Thematic illustration?

A Biblical story of stolen identity is that of Jacob assuming the identity of his brother Esau in order to steal his birthright.

It seems this week as though I’ve been stuck on the issue of “identity”. Peter’s readers were persecuted because of their identity as Christians; they suffered as a result of their belief in Jesus Christ. When undergoing such suffering, assurance becomes paramount, which Peter emphasized. Furthermore, he reminded his readers of their coming reward, but emphasized their need to live holy lives.

So there is much more to the lesson, and frankly I’ve simply been trying to get my arms around the letter. Since our identity in Christ is backed by genuine faith, perhaps a thematic illustration emphasizing transformation is that of a true diamond versus synthetic cubic zirconia. Despite their similarities, one is a genuine diamond, and the other is not. It seems I’m back to that identity issue again. Oh, well.