As many of you have, I’ve been wrestling with the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk this week. I realize that for many of you, Charlie Kirk was a hero. Many of you viewed him as more than just a public figure; he was a spiritual mentor, someone whose voice shaped your convictions, stirred your courage, encouraged your faith. Losing someone like that feels painful.

None of us wants to idolize a person, but neither can we deny the deep impact that Godly leaders have on our lives. Scripture reminds us: we follow God’s servants as they follow Christ (See 1 Corinthians 11:1).

In light of many emotional conversations, tears, and hours of thinking and praying, here are nine guiding thoughts—Scriptural observations—that I hope will help you process these past few days.

1. Grasp the Brevity of Life.

When something shocking like this happens, we often remember exactly where we were the moment we heard the news. And one of the first thoughts is, “He’s dead? How can this be?” We feel personally struck by how fragile life is. James reminds us that life is like a vapor: here for a moment, then gone (James 4:13‑15).

Solomon in Ecclesiastes 9 wrestles with the certainty that death comes to all. In light of that, he urges us: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…” (Eccles. 9:10).

Understanding life’s brevity can light a fire under us. It can inspire us to embrace the lives God has given us and to use them fully for His glory.

2. It’s Good to Mourn.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). God blesses mourning. It is a way He uses to bring healing. Scripture is full of lament—most obviously in the book of Lamentations, but also throughout the Psalms. Mourning over this sin‑cursed world is holy, healthy, and appropriate.

This event was horrific. It was murder. It was an assassination. Many, including me, would even say that it was martyrdom. A wife and children are left without a father. A Godly influence and voice was lost. That’s just bad. It’s important to acknowledge that fact.

3. Guard Your Thoughts.

Charlie often taught that good‑faith conversations are essential in pursuit of truth. Paul, on Mars Hill, in synagogues, in public squares, engaged debates, reasoned, persuasively argued (Acts 17, Acts 19). It’s important for Christians to be public in the public square and in important discussions.

But grief, trauma, shock—these can make us vulnerable to unhelpful thoughts. Maybe you’ve watched the video of the attack, or replayed it in your mind. Sometimes, we must ask God to take away those images, to give peace. Philippians 4:8 calls us to think on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent. Let’s not let dark, wicked words or trolls dominate our inner life. We are commanded to be sober‑minded (1 Peter 4:7).

4. Realize the Reality of Evil.

For someone to be murdered in cold blood, the thinking and heartlessness behind it is purely Satanic. Satan has been a murderer from the beginning and has always been a liar (John 8:44). Often, acts of violence like this are fueled by dark, deceptive thoughts that lead a person down a destructive path—and Satan is the author of those lies. We must recognize this reality, remembering that as Christians we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). That means we need to prepare ourselves for spiritual warfare, putting on the full armor of God, for our weapons are not fleshly but spiritual (Ephesians 6:13‑17). This act was evil. There is no rationalization that can justify it. And shame on anyone that does.

5. Understand God’s Individual and Specific Callings.

One of the next questions many of you ask is, “Who could possibly take Charlie’s place?” It’s an important and natural question. We’ve lost giants of the faith before, and this has happened throughout history. When Biblical heroes were lost—Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Samuel, David, the apostles—people always asked who would stand in the gap. And consistently, God Himself calls and equips the leaders that each generation needs. In Joshua 1, God says, “Moses my servant is dead,” and He alone calls Joshua to be Israel’s next leader. Joshua becomes the absolute leader for his time. God raises up different leaders “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

So how do we answer the question of who will fill a void left by a godly leader? Sometimes the answer is that no one takes that exact role—God brings unique people for a specific period, and when that person is gone, their mission is complete. Other times, God raises up someone who can step into the role, maybe even someone mentored by the previous leader. And at other times, when a seed—Charlie, in this case—falls to the ground and dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24). Sometimes God uses the sacrificial death of His saints to multiply other leaders who carry on the cause of Christ. Think of how many students benefited from Charlie’s work and ministry. Thousands found him to be their voice. Now, countless others may be inspired to act with the same boldness. Perhaps God brought Charlie for a time so that Gen Z would have courage to do what is right themselves.

In light of that, remember this: God has not called you to be Charlie Kirk. He has called you to be you. As He asked Moses, “What is in your hand?” What talents has your Creator given you? What opportunities has He placed in your path? Who are the people Jesus wants you to introduce to Him? What gifts has the Spirit equipped you with? Look to make an impact right where you are. Be salt and light exactly where God has placed you.

