對柯克事件的回應 Response to the Kirk incident
福音堂的家人們: 平安，
今天，我們懷著沉重與震驚的心情，來共同面對一則令人悲痛的消息——政治評論員查理·柯克（Charlie Kirk）先生於日前（9月10日）遇刺身亡。這起暴行不僅奪去了一條生命，更在這個本已充滿張力的國家中，投下了一道巨大的陰影。此刻，各種情緒——哀傷、憤怒、恐懼、困惑——在我們心中翻騰，這是人之常情。作為你們的牧者，我希望能藉著神永不改變的話語，引導我們如何以屬天的眼光來看待此事，並在悲劇中尋得從主而來的安慰與智慧。
首先，作為一間持守聖經真理的教會， 我們旗幟鮮明地譴責一切形式的暴力與殺戮。 神在十誡中明確地頒布：「不可殺人」（出埃及記 20:13）。人的生命是神聖的，因為我們是按著神的形像所造（創世記 1:27）。無論一個人的政治立場、言論或身分為何，沒有任何人有權力用暴力剝奪他人的生命。這種訴諸謀殺的行為，是徹頭徹尾的罪，是與神的創造和心意完全為敵的。
因此，我們教會的立場是：
• 為受害者家屬禱告： 我們為柯克先生的家人、親友及所有愛他的人獻上最深切的代禱。求主耶穌基督的恩典與憐憫親自安慰他們，在人無法承受的傷痛中，賜下從天而來的平安。
• 為公義禱告： 我們感謝神，今天新聞報導兇嫌已經落網。我們祈求神繼續掌管司法，使案情能夠水落石出，讓公義得以彰顯。但我們的禱告不止於此，我們更求神的公義與和平能臨到這片充滿苦毒與撕裂的土地。
• 為國家禱告： 我們要遵從聖經的教導，「為君王和一切在位的，也該如此，使我們可以敬虔、端正、平安無事地度日。」（提摩太前書 2:2）我們為這個國家的領袖禱告，求神賜給他們智慧，能帶領人民走出仇恨的漩渦，尋求和解之道。
然而，在禱告與哀悼之外，我們更需要警醒，因為在這樣的時刻，仇敵撒旦最樂於見到的，就是在基督的身體——教會——內部，播下更多分裂與仇恨的種子。
我知道，柯克先生是一位極具爭議性的人物。在我們教會中，必然有弟兄姊妹認同他的理念，視他為捍衛信仰價值的勇士，並為他的離世深感悲痛；也必然有弟兄姊妹完全不認同他的言行，認為他的言論加劇了社會的對立。這些不同的看法是真實存在的。但今天，我必須以牧者的身分，用從神而來的話語鄭重地提醒大家： 我們絕不可讓這起悲劇，成為我們在主裡彼此攻擊、互相妖魔化的藉口。
對於那些在政治立場上支持川普或認同柯克先生理念的會眾，我理解你們此刻的憤怒與不平。你們可能會有一種強烈的試探，想將所有持不同政治意見的基督徒，都標籤為「妥協的」、「不屬靈的」，甚至是這起悲劇的「同謀」。 我懇請你們，務要抵擋這樣的試探！ 這正是這個世界分裂的邏輯，卻不是基督的法則。主耶穌教導我們要「愛你們的仇敵，為那逼迫你們的禱告」（馬太福音 5:44），我們又怎能轉過身來，用仇恨與苦毒對待同屬一個身體的弟兄姊妹呢？將政治立場的差異，凌駕於我們在基督裡的合一之上，是中了魔鬼的詭計，這會嚴重虧損神的榮耀，破壞教會的見證。
同樣地，對於那些不認同柯克先生的會眾，我們也要省察自己的內心。我們是否在這起悲劇中，心中存有一絲隱秘的快意或冷漠？我們是否忘記了，一個按著神的形象所造的靈魂逝去了？求主光照我們，除去我們心中一切的幸災樂禍與論斷。
那麼，我們應當如何行？
第一，回到我們共同的元首——基督面前。 我們的身分，首先是天國的子民，是基督用寶血贖買回來的聖徒，其次才是美國公民，再次才是一切的政治歸屬。當我們高舉基督時，就會發現那些在世人眼中看為天大的分歧，在十字架下都顯得何其渺小。
第二， 操練彼此相愛的新命令。「我賜給你們一條新命令，乃是叫你們彼此相愛；我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。你們若有彼此相愛的心，眾人因此就認出你們是我的門徒了。」（約翰福音 13:34-35）在這個國家彼此仇視的時刻，教會更要活出彼此相愛的見證。主動去關心那些與你意見不同的弟兄姊妹，傾聽他們的感受，而不是急於辯論。讓世人看見，在基督裡，我們擁有超越政治的愛與合一。
第三， 將盼望建立在永恆的磐石上。 政治人物會更迭，國家會興衰，但唯有神的國度永不搖動。我們的終極盼望不在於任何政黨的勝利，而在於我主耶穌基督的再來，以及祂那充滿公義與和平的永恆國度。
親愛的家人們，這是一個艱難的時刻，但也是一個考驗我們信仰深度的時刻。願我們不被世界的潮流所吞噬，而是靠著聖靈的大能，成為這黑暗時代中「使人和睦的人」（馬太福音 5:9）。願麻省華人福音堂因著我們在基督裡的合一與彼此相愛，成為一個醫治而非加深傷痕的所在。
若您因這事件感到掙扎或需要代禱，請隨時與我或教會的牧師與長老們聯繫。
願主耶穌基督的恩惠、神的慈愛、聖靈的感動，常與我們同在。
您的牧者，
陳堯健
主任牧師
麻省華人福音堂
主後 2025 年 9 月 12 日
My dear family in Christ,
I’m writing to you today with a heavy heart. I know we are all shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic news—that the political commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10th. This terrible act of violence has not only taken a life but has also cast a dark shadow over our nation, which is already so full of tension.
