“And, of course, you cannot begin to substantiate the idea that Paul was going about adding ‘limited atonement’ to the list of things that define the gospel proclamation, without which, there is no true faith.” (James White)
[See the following link for the historical background behind White’s quote: https://agrammatos.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/james-white-slanderer-spiritual-harlot-hypocrite/]
It’s NOT “limited atonement” that is being “added” sir. Paul preached the efficacious atonement of Jesus Christ as the central gospel doctrine; the VERY HEART of the gospel. Sir, I have heard you preach sermons in an orthodox manner concerning the efficacious atonement — the atonement that actually atones — from the book of Hebrews. From listening to some of these sermons one would NOT get the idea that you would assert elsewhere that the author of the book of Hebrews is “adding” efficacious atonement to the list of things that define the gospel proclamation. The writer of Hebrews does not “add” efficacious atonement; he clearly presents efficacious atonement as THE teaching of Scripture.
James White is content to preach efficacious atonement as if it were PART & PARCEL of the gospel proclamation. But when someone like Marc comes along and actually preaches that it IS part & parcel of the gospel proclamation, then White lashes out.
Dr. White seemingly loves to preach the efficacious atonement of Jesus Christ. He enjoys going through the book of Hebrews, showing how Jesus Christ is a Perfect Savior of all whom He represented at the cross. He also speaks of how universal atonement advocates have a god or a jesus who tries to save but fails.
As long as the efficacious atonement of Jesus Christ is considered to be OPTIONAL (per White’s “adding” efficacious atonement gibe) and NOT foolishness to those being lost & the power of God to those being saved, he won’t have a problem with it. But if you have the intellectual audacity to assert that the Word of the cross is NOT OPTIONAL, then White is going to find that foolish; not to mention, scandalous.
Then White will blather on about how Christians need time to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18), and that they need time to “grow out” of esteeming the message of the cross as foolishness and a stumbling block, and “grow into” esteeming it to be the dunamis & wisdom of God (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18, 24).
Agrammatos 