When Charlie Kirk “passed into glory” last week, hearts across America — and even the world — were broken. Many turned to the Bible, seeking consolation amid the anger and the tears in the aftermath of such blatant evil. These scriptures, as they were for Charlie during his lifetime, were helpful and healing to those mourning his untimely death.
Consider that one of the very last things Charlie said was from 2 Corinthians 5:15:
And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
Charlie certainly would have wanted that from us: to go to the Bible for comfort. And so many family, friends, and colleagues (such as myself) did, using holy scripture to reflect on that great aspiration that Charlie now knows personally to be true: Jesus welcoming him into His heavenly kingdom with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
Free speech is the cornerstone of freedom itself, a principle Charlie embodied to an entire generation around the world.
Others echoed St. Paul, saying that Charlie:
Fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith. Now there is in store for [him] the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to [him] on that day — and not only to [Charlie], but also to all who have longed for His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
Personally, however, after wading through hours of deep sorrow, not only for the loss of a sweet man of stellar character and demeanor, but moreover for the possible fate of our fragile nation, I did not find total consolation in the scriptures — that is, not until I texted my brother-in-law words that jumped into my mind from Hebrews 11.
In that section of the New Testament, the author of Hebrews lists a litany of all the saints down through the ages (up until the mid-first century, that is). The writer draws a conclusion about all these saints using this phrase: “of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38).
Soon after my text, I happened to find this appropriate headline at, of all places, the Babylon Bee: “World Deemed Unworthy of Charlie Kirk.”
This expression resonated with me because it seemed so appropriate. It also instantly reminded me of the book “The Hiding Place” about Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy, who died in a concentration camp after the Nazis discovered their “crime” of hiding Jewish people. Betsy was certainly one of many from that dark era in world history “of whom the world was not worthy.” But it was because of saints like Betsy and Corrie who put their very lives on the line that the world emerged from its darkness into a new day of hope.
Just two days before Charlie’s assassination, I had written about what I saw to be the left’s chief nemesis: “The number one thing that those on the left hate is free speech.”
This hatred materializes ultimately in violence and death, which was proven true two days later in Orem, Utah.
Free speech is the cornerstone of freedom itself, a principle Charlie embodied to an entire generation around the world. His assassination was a symbolic killing of that freedom, too — but only if Charlie died in vain.
Jesus reminds us that “unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).
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Now, the righteous fight that Charlie began is in the hands of those who continue to follow Jesus, the Prince of Peace:
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)
I know, like others, I am still far away from shaking the ill-effects of that awful hour I learned that Charlie passed away. But I will continue to find the exceedingly abundant scriptures and words of Jesus that will help me make eternal sense of it all. Let me close with these final words of encouragement from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:
Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)
Editor’s note: A version of this article appeared originally at American Thinker.
