Paul is addressing two groups of people, their reaction to the cross, and what that reaction produces: To those who have rejected Christ, the cross is moronic and has produced the process of perishing. To those who have trusted Christ, the cross is the reality of life eternal that human ability cannot obtain. While the message of the cross creates division, it is also the unifying force of the church, who has become a community of people heralding its message; it is the prototype of what we will become and the solution to all of the problems we face today.