Ezekiel 33:7, commentary and pictures

God set Ezekiel as a watchman over the house of Israel to hear the word from His own mouth and warn the people from Him and in His name. He is like a sentinel set on the wall of a city, whose wakefulness and sounding of danger decide the safety of all within. The watchman must therefore stay very near to God in vital connection, listen earnestly for His word, prayerfully search the Scriptures, and speak only the message entrusted to him and not his own ideas. If he fails to warn the wicked that he shall surely die, the wicked shall die in his iniquity but his blood will be required at the watchman's hand, while if he warns faithfully whether men heed or forbear he has delivered his soul even if they do not turn. That solemn charge rests first on Christ's ministers, pastors and spiritual guardians on Zion's walls, and as far as opportunity extends on everyone who has received the light of truth, to stay wide awake day and night, cry aloud and spare not, and call sinners to turn from their way to Christ before judgments fall.

Watchman Appointed by God

God set Ezekiel, the son of man, His prophet and messenger, as a watchman unto the house of Israel, to hear the word at His mouth and to warn the people from Him and in His name. The charge lays a grave trust upon human agents, who must faithfully receive only the message entrusted to them and speak it on God's behalf. It applies both to the one first set in that place and to all who afterward share the same commission to receive God's word and warn.

The watchman is like a sentinel set on the wall of a city and on the walls of Zion, whose alertness and sounding of danger decide the safety of all within. Christ's ministers, spiritual guardians, and Christians are therefore set to watch for souls as those who must give an account, discerning spiritual peril and giving a clear warning of the sword coming, because the salvation of souls depends on their fidelity. They must stay spiritually alert, live very near to God, and be impressed by His Spirit, so that the people do not look to them in vain. Anciently such watchmen were placed on the walls of Jerusalem and other cities, were not to keep silent day nor night, called to one another every few moments to see that all were awake and no harm had come, with sentinels on eminences overlooking important posts sounding warning or good cheer that was repeated from one to another till it went the entire rounds of the city.

The instruction in Ezekiel 33 and 34 is the present truth of God for these last days, not a pleasing fable. It must be read and studied with the utmost stretch of understanding to know what it means now, and it must be obeyed by making straight paths for the feet so the lame are turned out of the way. The chapter shows God's government rests on personal responsibility: each must answer for himself, no one can obey in another's place, another's neglect does not excuse neglect, and people are judged by their own conduct. So the wicked who turn to what is right will live, and the righteous who turn to sin will die.

The warning must be given whether people heed it or forbear it, and the following verse adds the consequence for failing to warn the wicked that he shall surely die. As long as God has a church and a people He will have instruments who cry aloud and spare not, reprove selfishness and sin, declare the whole counsel of God, and bear plain testimony regardless of consequences, rather than speaking smooth words and crying peace. Withholding the warning leaves the watchman answerable for the consequences, while giving it delivers him from that responsibility even if the wicked refuses to turn.

Hearing God's Word First

The watchman must live very near to God in vital connection with Him, listening earnestly for words from God and being impressed by His Spirit in order to hear His word and faithfully receive and speak only the message entrusted to him. Like a sentinel set on a city wall, his alertness decides the safety of all within, so he must stay spiritually awake and sound the warning of danger and point sinners to safety and guard the interests of the church. Anciently watchmen placed on the walls of Jerusalem and other cities were not to keep silent day nor night, but called to one another every few moments to see that all were awake and no harm had come, with sentinels on eminences overlooking important posts sounding warning or good cheer that was repeated from one to another till it went the entire rounds of the city, and in the same way stewards must stand as watchmen on the walls of Zion and sound warning when they see the sword coming because the salvation of souls depends on their fidelity. If they are sleepy sentinels with spiritual senses benumbed so they see and realize no danger and the people perish without looking to them in vain, their blood is required at the watchmen's hands, while faithful warning delivers the watchman's soul even if the wicked dies in iniquity, and unfaithfulness loses both his own soul and the souls of those who hear him. His work is solemn and not for wages, for he preaches because he feels compelled to do so and knows he is accountable if he fails to preach.

