The church is called to preach the gospel, show mercy, care for the needy, and love the stranger. Individual Christians can and should find ways to help immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers through charity, ministry, and hospitality, but should never break the law in doing so.

Immigration is one of the most emotionally charged issues of our time and the discussion (or debate) is a part of dinner table conversations to presidential speeches. From a Christian or moral standpoint, the argument is often framed as a false dichotomy: either you love your neighbor and support open borders, or you care about law and order and lack compassion. 

Scripture refuses that simplification. The Bible calls God’s people to both mercy and wisdom, both compassion and order, both love for the sojourner and respect for the rule of law.

A biblical approach to immigration must reject political slogans and be built on God’s revealed will. In this article I will argue 6 primary truths that are rooted in God’s Word and insist that Christians must filter their view of immigration through these statements in order to reach conclusions that honor God. You may not agree with everything I argue for, but the burden of proof is on us as Christians to build positions on Scripture, not culture, politics, or emotions. 

1. The Bible Affirms Nations, Borders, and Law

From the opening pages of Scripture, God establishes order. He creates boundaries for land in Genesis 10 even between the sons of Noah and their generations after the flood. This precedes God confusing languages and dispersing mankind across the earth (Genesis 11). Our God is the God who assigns nations their places (Deuteronomy 32:8), and later affirms that He “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26). Borders are not man-made inventions as some would argue (though wars do shift which countries possess certain regions). Borders are actually a part of God’s design for human flourishing post-flood. One could even argue that in God’s omniscience (all-knowing), He knows that because of sin, borders are man’s best shot at flourishing in any way before Christ returns and restores all things. 

Within nations, God has ordained the concept of government to uphold justice and restrain evil. Romans 13 teaches that governing authorities are “ministers of God” tasked with rewarding good and punishing evil. Immigration laws, when justly enacted, fall under that God-ordained authority. To ignore or undermine the law is not a morally neutral act. Illegal immigration is, by definition, a violation of the law, and Scripture does not bless lawlessness even when motivated by sympathy.

This does not mean every immigration law is perfect or beyond critique. But it does mean that open border policies that abandon enforcement entirely are incompatible with biblical teaching on government, justice, and order.

2. The Biblical Category of the “Sojourner” Is Often Misused

Within this discussion, someone inevitably brings up the concept of “caring for the sojourner” in the Old Testament. This must be properly studied and understood. 

Much confusion arises from misunderstanding the biblical term “sojourner” (Hebrew: ger). The sojourner in Israel was not an anonymous border-crosser with no accountability. He or she was someone who lived among the people with permission, under the law, and in submission to Israel’s civil and moral expectations. One of the best examples of a proper sojourner in the Bible is Ruth who was a Moabite woman. Ruth submitted to Israel’s laws, renounced her former gods, and assimilated into the culture and society with humility and faithfulness. Boaz ensured she gleaned and could eat, and servants showed her kindness and favor. No one in their right mind would ever lobby for the intentional mistreatment of a sojourner in the Scriptures because genuine sojourners were submissive to the nation they came to in their great time of need. 

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