"If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that needs no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust, and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all...why then perhaps we must stand fast a little - even at the risk of being heroes." - Sir Thomas More, "A Man For All Seasons," by Robert Bolt
Re: What if Jesus didn't die?
Well, I think that Christianity as a religion could very well carry on.
1. If Jesus refused to take the cup, he could go back to Galiee where his power base was and lived a long life, then being the Son of God, in his ripe old age he will be taken just like Elijah to heaven.
2. He could also settled down to have a family, just like the Da Vinci Code indicated.
3. His teachings will remain popular thruout the ages, like what Confucius's school.
4. His followers will spread across the continents too, just like the Muslims.
But what is different in Christianity if Jesus didn't die?
1. There won't be a redemption thru His blood.
2. All His foretellings and the prophecies in the Old Testament about His death would fall short.
3. Satan would be a winner, at least for that moment.
1. If Jesus refused to take the cup, he could go back to Galiee where his power base was and lived a long life, then being the Son of God, in his ripe old age he will be taken just like Elijah to heaven.
Ah, but the Jewish Messiah was expected to be a militaristic leader, hence Christ's lack of a truly powerful base. People would have moved on shortly thereafter.
3. His teachings will remain popular thruout the ages, like what Confucius's school.
Not without a Paul to spread them to Greece and Rome.
"If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that needs no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust, and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all...why then perhaps we must stand fast a little - even at the risk of being heroes." - Sir Thomas More, "A Man For All Seasons," by Robert Bolt
Re: What if Jesus didn't die?
As long as Jesus being the Son of God, He would still perform miracles and preaching to the end of His time. People would still flock to His presence, (some will still hope for the uprising of Judah) and follow Him. In fact, Jesus could very well travel to Greece as suggested in John 7:35.
True, there won't be a dramatic conversion of Paul. But God could use someone else to further His cause.
Another important question to rise if Jesus didn't die:
When will the Holy Spirit descend to all the believers?
Re: What if Jesus didn't die?
An interesting thought Waldo.
I watched a movie a few years ago called "The Body" that depicted an archaelogical discovery of a skeleton in a tomb that was believed to be that of Jesus. A Roman Catholic priest was sent to investigate and the story explores the impact of the discovery on the church, for the Jews, Muslims and the faith of the characters in the film.
It was a very provocative movie that flirted with a similar question; what if Jesus didn't rise from the dead?
Praise God for the testimony of Peter to the crowd at Pentecost, and the personal experience of Salvation through the resurrected Christ that is ours.
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