The sad news of the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk shed light on the elephant in the world’s living room. It exposed society’s underlying hatred of anything good, especially true Christians. Let’s take a realistic look at the reason behind the hate and what the Christian response should be.
Although the hatred of believers is nothing new, the crescendo of vitriol and violence is. In the coming days, much will be said about the need for civil discourse, the open exchange of ideas, and free speech, which are good things, of course. But despite our best efforts to appeal to humanity’s ‘better nature,’ the problem remains, and it’s the utter depravity of the human heart.
In John 15:18-25, Jesus warned about the world’s hatred of His followers and explained exactly why they will hate us. They hate us because we’re not of the world, our identity is in His name, and they hate Him and the Father. Jesus said that the world would actually love us if we belonged to it. So here we are, roughly twenty centuries later, and the hatred of Christians has only increased, as was just shown in vivid evil detail, with the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Some people might blame the violence and vitriol directed at Christians on a lack of sustenance. In our modern society, we have the benefit of plumbing, food, and medicine. I am aware that there are areas of scarcity and lack around the globe. But in the West, sustenance is generally within reach, if not plentiful. As a minister, I’ve seen firsthand the amount of practical and tangible help available to people in need in the inner cities, if they take the time to find, ask for, and receive it. So hate doesn’t come from a lack of help. It also doesn’t come from a lack of information or education.
When Jesus told His followers that the world would hate them, it was at a time when education was generally limited to those with wealth or connections. We know from history that the Roman world was a time when a majority of the people were uneducated. So maybe the lack of information and education was the reason for the hatred of Christians. That wasn’t the case because the people fanning the flames of hatred were the authorities and the educated.
But now we have a wealth of accumulated knowledge and terabytes of digital information at our fingertips. For the first time in history, social media platforms have enabled unlimited human interaction and connectivity. The opportunity to share thoughts, ideas, and beliefs with the masses has arrived, and with it comes the unmasking of the wicked human heart. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Just a few years ago, there was a level of civility and decorum expected in both public and private settings. In just the last decade, empathy and human kindness have given way to widespread apathy and hatred, and this is on full display on the internet. But now the angry anonymous keyboard critic has rematerialized in the public square as the hater in your face. Society is in a perilous state when buying a particular brand of car, voting a certain way, or telling the truth becomes a dangerous act. Ironically, most so-called tolerant people are anything but when it comes to differing views on social issues and faith in public. We used to be able to agree to disagree. Disagreement used to get you canceled, now it might get you killed. Philippians 1:28
Thoughts on politics, free speech, and where society is heading are understandable given recent events. Still, the fact remains that there are people in our world who hate good and love evil, and because lawlessness is increasing, the love of many will grow cold. The response of true Christians isn’t to bring the fight to our enemies or to repay violence with violence. Far from shrinking back, we should speak the truth in love to those who are unloving, with gentleness and respect, giving a reason for the hope that we have. We must pray for our enemies while understanding they have an enemy of their souls who wants to destroy them. Christians should be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, using spiritual discernment as we navigate society as salt and light. Matthew 5:13
A time is coming, if not already here, when standing for Jesus will increasingly cost us. We might be told to tamp it down, not to speak in that name, or from that book. Our response is to obey God rather than people, let the Spirit speak through us, and pray for boldness. Acts 4:29 Such a response will result in bringing glory to God in this world and for eternity. Every blessing as you make Jesus known. Let us remember to pray for Charlie Kirk’s family.
All for Jesus,
Howard
Click here to listen to our recent podcast about Charlie Kirk and the growing hatred toward true Christians, or you can click here to watch the video.
