Are the Old Covenant and the New Covenant the same.

[Reddogs]

A covenant in Bible times was a solemn promise and/or agreement, often confirmed by an oath. If you ask most people about it, you will find much misunderstanding about the most elementary significance of the covenants, their relationship with law and salvation, and especially to how it relates to Christians today. If you ask the question, "When did the Old covenant begin?" most people would say on Sinai, with Moses. But if you ask, "When did the New covenant begin?" the answers are inconsistent or nill for the most part. The Old and the New Covenants are the same, one that was written on stone and needs to be in the heart not just follow the letter of the law but the true meaning, and Christ points to this in Matthew 5:20.

Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Adventist look at the following text that can clarify the situation.

Jeremiah 31:31-33
“31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

This text contains the basic elements of both covenants and also helps in understanding them.

The Old covenant has the time, "I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt".
It has the covenant partners, "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:"
It has the covenant objective, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
It has the covenant conditions, "my law"
Now let’s look at the New covenant in Hebrews 8:8-10:

“8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:"

Using the same passage which is repeated, the same elements are found for the New Testament, except for the difference in time.

The New covenant has the time, "Behold, the days come".
It has the covenant partners, "a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:"
It has the covenant objective, " I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:".
It has the covenant conditions, "my laws"
So except for the time element, there is no difference between the two covenants. The covenant partners are the same, the covenant objective is the same, and the covenant conditions are the same. The 'Old Covenant' and the 'New Covenant' are by faith and denying self and trusting in God, and allowing our hearts to be changed we be transformed. So one can see that the Old Covenant and the Old Covenant are the same.

[RabbiKnife]

Old and new are not synonyms

[Fenris]

Jeremiah 31:31-33
“31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

I agree, the "old covenant" and the "new covenant" discussed in Jeremiah 31 is the same. They both involve following the laws in the bible, and they both involve the Children of Israel. Not the nations of the world.

[Reddogs]

Jeremiah 31:31-33
“31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

I agree, the "old covenant" and the "new covenant" discussed in Jeremiah 31 is the same. They both involve following the laws in the bible, and they both involve the Children of Israel. Not the nations of the world.

So would you say that even in their case, are they following it.

[Fenris]

So would you say that even in their case, are they following it.

Religious Jews do follow the laws of the bible to the best of their ability, yes.

If you're asking if this "new covenant" is in effect yet, the answer based on the context of the rest of the chapter is obviously, not yet, although it also seems plain that it is in the process of happening.

Verse 2  I will come to give rest to Israel

Verse 4-5 I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Again you will take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful. Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit.

Verse 10-12 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’ For the Lord will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;

Verse 15-17 This is what the Lord says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” This is what the Lord says: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your descendants,” declares the Lord. “Your children will return to their own land."

Verse 23-25  This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.’ People will live together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks. I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

Only then does verse 31 apply: The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah..."

And the following verses "No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Which has also, obviously, not happened yet.

And the chapter ends with this optimistic note " This is what the Lord says, He who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name: “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the Lord, “will Israel ever cease being a nation before me.” This is what the Lord says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,” declares the Lord.

God will never reject Israel.