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.
Les explains that the early Christians were under pressure the moment they professed faith in Christ. That pressure came from the Jewish element and the pagan element, and they were won out of a precious few; few came into the liberty of Christianity. Paul's whole mental concept concerning the carnal church at Corinth was that they could grow and become real trophies of God's grace in spite of all the pressure. Paul also wrote out of much affliction and anguish of heart, with many tears, grieving over what he was hearing from the congregation. Les notes a commentary by the old Bible teacher Finley, who said Paul must have written the letter with a quill dipped in tears.