If the proverbial "visitor from Mars" came to earth looking for

God, who might have a personal interest in him, he would have

an extremely wide range of choice, taking account of all the

various religions there are in the world. He would, however, surely

be struck by the particular claims of Christianity, for it goes far

beyond any other world religion in its view of the deeply personal

nature of God's involvement with the people he has created.

No other religion comes anywhere near the conception of a

God so intimately involved with his people. Nor one prepared

to offer himself to them at such individual levels and with

such intensely personal relationships. Consider a few:

GOD BECAME ONE OF HIS CREATED BEINGS

Myths abound with gods taking human form. But with Yahweh it

was so different. God actually became one of us in every

respect except sin (2 Corinthians 5. 21) -- and to do it,

he left behind all the power and glory associated with God

(Philippians 2. 6 - 8).

How much more involved can involvement become? Well, quite a lot!

For God then proceeded to live cheek-by-jowl for thirty-three

years with those he had created. Why? Simply to give them an

example they could follow of the kind of life God wanted from

them -- and to show what was possible in their lives.

How much greater personal commitment can there be than that?

Well, in fact, quite a lot! For as King he then subjected

himself to his subjects, allowed them to crucify him -- and

all so that he could save them from their own stupidity and

intransigence! (e.g. Romans 5. 18, 19).

THE GRANT OF HIS OWN POWER

Jesus, as the Christ, having suffered every ignominy possible,

returned in glory to his Father's side -- and mainly so that

the power which had been manifest in his own life on earth could

be made available to his people (e.g. Luke 24. 49; John 16. 7).

So, as God had made spiritual gifting available to a small

selection of his people throughout the period covered by the

Old Testament, now he made that empowering available to every

one of his people, as he had promised. (Joel 2. 28 - 32. See

also our book "The Empowering Of God's People" on our web site,

[address below]).

From the Day of Pentecost onwards that empowering became the

potential inheritance of every Christian disciple. "Potential" because

many would not bother to accept what was offered to them through

a range of charisms which, in principle, is infinite.

THE GRANT OF HIS OWN PRESENCE

The relationship which the God of Christians desires is so

personal that he has promised to continue to live with them

and to be actively a part of their lives in several "unbelievable"

(if the reader will excuse the pun) ways.

He gives himself in the form of the Holy Spirit to dwell within

every baptised Christian (e.g. Mark 1. 8). This is so astounding

a fact that we have a tendency to become blase about it

because, when we consider its reality, it is so difficult to

comprehend a God who would give himself in that way. Oh,

certainly, we accept it as a tenent of our belief, but the

actual reality often escapes us. Or why do so many of us

apparently live such chunks of our lives without reference

to him? To his advice? To his counselling? To his directing?

The "man from Mars" might be able to understand how this

happens. But for us, our excuses are poor.

But there is more. God always continues with us through his

Spirit, but Jesus also promised that he would be with us

whenever and wherever we were prepared to gather together with

other Christians in his name (Matthew 18. 20). Yet another

personal touch.

Is there still more? Well, yes, but more controversially for

Christians. For those who do not run away from the reality

of it, as did many of Jesus' first disciples when he initially

"floated" the idea (John 6, especially vv30 - 65 and then v66

and to the end), he is physically present in the bread and wine

which is consecrated in remembrance of him (e.g. all Last Supper

accounts in the synoptic gospels) and which is something Paul

himself accepted (1 Corinthians 10. 15 - 17;11. 23 - 32).

MARTIAN PERCEPTION

All this would surely present an overwhelming case to the

intelligent Martian looking for evidence of a personal God.

Not a god who has a multiplicity of manifestations, who is

in everything and is everything but is still essentially

impersonal and distant from our lives. Not a god who sends

messages of violence and destruction, nor one who is represented

by a mere man who can never be surpassed.

Rather he would see a God, so perfect in his justice that sin

had to be dealt with, but one so infinite in his mercy that he

dealt with it in the only way possible: through his own

self-sacrifice. And one who loves his people so much that he

cannot but live with them, daily and continuously and who is

prepared to share his power and his nature with them (2 Peter 1. 3,4).