Alternative history... (what if Jesus Christ hadn't been crucified?)

According to the New Testament, Jesus died for our sins (or at least of those who wish to believe it). But what would have happened if the Romans hadn't crucified him, but simply put him in jail for life?Edited by Adminnemooseus, : Added "(what if Jesus Christ hadn't been crucified?)" part to topic title. Also changed "NT" to "New Testament" (I hate undefined abbreviations).

Well, sure, but the thing is that Christians think that actually something special happened when Jesus died. They also say that we have free will. If these two things are true (and let's neglect for a moment all the discrepancies resulting from the combination of free will and an all-knowing god), then the Romans could just as well have decided not to crucify Jesus, and since that would be their exercise of free will, there would be nothing that god could have done about it (well, he could, of course, but then it wouldn't be free will anymore).If god was going to save us one way or another, would that mean that Jesus was only the first attempt to "save" us that actually succeeded? That there would have been many Jesi before him where the plan simply didn't work and he kept sending them to us until finally one got executed?