Fairly clear...until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Following this we need to leave Romans to see what events take place upon the Lords return. It's a detailed picture.
Oh, I see what you are inferring...but I believe you are assuming the Lord has not returned. Which is not to say He has returned to all, but to many, as Paul explained: "
but each one in his own order."
So, if you believe that the Lord's return is rather one big future event, that is the error of many, but not the truth.
As for the word "
until" (the times of the gentiles are fulfilled) and what it actually refers to: It refers to what Paul explained...that Christ comes to "
each on in his own order." Yet the order of each in the world, is not the order of each in the kingdom. The time of all such events is "
now", just as it is for salvation. Just as the scriptures indicated (as Paul said), we "
were" crucified with Christ--which is the timing of each according to God, and also the timing of Israel's blindness being removed--for they
proceed us, as Paul also said. So no, it is not future, but past--that is as the world defines past and future.
But if we continue to dance about the world giving precedence to its times, the past tense or timeless language is shrouded in that same blindness. Nonetheless, "
were" and "
I am" and salvation being "
now" are not of the world, but are a mystery and foolishness to the natural man.