“The one who listens ¹  to you listens to me, ²  and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects ³  the one who sent me.” ⁴ 

Brothers and sisters, ¹  I offer an example from everyday life: ²  When a covenant ³  has been ratified, ⁴  even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it.

Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority ¹  but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.