Peter and John had been through quite the transformation over the past few years.  They were, by all evidence, average, ordinary fishermen when Jesus called them to be fishers of men (Mt. 4:19).  The renowned impetuosity of Peter and irascibility of John were tamed and gradually these two great gospel teachers and preachers began to emerge.  Peter had preached the first and second recorded gospel sermons (Acts 2-3), and now they had enjoyed remarkable success as 5,000 people became Christians as the result of their proclamation (Acts 4:4).  This drew pressure from the opposition, who wanted Peter and John to be quiet and disappear.  But these were changed men!  They could not help themselves.  Peter and John spoke up and told them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).  True, they had literally walked with the Lord for three years.  They were witnesses of His resurrection.  They saw, spoke with, and touched the risen Christ.  Certainly, this influenced their passion and conviction, but what sustained them?  It was faith that this Lord that changed them would continue to be with them.

Baptism (Gal. 3:27) constitutes a change for those of us who have submitted to it.  It is a change of condition (from lost to saved), of relationship (from stranger to child of God), of state (from out of Christ to in Christ), of direction (from the broad way to the narrow way), and so much more.  Coming into Christ means continual, if gradual, transformation (cf. Rom. 12:1-2).  Part of this transformation should show itself in a bold, passionate conviction that makes it hard to keep quiet about the difference Christ has made in us.  There will always be opposition, forces at work to keep us quiet.  What will we do?  Will we be bullied and intimidated into silence?  Or will we say with those great apostles, “We cannot stop speaking about” Jesus?

–Neal Pollard