From Teaching 99

56. My people: During that Era, John, also named the Baptist, baptised with water those who believed in his prophecy. That act was a symbol of the purification of the original sin. He said to the multitudes who came to the Jordan River to hear the words of the forerunner: "Behold that I baptise you with water, but there comes the One who will baptise you with the fire of the Holy Spirit!"

57. From that Divine fire all spirits were born; they emerged cleansed and pure. But if, along their way, they have become blemished through sin, brought about by their disobedience, the fire of My Spirit comes again to spread over them and destroy their sin, erase their blemishes, and give them back their original purity.

58. If that spiritual baptism, instead of being understood as a purification that man obtains through a true repentance before his Creator, you convert it into a ritual and you are satisfied with the symbolism of an act, truly I say to you, that your spirit will gain nothing.

59. He who does it in that manner, still lives in the times of the Baptist, and it is as if he had not believed in his prophecies, nor in his words, which spoke of the spiritual baptism of the Divine fire with which God purifies and eternalises His children within that light.

60. John called upon men in their adult age, to pour upon them those waters, a symbol of purification. They approached him when they were already conscious of their acts, and were able to maintain a firm will to persevere along the path of Good, rectitude, and justice.

Behold how humanity has preferred to practice the symbolic act of the purification by means of water, instead of a true regeneration through repentance and the firm intention or amending, which is born from the love for God.

The ceremony does not involve any effort whatever; on the other hand, to purify the heart and struggle to remain within limpidity, does signify, for man, effort, vigilance and even sacrifice.

That is why men have preferred to cover, through appearances, their sins, confining themselves to the compliance of ceremonies, acts and rituals, which in no way improves their moral or spiritual condition, if their conscience does not intervene within.

61. Disciples: That is the reason why I do not want any rituals among you, so that by complying with them, you forget what truly reaches the spirit.

62. The original sin does not originate from the union of man and woman. I, as the Creator, established that union, saying to both: "Be fruitful and multiply". That was the first Law. Sin has been in the abuse which has been made of the gift of the freedom of will.

63. Be prepared to continue receiving, in your bosom, the children that I entrust to you. Have a full knowledge of your mission and in your responsibility; you will find that light in My Doctrine.