Hey Andy, if Jesus wasn’t raised from the dead, and everything else in the Bible except the resurrection of Christ were true, would you still be a Christian? Some theologians say that the resurrection could be allegoric.
Hi. The resurrection of Jesus Christ (Jesus being raised) is what makes us Christians. But you know, that’s a good question, because if Jesus had not been raised from the dead, yet said that He would be, then theologically-speaking, He wouldn’t (couldn’t) be God. However, His teachings and miracles would still amount to something, as well as His prophecies (those He gave and those He fulfilled), so He would probably still be recognized as a prophet (if not at least a great teacher), so that then would make sense.
However, people who followed after Elijah (a great prophet) weren’t called “Elijans” or anything like that, so I suppose then that we wouldn’t be called “Christians”, since Jesus then would never have taken on the Messianic title. Maybe some would call themselves “Yeshuans” (Yeshua –> Joshua –> “Yay-soos” –> Jesus), but the whole point would be to continue in the ways that they were going, only Jesus’ teachings would be seen as a guide like that of the previous prophets, like a ball that rolls and begins to curve, then Jesus comes and taps it back on course.
If Jesus Hadn’t Been Raised
So in that case, I suppose that I’d probably be a Jew, if not by heritage, then by conversion (although, I do have some Jewish ancestors, so maybe everybody would have remained Jewish?) Although, I’m the kind of person who would want to go at it correctly, loving God and obeying Him as He requires of me, so I wouldn’t be like the Jews of today (who are actually more similar to the Israelites before the Babylonian takeover, or atheists who follow the traditional holidays), nor an Orthodox Jew (who changed their theology yet claim they follow the original ways correctly). I’d probably look into following the faith of the Israelites (after the return from Babylonian exile, or as announced in the wilderness during the Exodus, and as the prophets taught) in the way they were supposed to follow, adding in Jesus’ teachings, but then only to continue to fail, as everybody before being freed from the Law did, also.
Since Jesus WAS Raised
But Jesus WAS raised from the dead, and I AM a Christian, I praise the Lord for His mercy and grace, freeing us from the constant failing of obeying the Law. Thank God for raising Jesus, proving that Jesus is in fact God the Son, giving Him the Messianic title, and giving us the opportunity to not only love Him back, but to be cleansed of our sins, to live for Him without the constant fear of failure, and actually being invited by God personally to spend this life and the rest of eternity with Him (should we accept His free invitation).
Also, keep in mind that a Theologian is simply one who studies God – they don’t have to be a Christian, nor do they even have to believe in God (look at people who study Greek Mythology, for instance). I see this all the time, too, with people who flaunt their Ph.D.’s. It’s like, just because they have an advanced degree, most everyone thinks they know what they’re talking about. But in actuality, many of them don’t. So with that in mind, this might also explain the denial of Jesus’ resurrection among the theologians you spoke of. It would also make them fools, for even people who opposed Jesus as the Messiah in His time, could not (and did not) deny the resurrection. Therefore, don’t believe everything a Theologian says.
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