The Christian's View On Illegal Immigration

 

The Christian's View On Illegal Immigration (By Gary Patterson) 

 ATHENS, Ga. — The Venezuelan man convicted in the killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Jose Ibarra was charged with murder and other crimes in Riley’s February death, and the guilty verdict was reached on Wednesday by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard. Ibarra, 26, had waived his right to a jury trial, meaning Haggard alone heard and decided the case. (https://www.wlwt.com/article/laken-riley-murder-trial-conviction/62964448) 

 I begin this post-article with a note about this case that has shocked the nation. The murder of a Georgia nursing student at the hands of an undocumented immigrant, from Venezuela, raises concerns, and challenges our attitude, towards those who are in this country without legal status. As Christians, what is our attitude to be toward those who have entered our country illegally? 

There are two Scriptures that help to direct our thinking towards the foreigner. 

1. Deuteronomy 10:17-19 "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." 

God calls His people, to love people. We are to be a people of justice and mercy. We must remember that God's people, were at one time in bondage in the land of Egypt, and and were captives by the nations of Assyria, and Babylonia. Here in America, we are a people who are descendants of those who immigrated from all over the world. With this background, we are to be a welcoming people, who love and respect those from other cultures. 

2. Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." 

We are also to be a people who are to be subject to the governing authorities. There are laws of citizenship, that those who desire to enter America, must abide by. To enjoy the rights, freedoms, and opportunities that are available here in this great nation, one must submit to the requirements laid down for United States citizenship. 

 While showing compassion, we also recognize the importance of upholding the laws of our nation, advocating for fair and just immigration policies. 

 I agree that we need to inspect those undocumented immigrants who could possibly commit crimes here in America. With the increase of people who have entered America undocumented; how can we know who we have, that could be a possible threat. 

 There are those who have chosen to enter our country because of various negative issues, they were dealing with, in the land they came from. 

 I believe that the Christian heart, is to reach out to those who are foreigners, and help them to obtain legally the rights and privileges that are afforded to them, when they become American citizens. It should not be a hostile approach, to help those who are outsiders, to become apart of the American family. 

As John 3:16 states so clearly, that "God so loved the world." Are we not to do the same? GP 

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