“If the World Hates You, It Hated Me First”: What Charlie Kirk’s Shooting Tells Us About the Times We’re Living In
Today, September 10, 2025, the news broke that Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. Sad? Absolutely. Shocking? It shouldn’t be. Jesus already told us plain and clear:
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
— John 15:19
So let’s be clear about this. Anyone who stands against the spirit of this age will eventually face hostility. This is nothing new. It happened in Rome. It happened in Greece. It happened under every empire. And it happened in the early church, when men and women dared to proclaim Christ crucified and resurrected.
Nothing New Under the Sun
The apostle Paul himself lived it. In Acts 23, forty Jews bound themselves under an oath—shaving their heads and fasting—just so they could kill him for preaching the very Jesus he once opposed. They even plotted with the high priest to bring Paul down. But God preserved him.
And let’s go further back—Cain and Abel. Cain could not stand that Abel’s sacrifice pleased God, so he rose up against his own brother. Genesis 4:10 says, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries to Me from the ground.” From the very beginning, the righteous have been opposed by the unrighteous.
So when Charlie Kirk is gunned down, don’t act surprised. Don’t act like this is some brand-new phenomenon. It’s not. It’s the same hatred of truth that has been operating since the garden.
A Senseless Murder—But Not Without Precedent
This act is murder. Let’s not soften it. It is tragic, and our hearts break for his wife, his daughter, his family. Yet we must understand: the world has always tried to silence voices that refuse to bow.
Jesus Himself faced this. In John 11:50, Caiaphas the high priest said, “It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” That’s how they justified crucifying the Son of God. If the world treated Jesus this way, how can we expect better?
Don’t Hide. Speak.
Believer, hear me: do not shrink back. If you are in Christ, you are not of this world. Don’t let fear muzzle you. Don’t let hostility silence you. As Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
Yes, the world will hate you. Yes, you may be opposed. But your calling is to stand firm and speak boldly. Jesus promised in Matthew 5:11–12:
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.”
America Is Not a Christian Nation
Let’s also set the record straight. Don’t fool yourself into thinking America is a Christian nation. It hasn’t been for decades. It’s a political nation, divided, fractured, and open to every kind of deception. Thank God we still have freedoms, but those freedoms don’t shield us from persecution.
Nothing New Under the Sun—But Everything to Gain in Christ
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Today’s violence is yesterday’s violence with a new face. But here’s the good news: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
So yes, cry for Charlie. Mourn with his family. But don’t cower. Don’t hide. Don’t think this is the end. It’s not the end of Christians being shot, jailed, or crucified. That’s not prophecy—it’s just the reality of following Christ.
As for me, I will not stop preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That’s my calling. And if you’re a believer, it’s your calling too. Stand up. Speak out. And remember:
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”
— John 15:18
