When Charlie Kirk “passed into glory” on September 10, hearts across America, and even the world, were broken. Through the anger and the tears, many found ways to console themselves with words from the Bible, and these Scriptures were helpful and healing.
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 all of us who were missing him dearly to go to the Bible for comfort. And so many family, friends, and colleagues (such as myself) did, using Holy Scripture to state what Charlie now knew personally to be true: Jesus welcoming him into His Heavenly Kingdom with the words,
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew25:21)
Others echoed St. Paul saying that Charlie had
“fought the good fight, [he] has finished the race, [he] has 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 for not only the loss of a sweet man of stellar character and demeanor, but for the possible fate of our fragile nation at this critical time in our history, 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 Chapter 11.
In that section of the New Testament we find 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:
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 so 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 an article expressing 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 materialized ultimately in violence and death.
Free speech is the cornerstone of freedom. Charlie, in a very real way, was the personification of that particular precious liberty. To assassinate him was symbolic of killing true freedom. 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)
So, now the righteous fight 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 from the 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)
A version of this article appeared originally at American Thinker.
Albin Sadar is author of Obvious: Seeing the Evil That’s in Plain Sight and Doing Something About It, as well as the children’s book collection, Hamster Holmes: Box of Mysteries. Albin was formerly the producer of “The Eric Metaxas Show.”