6. Be Bold with the Truth of God’s Word.

As an old evangelist often said, “Do right till the stars fall.” I’ve been struck by just how bold Charlie Kirk was. He cared deeply about the truth, and that care helped him grow in spiritual maturity as he got older. In recent years, he seemed even more spiritually serious. He cared about the truth. “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). Like Paul, Charlie was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Paul also instructed Timothy to “guard the deposit entrusted to you” —the body of truth in Scripture (1 Timothy 6:20).

Charlie’s boldness extended beyond the Gospel itself. He spoke openly about the moral and cultural issues of our day—transgenderism, the crises in our inner cities, the failures of the educational system. He did not hide the truth; he proclaimed it.

In a recent interview, he was asked, “If it all goes away, what would you want to be known for?” At first, he replied in shock, “If I die?!” But after reflecting, he said, “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith.” The faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3) is not just the Gospel—it is the whole truth of God. That includes God’s design of male and female, the sanctity of life from conception, and the principle that a man should work to provide for himself (2 Thessalonians 3:10). These are not merely political truths—they are biblical truths, rooted in the character and heart of God.

If we are going to follow leaders as they follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1), the Christlike boldness Charlie demonstrated in upholding God’s truth is something worth emulating.

7. Pray Fervently.

Put down your phone and drop to your knees. This might be your most important response to this crisis.

Pray repentantly. Confess your own sin. Confess the sins of our society.

Pray for Charlie’s family. Bring Erika and their children before the throne of grace. Ask God to comfort, sustain, give peace beyond understanding.

Pray representatively. Scripture is filled with servants who prayed for their people. The violence, anger, abortion, sexual transgression, and homosexuality are major blights on our nation. In Scripture, many of these vices were the “last straw” before God judged a nation (Gen. 6:11‑13; Gen. 19; Judg. 19; Ezek. 16:49‑50) and are clear signs of rejecting our Creator God (Rom. 1:26‑32; 1 Tim. 1:9‑10). Moses, Daniel, Nehemiah, and Ezra all prayed to God for forgiveness on behalf of their people (Ex. 32:9‑14; Dan. 9:4‑19; Neh. 1:4‑11; Ezra 9:5‑15). We should pray this way as well.

Pray expectantly. That God would bring healing, clarity, courage. That His church would rise with renewed commitment to truth and love.

8. Martyrdom is a Reality of Christianity.

A question many of us have asked: Could this be considered martyrdom? A few days after the shooting, Al Mohler addressed this on The Briefing. The Greek word martyreo means “to bear witness.” A martyr is someone who gives witness or testimony, often unto death. Charlie was not a full‑time minister in the traditional sense, but he was clearly killed, in part, because of what he proclaimed—Biblical morality, truth, life. It was not his economic policy or his political strategy that got him killed. It was his stand for truth. Therefore, though his martyrdom is not exactly like Stephen’s or the apostles’, it is valid to name it as such: a witness unto death. Charlie was a martyr for truth.

9. God is Good and Just.

Deuteronomy 32:4 says, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and upright is He.” Abraham wrestled with this before the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah, even asking God, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Indeed, He does.

Chad Phelps, who also died young, wrote in a sermon he preached—which has been widely shared since his passing:

“Here is our human reality: The truth about suffering is that, because of our fallen condition, people—even the strongest Christians—struggle to make sense of suffering. But we have God’s promise: even when things don’t make sense, Jesus can meet our deepest need.”

So when you’re tempted to ask, “Why, God?” you must realize something: you won’t be fully assured by having all of your questions answered. Rather, deepen your relationship with your Creator God and choose to trust Him. He is perfectly just and good. You need to trust that, no matter what your eyes see.

Closing Thoughts

We ultimately will not have all the answers for why God allowed September 10, 2025, to be the last day that Charlie took his final breath on this earth. We may never fully understand why his wife and children are without their husband and father. We might not grasp the full purpose behind why this generation has lost one of its greatest, most influential leaders.

