The A.D. 30 Test – Part 2

Peter spoke to thousands of pilgrims at the festival in A.D. 30. The Spirit of God was so convincing that about 3,000 obeyed what Peter said: They repented and were baptized to have their sins removed from God’s records. Peter had an 11 man support team that endorsed his teaching. The 12-man jury rendered a unanimous verdict. Faith in the resurrected Jesus, repentance to change attitudes toward truth and baptism to identify with the resurrection story and to be “in Christ.” Uncomplicated.

As the crowds returned to their Jewish communities across the Roman Empire, they took this unique plan for pardon home and repeated it over and over. People obeyed these steps to peace with God.

The “New Testament” had not been written. Not the four gospels, not any writing of Paul or Peter or James. The teachings set forth by word-of-mouth from the inspired Apostles stood unchallenged. This interlude continued for at least 15 years. The believers experienced a real war with the world and enjoyed real peace within the body.