I believe thinking that it is a free pass is illogical.
How so? Isn't that the position of many Christians? Don't they believe all sins will be erased just by accepting Jesus? Don't they believe - Jesus died to erase their sins?
If you start from a wrong premise - you will end up with a wrong conclusion. I understand it makes no sense for a supposed god to go through crucifixion because a real god could have saved himself. So, when you start with the wrong premises that Jesus was god - you have to come with an explanation that makes sense and collaborates with that line of thinking. Hence "concept of atonement" (erasing sins for the believers) was introduced. IMO
The concept of atonement is a good deception because it allows some like you to continue to believe his divinity. Without the infusion of this concept -after the crucifixion - no one would have continued to believe Jesus was god. It was an ingenious idea but deceptive! IMO
I strongly believe this concept of atonement came from a source other than God!
As I said in my earlier post #241 - after the rumor started regarding his divinity status - Jesus' immediate disciples didn't squash it. Instead they entertained it - as a result Jesus found himself in a very tight predicament where the only way to convince people that he wasn't God or son of god - was to go through the crucifixion. Just think about it - Jesus was charged with blasphemy, claiming to be son of god and claiming to be messiah (king of Jews). If his divinity status was not entertained by his immediate disciples then there was a chance for him to come out alive. But when you are charged for claiming to be God or son of god - and asked to prove it by saving yourself then there isn't any other way left for you! If real creator had saved Jesus from that predicament and helped him walk out of there alive and continue his preaching then what would have that proved?
Hence I say - no current Christian's sins are erased by Jesus' crucifixion! No one (in my opinion) will have a free pass for just believing. If you commit a sin - you will have to face the consequences yourself.