The people of God living near the close of time should learn a lesson from this experience of Paul’s. We should not be disheartened because those who have no love for truth refuse to be convinced by the clearest evidence. We need not flatter ourselves that the formal and world-loving churches of this age are more ready to receive the teachings of God’s word than were those of ages past. Paul’s worst enemies were among the Jews, who made the highest claims to godliness. It was to this class that Christ said, “Ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God.” The most bitter opposers of truth today are found among those who profess to be its defenders. {LP 278.3}

Guds folk der lever nær tids afslutning, bør lære en lektie fra Paulus’ erfaring. Vi bør ikke miste modet fordi dem, som ikke elsker sandheden nægter at lade sig overbevise af de klareste beviser. Vi skal ikke bilde os selv ind at de formelle og verdenselskende menigheder i denne tid, er mere parate til at tage imod Guds ords lære, end dem i tidligere tider. Paulus største fjener var iblandt jøderne, som krævede den højeste form for gudsfrygt. Det var til denne klasse, at Kristus sagde: »Fordi I hverken kender skrifterne eller Guds kraft?« De mest bitre modstanderes af sandheden i dag findes iblandt dem som bekender at være dens forsvarere.