When Jesus was upon earth, the Jews were ever acting as spies on His track. They gathered up every false report and charged Him with one crime after another. They were constantly endeavoring to turn the people away from Him. Was their course right? If it was, then Brother D has not sinned, for he is doing a similar work. He may now break the snare of the enemy; he may conquer this spirit which leads him to exalt himself above his brethren. Let him seek meekness, and learn to esteem others better than himself. If he will work in fidelity and in harmony with God’s plan he will hear the sweet words, “Well done,” from the lips of the Master. But if he rejects the labors of God’s servants, if he chooses his own way and leans to his own understanding, he will surely make shipwreck of faith. God has not passed His people by and chosen one solitary man here and another there as the only ones worthy to be entrusted with His truth. He does not give one man new light contrary to the established faith of the body. In every reform men have arisen making this claim. Paul warned the church in his day: “Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” The greatest harm to God’s people comes through those who go out from among them speaking perverse things. Through them the way of truth is evil spoken of. {5T 291.2}

Da Jesus var på jorden, gik jøderne altid efter ham, som spioner. De fandt alle mulige falske historier og anklagede ham for den ene forbrydelse efter den anden. De prøvede hele tiden på at vende folk bort fra ham. Var deres opførsel rigtig? Hvis den var, så har bror D ikke syndet, for han gør det samme. Han må bryde fjendens snare nu; han må sejre over den ånd, som får ham til at sætte sig oven over sine brødre. Lad ham søge ydmyghed og lære at værdsætte andre mere end ham selv. Hvis han vil arbejde troligt og i harmoni med Guds plan, vil han høre de liflige ord: »Vel du gode og tro tjener,« fra sin Mesters læber. Men hvis han forkaster Guds tjeneres arbejde, hvis han vælger sin egen vej og læner sig op ad sin egen forståelse, vil ham visselig lide troens skibbrud. [Gud har ikke forbigået sit folk og udvalgt en enkelt mand her og en anden der som de eneste, der er værdige til at blive betroet hans sandhed. Han giver ikke en enkelt mand nyt lys, som er i strid med samfundets grundfæstede tro. Under enhver reform er der opstået mænd, som er fremkommet med en sådan påstand. Paulus talte advarende til menigheden på den tid: »Af jeres egen midte skal der fremstå mænd, som fører falsk tale for at drage disciplene efter sig.« Den største skade, der rammer Guds folk, kommer gennem sådanne, som går ud fra dem og taler forkerte ting. Ved dem bliver sandhedens vej spottet.