Johnny accepts Jesus, and then a few years later decides it's a bunch of hogwash...?

Question

...And dies as an atheist.

What happened to his sins back on the cross? Did Jesus die for them and then not die for them?

Answer 1

Jesus said, "...he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matthew 24: 13).

The fact that Johnny didn’t endure to the end, shows that he was never saved to begin with, or was never regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

The doctrine of enduring to the end, is referred as “Perseverance of the Saints”.

“They, whom God had accepted in his Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.”

Others, not elected and regenerated by the Spirit, may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved:

Answer 2

Jesus dying for Johnny's sins has NO EFFECT on what Johnny does with that salvation once he receives it. If he throws it away, it's on him, Jesus paid the price for them once and for all, but Johnny still has to accept the sacrifice, give up his old ways or in this case repent of his thoughts of "hogwash" and "do his firstworks (his Christian life) over." Jesus still loves Johnny and would be upset if Johnny openly denied Him. It's borderline blasphemy, and God doesn't appreciate blasphemy of His Son's sacrifice to say the least! 2 Peter 2:20-22 says it all!

Answer 3

Johnny's sins were forgiven when he first accepted Christ. The sins he committed before that were forgiven, but then Johnny walked away from Christ and then decided there was no Christ and dies an atheist. When a person gets saved and "puts their hands to the plow", but then looks back, they are not fit for the Kingdom of God. Jesus still died for Johnny's sins, but Johnny has free will and walked away.

Answer 4

"Acceptance" alone is not enough to call yourself a "Christian." Jesus did die for Johnny's sins, but by walking away he nullified his saving faith. God's Word speaks about this in many places. But a few are: Hebrews 6:4-8; 2 Peter 2:13-17; Isaiah 1:28.

Answer 5

Through forgiveness of sin, available by God's grace (Romans 3:24), a Christian finds freedom in obeying God's law (James 1:21-25). Rather than being enslaved to sin by disobedience, we serve God by obedience and walk the path God intends, to be led to eternal life in His kingdom by His generous and undeserved gift (Romans 6:16-23).

To return to a former life of sin is a serious matter in the sight of God (2 Peter 2:20-22). However, the only sin that cannot be forgiven is the willful rejection of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, by which forgiveness of sin is made possible (Hebrews 6:4-6). This sin is described by Christ as "blasphemy against the Spirit" (Matthew 12:31), a knowing rejection of the power and authority of God. After every human being has had a full opportunity for salvation, those still unrepentant will be destroyed...."Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14–15), thus fulfilling the ultimate penalty of sin, the second death..... Those who have known the truth of God, but have willfully rejected His forgiveness and love, will be burned up in a lake of fire. The eternal death penalty from which there is no resurrection. Those who have sealed their own fate—who have determined never to repent of their evil attitude and nature—will be totally burned up and will become ashes! They will not be tormented forever. They will receive their eternal punishment, not eternal punishing. Their death, their eternal punishment, will last for eternity!
This is what the Bible teaches. The incorrigibly wicked will be totally destroyed—annihilated. But they will not be destroyed capriciously, or unfairly, or because God predestined them never to hear Christ’s message. As we have seen, no one can be saved without accepting the message of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
Although every person is responsible for his own sin (Ezekiel 18:4, 20), Satan the devil is identified as the deceiver of mankind and the one ultimately responsible for leading humanity into sin (Revelation 12:9; 20:1-3).

Answer 6

So, Jesus can die for sins committed by people who weren't even born yet, and, for that matter, hadn't even committed them yet? If Jesus's dad had to make his son die for other people's sins, rather than just forgiving the sins "himself" (what makes everyone so sure god is male?), what good is this god, anyway? Not so powerful after all, if this is what it needs to do to purge his creations of sins it couldn't stop them from committing in the first place.
Anyone who would "accept" Jesus probably isn't going to be the kind of person to think for himself and then "unaccept" him later.

Answer 7

Jesus died for Johnny's sin, but if Johnny decides he doesn't want to live for the Lord, he looses out when he dies. God wont force Johnny to be a Christian if he doesn't want to.

Answer 8

I guess Jesus died for those sins, and then gave them back when Johnny found the truth. Too much burden to bear, those sins of atheists.

Just how he managed to do this with no working return policy is beyond me.

Answer 9

Man is the highest order of creation, next to the Seventh Day Sabbath. Man has reason and free will. The sacrafice and atonement are a free gift, we accept not earn. we will either accept or throw it away with both hands. Raise up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will turn toward it!

Answer 10

"Johnny" gave an intellectual consent to the gospel message and did not receive the gift of faith that the Holy Spirit gives to all true born again Christians. The gospel message was not combined with faith and so it did Johnny no good.

Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

15 As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." 16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.