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The media is in an uproar over President Trump’s Executive Order concerning immigration. Not that the media being in an uproar against what is right is anything new, but many are questioning if what he has done in greatly slowing down the immigration rate is right. Did the President move too quickly in giving this order? In my opinion, given the “deep bleed” in the body of the American state, we can’t fault him much in this.
Because a nation can only be as strong as it is within its own borders, you cannot help other nations in the world until you are strong at home. Those who expect America to take care of the world either are uninformed as to how God teaches us to help others or they reject the Bible as their standard for such benevolence. Just as the Bible says that “Jesus began to do and teach”, so we cannot share with the world what we are not. “Doing” always precedes “teaching”. A tree can’t extend its branches any farther than its root system equals under the ground or the whole tree will topple. American strength has been flowing away for years (and especially in the last 8 years) because we have tried to join the world “globalism” movement and compromised so many of our historic convictions in order to be “part of the crowd”. All the President has done is to stop the bleeding so we can get into a position of strength once again and lead from the front!
So what does the Bible say about immigration? Since it has something to say about every issue in life, what does it say about this one? First of all, it teaches in Acts 17:26 that God gave to nations physical borders, stating:
“And [God] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation…”
If He gave nations their borders that means He wanted nations to be distinctly identified. How could this be maintained if other nations are not controlled from crossing those borders? How could any nation be secure if it can’t guard its borders from infiltration by those who intend it harm? God also told the Jews through Moses to exclude the Moabites and the Ammonites from their nation because those nations had worked against God’s plan to settle Israel in Canaan. However, an exemption was made for Ruth, a Moabitess widow who wanted to come into Israel with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth renounced her worship of her Moabite gods and her citizenship in Moab and joined Naomi in worshipping the true God and being committed to the nation of Israel, which He had established (Ruth 1:16-17).
Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council in Washington (an organization I greatly respect that constantly analyzes our National government policy), sums up the President’s immigration Order very well. He writes,
“Trump isn’t betraying American principles or values. While the refuge program should not be the focus of scrutiny ([because] it is much more difficult for terrorists to come in through this program), other avenues of immigration are weak points which terrorists may exploit—and rightly should be scrutinized. There are reports of lawful permanent residents and U.S. military translators being held up too; clarity should be brought to why this is happening. While the order isn’t perfect, it does represent a fresh start for American security and our international friendships.”
(Washington Update: frc.org; 1/30/17)
Shouldn’t we protect our own borders in order to help someone else to protect theirs?
Think about it; because if you don’t, someone else will do your thinking for you—and for your children! And you won’t like what that brings to you. I’m Don Pinson; this has been Think About It.