To hear God's word the watchman must prayerfully search the Scriptures and preach a plain Thus saith the Lord, helping members to obey and recognizing the voice of the true Shepherd and the time, so that God's word reaches the people. He must distinguish truth from error and righteousness from unrighteousness and give the trumpet a certain sound so the people may shun evil and choose good and make God their refuge amid breakers and hidden rocks on every side. He must not exalt his own ideas and plans above the light sent from the throne of God in warnings, counsels and reproof, nor place greater confidence in his own finite judgment than in the words God sends, but must distrust self, set aside his own ways, plans and ideas, keep the way of the Lord to do His will, make Him his counselor, and in faith work away from self. He must not preach error and false doctrines nor warn the people against doing what God told them to do, nor hold back warnings about evil merely because others may take them as personal attacks. Those warned are also responsible to search the Word for themselves and are not excused for being deceived by committing their souls to an unfaithful minister, for the minister cannot pay ransom for their souls, and unfaithful watchmen who treat that voice with disrespect and sow unbelief and shut heaven's rays of light from the people draw many with them to pay no heed and are charged with the loss of souls, bringing ruin and condemnation proportionate to the influence their words and example had in leading men and women into transgression.

The warning is a grave trust and duty and not a message of the watchman's own choosing, for he must speak the message entrusted to him and declare what God has revealed and make the light known. He is to state the facts according to the instruction God has given him, entering into no controversy when the message is questioned and neither admitting nor denying who told him. He must not wittingly withhold instruction or retreat through discouragement or opposition, for seeing another's danger and failing to raise his voice is unfaithfulness that leaves him accountable for blood, while warning the wicked and the righteous faithfully discharges his duty even if they refuse to turn, since people are judged by their own conduct and the wicked who turn to what is right will live and the righteous who turn to sin will die. He may defer speaking only when cautioned to wait until the time of danger makes it necessary to speak.

God's people must respect the warning and receive the message rather than discrediting His messengers, since complaint against them can amount to complaint against God. Each must stand at his post of duty as a faithful sentinel in direct relationship with God and not allow another person to think or serve as conscience for him. Watchmen must warn others while keeping the truths of God's Word before themselves.

Accountability for Warning

If the watchman does not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will be required at the watchman's hand. The charge is to hear the word at God's mouth and warn the people from Him and in His name, sounding the warning to call the wicked to turn, and failure to give it leaves the watchman accountable for the death even though the sinner remains accountable for his own sin. The duty belongs to spiritual guardians and consecrated workers and to everyone who has received the light of truth as far as opportunity extends, for the warning is a grave trust to speak the message entrusted and not to withhold it.

If the watchman warns the wicked of his way to turn from it and he does not turn, the wicked shall die in his iniquity, but the watchman has delivered his soul and fulfilled his duty and is clear of guilt. The response then rests on the hearer alone, who remains responsible for refusing to turn, while the faithful watchman is delivered from guilt even when the warning is rejected.

Faithfulness decides eternal results, for like sentinels whose alertness decided the safety of all within, stewards must stand on the walls of Zion and sound warning when they see the sword coming, since the salvation of souls depends on their fidelity. They must stay spiritually alert with senses awake, live very near to God to be impressed by His Spirit, discern danger and the enemy on every side, and give the alarm so the people may take their places and the enemy gain no advantage. If they are sleepy sentinels with spiritual senses benumbed so they see and realize no danger and withhold the warning, the people perish unwarned and God holds the watchmen accountable and requires their blood at their hands. Faithful warning delivers the watchman's soul even if the wicked dies in iniquity, while unfaithfulness loses both his own soul and the souls of those who hear him.

Those warned are also responsible, and must search the Word of God for themselves rather than commit their souls to another. Being deceived by an unfaithful minister is no excuse, for the minister cannot pay ransom for their souls, since Christ gave His life to save them and give another trial to return to loyalty, and those who take Satan's side to justify sin must bear the penalty of sin. Those who keep themselves in God's love and separate from the world will have His special blessings rest upon them and His light shine round about them, with an influence for good felt in every branch of the work and every part of the gospel field, while failure to meet God's mind leaves influence and example a terrible curse doing harm and only harm, with the blood of precious souls found upon garments as guilt for souls lost through unfaithfulness.

Those who knowingly advance error are accountable for souls lost through deceptive teaching and will face the consequences of wilful transgression. Those who stop serving as watchmen and fail to pass on God's warning leave the people exposed to error, which is then repeated to others and spreads like Babylon's wine to spiritually poison the nations. Betrayal of sacred trust by one entrusted with responsibility for God's people is especially serious, for God sees and hears his actions and words, which are recorded in heaven, and rejecting warnings and light can turn even those who teach some truth into false watchmen.

