Why God Hates Open Borders
by Dr. Francis Myles
Why God Hates Open Borders!
Article by Dr. Francis Myles
We are living in a world where there is an unmistakable global fight over borders, globalism, and nationalism. These are the critical issues of the last days. Why God Hates Open Borders (a book I recently published) is a result of my patriotic desire to preserve the destiny of the United States of America and educate Evangelical Christians on the importance of borders from a biblical perspective. When you watch much of the mainstream media, you come away with the impression that the United States of America is a horrible and racist country. And yet my personal experience as a legal immigrant from Africa contradicts this misguided description of America. I have been to much of the world, apart from Israel, there is no nation on Earth that stands as a beacon of light and liberty like the United States of America. Since the subject of “open borders” is one of today’s hot topics, I will spend ample time to show you that borders are as consequential to a nation as much as the heart is to an individual.
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them. Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 (NIV)
The universal tension between globalism and nationalism is not unique to the residents of the 21st Century. This universal, multi-generational tension between globalism and nationalism is rooted in an ancient biblical mystery, which takes us all the way back to Nimrod’s infamous construction called the “Tower of Babel (Genesis 11).” Perhaps this would explain why King Solomon the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes unabashedly declares, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Understanding the underlying spirit behind much of the politically heated debates on immigration, open borders, nationalism, and globalism that are taking place all over the world, especially since Donald J. Trump announced his candidacy for President of the United States; is rooted in understanding the far-reaching spiritual implications of this ancient mystery.
This ancient mystery also serves as a harbinger of things to come. The method God used to thwart Nimrod’s demonic agenda and quarantine Satan’s devious plot behind the building of the Tower of Babel remains God’s time-tested antidote to Satan’s ferocious attempt to destroy the sovereign borders of law-abiding nations, especially those of “sheep nations” like the United States of America. In the Bible, sheep nations are nations that are generally open to the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ while “goat nations” are those that reject such preaching. The United States of America certainly fits the description of a sheep nation. Satan’s militant march towards a borderless society is neither new nor foreign to scripture. Needless to say, God’s children need to understand what’s at stake spiritually speaking, before they start to echo and second Satan’s motion for “nations without borders.”
The hordes of hell are marching ferociously all over the world, demanding that nation-states surrender their sovereignty and relinquish control of their territorial borders. Why? Nothing maintains the sovereignty and unique identity of a nation like its physical borders. Borders, or boundaries, between nations go as far back as the days of Nimrod, the first global leader. After God intercepted the building of the Tower of Babel, he separated the people who were under Nimrod’s wicked spell into different languages and ethnos (tribes). The physical barriers that separated them came to be known as boundaries of their habitations or borders. We can certainly infer from the above passage of scripture that the whole concept of borders between nations originates from the very heart of God. Since God is “love,” one can argue that borders or boundaries are an act of love. Taking this thought even further, we can also say, “borders protect and facilitate love.” If there were no invisible sacred borders or boundaries, a moral code so to speak, between husband and wife, no nation on earth would have infidelity laws on its books. To the contrary every civilized nation on earth has infidelity laws in their justice system, precisely because there is an expectation that couples are supposed to honor the boundaries of fidelity implied by their public betrothal.
Borders Protect a Nation’s Sovereignty
As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’ So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.” And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai’s beauty. When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace. Genesis 12:11-15
The borders that God allowed to develop between nations also protected the sovereignty of each new nation or ethnos. These borders became a way of preserving the unique culture and language of the people group within those boundaries. Even Abram knew that as soon as he stepped across the border of Egypt, he would be placing his life and that of his family under Egypt’s legal system and the far-reaching governmental jurisdiction of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. It would seem that the Holy Spirit allowed this passage into the Bible to show us that even in Abraham’s day, nations were protected “borders.”
Borders Protect Government and Private Property
“If an animal is grazing in a field or vineyard and the owner lets it stray into someone else’s field to graze, then the animal’s owner must pay compensation from the best of his own grain or grapes. Exodus 22:5 (NLT)
The concept of borders or boundaries is also the universally accepted basis for the concept of private property and ownership. It is not possible to ascertain or adjudicate the subject of private property and ownership in a borderless society. If the line or border between my yard and my neighbors’ means nothing, there is absolutely no need to pay for a title deed stating one’s ownership of any piece of real estate. It would be pointless because private property and ownership don’t really exist in a borderless society. Boundaries are designed to protect the property rights of individuals, entities, cities, and nations. Without those rights as defined by the boundaries thereof, anyone can lay claim to any property or building, and the legal owner would have no legal recourse. No reasonable minded person would think that would be of any societal benefit. The same people that say our nation’s borders should be open and welcoming, to illegal immigrants vigorously defend the borders to their private property if they are infringed upon.
