3 Nephi 11:18-28

The Savior turned to the multitude and commanded Nephi₃ to come forth.  He did as commanded.  He bowed before Christ and kissed His feet. 

The Lord commanded Nephi₃ to arise and stand before Him.  He gave Nephi₃ the power to baptize the people when He had ascended into heaven.  John Welch explains the authority given to Nephi₃.

Jesus first ordained Nephi, giving him the authority normally associated by Latter-day Saints with the Aaronic Priesthood, namely the power to baptize the people. The Lord asked him to arise and come forth; he went forth, bowed himself before the Lord, and kissed Jesus' feet, whereupon the Lord commanded him to arise. Nephi then arose and stood before Jesus, who ordained him and gave him "power [to] baptize this people when [the Lord] again ascended into heaven" (3 Nephi 11:21).[1]

He then called eleven others and gave them the authority to baptize.  Nephi1 had foreseen this day.  “And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell upon twelve others; and they were ordained of God, and chosen” (1 Nephi 12:7). 

The Savior then instructs the twelve on how to baptize, telling them there should be no disputations among them.

To be baptized, the person must repent of their sins and believe in Christ.  The word of the Lord came to Alma₁, telling him, “For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance.  And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.  For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand” (Mosiah 26:22 - 23).

The instructions continued on the proper method of baptism.  They are to stand in the water.  Calling the person by name, they are to say, “Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen” (3 Nephi 11:25). 

When Alma₁ baptized, “he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world”  (Mosiah 18:13). 

Alma₂ would describe the source of his authority.  “I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority from God to do these things, behold, I say unto you that he began to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea, and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon” (Alma 5:3). 

The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith, “The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen” (D&C 20:73).

After the proper words are spoken, they are to be immersed in the water and come out of the water.  

They are to baptize in His name, “for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are ^bone; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one” (3 Nephi 11:27). 

The Savior emphasizes again the He had commanded them how to baptize and there is to be no disputations hereafter.  There shall not be disputations concerning His doctrine, “as there have hitherto been” (3 Nephi 11:28). 

As we have read the Book of Mormon, we have seen that the Nephites are in a state of righteousness.  Then, pride enters into society.  Next, there are contentions over doctrine.  Members leave the church and the church becomes divided and fights among itself.  This leads to wickedness and finally to their destruction at the end of the Book of Mormon.  Contentions can be devastating to faith.

Paul warned the Corinthians:

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions [GR factions, schisms] among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

For it hath been declared unto me of [GR about, concerning] you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

Is Christ divided?  was Paul crucified for you?  or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Corinthians 1:10 - 13

To the Ephesians, he wrote:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Ephesians 4:11 - 14

The Lord has the last word, removing any doubt there may be about contentions, “I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine” (D&C 38:27).

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[1] Toward an Understanding of the Sermon as a Temple Text, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 3, 2012.