“And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’” (Acts 7:59).
Christians will come into conflict with the destructive ideologies of their time when they fulfill the Great Commission, a constant since the days of Stephen’s martyrdom. Following the call of Jesus Christ means being at war with errant cultural and political ideas.
Right now, Christians face persecution, torture and death in the name of Jesus all around the world. Martyrdom has been a constant bedfellow of the church since Stephen gazed into the Heaven he was about to enter and saw the glory of God with Jesus standing to His right, waiting to welcome Stephen home.
Charlie Kirk has tragically joined that long line of faithful Christians, martyred in the prime of his life while at the height of his professional and cultural impact. His loss has rocked the Western world, which is no longer accustomed to the martyrdom common under Islamic and other totalitarian political regimes. This injustice is a tipping point for Christians in the West.
Churches saw record attendance the weekend after Kirk’s murder, joining an ongoing return to Christian houses of worship, especially among young men. Many people across America and Western Europe are reportedly coming to faith in Jesus Christ, having returned to the gospel of their past or heard it for the first time.
The Church must be ready to meet this demand with the simple and direct Gospel. Churches should clearly communicate the unmerited grace inherent in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. In His death and resurrection, Jesus took on the weight of sin none of us can bear. Charlie Kirk once said, “The Church is a place where you learn why you need the cross.” This way of Christ’s cross is the only path out of our cultural morass.
Taking up the cross requires action, denying ourselves, and living for the Lord. Our nation is in a profound state of cultural war that is destroying America. The struggle between good and evil is as undeniable as it is inevitable. Following Jesus Christ always brings Christians into conflict with a secular world that will never fully accept the biblical message of grace and truth, a constant across all of church history.
In modern times, this reality is most evident in the violence of the political left, which has been captured by a death cult that is unpersuaded by reason; recent examples are simultaneously ubiquitous and brutal. The killing of Charlie Kirk and the subsequent rejoicing from many on the political left remind America that the situation is dire and unsustainable.
Christians must oppose the dangerous ideas fueling much of the left’s violence, including the mainstreaming of trans ideology. It is now clear that trans indoctrination, which contradicts the simple truth that God created humans in His image as male or female, fuels much of this violence. Denying the fundamental truth of one’s sex or endorsing this confusion in others invites psychological and spiritual instability.
Parachurch organizations must stand alongside the Church, clearly stating that God created human beings in His image as male and female. Ideologically deviant ideas that have been on the extreme cultural fringes throughout all human history are now mainstream and inspiring young, confused killers to murder innocent victims.
In the most recent cases, these atrocities have been accompanied by a cheering left and the condoning silence of their politicians. In many cases, they are aimed at outspoken Christian individuals or parochial schools. Christian schools at all levels must ensure that these ideas are not taking root in their classrooms and stand faithfully on biblical truth, regardless of opposition.
As citizens of a constitutional republic, all Americans share the responsibility of participatory governance, a privilege not extended to Christians living under totalitarian regimes. Christians must engage in the political process by supporting and electing leaders who are guided by and uphold a Christian worldview as they serve their communities. The State is the God-ordained institution of justice and social order; it must wield the sword to confront evil. In our representative democracy, this cannot be achieved effectively without the involvement of the Church.
The Church did not initiate this cultural war, and until now, it has largely failed to participate, but Christians can remain silent no longer. As Daniel Horowitz recently wrote, “policy, law, and culture must align to end this dangerous experiment.” The Church must take the lead; no other human institution is up to this task.
There is a better way than the hate engendered by transgender beliefs, and it’s found in the beautiful truth of the imago Dei — each of us made uniquely in the image of God. The brokenness so inherent in the world and evident in transgender violence need not be the final chapter for our nation. There is forgiveness, hope, and reconciliation in Jesus Christ.
Stephen’s last words were, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them.” Charlie Kirk’s brutal slaying didn’t give him a chance to utter last words, but based on his love for Jesus Christ and his willingness to talk openly and actively to those who disagreed with his ideas, he very likely would have said the same. Let us all resolve to live like Charlie Kirk.
Dr. David Murphy is a Faculty Fellow at the Centennial Institute and the Dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences, College of Adult and Graduate Studies at Colorado Christian University. He served 25 years as an Air Force fighter pilot and Group Commander before retiring in 2014. He writes extensively on national security and domestic policy. The views expressed by the author are his own and do not represent the views of Centennial Institute or Colorado Christian University.
