Pastor Peter Simpson was declaring the message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified in the centre of Aylesbury on May 6th, helped very ably by Mrs Lesley Pilkington.
Mrs Pilkington had a long discussion with two young women in response to one of the posters on display which referred to the promotion of the LGBT agenda in society being a fruit of ignoring God’s word, the Bible. On of the women objected to the poster, because she said that she herself was ‘gay’. She was told that a homosexual orientation was not a genetic reality, but was rather a lifestyle choice, and the girl actually agreed that it was her choice.
She was thankfully very willing to talk about her very difficult family life. She used to go to church as a young child, but her family situation caused her to leave. By God’s grace, she was in fact very open to the gospel when Mrs Pilkington explained how to become a child of God by repentance from sin and faith in the Saviour.
The witnessing sister assured he that she was a creature of God, who had ordained her existence, and who had actually formed her in every detail in her mother’s womb (Psalm 139). It was necessary, however, that she turned from her sinful lifestyle. She was taking what was said really seriously, and she and her friend were willing for Mrs Pilkington to then pray for them both. A local church in Aylesbury was recommended to them.
Mrs Pilkington also spoke with a Jewish man who was not an Aylesbury resident, but was from London. He was just visiting Aylesbury that day, being particularly interested in seeing the statue of Benjamin Disraeli in the town centre. Providentially, this is exactly where the preaching takes place! May this gentleman think carefully about the challenge to his atheism which was presented to him.
A further discussion took place with two young girls who were sadly dressed rather provocatively, but they were willing to take tracts and hear the gospel explained to them. Encouragingly, they were also willing to acknowledge their sin and their need of repentance. It is hoped that they will continue to take seriously all that they heard, and that they be moved to seek Christ earnestly, for He alone can bring them peace, mercy and salvation.
In God’s providence Pastor Simpson also had some good discussions. One was with a young man who could not accept the uniqueness of the Christian Gospel, arguing that all people have their own beliefs, and no one set of beliefs can claim superiority over others. The pastor challenged him on this : What if a person’s set of beliefs include hatred and violence? Are they still just as valid? This young man’s problem is a common one, namely the notion that it does not matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. It excludes the obvious impossibility that a man can be sincerely wrong, and even sincerely wicked!!
A Roman Catholic gentleman was also spoken to. He was sadly confident that he was a good person, and so Pastor Simpson tried to challenge him with the Bible’s teaching that “There is none righteous, no, not one … there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10,12). Those who rely on their own imagined goodness to gain them salvation will be sorely disappointed, because salvation is not by man’s feeble attempts to do good works, but by grace alone through faith in the crucified Saviour.
The minister also spoke to a Muslim man, who admitted that he was a sinner, but did not seem remotely concerned about what might happen to him on the Day of Judgement. This issue often arises when talking with Muslims. They frequently admit to not being perfect, but are nevertheless confident that Allah will be merciful to them at the end.
Pastor Simpson tried to explain that God cannot deny His own nature and overlook His justice in granting mercy to the sinner. If He can just say (which of course He would not), I will forget about your sin and be merciful, He would not be true to His holy and just character. The exercising of justice is as much as an attribute of the Divine, as is the granting of mercy. Only in the message of Jesus Christ crucified do justice and mercy perfectly meet without any conflict, or either being set aside in favour of the other. The Trinitarian God only shows mercy to the sinner when he sees His justice upon sin having first been carried out upon that sinner, as he places himself in Christ by faith, thus being united to Him in His death on the Cross. The believer is being condemned and executed with Christ in His death (see Romans 6:3), meeting the demands of justice. He is then raised up to new life, as be believes in the Saviour and is born again.
May many who heard the gospel in Aylesbury be made to see that they cannot save themselves through their own goodness, or just vaguely hope in God’s mercy. May they be led to see their need to be baptised into Christ’s death and then raised up to new life in the power of the Holy Spirit, for there is no other way in which the sinner can ever be saved.