“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  II Corinthians 5:17.   The apostle Paul knew something about deep transformation.  He hated Jesus and persecuted His followers (Acts 22:4-5).  But a personal encounter with Christ changed all of that, causing him to reevaluate his life in light of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.  His union with Christ made Paul a new person.  The old order of sin, death, and selfishness was gone and a new beginning, perspective and way of living had come.  Following Jesus is not turning over a new leaf; it is beginning a new life.