Pastors Peter Simpson and John Sherwood were preaching the gospel in the centre of High Wycombe on July 14th, helped by members and friends of Penn Free Methodist Church.
During Pastor Simpson’s preaching a man came up to him, and asked, Why does the Bible condone incest? The minister responded that the Bible forbids incest, as is clear from Leviticus 18:6-18.
The man was probably referring to Cain’s wife, who would have had to marry either his sister or his niece, but the law in Leviticus was not introduced until some 2,500 years after Adam and Eve were first created.
The Answers in Genesis webiste explains concerning Adam and Eve that they “were created genetically perfect, (and so) their children would have had few mutations. Mutations in subsequent generations (however) would have continued to increase and accumulate. Eventually it became too dangerous to marry a close relation because of the increased likelihood of inherited disease” (1).
Nevertheless, in order initially to populate and fill the earth, it was God’s will that the children and later descendants of Adam and Eve did indeed inter-marry. God is all wise, and He introduced the prohibition on incest in His perfect timing and at just the right point in the progress of human history.
Sadly, the man did not wish to engage in discussion the incest point which he had raised, and he also denied the reality of hell, and even the historical certainty of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Also whilst preaching, Pastor Simpson declared that no new Prime Minister, no matter how able, would suddenly be equipped to solve the nation’s problems. Rather, what is needed is national repentance and a turning to the Lord Jesus Christ. This tied in with one of the posters on display, which was Proverbs 14:34 – “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people”.
The helpers at this High Wycombe witness were encouraged by a very good level of leaflets being distributed.
Two boys aged about 16 or 17 showed interest when Mrs Pilkington approached them in the high street asking them if she could tell them about the Lord Jesus. Using Psalm 139, the witnessing sister explained how we are all God’s creatures and are therefore answerable to Him. One can only become an actual child of God, however, by repentance from sin and a personal trust in Christ for salvation. One of the boys took a copy of John’s Gospel.
Mrs Pilkington also explained the gospel to a 15 year old girl, and she listened with interest, not having heard it before. She also received a gospel of John and an evangelistic tract. May the Lord work powerfully in her heart, and indeed in in the hearts of many others who heard the message in High Wycombe that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”.
(1) https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/cain/creation-basics/
