Ask Dr. E: Is building a border wall biblical?

Dear Dr. E: I belong to a large non-denominational church. While politics is generally not our thing, I have noticed recently that many members, as well as our pastoral staff, have become quite vocal on the issue of immigration. The message I keep hearing over and over again is that the Bible demands we welcome the “stranger in our midst” and that the call to secure our borders is unbiblical. Do you agree with this? What does the Bible actually say about immigration? Curious Evangelical from Texas

Dear Curious: Let me just cut to the chase. No, I don’t agree with your church or your pastor.

Frankly, the argument for unfettered immigration seems a bit crazy to me. Stop and think about it. If borders are wrong, why does the Vatican have a wall around it? If Christians are supposed to welcome all comers without restrictions, why does your church lock its doors at night? And if your pastor really believes it’s sinful to build a fence on the Texas border, why does he have a fenced-in backyard at his house? Clearly, the call to give anyone and everyone unrestrained access to someone else’s property is not logical, nor is it biblical.

Let me explain.

One of the scriptural passages quoted repeatedly by the proponents of open borders is Leviticus 19: 33-34, “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.”

Now, because I’m a Christian, I am always thrilled when anyone wants to use the Bible as the basis for their argument. But when we use scripture to make our point, we must remember the importance of being historically, theologically, logically, and linguistically accurate. I would like to believe that your pastor is with me on this one. He and everyone else at your church should agree that misapplying the Bible for political gain is simply wrong.

So, with that said, let’s go back to that passage in Leviticus that all the fans of sanctuary cities and open borders seem so fond of and see what it really says. In other words, what does the Bible mean when it tells us to care for the “stranger in our midst?”

Three different terms are used in the Hebrew language for the word “stranger.” These words are ger, zar, and nekhar. Some translators render them all as simply “foreigners.” But according to multiple Old Testament scholars dating all the way back to Aquinas, that is misleading and incorrect.

The words zar and nekhar refer to those granted a temporary permit to travel through another nation. They are akin to modern-day visitors passing through a foreign land on business. Ger, on the other hand, refers to foreign residents who live in a given nation with the permission of a host.

Jewish law was clear. The ger, were obligated to comply with all of Israel’s laws, just like the Israelites themselves were expected to do. As a result, they (the ger) were not to be oppressed but were to enjoy the hospitality and legal protection of the Jewish nation.  

The bottom line was that the ger were viewed as legal immigrants (or perhaps even naturalized citizens), whereas the zar and nekhar were not. They (the zar and nekhar) were akin to tourists who were just passing through, and as such, they weren’t granted any of the benefits of legal immigration any more than you and I would if we were to vacation for the summer in England or France.

The mistake many well-meaning Christians make is to apply the biblical laws and privileges meant for the ger to illegal aliens in America even though they (illegals) do not fit the biblical definition outlined in Leviticus and elsewhere in the Bible.

The Old Testament is very clear about the practice of sanctuary for immigrants. The purpose was not to aid and abet breaking the law but to encourage hospitality and openness to those willing to follow the law as they searched for a new home.