When Romans 13 Meets Matthew 25: Immigration Ethics
“We have to follow the law. Romans 13 is clear.” I’ve heard this argument countless times in discussions about immigration policy. Christians who would never dream of treating immigrants with personal cruelty nevertheless defend harsh enforcement policies by appealing to Paul’s command to submit to governing authorities. The logic seems airtight: God established governments, governments make laws, therefore Christians must support strict immigration enforcement. Case closed. But what if we’re reading Romans 13 in isolation from the rest of Scripture’s witness? What if Paul’s instruction to the Roman Christians needs to be held in tension with Jesus’ own teaching about how we will be judged? ...