If Jesus hadn't come yet, what religion would you follow today?

[Tayla]

In such a world, if someone today claimed to be messiah, how would you know if they were or not? Where and to who would you go for information?

I would go to the Jewish scriptures and the apostles, just as the first Christians did.

 

[Hoshiyya]

The question was not "what would be the true religion", it was "which religion would you follow ?"
And presumably we would not have the reason to want to be what we are now.

The Christian who says "I would be Jewish" is speaking from a perspective which would not exist in this hypothetical situation.

If I had a choice of any religion in the world excepting the Abrahamic religions, then the choice really is between two categories of religion, traditional polytheism and karmic religion.

I'd probably chose one of the karmic religions, since they appear more stimulating than any of the other polytheistic religions. Alternatively something like Atenism.

 

[Hoshiyya]

I would go to the Jewish scriptures and the apostles, just as the first Christians did.

But in this scenario, why would you even value those scriptures or be looking for a messiah ?

 

[Tayla]

I would go to the Jewish scriptures and the apostles, just as the first Christians did.

But in this scenario, why would you even value those scriptures or be looking for a messiah ?

The apostles used the Old Testament exclusively at first to support their witness and teachings about Christ and his mission.

 

[Heber Book List]

The apostles used the Old Testament exclusively at first to support their witness and teachings about Christ and his mission.

The whole point of the OP is that if he hadn't arrived as per Phil. 2, we wouldn't know any better. We would still be wondering who the Messiah of the Tanach actually is (that is if we followed Judaism). Paul wouldn't have written his view, as he did (the first bible character to write explicitly about Yeshua); he would be simply another prophet in the annals of Judaism, who had a vision from G_d

 

[Josephus]

The apostles used the Old Testament exclusively at first to support their witness and teachings about Christ and his mission.

It is this, that has really defined my apologetic approach for the last 15 years, for if I can't convince other Jews from the Tanakh alone that Yeshua is the Messiah, and that we need his merit to secure our place in the World to Come, then what foundation could we stand on other than a misplaced hope?

 

[Dave-W]

The apostles used the Old Testament exclusively at first to support their witness and teachings about Christ and his mission.

True, but if HE had not come yet there would be no apostles yet either.

Would you even be aware of Judaism?

 

[tampasteve]

True, but if HE had not come yet there would be no apostles yet either.

Would you even be aware of Judaism?

Valid question. Personally, yes, I believe so. When I was searching I looked into most major religions, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Bahai, a couple others...and Judaism. I first found truth in Judaism, and then came back to Christianity through that lens.

 

[Tayla]

It is this, that has really defined my apologetic approach for the last 15 years, for if I can't convince other Jews from the Tanakh alone that Yeshua is the Messiah, and that we need his merit to secure our place in the World to Come, then what foundation could we stand on other than a misplaced hope?

All we need is the testimony of the apostles. Having confirmation from the Hebrew Bible is optional.

 

[tampasteve]

All we need is the testimony of the apostles. Having confirmation from the Hebrew Bible is optional.

In this scenario the Apostles would not have been anything more than fishermen and tax collectors, in other words just normal people. Further, we need to be able to prove Yeshua as Messiah through the Jewish scriptures, if we can't do that then the Apostles testimony would be meaningless.

 

[Heber Book List]

All we need is the testimony of the apostles. Having confirmation from the Hebrew Bible is optional.

As I explained in post #25, that would not apply, because the OP scenario would preclude the 'apostles' from knowing anything about him, they would just carry on their jobs. Even Paul, who wrote first about Yeshua, would have been just a prophet who had a G_d experience, like Isaiah, or Jonah. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John would essentially be 'nobody'. It would be like the 400 silent years, perpetually!

I think you are getting into a difficult area saying the Tanach would be optional - you realise this is a Messianic Jewish site where the Tanach is deemed essential?

 

[Dave-W]

All we need is the testimony of the apostles. Having confirmation from the Hebrew Bible is optional.

Not really. The ENTIRE gospel is in the Tenach. It was the ONLY scriptures available until the end of the first century, because much of the NT was not even written yet.

I believe Revelation was written about 94 or 96 ad, and John's Gospel was compiled about 105 ad.

Before that ....

 

[Heber Book List]

Not really. The ENTIRE gospel is in the Tenach. It was the ONLY scriptures available until the end of the first century, because much of the NT was not even written yet.

I believe Revelation was written about 94 or 96 ad, and John's Gospel was compiled about 105 ad.

Before that ....

Paul wrote first, all his major letters were written between 53 and 63, Luke & Acts 64, Mark 66, Matthew 67, Hebrews 67, Revelation 68, John 85, Epistles of John 95 +/- 10 years. Don't let's derail the thread arguing about the exact year; but it is good guide. I haven't included some of the minor books.

Most Christians think the gospels came first!

 

[Dave-W]

Most Christians think the gospels came first!

Indeed. They did not.

 

[danbuter]

Probably whatever religion the Romans had, since they spread Christendom throughout all of Europe.

 

[Josephus]

All we need is the testimony of the apostles. Having confirmation from the Hebrew Bible is optional.

Actually... I would think this is a dangerous approach to our faith, since then we would have no defense against the Mormon who says the same thing. The reason we can discern as false the Book of Mormon, or the Koran, is because those books are not confirmed in Gen-Rev - the scriptures that came before.

 

[Heber Book List]

Probably whatever religion the Romans had, since they spread Christendom throughout all of Europe.

They had many, many gods!

 

[visionary]

I would seek the true God and find Him to follow... Hopefully, God would answer my prayers and lead me to a closer walk with Him. It matters not what name it is called, it matters who you follow.
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

 

[chunkofcoal]

As I explained in post #25, that would not apply, because the OP scenario would preclude the 'apostles' from knowing anything about him, they would just carry on their jobs. Even Paul, who wrote first about Yeshua, would have been just a prophet who had a G_d experience, like Isaiah, or Jonah. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John would essentially be 'nobody'. It would be like the 400 silent years, perpetually!

I think you are getting into a difficult area saying the Tanach would be optional - you realise this is a Messianic Jewish site where the Tanach is deemed essential?

If Yeshua hadn't come, Paul might not have had a "God experience" so he would've continued on as he was. And considering what we know of his background, Jewish Rabbis today might've been quoting Rabbi Saul!

 

[chunkofcoal]

Some of us may have become Jewish - Rahab heard what was going on and figured out something very important:
Jos 2:9-11 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. (10) For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. (11) And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.