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The United States enjoys the freedom it has and its prosperity due to its Christian foundation and generally Christian belief system.
The very best way to help those in 3rd world nations who want to come here is to **preach the gospel**!!!! If we do this, then they can enjoy the freedom and prosperity that we have here.
Also...If American Christians wish to keep the prosperity and freedom that we have here in the U.S., and not lose it, we must preach the gospel here!
( By the way, a Christian's *most* important and urgent mission field is that of his own children. His next most important mission field is the children of his extended family and congregation.)
AMEN! And as the Biblical order of sharing the Gospel begins in Jerusalem (our home/family), and progressively further out to strange lands - our neighborhood, our community, our city, state, country, etc.
The #1 mission field neglected by the VAST majority of Christians - the mission field of their home!
That being said - my views on illegal immigrants is a bit complicated. I do want every one of them who are here illegally to go home. But I sure would like to reach as many as I can with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that they can take HIM home with them. Christ is the ONLY answer to the poverty, hate, unrest, and oppression in those countries. I don’t want them here, but while they are here, I will support sharing the Gospel with them. But I also will not stand in the way of them being deported, nor will I stand in the way of requiring citizenship or legal status to receive any sort of public benefits.
Any church that steps into the arena of protecting criminals is stepping outside the bounds of their protected status as a religious institution. Thus their 501(c)3 status should be on the line, their books subject to public audit, and their business subject to scrutiny.
God’s word on the “visitor” or “stranger”, depending on translation, tells us not to mistreat them. I show the respect due a human being to those I believe to be illegals because they are humans too. But I do not bestow upon them special merits or rights.