HOW WOULD WE DECIDE

Suppose through some incontrovertible means the Shroud of Turin was determined to be of the correct age to be authentic.  Suppose also that through indisputable scientific analysis the cloth was proven to have come from the Holy Land.  Suppose again that the derivation of the Shroud is revealed by an extremely respected source to be almost certainly authentic, i.e., assume it is probable that the cloth is that in which the dead body of Our Lord was wrapped when it was placed in the tomb.  Suppose further that through DNA testing, almost all the deposits on the cloth were determined to have come from one human being, and that the DNA is in good enough condition to enable an individual to be cloned from it.  Suppose this was done and it resulted in a living, breathing, male, human being.  Assume that this man had what are widely accepted to be the physical features of Jesus of Nazareth, i.e., that to most people, he looked like Our Lord.  Assume also that at a very early age this being possessed Stigmata, what appeared to be scars from what could have been nails piercing his hands and feet, and the appearance of a scar in his side.    Suppose this person, when he came of age, claimed to the re-incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Then suppose additionally that this man began to perform seemingly impossible acts, i.e., miracles:  Healings, and other acts in such a manner that it seems to be done supernaturally.  Could this be the Second Coming?  How would we decide whether to believe?  Would it be possible for a rational Christian person to dis-believe?

          Imagine the worldwide controversy that would immediately develop.  A large portion of the world population would divide into Believers, and Dis-Believers, while another large segment (Muslims, and eastern religions) would perhaps wonder at the foolishness of those peoples who are engaged in the controversy.  In the western world local Church congregations would undoubtedly engage in heated arguments and split up over who believed exactly what.  Denominational religious leaders, perhaps not knowing the proper course of action themselves, would be hard pressed to provide direction to their followers.  Entire Protestant denominations might change or disappear almost over night.

          Who, or what societies, might be part of the Believers?  Many, many people of Christian religious faith, perhaps led by the Catholic Church might comprise the majority of the Believers.  Probably all Judeo-Christian faiths would have substantial increases in their membership from people originally agnostic, atheistic, or just disinterested in religion.  The Nation of Israel  might immediately accept the claimant as their Messiah, finally arrived after all these millennia had passed.  Large numbers of people, especially those who observed first hand, would be won over into Belief by the supernatural events.

          The Dis-believers might be composed of those who did not care, and those too ignorant to understand the events.  There would surely also be large numbers of Bible readers who realized that The Lord himself predicted that many would come in His Name, all of them false, until he returns Himself.  This group  also might include those who read Acts 1: 9-11 where the Men in White Clothing tell the men of Palestine He will come again in the same manner in which he departed, i.e., from out of a cloud.

          No, I do not believe we could accept a clone as the Saviour.  I admit it is an intriguing thought, and I guess that, if I were confronted by a person possessing all the attributes in the opening paragraph, I would be almost convinced similarly to the Rich Man who almost was able to enter into Heaven, but could not divorce himself from his riches and follow.  We must not forget, however, that this world has been given to Satan, and that he also is capable of performing supernatural acts.  A Second Coming which occurred as described above would of necessity at the beginning be revealed to one, or only a few persons.  I believe that when it happens it will be known instantaneously to all persons on the Earth, Believers and UnBelievers.  The modern age is the first where it is easily possible for an event to be seen and heard simultaneously throughout the world.  I suppose at my present age that there is little chance that I will be here to see it, although Paul wrote that We Shall Not All Sleep.  If the rapture does not occur soon it may be that I will see the Second Coming from the Other Side.  What a fabulously wonderful viewpoint that would be.