Numbers 22:5
“He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:”
Balaam had a problem in this story, and his problem was that Balak thought that he would curse Israel. For some reason, Balaam conducted his ministry in such fashion that they believed he was the perfect preacher to curse Israel. Had he made his positions clear from the beginning, they would have never mistaken him for someone who would curse Israel. Had his actions made clear lines of what he would and would not do, he would not have had to deal with mistaken identity.
Someone once asked me, “Bro. Domelle, have you ever been in a situation where you found yourself in a liberal church?” They asked me this question because they had heard of other preachers talking about uncomfortable situations they found themselves in because a church that booked them for a meeting didn’t have their positional stands. They then asked me, “How do you keep yourself from getting into these types of situations?” This question was easy to answer. I told them the reason I’ve never found myself in these types of uncomfortable situations is because everyone knows where I stand. Preachers who don’t believe like me won’t ask me to preach in their church because they know where I stand and what I believe. My style of preaching and my clear positional stands have kept me from getting into situations in which Balaam found himself. There are a couple of things you can do as a preacher or a Christian that will keep you from mistaken identity.
First, draw distinct lines and speak clearly. What I mean by this statement is that you should never speak in general terminology when you are talking about what you believe. For instance, don’t just say that you believe the Bible, but say that you believe the King James Bible is the inspired and preserved Word of God. Don’t just say that you should listen to the right music, but clearly state that contemporary Christian music is not Christian at all. I could go on with several statements, but I believe you understand. Far too many preachers preach in generalities instead of clearly stating their positions. You have not drawn distinct lines if people have to ask where you stand on a subject or a direction.
Second, let your lifestyle and associations back up what you say. Many preachers often get a mistaken identity because they quote liberal preachers more than they quote preachers who they say they are like. I’m always amazed how preachers are not afraid to say the name of a liberal who they quote, but they won’t cite the name of an old paths Baptist preacher they are quoting; they then wonder why someone would mistake them for a liberal. If the way you live and the people you associate with match your positions, it will be hard for people to mistake you for something you are not.
Have you ever found yourself in an uncomfortable position of mistaken identity? If people regularly question where you stand, you would be wise to make your lines clearer so there will be no chance of mistaken identity.