Hi Omega. Good to hear your typed voice.
Excellent question Nick....
The new covenant takes affect after Jesus' ressurection. His death paid the debt of the Adamic sin and abolished the old covenant, but not the scriptures.
His raising to life begins the new covenant of the same scriptures. Same word - different covenant.
After Jesus' ressurection, the new and better covenant would grant the new birth while men lived and not after men died.
Those who believed in Jesus while He was among them, though they died, would be waiting for the Lord in Abraham's bossom to be taken to paradise. Those that lived would be required to obey the new covenant of being born again as He said to Nicodemis.
The thief would spend little time in the bossom of Abraham and would quickly be brought to paradise by Jesus as He promised.
He also said, whosurdaddy, when He said to believe on Him...He adds, as the scriptures have said.
Also, He said those who were granted eternal life would have to eat His flesh and drink His blood (which was against the law). So you have to discern the scriptures. The law permitted the eating of animal flesh but not its blood. But nowhere could you eat the flesh of a man much less drink his blood. But if you didn't do it He said you had no part with him and no eternal life. Remember...all life is in the blood.
How does one participate with His flesh and blood then? Many, the Bible says, quit following Him after this saying. But remember, He was preaching about a gospel that hadn't happened yet, that is, the good news of His death, burial, and ressurection.
DMP