1. 2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
Paul's declaration of spiritual transformation through union with Christ. "New creation" (kaine ktisis) doesn't mean improved but completely new - like God's original creation. "The old has gone" (aorist tense) indicates a completed action, not gradual process. "The new is here" (perfect tense) shows permanent results. This is the most radical new beginning possible - not self-improvement but divine recreation. Union with Christ brings total transformation of identity, not just behavior modification (BibleHub Commentaries).