THEOSISGregory the Great
The defenses of sinners are solidified and interwoven, making it impossible for the life-giving words of the preachers to penetrate. Similarly, individuals who share the same transgressions tend to fiercely uphold one another's wrongdoings. In truth, many feel a sense of dread when confronted with someone who has been uplifted and transformed. This leads them to resist the admonishments that seek to correct, as they instinctively defend their own shortcomings through the lens of another. Indeed, it is rightly stated that one is closely intertwined with another, creating a barrier so that nothing can pass between them. As they protect one another in their wrongdoing through this arrogant defense, they exclude any trace of righteous teaching from their midst.
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Furthermore, it is clearly noted that in such a harmful alliance, they cling tightly to each other and refrain from drawing apart. Those who might find the path to reform when alone instead continue in their evil while remaining united. Each day, they drift further from the understanding of righteousness and become increasingly bonded to one another, impervious to any guiding instruction.