Religion is man’s search for God. Christianity is God’s search for man.
The beauty of Christianity lies in its affirmation of God’s revelation of himself in human history. First to the Jews in the Old Testament, and through them to all nations. And finally in Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, revealing the fullness of God’s plan of redemption and reconciliation for His creation. A plan extant from the ‘In the beginning‘ of Genesis.
Acts Chapter 9 sets out a remarkable demonstration of God’s searching out man. It is the story of Saul of Tarsus, a leading Pharisee, a committed adherent to the Jewish religion, and a fervent persecutor of Christians. Until, on the road to Damascus, he encountered Jesus the Christ.
God searched for and pursued Saul. And gave him a world-changing assignment: “I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15) Baptized in the Holy Spirit, Saul’s dramatic conversion to Paul launched a new chapter in the spread of Christianity.