God Loves Immigrants

World Relief has called for churches to stand in the gap with their federal funding threatened. And as Christians, we seek to welcome refugees and immigrants even though our resources might be limited.

We emulate our Father’s heart and stay grounded in the gospel to make a difference with those God brings into our sphere of ministry (Acts 17:24-27).

God’s Heart

Israel knew what it meant to be loved by God—to suffer as sojourners and to be rescued by God. God’s love for them thus formed the basis of their love for the stranger. As God commanded, “When a stranger [an immigrant] sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:33–34; Exodus 23:9).

The Lord taught his people to treat the foreign-born with the same honor shown to native-born Israelites. They must not discriminate against the stranger. As in Exodus 12:49, “There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.” In fact, God even instituted special provisions for immigrants and certain judgments for those who oppressed the weak: “I will be a swift witness . . . against those who thrust aside the sojourner” (Malachi 3:5). God’s law, for example, spared the life of Ruth, the ancestor of King David, through the principle of gleaning (Deuteronomy 24:19–21).

And immigrants were granted Sabbath rest along with all of Israel: “The seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates” (Exodus 20:10). They were to receive fair treatment and prompt payment as hired laborers: “You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of [the immigrants] who are in your land within your towns. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the LORD, and you be guilty of sin” (Deuteronomy 24:14–15). God embedded his heart of compassion for the immigrant within the very Law itself.

Our Struggle

God’s laws for Israel do not directly apply to our nation today. Yet God’s love for the vulnerable has never changed and those principles still guide us: Love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39; Luke 10:27); Show hospitality to strangers (Hebrews 13:2; 1 Timothy 5:10); Seek justice for immigrants; Treat them with respect.

No matter what our political view, the church is called to show compassion. A good Samaritan does not first ask the wounded, “Are you legal or illegal?” as a condition before we help them. A godly employer does not exploit undocumented workers in his care. Gospel-proclaiming people do not speak with mean-spirited disdain for the immigrants in our communities. And such grace should be especially apparent within the church, for “if one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:26a).

Christians, of all people, should recognize the suffering caused by a broken system: families divided by lengthy backlogs, the pain of a church member deported, husband and wife separated while they wait for visas, the economic challenge of providing for children left behind. We weep with those who weep as we get to know their stories. We pray with and encourage those who live in constant fear and uncertainty.

But you may ask, “What about submission to the government? What does Scripture say about obeying the authorities?” We know Romans 13 well, “Let every person [including immigrants] be subject to the governing authorities” (v. 1). Yet suppose it was your family living in America without papers. What kind of counsel might you hear from the church? “Oh, we know it’s a hard situation, but you need to go back to your own country and wait in line. Maybe you can pay someone to help you. Perhaps you can find a loophole.” Or, “Don’t even bother. The system’s messed up anyway. There’s only room enough for those already here.” What kind of counsel might an immigrant hear in your church?

Wise Counsel

First, remember that Christians are not legally required to report our undocumented neighbors. Our concern as the church is not primarily to enforce the rules of immigration. So, we can welcome them wholeheartedly. We can love them, share meals together, help them learn English, and teach the Bible. Since we have no legal obligation to report, we can focus on relationships. We can get to know their situation before we offer counsel, which is our biblical obligation.

We might walk them through Romans 13, of course: What does it look like to obey the government? Must we recognize those God-ordained authorities? (v. 1). Do we realize that resisting certain laws might come with consequences, including the judgment of God? (vv. 2–5).

Is living here illegally a sin issue? Have they lied about their status or stolen resources from society? Do they live right now in perpetual anxiety? (see vv. 6–10). Or is this a matter of conscience because the law of the land is unjust (v. 5)? For example, was it right for my unbelieving grandpa to defy the Chinese Exclusion Act when he entered America without documents?

Can Christians ignore the immigration process on the grounds of civil disobedience? And what about other biblical principles? What if being deported hinders a man’s ability to care for his family or separates a mother from her children? Should the fear of I.C.E. stop families from attending church? Which principles take precedent in each specific case?

All this requires a multitude of wise counselors. And Christians are not called to be the immigration police, but to minister God’s Word to people’s hearts as we help them make decisions which honor God. In the meantime, we also ask, “How then can we help you?”

See my 4-part guided study for churches with discussion questions and practical application, accessed at https://www.nlcwh.org/blog.