The Heart Of Paul’s Theology: Paul And His TheologySample

Christian Hope: Romans 11:25

Paul’s own missionary work among the Gentiles testifies to his belief that God’s plan for the overlap of the ages included uniting believing Jews and Gentiles into one people of God.

Paul also believed that God had designed the overlap between this age and the age to come so that the church might reach a measure of spiritual maturity. At times he portrayed this idea in terms of building the temple of God, as in Ephesians 2:19-22. At other times, he spoke of it in terms of a maturing human body, as in Ephesians 4:15-16. Paul understood that the spiritual maturing of the church was one of God’s central purposes for the overlap between this age and the age to come. 

Paul realized that this outlook on history was unusual. It hadn’t been revealed in the past. That’s why he spoke of it as a mystery which God had revealed to him and which he had to explain to others. In Romans 11:25, Paul wrote these words: 

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25).

In this passage Paul indicated that God was using this present time when many Jews have been hardened to the gospel to save the “full number” or “fullness” of the Gentiles. As he indicated in Ephesians 3:4-6: 

In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit of God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:4-6). 

Paul’s outlook on God’s purposes provided an orientation for all believers living during the overlap of this age and the age to come. Both on corporate and individual levels, Christians should not look at this period as a time for quietly waiting for the fullness of the age to come. On the contrary, God has designed this period for great activity. This is a time for rescuing many from every nation on earth, and for bringing the church to spiritual maturity. For this reason, Paul devoted his own life to spreading the gospel and building up the church, and he called others to join him in that work.