What pressure were the early Christians under when they first believed in Christ?

Upon professing faith in Christ, early Christians faced pressure from two sides: the Jewish element and the pagan element. They were won out of a precious few, and only a small number came into the liberty of Christianity, enduring opposition from both the Jewish and pagan elements.

Les explains that these early Christians, the moment they professed faith in Christ, were under pressure from the Jewish element and from the pagan element, and were won out of a precious few. So few were able to come into the liberty of Christianity. He connects this to Paul's concern for the carnal church at Corinth: Paul had confidence they could grow and become real trophies of God's grace in spite of all the pressure. Paul wrote out of much affliction and anguish of heart, with many tears, as one commentator said, with a quill dipped in tears, because his heart was broken over what he heard from the congregation at Corinth.

2 Corinthians 2:4

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

What pressure did the early Christians face when they first professed faith in Christ?

Upon professing faith in Christ, early believers immediately faced pressure from two directions: the Jewish element and the pagan element. They were drawn out of only a precious few, and few entered Christianity's liberty. This opposition pressed them from the outset, even as Paul hoped the Corinthian church could grow despite such pressure.