Who Bears Watchman Charge

God sets His ministers, preachers, pastors, spiritual guardians and overseers of the flock as watchmen to the house of Israel and upon the walls of Zion, answerable for believers and unbelievers because eternal interests outweigh all common work. Like a sentinel on a city wall they must stay alert, live in close connection with God, discern spiritual peril, and teach and warn everyone with meekness, wisdom, earnestness and courage. Their business is to hear the word at God's mouth and speak as His mouthpieces, setting the testing truths for this time before brethren and opposers, preaching a plain Thus saith the Lord, helping members obey, and refusing to preach error, to warn against doing what God commanded, to dread opposers, or to seek ease and self-convenience. The greater light and opportunities of the present increase this accountability, and unfaithfulness brings ruin with condemnation proportionate to influence, a strict account of influence exerted, and the blood of souls upon the watchman's head when warning is withheld. Those warned remain responsible to search the Scriptures for themselves, are not excused by trusting a deceived or unfaithful minister who cannot pay ransom for their souls, for Christ gave His life to give another trial and make return to loyalty possible, and those who take Satan's side to justify sin must bear its penalty.

The charge reaches beyond ministers to everyone who has received the light of truth, as far as opportunity extends, including each individual, each member of the church, every professed Christian, and all men and women of the church with laymen watching together with ministers, because saving souls stands above every other work. Each one so entrusted is appointed a co-laborer with Christ with a special work committed to him, to make known the truth in order to save souls. This means full surrender under the direction and protection of the Holy Spirit to give the message for this time now, with every effort tending to advance its proclamation and not waiting until prophecies are fulfilled or judgments fall, since clear light already shows the great day of the Lord at hand, even at the door. Every professed Christian set as watchman to the unsaved must feel the perilous lost condition of sinners, refuse to rest day nor night without arousing them, make them sensible of their state, and point them to Christ as the only One who can save. Failure leaves guilt upon the unfaithful and upon those who foster pride and vanity instead of faithfulness, making them pleasing servants of Satan while professing Christ, and will draw the charge in the day of loss that no warning was given and now the unwarned are lost.

Those who lead publishing work, edit periodicals, and prepare books are likewise accountable as watchmen to hear God's message and warn faithfully, with failure bringing responsibility for the consequences. The American Sentinel is in God's order one of the voices sounding the alarm like a trumpet giving a certain sound, set among watchmen aroused and sent forth with warning, reproof and instruction so the people may be enlightened, realize danger, and do the work required now. God's people must heed what He sends through word and ministers, receive the light when presented, read it carefully, and pass it along to relatives, friends, church and world, adding their influence in its favor so its full force may be felt.

Canvassers and colporteurs serve as watchmen and consecrated messengers by sounding the warning bell to awaken a spiritually sleeping world to danger and to its time of visitation. They bring to those in darkness and error who might otherwise never hear it the good news of salvation through Christ in obedience to God's law, as part of the last warning to the world. Their work is to carry God's final warning to people unaware of peril and to awaken the spiritually sleeping to recognize danger.

Ministers, physicians and medical missionary workers are set as the Lord's watchmen to His people and to the church, to be faithful pastors and true medical missionaries who guard influence, carry Christ's burdens, and use their work to lead souls to Christ. They must hear the word at His mouth and in kindness and love faithfully present mistakes and dangers, telling an erring brother of his wrong and pointing the way to the right, for suffering wrong to go unreproved and neglecting to warn leaves God to hold them accountable for the results. They must be wide-awake to discern the approach of the enemy, quick to see evil stealing into the ranks, and give the alarm against the dangerous character of pleasing fables and spiritualistic sentiments such as those in Living Temple and other harmful teachings threatening the people. Willingly closing the eyes so as not to discern danger, sleeping on the walls of Zion, and failing to tell obligations to God brings God's rebuke, with His hand falling with special severity on unfaithful watchmen.

