Read: Leviticus 19:34  The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

The population of Singapore has grown significantly in the past few years. Most of this is due not to biological growth, but the influx of migrants. Today, the population of Singapore is more than 5 million, of which 3.2 million are citizens, 500,000 are permanent residents, and the rest are foreign expatriates and migrant workers.

This significant influx of foreigners is clearly noticeable and tangible in shared public spaces. Churches have also felt this in significant ways. Almost in every church there are new worshippers from foreign lands; some of them have chosen to worship together in their own groups—Koreans, Filipinos, Indonesians, Indians and even Russians. Churches have also initiated ministries among migrant workers—from China, South Asia and other regions. Some of these have grown into significant ministries.

The Bible records that God loves the foreigner.

On the ground, debates go on about whether the large influx of foreigners in our midst is a good thing or not. On one hand, there are arguments for welcoming them, as it would widen our talent pool. After all, many of our own parents or grandparents were migrants themselves. On the other hand, there are arguments that such a large influx is destabilizing Singaporean society—a society that has been carefully shaped in recent decades through policies and campaigns. There must be a clear and significant difference between citizens and those who are not, the argument goes.

In the midst of such debates, the question for Christians is how they should respond to the influx of foreigners both in the general society and in churches. Scripture teaches some key principles.

There is to be no oppression of foreigners in the land.

The Bible records that God loves the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:18). Perhaps God understands the experience; when Jesus came to earth, He was often treated like an outsider, a stranger. The world did not recognize Him; neither did His own people receive Him (John 1:10-11). God also called Abraham to live as an alien in Canaan (Genesis 17:8). He responded with His mighty power to rescue Abraham’s descendants who were suffering in Egypt under the yoke of slavery (Exodus 2:23-24; 22:21).

Secondly, God expects us to be hospitable to foreigners and to treat them fairly. There is to be no oppression of foreigners in the land. There are numerous passages in the Law or Torah (the first five books in the Bible) and in the Prophets along these lines. In His commands to the people of Israel, God warns them not to mistreat or oppress the foreigners (Exodus 22:21; 23:9; Leviticus 19:33). This is echoed by the prophets when they envisioned a just and compassionate society based on the laws of God.

…debates go on about whether the large influx of foreigners in our midst is a good thing or not.

Foreigners face particular problems—especially those who are poor and without much support. In the ancient biblical community, foreigners were to be treated and accepted with love. “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34). They were to be treated with justice. The same laws that protect the rights of the native-born should also apply to the foreigners (Leviticus 24:22). “You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: the same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you” (Numbers 15:15-16). This also meant that foreigners were expected to also abide by the laws of the land (Numbers 9:14) and to integrate themselves with the community.

In biblical times, many foreigners were poor and life was tough, a situation we are not unfamiliar with even today. The Israelites were expected to show kindness to such foreigners—leaving portions from their harvesting for hungry foreigners (Leviticus 23:22).

They were to be treated with justice.

In their Spirit-inspired vision of our great future in God, the biblical prophets saw how foreigners would be welcomed into God’s land and kingdom. Isaiah prophesied, “Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyard (Isaiah 61:5). Paul saw this being fulfilled when God incorporated Gentiles into the church. They were “no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household” (Ephesians 2:19).

As Christians, we should welcome foreigners and invite them to integrate into the life of the community, treat them with justice and compassion, and reach out to them with the blessings that are in Jesus our Lord.

 

Consider this:

How can you reach out to the foreigners in your community? Who are they and what can you do for them?

Excerpted and adapted from Boundless Love: Why God Became A Man by Robert M. Solomon. ©2014 by Robert M. Solomon. Used by permission of Armour Publishing. All rights reserved.

 

Related Resources:

Welcome the Stranger.. God can use you wherever you live, work, and meet people. Find out more about how you can reach out to visitors in your community here.

 

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