What is Paul warning the Roman believers not to be ignorant about in Romans 11?
The warning to the Roman believers is that God has placed a spiritual blindness on the nation of Israel. Individual Jews can still believe and have their eyes opened, but nationally Israel remains blinded; they did not obtain what they sought, only the election obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
Les teaches that Paul is admonishing the believers at Rome not to be ignorant of the fact that God has literally dropped a spiritual blindness on the nation of Israel—on the nation, not necessarily every individual Jew. The individual Jew can still have his eyes opened and believe, but nationally they are blinded. Les directs attention to Romans 11:7, where Paul says Israel did not obtain what they were looking for, but the election—those few Jews who believed—obtained it, and the rest were blinded. The reason was that they looked for a king coming in pomp, power, and circumstance, perhaps riding a great white Arabian steed, but their King came on a lowly donkey, and they missed Him. They were ignorant of who He really was, and that national blindness remains to this very day.
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
More Questions
Why does Paul reveal the mystery in Romans 11:25?
Paul calls this truth a mystery, meaning a secret, and he reveals it so the brethren would not be ignorant and become wise in their own conceit.
What mystery did Paul reveal in Romans 11:25?
In Romans 11:25 Paul reveals a mystery never before revealed in Scripture: Israel has received only a partial spiritual blindness that lasts until the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in.