By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
Calvinist, James White, comments: “If the offering of Christ perfects those for whom it is made, where is there room for an atonement that is universal in scope but ineffectual in result? Where is the hypothetical atonement of evangelical tradition?” (Debating Calvinism, p.175, emphasis mine)
In terms of Hebrews 10:10, White adds: “According to this verse, the death of Christ sanctifies all those for whom it is made....” (Debating Calvinism, p.190, emphasis mine)
White concludes: “Christ’s substitutionary death in behalf of His people is a real and finished work: It is not dependent upon the human act of faith for success or failure.” (Debating Calvinism, p.191, emphasis mine)
The perfection and santification don’t come until it is received. Although it’s a finished work, it remains unclaimed until a person receives the provision by faith, and that’s where White gets into trouble, by trying to say that it is not effectuated through faith. It’s effectuation very much does depend upon faith.
As evident from the example of the atonement that Jesus provided at John 3:14, in pointing to Numbers 21:6-9, the healing properties of God’s provision of the serpent on a standard, did not transmit any healing properties unless a person looked upon it. Therefore, to suggest that the Cross of Calvary is not dependent upon the human act of faith, is also to suggest that the serpent on a standard was not dependent upon the human act of looking upon it.
Calvinist, Erwin Lutzer, writes: “If it is true that Christ died to redeem a specific number of people, namely those whom the Father had given him, it follows that all believers were redeemed at the cross two thousand years ago. They were cleared of all charges then, for God accepted the ransom payment.” (The Doctrine That Divide, p.185, emphasis mine)