I was so perplexed by the question if the church replaced Israel. Until I realized that scripture interprets scripture, I never understood anything in …
The God who created all things (in accordance with promises He made long ago through the prophets of ancient Israel) has sent and appointed His unique Son as the all-powerful and loving Ruler over all of heaven and earth! Because of this, God requires all who breathe to honor and submit to His Son as their legitimate and absolute King.
This King previously lived on earth as one of us—as the man, Jesus of Nazareth. While He was here, God proved His Son's credentials through His miraculous healings, signs, wonders, and deliverance of the victims of demonic power. There were numerous credible eyewitnesses to these things. Jesus was deeply resented by those whose power was threatened by His claims. They eventually arrested Him and had Him executed on a Roman cross—though He had committed no wrong.
Even His death was part of God's plan for our salvation from the bondage of Satan and from the power of our own sins. His death provides for the criminal record of every former defector from His reign to be expunged, and removes every barrier that formerly prevented our access to Him on good terms.
After His crucifixion and burial, God vindicated His Son by raising Him from the dead three days later. Many were allowed to encounter and interact with Him after His resurrection, and they have reliably testified to this. Jesus returned to heaven, where God has coronated and installed Him alongside Himself as King over God's entire realm. That realm includes every one of us.
When His present reign has reached its goals, Jesus will return to judge the world in uncompromising justice. His visible reign of universal justice and peace will then be among us forever.
His Kingdom currently exists visibly among men on earth in the company of those who acknowledge His status as King and Lord. These are those who willingly submit to Him as His servants.
According to God's decree, since Jesus is the rightful King of all, every person owes Him total allegiance. His only requirement is that we switch our allegiance to Him and follow Him at all costs. Upon our doing so, He grants us full amnesty and pardon for our earlier rebellion against Him. Returning to Him means that we turn from our old lives and live as His followers, trusting in Him for all things, and remaining loyal to Him as our Ruler for the remainder of our lives in the midst of a hostile but doomed world order. When this decision is made we must be baptized to signal the transition we are making from our old loyalties to our coming under Him in His universal Empire.
