REACH NZ NETWORK

Leaving the Old Life and Walking in the New

Salvation is far more than the forgiveness of sins. Salvation is a complete transformation of identity, authority, and allegiance. When a person comes to Christ, the old self is truly crucified with Christ as an immediate spiritual reality and gift of grace. However, the revelation and lived experience of this truth is progressive. As the Holy Spirit renews, retrains, and reprograms the believer’s mind, He brings understanding and alignment with what God has already accomplished in Christ. The old life has died, but learning to walk in that reality is worked out over time as the Spirit leads us into truth.

This truth sits at the very centre of biblical Christianity, yet it is often resisted because it confronts our attachment to who we once were. […]

Beloved, today we come to a vital biblical teaching that every believer needs to understand clearly: the difference between an unbeliever who hears the gospel, believes, repents, and is born again by receiving the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation—and a believer who, after being saved, is baptized by Jesus in the Holy Spirit as a subsequent, empowering experience. […]

Dear friend, if you’re hearing the gospel for the first time, or if you’ve heard it before but wondered why Christians are so convinced, this message is for you. And if you are already a believer, let this be an encouragement to stand firm in the hope we have. The gospel is not just a set of religious claims we accept “because the Bible says so.” No—we believe because there is powerful, objective evidence that demands a verdict. Christianity is rooted in historical events that can be examined, not blind faith or wishful thinking. At the centre of it all is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. If that didn’t happen, our faith is worthless (1 Corinthians 15:14). But it *did* happen—and here’s *why* we know it. […]

Have you ever wondered what actually happens the instant a guilty sinner truly believes the gospel of Jesus Christ? We often hear phrases like “saved by grace” or “born again,” but the Bible describes a far more radical, instantaneous, and irreversible transformation than most of us realize. It is not a slow process of self-improvement. It is a divine miracle: the old you dies, and an entirely new you is born—seated in heavenly places, free from every curse, and clothed with the authority of Christ Himself.

Let’s look closely at what Scripture says happens the moment you believe. […]

“And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” […]

This is a deeply controversial issue in the church today, with sincere believers on both sides seeking to honor God’s Word. As you read this teaching, approach it prayerfully and openly—ask the Holy Spirit to speak directly into your conscience, illuminate His truth, and guide you personally. It is vital that we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (John 16:13), rather than simply accepting or rejecting the teachings of men. Test everything against Scripture (Acts 17:11), and let the Lord confirm what aligns with His heart. […]