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Reflections on the Assassination of Charlie Kirk

Introduction

You will all have likely heard the news by now, but if you didn’t, Charlie Kirk, co-founder of turning point USA was shot yesterday, sadly succumbing to his injuries. Charlie was a bold and highly intelligent influencer for conservative values, widely popular for his ability to engage and expose the ills of modern liberal thought. He was most famous for speaking at universities and college campuses, seeking to win the minds of those negatively influenced, face to face. Most importantly however, he was a devoted and unashamed disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, passionately declaring the gospel and pointing young people to their greatest need in Jesus. During his speaking engagement yesterday at a university in Utah, he was tragically assassinated at the early age of 31. Charlie leaves behind a wife and two small children. 

I write this short article today to communicate some key points of reflection that I’ve had, since Charlie Kirk was killed. This entire event is utterly disgusting to me, and has left me deeply angered, and very concerned, as it likely has for you as well. Thus, my hope amidst these justified feelings is to offer some thoughts and encouragement from God’s Word. We do have his revelation after all, and it provides all that we need to process tragedies like this accordingly, and consequently, find our souls assured. 

 

1) The Judgment of God 

Firstly, I remind you of the judgment of God. 

“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). There’s no question, God will judge all those who perpetrate such wicked forms of injustice. He is righteously angry with those who commit such crimes, even to the extent that as the psalmist writes, he “feels indignation every day” (Ps 7:11). He is not unaware of the crimes of men; rather, he is far more aware than even we! God is perfectly holy, perfectly just, and therefore sin in his eyes is grotesque beyond what we would even be able to understand. 

Meaning two things. That the wicked will receive a penalty most unimaginable; and, that they will never escape his judgment. God’s justice will be perfectly measured to the offense it is to his character; namely: eternal, awful, and conscious. And, that it cannot be hidden from. The perpetrator may think that because he has evaded earthly authorities that he is off the hook. But this is an illusion. God sees, and he has “whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts” (Ps 7:12,13).  

This is meant to be an encouragement for God’s people. This is not a harsh reality but a blessing to us knowing that there will be a final court where God rights all the wrongs committed by our enemies. We need not take vengeance into our own hands (Rom 12:19), but leave it unto God who will inflict it perfectly.  

2) The Sovereignty of God  

Secondly, the sovereignty of God.

Events like this cause us to wonder “why?” Why God would allow such an awful evil to take place? Why he would let such a young man, a husband, a father, an individual with such positive influence be murdered? We can’t see any positive outcome to such a tragedy, and we are left confused and disheartened. 

But let me assure you, this event, though horrendous, is not outside of the perfect plan of God. And while we may not understand God’s reasoning, he does have a good intended purpose. Romans 8:28 tells us, “For those who love God all things work together for good.” It may be hard to see, we may not grasp the reason why, it may even be excruciatingly painful, but it is nonetheless something ultimately planned for good. And our gracious God, in his infinite wisdom, has ordained it to bring about this end. 

Want an excellent example? The cross of Jesus Christ. Listen to what Peter preached in his sermon at Pentecost, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:23,24). Did you catch that? Jesus’ death was ultimately decreed by the definite foreknowledge of God. In other words, it was predestined to take place. The absolute worst act of injustice in human history: the killing of God’s Son, was determined by God to come about for an incalculably glorious end. 

This same reality exists in the death of Charlie Kirk. A most horrendous evil. Jesus’s death certainly was. But one that has not surprised or shocked our sovereign God. And one in which, he has already determined a most wonderful outcome, to the praise of his glorious grace. 

3) The Destructive End of Leftist Ideology 

Third, the destructive ends of leftist ideology. 

Here’s where I shift gears a little bit. There are good and encouraging truths that we must consider; there are also stark and bitter realities that ought to deeply concern us here. And one of them is, that what we are witnessing in Charlie Kirk’s assassination is the logical conclusion of the current thinking of our world. The very thinking, in fact, that Charlie Kirk himself sought to so unashamedly oppose. That this new materialistic, humanist, and postmodern worldview, typified in movements like Antifa, BLM, and LGBTQIA+, are utterly destructive to our nations as a whole. 

