Charlie Kirk, 31, was assassinated yesterday, while speaking to a large outdoor gathering at Utah Valley University. Reports indicate the bullet came from approximately 130 yards away, and the video shows that it landed directly in his neck. The shooter seems to have been a trained marksman. Details will emerge in the weeks ahead to address the various questions that remain unanswered at this moment.
The murder is tragic for several reasons. Kirk was young, and he was a father and husband. He leaves behind a widow and two little children. His children will come to maturity only with stories about their father, but with no memories, while his widow carries the responsibility of raising them, a responsibility that she would have otherwise shared with him. That, in and of itself, is a personal tragedy for his family.
Beyond the personal grief of his family, the tragedy is raised to an international level, because Kirk was a prominent spokesman for conservatism and Evangelical Christianity in the United States and worldwide. Having ordered all American flags to be flown at half-mast in Kirk’s honour, American President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post, said, “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.” Kirk captivated the imaginations of English-speaking youth worldwide with a renewed vision for conservatism, coupled with a call to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. He attracted hundreds of thousands of views to his online videos, with tens of thousands in attendance at his various events, often speaking in the heart of secular university campuses that are viciously hostile to the Saviour for Whom Kirk stood and died. He was a kind and articulate spokesman, fearlessly confronting reprehensible leftist sacraments like abortion, sodomy, transgenderism, Marxism, and socialism in its multifaceted forms.
I first heard of Charlie Kirk years ago, and I remember being somewhat unimpressed with the absence of a Christian worldview underpinning his teachings. As the years progressed, his sanctification became more evident as he increasingly articulated the importance of Scripture to ground true conservatism. He is now known for boldly and regularly calling thousands upon thousands to repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ. It’s been remarkable and heartening to witness this change, which is a sign of his genuine second birth.
Jesus taught, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). While the murderer’s motive remains unproven, it is difficult to fathom that anything other than Kirk’s bold stance for righteousness motivated his killer. The murderer seemed skilled and had already considered innumerable factors to achieve his dark end of firing a single kill-shot into Charlie Kirk’s body. It was intentional, premeditated, calculated. Charlie Kirk, as a Christian man, died for his stand for righteousness. As the assassin’s bullet pierced his throat and Charlie gave up the ghost, Charlie Kirk entered the presence of Christ in heaven where he received the martyr’s crown. He now takes his place with the most honoured saints – the martyrs – among the great cloud of witnesses. To be martyred for the cause of Jesus Christ is to be counted worthy of bearing the greatest witness to Christ’s supreme worth. Some will hail Charlie as a victim of a demonic leftist, which he almost certainly was, but most importantly Charlie Kirk must be honoured and remembered as a martyr for Jesus Christ.
As we reflect on Kirk’s assassination and martyrdom, we should reflect on how Christian leaders and institutions reacted to George Floyd’s death five years ago, along with the BLM protests that ensued. George Floyd was a drug addict and violent thief, constantly on the wrong side of the law, and BLM has since been exposed as a Marxist front group run by greedy race-baiting hucksters. Remember the Christian leaders who took to the streets, while they hypocritically were silent about churches remaining locked down by force of law? Remember when they demanded that black squares be displayed on social media to publicly canonize Floyd? Remember when they badgered those who dared question the frenzy? Do you think they will offer a fraction of the same honour to Charlie Kirk, an actual Christian martyr?
Does the life of a Christian father, husband, and spokesman matter at least as much as the life of a savage criminal fentanyl addict? The social media records of Christian institutions, pastors, and leaders will soon tell.
By their fruit you will know them.
