Rob Witham

This is part two in the series “A Christian Response To Illegal Immigration.” I discussed the issue of fair and equitable immigration laws and border security in the first article. My focus now is on foreign nationals who are already in the country - but illegally.
What is the Christian response to illegal immigration? More specifically, what is the Christian response regarding those foreigners who are already in our country illegally?

If my experience is any indication there is no Christian response! I have never heard a Christian articulate anything other than their favorite politician or pundit’s immigration solution. Usually this amounts to some version of national hubris and the suggestion that we round up and immediately deport all foreigners currently within our national borders. Those Christians who talk the loudest about deporting illegal immigrants then justify their position with an argument about how much illegal immigrants cost American taxpayers or a similar comment.

Does God have nothing to say about matters as significant as this? Have Christian teachers been so silent on this issue that Christians need to mimic their favorite politician while assuming there is no Christian response? Perhaps this is only symptomatic of a deeper disease in American Christianity. For far too many professing Christians the Bible is not a pervasive lifestyle influence.

“If you want to have a spiritual life you must unify your life. A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.” (Thomas Merton)

We cannot separate our faith system from our politics and economics. Either we follow Jesus or we do not follow Jesus. If we choose to follow Jesus then every decision we make needs to be based on Whose we are. We are no longer our own but are bought with a price. Therefore, we must glorify God in all that we say or do!

I think there are principles in Scripture that clearly come to bear on the question of immigrants who have entered this country illegally. I would suggest that God is concerned with the topics of immigration and amnesty. This can be seen through at least three considerations.

• We are commanded to love our neighbors and to do good to them even when that requires personal expense and sacrifice
• We are taught to love one another, prefer one another, and finally to do good to one another as we would have done to us
• We are exhorted to view the world around us in light of the spiritual battle that is unfolding, ever aware of Kingdom dynamics, with an eye toward what God is doing

In the remainder of this series I will begin exploring these considerations in more detail.