Sinner and Saint: Reflecting on the death of Charlie Kirk
In some key ways it has been a very sorrowful and confusing month in world affairs. Violence in Qatar. Violence in Gaza. Violence in Ukraine. Violence in Utah, USA. Which is the more shocking? It’s hard to say. All of it is utterly tragic and symptomatic of the scourge of humanity: sin, leading to death.
But I want to speak briefly to the murder of Charlie Kirk. I didn’t know that much about him before last week – I’d seen some clips of him debating on YouTube, sure – but as every day since has passed, the more voices have testified not about Charlie’s politics, but about his faith, and the more impressed, intrigued and saddened I have felt over his untimely death. Death by assassination. And for what?
I do not share all of Charlie’s views, I don’t live in the USA and am not persuaded by partisan politics, but the more I have watched footage of his debates, the more I find we had in common, certainly regarding moral matters – the tragedy of abortion, the sanctity of marriage, the key role families play in God’s good design for the world – opinions that, for Charlie, were forged not by his political stance but by his faith in the Lord Jesus. I am so very grateful for his clear, public defence of the Lord Jesus and his plan of redemptive salvation of the whole world. Contrary to much public discourse, some of which has been utterly poisonous, Charlie viewed himself as a Christian, husband and father first, political activist second. He spoke with clarity on the wickedness of abortion, on the sinful deceptiveness of trans ideology that has captured many minds, the beautiful joy of being a husband and father and how integral to thriving societies families are. But time and again I have now seen footage of Charlie proclaiming the name of Jesus, winsomely, clearly and calmly in the public square. And that voice has now been silenced. He said things I disagreed with, some strongly. But a bullet in the throat?
This is not a call to political activism, and certainly no call for partisanship. I understand the desire for the church to be winsome in public and there is a place for “third way-ism”. However we, the church, must never lose sight of our prophetic role; we preach Christ crucified to a world broiling in demonic darkness; we speak up for the voiceless and defenceless; we defend the widow’s cause; we champion moral goodness over wickedness; we call the world to repentance; we turn the other cheek; we meet violence with peace; we lay down our lives for the sake of the Gospel. When others demand their voice be heard over ours, we listen. When others practice intolerance, we love. When others sacrifice our young on the alter of self-worship, the church preaches the gospel of peace and obedience to the King and his good Word.
Glen Scrivenor makes some really helpful observations in his latest YouTube video, one point striking a chord – that Charlie Kirk went into that final debate unarmed, unless you count winsome words, and he was met with cruel violence. There is something ugly and vile, something demonically savage about a man championing free speech being silenced, mid-sentence, by a bullet in the throat, aged 31.
Charlie was a sinner. A fact he knew himself. But Charlie by all accounts was also a saint, for he had repented and believed in Jesus. Perfect? No. Correct in all his opinions? Who of us are? But at least he spoke. And very often, amidst all the debates and podcasts and interviews, would clearly profess the name of the Saviour of all. There is something desperately sad that two of the West’s (supposedly) most fiercely held rights – the right to life and the right to freedom of speech – were taken away from Charlie Kirk even as he fought for them, not with a gun but with his words. In another tribute Rev Paul Blackham ended by saying forget politics – don’t forget Jesus. I wholeheartedly agree. Charlie absolutely would have agreed that the single most important message humanity needs to hear is that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life”. Which means that what matters most in this life is not the United States Constitution; it’s not the 1st or 2nd Amendments that will save the world, only Jesus, saviour of sinners and maker of saints like Charlie Kirk.
And so we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus”. Until he does, preach the Gospel with prophetic, loving power, church.
N.O.