I’m sure (in fact, it’s already happened) that Charlie’s death will only boost the cause of truth and righteousness.
As Tertullian said of Christians, “Our blood is seed. We multiply when you kill us.”
Having made Charlie a martyr has automatically amplified his voice greater than 10 million subscribers could ever have done.
What were once just the words a 31year old debater, are turned into the timeless voice of a young martyr.
What were once the comments of an influencer, are now immortalised as his blood cries out from the ground.
What God plans to do, as Charlie’s death reminds us, is unknown to us. We do not know what tomorrow holds.
But could it be that God will use this to maximise Charlie’s audience, and spread the message of the Gospel?
Yesterday, we might have concluded, “What could be more effective than 60 more years of this kind of publicity and platform?” But God’s plans are always wiser.
Apparently, (can we even conceive of it?) a sudden death while publicly speaking, rings louder than a gun, travels faster than a bullet, and goes further than a rifle. God can achieve through a martyrs' death, what a long life cannot.
People who have never heard of him, will look him up and hear about him.
People who have disagreed with him for years, are struck with his fortitude and his faithfulness.
People who loved his politics, will be confronted by his faith in Christ.
People who have learned from him, are forced to answer the question: “Am I ready to die?!”
His voice will be heard with new intensity. His life will be studied with a new perspective.
And much more significant than Charlie (who was just a servant in the Lord’s hands), the Gospel will find more ready soil.
I have been a pastor for 6 years, and I have had many conversations with people after the conversions. When they discuss what made them think about eternity, it has often been the death of a loved one or a beloved celebrity. God uses these deaths to wake people up, while others lay down in sleep.
Personally, I have mostly only seen occasional snippets of Charlie’s political debates (abortion, border, gun control, etc). But today alone I have seen dozens of clips of his sharing the gospel explicitly, and masterfully. It seems he saw himself as more of an evangelist than a political lobbyist - in fact, it is obvious!
Each video I have seen, has had millions of views. And there is many more thousands of hours of his speaking (and preaching) online. Every second of it now given the value of a martyr’s conviction.
Though he is dead, yet he speaks. And he speaks louder in death, than in life.
It is not a trade his family would have made. It is not an excuse for anyone’s evil. It is a conviction that every Christian can be encouraged by:
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Gen 50:20).
I think Charlie’s blood will shake the ground, and fertilise the soil. Not because of his charisma, but because his life was full of gospel proclamation, and the power of the Gospel is unstoppable.
Charlie wore a “Freedom” shirt the day he died. That alone is rich with symbolism.
As the old Battle Hymn of the Republic says: “Jesus died to make men holy, let us die to make men free.”
Jesus died as our substitute, taking Charlie’s sin and death, and mine—and any who trust in Him.
Charlie died as a servant, and a preacher. And I trust, Jesus will bless Charlie’s life and death to his own glory.
Pray for this as a catalyst of revival.