I’ve written before (and see below for more previous posts) on the intersection of biblical Christian faith as it informs the current immigration issues in our country. In the much debated topic, I believe that nations have a right and responsibility to maintain and protect its borders. And that currently, the U.S. border is being dangerously exploited in human trafficking. In the same language of rights and responsibilities, I believe that citizens should obey the laws, as the often over-cited text in Romans 13:1implies:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

As such, I believe it is open to debate about the best way to address border security, or to enforce current laws, or to confront the exploitation of workers, or to deal with the crisis of the health care system or social services or education. These things are open to debate.

What is not open to debate is the priority and primacy of the call to action for Christians in service to the “strangers” in our midst; to loving our neighbors - whether here legally or not. This is not open to debate for followers of Jesus, nor is it debatable whether or not we can put any of the previous - and debatable - things above the undebatable call to serve or befriend - the strangers, the neighbors, in our midst. I’d like to hear anyone make a biblical case for elevating the unclear and debatable above the clear and undebatable in Scripture.

As I read the Bible, the only thing that love of neighbor plays second fiddle to is the love of God. For all of those that love to cite Romans 13:1 and “being law-abiding”, I’ve never heard anyone go just a few verses further to Romans 13:8-10:

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Selective reading at its finest. And yet there is more. Recently a scholarly friend of mine made me aware of a deeper insight into the biblical command to “be given to hospitality” (see 1 Tim. 3:2 - “given to hospitality”, or Titus 1:8 - “a lover of hospitality”, or 1 Peter 4:9 - “offer hospitality,” or Heb. 13:2 - “to entertain strangers.” All from the same word.). For the sake of irony, I’ll refer to the passage just earlier in Romans 12:13:

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

What is significant is not merely the repetition of this command, but also understanding that it’s root Greek word - philoxenia - means, literally, “love of strangers or foreigners.” The irony is that this is the exact opposite stance of xenophobia - fear of strangers or foreigners - that many exhibit in the immigration discussions.

What is more, two of the five passages that call for this love of foreigners are in the context of qualifications for Christian leaders. So not only is this a universal call for all followers of Jesus to adhere to, but is a part of the character traits necessary for effective Christian leadership!! Sadly, I read more of the opposite from those claiming Christ - either vehement disdain for immigrants, or general silence from evangelical leaders. I’m not sure why that is, when the command of scripture - where the call to practice hospitality or love for strangers & foreigners far outweighs the call to obey the laws of the land - is so conspicuously dismissed.

UPDATE: Check this out.

Past posts on immigration:

- Immigration Amnesia - April 2005
- Politics, Preaching & Partiality - April 2005
- Immigration Hostility - May 2005
- Immigration Impact - June 2005
- The Trouble with Backlash - August 2005
- Mexico and Canada - Maybe a Better Alternative - October 2005
- No more Melting Pot? - November 2005
- Is there a difference, really? - December 2005
- Immigration & Faith Dilemma - March 2006
- Reform this - March 2006
- Abortion & Immigration - April 2006
- Undocumented College Students: the “Invisibles” - May 2006
- Blessed are the lawbreakers… - July 2006
- Immigration Sanctions, Security & Amnesty - January 2007
- “Anti-immigrant sentiment is older than America itself.” - July 2007

Share This

This post is filed under Jesus, faith, the Bible, etc., Politics, the Law. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.