In 1995, then-President Bill Clinton received a standing ovation when he said, “All Americans, not only in the States most heavily affected but in every place in this country, are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That’s why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards, by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before, by cracking down on illegal hiring, by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens.
In the budget I will present to you, we will try to do more to speed the deportation of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes, to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace…We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years, and we must do more to stop it.” (Bill Clinton, Remarks At State Of The Union, Washington, D.C., 1/24/95)
Boy, how times I have changed! If I did not reveal the source of the above comments, you would think it was Donald Trump speaking.
The Open Borders Society
And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; Jude 1:6
The grandeur idea of some people on the American liberal-left is to have a country without borders and the burdensome tenets of biblically based morality. Even Pope Francis has spoken against America’s plan to protect its borders with a wall, yet the Papal City is behind a fortified wall on all sides. If the Papal City and his residence need fortification, is not the United States entitled to the same protection? Those who are trying to sell us on the merits of a borderless America are the same people who protect their properties with advanced security systems while isolating themselves in expensive mansions protected by highly fortified walls.
A Modern Day Nehemiah!
And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” Nehemiah 1:3
What never ceases to amaze me is just how many Christians, find President Trump’s mandate to build a border wall along the U.S.A – Mexico border “despicable” and yet claim to believe in the Bible. If you read the book of Nehemiah in its proper context, it is clear that Nehemiah’s Kingdom assignment can be captured in four words: “Build a border wall!” Sound familiar? Think about this: Why would the Holy Spirit include in the canon of Scripture a book that is 100% dedicated to the building of a border wall? Could it be that besides being a modern-day King Cyrus, President Trump is also a Modern-day Nehemiah? If this is the case, then God has called him to build a border wall, and anyone who opposes him is actually standing against God’s will for America.
Ask of Me, and I will give you, the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. Psalms 2:8
The legendary Myles Munroe in his bestselling book, In Pursuit of Purpose, writes “wherever purpose is not known abuse is inevitable.” What is God purpose for nation-states with borders? This is the question many mercy minded Christians who are calling President Trump “a hateful bigot” over his insistence to build a border wall, have failed to ask themselves. While the opposition of some Christians and far-left liberals is well-intentioned, it is misdirected because it is rooted in ignorance of God’s view on the subject of borders. It is important that we understand and appreciate God’s purpose for nation-states with borders. When you realize the divine connection between a nation’s borders and its God-given manifest destiny, you will never take the protection of national borders lightly. It is so sad that many Christians, priests, and pastors lack a scriptural basis for their defense for open borders. Many of them have become echo chambers for exactly what the devil wants, countries without distinct sovereign borders.
Borders Safeguard Citizenship
As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the commander ordered that Paul is taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. Acts 22:23-29 (NIV)
One of the greatest and most priceless gifts a government can confer upon any individual is citizenship. Said differently, citizenship is the value a nation places upon itself. For native-born persons, citizenship is a priceless inheritance that their birthright affords them, that the government is sworn to protect. On the other hand, citizenship is also an invaluable privilege that any government can confer upon legal immigrants who have been prequalified. Citizenship is not a constitutional right that immigrants have. I know of no nation on earth that offers citizenship as a constitutional right of immigrants, especially illegal immigrants. However, if the current open-borders proponents have their way, U.S citizenship will become as cheap as buying toilet tissue paper. If citizenship can easily be bestowed on a person who broke the law when they entered the country, it becomes meaningless and an insult to those who came legally, studied, and paid the price to enjoy the right of citizenship.
The Apostle Paul shows us the priceless power of citizenship in the book of Acts. When the commander of the Roman army commanded him to be flogged publicly, Paul quickly mentioned his Roman citizenship status to the centurion who had been instructed to carry out his punishment. As soon as the centurion realized that Paul was a bonafide Roman citizen, he ran to tell the chief captain. When the captain discovered this, he rushed to make amends with Paul. He rescinded the public flogging of Paul that had been ordered without due process. He asked Paul how he became a Roman citizen since Roman citizenship had cost him a fortune. Paul told him that he was native born, which meant Paul’s citizenship superseded that of the captain’s. Such is the awesome power of citizenship; it restrains forces that otherwise would be hostile to you.
