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are required to purify themselves before the spiritual initiation. The initiation by John has come to be known as baptism, meaning “to immerse in the water.” The rite of baptism derives from the traditional practice of ritual cleansing (mikveh) that was customary in many of the sects of Judaism. This ritual cleansing was a regular practice in the Essene communities and is recorded in many of their documents.
John proclaimed that the Kingdom God had promised, is the Kingdom of Heaven within you, and is available to the spiritual seeker. He explained to his followers that they would continue to suffer until they found this heavenly kingdom within. John taught that discipline of the senses was important, and he also modeled the practices of fasting and prayer. He taught that justice and moral rectitude were essentials of the true path of religion (dharma). He spoke to the people about the ways of
true reform and the attainment of salvation.
The Descent of Lord Jesus
Jesus is considered to be the founder of Christianity. Jesus was born in a Jewish family and his teaching evolved out of Judaism.13
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