The Bible doesn’t explicitly address political concepts like “open borders” in the way we think of them today. However, it does provide principles regarding why keeping foreigners out of one’s land was important, how God established boundaries, how nations should treat foreigners, and the balance between compassion and protection.
In Deuteronomy 7:1-4, God was very clear with the Israelites about avoiding close relationships with the surrounding nations that worshipped other gods. It wasn’t because God wanted His people to hate or reject others, but because He knew how easily they could be led astray by the religious practices of those nations. The Israelites had a special, covenant relationship with God—He had chosen them to represent Him on earth. They were called to live differently, set apart to reflect His holiness.
This wasn’t just a “rule” for the sake of having rules—it was about protecting their hearts and preserving their faith. Time and again in Israel’s history, we see what happened when they didn’t follow this command. For example, King Solomon, despite being incredibly wise, allowed his heart to be swayed by the many foreign wives he married. They led him to worship other gods, and it ultimately weakened the entire kingdom.
In addition, the concept of holiness, or being set apart for God, was central to the Israelites’ way of life. The laws and commandments they followed were meant to reflect God’s holiness and justice in the way they lived:
- Leviticus 20:26: “You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.”
By adopting the customs, values, and religious practices of other nations, the Israelites would risk compromising their moral and ethical integrity. Idolatry and worshipping false gods often involved sexual immorality, violence, and corruption, all of which were at odds with the holiness God required.
God’s concern wasn’t about excluding people based on nationality but keeping His people faithful to Him. Israel was supposed to be a beacon, showing the world what it meant to live in relationship with the one true God. That mission could only be fulfilled if they stayed spiritually strong.
God’s command to avoid intermingling with idolatrous nations in Deuteronomy 7:1-4 was crucial to the preservation of Israel’s covenant relationship with Him, their moral and spiritual integrity, and their mission to be a holy people. It wasn’t about rejecting foreigners as individuals but about preventing the spiritual corruption that idolatry would bring.
In the US today, we’ve had nearly 10 million immigrants enter the country in the past few years, which means many of these immigrants likey have other religious beliefs. As Christians, we now have a mission to share Jesus with them and keep the United States a Christian country.
We’ll talk more about that in the next blog.
