Why does Paul tell Gentile believers to fear instead of being high minded?
Paul warns Gentile believers to fear because God did not spare the natural branches, Israel, when they rejected His offer. Since Gentiles can also reject His grace and blessings, God can break them off too. Fear, not high-minded presumption, recognizes both God's goodness and severity and avoids the same judgment.
Les teaches that Paul is addressing Gentile believers who have been brought into the place of blessing while Israel is blinded. He warns them not to be high minded, but to fear. God did not spare the natural branches, Israel, when they rejected so much after He had offered them so much. Behold the goodness and severity of God: severity toward Israel who failed, but goodness toward Gentiles. Yet Gentiles are fast approaching the same place where God will finally get fed up with the Gentile world system rejecting His offer of grace, His blessings, and believing who He is. Then He will do the same thing: break off the Gentile, and afterward put the Jew back, fulfilling the promises made to Abraham. So fear is a sober recognition that blessing does not exempt anyone from judgment, and Gentile blessing is an interim situation.
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
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