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NASB | Matthew 16:17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 16:17 Then Jesus answered him, "Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. |
Subject: Canon 8 Council of Orange |
Bible Note: Dear Mark, You asked, "So you would say that the person who has not heard the Gospel has therefore no opportunity to receive salvation?" All I can say is what Scripture says, excuse me for repeating my answer: "But how are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14 ESV) The missionary drive to proclaim the Gospel to all men is rooted in a love of His flock. If we love Christ, we cannot do otherwise than to love His own. You asked about my understanding of Titus 2:11. The whole sentence from that passage reads, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works." (Titus 2:11-14 ESV) Given the context wherein Paul identifies a variety of people (see the preceding verses 2 through 9), as well as the primary participle "For," he necessarily means all classes of people -- even servants and Gentiles. The same phrase "all people" is used in Titus 3:2. There, expanding on the former argument, Titus is encouraged to teach his congregation to show meekness to all people, since those who comprise "a people for His own possession" are drawn from all classes. This was an utterly novel concept in a world in which class distinctions defined people's worth along with how they interacted with each other. In Him, Doc |