Initial thoughts at best. I have delayed posting on immigration, not because I don't have my opinions about it, but because there are some aspects in recent weeks I was unsure of. After the watching the President's speech Monday night (tape delayed via my VCR), there are some areas I am still thinking about. At any rate, while thinking, some other thoughts have come to mind, which I will delve into (or at least start to). SEB

• This country needs more "Sheriff Joe's." Sheriff Joe Arpaio is the famed sheriff of Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix and surrounding area). He has been elected four times and is working on his fifth. What makes him so popular? It's that he doesn't seek the favor of his prisoners. Jail is jail: a well-guarded tent in the desert (no A/C, cable TV or other comforts), meals far from elegant. Not only that, he is the only sheriff in AZ enforcing new state legislation allowing for the arrest and detention of illegals and those that transport them by non-federal agents.

• The Minutemen have been observing and reporting illegal crossings to the Boarder Patrol. What they are doing is commendable. Now they are seeking to build a visual fence on privately-owned land (with permission) that sits on the boarder. The CA branch of the Minutemen has already connected a section of fence to the government fence.

• My initial reaction to the speech: I'm not sure how much I agree with. I would like to see more Nat'l Guard on the boarder and the Boarder Patrol increased more. The souther boarder is porous enough that this is an issue of national security. People will complain "What about the Canadian boarder?" Well, if Canadians (or others) start a mass sneaking in from our North, then we should consider National Guard up there too. For now, the problem is in the South. I would like to see a fence, even a wall (thick, high, and deep). I'm not sure about the guest worker program (I heard it said over the weekend the only successful guest worker program was when Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egypt), but I do like that the illegals already here are not to be automatically in line for citizenship; they have to earn their way to the back (fines, back-taxes, maintain a clean record, hold down a job, learn English). In short, I like the fact that President Bush has stood up and said "Here's the plan…"

So, how does this relate to the Gospel? Well, the issue seems to illustrate what Jesus said:

• Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
• "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy^[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matthew7:13-15)

Thee are not many roads to salvation. The only way that one can get to Heaven is through Christ. He is the only way to have a relationship with God. Our "works of righteousness" (which are filthy rags in God's sight) won't do. Jesus didn't say "Do your best to do right and what is good and in the end, we'll consider letting you in." In fact, Jesus has this to say:

• Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:21-23)

We see here that not everyone that calls themselves Christian is truly in Christ. This group prophesied of was looking at what they did to be in a right relationship with God. Salvation is not about what we do, but what God does.

So, what all this have to do with immigration? I'm glad you asked. Our nation requires entry in certain spots. Just like there is one way to be saved, there is one way to legally enter the USA. Yes, we are a nation of immigrants, and if someone wants to come here in hopes of achieving the proverbial "American Dream," great. But do so legally. File your paperwork, wait as long as it takes, learn the language (English) and immerse yourself in the culture. It seems to me that it would be hard to achieve the American Dream if you weren't going to at least partake in being an American.

It will be interesting to watch the legislative and executive process get underway.

Scripture quoted from the English Standard Version

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