How should we treat illegal and legal aliens?

How does God's instructions on the treatment
of strangers relate to a country's alien problem?

Q. What does the Bible say about the stranger who dwells among you and does that possibly refer to the current alien problem in the U.S.?

A. A great many people have either misunderstood or never bothered to examine closely God’s instructions for how "strangers" were to be treated within the nation of Israel. Some suppose it to have been a closed and isolated society composed only of the descendents of the sons of Jacob but that is not the truth.

The truth is, Gentiles who lived among the Israelites in the time of Moses could worship God as fully and freely as any home-born citizen. While no uncircumcised male was permitted to eat the Passover, the "strangers" (aliens, or Gentiles) living among the natural citizens of Israel were to keep the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10), observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deuteronomy 16:14), bring the appropriate sacrifice for sins of ignorance (Numbers 15:27-29), observe the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29), and obey all the commandments, statutes, and judgments of God's Law (Exodus 12:49). Like the home-born, the sojourner could offer sacrifices and take part in the red heifer ceremony (Leviticus 17:8-9; Numbers 15:14-16; 19:10).

The "stranger" sojourning among the Israelites could experience all the blessings afforded by obedience to God's Law. Home-born citizens were forbidden to vex the aliens among them, and were reminded that they had been "strangers" in the land of Egypt. They were therefore to show compassion to the aliens, and were to treat them as they would treat any other citizen. The primary differences between natural citizens and uncircumcised "strangers" were that the latter could not eat the Passover and were not released (if they were bondservants) in the Year of Jubilee (Exodus 12:43,45; Leviticus 25:45,46).

Interestingly, though uncircumcised aliens were not permitted to eat the Passover, they were expected to obey God's Law and were subject to the same penalties for disobedience as home-born citizens. Even though uncircumcised, they could still enjoy a positive relationship with God, and could enjoy the benefits of obedience to His Law.

This principle was carried over into the New Testament scriptures that herald the opening to the blessings of God bestowed first upon the children of Israel to people of all nations.

The apostles and elders of the "Jerusalem conference" (Acts 15) recognized this truth, and placed no greater responsibility upon the Gentiles than that expressed in the Law of Moses. For whatever reason, they found it necessary to name four specific obligations (Acts 15:20), but beyond that, they knew that any other instructions were unnecessary:

"For Moses of old time has in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day." (Acts 15:21, KJV)

Comparison of the situation in Israel to the influx of so many immigrants into the United States is quite reasonable and the same principles should apply.

We should not mistreat the "strangers" among us but by the same standards, we should only allow the privileges afforded citizens of the United States to be given to those who abide by the laws of the United States.

Those who have come here illegally have no legitimate claim to the benefits afforded U.S. citizens but once they comply with our laws, they should receive equal treatment to those naturally born in the U.S.A..

If these principles had been observed by our governments – federal, state and local – then we would have avoided a great many problems that exist today with the illegal immigrant population putting heavy burdens upon our educational, medical and legal systems with U.S. taxpayers subsidizing that illegal population.

The United States began as a nation of immigrants and has been greatly blessed by the influx of new immigrants with each group before the present time assimilating and becoming part of our culture – each contributing unique qualities to that culture but eventually following the national motto – e pluribus unum – "out of many – one".

The situation that exists today will continue to create turmoil within our country until federal, state and local governments insist upon obedience to our laws first before immigrants are accepted as part of that "one".