A Moment of Bitter, Bitter Triumph

Charlie Kirk has been assassinated. The youthful warmth of his blood has made a solemn retreat, now only to dwell in the fire of his legacy and the hearts of his family.

This hits harder than, at first appearance, it should. The assassination of an American political commentator is, of course, tragic; but surely life goes on. Why is it so visceral? Why does it eat into the bones? Why does it matter?

It matters because Charlie Kirk represented something larger than himself. He represented the solution to the problems of the West:

• For men to be unapologetically Christian.

• For men to get married young and have children.

• For men to be unquenchably mission-driven, such that everything they do is genuinely for the glory of God.

Kirk wasn’t just Christian. He was Christian down to the toenails. He didn’t just have a family. His family were his bones and flesh. They meant everything to him. He would have — and, in a sense, did — take a bullet for them.

By killing him, the culture of death has declared war on the image of the successful, mission-driven, Christian man. The enemy knows such men are effective fighters; he targets them because they are a genuine threat to the evils of our time.

And does it not seem like he’s winning? Consider the facts. Most young men are slimy wimps who wouldn’t know the word “backbone” if it filled the titles of all ten of their queued porn videos. The few who do stand up are beaten back down — financially by inflation, socially by feminism, relationally by apathy. When they ask, they are rejected. When they lead, they are sabotaged. When they call, they are ignored.

What more could the enemy do?

We know the play he runs. Back in his hay day, high on the smell of victory, he inspired the rulers of this world to crucify the very Son of God. Surely, he thought, there’s no coming back from that!

But according to Paul, if the rulers of this age had understood what they were doing, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:7-8).

Why?

Because, in the very act of bringing about the greatest tragedy to strike God’s creation with a blow, they assured the salvation of the world. With a single move, they checkmated themselves. With a single kick, they scored an own goal. With a single step, the rake hit them on the nose.

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.

(Hebrews 2:14)

If Christ is the example for the church, should we be surprised that her greatest victories are grown from the blood of her martyrs?

When the last stone pummelled all vestiges of life from the body of Stephen (Acts 7:60), the gospel was not muzzled. It spread like never before (Acts 8:1).

When William Tyndale ascended as a burnt offering for translating the Bible, the scriptures were not erased. Their future ubiquity was assured.

When the flames clambered high over Latimer and Ridley, the former said to the latter, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.” And it was so.

Charlie Kirk is dead, and, make no mistake, he died for his Christian faith. But is this evidence of the devil’s victory? Not on your life. Being martyred is our play as Christians. Suffering for our faith is how we win.

We follow the Man who asphyxiated to death with nails in his hands and thorns in his hair! This is our whole strategy!

What I’m saying, young Christian men, is this.

They’ve walked right into our trap. We’ve got them now.

So pick up your sword and prepare for battle.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

(Ephesians 6:11-12)