Practical application of Pentecostal theology in politics, economy and social issues
Paul, after reasoning about idolatry in Athens, states:
Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now
commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day on
which he is going to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom
he designated, having provided proof to everyone by raising him from
the dead.” (Acts 17:30,31 NET)
I think it is safe to say that God overlooking “such times of ignorance” means God overlooked the ignorance of the people of those times.
How did Paul understand God to have “overlooked” the ignorance of those people?
It does not seem that “overlooked” merely means that God did not call them to account while alive, sparing them certain temporal judgments. Rather, in light of verse 31, it seems to imply that they will somehow be found less culpable in the final judgment.
According to most orthodox Christian theology, these pagans who died without Christ are forever condemned and without hope. If that is the case, it doesn’t sound like God “overlooked” their ignorance to me.
Question: What does it mean for those people who lived in times when ignorance was overlooked by God?
Frances Strickland
Romans 11:26-27 King James Version (KJV)
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
RichardAnna Boyce
Romans 11:22-24 if Jews do not continue in unbelief, God will graft them in again.
Romans 11:25-27 all Israel will be delivered because that was widely held by Jews in Paul’s day (cf. Isa 27:9; 59:20,21 quoted by Paul in vv 26 b-27).
it refers to the beginning of the Tribulation when God completes His dealings with Gentiles and will again turn to Israel.
Romans 11:25-27
Rev 6:11 does not refer to Gentiles but to the full number of the Jewish servants that will be martyred for their faith. Additionally the phrase until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in may also refer to a fixed number of Gentiles who will become believers (Rom 6:4; 1 Cor 12:13) before the rapture occurs. Finally, Rev 4-19 focuses on Israel once more, which shows that God is done with the church (largely consisting of Gentiles) as the primary people of God.
After God accomplishes His mission with the Gentiles all Israel will be saved.
all Israelites who survive the Tribulation period (as a result of being justified and living faithfully for God during that time) will be delivered from Tribulation wrath to enter the Millennium and fulfill all of God’s OT promises. Isaiah declares how the nation will be regenerated (66:8), and Rev 19 reveals how at the end of the Tribulation it will be delivered (cf. Zech 12-14). In Matt 23:37-39, Jesus speaks of not returning until the whole nation recognizes Him as Messiah. By inference this suggests all Jews will believe in Christ before or at His return.
Finally, the meaning of the term saved, used by Paul throughout Romans, refers to a deliverance from temporal wrath for those who are already justified (cf. 1:18; 5:9; 10:9-13). Though the term wrath does not appear here, the concept does. Paul’s quotation from Isa 59:20-21 sits in a context of great vengeance (cf. 59:16-21).
To summarize, all Israel will be saved refers to the nation’s deliverance from Gentile rule (known as “the times of the Gentiles” in Luke 21:24), justification by faith in Christ of every Jewish individual, and protection during the Tribulation so that they inherit the promised Millennial kingdom (cf. Matt 7:21-23; 25:31-46; John 3:3; Rom 9:26-10:1; 11:23-25).