Isahluko Seshumi Nambili
Okushiwo Ukubhapathizwa Kwakho
1. Kungani kufanele sonke sibe nesithakazelo obhapathizweni lwamanzi?
NGONYAKA KA-29 C.E., uJesu wabhapathizwa, ngokucwiliswa nguJohane uMbhapathizi eMfuleni iJordani. UJehova wayebukele wayesesho ukuthi uyamamukela. (Mathewu 3:16, 17) Ngakho uJesu wababekela isibonelo bonke abafundi bakhe ababezolandela. Eminyakeni emithathu nesigamu kamuva, uJesu wanikeza abafundi bakhe lezi ziyalezo: “Lonke igunya linikezwe mina ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Ngakho-ke hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele.” (Mathewu 28:18, 19) Ingabe usubhapathiziwe ngokuvumelana nomyalo kaJesu? Uma kungenjalo, ingabe uyazilungiselela ukwenza kanjalo?
2. Yimiphi imibuzo okudingeka iphendulwe mayelana nobhapathizo?
2 Kunoma yikuphi, ukuluqonda ngokucacile ubhapathizo kubalulekile kuwo wonke umuntu ofuna ukukhonza uJehova futhi aphile ezweni lakhe elisha lokulunga. Nansi eminye yemibuzo edinga izimpendulo: Ingabe ukubhapathizwa kwamaKristu namuhla lusho okufanayo nokubhapathizwa kukaJesu? Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele”? Kuhilelani ukuphila ngokuvumelana nalokho okufanekiselwa ubhapathizo lwamanzi lobuKristu?
Ubhapathizo Olwenziwa NguJohane
3. Ubhapathizo lukaJohane lwaluqondene nobani ngokukhethekile?
3 Ezinyangeni ezingaba yisithupha ngaphambi kokuba uJesu abhapathizwe, uJohane uMbhapathizi wayeshumayela ehlane laseJudiya, ethi: “Phendukani, ngoba umbuso wamazulu ususondele.” (Mathewu 3:1, 2) Abantu bakuzwa lokho uJohane ayekusho futhi balalela. Bavuma izono zabo obala, baphenduka, base beza kuJohane ukuze ababhapathize eMfuleni iJordani. Lolo bhapathizo lwalungolwamaJuda kuphela.—Luka 1:13-16; IzEnzo 13:23, 24.
4. Kungani kwakudingeka ukuba amaJuda ekhulu lokuqala aphenduke ngokuphuthumayo?
4 Kwakuphuthuma ukuba lawo maJuda aphenduke. ENtabeni YaseSinayi ngonyaka ka-1513 B.C.E., oyisemkhulu njengesizwe babenzé isivumelwano—esingokomthetho futhi esifungelwe—noJehova uNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngenxa yezono zabo ezimbi, abazange baphile ngokwezibopho zabo ngaphansi kwaleso sivumelwano, ngakho baba necala. Ngosuku lukaJesu isimo sabo sase sibucayi. “Usuku lukaJehova olukhulu nolwesabekayo” olwabikezelwa uMalaki lwaluseduze. Lolo “suku” lwafika ngo-70 C.E., lapho amabutho amaRoma ebhubhisa iJerusalema, ithempeli lalo namaJuda angaphezu kwesigidi. UJohane uMbhapathizi, owayeshisekela ukukhulekela kweqiniso, wathunywa ngaphambi kwaleyo mbubhiso, ‘ukuze alungisele uJehova isizwe esilungisiwe.’ Kwakudingeka aphenduke ezonweni zawo zokwephula isivumelwano soMthetho KaMose futhi azilungisele ukwamukela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu, uJehova ayithuma kuwo.—Malaki 4:4-6; Luka 1:17; IzEnzo 19:4.
5. (a) Lapho uJesu ezobhapathizwa, kungani uJohane akungabaza lokhu? (b) Ukubhapathizwa kukaJesu kwakufanekiselani?
5 Phakathi kwabantu abeza kuJohane bezobhapathizwa kweza noJesu. Kodwa wayezelani? Njengoba ayazi ukuthi uJesu wayengenazono okwakufanele azivume, uJohane wathi: “Yimi engidinga ukubhapathizwa nguwe, kodwa wena uza kimi?” Kodwa ukubhapathizwa kukaJesu kwakuzomelela okuthile okuhlukile. Ngakho uJesu waphendula: “Makube njalo, kulesisikhathi, ngoba ngaleyondlela kufanelekile ngathi ukuba sifeze konke okulungileyo.” (Mathewu 3:13-15) Ngenxa yokuthi uJesu wayengenasono, ukubhapathizwa kwakhe kwakungafanekiseli ukuphenduka esonweni; futhi kwakungadingeki ukuba azinikezele kuNkulunkulu, ngoba kakade wayeyilungu lesizwe esasizinikezele kuJehova. Kunalokho, ukubhapathizwa kwakhe lapho eneminyaka engu-30 ubudala kwakuhlukile, futhi kwakufanekisela ukuziletha kwakhe kuYise wasezulwini ukuze aqhubeke enza intando yaKhe.