These groups advocate for, and demand a type of total moral relativism; which essentially means the freedom to define what is right and wrong to them. Of all the groups, this is most clearly seen in the LGBTQ community, as those who constantly push for their acceptance; an acceptance not based on the truth of their actions, but what they feel is right. But this evil has since progressed beyond acceptance to mandatory celebration. And of course it has! After all, what did we think was going to happen if we started allowing various groups to define their own moral standards? Eventually, no one can say what they are doing is wrong! Which is exactly why the rhetoric against men like Charlie Kirk was so fierce and even violently charged (I would even say contributed to his assassination). Our sin-sick society, convinced by the argument of such groups, concluded this as a hateful attack on them as individuals with the “right” to do as they choose. When in reality, Charlie Kirk, among others, were the few to expose them for their delusional understanding of morality. 

But what, I ask, is the ultimate end of those groups who have already jettisoned all morality? Destruction and death. There is no right and wrong anymore. If you have already concluded that gender is a societal construct, that a baby in its mother’s womb is just a clump of cells, that an older person can be “medically assisted in death,” then what else would you deem acceptable? Who’s to say that killing someone that you hate is such a radical evil anymore? And if you think this is a stretch, then I challenge you to see if you can stomach some of the videos that are making their rounds right now, of transgender people celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination as positive. 

There is current speculation regarding Charlie Kirk’s shooter, so we cannot conclusively say. But the evidence points to it being another trans-activist, motivated by these same demonic values.  And sadly, it has been of the same story for other recent shootings.  We must wake up to the destruction of these ideas that are anti-Christ at the core. We must remove our children from public schools (listen to my recent sermon at 48:00), where they are be indoctrinated to believe the same.  And we must take our stand for truth more boldly.  

4) The Need to Stand for the Truth  

Fourthly, as I just mentioned, the need to stand for the truth. 

In a time like this, we might be tempted to despair and give up hope. We witness the murder of one of our Lord’s soldiers and find ourselves defeated. We might even wonder if its possible for the success of the Word, if one so articulate, so well-used of God, could be so easily taken out by the enemy. Is it really worth continuing to fight? 

Of course it is. Our Lord is still on his throne. His kingdom is continuing to advance. He promises to be with us. The gates of hell are never going to prevail against the church. And with one final Word our Lord will soon vanquish his greatest foe. This end is fixed and it is firm. 

Charlie Kirk’s assassination is only reminding us that there is a spiritual war going on. The enemy is doing all that he can to raise up his minions to oppose and make war on all those who stand to see Jesus Christ known and worshipped. This is as key a time as ever to be devoted to the proclamation of truth. To pick up the torch of the gospel, and continue to illuminate those who are blinded in darkness. Our weapons are not physical; they are not carnal. We will not advance against Satan by forcing obedience by the sword. But this does not mean our weapons are ineffective. Rather, the opposite. They, “have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Cor 10:4). 

This is not to say that we will not be opposed. After all Charlie’s death is certainly evidence of that. If we commit to stand unashamedly for truth, we will be hated for it. Some will lose much, and some may even die for it. But our Lord tells us that we experience such because we belong to him, and that there is great reward in it. Is this not motive enough to proclaim the Lordship of Christ? His truth as final, and his authority as ultimate? 

I don’t know about you, but I want to see hordes of those enslaved by these godless systems and ideologies bow the knee to Jesus Christ. Previous LGBTQ members flocking to the church to hear the gospel! Thousands and thousands of souls reconciled to God through the blood of our Savior. If we desire to see this, then we must stand, and we must proclaim Christ. The time is now, and the fields are white for harvest.   

Don’t be ashamed by the death of Charlie Kirk. Be emboldened. 
Declare the truth from the pulpit, evangelize your co-workers, teach your children the gospel, pray for the lost, fellowship with the saints, worship with all your heart. All to the glory of Christ.