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 … then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels.
2 Nephi 31:13
The phrase “acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God” stands out to me. It’s not that anyone could fool God with their hypocrisy or deception but they might fool themselves which is why Nephi states it. If people think they are following the Son by being baptized but are not receiving the baptism of fire they need to examine themselves to see if they are truly coming with full purpose of heart out whether they are coming with hypocrisy or deception in their heart—trying to hide their sins behind a facade of obedience.
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