Did Paul force the Corinthians into their spiritual condition?
No. Paul tells the Corinthians they are not where they are because he forced them there, nor what they are because he stands over them with a heavy whip. Even in their carnality they still enjoyed Christian liberty, showing his influence was not coercive control.
Les explains that if Paul had been the progenitor of a religion or its grand guru, he could have stood over the Corinthians and held a whip over them to make them adhere to everything he said, but that is not the case. Paul tells these Corinthians, carnal as they were with all their problems, that they are not where they are because he forced them there, and not what they are because he is standing over them with a heavy whip. Even the Corinthians in their carnality were still enjoying Christian liberty, though many so-called Christians today have no concept of that liberty in the Gospel of Grace. Les connects this to Galatians chapter 5, where Paul appeals to the Galatian believers, much like he does to the Corinthians, not to let the Judaizers destroy their faith. In verse 1 he says, “Stand fast therefore… in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”