1 Thessalonians 4:7-8–"For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you."
This passage comes as the conclusion of a brief exhortation about Christian living. But, as we reach this verse, there is an interesting point being made. Paul is exhorting believers to live to Christ, for Christ, and as Christ. This means, at the very least, that our lifestyles will be pure and undefiled. The point here, though, is that the authority with which Paul makes these commands is not his own. More than that, if we disregard Paul's teachings it is, in truth, not Paul we are disregarding at all; we are disregarding God Himself.
We should never, not ever forget this. It is, ultimately, not the church, any man, or institution that compels us to live lives of purity and holiness. It is God Himself that desires it. It is He who orders and commands. This is, it turns out, everything.
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