze bamthobele njengabakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. (Luka 11:​13; IZenzo 5:​32) Ngoko thandaza kuThixo ucele umoya wakhe uze umcele akuncede ekubonakaliseni iimpawu ezimkholisayo. Iimpawu ezinjalo ziya kucaca ngakumbi kwintetho nehambo yakho njengoko usabela kwimpembelelo yomoya kaThixo. Kakade ke, wonk’ ubani osebandleni lamaKristu uzabalazela ukuvelisa ‘ubuntu obutsha’ ukuze afane ngakumbi noKristu. (Kolose 3:​9-14) Ngamnye wethu ujamelene nocelomngeni olwahlukileyo ekwenzeni oku ngenxa yokuba sikumanqanaba ahlukileyo enkqubela yokomoya. Ekubeni ungafezekanga, umele usebenze ngamandla ukuze ube nobuntu obufana nobukaKristu. Kodwa ungaze ulahl’ ithemba, kuba unako ngoncedo lukaThixo.

20. Unokumxelisa ngaziphi iindlela uYesu kubulungiseleli?

²⁰ Phakathi kwezinto ozisukelayo ngokomoya ufanele uquke ukuxelisa umzekelo kaYesu wovuyo ngokusondele ngakumbi. (Hebhere 12:​1-⁠3) Wayebuthanda ubulungiseleli. Ngoko, ukuba unelungelo lokuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani, musa ukuwenza kuba nje unyanzelekile. Zama ukufumana ulwaneliseko ekufundiseni abanye ngoBukumkani bukaThixo njengokuba uYesu wayesenza. Sebenzisa imiyalelo efumaneka ebandleni yokukunceda uphucule njengomfundisi. Yaye qiniseka ukuba uYehova unokukunika amandla okuqhubeka nobulungiseleli bakho.​—⁠1 Korinte 9:​19-⁠23.

21. (a) Sazi njani ukuba uYehova uyabaxabisa abantu abathembekileyo ababhaptiziweyo? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ubhaptizo lubalulekile ekusindeni kwethu xa kuphunyezwa umgwebo kaThixo kule nkqubo ingendawo yezinto?

²¹ Umntu ozahluleleyo nobhaptiziweyo ozabalazela ukulandela uYesu ngokuthembeka uxabisekile kuThixo. UYehova uhlola onke amawaka ezigidi zeentliziyo zabantu yaye uyazi ukuba banqabe kangakanani abantu abanjalo. Ubagqala njengabaligugu, “izinto ezinqwenelekayo.” (Hagayi 2:⁠7) Iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zibonisa ukuba uThixo ubajonga abanjalo njengabo baphawulelwe ukusinda xa kuphunyezwa umgwebo wakhe oza kufikela le nkqubo ingendawo yezinto kungekudala. (Hezekile 9:​1-6; Malaki 3:​16, 18) Ngaba ‘unotyekelo olufanelekele ubomi obungunaphakade’? (IZenzo 13:​48, NW) Ngaba unomnqweno onyanisekileyo wokuphawulwa njengalowo ukhonza uThixo? Ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa yinxalenye yolo phawu, yaye kubalulekile ukuze usinde.

22. “Isihlwele esikhulu” sinokukhangela phambili kwawaphi amathemba?

²² Emva koMkhukula womhlaba wonke, uNowa nentsapho yakhe baphuma emkhombeni baphumela kumhlaba ocociweyo. Ngokufanayo namhlanje, “isihlwele esikhulu” esisebenzisa ulwazi ngoThixo ebomini baso size sizuze inkoliseko kaYehova sinethemba lokusinda ekuphelisweni kwale nkqubo ingendawo yezinto size sinandiphe ubomi obungunaphakade kumhlaba ococwe ngonaphakade. (ISityhilelo 7:​9, 14) Buya kuba njani obo bomi?

HLOLA ULWAZI LWAKHO

UYehova ufuna ulusebenzise njani ulwazi onalo ngaye?

Ngawaphi amanyathelo athile akhokelela kubhaptizo?

Kutheni ubhaptizo lungesosiphelo kodwa lusisiqalo?

Sinokuphila njani ngokuvisisana nozahlulelo nobhaptizo lwethu?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 172]

Ngaba uzahlulele kuThixo ngomthandazo?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 174]

Kwala ntoni na ukuba ungabhaptizwa?