Consider the obvious

...are you saying here that the usual disjointed “bible” arguments that a lot of people use in Christianity are merely the justifications of a mind judging from the flesh? As you stated, when Bible verses “are thrown around.” Tim B

They may be Biblical arguments or merely based upon a Biblical premise of judgment. But for sure, if you'll listen beyond the words of the arguments, you will often hear something else going on. I'm not even suggesting that we need some special revelation from God to hear some secret message, for the arguments of the fleshly mind are obvious. We would hear them if we were not caught up in the bogus smoke screens and rabbit trails. Consider the encounter where Jesus talked about John the Baptizer:

And as these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the multitudes about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' palaces. But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, 'BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER BEFORE YOUR FACE, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.' Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you care to accept it, he himself is Elijah, who was to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." Matthew 11:7-19

Jesus asked to the people to simply recognize the obviousness of the situation regarding not only John but whoever God would send, including himself. We might look back and assume that it should have been obvious to them, but the truth is that we have been just as caught up in the very same misjudgment. After all, most who read this probably assume it's about people who are unlike themselves. These people, just like ourselves, were tossed to and fro by the opinions of those who kept them from considering the obvious. Yes, it's always the obvious, and not some hidden or secret understanding of Biblical things. Listen to his questions: What did you go out to see? Why did you go out? He wasn't asking them to parse verbs or discuss doctrine, he simply asked them to remember what it was that drew them to the one God sent. After all, if they could not recognize the greatness of a man because of his crude and humble appearance, how could they ever understand the overwhelming greatness of that which is born of God?

The violent men were the religious and even some political leaders who were trying to get a piece of the action, that is, these men were taking advantage of the situation for their own purposes. In doing so, they reinterpreted everything the people had witnessed for themselves. Jesus compared them to children trying to get others to play along with them. These men were masters of spin, for in the mind of the people the religious leaders disqualified one of God's messengers because he did, and the other because he did not. Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds, also translated children. The wisdom of the flesh is validated by that which is born of the flesh.

It may seem as if I'm belaboring this point, but it contains the crux of so much of what you've been asking. And in saying this, I'm not suggesting that I cannot help you get past some of the difficulty as you piece together an ancient letter that has been so forced where it doesn't belong. For in the process, I want you to understand and differentiate the obviousness that is still being reinterpreted, despite the fact that the answer is usually sitting right in front of you. Even if you have difficulty harmonizing the seeming contradictions in the Corinthian letters for years to come, I desire that you recognize the spirit of truth that continually calls you to see the obvious. I desire for you to keep hearing those religious voices sound more and more like children who want you to play their game with them. I can tell you, it has revolutionized my whole perspective to catch a sense of the game everywhere I turn. After all, it's not just Biblical or religious. It's everywhere.