When Evil Rears Its Ugly Head: The Assassination of Charlie Kirk

A Note from Pastor Stephen

I share this with you not to add another “hot take” to the many already out there, but to share with you as your pastor, in the hope of helping us respond and live faithfully in these times God has called us to live in. Know that we as pastors are here for you, and would love to talk with you more about these things to help you in any way we can.

Charlie Kirk was an outspoken believer in Jesus, who was, in my assessment, killed for publicly expressing a biblical sexual ethic—that people are created in the image of God, male and female. Part of the shock of the evil of his murder is that we see ourselves in this brother in Christ who was killed. We hold to and proclaim the same biblical sexual ethic that is vilified by the world and the culture around us. In moments like this we clearly see how vilified it truly is.

How are we to respond to such evil? Here are four things we need to do to respond to this in a biblical way.

Trust in Our Sovereign God

For some of you (especially those who are younger), perhaps this is the first time you have seen evil rear its ugly head in this kind of shocking, public way. When this happens it shakes us. But we know our God is not shaken. Though the earth gives way and the mountains be cast into the sea, we will not fear because God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1-2). Our God is the sovereign King of the universe. This evil shocks and surprises us, but it does not shock or surprise God. This too is under his sovereign control, and even in these tragic events, his rule is not shaken. What is God doing in this? We don’t know, but we know he is working all things according to his purposes (Ephesians 1:11). We can and should rest in his sovereign rule.

Live Boldly for Christ and Truth

The message of the Gospel has always been opposed and hated. People love the darkness and hate the light because their deeds are evil, and they don’t want to be exposed (John 3:19-20). Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:18–19). This is nothing new and shouldn’t surprise us (1 Peter 4:12). But what should we do? Hide the light? Stop speaking the truth? No. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) and “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). We must continue to boldly proclaim Christ and live as people of the truth. Like Daniel’s three friends, we must be ready to say, “Our God is able to deliver us, but even if he doesn’t, we will not serve the gods of our culture nor bow down to them.” (Daniel 3:17–18); or like Peter and James, “We cannot stop speaking of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20). We’re in good company if we do that.

Love Your Enemies and Pray for Those Who Persecute You

As believers, we have been bought with a price, and we no longer live, but Christ lives in us (Galatians 2:20). We are called to a new life, a different Way. The Way of our Savior who laid down His life for sinners—like us. Christ calls us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Let’s be clear: part of what it means to love our enemies is to continue to speak the truth, and to live the truth, and, if necessary, to die for the truth. That is love. And love isn’t opposed to justice being carried out against these evil deeds. Justice is an act of love. But in all this, our King doesn’t allow us to hate our enemies. We don’t get to hold on to bitterness and hatred. He calls us to love our enemies and to pray for them. Pray for their repentance and salvation. We must take up our cross and follow Christ. This is one of the ways we do that.

Look to the One Who Conquered Death

The enemy of our souls uses these very public, evil actions to try to draw our attention away from Christ. In additional to the evil that has been perpetrated, Satan would love nothing more than to distract us by turning our focus to lesser things than Christ, our light. Let us not fall to that temptation. Instead let us fix our eyes on Christ, the originator and completer of our faith that we may run with endurance the race set before us. This Jesus, our Savior and King endured the cross, despising its shame, and conquered death once for all! He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. We look to him so that we may not grow weary or faint of heart (Hebrews 12:1-3). We believe and proclaim the Good News that all who trust in Jesus will be raised again to new and everlasting life, not based on righteous works which we have done but according to God’s mercy (Titus 3:5). If the one who pulled the trigger trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of his sins, he and Charlie Kirk would embrace as brothers in the Kingdom to come. Such is the power of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what we believe and what we proclaim. Let us continue to do both boldly. For the glory of Christ our King!

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Stephen
Lead Pastor