Borders

President Trump signed an Executive Order limiting immigration, as we all know. Those of us who voted for him were very pleased, because he was fulfilling a campaign promise. Millions on the other side see it as an outrage, a denial of our American identity as a refuge for people of the world, contrary to the very slogan written on the Statue of Liberty. We see them protesting with their placards calling for us to welcome all who wish to come to our shores. While watching the Super Bowl, we see an advertisement urging us to accept everyone, because it will make us better. Another shows a sad Mexican mother with her child being turned away by an ugly, imposing wall. What a curious turn of events, that many Christians, who claim to serve the God of love, should be demanding legal action to turn away immigrants, while those who generally oppose or ignore biblical teaching are now the ones who seem most loving and accepting! It’s quite a turnaround!          I believe both sides have some measure of the truth. Maybe that’s why birds have left and right wings, and why it’s good to have two political parties in our government?

God told the Israelites to welcome strangers, since they themselves knew what it was like to be strangers (Deut. 10:19. We know Jesus loves immigrants. He loves the poor and oppressed peoples of the world. As Christians, we certainly should too, and we need to guard our hearts against fear and hatred of people who are different from us. I posted a quote on my website some time back, saying that if we fear and hate Muslims, for example, we’re doing just what the devil wants, not what our God calls us to. We are called to love as God loves, and that means everyone, left, right, gay or straight, Christian or Muslim, atheist or devoted believer. The protests remind us of this important truth.

On the other “wing” if you will, God has created all sorts of borders. When He gave Israel the Promised Land, He told them exactly where its borders were to be. When He gave the law, He made it obvious people were to have their own private property, and were responsible to maintain it, while others were to respect it. Everyone can see that people tend to take care of what’s theirs, while what belongs to “everybody” usually ends up being the responsibility of nobody, isn’t appreciated, and tends to fall into disrepair. Private property is one of the principles we derived from our Judeo-Christian heritage, and it’s a principle which has been shown to be absolutely foundational to democracy and prosperity.

Even the human body has “borders.” My existence ends at the end of my skin! I’m responsible for my body, no one else. I have to take care of it, and watch what I allow to come into it. If I eat a balanced diet and do some exercise, this body will do well. If I dump all sorts of toxic substances into it or otherwise mistreat it, I can wreck this great gift of a human body God has given. Everyone is responsible for their own body!

There are other clear borders God has erected. Certain things are prohibited. Not everything is accepted, despite what many believe! There are sexual boundaries clearly erected in Scripture, and we’re told that no one who crosses them willfully and habitually will inherit God’s kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9, 10). Likewise, no one who lives a lifestyle of greed or intoxication or who does willful harm to others will be accepted by God. He has boundaries!

When the first humans broke God’s commands, they were not accepted. Instead, they were excluded from the Garden of Eden, and an angel with a flaming sword blocked their way from ever coming back. There was a fiery “wall” to mark the border!

There is a wall and a barrier to the very presence of God. God doesn’t accept everyone into His dwelling place! He wishes everyone would be there, but He has boundaries! Jesus said that very few people find the way in through that barrier. Only He can grant a visa to that heavenly country! People who come to God through Christ, submitting their lives to His lordship may ever enter God’s presence through that narrow way. You may think we should accept everyone, but God only accepts those who accept Jesus!

All of this being the case, I just don’t understand why so many are protesting the action our president has taken to protect our borders. Borders are a fact of life, and serve a good purpose in this world. We even have an immune system in our physical bodies that fights to exclude anything from the outside that would do us harm. Is it so wrong to want secure borders and clear requirements for those who would enter our country? Would the protesters allow any and every one to enter their own houses? Honestly?

So to the protesters, I say this: We hear you regarding the need to love and welcome those different from us. That's very Christian of you! We don’t want to be hard-hearted. We want the best for everyone. We will strive to guard our hearts against hatred and prejudice. You have some good points, and we recognize your good intentions.

Would you please consider our concerns? Is our argument not sensible? You want open borders. Have you seen the harmful things happening in Europe because of this approach? Did you notice Great Britain decided to reject it? Do you know many other citizens of Europe are waking up to the same reality? Your good intentions seem loving, but they’re really naïve and unrealistic. Time will show that, but it may be too late!

Borders are good and right. I’d like to see more bridges built between people and nations, and we can all work for that on the personal level. God Himself built a bridge to mankind through Jesus Christ. But He also created real borders, and I don’t think it wise to try and erase them.