Podcast Summary: Grace in Focus

Episode: Was It God’s Will That Charlie Kirk Be Killed?

Host(s): Bob Wilkin (C), Sam Marr (B)
Date: September 29, 2025

Overview

In this focused episode of Grace in Focus, Bob Wilkin and Sam Marr tackle complex theological questions about the will of God, prompted by a listener inquiry following the recent shooting of Charlie Kirk. The discussion centrally explores the nuanced distinctions between God’s sovereign will and moral will, addressing how Christians should interpret tragic or sinful events in light of God’s character and plans. Additional listener questions draw connections to biblical passages and doctrines of free will, sin, and redemption, providing practical insights for believers wrestling with God's role in both suffering and human decision-making.

Key Discussion Points

1. Distinguishing Between God’s Sovereign Will and Moral Will

• Starting Point: The hosts address the assertion that tragic deaths (like Charlie Kirk's) are simply "God’s will."
  • Listener Question: Is it correct to say it was God's will that Charlie Kirk was killed? (01:32)
• Bob Wilkin’s Insight:
  • Recommends Gary Friesen’s Decision Making and the Will of God, highlighting that not everything falls under a specific predestined “dot” of God’s will for our lives (01:32).
  • Quote:

    “There’s a difference between God’s sovereign will and his moral will.” (01:56, C)

  • Explanation:
    • Sovereign Will: What God permits in the universe—everything that happens falls within this, even acts He does not morally endorse.
    • Moral Will: God’s expressed desires—His commands, such as not to murder.

2. Was It God's Will That Charlie Kirk Was Killed?

• Moral vs. Sovereign Will Applied:
  • Killing is outside God’s moral will, but if it occurs, it falls under His sovereign will (02:51-03:53).
  • Quote:

    “He doesn’t cause everything to happen… That wasn’t God’s moral will. But that was God’s sovereign will. Whatever God allowed to happen is part of God’s sovereign will.” (02:53, C)

• No Presumption Beyond Scripture:
  • While tragic events are permitted, claiming to know God’s specific reasoning for any incident goes “beyond Scripture.” (03:53, C)

3. The Book of Job as an Illustration

• Sam’s Question: Is Job a good example of sovereign vs. moral will? (04:22)
• Bob’s Response:
  • God allows Job’s suffering but restricts Satan’s actions—clear boundaries set in Job 1–2 (04:35-05:06).
  • References James regarding God not tempting anyone; Satan must seek permission.
• Memorable Reframing:

  “I’m God, you’re little, I’m big. What’s the quote from Matilda? I’m big, you’re small. I’m right, you’re wrong, I’m smart, you’re dumb. He basically just expresses his sovereignty over creation.” (05:52, B)

4. The Mystery of Suffering and Divine Sovereignty

• Point: God’s reasoning is often withheld—He reveals His sovereignty, not His motives (05:52-06:40).
• Ultimate Assurance:
  • Believers may not understand suffering in this life, but eventual clarity is promised in eternity.

5. Biblical Allusions and Assurance of Righteousness

• Ezekiel Reference:
  • Ezekiel 14:14 names Noah, Job, and Daniel as exemplars of righteousness (07:16).
  • Even such individuals cannot save others from national calamity, underlining individual standing before God.

6. Was Adam’s Disobedience in the Garden “God’s Will”?

• Listener Question (Stephanie): Was Adam's voluntary act of sin part of God's will? (08:05)
• Bob’s Exploration:
  • God designed Adam with genuine free will, including the potential to sin (08:25).
  • God could have restricted Adam’s will (as in the glorified believers in the Millennium), but chose otherwise.
  • Adam’s sin was foreseen and permitted within sovereign will; but it was not God's moral will.
• Connection to Redemption:
  • Adam’s fall set the stage for Christ’s sacrifice, which was also within God’s sovereign will.
• Quote:

  “Even the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was in the sovereign will of God.” (11:24, C)

7. Human Freedom, Sin, and Divine Discipline

• Freedom with Boundaries:
  • Humans are not “puppets”—our freedom is real, but with limits.
  • Even persistent disobedience has boundaries; God disciplines and can “take us home early” if necessary (12:53).
  • Assurance:

    “The good news is God is in control. God is sovereign even when something terrible like an assassination takes place.” (12:53, C)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “There’s a difference between God’s sovereign will and his moral will.”
  (01:56, C)
• “He doesn’t cause everything to happen... That wasn’t God’s moral will. But that was God’s sovereign will.”
  (02:53, C)
• “If we say we know, we’re going beyond Scripture.”
  (03:53, C)
• “He basically just expresses his sovereignty over creation, over the world, over Job himself, because he made him.”
  (05:52, B)
• “Even the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was in the sovereign will of God.”
  (11:24, C)
• “The good news is God is in control. God is sovereign even when something terrible like an assassination takes place.”
  (12:53, C)

Key Segment Timestamps

• God’s Will and Tragedy (Charlie Kirk Example) – 00:53–04:22
• Job and Suffering: Theological Boundaries – 04:22–06:40
• Ezekiel and Individual Righteousness – 07:16–08:05
• Adam’s Free Will and Sin – 08:05–12:53
• Practical Assurance and Discipline – 12:53–13:06

Conclusion

Bob Wilkin and Sam Marr address pressing questions about God’s relationship to tragedy and sin, offering listeners a robust framework for distinguishing between what God permits and what He desires. Using biblical narratives and doctrinal clarity, they remind believers of divine sovereignty, human responsibility, and the ultimate hope that God’s good purposes will be understood fully in eternity. The episode is thoughtful, scripturally grounded, and pastorally sensitive, aiding listeners in wrestling with some of faith’s deepest mysteries.