Ministers at the Border: Law, Order, and the Gospel in an Age of Lawlessness
Civil order is a ministry of God in a world bent on rebellion.
The Present Barrage
We live in a time when lawlessness is celebrated and authority despised. Officers who keep order are treated as enemies. Federal agents who serve in Border Patrol, ICE, and those who help them are cursed for enforcing the laws they swore to uphold. The crowd cheers those who break boundaries and condemns those who guard them. Politicians often remain silent, and many pulpits do too.
This hostility is far more than political. This is spiritual warfare. When men reject lawful authority, they are rejecting God who established it. It is yet another way that man wars against God. When they despise boundaries, they are despising His design. The border crisis, immigration, and the outrage surrounding it, are not first about policy but about rebellion against God’s order. God formed nations, appointed their times, and set their boundaries. What He ordains cannot be erased, and so it is opposed.
Law Enforcement as God’s Ministry
Scripture calls the civil authority a servant of God.
“For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists that authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves” (Romans 13:1–2, LSB).
The magistrate does not bear the sword in vain. He is God’s minister for good, sent to punish evil and reward righteousness. Peter says the same:
“Submit yourselves for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do good” (1 Peter 2:13–14, LSB).
Authority is an ordinance of God. The officer who upholds justice serves under Christ’s kingship. His duty reflects God’s own righteousness. Acts 17:26 teaches that God “made from one man every nation of mankind… having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation.” Borders are part of God’s providence. Defending them is a lawful act of stewardship.
Compassion and Law Together
Scripture joins compassion and justice. You cannot have one without the other. God executes justice for the widow, orphan, and sojourner, and He commands His people to do the same (Deuteronomy 10:18–19). Exodus 23:9 instructs Israel not to oppress the sojourner, for they knew what it was to be foreigners in Egypt.
But compassion does not negate law. The sojourner was to live under the host nation’s order. To love him meant to treat him justly within that order, not to ignore it. Mercy without righteousness becomes an excuse for disorder. We see that God’s compassion always walks within His commands.
Christians must love the stranger and serve those in need. We are commanded to feed, clothe, and care for them. But we must not help them in rebellion against law. We must not encourage them and others to flee from justice and order. True compassion upholds justice. It honors the God who is both merciful and righteous.
The Spirit of Lawlessness
The Apostle Paul spoke of “the mystery of lawlessness” already at work in his time (2 Thessalonians 2:7). It continues today. Rebellion against authority is rebellion against God Himself. Psalm 2 describes the pattern: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against Yahweh and against His Anointed.”
When people riot, defy authority, and mock those who keep order, they act out that same defiance. Their anger is not simply against men. The rage that we are witnessing is against the God who gave them rule. Those who revile authority and celebrate chaos will not escape His judgment. Scripture warns plainly: “Those who resist will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:2).
A Word to the Officers
To those enforcing immigration laws in the interior and at the border, your work is meaningful. It is a calling under God. The same Lord who commands pastors to preach commands you to restrain evil. Both are ministries of righteousness.
John the Baptist said to soldiers, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or extort anyone, and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:14). Your work must be marked by honesty and restraint. Do your duty with integrity. Serve without bitterness. Refuse unlawful orders, but never shrink from lawful ones.
When you are slandered, remember this promise: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9). “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The Lord of hosts sees every act of courage. He will not forget.
A Word to the Church
The greater shame lies with the church. Many pulpits have grown silent where they should speak. There is an unrighteous fear of speaking about controversial matters, yet it is often in those very places that hope and clarity are most needed. Many Christians repeat the world’s slogans of compassion while neglecting God’s justice. They have lost their understanding of the magistrate as God’s servant.
Law and order are gifts from God. When they fall, society collapses and the gospel’s witness is weakened. The church must teach this again. Pray for those who serve. Encourage them. Feed them. Stand beside them. Honor their calling as part of God’s common grace to a fallen world.
Pastors must preach a full theology of authority and justice. Congregations must reject the world’s false mercy that excuses sin while condemning righteousness. True compassion keeps the law of God. True justice honors His name.
Courage for the Faithful
To those who serve with courage and integrity: stand firm. “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). The God of order stands with His servants.
And to the church: stop being silent. Speak truth into the storm. Pray for peace by upholding justice. Defend those who serve lawfully. The sword borne in righteousness is not evil. It is ordained for good.
The God of peace and order will vindicate His servants. Until that day, remain steadfast. Uphold truth. Hold the line. The Lord reigns, and His justice will not fail.