In Acts 4, Luke makes it very clear that the gospel advances through the midst of adversity, instead of through the removal of adversity. So in the end, it doesn’t matter who rejects Jesus Christ or treats him with contempt; it doesn’t matter what the world says about the truth; it doesn’t matter how many churches and organizations under the umbrella of Christianity compromise and abandon clear teachings of Scripture—what does matter is that the stone mankind has rejected, God has made the chief cornerstone and salvation comes only through his name. So even Acts 4:10-12 highlight the principle put forth in this entire text in that Jesus Christ brought about salvation through his suffering, so that all who entrust themselves to him will be saved from God’s judgment for sin. Likewise, the gospel will go forth, the church will be built, and the faith of individual Christians will be strengthened through adversity. Yes, we may incur a cost to speak the truth of Acts 4:12, but is that cost worth someone’s soul? Believers testifying to the truth amidst hardship IS God’s plan to bring himself glory and to accomplish his saving purposes. No matter what, we should feel privileged to be a part of that.
The Message of Christ–Opposed and Exclusive
