INTRODUCTION

Why “beyond politics”? I became a “conservative” after being born again. I had become a “liberal” in my teens, being swept away in the powerful liberal tides of the sixties. At twenty seven I encountered Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus) and over the next 20 years was swept away by the powerful “conservative” tides of the Eighties. I will be ever grateful that Yeshua does not allow His own dear children to be swept away by anything less than the ecstasy of His own Truth.

Sometimes the humble thing to do is to shout at the top of your lungs that the sky is falling. “The sky is falling” is another way of stating the obvious: death is waiting for you and for me.

I’m not trying to be clever anymore. I admit I am a very dull blade… and a very prolific sinner. Try as I might, flaws of character run altogether more deeply in my heart than I desire, and often it seems more deeply than I realize. I recently became aware of how deeply my affections and lusts have become attached to a certain vain activity. It is said that the unexamined life is not worth living. True?... Regardless the examined life always leads to discovery of the scandals of ones own soul.

The fact of death, the universal fact of death must lead one to questions that are uncomfortable. “What is the meaning of life?” – one of my favorites. a question which is always asked in one of two forms: “Why?” or… “Why me?” If you ask “Why me?” are you not bound for a universe the center of which is [your]self? Answers to this question are sought for the satisfying of ones stomach. But if you ask: “Why?” chances are you may find answers which satisfy your spirit. Ask “Why?” yet realize that only the truth will answer this question satisfactorily.

There are three responses to this question. One is to ignore the question because the possible answers are troublesome to the soul. Consider this exchange between God and man:

John 18:33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" 35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." 37 Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." 38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

To ask as Pilate asks: "What is truth?" does just what Pilate did, it ends the discussion. This question is no question at all, it is a statement which says: "I have found no truth, and those who speak of truth are deluded in thinking there is such a thing." I hear a very bitter edge in Pilate's voice as he asks it.

Another response is to let others answer it for you without an ounce of sincere investigation of your own. Today’s Rabbinic Judaist (traditionalists), Islamists, other religionists of every imaginable stripe, and secularists, all ought to be examined closely by the ones they seek to proselytize and disciple. Jesus examined those religionists of His day, and did so on behalf of all who would believe Him.

John 5:30 "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"

The third response is to continue to ask, to seek and to knock, until you find answers that satisfy your appetite for truth. Francis Schaeffer wrote about True truth. Perhaps there has never been a day since Satan sinned when someone has not asked: "What is truth?" When one really knows what truth is, he/she has a great advantage in knowing what is true and what is not. Sadly millions know no difference between truth and lies.

I wish I could say that every morning I wake up rejoicing. I am glad to say that (at age 59) I do not awake to the craven fears that once tormented me. I wish I could boast about the depth of my faith, and back it up as the Apostle Paul does with boastings of sufferings for Messiah’s sake. I am glad that I have suffered such, albeit a very little suffering compared to Paul’s. Gladder am I that God has granted me answers to some of my many questions. I have found that He always has answers, and they are true answers, and even if they are not immediately given, or immediately satisfying, these truths eventually do come and satisfy as they build up the strength of my spirit and soul. Enough about me…

I rejoice that many others have also asked “Why?” and that God has answered them. “Why?” is the question of a child, a trusting child.

Mark 10:13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.