Those standing in responsible positions, including conference presidents and other leaders, teachers and college workers, fathers and mothers, and faithful pastors, teachers, managers and mature men and women in institutions such as Battle Creek, are set as sentinels and watchmen on the walls of Zion to hear God's word and sound an alarm to be heard in all the plain. They must place before the people in clear lines their obligation to God as owner by creation and redemption, warning that the day of woe, of wasting and destruction, is upon all who do unrighteousness, and carrying forward the proclamation of the third angel's message in the power of the Spirit rather than keeping silent in fearful peril. Sleepy watchmen who cannot see threatening danger and do not warn are of no use, and failure to make duty clear brings especially severe judgment. In Battle Creek this means doing all in their power to guard the sheep and lambs, especially Sanitarium employees, medical students, helpers and patients and other youth, from temptations, snares, worldly influence and backsliding, improving every opportunity to present the true situation and the dangers besetting on every hand. The church is appointed with jealous care over youth and children as a sentinel to see the enemy's approach and give warning, for Satan and his host are now as never before determined to enlist youth under the black banner that leads to ruin and death, making education of the young of greater importance than anything else; the church sleeping on guard does not realize the situation, so fathers and mothers must arouse and work as for life or many youth will be forever lost.

Seventh-day Adventists are described as watchmen and light-bearers entrusted with the last warning to a perishing world in the proclamation of the first, second and third angels' messages, a work of highest importance that must not be displaced by other concerns. The watchmen on Zion's walls must awaken to this responsibility and, empowered by the Spirit, warn the world that the Lord is soon coming, proclaiming that it is night and rousing people from spiritual lethargy lest they sleep the sleep of death. The warning must be carried wherever people can be reached, including every city without delay and by every available means with clear Bible truth, charging missionaries to go to those not yet warned, for delay leaves people unwarned while evil advances. Conference presidents and other leaders entrusted with responsibility serve in this sounding of the last warning and last message of mercy with earnestness, not in a tame or spiritless way. Faithful witnesses and sentinels in every age take up God's warning message for their generation, and when some finish their work others take it up.

How Faithful Watchmen Warn

Faithful watchmen stay wide awake at their post day and night, prompt and earnest and fully vigilant, discerning the enemy and subtle danger on every side that threatens spiritual life, health and prosperity. They give the trumpet a certain sound at once so the people may shun evil and choose good, take their places, and leave the enemy no advantage. If they sleep under stupor and fail to discern danger, the people perish unwarned and the watchmen are held accountable and charged with blood. Their charge is to stay close to God and responsive to His Spirit, to recognize the voice of the true Shepherd, and to warn sinners of transgression, point them to safety and refuge, and protect the interests of the church. They must not let children's unbelief and skepticism turn them aside or dim spiritual vision, but keep clear sight and warn those in their care.

Warning means reproving, rebuking and exhorting with all long-suffering and doctrine, in meekness and wisdom and love, crying aloud and sparing not and declaring the whole counsel of God. It includes bearing plain testimony about duty and wrongs, firmly meeting worldliness coming into the church, and encouraging those who sincerely strive to do what is right. This loving reproof is a work of the greatest importance and is entirely different from judging, continually censuring, thinking evil, and drawing apart from brethren, which is forbidden. The greater light and opportunities of the present increase the responsibility, and close spiritual connection with God matters to success.

The watchman preaches a plain Thus saith the Lord, setting testing truths for this time before brethren and opposers and urging their claims with humbleness, meekness, earnestness and courage, helping members obey the Word. He meets men in errors and backslidings, bears plain testimony to arouse them from sleep, and opens the precious words of life from the treasure-house of Scripture, bringing forth things new and old with earnest zeal, thoughtful tact and personal effort. He presents justification by faith and the righteousness of Christ as the only hope to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord, and does not bar the way against that message, preach error and false doctrines, warn against doing what God commanded, or preach to please people. He does not exalt self or call attention to self, does not exalt his own ideas, plans and finite judgment above light sent from the throne, and does not dread opposers, shun hardship, or seek ease and self-convenience. If he stands in darkness resisting light, sowing unbelief and shutting heaven's rays from the people, he creates confusion, grieves the Spirit, places a stumbling block before the churches, draws many to pay no heed, and is charged with loss of souls.

Watchmen do not serve for wages but because they feel compelled to preach the gospel, knowing woe and accountability follow failure to preach. As heralds of truth they give the work undivided attention, holding business, ease, honor, reputation and everything in subjection to Christ. Their interests cannot safely be divided or interwoven with commercial business, mines, real estate, money-making schemes, or picturing money advantages of lands to draw attention and means from the Redeemer's kingdom and its institutions. They are pledged to give soul, body and spirit to salvation of souls, living humbly and economically, practicing daily self-sacrifice, teaching converts to bring forth fruit to God's glory, and finishing work thoroughly rather than stirring interest then leaving it rough and unfinished for others.

