Being ignorant of the mystery is being wise in your own conceits

Being ignorant of the mystery is being wise in your own conceits

In Romans 11:25, the apostle Paul offers one of the most sobering appeals found in his writings: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits...” This is no casual remark—it’s a Spirit-breathed warning to avoid a dangerous kind of self-assurance that blinds the believer to the truth of God’s current work. Paul is addressing the potential for pride that creeps in when spiritual ignorance is disguised as insight. And the antidote? Understanding the mystery revealed to him concerning the Body of Christ.

To be “wise in your own conceits” is to elevate human ideas—traditions, interpretations, emotional experiences—above the revealed truth of God’s Word. Conceit, by definition, is inflated self-regard. When applied to theology, it becomes a tragic substitute for submission to the Scriptures rightly divided. It’s the kind of wisdom that leans on the natural mind, not the Spirit’s illumination. Solomon warns against this posture: “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7), and Paul later echoes the same urgency in Romans 12:16.

But what is this “mystery” Paul doesn’t want the Church to be ignorant of? It is the sacred truth that was hidden in ages past and now revealed through Paul’s unique apostleship. The mystery is that God is forming a new, heavenly people—the Body of Christ—made up of Jew and Gentile alike, reconciled by grace through faith, and made righteous apart from the covenant promises and law given to Israel. This was not prophesied. It was not declared by the prophets of old. It was a new work, a secret kept by God until it was time to unveil it through Paul. As he explains in Ephesians 3:3-6 and Colossians 1:25-27, this mystery forms the foundation of the Church’s identity and calling today.

When believers fail to grasp this mystery, they begin to import doctrines meant for another dispensation. Law replaces grace. Signs and wonders displace simple faith. Kingdom promises meant for Israel confuse our understanding of heavenly hope. This is how conceit forms: by trusting in a mix of Scripture that hasn’t been rightly divided. The outcome is serious—doctrinal error, spiritual stagnation, and misplaced expectations regarding Christ’s return. Worse, it opens the door to teachings that sound spiritual but are rooted in human pride, not divine truth.

Paul knew that ignorance of the mystery would lead many to follow persuasive traditions rather than the gospel entrusted to him. That’s why he tells Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Right division means recognizing the distinction between God’s program for Israel—the law, covenants, earthly kingdom—and His present grace program for the Body of Christ—justification by faith, spiritual blessings in heavenly places, and our gathering unto Christ before the tribulation. Failing to do so leads to confusion, especially in areas like salvation, sanctification, prophecy, and the role of Israel and the Body of Christ in God's twofold redemption plan.

The consequences aren’t abstract. False doctrines grow out of this conceited misunderstanding. Legalism resurfaces, demanding obedience to ordinances never given to the Church. Emotionalism and prosperity gospels overshadow the finished work of the cross. Prophetic timelines blur, leaving believers fearing the wrath meant for another people in another age. As Paul wrote, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men… and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

So, what’s the proper response? Humble study of the written Word. Faithful teaching. Gratitude for grace. We must be willing to set aside cherished traditions and denominational positions when they conflict with the mystery revealed to Paul. This isn’t arrogance—it’s obedience. It’s not elitism—it’s stewardship. Those who receive Paul’s gospel and doctrine do so, not to exalt Paul, but to glorify the risen Christ who chose to reveal His heavenly plan through Paul's writings.

Let us then be students of this mystery, not ignorant of it. Let us walk humbly, not conceitedly, and divide the Word faithfully so that the Body of Christ may be rooted in truth, awaiting the fullness of the Gentiles and the glorious appearing of our Savior.

As Paul affirms in Colossians 1:25-26: “Whereof I am made a minister… to fulfil the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.”

Dear believer, may it be manifest in you—today.