I have heard the question “What would Jesus do?” so many times when it comes to pushing open borders and when it comes to whether people are meant to work to survive. Is it true?
Does God believe in open borders?
Scripture never lays out a modern border policy, but it assumes nations, rulers, and law exist (Romans 13). It also commands justice and care for the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:18–19; Leviticus 19:33–34; Matthew 25:35).
The Bible does not mention nation-states or immigration statutes, probably because they didn’t exist then as they do today. Anyone who claims God requires open borders is reading a platform into the text, something the progressives do all the time. But some on the right do it too. Cherry-picking a holy book to bless a policy is still cherry-picking.
I am writing this because I have had my own doubts. I feel somewhat guilty about standing in the way of someone else's better life. I am also a realist and think things through. Open borders only work if every nation plays the same game. They don’t. A policy that depends on the whole world behaving can wreck the one country that tries it. We already watched a version of that when our border was effectively opened, and millions came in.
Heaven may have no walls. Earth still does, and compassion is not the same thing as a borderless country.
What about work?
This part is clearer. Work is not optional for people who can do it. Paul: “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10; see 3:6–12). Work quietly. Provide for your own household. Don’t live as a busybody (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12; 1 Timothy 5:8). I sure wish the progressives followed the teaching in the Bible but then they are progressives, with no God.
In Israel the sojourner was often a hired laborer. God forbids cheating that worker — Israelite or foreigner — and requires the wage the same day (Deuteronomy 24:14–15). Gleaning laws left the edges of the field for the poor and the foreigner (Leviticus 19:9–10; Deuteronomy 24:19–21). That is access to work, not a check for sitting still.
So the honest reading is not “God wants open borders,” and it is not “ignore the stranger.” Be decent to the foreigner. That does not mean erase the border. Help people who need help. That does not mean feed the ones who refuse to work. It’s time to get back to Common Sense.
Many folks use the Bible to support compassion and humanity, but there is a right way and a wrong way. I hope you got something out of this.
All IMO.