What a lesson have we here for parents and guardians of youth, and for those who minister in the service of God. When existing evils are not met and checked, because men have too little courage to reprove wrong, or because they have too little interest or are too indolent to tax their own powers in putting forth earnest efforts to purify the family or the church of God, they are accountable for the evil which may result in consequence of neglect to do their duty. We are just as accountable for evils that we might have checked in others, by reproof, by warning, by exercise of parental or pastoral authority, as if we were guilty of the acts ourselves. {4T 516.3}

Hvilken lektie har vi dog ikke her, til unges forældre og formyndere og til dem, som tjener i Guds sag. Når bestående onder ikke imødekommes og bremses, fordi mennesker har for lidt mod til at irettesætte det forkerte, eller fordi de interesserer sig for lidt eller er for dovne til at bruge deres egne kræfter og alvorligt rense familie eller Guds menighed, drages de til ansvar for de onder der er, af deres pligtforsømmelse. Vi er ligeså ansvarlig for onder vi kunne have bremset hos andre, ved irettesættelser, ved advarsler, ved forældres eller prædikanters myndighed, som vi er skyldige i egne handlinger.