In definition, covenant is a binding agreement. When used in this context, it refers to a contract forged by two parties. This is the agreement of man with God. It also speaks of God's commune with His people. Although both covenants were forged by the same God, the new compact is relatively loose when compared to the first one.
God speaks to His people through the prophets in the Old Testament. He made a treaty to protect and empower the Israelites. He promised to release them from enslavement. He vowed to take good care of them. The promise that God made to Noah following the tremendous flood can also be found here.
Most part of the Old Testament was about rules and regulations on how the people should live life. This stipulates how one should interact with the others. It sets down policies on crimes, penalties, marriage and slavery among others. The ten commandment that Moses forged by this time was timely as the people needed guidance the most.
As the lifestyle, needs and state of the people changed, the agreement was renewed. It was modified. The people are given more freedom. Some of the promises were already fulfilled. The Israelites have been freed. With the outstanding rules, the people already know how to differentiate right from wrong. It was about time the compact is renewed.
This time, the pact was done through Jesus Christ, the Son of God Himself. Jesus spoke of God's unfading love. He showed the people that God is the source of all goodness. He performed various miracles for the people to see. Finally, He made the supreme sacrifice as the Lamb of God. The old teachings about offerings were abolished. The Eucharist is the ultimate offering shared by everyone.
In the Old Testament, the people can only be saved through atonement and offerings. To pay for sins and wrongdoings, blood sacrifices were required. However, the New Testament stipulates that salvation is achieved through faith alone. For as long as one believes, he is saved. The new agreement is rooted mainly on God's unfading love to His people.
The New Testament also emphasizes forgiveness as opposed to punishments in the Old. The ten commandments have been simplified to just two. First, you must love God more than anything else. Second, love your neighbor in the same way as you yourself. Jesus preached of the new commandment to the people.
Up to now, there are still ongoing debates regarding the old covenant vs new covenant. There are varying doctrines among different religious denominations resulting from varied interpretations of God's word. Yet, one thing is for sure. Both came from the same God and were intended for the good of His people alone. If you want to follow God's will, you have to fully understand each one.
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