“O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.” The watchmen will need to live very near to God, to hear His word and be impressed with His Spirit, that the people may not look to them in vain. “When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” Ambassadors of Christ should take heed that they do not, through their unfaithfulness, lose their own souls and the souls of those who hear them. {4T 403.1}

»Dig, menneskesøn, har jeg sat til vægter for Israels hus; hører du et ord af min mund, skal du advare dem fra mig.« Vægterne må leve Gud meget nær for at kunne høre hans ord og modtage indtryk fra hans ånd, således at folket ikke forgæves skal se hen til dem. »Når jeg siger til den gudløse: »Du skal visselig dø!« og du ikke taler for at advare ham mod hans, vej, så skal den gudløse vel dø for sin misgerning, men hans, blod vil jeg kræve af din hånd. Advarer du derimod den gudløse mod hans vej, for at han skal omvende sig fra den og han ikke, omvender sig, så skal han dø for sin misgerning, men du har reddet din sjæl.« Kristi sendebud bør tage sig i agt, at de ikke ved deres utroskab skal miste deres egne sjæle og deres, der hører dem.