These are the people who divide you, making distinctions between believers, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit — the false teachers are characterized as divisive (apodiorisantes, 'making separations'), creating schism within the community, likely by claiming that spiritual elitism—superior knowledge, moral purity, or pneumatic inspiration—distinguishes the truly enlightened from ordinary believers. The phrase 'follow mere natural instincts' (psychikoi, 'soulish' or 'natural') suggests that despite their claims to spiritual superiority, they operate from an unregenerate, unredeemed human nature (psychē, the natural life-force) rather than from the Spirit (pneuma). The absence of the Spirit, despite their charismatic pretensions, disqualifies them from the very spiritual authority they claim.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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