The sinner may plead he has been doing good in most things, but in order not to be out of harmony with the world, he did not obey the fourth commandment, but kept the day the world observed. He has on the whole obeyed more than he has disregarded the commandments of God. Would this reasoning stand approved before the courts of Jehovah? What would it have availed in the case of Adam and Eve? They might have pleaded that their sin was only one little departure from God. They had obeyed him fully up to that time. They could have found excuses more plausible than men can frame to-day; but the way God dealt with them should teach the sons and daughters of Adam how he will deal with them if they break one of the least of his requirements.

Synderen kan påberåbe sig, at han har gjort det godt i de fleste forhold, men for ikke at være helt ude af harmoni med verden overholdt han ikke det fjerde bud, men har holdt den dag verden holder. Han har som helhed overholdt Guds lov, mere end han har overtrådt den. Ville en sådan argumentation blive accepteret af Jehovas domstol? Hvad ville det have hjulpet i Adam og Evas tilfælde? De kunne have gjort gældende, at deres synd kun var en lille afvigelse fra Gud. De havde adlydt ham fuldt ud indtil det tidspunkt. De ville kunne have givet mere plausible undskyldninger end mennesket kan i dag; men den måde hvorpå, Gud handlede med dem, burde lære Adams sønner og døtre, hvordan han vil handle med dem, hvis de bryder et af de mindste af hans Bud.