6. UJesu wayezimisele kangakanani ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu?
6 Intando kaNkulunkulu ngoKristu Jesu yayihilela umsebenzi ophathelene noMbuso. (Luka 8:1) Yayihilela nokwenza umhlatshelo ngokuphila kwakhe kobuntu okuphelele njengesihlengo nanjengesisekelo sesivumelwano esisha. (Mathewu 20:28; 26:26-28; Heberu 10:5-10) UJesu wakuthatha ngokungathi sína ngempela okwakufanekiselwa ubhapathizo lwakhe lwamanzi. Akavumanga ukuphazanyiswa eminye iminako. Wanamathela ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba sekupheleni kokuphila kwakhe kwasemhlabeni, wenza ukushumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kwaba umsebenzi wakhe oyinhloko.—Johane 4:34.
Ubhapathizo Lwamanzi Lwabafundi AbangamaKristu
7. Kusukela ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., yini amaKristu atshelwa ukuba ayenze mayelana nobhapathizo?
7 Abafundi bakaJesu bokuqala babhapathizwa emanzini nguJohane wayesebaqondisa kuJesu njengamalungu esikhathi esizayo oMbuso wasezulwini. (Johane 3:25-30) Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaJesu laba bafundi nabo babhapathiza abanye, ngobhapathizo olwalusho okufanayo nolukaJohane. (Johane 4:1, 2) Kodwa, kusukela ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., baqala ukufeza umsebenzi wabo wokubhapathiza “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele.” (Mathewu 28:19) Uyokuthola kuzuzisa ukubukeza ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokho.
8. Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise”?
8 Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise”? Kusho ukwamukela igama lakhe, isikhundla sakhe, igunya, injongo nemithetho yakhe. Cabanga ukuthi lokhu kuhilelani. (1) Ngokuqondene negama lakhe, iHubo 83:18 lithi: “Nguwe wedwa ogama lakho linguJehova; ungoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.” (2) Ngokuqondene nesikhundla sakhe, eyesi-2 AmaKhosi 19:15 ithi: “Jehova . . . , wena unguNkulunkulu, wena wedwa.” (3) Ngokuphathelene negunya lakhe, isAmbulo 4:11 siyasitshela: “Uyakufanelekela, Jehova, yebo Nkulunkulu wethu, ukwamukela inkazimulo nodumo namandla, ngoba wadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yentando yakho zaba khona futhi zadalwa.” (4) Kumelwe futhi sivume ukuthi uJehova unguMniki-kuphila, onenjongo yokusisindisa esonweni nasekufeni: “Insindiso ingekaJehova.” (IHubo 3:8; 36:9) (5) Kudingeka sivume ukuthi uJehova unguMniki-mthetho Ophakeme: “UJehova ungumahluleli wethu, uJehova ungumenzi wemithetho yethu, uJehova uyinkosi yethu.” (Isaya 33:22) Ngenxa yokuthi uyikho konke lokhu, siyakhuthazwa: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke.”—Mathewu 22:37.
9. Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni leNdodana’?
9 Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni leNdodana’? Kusho ukuqaphela igama, isikhundla negunya likaJesu Kristu. Igama lakhe, elithi Jesu, lisho ukuthi “UJehova Uyinsindiso.” Isikhundla sakhe usithola ngoba uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ezelwe yodwa, izibulo lendalo kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 16:16; Kolose 1:15, 16) Lapho ekhuluma ngale Ndodana, uJohane 3:16 uthi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe [lesintu esingahlengwa] kakhulu kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhujiswa kodwa abe nokuphila okumi phakade.” Ngenxa yokuthi uJesu wafa ethembekile, uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo wamnika igunya elithé xaxa. Ngokomphostoli uPawulu, uNkulunkulu ‘waphakamisela [uJesu] esikhundleni esiphakeme’ endaweni yonke, esilandela esikaJehova. Yingakho ‘egameni likaJesu wonke amadolo kufanele aguqe nazo zonke izilimi zivume obala ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNkosi kube inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu uBaba.’ (Filipi 2:9-11) Lokhu kusho ukulalela imiyalo kaJesu, evela kuJehova ngokwakhe.—Johane 15:10.
10. Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni lomoya ongcwele’?
10 Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa ‘egameni lomoya ongcwele’? Kusho ukuqaphela indima nokusebenza komoya ongcwele. Uyini umoya ongcwele? Ungamandla kaJehova asebenzayo, afeza ngawo izinjongo zakhe. UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe: “Ngiyocela uBaba futhi uyoninika omunye umsizi ukuze abe nani kuze kube phakade, umoya weqiniso.” (Johane 14:16, 17) Wawuyobasiza ukuba benzeni? UJesu waqhubeka wathi kubo: “Nizokwamukela amandla lapho umoya ongcwele ufika phezu kwenu, futhi nizoba ofakazi bami kokubili eJerusalema nakulo lonke iJudiya neSamariya nasezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba.” (IzEnzo 1:8) Ngomoya ongcwele, uJehova waphefumulela nokulotshwa kweBhayibheli: “Isiprofetho asikaze silethwe ngentando yomuntu, kodwa abantu bakhuluma okuvela kuNkulunkulu njengoba babeqhutshwa umoya ongcwele.” (2 Petru 1:21) Ngakho siyayiqaphela indima yomoya ongcwele lapho sitadisha iBhayibheli. Enye indlela esiwuqaphela ngayo umoya ongcwele iwukucela uJehova ukuba asisize sithele “izithelo zomoya,” ‘eziwuthando, injabulo, ukuthula, ukubhekakade, umusa, ubuhle, ukholo, ubumnene, ukuzithiba.’—Galathiya 5:22, 23.
11. (a) Lusho ukuthini ngempela ubhapathizo osukwini lwethu? (b) Ubhapathizo lufana kanjani nokufa nokuvuswa?
11 Abokuqala ababhapathizwa ngokuvumelana neziyalezo zikaJesu kusukela ngo-33 C.E. kwakungamaJuda namaproselithe ayeguqukele ebuJudeni. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokhu, ilungelo lokuba abafundi abangamaKristu ladluliselwa kumaSamariya. Khona-ke, ngo-36 C.E., lolu bizo lwenabela nakwabeZizwe abangasokile. Ngaphambi kokuba babhapathizwe, amaSamariya nabeZizwe kwakudingeka bazinikezele ngokomuntu siqu kuJehova ukuze bamkhonze njengabafundi beNdodana yakhe. Ubhapathizo lwamanzi lwamaKristu lusafanekisela lokhu kuze kube sosukwini lwethu. Ukucwiliswa ngokuphelele emanzini kuwuphawu olufanelekayo lwalokhu kuzinikezela komuntu, ngoba ubhapathizo lufanekisela ukungcwatshwa. Ukucwiliswa kwakho emanzini lapho ubhapathizwa kufanekisela ukufa kwakho enkambweni yakho yokuphila yangaphambili. Ukukhushulwa kwakho emanzini kufanekisela ukuvuselwa kwakho ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Lolu ‘bhapathizo lunye’ lusebenza kubo bonke ababa ngamaKristu eqiniso. Lapho bebhapathizwa baba oFakazi BakaJehova abangamaKristu, izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu ezimisiwe.—Efesu 4:5; 2 Korinte 6:3, 4.
12. Ubhapathizo lwamanzi lobuKristu luhambelana nani, futhi kanjani?
12 Ubhapathizo olunjalo lunenani elikhulu lensindiso emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokukhuluma ngokwakha kukaNowa umkhumbi, alondolozwa kuwo yena nomkhaya wakhe phakathi neSikhukhula, umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Lokho okuhambelana nalokhu nakho manje kuyanisindisa, okuwukuthi, ubhapathizo, (kungekhona ukususa ukungcola kwenyama, kodwa isicelo esenziwa kuNkulunkulu sokuba nonembeza omuhle,) ngokuvuka kukaJesu Kristu.” (1 Petru 3:21) Umkhumbi wawungubufakazi obuphathekayo bokuthi uNowa wayewenze ngokwethembeka umsebenzi ayewabelwe uNkulunkulu. Lapho usuqediwe umsebenzi wokwakha umkhumbi, “izwe langalesosikhathi labhujiswa lapho limbozwa amanzi.” (2 Petru 3:6) Kodwa uNowa nomkhaya wakhe, “imiphefumulo eyisishiyagalombili, bathwalwa ngokuphepha emanzini.”—1 Petru 3:20.
