Immigration, law enforcement, citizenship, and Christian submission… did I get your attention?
Let’s talk about it.
Emotions are high, but here are biblical truths, as well as general wisdom we all should agree on (though it may be difficult to):
Immigration laws are right. It’s what often distinguishes a safe country from an unsafe country. A government should have borders for the protection of its citizens.
Citizens should expect their government to enforce those laws (in our country, those are the laws and the executive focus our citizens voted for) by force (if necessary). See Romans 13.
To that end, citizens should not impede law enforcement.
The typical posture Christians are to take in regard to their relationship with their government is submission to its God-given authority, even if there is significant disagreement. This posture gives witness to Christ and entrusts God to repay should the government engage in evil actions. See 1 Peter 2:13–17 and Romans 12:18–21.
Unfortunately, immigration enforcement officers may not always act lawfully, and unlawful actions should be justly tried.
Lawless anarchy (the destruction of buildings and illogical generalizations of all enforcement) is an ungodly response. Witnesses and trial are a biblical expectation.
Citizens with cameras who are not obstructing law enforcement, and law enforcement body cameras, are a good thing. However, they don’t always capture context, and angles matter—so be careful joining the mob.
Citizens should not expect law enforcement to follow a code of conduct that is not a code of conduct. If not a law, law enforcement should be able to hide their faces, should they deem it necessary for personal safety. Yes, you heard that correctly. If the mob has become so outlandish (because of the potentially poor actions of one service member) that they are biting off an officer’s finger, stealing weapons from their car, following them to their jobs, sniping them from rooftops, following them home, and threatening their wife and kids… then maybe wearing a face mask should be the code of conduct.
Again, citizens should not impede law enforcement, and in the case an officer breaks the law they’ve sworn to uphold, recording and reporting is the proper measure—not rioting.
Officers appearing to act unjustly should be tried by an unbiased jury of citizens according to laws those citizens had voted for.
In all these things, citizens can and should exercise their right to vote—to help determine future leaders and laws.
And Christians are called to pray—for the leaders we like and those we don’t—that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
Christians: Pray, submit, vote, and trust God.
