Charlie Kirk: The Martyrdom of a Modern Believer
Last year, during an interview, Charlie Kirk was asked why he does what he does, and he responded, "My faith compels me to fight corruption in government and culture, just as prophets like John the Baptist did."
In this article, I am not going to focus on the young man who assassinated Charlie Kirk or give you my thoughts on the FBI’s investigation.
I don’t care to talk about the assassin, but I do want to tell you about the martyr, Charlie Kirk.
I sincerely believe and hope that the church at large views Charlie Kirk as a 21st-century Christian martyr. Because that is what he is. Charlie Kirk is a martyr for Christ—one that our modern times have never seen before.
Not long after launching TPUSA, Charlie faced censorship and vilification for his religious and political beliefs. This is known as “white martyrdom.” It’s a form of persecution or public attack that results directly from being a follower of Jesus Christ.
There were times when, while trying to enjoy dinner, Charlie and his family had to leave with his security team due to the scorn, insults, and threats he received from people in public. But that never discouraged him. In fact, it made him rely even more on the power of the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel on college campuses.
Charlie said that his faith compelled him to speak out against evil and corruption, just as the great prophet and herald of Jesus had done.
John the Baptist was beheaded for preaching against sin, and our dear brother in Christ, Charlie, tragically, on the fatal day of September 10, experienced the other form of martyrdom, known throughout church history as “red martyrdom,” dying for your faith in Jesus Christ.
Charlie may not have been thrown to the lions for his faith, but he certainly was in more lion’s dens than you or I will ever be. He may not have been burned at the stake, but he certainly was scorched by the public hatred that sought to burn down his ministry. Charlie may not have been crucified on a cross, but he carried his cross for everyone to see because he chose to live his life for Jesus and not for himself. And because of his bold witness to the gospel, he was killed for his faith.
Let me say this, and I hope you feel the weight of what I’m about to say.
When you cannot speak at a university without a heavy presence of the police, or your name is synonymous with being a “fascist,” or you can’t go out with your family without having bodyguards, that, my friend, is what it means to carry your cross for Christ in a hostile world and to do so with honor. Paul framed suffering for Christ as a gift, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29). Charlie was honored to suffer for Christ. He saw it as a gift that shaped him and prepared him for battle.
Yes, Charlie spoke directly to the cultural issues of his day that were troubling his own generation. But when he did, he spoke the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
Charlie confronted the lies and spoke the truth that
The family is the most essential institution given by God.
Men can’t have babies.
Life begins at conception.
America was founded on a Judeo-Christian ethic.
And most importantly, Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)!
What did Charlie believe and preach that was deserving of death? Nothing. But we live in a world that Paul describes as “filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice” (Romans 1:29).
The great church father, Polycarp, was burned alive because he stayed faithful to Christ and refused to bow to Caesar as lord.
The medieval society was shocked on December 29, 1170, by the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, who refused to back down against King Henry II over a conflict between the State undermining the rights and authority of the Church. As four armed knights were killing him, Becket shouted, "For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death."
Jan Hus, the famous Czech priest and reformer, preached against the growing corruption in the Catholic Church, was tried and found guilty of heresy, and was publicly burned at the stake.
We see a common thread among each of these men. They were martyred not because they were politicians but because they were devoted followers of Jesus Christ who spoke out against corruption in their time.
Paul didn’t sugar-coat it with Timothy. He straight out told him, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). This pattern has stayed the same. The world has always responded with open hostility toward those, like Charlie, who testify to Christ as Savior and King.
One thing that's clear in the life of a martyr, and this was definitely true for Charlie Kirk, is that they remind us that a follower of Jesus Christ must never privatize their faith but instead publicly proclaim it for everyone to see and hear. I now see more and more of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Charlie Kirk.
Charlie Kirk unabashedly confronted the cultural idols and lies of our day. He didn’t sit idly by and do nothing. He knew the saving power of Jesus’ transformative grace firsthand, which had changed his life, and he was eager to share it with audiences of lost people. He may have strongly disagreed with many college students who approached the mic, but he allowed them space to speak and a voice to be heard because they matter. They matter because, despite their views or how much they hated him, they are the Imago Dei.
Although he only lived to be 31 years old, Charlie Kirk lived beyond his years. Like many martyrs, he was given a special anointing, and the Holy Spirit was strongly evident and manifested in his life. When he spoke, people listened. When he led, people followed. When he called on others to step up, they did.
Charlie not only spoke openly with a voice filled with conviction. He also spoke with a level of courage not often seen. He did not merely comment on politics; he bore witness to Christ in the public square.
Charlie openly confessed Christ as his Savior and urged others to do the same.
Charlie confronted evil, whether it was abortion, violence, racism, or sexual immorality, and pleaded with people to repent of their sins.
Charlie called on rulers to pursue righteousness, urging our politicians, pastors, and parents to acknowledge God as our Creator and to live rightly before Him.
Charlie Kirk did not die because he was partisan. He died because he was prophetic. His death was at the crossroads of faith and politics, where his devotion to Christ as Truth anchored his life and drove him to confront the corruption in society and within the halls of the most powerful, seeking to brainwash our kids.
Martyrdom isn't just about dying for beliefs—it's about persistently proclaiming that Jesus Christ alone is worthy of worship, even when evil demands your silence. Like Peter and John, Charlie couldn’t help but speak of the things he had seen and heard regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Acts 4:1-37).
Charlie was not assassinated because he was a conservative. He was murdered because he was a Christian.
I believe that if the Church merely sees Charlie’s death as a political assassination and not a martyrdom, it misrepresents both his life story and his spiritual mission.
Charlie Kirk was a Christian martyr, and he has joined the great cloud of witnesses who loved not their lives unto death (Revelation 12:11).
His example inspires us to find the courage to stand boldly in our time, prepared to speak truth to those in power at any cost, until Christ returns in glory.
I leave you with these words that Charlie preached at a TPUSA Action event,
“The question in front of us, as the American church is that we have had this beautiful blessing called the United States of America, handed down to us by our forefathers. This idea of liberty is God's idea, not man's idea. And whether or not the United States of America will continue to exist in any recognizable form, is completely and solely dependent on whether or not those who call themselves Christians, churches in America will be willing to say, “Lord, here I am. Use me for your purpose.” And will elevate the fight for truth, freedom, liberty, America. Much more than ease and comfort.”