The Elephant in the Room, Part 3 | 07/19/2026 | Grace Church Fremont

Christian obedience to government starts with the plain, black and white words of Romans 13, 1 Peter 2, and Titus 3. Paul and Peter place governing authority under God’s authority, even when that authority is Rome, even when the emperor is not a good man. The normal posture of a follower of Jesus is not, “Do I have to follow that?” but, “Because God has ordered authority, obedience matters for conscience.” Government authority is not absolute, because God is absolute, but an inconvenient, unwise, or even unjust law does not automatically give permission to ignore it.

The biblical tension holds two things together. Legitimate authority deserves honor, respect, and support, and laws may still need reform when they are unwise, inconsistent, or unjust. The law that commands sin must be resisted, but most disliked laws call for lawful work toward change. The misconduct of one officer does not justify anarchy, because life without law and order is not freedom. It is dangerous, especially for the vulnerable.

The image of God gives every person dignity before any political label is attached. Genesis 1 says human beings are valuable because God made them, not because of what they contribute, where they were born, or whether their paperwork is right. James will not allow the same mouth to praise God and curse people made in God’s likeness. Micah and Proverbs press the same point: justice must be even, mercy must be loved, and the poor and needy must not get a different judgment because they lack connections.

The immigration question therefore cannot become an excuse to demonize immigrants or immigration officers. Threats, harassment, swatting, and demeaning people online are morally indefensible for followers of Jesus. At the same time, silence in the face of abuse is also indefensible when people are mistreated as though they do not bear God’s image. Criticizing misconduct is not demonizing people, and respecting officers does not mean excusing abuse.

Immigration policy should be just, consistent, and humane. Justice means the rules are applied fairly. Consistency means laws are enforced instead of being selectively used to reward friends and punish enemies. Humanity means even those who may not be allowed to stay are treated as sons and daughters made in God’s image.

The Great Commission gives the deepest identity test. Jesus says to make disciples of all nations, and the nations have come to the Bay Area. Immigration may be debated as policy, but it must be received as a gospel opportunity. If political anger is louder than disciple-making obedience, then political identity has become more important than citizenship in God’s kingdom.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Authority belongs under God Government authority matters because Scripture places it beneath God, not beside Him. Obedience is not just fear of punishment, but a conscience issue before the Lord. The hard part is learning the difference between a foolish law, an unjust law, and a law that actually commands sin, because only the last category demands resistance rather than reform. [23:39]
• 2. Justice cannot demonize people The image of God does not disappear when a person becomes a political symbol. Immigrants and officers can both be reduced to caricatures when anger becomes the main language of public life. Christian conviction must be strong enough to criticize abuse without turning human beings into enemies. [37:55]
• 3. Policy needs humane consistency A just immigration policy cannot depend on which party is in power, who has connections, or which laws are politically useful at the moment. Selective enforcement becomes a form of corruption because it turns law into a weapon. Humanity requires that even a person who cannot remain in the country is still treated with dignity through the whole process. [43:40]
• 4. The nations are next door The Great Commission reframes immigration from only a political problem into a kingdom opportunity. The nations do not merely live across oceans anymore; they live in Fremont, in neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and church pews. Political concern that is not joined to disciple-making exposes a deeper identity problem.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [21:51] - Mexico Team Reminder
• [22:16] - Introducing Immigration As the Topic
• [23:39] - Government Authority and Christian Obedience
• [27:27] - When Government Authority Is Not Absolute
• [33:24] - Justice Without Demonizing People
• [37:55] - Immigrants and Officers Bear God’s Image
• [41:39] - Criticism, Misconduct, and Reform
• [43:40] - Just, Consistent, and Humane Policy
• [48:45] - Hospitality Texts and State Policy
• [52:48] - Immigration As Gospel Opportunity
• [54:26] - The Nations Have Come to Fremont
• [56:29] - Prayer for Wisdom and Compassion

Bible Reading

Romans 13:1-7
“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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 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, 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 God's servant, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” [23:58]

1 Peter 2:13-17
“Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” [25:29]

Titus 3:1
“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” [26:22]

Genesis 1:27
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” [33:58]

James 3:9-10
“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” [36:17]

Matthew 28:18-20
“And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'” [53:29]

Observation questions

1. In Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, what reasons are given for obeying governing authorities, and what attitudes are believers told to show toward them? [23:39]
2. What categories were used to distinguish different kinds of laws: inconvenient laws, unwise laws, unjust laws, and laws that command sin? [27:27]
3. According to Genesis 1:27 and James 3:9-10, what is true about every human being before any political label is attached to them? [33:39]
4. What three words describe the kind of immigration policy Christians should support, and what does each word mean in practice? [43:40]

Interpretation questions

1. Romans 13 says obedience to government is a matter of conscience before God. How does that change the way a Christian thinks about laws that feel frustrating, foolish, or unfair? [25:14]
2. Government authority is real, but not absolute. How can a Christian tell the difference between a law that should be obeyed while seeking reform and a law that must be resisted because it commands sin? [30:14]
3. James says it is wrong to praise God and then curse people made in God’s likeness. How does that speak to the way political arguments can turn immigrants, officers, or opponents into enemies instead of image-bearers? [37:55]
4. Jesus commands His people to make disciples of all nations. How does that command reshape the immigration conversation from being only a political issue into a kingdom opportunity? [52:54]

Application questions

1. When government policies or leaders frustrate you, what is your usual first response: resentment, mockery, indifference, prayer, or thoughtful obedience? What would it look like to respond with a clearer conscience before God? [26:53]
2. Have there been times when political anger made it easier to speak harshly about immigrants, officers, or people who disagree with you? What kind of speech, posting, joking, or labeling needs to change? [39:13]
3. Respecting authority does not mean excusing abuse, and criticizing misconduct is not the same as demonizing people. Is there an area where you tend to fail on one side or the other? Do you stay silent about wrongdoing, or do you slip into contempt for people? [41:39]
4. Justice, consistency, and humanity are not abstract ideas. Where do you most feel the tension between them when thinking about immigration, and why? [45:50]
5. The nations are not far away; they are in neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and churches. Who are the people from other nations that God has already placed near you? What would one small step of friendship, hospitality, or gospel conversation look like this month? [54:26]
6. Political concern can become louder than disciple-making. In your own life, what gets more energy: following the news and debating public issues, or building relationships that help people move toward Jesus? [53:41]
7. If someone looked at your calendar, conversations, and prayers, what would they conclude is your deepest identity: citizen of a political tribe or citizen of God’s kingdom? What is one concrete change that would help bring those priorities back into order? [55:42]