This fervent outburst of praise follows soon after his admonition about the goodness and severity of God in verse 22. We have grown up in a very permissive culture, making us almost totally unfamiliar with the tough love God uses because He loves His children so much. Because the stakes are so high, He cannot permit Himself to be permissive.
These verses describe how we are supposed to relate to one another in the church. When there is a problem, the ministry is to help solve or mitigate it. A minister is authorized to give godly advice or make godly commands, if necessary. So in Corinth, where a man had taken his father's wife, a grievous sin, Paul had to act quickly but in a way the Corinthians thought was very harsh. His actions caused a bit of conflict between Paul and the Corinthians because circumstances forced him to take stern, decisive measures.
In the vernacular, Paul is saying, "Hey, I had to do this. I did not take this course out of dislike or cruelty toward you. My intention wasn't to hurt you or shame you. I was actually trying to help you. I'm with you. I want to be united with you."
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