Daily Update - December 24, 2025

Calling Jesus and his family illegal immigrants only leads to immorality

October 30, 2025

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Transcript
About Reuel Sample

This is the Wilmington Standard Daily Update for Wednesday December 24th, 2025.

No, Jesus was not an illegal immigrant turned away by the Donald Trumps of first century Israel. Yes, his family did not come from wealth, and they had to go a great many miles to register for taxes, but Scripture is very clear that both Joseph and Mary were of the House of David and so were just traveling to his home city. Even when they fled to Egypt, since both that nation and Israel were part of the vast Roman empire, they were simply migrants – not immigrants.

Yet, several church leaders insist on incorrectly proclaiming the birth and flight of Jesus and his family as an illegal immigrant scenario to score political points. Myer’s Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, for example, has a sign inside that says “Jesus was an undocumented immigrant, just saying…”

They are wrong.

To give Myer’s Park Baptist some points, they claim they are simply carrying out the commands of Christ. It is true, Jesus said we must welcome the stranger among us. Centuries before Jesus, Leviticus 19 also made it very clear that we must take care of those who travel within our borders.

Which is exactly why we need a tight border, and a better way to track those here in our country who are not citizens.

Illegal immigrants are often exploited for cheap labor and unlawful practices. Women and children are denigrated and used in horrible ways – and they have no recourse. No institution – whether secular or sacred – is able to carry out the commands of Jesus unless those who “sojourn” among us arrive here legally and are documented. No church should turn away ANY person asking for help – illegal immigrant or not. But an open border policy with no enforcement only leads to lawlessness and exploitation.

In other words, an open border policy is completely immoral exactly for the reasons why Myer’s Park Baptist and other churches continue to advocate for it – because it does not allow us to take of the strangers among us.

For the Wilmington Standard, I’m Reuel Sample. Thanks for listening.

Reuel Sample is the Editor-in-Chief of The Wilmington Standard. A graduate of Grove City College and Princeton Theological Seminary, he has served as both a Presbyterian Pastor and a Navy Chaplain. He is the product of a classical liberal arts education combined with real world experience in politics and business and conservative Christian worldview firmly rooted in the Reformed tradition. He is the host of several podcasts including the NHC GOP Podcast, the Pastor's Voice, and co-hosts the Nikki and Reuel Podcast Experience. An avid sailor, he has sailed around the world as a youth and to the Azores as a teen as well as extensive trips up and down the east coast of the United States. He is honored to be married to his wife Pam and makes his home in Wilmington, NC.