Let's say there's a guy named Jimmy. Jimmy is a sinner in need of grace. Christ needs to die for him. So, what is the difference in terms of life and sacrifice for sins, or otherwise any other eternal outcome, for Jimmy if you compare a) before or without the atonement at all and b) with the atonement but Jimmy rejects Jesus as Lord?
Grace has appeared to Jimmy.
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Thus Jimmy has been given direction in the right way to go. It is up to Jimmy whether he will yield to what grace teaches (ie. repent and obey) or reject (refuse to repent and continue to disobey).
Jesus died for the purpose...
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
1. Redeem from all iniquity.
2. Purify the heart whereby one is zealous for righteousness.
The death of Christ presented a way to...
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
1. The death of Christ established the New Covenant as a reality.
2. One enters into the New Covenant via the blood of Jesus (enjoined into covenant by the blood).
The blood serves to purge the conscience of past sins whereby we can then serve God without a conscience defiled by guilt.
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was
purged from his old sins.
This cleansing by the blood is conditioned on repentance and faith, ie. approaching God in the correct manner.
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
We can approach God directly (veil has been torn down). There is no longer any need for the Old Covenant sacrificial system.
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
There is a new and living way which is a reference to the heart as opposed to being rule regimentation. The New Covenant is purely internal, as opposed to external.
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
We draw near with a true heart in full confidence and our hearts are purged of guilt, our consciousness of sin due to our previous rebellion is removed and thus we can now stand before God without shame.
So, what is the difference in terms of life and sacrifice for sins, or otherwise any other eternal outcome, for Jimmy if you compare a) before or without the atonement at all and b) with the atonement but Jimmy rejects Jesus as Lord?
(a) Without the death of Christ there would be no New Covenant and thus there would be no means via which the guilt associated with rebellion to God could be purged once and for all. Jimmy would never be able to stand before God due to being guilty of rebellion. The defilement that sin produces in the conscience could not be removed and thus there would ever remain a great divide between Jimmy and God, even if he would forsake his rebellion. A return to obedience cannot undo the guilt associated with past disobedience.
(b) If Jimmy rejects the means by which he may be redeemed and made pure then Jimmy simply remains dead in his sins. Redemption from sin itself is through the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ and to reject that and remain carnal in the service of sin is plain and simply death.
False views of the reasons why Jesus died on the cross serve to destroy and replace the means described above with notions that will not save anyone.