Right now, I’m sure you’re feeling a mix of emotions—sadness, anger, fear, and confusion. That is completely understandable. As your pastor, I want to use God’s unchanging Word to help guide us on how to see this event from a heavenly perspective, and to find the comfort and wisdom that only He can give in the middle of a tragedy.
First, as a church that holds to the truth of the Bible, we clearly and strongly condemn all forms of violence and murder. God gave us a clear command: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Human life is sacred because we are all made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). It doesn’t matter what a person’s political views, words, or public status are; no one has the right to violently take another person’s life. This act of murder is a complete and total sin, and it stands against everything God created and desires.
Therefore, our church’s position is this:
• Pray for the victim’s family: We lift up our deepest prayers for Mr. Kirk’s family, friends, and all who loved him. We ask for the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ to comfort them and give them a supernatural peace in this time of unbearable pain.
• Pray for justice: We are thankful that news reports today have confirmed a suspect has been arrested. We pray that God will continue to guide our justice system, so that the truth will come to light and justice will be served. But we also pray for a deeper justice and peace to come to our land, which is so full of bitterness and division.
• Pray for our nation: We must follow the Bible’s teaching to pray “for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:2). We pray for our country’s leaders, asking God to give them the wisdom to lead us out of this spiral of hatred and toward reconciliation.
However, beyond our prayers and grief, we need to be spiritually alert. In moments like this, the enemy, Satan, loves nothing more than to plant seeds of division and hatred right inside the body of Christ—the Church.
I know that Charlie Kirk was a very controversial figure. Here in our own church, I’m sure some of you agreed with his ideas and saw him as a brave defender of faith and values. You are feeling his loss deeply. I’m also sure that there are others among us who completely disagreed with his actions and words, believing he only made the division in our society worse. These different opinions are real. But today, as your pastor, I must seriously warn you with God’s Word: We must not let this tragedy become an excuse to attack or demonize each other within our church family.
To those of you who support Donald Trump or agree with Charlie Kirk’s ideas, I understand your anger and pain right now. You may be strongly tempted to label other Christians who think differently as “compromised,” “not spiritual,” or even somehow responsible for this tragedy. I am begging you, please resist that temptation! That is the logic of the world, not the way of Christ. Jesus taught us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). How, then, can we turn around and treat our own brothers and sisters in the same church with hatred and bitterness? When we place our political alignment above our unity in Christ, we fall right into the devil’s trap. It grieves God and destroys our witness to the world.
And to those of you who disagreed with Mr. Kirk, we need to search our own hearts too. In this tragedy, is there any secret satisfaction or coldness in our hearts? Have we forgotten that a soul created in God’s image is gone? Let’s ask the Lord to expose any sense of gloating or judgment in us.
So, what should we do?
First, let’s return to our true leader—Jesus Christ. Our primary identity is a citizen of heaven, a saint bought by the precious blood of Christ. Our identity as an American, and certainly any political label, comes long after that. When we lift Jesus high, we realize that the divisions that seem so huge in the world look very small at the foot of the cross.
Second, let’s practice the new command to love one another. Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). At a time when our country is full of hate, the church must be a living example of love. Go out of your way to care for a brother or sister you disagree with. Listen to their feelings instead of trying to win an argument. Let the world see that in Christ, we have a love that is bigger than politics.
Third, put your hope on the Eternal Rock. Politicians come and go, nations rise and fall, but only God’s Kingdom will last forever. Our ultimate hope is not in the victory of any political party, but in the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and His eternal kingdom of justice and peace.
Brothers and sisters, this is a hard time, but it is also a time that tests the depth of our faith. Let’s not get swept away by the currents of this world. Instead, by the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s be people who “make peace” (Matthew 5:9) in this dark age. May our church, CGCM, be a place of healing, not a place that makes the wounds deeper, because of our unity and love in Christ.
If you are struggling with this news and need prayer, please don’t hesitate to contact me or any of the church pastors or elders.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Your Pastor,
Yaochien Chen
Senior Pastor
Chinese Gospel Church of Massachusetts
September 12, 2025
Dongjun Jiao September 12th, 2025
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