2 Nephi 31:11 - 31:15

2 Nephi 31:11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

The Father through the Messiah has told us to repent and be baptized as a sign of our commitment to do just that. That we will be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

2 Nephi 31:12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

The Father has further said that if a person submits to baptism, he will receive the Holy Ghost as the Messiah did at His baptism. Again the Messiah shall lead the way in what one should do to return to God’s presence.

2 Nephi 31:13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

Nephi warns us not to think we can just pay some sort of lip service to these requirements. We really have to want to be baptized because we sincerely believe in complying with the requirements. We should have a sincere testimony of the Gospel and are wanting to have the Holy Ghost so we can see with greater depth the richness of the Gospel and come to appreciate just what our Father has done for us.

2 Nephi 31:14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.

Nephi now gives a warning and he heard it from the mouth of the Lord himself. If you say that you are willing to do as the Lord advises you and be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and are talking like you really mean it, but then fall away, it would be better that you never entered into the Church. It is better to be ignorant than to turn against the truth. (It is notable to see the words “willing to keep my commandments” instead of “will keep my commandments”. This also matches the wording in the sacrament prayer over the bread. We say that we are “willing to take upon ourselves the name of thy Son and always remember him and keep his commandments …” I think the Lord knows that we will find it impossible to keep all the commandments but if we are willing, He can help us along the way with the Holy Ghost. If we are not willing then we cannot be help at all.)

2 Nephi 31:15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

Nephi further validates what he just said in the last verse by saving that the Father, himself, also confirmed this doctrine and indicated that one then had to be faithful until one is safety dead. Salvation comes to none else.