Posted on 09/17/2025 5:30:04 AM PDT by Roman_War_Criminal
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 cancelled, 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 listen to 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.
Bkmk
Paganism returns. Rome will burn.
“Just a few years ago, there was a level of civility and decorum expected in both public and private settings.”
I’m sorry. But does spinning lies about history benefit anyone?
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We are all sinners. Since Cain killed Abel there has always been murder. In my lifetime there has always been frequent political assassinations in the US. The question is: Has the reporting changed? Has the internet changed things?
No! Look at the Wikipedia list of assassinations? Why does it list some and not others? Civility? In my hs world government class in 1961 there was no civility. In protests to the school board there was no civility. And the alternative, being intimidated into holding your tongue, is not civility.
For the sake of our neighbors and out of love, those who demonstrate an absent conscience must be quarantined.
Don't care. I'm not going to go along to get along. These people need to be stopped as soon as possible before we find too many of ourselves dead to stop it and just prayer is not going to accomplish that.
The author i8s not lying about anything. Most would agree that the present-day world has only gotten worse over time.
God sent His Son to die for a world that hated Him. Still does. Always will until ...
It’s always been to job of the church to rise up, take the gospel to the lost.
Appropriate song: https://youtu.be/pw8IgPHRBr4?si=nORINjq25TUpFWKB
Hope you enjoy it.
In the same passage it explains that this hatred is “without a cause”, and describes this as a prophetic fulfillment. See Psalm 69:4.
There is no legitimate reason for hating Christ. But there is an illegitimate one:
John 7:7 NKJV
The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.
In my lifetime I've noticed a troubling trend. People become very provoked when they're told they're wrong about something.
Years ago it was more common than not that if someone made a mistake in their driving, they would wave apologetically. Today, if someone runs a stop sign and nearly hits you so that you have to brake hard to avoid an accident, you might be taking your life into your hands to honk or flash your lights.
People don't want to be told they're wrong, even when they know they're wrong. It makes them angry. Or angrier.
Charlie Kirk was murdered for the same reason Jesus was. Like Christ, Charlie declared that certain behavior was evil. One category of this is transgenderism. Speaking out led to his death.
But Charlie also proclaimed the Good News. However, without the bad news of divine wrath against evil, and calling evil "evil", the Gospel does not make sense. A call to repentance from sin is required. And being the messenger for this is a dangerous job.
“Most would agree”
1) Objectively, has it gotten worse? A lot of people were killed in wwi & wwii...worse than that? All but Noah’s family were wiped out because they were so evil. Are we now worse than that?
2) Most...most of whom? Most of us are in the Christian demographic and Christians believe we are all sinful. Have we become more (or less) sinful just because we now have computers and the internet?
Thanks.
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