Bold Confessions in the Face of Opposition: The Early Church’s Faith Declared
Acts 4:1-4
"And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand."
The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection (as noted in Matthew 22:23), were particularly provoked by the proclamation of Jesus’ victory over death. This led to the apostles’ arrest and detention overnight. The next day we see some religious characters we've seen before at the trial against Jesus. And all the others who held high offices in the priestly orders. The next day, the Sadducees and other high-ranking priests, question Peter and John after their arrest for preaching Jesus’ resurrection and performing a miraculous healing. Facing the same elite figures involved in Jesus’ trial, such as Annas and Caiaphas, the apostles are questioned about the source of their power and authority:
Acts 4:7
they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?"
And then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks boldly and definitely about the narrow path to Jesus Christ and His salvation. Because he is filled with the Holy Spirit, his testimony is bold and unapologetically uncompromising.
Acts 4:8-12
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Quoting Psalm 118:22, Peter calls Jesus the "cornerstone" rejected by the builders (the religious leaders), emphasizing His foundational role in God’s plan. And these religious leaders knew he was referring to them. And at that these learned erudite men did what so many among the educated class do, they looked down their noses on them and judged them.
Acts 4:13-14
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition."
They were not disciples of the right kind of teachers, (lacking formal rabbinical training), they didn't have the "approved" education. Yet their confidence, wisdom, and the witness of the healed man defied their expectations. They didn't know what to do with this. They were speechless. The leaders are struck dumb by two undeniable realities: the apostles’ boldness and words reflect their time with Jesus, and the healed man standing before them; living proof of the miracle, silences their opposition. They have no counterargument against the evident power of Jesus’ name.
Today's focus in these passages, within the context of Acts 4 underscores the contrast between human credentials and divine empowerment. Despite their arrest by the Sadducees and priests for preaching Jesus’ resurrection, and their interrogation by the same elites who condemned Jesus, Peter and John proclaim Christ as the only source of salvation. This challenges us to embrace our own identity in Christ, trusting that God equips and uses those who love God regardless of their worldly credentials.
When facing judgment or opposition, rely on the Holy Spirit to give you boldness, and let the "evidence" of God’s work in your life speak for itself. The chief priests conferred with themselves and determined to instruct the church to not preach the name of Jesus anymore.
Acts 4:18
"So, they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus."
Imagine this today. Imagine the state showing up and wanting to shut down the preaching and teaching that your local church was doing. Perhaps under the guise of maintaining public order or adhering to secular norms. The religious leaders in Acts 4 were threatened by the gospel’s challenge to their authority. Today, state or cultural forces might oppose Christian teaching for similar reasons. This scenario raises profound questions about faith, obedience, and courage in a world increasingly hostile to Christian proclamation. How can your church engage with a hostile culture lovingly yet unapologetically, as Jesus instructed in Matthew 10:16 ("wise as serpents and innocent as doves" )?
Peter and John choose to speak about the truth and what they know.
Acts 4:19-21
But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.
They spoke up when others would have held their tongues. They stood firm in what they knew when others would have kept their mouths shut for the sake of their community, or their bank accounts. Their response prioritizes obedience to God over human authority, rooted in their firsthand experience of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
There hasn't been a formal council meeting to determine a universal doctrine or confession of faith, that comes hundreds of years later, but here we see it being established for the first time publicly by the first church. Peter and John’s Spirit-filled testimony before the religious authorities (Acts 4:8-21) serves as a public declaration of the early church’s faith, rooted in their firsthand experience of Christ.
They emphasize that Jesus, "whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead," is the source of the healing, affirming the resurrection as central to the gospel. Peter declares Jesus as "the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone", establishing Christ’s foundational role in God’s redemptive plan. And Peter’s bold claim, "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved", establishes the exclusivity of Christ’s saving work. The public nature of their proclamation, coupled with the crowd’s praise (Acts 4:21), solidifies these truths as the early church’s foundational witness, spreading to thousands (Acts 4:4).
For those today who would suggest that there wasn't a confession, a statement of faith, a creed, before the establishment of the Roman Catholic church, these scriptures tell a different truth. Peter and John’s Spirit-filled testimony serves as a public confession of the early church’s core beliefs, long before the formal creeds of the Roman church some 400 years later. Acts 4:10-12 constitutes a foundational statement of faith, rooted in their firsthand experience. This challenges the notion that confessions or creeds only emerged with later ecclesiastical structures like the Roman Catholic Church and their councils. And these foundational truths became the consensus and confessions of many to come. One in particular was the Apostle Paul.
Paul, writing around 55 AD, cites a pre-existing tradition he "received," likely from the Jerusalem church, dating to within a few years of Jesus’ death (c. 30-33 AD). This confession is among the earliest, emphasizing Christ’s atoning death, burial, and resurrection as fulfillment of Scripture. Among his many writings, 1 Timothy 3:16, stands as a fantastic example of an early creed:
"Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory."
