I did not say “indistinguishable”. Why the need to put words in my mouth?
We can certainly distinguish between the people of God under the old covenant and the people of God under the new covenant. But that does not make them two different people, just one people under two different “dispensations” (i.e., administrations of the same covenant of grace. I have used that word properly in this case. There are two “dispensations” in the Bible, not seven or ten or thirteen. We refer to them as the Old Testament and New Testament).
The old covenant was marked by shadows, types, and predictions.
The new covenant is marked by substance, anti-types, and fulfillment.
The old covenant worship was via a human priesthood in a physical temple with bloody animal sacrifices that all pointed forward to the anticipated Messiah.
The new covenant worship is marked by a remembrance of that Messiah by name, Jesus Christ, who came into the world to redeem a people from their sins. Animal blood is gone because the True Lamb as appeared. The human priesthood is gone because the true High Priest after the order of Melchizedek has appeared. The physical temple is gone because the true temple that was raised up in three days has appeared.
The old covenant was marked by separation along nationalist lines with “strangers” being included on special occasions. Food and clothing laws were given to highlight this nationalist distinction.
The new covenant is marked by inclusion of all the nations of the world becoming part of Christ’s kingdom. We no longer need to eat certain foods or wear certain clothes to be marked as Christ’s people. The only “food” by which we are identified is the Lord’s Supper of bread and wine, His body and blood shed for our sins. "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.” (Matt. 28:18-20)
But at the very core, the very essence, the thing which made them one is the promise to Abraham that he would be the father to many nations, and the fulfillment by the blood of the Lamb shed from before the foundation of the world. “And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:29)
The new covenant was made with “the house of Israel and the house of Judah” even while the old covenant was decaying and fading away (Heb. 8). That’s why Peter proclaimed the Church as the expanded Israel of God.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9,10)
The apostles were not mistaken on the relationship between the two. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near [to the commonwealth of Israel] by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13)
The old covenant was marked by shadows, types, and predictions.
The new covenant is marked by substance, anti-types, and fulfillment.
The old covenant worship was via a human priesthood in a physical temple with bloody animal sacrifices that all pointed forward to the anticipated Messiah.
The new covenant worship is marked by a remembrance of that Messiah by name, Jesus Christ, who came into the world to redeem a people from their sins. Animal blood is gone because the True Lamb as appeared. The human priesthood is gone because the true High Priest after the order of Melchizedek has appeared. The physical temple is gone because the true temple that was raised up in three days has appeared.
AMEN!
Anyone who believes otherwise would have to rip the book of Hebrews out their Bibles.
The Old Testament was preparatory as God's instruction to all men that works of any kind, no matter what they entail, cannot save them. The New Testament was revelatory of the fact that the ONLY righteousness that can and does save any man is the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
The Bible may read progressively to our human perception, but all Scripture was written in an instant and declared true from before the foundation of the world by the predestining mind and purpose of God. Christ on the cross is the center and fulfillment and meaning of every thought and action on earth for all time.
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." -- Colossians 1:16-18"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: