Immigration is a very divisive issue, primarily because there are at least 11 million—and possibly many more—illegal immigrants in America. The question is, should we, in the name of compassion, penalize those who are attempting to enter the U.S. legally by allowing others to stay who have come here illegally?

Dr. Gary Cass, former director of our Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, says: “Grace is especially required on this highly emotional subject. It is always wise to begin by carefully examining our motives and not to prejudge those of others. Healthy scriptural debate is often stifled by the accusations of crypto-racism, or being a hyper-patriotic, an ultra-nationalist, or a bleeding-heart, a naïve liberal or a simpleton do-gooder. Most Christians just play it safe and say nothing for fear of criticism.”

Dr. Cass adds, “In one of the most challenging passages in all of Scripture, Jesus makes reference to the “stranger” (Greek: xenos, the alien and by implication a guest). “For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in. . . . The King will answer, ‘Truly I say to you, as you have done it for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you have done it for Me’” (Matthew 25:35, 40).

In the Old Testament, says Dr. Cass, “God repeatedly reminds Israel that they were strangers in a strange land (when they were in Egypt), thus, they should show mercy to those strangers amongst them. On the other hand, the strangers (the Gentiles) could not fully participate in the temple activities.”

Each of these strangers (ger in the Hebrew) were afforded certain rights:

• Sabbath rest (Exodus 20:10)
• A fair trial (Deuteronomy 1:16)
• Access to cities of refuge (Numbers 35:15)

In contrast with the ger is another group referred to by the Hebrew word: zar. In various versions of the Bible this is translated as “stranger” or “outsider,” “alien,” or “foreigner.”

• The root implies to “turn aside, depart, or deviate.”
• The zar is outside the household. A widow must not marry a zar (Deuteronomy 25:5).
• Fundamentally, the zarim are the enemies of a nation and a sign of spiritual adultery.

There is a clear distinction in the Old Testament between those strangers who want to follow after God and those who do not—the strangers who want to assimilate in their new homeland versus those who will not. Similarly today, not all immigrants are the same. There are those who are willing to acculturate themselves and those who refuse to assimilate. Radical Muslims who come here to wage jihad should not be welcome.

In the ultimate sense, as Christians we are all strangers in a strange land. Therefore, we should show kindness, while still upholding the rule of law.

This article was adapted from D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe, How Would Jesus Vote? A Christian Perspective on the Issues (WaterBrook, 2008).