This is technically Paul's second letter to the Church of God at Corinth (1 Cor. 5:9). In verse 11 of chapter 1, Chloe's people was concerned about the divisions of the church. We also know from 1 Corinthians 7:1, that the church had sent a letter to Paul with questions about worship and relationships with people, so Paul is sending this letter to address concerns about disunity, and then to answer their questions. Paul kept using the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, or some version of His name, ten times in just the first nine verses, and then throughout reminding the people that it is all about Jesus, Verse 24 is a key verse of the letter, "But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Eternal things can only happen due to the Spirit of God, and true wisdom comes from God alone, not the world. It is Christ crucified, which is the main thing, and Jews see it as a stumbling block, and the Greeks see it as foolishness. Believers are to boast in the Lord. Paul shared they are babies in the faith because there is jealousy and strife among themselves. He warns them to not compare each other, and to not consider some as superior to others because every believer will answer to God for their actions, and their works will be burnt as in fire, and the Lord knows the hidden things of people. Paul reminded them that he was their father, who started the church there, and he encouraged them to be imitators of Paul. He then said, if the Lord wills, he will come and see them in person, and then he will handle these issues, if they don't deal with it. He asked them do you want me to come with a rod or with love and the spirit of gentleness?
