Response to Same Sex Marriage Vote
On 15 November 2017 the result of the Australian government initiated postal survey (conducted by The Australia Bureau of Statistics, or ABS) was announced. Our government sought to gauge the Australian people’s response to changing the Marriage Act. After the result showed a sizeable majority for the ‘yes’ vote our government is now moving towards legislating same sex marriage.
Prior to this result I prepared a pastoral letter to all of our CRC church congregations, outlining our official CRC Churches International position on this most important matter. Below is my latest letter to our CRC pastors and church congregations in response to the ABS postal plebiscite result being announced. I have also provided some accompanying articles to assist our ordained pastors and congregations across Australia with understanding and upholding our biblical conviction while simultaneously responding to those who may hold different views, with respect, wisdom and kindness.
Pr Bill Vasilakis
Australian National Chairman
CRC Churches International Australia
A letter to all Australian CRC churches and ministers
Dear Friends,
The people of Australia have expressed their will by a sizeable majority to make legal same sex marriage.
I wish the vote went 60/40 the other way, but sadly it didn’t even though we prayed fervently and worked conscientiously to uphold the traditional Judaeo-Christian view of marriage.
I’m very pleased that a sizeable minority of nearly 5 million fellow Aussies voted NO which gives me hope for the future.
It seems like the Federal Parliament will now offer legislative safeguards regards our long standing democratic rights and freedoms of speech, conscience, belief and parental rights.
There are some groups that will oppose this but I don’t think they will prevail, as the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition did promise this before the plebiscite concluded.
This was to assuage any fears that these fundamental human rights could be jeopardised in any way if the YES vote prevailed, despite their strong personal promotion.
It would seem that the proposed protections being considered will mitigate any unforeseen consequences that could arise in changing the Commonwealth Marriage Act.
The CRC along with other Christian denominations and other religious and secular groups will be watching carefully that these promises and guarantees eventuate. Rest assured that we will be speaking up if there is any backsliding by our political leaders on this.
I’ve stated on several occasions in recent years that if we had 5 million extra born again, biblically grounded, people loving Jesus followers and 20,000 more churches, I wonder whether SSM, the push to legalise euthanasia and other moral/ethical issues would get any traction.
What I’m really saying is that proclaiming the gospel, winning souls & planting healthy growing churches is the ANSWER for our beautiful nation of Australia.
Let the love of Christ flow out of us towards our neighbours as we get relationally engaged and connected with them. Let’s pray with faith that the Lord will use all of us to lead many precious souls to HIM. Never forget that Jesus loves everyone.
I pray the CRC will be used by God to always be part of the real and long lasting answer for our nation’s spiritual needs. These can only be met through a real and personal saving relationship with Jesus.
Yours Sincerely
Pastor Bill Vasilakis
CRC National Chairman
Additional articles
A Pastoral Letter to all CRC Churches Int. Congregations in Australia
A Pastoral Response to Homosexuality – by Pastor Bill Vasilakis
