A Theological Rebuke: The Sin of Exultation in the Demise of a Saint, Namely, Charlie Kirk

A Theological Rebuke: The Sin of Exultation in the Demise of a Saint, Namely Charlie Kirk

In the sacred tradition of biblical theology, where the holy Scriptures form the unchanging basis for moral judgment and divine decision-making, we face a serious error: the inappropriate celebration of the death of one of God’s chosen, namely, Charlie Kirk, whom we may rightly call a saint in the Pauline sense—a believer sanctified by grace and set apart to proclaim the Gospel amid the struggles of cultural conflict (cf. 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:1). Such joy, far from showing a righteous spirit, reveals a deep disconnect with God’s way, mirroring the original rebellion where humanity assumes the right to judge that only the Lord has (Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19). Therefore, let us interpret this moral mistake through the lens of Holy Scripture, offering a firm warning based on the unwavering principles of covenant faithfulness and end-times accountability.

First and foremost, the Scriptures clearly forbid taking pleasure in the misfortune of enemies, even those seen as ideological opponents. The wisdom literature of the Hebrew Bible warns: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him” (Prov. 24:17–18, ESV). This reflects a theological command rooted in the imago Dei—the inherent dignity given to all humans through creation (Gen. 1:26–27)—which extends even to those whose earthly lives have ended in tragedy. To celebrate the killing of Kirk, a passionate defender of Christian values in the public sphere, is to distort this divine order, turning sorrowful mourning into irreverent celebration. Such actions not only desecrate the sanctity of life, affirmed from the Noachic covenant onward (Gen. 9:6), but also provoke God’s displeasure, possibly shifting His justice from the offender to the gloating onlooker. Theologically, this is a form of hubris akin to the foolishness at Babel (Gen. 11:1–9), where human pride arrogates divine authority.

Furthermore, the prophetic witness amplifies this rebuke, depicting God’s own attitude toward mortality. The Lord states through Ezekiel: “As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezek. 33:11). If the Sovereign Creator, in His infinite mercy, refrains from taking pleasure in the death of the unrighteous, how much more offensive is it for finite beings to rejoice in the passing of a saint—someone redeemed by the atoning blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:18–19)? Kirk’s life, characterized by advocacy for biblical principles in political discourse, aligns with the apostolic call to contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3). To mock or celebrate his untimely death is to align oneself with Cain’s spirit, whose envy toward his brother led to the first murder and eternal condemnation (Gen. 4:8–16; 1 John 3:12). This is not merely a moral failure but a spiritual danger, as it reveals a hardened heart resistant to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (Heb. 3:7–8), potentially leading to eschatological judgment where every idle word will be examined (Matt. 12:36–37).

In the New Testament model, the ethic of love surpasses partisan hostility, calling believers—and indeed, all under God’s grace—to mourn with those who mourn (Rom. 12:15). The Thessalonian urging to “comfort one another” in the face of death (1 Thess. 4:18) goes beyond church boundaries, emphasizing the universal call to show compassion. Those who, following Kirk’s martyrdom—perhaps rightly viewed as faithful witnesses (Rev. 2:13)—feast on schadenfreude reveal a distortion of human purpose, succumbing to the effects of sin that skew perception and distort justice (Rom. 1:18–21). Theologically, this rejoicing amounts to idolatry, elevating ideological victory over God’s kingdom, where vengeance belongs to the return of Christ (2 Thess. 1:6–10). Let those who celebrate such glee heed the apostolic warning: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Eph. 4:31), lest they become caught in the very condemnation they hastily pronounce.

Thus, in a solemn theological declaration, we decree: Repent of this abomination, O you who dance upon the grave of a saint! Turn to the God who alone judges the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1), seeking forgiveness through the mediatorial work of Christ before the day of reckoning arrives. For in the economy of divine justice, the measure you use shall be measured back to you (Matt. 7:2), and the Lord, who searches hearts and minds (Ps. 139:23–24; Rev. 2:23), will not hold guiltless those who profane His redemptive story. May this rebuke, drawn from the inexhaustible well of Scripture, pierce the conscience and bring the wayward back to paths of righteousness.

The above article was Groked under the direction of Jack Kettler and perfected using Grammarly AI.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

Mr. Kettler, an author who has published works in Chalcedon Report and Contra Mundum, is an active RPCNA member in Westminster, CO, with 20 books defending the Reformed Faith available on Amazon.