By Dr. Alex McFarland for DAILY CALLER
For centuries, Christians have wrestled with the tension between mercy and order, compassion and responsibility. That tension is at the heart of today’s immigration debate, where some clergy insist that Biblical commands to “welcome the stranger” (Leviticus 19:34) require support for open borders and tolerance of illegal immigration. This reading, however sincere, reflects a misuse of Scripture, Christian benevolence and the God-ordained role of civil government.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is to be commended for articulating this balance in a recent press conference on Capitol Hill. Drawing openly from his Christian faith, Johnson stated that Scripture does not call governments to abdicate their responsibilities. On the contrary, the Bible affirms that maintaining order, enforcing laws and protecting citizens are moral duties. His remarks offered a needed counterweight to the growing tendency among some clergy to selectively quote Scripture while disregarding its broader teaching.
While Christians should welcome moral engagement from pastors and priests, careless and/or agenda-driven handling of the Bible to justify policies that undermine law, order and public safety deserves correction. Scripture says much about compassion, but it also speaks clearly about personal accountability, justice, authority and the God-ordained role of civil government. Those truths must not be ignored when addressing immigration.
Passages about “entertaining the stranger in your land” are rooted in the Old Testament law prescribed for Israel. Certainly, humane and even gracious care of others is echoed in the New Testament, which speaks to personal obligations and communal charity. God’s people are, of course, expected to treat all persons with dignity, not cruelty. But godly benevolence in no way mandates that a nation abandon borders, suspend enforcement or ignore the rule of law. Ancient Israel itself had defined boundaries, laws and expectations for those who entered and remained.
