“If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Very many who profess to be Christ’s disciples will apparently pass along smoothly in this world, and will be regarded as upright, godly men, when they have a plague spot at the core, which taints their whole character and corrupts their religious experience. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” This forbids us to take advantage of our fellow men in order to advantage ourselves. We are forbidden to wrong our neighbor in anything. We should not view the matter from the worldling’s standpoint. To deal with our fellow men in every instance just as we should wish them to deal with us is a rule which we should apply to ourselves practically. God’s laws are to be obeyed to the letter. In all our intercourse and deal with our fellow men, whether believers or unbelievers, this rule is to be applied: “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” {2T 43.1}

»Vil du gå ind til livet, så hold budene!« Rigtig mange som vedkender sig at være Kristi disciple vil tilsyneladende glide over til denne verden og dog betragtes som oprigtige, gudfrygtige mennesker selvom de er befængt med pest i det inderste, hvilket inficerer hele deres karakter og fordærver deres religiøse erfaring. »Du skal elske din næste som dig selv.« Dette forbyder os at tage fordel af vore medmennesker for at hjælpe os selv. Det er os forbudt at gøre vor næste uret, i hvilket som helst. Vi bør ikke se tingene fra den verdsliges ståsted. At behandle vore medmennesker, i enhver henseende, ligesom vi ønsker at blive behandlet, er en regel som vi, i praksis, bør sætte for os selv. Guds lov skal adlydes efter bogstaven. I al vor omgang med og behandling af vore medmennesker, hvadenten det er troende eller ikke-troende, må denne regel gælde: »Elsk din næste som dig selv.«