Somehow this crook got my name, date of birth, and social security number, created a fake passport card with my name and date of birth on it, and tried to cash a fake $3,400 check at our bank for “rent”. Fortunately, the bank teller smelled a rat, checked his (fake) ID against my ID on file, and refused to cash the check. Otherwise he would have stolen $3,400 from our account.
Identity Theft in the Bible
Identity theft has been around a long time. There are even examples in the Bible:
· Tamar portrayed herself as a prostitute to seduce Judah when he refused to give his son Shelah to her as a husband. Genesis 38
· Rebekah and Jacob conspired to gain Isaac’s blessing for his first-born son Esau by disguising Jacob as Esau. Genesis 27
· Judas presented himself as a loyal disciple to Christ at the same time he was making arrangements to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 26
· “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” II Corinthians 11:14
Who We Are in Christ – Our True Identity
We Christians are children of God, redeemed from sin and the fear of death by Christ on the cross. Created in the image of God, we were knit together in our mother’s womb and now serve as ambassadors of Christ, led by the Holy Spirit. We have even become new creations, transformed by the renewing of our minds:
“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
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
This transformation is like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. We are not a minor alteration of the old person, but we become completely brand-new.
Someone is Trying to Steal Your Identity
I have some bad news for you: SOMEONE IS TRYING TO STEAL YOUR IDENTITY. He is Lucifer, that sly old devil, who wants to steal our identity as children of God, kill our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and destroy our souls in the Lake of Fire.
Called the Great Deceiver, he:
· plants seeds of doubt in our minds, starting with Eve in the Garden of Eden: “Did God really say…?”
· pushes the theory of evolution as science, so we are not human beings created in the image of God, but merely animals that evolved from lower life forms,
· attacks the notion that life begins at conception, and instead claims that life – real life – often doesn’t emerge until perhaps 30 days after birth, thus justifying abortion and even infanticide,
· attacks our identity as males and females, claiming that gender identity is merely a social construct, and we can choose whichever gender identity that we like,
· promotes mRNA injections with lucifer-ase that alter our God-given genes, and
· comes as an angel of light, while he is really an angel of darkness, spreading lies, doubt, and fear wherever he goes.
The devil wants to eliminate God from our lives so we do not fulfill our calling, but find our identity in our work, money, status, or a false belief system. So the ultimate identity theft is Satan taking away our status and identity as a child of God, which happens when we stray off the narrow path onto the broad path that leads to the Lake of Fire.
Those who steal our identity – crooks or Lucifer, are stealing something vital from us – not just our stuff, but our very being. So let us spend time with our Lord, stay in His Word, and gather together for fellowship, worship, and sacrament. And let us go forth with the love and truth of Christ to help others become children of God and preserve their identities, for time is short, eternity is forever, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
To God be the glory