Who really killed Charlie Kirk?

I’m amazed by all the theories and conspiracies floating around on the internet. Why did he fall this way? Where is the exit wound? Why wasn’t there more blood? How could that kid take that shot successfully? And it goes on and on.

In our unrighteous, chaotic, mixed-up world, there’s not much that would surprise me as investigations continue. Very little we see and hear can be taken at face value. Our enemy, the deceiver, Satan, is alive and well.

Which brings me back to our original question. While a particular person may have pulled the trigger that resulted in a bullet being fired, the real culprit responsible for Charlie Kirk’s death is even more powerful.

Its name is SIN.

Sin is the reason we experience death.

Genesis 2:16-17 – The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Adam, the man to whom this command was given, chose to ignore what God said. He made a conscious choice to listen, instead, to the temptations of the evil one, the devil. Satan first tempted Eve, but lest we blame the woman entirely, Adam was right there with her, fully supporting the decision to ignore God’s warning and sin.

Genesis 3:6-7 – When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

Before this event, Adam and Eve only knew good because they only knew God, who is infinitely and completely good. As soon as they tasted the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they experienced a spiritual death—a separation from their Creator. At that exact moment, they also began to die physically.

We all die because we are all sinners. If we live long enough, our bodies will eventually wear out and cease to function entirely. Or, as in Charlie’s case, something may happen to cause our bodies to stop working. Life can be cut short in an instant.

The Bible explains how death and sin are connected. If we’re not all sinners, then why do we all die? 

Romans 5:12 – Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.

We are all destined to die because we inherited a sinful nature from Adam. Our sin nature expresses itself in sinful deeds.

James 1:14-15 – But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

This pleases the enemy, the tempter, Satan, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy lives (John 10:10). Isn’t it incredible that someone can hate another so much that they feel compelled to shoot them because they believe that person is “spreading hate?” That’s what sin does: it deceives. Offense leads to hate, which leads to violence. And the enemy, the devil, rejoices when lives are destroyed. Sin results in death, both physically and spiritually.

Thankfully, the Bible also shares the good news of how we can “beat” death, overcome sin, and live forever.

Romans 3:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 2:14-15 – Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 

Charlie Kirk provided credible testimony that he had given his life to Jesus Christ and received salvation. He was a bold witness to the gospel that gave purpose and meaning to his life.

Was Charlie a sinner? Yes, he was, just like you and me.

Did death have the final say over Charlie? No, because he trusted in the death of Jesus on his behalf. Jesus took the wages for Charlie’s sin. I love how Paul describes this act of redemption in his letter to the church at Colossae.

Colossians 2:13-15 – When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

None of us knows the day of our death. Death is sneaky like that. And because we are often quite arrogant in our sinful flesh, we never really believe it’s coming for us. But God knows the day. It’s already written down in the heavenly records.

Psalm 139:16 – Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

Charlie Kirk didn’t die one second earlier than God intended. Jesus took the power of death away from Satan on the cross. Charlie simply completed the God-glorifying assignment he was created for and was called back to the home office.

We grieve the loss of this brother in Christ as if we knew him personally. I’m thankful that one day I will meet him in heaven, for death doesn’t have the final word for those who trust in Christ. The power of sin has been broken, and death is just the door to eternity.

Have you trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior?

Have you recognized that you are a sinner, and that death is coming for you, too?

Just like Adam, and just like Charlie, the choice is yours.

Philippians 3:7-10,17-21 – But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. … Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Psalm 116:15 – Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.