A few words more to the church members. Said Christ: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” We are not to make crosses for ourselves, by wearing sackcloth, by pinching our bodies, or by denying ourselves wholesome, nourishing food. We are not to shut ourselves in monasteries, away from the world, and do no good to our fellow beings, thinking this is the cross of Christ; neither are we required to expose health and life unnecessarily, nor to go mourning up the hill of Christian life, feeling it a sin to be cheerful, contented, happy, and joyful. These are all self-made crosses, but not the cross of Christ. {4T 626.2}

Nogle få ord mere til menighedsmedlemmerne, Kristus har sagt: »Hvis nogen vil gå i mit spor, skal han fornægte sig selv og tage sit kors op og følge mig!« Vi skal ikke gøre kors for os selv og bære sækkeklæder og pine vore legemer, eller fornægte os sund, nærende mad. Vi skal ikke lukke os selv inde i klostre, borte fra verden, (627) og ikke gøre godt mod vore medmennesker, anse indeslutning for at være Kristi kors; ej heller er vi pålagt at udsætte sundheden og livet unødigt, eller gå sørgende op ad kristenlivets bakke, føle at det er en synd at være munter, tilfreds, lykkelig og glad. Disse er selvgjorte kors, men ikke Kristi kors.