Charlie Kirk: A Biblical Response to Political Assassinations
The assassination of a political leader like Charlie Kirk has shocked the conscience of our nation. It rattles the foundations of stability and reminds us of how fragile human life, governments, and societies truly are. The headlines may fixate on the political fallout, the investigations, or the scramble for control. But for believers in Christ, such a moment demands something deeper: a sober recognition of the spiritual realities behind the chaos, and a hopeful reminder that the gospel alone provides the answer the world desperately needs.
Darkness on Display
Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:19–20: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”
Assassination—whether political, personal, or ideological—is not merely the result of a “broken system” or “political extremism.” It is the ugly fruit of human hearts enslaved to darkness. When men love the darkness, they despise the light. When truth confronts sin, sin pushes back violently.
Romans 1 describes humanity suppressing the truth in unrighteousness (v.18). Paul traces a downward spiral: exchanging God’s glory for idols, worshiping created things rather than the Creator, plunging further into dishonor and debased thinking. Political assassination, at its core, is not a political act—it is a theological act of rebellion against the God who made life sacred.
Groaning Under the Curse
We should not be surprised when society convulses with violence, corruption, and evil. Paul writes in Romans 8:22: “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” The world groans under the weight of sin’s curse. Death is not natural; it is the bitter wage of sin (Romans 6:23). Violence is not normal; it is the byproduct of hearts alienated from God.
Political upheaval exposes what is always true but often hidden: the world is not as it should be. Kings, presidents, and parliaments cannot reverse the curse. The smartest policies cannot cure human depravity. No election cycle or governing body can silence the groaning. Only Christ crucified and risen can.
The Real Battlefield
When a political assassination takes place, it may feel like the clash is merely ideological: left versus right, one nation against another, democracy versus tyranny. But Scripture reminds us that the true battlefield is unseen.
Paul tells us plainly: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
What looks like political violence is actually spiritual warfare. The devil does not care whose name sits on a ballot or which flag flies over a capitol—he wants chaos, fear, and bloodshed, because his mission is always to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10).
That means any proposed solutions must always begin in the spiritual realm. Prayer, repentance, gospel proclamation, unflinching courage to speak the Truth, and faithfulness to Christ are not optional “extras” in a time of political upheaval. They are the very weapons God has given His people to fight the real battle.
Standing Firm in the Faith
For believers, the temptation in such moments is typically twofold: fear or compromise. Fear tells us to shrink back, to keep quiet, to avoid the dangers of speaking or living boldly for Christ. Compromise whispers that if we soften truth, if we downplay Scripture, if we blend in with the world, maybe we’ll avoid conflict.
But Christ calls us to something better. Hebrews 10:39 declares, “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”
The church must stand firm on the Word of God, proclaiming Christ crucified and risen even if the culture hates it. We must resist the temptation to think that political solutions will save us, while also refusing to retreat into apathy or despair. Our hope is unshakable because it is anchored in a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).
Stop Demonizing The Lost
Christian, beware this growing snare: demonizing the lost.
It’s become sport among conservative media voices—pick a political figure, vilify them, and frame the entire spiritual war around that person, party, or system. They speak in spiritual terms, yet aim their fire at flesh and blood. And without discernment, believers are learning to do the same—treating image-bearers as enemies instead of as souls desperately needing redemption in Christ.
This is deadly. Because when we dehumanize the lost, we stop evangelizing them.
We argue with them instead of weeping for them.
We fight them instead of pleading for their rescue.
But our battle is not against people. It is against “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 6:12; cf. 2 :2). Satan uses people, yes—but as captives, not co-conspirators. They are prisoners of war, blinded by the god of this world:
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ…”
—2 Corinthians 4:3–4 (ESV)
If we forget this, our hearts will calcify with the same hatred we decry. We will become what we claim to oppose.
So lift your eyes. See the spiritual war behind the cultural one. See lost people not as obstacles but as opportunities for grace.
We are not called to crush them—we are called to persuade them (2 Corinthians 5:11) and to proclaim the message of reconciliation as Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20).
And when they ask why we still have hope, we must be ready to answer (1 Peter 3:15).
The enemy is real. But it isn’t them.
This biblical reality has to be a part of the conversation in the battle for Truth that is raging in our country right now. We cannot divorce the physical from the spiritual. God uses people for His purposes and Satan uses people for His purposes. Yet, we are called to be ambassadors proclaiming the message of reconciliation. We are called to persuade others, stand for Truth boldly, and always be ready to give a reason for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15).
Hope That Cannot Be Killed
Political leaders will rise and fall. Assassins will strike. Nations will totter. But no bullet can stop the gospel. No assassin’s hand can thwart the sovereign plan of God. Christ Himself was the victim of a politically motivated campaign to end His life—executed by the powers of Rome and the religious elite of Israel. Yet His death was not murder, He laid His life down willingly. Therefore, His death wasn’t defeat but victory.
Peter declared 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).
The cross proves that even in the darkest hour of human evil, God was working His sovereign purposes for redemption. If God could use the greatest act of injustice—the death of His perfectly righteous Son—for the greatest act of salvation, then we can trust Him even in the wake of political assassinations today.
Living as People of the Light
So what should believers do in response? Here are four ways to live as people of truth and light.
Pray – Not just for peace in politics, but for repentance and revival. Pray for leaders, even when you disagree with them (1 Timothy 2:1–2). Pray for the church to be bold, united, and faithful.
Proclaim – Don’t waste opportunities to point others to the hope of Christ. In moments of national turmoil, people are searching for answers. Offer them the gospel. Teach the Scriptures boldly and clearly, with a compelling sense of persuasion.
Persevere – Refuse to shrink back in fear. Continue to worship, witness, and walk in holiness even when the culture grows darker. Don’t give up. Don’t give in to despair.
Hope – Fix your eyes on Christ’s return. He will bring justice, wipe away every tear, and crush the serpent once and for all.
Conclusion
Political assassinations remind us of the depravity of man, the groaning of creation, and the reality of spiritual warfare. But for those in Christ, such events also point us to a greater hope. We belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken, ruled by a King who cannot be dethroned, secured by a victory that cannot be undone.
So let us not fear. Let us not compromise. Let us live as children of light in a world that loves the darkness, knowing that Christ’s light shines brighter still.
*AI was used in the process of creating & editing this article.