They think they are following sound reason, but they are following another leader. They have placed themselves under the control of a power which in their blindness they are wholly ignorant of. They have resisted the only Spirit that could lead them, enlighten them, save them. They are following in the path of guilt for which there can be no forgiveness, in this life or in the life to come. Not that any degree of guilt would exhaust the mercy of God, but because pride and persistent stubbornness leads them to do despite to the Spirit of God, to occupy a place where no manifestation of the Spirit can convince them of their error. They will not yield their stubborn wills. {5BC 1092.9}

De tror de følger sund fornuft, men de følger en anden leder. De har sat sig selv under magtens kontrol, hvor de i deres blindhed er helt uvidende derom. De har kun modsat sig Ånden, som kan lede dem, oplyse dem, frelse dem. De følger skyldens sti, hvor der ikke er tilgivelse, i dette liv og i det kommende liv. Ikke den nogen grad af skyld vil udtømme (1093) Guds nåde, men stolthed og vedholdende hårdnakkethed leder dem til at foragte Guds Ånd, og besidde et plads hvor ingen manifestation af Ånden kan overbevise dem om deres fejl. De vil ikke give opgive deres hårdnakkede vilje.