Diamonds and The Real Thing

There are diamonds and then there are diamond simulants. Diamond simulants are known by names like Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (a.k.a. YAG), Strontium Titanate, Synthetic Rutile, Synthetic Spinel, Cubic Zirconia, and most recently, Moissanite. These diamond simulants all have a particular characteristic about them that easily or readily distinguishes them from a diamond. But recently (in the past 2-3 years) we have had laboratory-created diamonds introduced into the marketplace. These lab-created diamonds are extremely difficult to distinguish from a “natural” diamond without a strong background of experience in examining natural diamonds. The bottom line is it takes an expert to tell the difference between an imposter and the real thing.

Let’s take a look at the distinguishing characteristics of two of the previously named simulants. The easiest way to spot the difference between a diamond and cubic zirconia is to weigh it. Cubic zirconia weighs 55% more than diamonds with the same measurements. Moissanite has what is known as a “double refractive index” which means if you look at them under magnification the number of facets on the gem appear to be ‘doubled’.

Lab-created (manufacturers vehemently shun the words 'man-made') diamonds though are created using a ‘seed’ of natural diamond to grow a complete new crystal from additional carbon which is subjected to strictly controlled heat and pressure over a period of about 45 days. But even these stones can be distinguished from diamond by someone with extensive experience in dealing with ‘the real thing’.

In the gospels of Matthew (24:5), Mark (13:6), and Luke (21:8), Jesus warns that many will come in His name and will deceive people. Jesus says there will be false Christ’s and false prophets that will perform great signs and miracles. Simulants. Imposters. People who will have taken a 'seed' of the gospel and twisted and perverted it, mixing lies and half-truths to meet their own evil means....deception.

So, how will we be able to tell the difference between the imposters (false teachers, false preachers, etc.) and “the real thing”?
We must make ourselves experts on “The Real Thing”….Jesus. How do we do that? We must read the authoritative book on “The Real Thing”….the Bible. Case in point: In most if not all of Matthew Chapter 24, Jesus Himself explains things we can look for that will tell us the difference between an imposter and The Real Thing. The entire Bible gives us word pictures of Jesus and His Love for us and also includes the characteristics that make Jesus truly unique to Him. Jesus has conquered sin AND DEATH. How about asking one of these imposters to raise himself from the grave?
Here’s an interesting comparison: The diamond derives its name from the Greek word adamas, meaning 'unconquerable'. No other gem has that name ‘adamas’, unconquerable. And there’s no other name by which we can be saved than by the name of Jesus, whom the Bible declares to be unconquerable.

Just as diamonds are the purest form of only one element (carbon), Jesus is the purest form of The One and Only God’s Love. Diamonds are the hardest rock (or substance) on the earth. Jesus Christ is the Living Foundation of Rock upon which God builds (1Peter 2:4) and the Rock of our Salvation (Psalm 95:1).
There is no real substitute for diamond, and certainly no substitute for The Real Thing…Jesus.

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