Written 62-64 AD, this is likely a confessional or hymnal-like fragment used in worship or teaching, summarizing Christ’s life and mission. This confession strengthened believers facing social ostracism or persecution, affirming Christ’s supremacy over earthly authorities. Its liturgical use unified the new emerging church’s worship.
Philippians 2:6-11 is another, known as the "Christ Hymn":
"Who, though he was in the form of God…humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."
"Jesus is Lord" affirms Christ’s divine authority and deity. Belief in the resurrection confirms faith in God’s power and Jesus’ victory. This confession was practical for new believers, especially under pressure to worship Caesar. Its public declaration mirrors Peter and John’s boldness in Acts 4:19-20, refusing to be silenced.
It's this bold confession that instructed the hearts of the faithful and produced affirming teaching scripture like Romans 10:9:
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Describing the path to salvation, likely reflecting a baptismal or liturgical confession. This confession was used for teaching and evangelism, grounding believers in the gospel’s historical and theological core. Its brevity and authority made it a rallying point for faith under persecution.
These confessions share common features, reflecting the early church’s priorities. And they focus on Jesus’ identity (Lord, Son of God), his death, his resurrection, and His exaltation. They are designed for oral transmission, teaching, and worship. And they emerged from apostolic experience and divine empowerment, not just intellectual debate, as seen in Peter’s Spirit-filled speech (Acts 4:8).
Application for Today:
What does your church believe?
Oh sure, each Sunday morning you all gather and maybe you still recite the confessions and creeds, but what do you believe?
Is your confidence and confession "Spirit-filled"?
These millennia-old confessions, rooted in apostolic witness and Spirit-led proclamation, are centered on Jesus’ identity, death, resurrection, and exaltation, serving as unifying truths for teaching, worship, and bold witness under persecution. Do they still reflect your values and beliefs? Would you lean on them in times of trial?
This lesson today challenges modern believers to move beyond rote recitation of creeds and examine the living conviction behind their faith, especially in a context where a state might suppress preaching.
These first confessions emerged organically from apostolic experience, and were used in worship and evangelism, and empowered believers to stand firm under pressure. Long before the military might and political power of the Roman state church was established. Their relevance today lies in their call to clarity, conviction, and courage, especially if a church faces state suppression or cultural hostility. In our context today, it will be the state that will decide to question the legitimacy of the churches. It will be done with the threat of taxation or shuttering the doors by local authoritative decrees. Just look at what was happening in 2020 during the pandemic persecutions of many faith communities under the guise of public health.
Conclusion:
The early confessions were not products of institutional power but of lived faith, articulated by apostles like Peter, John, and Paul in the face of Jewish priestly religious oppression and Roman political opposition. These statements unified the church, grounded new converts, and emboldened their witness. Their relevance today lies in their model of gospel essentials, and rooting our faith in apostolic testimony and personal experience. The early confessions offer a framework for responding with clarity, conviction, and courage.
Whatever you truly believe in your heart, it had better frame your true confession to address cultural objections. Share it with humility and grace and live it in your actions. If you confess "Jesus is Lord," demonstrate His lordship. Serve selflessly, reflecting Jesus’ love (John 13:34-35), ensuring your actions glorify God, not your church. In the face of persecution, boldly confess Christ’s resurrection and salvation, explore discreet methods, if necessary, like early Christians’ house churches. Act with integrity, speak boldly, and avoid defiance that incites harm. Confess with grace, as Peter addressed the Sanhedrin respectfully (Acts 4:8).
Rely on the Holy Spirit, encourage your church to pray corporately and individually for wisdom and boldness, especially if facing state pressure. And probably most importantly, foster unity in The Spirit by teaching your confessions often. Ensure members know and live these truths, preventing nominal faith. Build resilience through fellowship, preparing for potential state hostility. Unity is key, if the apostles were anything, they were united in Christ and His Word. They lived their confessions.
Articulate a confession like "Jesus Christ, risen Savior, is Lord and the only way to salvation," teaching it to unify and embolden your community. Live that faith through love, service, and transformed lives, making it undeniable, as the healed man did in Acts 4:14. Proclaim Christ boldly, using creative methods if suppressed, and rely on the Spirit for strength. Be "wise as serpents" by navigating restrictions strategically, and "innocent as doves" by acting with grace and love, as Matthew 10:16 instructs.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the bold witness of Peter and John, who proclaimed Jesus’ resurrection and salvation despite opposition. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, granting clarity, conviction, and courage to confess Christ in our words and actions. Help our church stand united, living out Your truth with love and wisdom in a hostile world. May our faith shine as a testimony, glorifying You alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.