True goodness is accounted of Heaven as true greatness. The condition of the moral affections determines the worth of the man. A man may have property and intellect, and yet be valueless, because the glowing fire of goodness has never burned upon the altar of his heart, because his conscience has been seared, blackened and crisped, with selfishness and sin. When the lust of the flesh is controlling the man, and the evil passions of the carnal nature are permitted to rule, skepticism in regard to the realities of the Christian religion is encouraged, and doubts are expressed, as though it was a special virtue to doubt. {1SP 395.4}

Sand godhed regnes i himlen som sand storhed. Betingelsen for moralsk hengivenhed bestemmer menneskets værdi. Et menneske kan have megen gods og være forstandigt, og alligevel være værdiløs, fordi godhedens glødende ild aldrig har brændt på hans alter, fordi hans samvittighed har været udtørret, og krøllet til med selviskhed og synd. Når kødets lyst kontrollerer mennesket, og den kødelige naturs onde lidenskaber får lov at herske, opmuntres skepticisme over for kristenreligionens realiteter, og der gives udtryk for tvivl, som om det var en særlig dyd at tvivle.