1 Thessalonians 4:8

“Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth His Holy Spirit unto you”

“Rejecteth not man, but God”: Another clear claim to inspiration. The instruction and subject matter that were given in this letter were God's commands (Luke 10:16). “Rejecteth”: The word here means to set aside, cast off, despise, or frustrate. “Note that it is in the voluntary power of. man to resist or accept truth. But it is not in man's power to escape the consequences of that choice” (Fields p. 108). One cannot reject the Bible, without rejecting God (John 12:48). Neither can on separate. love for God from obedience to His commands (John 14:15). And one does not have to reject every verse in Scripture to reject God (1 Samuel 2:26). The rejection of any command is. rejection of God. “Who giveth His Holy Spirit unto you”: This congregation did possess spiritual gifts (1 Thessalonians 5:19-20), gifts that they would have received through the laying on of Paul's hands (Acts 8:18).

Love of the Brethren

“Something which should give modern Christians much food for thought is the way in which the early church was characterized by love. ‘Behold how these Christians love one another' is hardly the comment which springs spontaneously to the lips of the detached observer nowadays” (Morris p. 129).