Scripture Doesn’t Support Lawbreaking

To the editor:

Well said Pastors Rinehart, Elliot, Winkler and Kindsvatter. However, nowhere in scripture does it call us to support and condone lawbreaking. Lawbreakers are criminals, and while the Bible teaches us to be merciful to criminals and lawbreakers, it does not require us or our government to turn a blind eye to their criminal activity. Illegal aliens are .called that because it is an explanation of who they are and the crime they have committed.

In biblical times, it was not against the law to move to another country. No residency or work permits were required. So immigrants were not lawbreakers. In our day that is not so. United States law and Texas state law (51.02 ILLEGAL ENTRY FROM A FOREIGN NATION) prohibit entering this country and abiding and working here without completing the legally required immigration process and being granted the right to live and work in the United States. Does not scripture require us to obey the laws that are established by our governments? It most certainly does.

Scripture says this about the authorities and our laws in Romans 13: 1 - 7, “Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.”

What more needs to be said?