Pastor’s Thoughts – 09-21-2025

The horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk continues to expose not only the divide in our nation, but how far and deeply we are under God’s righteous judgment. This is no minor divide but an immense gulf. It is particularly troublesome because much of the divide is associated with the younger generation. For those of us who have not been influenced and brought into the reprobate-minded approach to life as exemplified by those promoting atheism, and amoral living, it is a shocking wake-up. It further shows that those who agree with this assassination and lifestyle are also not content to merely live unhindered with their now legal lifestyle rights but are enraged and intolerant of those seeking to help them find the truth.  What it also addresses is how the so-called Christian church in general has failed to be salt and light in our society. Those in large numbers, even perhaps the majority, have arrived in a condition where there is no recognition of truth or morality. This state of degeneracy has occurred rapidly over a short span of time. What Charlie Kirk represents is a man who was graciously seeking to help others, especially our youth, back to the path of truth and ultimately to a person’s only hope in Jesus Christ.  He was humbly engaged in words, ideas, and dialogue. He offered no threat other than the truth. For most of us who read what I am writing, we dwell in a different realm of reason and thinking, just as Charlie Kirk lived in a separate realm. Our astonishment of where we are as a nation weighs heavily upon us. The pressure of the world system will continue to increase attacking the Lord and His Word. We are and will be pressured to change and soften our message and be silent because of the offense and rage against the truth.

The very early church was made up of a remnant of Jews who came to know Jesus as their Messiah. These Jews, like Christian’s today, were out of step with society and were being persecuted. Stephen was the first martyr (Acts 7). The pressure was great on them to relinquish their faith. The writing of the book of Hebrews is admonishing these early Jewish Christians to persevere. One of the verses appropriate and timeless states, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and He will not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him” (Heb. 10:36-38). This is a reminder that the world has never been a friend to Christians and we are repeatedly told in various ways what to expect. 

If you read about or listen to Charlie Kirk, you will find he was very aware of the opposition and danger. He is an example to us of faithfulness to God above all else. The Bible does not soften the message, but instead says, “We need endurance.” This is given as a necessity. Patience and endurance are essentials in our fallen world where extreme opposition exists. The person that will be the disciple of Christ must take up his cross and follow Him. God knows exactly how to fit all the pieces of opposition and history together. Paul, preaching on his first missionary journey stated, “For David after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep” (Acts 13:36). Just as David, Charlie Kirk completed God’s purpose for him, and just as these, we in Christ also have a purpose to complete for God. “So that when we have done the will of God, we will receive what was promised” (Heb. 10:36). Our responsibility is to follow God’s sovereign will by faith, guided by His Spirit, with our hope fixed on His promises.

“For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and He will not delay” (Heb. 10:37), is a promise with an active intention. This text compares eternity with Christ to the present temporal situations of life. It says to the wise, there is no comparison. This is the anchor and great resource of God’s children in all their distresses. The writer also declares the surety of Christ’s coming and implies that what may appear to us as a delay is instead His perfect and purposeful timing. Then the writer says, “ But My righteous one will live by faith” (Heb. 10:38). This is by contrast to those who acquiesce to evil. It is through faith that we exercise the strength to overcome and continue. He then adds, “And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him” (Heb. 10:38b). This has a positive focus on those who faithfully serve the Lord, and a negative outcome for those who, “shrink back.” The latter do not possess the necessary faith to endure, and thereby ultimately perish.

Beloved, after years of viewing many failures of those in ministry who were ruined by a testimony of falling into sin, we do now have in our day and our country a martyred hero. The world has been exposed to a young man earnestly living out his faith and giving his all. Such a witness before the world has infinite value. He was taken from us but not for long. We who live by faith are encouraged to follow his example in our own realm. We must be faithful no matter what – even unto death. And while we are tested, this is the reality we know, “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come!” We prayerfully and joyfully have the privilege to continue to, “Earnestly contend for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).