The Gospel On Immigration

At the base of New York’s Statue of Liberty are inscribed these inviting words:
Give me your tired,
Your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

“Let’s build a wall.”

“Let’s love our neighbor.”

“But what if they’re criminals or, even worse, terrorists?”

“They’re just doing what’s best for their families.”

“Won’t they take our jobs? Aren’t they sponging off the system?”

“Let them stay.”

“Send them back.”

The views on immigration are endless and often divisive. Should we submit to the governing authorities if approximately one-third of immigrants are in the United States unlawfully—at least 11 million people without proper documentation? But what if we think those laws to be unjust? How do we balance the principles of Romans 13 with loving our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39)?

And what about potential dangers highlighted in the news: sexual assaults, mass bombings, crime on our streets? Care for refugees can feel like welcoming a stranger into our home. The fear is real, and the concerns may sometimes be valid.

The truth of the matter, though, is that almost every family in our country has come from somewhere else. Many are first-generation immigrants who realize the blessings and privileges their families received when this nation opened its doors. My wife and her parents, for example, escaped the war in Vietnam when America offered refuge.

My mother’s father came over on a boat, illegally from China. He was processed at Angel Island, permitted to stay, and eventually became a U.S. citizen. What’s your family’s story? We all have one. And all of them are different, which is why this issue remains so complicated.

As of 2023, the U.S. counted almost 48 million immigrants—over 14% of the total population (or about 1 in 7 persons). Adding to that figure, about 19 million U.S.-born children of immigrants brings the percentage to approximately 20% (or 1 in 5). People migrate for many reasons, but we can boil the human factors down to push and pull.

Some are pushed to America (e.g., political unrest, religious persecution, economic disparities, and natural disasters), while others are pulled by freedom and opportunity (e.g., education, career, religion, lifestyle, etc.) or to reunite with family who have migrated before them. Each story is unique, and the issues are complex, but seemingly everyone takes a stance on immigration.

As Christians, it is most important that we know what God says about the matter. How does the gospel shape our views? We can watch political news 24/7 and still not hear an ounce of truth from the Word of God. We can be misled by fake news and AI-generated memes. So, how should Christians think biblically about immigration?

First, the Scriptures teach that where and when we live upon this earth is not an accident or random act of chance. For the sovereign God, who made this world and rules it still, also ordains each person’s dwelling place and the contours of our immigration:

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:24-26).

Second, Christians believe that God moves immigrants from one place to the next for the ultimate purpose of bringing lost people to salvation: “that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him” (v. 27a-b). Some find Christ for the first time when they arrive in a new country, while others bring Christ with them and spread the gospel as they settle in their new community. A.B. Simpson (1843–1919), the pastor of a prestigious church in New York City, desired to minister to the flood of immigrants pouring in from Europe. Yet his efforts were met with great opposition from his fellow leaders.

So, in 1881, Simpson resigned his privileged position in order to establish the Gospel Tabernacle: a church in the very heart of the city, where all—the poor, the homeless, the sick, and the displaced—would be welcome. His ministry to immigrants soon caused him to wonder about the unreached masses throughout the world. Simpson joined together with like-minded Christians with a passion to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. That was the beginning of the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA), the denomination in which I serve. This work continues today with missionaries spread throughout the world and more churches overseas than in America. The C&MA also ministers to refugees and immigrants in the U.S. as the world now comes to us.

The gospel must transform the way we think. So, how does the gospel inform your view on immigration? Consider this summary: Immigrants are made in our Creator’s image. They may suffer in a fallen world but are loved by a merciful Father. And when they come to faith in Christ, they are promised glory through salvation. So, the church must be the church as we prayerfully study the Scriptures, move forward with compassionate kindness, and welcome immigrants into the family of God.

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Life Application Questions:

1. What has been your perspective, if any, on the issue of immigration? What voices or ideas have influenced your position? Are you thinking biblically about the matter?

2. Do you think it’s possible to reconcile both the ideas of welcoming immigrants and upholding our nation’s laws (Romans 13)? Are we able to do both at the same time?

3. How have personal relationships with immigrants shaped your views, if at all? How many of your close friends are immigrants themselves and have shared with you their family’s story?

4. Pastor Tim Keller states in his book Generous Justice that hospitality toward immigrants should go beyond a referral to temporary assistance, arguing that immigrants should be “welcomed into the disciples’ homes and lives.” What would this look like for you and your family? What about for your church?