It is a fearful thing for those who profess to be children of God, to cross the line of demarkation that should separate the church from the world. Such are Satan’s most effective agents. He works through them with decision, zeal, and persistency, to devise and execute such enormities against those who are true to God, as the common sinner would seem incapable of. The very light they have slighted makes their darkness tenfold greater than it otherwise would be. When men refuse to accept the light which God in mercy sends them, they know not where they are going. They take only one step at a time away from the right path; but these successive steps lead directly to perdition. They place themselves on Satan’s ground, and his spirit controls them. They cannot perceive the great change in themselves. None are transformed at once; but they enter Satan’s school instead of the school of Christ, and the great deceiver educates them to do his work. {LP 233.3}

Det er en frygtelig ting for dem, der bekender at være Guds børn, at krydse den skillelinje, som skulle adskille kirken fra verden. Disse er Satans mest effektive agenter. Han virker beslutsomt, ivrigt og vedvarende igennem dem, for at lægge planer og udføre disse afskyeligheder imod dem som sande over for Gud, som den almindelige synder ikke lader til at kunne klare. Det lys som de har ringeagtet gør deres mørke ti gange større end det ellers ville være. Skønt de afviser at tage imod det lys som Gud i sin nåde sender dem, ved de ikke hvor de går hen. De tage kun et skridt ad gangen bort fra den rigtige sti; men disse successrige skridt leder direkte til fortabelse. De sætter sig selv på Satans grund, og hans ånd kontrollerer dem. De kan ikke se den store forandring hos dem selv. Ingen forvandles på een gang; men de går ind i Satans skole i stedet for Kristi skole, og den store bedrager uddanner dem til at gøre hans arbejde.