"You don't believe in Limited Atonement do you?"

In a recent video teaching, Dr. James White mentions an incident when a Christian lady came up to him after one of his sermons asking him the loaded question, “You don’t believe in limited atonement do you?”

Dr. White responded by saying, “Yes, Maam, I believe that Jesus Christ saves everyone for whom He dies and He intercedes for them. Maam, who do you think He is interceding for today? …. the High Priest in the Old Testament, when he offered the sacrifice, he had to present the blood of the sacrifice in the holy place – everyone for whom he offered the sacrficie was those for whom he interceded, and He is interceding in heaven today in the presence of the Father specifically for those He is going to save. Do you really think he is interceding for those who are going to spend an eternity in hell and failing in His intercession?”

I think the answer is obvious. In what we refer to as Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in John 17, He made it clear that His intercession was not for everyone. Is it not logical to suggest that His intermediary work as Mediator is done for the exact same people He died for? Note His clear words, “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” (John 17:9). More on this here. - JS