But you can trust this: in the mind and heart of God, He is perfectly just, and His plans cannot be thwarted—even by a satanically influenced gunman. That said, many of you—especially high school and college students—are searching for pegs to hang your thoughts on. I pray this piece gives you clarity, hope, and truth. That in your grief, God gives comfort. In your doubts, He gives courage. And that all of us will press on for the cause of Christ in ways only He can enable.

So, Is Orthodoxy Theologically Wrong?

In many of the most important areas, yes.

While Orthodoxy differs from Catholicism in structure and emphasis, it ultimately shares many of the same foundational theological problems.

1. Orthodoxy Rejects Scripture Alone as Final Authority.

Orthodoxy teaches that authority comes from both Scripture and “Holy Tradition.”

While they affirm the inspiration of the Bible, they also teach that Scripture must be interpreted through:

  • Church fathers
  • Ecumenical councils
  • Church liturgy
  • Historical tradition

In practice, this means the church becomes the final interpreter of truth.

That directly conflicts with the sufficiency and clarity of Scripture.

The Bible teaches that Scripture is sufficient to equip the believer for every good work:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God… that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” — 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Church history is valuable, but it is not infallible. Scripture alone is God-breathed.

2. Orthodoxy Holds to a Faulty View of Salvation.

This is the biggest issue.

Orthodoxy does not teach justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Instead, salvation is viewed as a lifelong process of participation in God through sacraments, repentance, fasting, obedience, and spiritual transformation (“theosis”).

While Orthodoxy rightly emphasizes transformation and sanctification, it confuses sanctification with justification.

The Bible teaches that sinners are declared righteous before God entirely because of Christ’s righteousness credited to them by faith.

Orthodoxy instead blends faith and works into the basis of acceptance before God.

That is not a small disagreement. That is the heart of the Gospel.

3. Orthodoxy Elevates Tradition Beyond Scripture.

Orthodox theology relies heavily on church tradition and historical continuity.

But one of the major problems is inconsistency.

Even within Orthodoxy, there are disagreements over how binding various councils, traditions, and practices actually are.

For example, some historical Orthodox councils strongly defended the veneration of icons—even pronouncing curses on those who rejected them—while modern practice is often softer and less consistent.

This creates an unstable authority structure.

If tradition is infallible, which traditions count? Which councils are binding? Which church fathers are definitive?

Ultimately, Orthodoxy ends up selectively appealing to history in ways that can become inconsistent and subjective.

4. Orthodoxy Contains Serious Doctrinal Problems.

Orthodoxy also teaches doctrines and practices that go beyond Scripture, including:

  • Prayers connected to Mary and the saints
  • Sacramental salvation
  • Veneration of icons
  • Mystical teachings about the afterlife
  • A priestly mediation system

Some Orthodox traditions even teach concepts similar to “toll houses,” where souls are examined after death regarding their sins and spiritual condition before entering God’s presence.

These ideas simply are not grounded in clear biblical teaching.

Is Orthodoxy the same as Catholicism?

No.

There are real differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

Orthodoxy rejects papal supremacy, has a different structure of church authority, and differs on certain doctrinal details.

But despite those differences, both systems ultimately place authority outside Scripture and both reject justification by faith alone.

That means the core Gospel issue remains.

The Real Solution Is Not Formality—It’s Biblical Truth

Many people are running toward Orthodoxy because they correctly recognize problems in modern Christianity:

  • Shallow teaching
  • Consumer-driven worship
  • Emotionalism
  • Casualness toward God

Those concerns are often legitimate.

But the answer is not to run toward a system that adds layers of tradition and obscures the Gospel.

The solution is to return to Scripture.

The Bible is sufficient, clear, authoritative, and enough for the church today.

True reverence does not come from incense, candles, or ancient rituals alone. It comes from rightly seeing God through His Word.

“Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” — Hebrews 12:28

Reverent worship flows from a right understanding of who God is—not merely from atmosphere or formality.

Final Thoughts

Orthodoxy is attractive because it offers history, beauty, transcendence, and seriousness in an age of instability and superficiality.

But sincerity, beauty, and antiquity are not enough.

Every church, tradition, and theological system must ultimately be tested by the Word of God.

And wherever any system departs from the Gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, we must lovingly but clearly say that it is wrong—no matter how ancient or impressive it may appear.

Resources to Learn More

  • 9 Marks Pastor’s Talk — 2-part episode on Eastern Orthodoxy
  • The Story of Christianity: Volumes 1–2 by Justo L. Gonzalez