Shock waves reverberated throughout the United States on Wednesday as videos of Charlie’s Kirk’s assassination flooded the internet. Countless social media posts, podcasts, and messages are desperately seeking to place the blame on someone, or something.
After watching Erika Kirk address the nation in the aftermath of her husband’s murder, my body shook with sobs. I grieved this man whom I had never met, and millions of others are doing the same.
But why? Why do we feel such a connection to a man who seemed to be a mere polarizing figure in the political arena? Why is the nation erupting in chaos as a result of a single bullet?
Although we grieve for a variety of reasons, we grieve primarily because Charlie Kirk’s death reveals the state of our nation. Kirk’s assassination reveals the godless society in which American families are raising their children. Kirk’s murder reveals the liberal ideology that has captured the hearts and minds of so many individuals across America. The events of that week darken our hearts because it is in them that we groan for Christ’s return to set all things right.
- The Primary Issue is Not Politics
Scrolling through social media, all I see are countless videos, posts, and comments surrounding the events of that particular Wednesday. Charlie Kirk’s image has become the primary subject of interest among millions of people. In grappling with such a loss, we as a nation are seeking to uncover the reason why this man was murdered. We are attempting to determine the answer to this unspeakable evil by shifting the blame to “them,” whoever that may be.
But the primary issue is not politics. It is theology. Yes, Charlie Kirk argued on behalf of conservatism, yet his system of beliefs stemmed from a fundamental belief in God and the Bible. The conservative beliefs that he stood for, including the sanctity of life for the unborn, gender that is rooted in the particular chromosomes God ordains at birth, and marriage as being only between one man and one woman, are grounded in the Word of God.
Regardless of what you may think regarding this young influential figure and the way he presented his beliefs, his murder is utterly grotesque, as is the murder of any individual created in the image of God. We as a Christian people must seek justice for those whose voices have been silenced. And yet Charlie Kirk’s assassination sends a unique and resounding message across the United States.
Allie Beth Stuckey, in her tribute to Charlie Kirk, helpfully states this quote: “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more they hate the people who say it.” In its promotion of “tolerance,” many have sought to silence those whom they believe are not acting as “tolerant.” But this term has been twisted to encompass not merely loving individuals because they are made in God’s image, but to include a complete acceptance and celebration of their life choices. Pride month has been pressed upon us year after year, transgender characters and homosexual couples are being slipped into our children’s films, and voices have been silenced when taking a stand for the truth of Scripture.
As Christians, our witness does not merely consist of the truth of our message, but the manner in which we say it. So may our words always be gracious, confronting lies while speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15). Yet may we remember that the battle we wage is not against mere flesh and blood, but against the spiritual authorities in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12). The enemies we rage against are not image-bearers. No, but our enemy is the Father of Lies, Satan, who has sought to overthrow God’s reign since the beginning.
The primary issue at stake here is not a left versus right wing battle. Rather, it is a spiritual one. The liberal ideology that has permeated the public sphere, infecting the media we take in on a daily basis and thus shaping the thoughts and worldviews of American citizens, is godless. For “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov 9:10). He alone brings reason and logic. We quickly become illogical when we stray from the beginning of wisdom Himself. When the people of Israel rejected God from being their true authority, refusing to submit to His words, they were described as doing what was right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6). In our nation today, we see a people seeking to do what is right in their own eyes, rejecting the Bible as their ultimate standard of truth.
While I am not advocating for the wholesale acceptance of a particular political view, I am advocating for an awakening. Look beyond the left and right wing. Look at Scripture. Delve into the Word and seek for yourself the truth that must be fought for. May the truth of God’s Word be the lens by which you see politics, and everything else.
2. Speak the Truth in Boldness
Several years ago, I wrote my first article for The Gospel Coalition. At the young age of nineteen, I was ecstatic at the opportunity to write for such a respected site.
I checked my inbox one morning, only to find an email with an article that had been written about my most recent article. It was entitled, “Just Jesus harder to get Gen Z back to church, says Gen Z fundagelical.” As I continued reading, my stomach sank. This author called me “a well-indoctrinated Gen Z,” writing about the “sheer arrogant obliviousness” and “manipulation” she believed were present in my article. The author briefly mentioned another article I wrote concerning how Christians should respond to the month of June, calling it a “bigoted hot take on same-sex marriage.”
Tears welled up in my eyes and my stomach was tied up in knots. I felt utterly defeated and discouraged. Why should I continue writing only to be torn down by others?
I wanted to avoid the feelings that arose in me from reading such an article. I will confess, unknowingly, I allowed this author’s statements to silence me from speaking the truth. While I wrote a few articles since, every time I pressed the “send” button, I would feel the familiar pit in my stomach.
But we are not to be a people of fear. We are to speak the truth with boldness and love.
Paul writes in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” How dare we be ashamed of the same gospel that has transformed us? Why should we hold back this truth from others, when Jesus is the only way, truth, and life?
When we remain silent and refrain from sharing the good news of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, we are refusing to share the power of salvation to those who do not know Him as their Savior. Love entails confronting the lies that stand in opposition to Scripture, showing our fellow image-bearers that Jesus is only way to true hope and eternal life with Him. If we want to see a revival in our nation, we must first see a revival in our own hearts. If we cannot share the gospel with those we come in contact with on a daily basis, how do we expect to remain firm when face-to-face with a bullet?
In 1 Chronicles 28:29, David commands his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you.” May we never back down because of the fear of opposition or even of death, for God promises to be with His people. The worst that can happen will merely shorten our journey and usher us to our Savior’s side. If we die, we die. For “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). We are not to fear those who merely kill the body but who cannot touch the soul (Matt 10:28).
Remember who the true enemy is. Our enemy is not an image-bearer or a political side. The enemy we war against is Satan himself. But though the enemy is much more powerful than we are, the God whom we serve promises to destroy this great deceiver of our age.
And he will not gain the victory, even in Charlie Kirk’s death.
I rejoice that even in Charlie Kirk’s assassination, millions of people have been reached by the gospel. Within hours of his death, Kirk’s public platforms have gained millions of followers, where he repeatedly shares about Christ. From Erika Kirk’s address to the nation alone, millions of people heard her proclaim the glorious truth of the gospel.
Although Kirk’s murderer sought to silence his voice, he only served to increase its volume and reach. Even in the face of death, God’s truth will prevail. Satan’s plans will be destroyed, and death will one day die. Though the darkness tries to overcome the light, the kingdom of God will ultimately defeat Satan’s attempts to destroy it.
These lyrics from “Christ is Mine forevermore” have encouraged my heart this week in the uncertainty and unrest that our nation is facing:
“Mine are days here as a stranger
Pilgrim on a narrow way
One with Christ I will encounter
Harm and hatred for His name
But mine is armour for this battle
Strong enough the last the war
And He has said He will deliver
Safely to the golden shore”
We are promised that we will encounter opposition, yet Jesus promises never to leave our side, and He girds us with armor with which to fight Satan’s lies.
Even if our battle be short, may it be one that glorifies our Lord and God, as we speak truth into the darkness of our world with love and grace. And as we breathe our final breath, He will deliver us safely to eternity with Him. By His grace, may we strive to hear the words we each long to hear from our precious Savior and friend: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:23).
Lives Transformed 