However here is the million-dollar question: “What facilitates citizenship?’ A nation’s sovereign borders facilitate citizenship. Why? Because a nation’s borders determine the land mass where a particular citizenship is held in high regard. Obviously, German citizenship is only valuable within the borders of Germany. So it can be said that borders define citizenship. Without borders, citizenship loses its value and proper application. How can you issue passports in a borderless world? Even God has an immigration policy and actual citizenship His government confers on certain persons who abide by His strict immigration policy. If God did not have a strict immigration policy anybody can end up in heaven whether they rejected Jesus as the appropriation for their sins.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
Regular clashes at the border are now commonplace across the nations of the world. As developed nations try to tame the tide of mass immigration, many of these immigrants are crossing these national borders illegally. While our shared humanity demands that we treat each other with compassion and common decency, governments have a moral and fiduciary responsibility towards the well-being of their citizens to safeguard their nation’s sovereign borders. In previous chapters, we have already shown that God does not believe in open borders. Consequently, wherever you encounter an open borders philosophy, it is fueled by demonic entities. Open borders violate the tenets of Acts 17:26-27 that state emphatically that God has determined a nation’s pre-appointed time and the boundaries (borders) of its dwelling.
Boundaries are connected to the safety, culture, governance, and manifest destiny of the people within that nation. Borders are not the devil’s idea; they originate from the heart of God. Which begs the question, does God have an immigration policy for His own Kingdom? This is the question I will attempt to answer in this chapter. Needless to say, the passage from John 14:6 suggests that the “Man Christ Jesus” functions as the “sovereign border” between God and man, heaven and earth. Anything you have to cross or go through in order to get in is a border! What is abundantly clear is that “immigration policy” involves the official policies and procedures that a sovereign government has put in place to govern the assimilation or rejection of new immigrants. With this as our backdrop, we will examine whether God has a clear and discernible immigration policy.
Spiritual Borders
So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Luke 16:22-26
The above passage of scripture contains a story that’s fascinating because Jesus is the one who told us the story. It is interesting to note that Jesus never called this story a parable, which would have meant that it was an allegory. This means that it is actually based on a true story. This story is about a beggar by the name of Lazarus and a rich man. Lazarus was a very poor man who sat at the gates of the rich man’s house begging for food. His name, Lazarus, is prophetic in that it means “the Lord is my help.” Lazarus sat at the gates of the rich man’s house begging for food. The Bible tells us that when these two men died, they ended up at two different spiritual places. The Bible tells us that both Lazarus and the rich man died right after each other, yet they ended up in two very different spiritual dispositions. Lazarus went straight into paradise, which was also called “Abraham’s bosom,” where he was comforted by the glory of the Lord that saturated this part of paradise.
When the rich man died, he found himself in Hades, the land of the unredeemed dead or lost souls. While he was being tormented in fiery flames, he looked out and saw at a distance Lazarus lying comfortably and peacefully in Abraham’s bosom. Interestingly enough, the rich-man also recognized Abraham, even though they lived in different dispensations of time. This goes to show that when the soul crosses the border between this life and the afterlife, it becomes fully awake to the history of the entire spiritual world. In desperation, the rich man, as he had done in life, commanded that Lazarus bring him water because he was thirsty. However, it was Abraham’s answer that got my attention. Listen to what he said, “And besides all this, between you and us there is a great gulf fixed so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ What? Abraham told the rich man that God had placed a spiritual border or boundary between Hades and paradise. This clearly makes sense, if you consider that Hades was an integral part of a sovereign kingdom called “the kingdom of darkness,” whereas paradise was an integral part of the Kingdom of God. The “great gulf fixed” served as a border between two sovereign nations, the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.
Even though Lazarus and the rich man were able to see each other, they were in two separate spiritual locations, controlled by two different governments or kingdoms. It’s very clear from the story that the spiritual border between Hades and Paradise was designed by God to keep His people in, as well as keep out unwanted immigrants from the demonic kingdom. If God and Abraham subscribed to an open borders philosophy, like many of the people on the Progressive-left, Abraham would have simply told the rich man to cross the border into paradise illegally. It is quite clear from the story that neither Jesus nor Abraham subscribed to the open borders philosophy that is rocking nations today.
Instead, Jesus is sending us a serious warning. His message: Meeting the standards of God’s immigration policy must be done here on earth while you and I are still alive. You simply cannot refuse Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior during your earthly pilgrimage and then expect to live in His Kingdom in the afterlife! It doesn’t work that way. However, that is exactly what we are being told America, as a sovereign nation, must do. Prophets of open borders are saying the United States must grant citizenship after-the-fact to people who did not respect the nation’s immigration laws when they crossed into the country illegally and violated its sovereign borders. According to the American liberal-left, the United States is a bigoted and racist country if it does not grant illegal immigrants’ citizenship on demand. The Kingdom of God does not subscribe to this type of thinking; if it did, then God would never have sent Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross. Jesus died to pay for our sins so that our sins do not create a spiritual border of separation between God and us. (Excerpt from the book, Why God Hates Open Borders, Dr. Francis Myles, whygodhatesopenborders.com )