Hello, Erin.  Welcome to the forum.

If you are not Jewish and you erroneously think that Jesus was the messiah you are mistaken, but there is no fault in being mistaken.   Thinking that someone is the messiah is not idolatry.  

Over the milenia there have been many messianic claimants including Bar Kochba.  The great Rabbi Akiva thought that Bar Kochba was the messiah but he realized he was wrong.  Does that make the great Rabbi any less great?  Of course not.

The problem comes when people begin to worship a man as a god -- or give credit to the man and not to G-d.  

If you pray through Jesus or to Jesus then you may very well be skirting idolatry.    If you simply think he was the messiah you most likely ARE a noahide whether you call yourself one or not.

The big problem with Christianity and most modern Christians is the fear factor.   They really worship Jesus (whether they think he is part of the godhead  or not).   If your praise is all for Jesus -- whatever made up Hebrew name you call him by -- then sorry -- you are indeed an idolater.

At this point only you can know for certain.

As to why Jews (including the Chabad who focuses on Jewish outreach) do not try to convert Christians to a non-idolatrous path. . . well every time we have tried we have been killed or deported.  After a while you learn that this is perhaps not the best approach!  So we sit here on our own little forum and in our own little Synagogues -- we are here for those who want answers.   We shine our light and some people are drawn to it.  Others ignore it.  Free will.  Their choice.

Unlike Christianity we do not say that Hindus, Buddhists, etc. will burn in hell.  There is no hell.  There is no fear factor of "follow our religion or burn in hell."   They may be on a wrong path or a right one. . .  If they are worshiping multiple gods they are on the wrong path, but at any time they can find the truth.  That is what life is all about.

Again, welcome.

סופי

And everything that Sarah tells you, listen to her voice. Bereshit (Genesis) 21:12