Galatians 4:17 They are enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them. Rifts caused by Diotrephes come from a personal arrogance based on a personality cult. The group in Galatians causing division masks their evil with doctrine and fine sounding arguments. The method is different than that of 3 John 9-10, but the root and effect are the same. The root is self. The effect is division. Even reasonable arguments (the circumcision group of Galatians did not have a reasonable argument) can lead to rifts because the heart is proud. Once again, we of the Restoration Movement must not only concern ourselves with the reasonableness of the argument, but the heart and the individual(s) behind it.

Good Isolation

Is there good isolation? Yes. The Lord calls us to be set apart and distinctive which will lead to isolation from our culture and neighbors.

Esther 3:8 Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, "There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, yet living in isolation. Their laws are different from everyone else's, so that they defy the king's laws. It is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them. (Holman CSB)

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