Fitness for the charge requires entire transformation and death to self, the spirit that dwelt in Christ, being imbued with the spirit and power of truth, heartfelt piety, and living by faith and prayer. It requires settling into God, moving from principle rather than impulse, training the mind, crucifying the old man with affections and lusts, being balanced and regulated by God's Spirit, and being strengthened, established and settled so as not to build up then tear down or kindle interest then quench it for lack of consecration and divine wisdom. The watchman watches over self so self does not take the throne with a spirit that hurts and destroys, distrusts self, sets aside his own ways, plans and ideas, keeps the way of the Lord, makes God counselor, and works away from self in faith. He reaches higher in Christian experience not by self-assertion, self-assumption and self-confidence but by growth in grace and knowledge, pressing toward the mark and using God-given talents to awaken the world to its lost condition rather than leaving first love. He seeks divine wisdom through earnest prayer to honor God in word and deed, relies wholly on His provision, feels the worth of souls, seeks opportunities for personal truth presentation and pastoral labor involving a cross, and puts forth earnest persevering effort in new and hard fields with no separate selfish interest.

The watchman must speak when conduct endangers souls and the cause, even when the particular case has not been shown in direct vision, even when foundations of faith are torn away by departure from the faith and false doctrines are taught. He is guilty if he withholds light given him, holds his peace at sight of danger, or neglects personal testimony to those deceived who think themselves right when wrong, for if they are taken away unwarned their loss is charged to him who knew and failed to warn. When questioned he enters into no controversy and neither admits nor denies who told him, but states facts according to instruction given. He may defer speaking only when cautioned to wait until the time of danger makes it necessary to speak. He must not let children's unbelief, a companion's prejudice dragging him down, or fear of consequences turn him aside, and when his own companion needs the same straight testimony about duty and wrongs the reproof falls back on himself with weight.

Faithful watchfulness means confronting danger, correcting wrongs, putting matters in order, protesting and praying against error, exposing sins, and doing everything possible to counteract evil. It means calling a wrong spirit influenced by Satan by its right name, checking it rather than sustaining it, discerning subtle danger, standing alert and speaking rather than remaining silent, and warning against teachings and unruly, unprincipled efforts to control matters that undermine truth. Warnings may come through human lips under inspiration of the Holy Spirit and must be spoken clearly and distinctly. Silence sustains what God cannot approve, abets Satan's work, leaves responsibility undone, leaves the church in harmful condition taking years to correct, and leaves guilt for lost souls.

Message Urgency and Results

The warning calls the wicked to turn from his way, to feel his perilous lost condition and become sensible of his state, and to be pointed to Christ and to safety as the only One who can save. If the watchman fails to speak, the wicked remains accountable and dies in his iniquity, yet his blood is required at the watchman's hand. If the watchman warns the wicked to turn from his way and he does not turn, the wicked dies in his iniquity but the watchman has delivered his soul and fulfilled his duty and is clear of guilt. The duty applies to everyone who has received the light of truth as far as opportunities extend, and to church guardians and ministers who must stay close to God and responsive to His Spirit, remain fully vigilant, speak clearly and faithfully, and preach because compelled and accountable rather than for wages. Failure to arouse sinners day and night leaves guilt and sin upon the unfaithful, making profession a pleasing service to Satan while claiming to serve Christ, and will bring the charge in the day of loss that the lost associated with Christians who never told them of danger and now they are lost.

The warning places before people in clear lines their obligation to God as their owner by creation and by redemption, and watchmen in responsible positions who fail to make that duty clear face especially severe judgment. It presents the law of God in its true character so people can decide for or against the truth, and proclaims justification by faith, the Laodicean message and Revelation 3, the signs of Christ's coming, the day of woe and of wasting and destruction upon all who do unrighteousness, the plagues preparing, and decided testimony against drunkenness, violence, and departure from the faith taught for the past half century. Ministers of the churches as watchmen should have recognized the signs of Jesus' coming from the prophets and the signs of the times, but failed to learn the truth. The alarm is to be sounded among the people to be heard in all the plain, promptly and with a clear, decided warning about destructive effects in the last days, calling even public leaders and others to recognize the peril.