13. Yini umKristu asindiswa kuyo ngokubhapathizwa emanzini?
13 Namuhla, labo abazinikezela kuJehova ngesisekelo sokholo kuKristu ovusiwe, bayabhapathizwa njengesibonakaliso salokho kuzinikezela. Baqhubeka benza intando kaNkulunkulu osukwini lwethu futhi bayasindiswa kuleli zwe elibi lamanje. (Galathiya 1:3, 4) Abasekho ohlwini lwalabo abayobhujiswa nalesi simiso sezinto esibi samanje. Bayaphepha kulokhu futhi uNkulunkulu abanike unembeza omuhle. Umphostoli uJohane uqinisekisa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu: “Izwe liyadlula kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.”—1 Johane 2:17.
Ukuphila Ngokuvumelana Nezibopho Zethu
14. Kungani ubhapathizo lulodwa lungesona isiqinisekiso sensindiso?
14 Kungaba iphutha ukuphetha ngokuthi ubhapathizo ngokwalo luyisiqinisekiso sensindiso. Lunenani kuphela uma umuntu ezinikezela ngempela kuJehova ngoJesu Kristu abese enza intando kaNkulunkulu, athembeke kuze kube sekupheleni. “Lowo oye wakhuthazela kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.”—Mathewu 24:13.
15. (a) Iyini intando kaNkulunkulu namuhla ngamaKristu abhapathiziwe? (b) Ukuba umfundi ongumKristu kufanele kube okubaluleke kangakanani ekuphileni kwethu?
15 Intando kaNkulunkulu ngoJesu yayihlanganisa nendlela uJesu asebenzisa ngayo ukuphila kwakhe njengomuntu. Wayeyonikela ngako ekufeni njengomhlatshelo. Thina sethula imizimba yethu kuNkulunkulu, futhi kumelwe siphile ukuphila kokuzidela ngokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. (Roma 12:1, 2) Besiyobe singenzi intando kaNkulunkulu uma ngezinye izikhathi besiziphatha ngamabomu njengezwe elisizungezile noma sigxilisa ukuphila kwethu eminakweni yobugovu, sinikela kuNkulunkulu inkonzo yokugcina icala. (1 Petru 4:1-3; 1 Johane 2:15, 16) Lapho umJuda othile ebuza ukuthi yini okwakumelwe ayenze ukuze azuze ukuphila okuphakade, uJesu wavuma ukuthi kubalulekile ukuphila ukuphila okuhlanzekile ngokokuziphatha. Kodwa wabe eseveza okuthile okubaluleke nakakhulu: isidingo sokuba umfundi ongumKristu, umlandeli kaJesu. Yilokho okumelwe kube yinto esemqoka ekuphileni. Akunakuthatha indawo yesibili ngemva kweminako yezinto ezibonakalayo.—Mathewu 19:16-21.
16. (a) Yimuphi umthwalo wemfanelo wonke amaKristu anawo ngokuphathelene noMbuso? (b) Njengoba kuboniswe emakhasini 116 no-117, yiziphi ezinye izindlela eziphumelelayo zokwenza umsebenzi woMbuso? (c) Ukuwenza kwethu ngenhliziyo yonke umsebenzi wokufakaza kunikeza ubufakazi bani?
16 Kufanele kugcizelelwe futhi ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu ngoJesu yayihlanganisa umsebenzi obalulekile ngokuphathelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. UJesu ngokwakhe wayegcotshwe njengeNkosi. Kodwa lapho esemhlabeni, wafakaza ngentshiseko mayelana noMbuso. Sinomsebenzi ofanayo wokushumayela okufanele siwenze, futhi sinezizathu ezinhle zokuwenza ngenhliziyo yonke. Ngokwenza kanjalo, sibonisa ukuthi siyabazisa ubukhosi bukaJehova nokuthi siyabathanda abanye abantu. (Mathewu 22:36-40) Sibonisa nokuthi sinobunye nabakhulekeli esikanye nabo emhlabeni wonke, bonke abangabamemezeli boMbuso. Sisonke, ngobunye embulungeni yonke, siphokophele emgomweni wokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyobuswa yilowo Mbuso.
Ingxoxo Yokubukeza
• Yikuphi ukufana, nomahluko okhona phakathi kobhapathizo lukaJesu nobhapathizo lwamanzi namuhla?
• Kusho ukuthini ukubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele”?
• Yini ehilelekile ekuphileni ngokuvumelana nezibopho zobhapathizo lwamanzi lobuKristu?
[Izithombe ekhasini 116, 117]
EZINYE IZINDLELA ZOKUMEMEZELA UMBUSO
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