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Jesus said the all authority was given to Him and that He is with us always, even to the end of the age... Matthew 28:16-20
He said that the salvation of people is at least in part contingent upon how we treat "the least", as He said that those who "welcome the stranger" welcome Him, and when they do not, they do not welcome Him...Matthew 25:31-46
And this isn't even the "SOCIAL JUSTICE GOSPEL" of Luke!

And Alabama is now the latest state that is "cracking down" on "illegal aliens".   Good Christian folks being interviewed said that their churches are split because many believe it is best for the state due to the economy.  Others say that reporting or deporting people, instead of feeding them ("feed the hungry") is not right for Christians to do.

Do Christians consider Jesus their authority or not?
It's time to put up or shut up.  It always has been... it is time for you to have integrity or have none.
Will you submit to Jesus as Lord?  Will you conform your will to what we have as His teachings in the Gospel, as His will?  Will you claim His name and ignore what He ushers in as the Kingdom?  Will you accept Him as Savior and reject Him as Lord?

I am amazed (and not) that it is states in the "Bible Belt" that are treating the sojourner in the land shamefully.  With folks for whom the Bible has been their "god" for so long, I am amazed (and not) that they can disregard Jesus' teachings and commands so easily and blatantly... loving neighbor (who Jesus defines as stranger and enemy in Luke 10... that we should not ignore the poor (Luke 16), or be mostly concerned for our own wealth above the well-being of anyone else (Luke 12)... we cannot do these things and be alright with God... we can worship Him all we want, but then we are the ones of whom Jesus spoke in Mark 7:6,7 (Isa. 29:13)... the same God of corrupt Israel at the time of Amos 5:21-24... the same God who demands that we treat the stranger well because our ancestors were once strangers in a strange land and wanted to be treated well...

So, regardless of the "reasons", we cannot be OK with God and be mean-spirited, ruthless, selfish, greedy, exclusive, racist, classist or homophobic, for that matter.

God brought down God's own nation, in the Old Testament, for being unfaithful, corrupt and full of hubris.  God is the God of all nations, economies, militaries, politics and peoples... if we believe that, and that Jesus is God's Son, Messiah, fulfiller of Law and Prophets, Lord and Savior... we must believe we are in trouble about now as a people who hurt our own and those around us.

Pray.  Speak out.  Write.  Vote.  Demand justice, equality, equity in THIS land of Justice for All...
Do it for the soul of the nation... for your own soul.  It is on all of us.
Pastor Jamie