God does not bring judgments for disobedience until the warning has been sent, and probation remains open until the message is more clearly proclaimed. Therefore the message for this time must be given now in full surrender under the direction and protection of the Holy Spirit, with every effort tending to advance its proclamation, not waiting until the prophecies of the end are fulfilled or the judgments fall to speak of how to avoid them, because clear light already shows the great day of the Lord is at hand, even at the door. If the watchman does not speak to warn the wicked from his way to turn from it, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will be required at the watchman's hand, and if the watchman warns and the wicked does not turn, the wicked shall die in his iniquity but the watchman has delivered his soul.

When God gives light about danger, those who have it must make every effort to warn others, and those who encounter people perishing for lack of light and knowledge must not remain indifferent but warn them, pray with and for them, and make earnest efforts to present the truth. Those who hide the truth leave people unwarned and bear responsibility for souls lost, and ministers, physicians, and other leaders must guard their influence, tell people their obligations to God, and use their work to lead souls to Christ, under pain of the Lord's hand falling on them with special severity. Neglect to teach giving and to tell obligations leaves the world without the message in time, leaves people to face a momentous issue without needed warning, delays the work and leaves the watchman not guiltless and accountable for souls failed to be warned. Those who know that God's judgments are coming must tell others with urgency, or the uninformed may reproach them for remaining silent.

Neglect leaves the blood of souls and guilt upon garments and skirts not clear of their blood, especially through carelessness, pride, selfishness, vanity, love of pleasure, frivolous influence, and disgracing profession that fails to lead souls to Christ and causes the tossed and Satan-buffeted to doubt the reality of truth and the genuineness of religion. It leaves many souls past all cure and some to die in their sins who will in the Judgment rise up to condemn and confront with reproaches those who might have saved them but did not, whom the unfaithful must meet at the bar of God and whose result will never be fully understood until seeing as God sees. Failure to perform with whole energy the final message of mercy endangers the cause of truth and exposes it to ridicule and brings woe and retribution upon unfaithful ministers, while a solemn charge to watch for danger, correct wrongs, and restrain evil left undone creates harmful conditions taking years to correct. If those warned keep themselves in His love and separate from the world, special blessings will rest upon them and light shine round about them with influence for good felt in every branch of the work and every part of the gospel field, but if they continue with little sense of the exalted character of the work their influence and example prove a terrible curse doing harm and only harm.

The charge requires urgent missionary work carrying the warning wherever people can be reached, including cities and every place, using every available means and clear Bible truth, and carrying it to those who do not know the truth and are in danger of dying unwarned and unconverted, without delay while evil advances. It requires special effort to bring spiritual help to the oppressed Black people left without help, lest if they perish in their sins responsibility for their blood rest on those who failed to act. It requires faithful watchmen in Battle Creek and elsewhere to do all in their power to guard the sheep and lambs, especially Sanitarium employees, medical students, helpers, and patients, from temptations and snares lest they be led astray into backsliding, improving every opportunity to present the true situation of the work before those who do not understand dangers besetting on every hand. It requires jealous care over youth and children as a sentinel seeing the approach of the enemy and giving warning, because now as never before Satan and his host are determined to enlist the youth under the black banner that leads to ruin and death, making education of greater importance than anything else, yet the church sleeping on guard does not realize the situation, so in this time of peril fathers and mothers must arouse and work as for life or many youth will be forever lost.

Faithful watchmen must recognize people's spiritual need and earnestly warn, entreat, and urge them toward Christ and the truth and to prepare for eternity, as spiritual physicians with skill for souls diseased with sin, feeling a burden for backsliders and sinners around them, warning them, weeping over them, and pleading with them for salvation even when resisted and when dangers threaten to draw attention from eternal things. Effort to bless others also strengthens the worker, and the responsibility is to sound the warning while living as pure and holy representatives of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to work freely, with Christ's life as example of what must be and done in order to be saved, proclaiming solemn warnings to all and living in purity and obedience to the truth taught. To be fitful, impulsive, unconsecrated, and self-caring, guided by inclination rather than duty, indulging self at the expense of spiritual strength, moving indiscreetly, building up and then tearing down, disheartening, distressing, and discouraging converts and losing their confidence, is unfaithfulness to the watchman trust that will after further test be laid aside.

Believers who know the truth must stand as faithful sentinels in the last days, alert to dangers facing God's people, and those entrusted with Scripture must search it faithfully and prayerfully so they can recognize the time and warn others of events approaching, lest neglect leave people unprepared. They must pass on warnings rather than voice opinions that betray sacred trust, must not repeat Satan's deceptive reasoning, and must not enter opinions and alliances against God. If they fail in this trust and sleep on guard, they may be led by Satan.