In a bold and unapologetic message, Pastor Kap Chatfield tackled one of today’s most politically and spiritually divisive issues: immigration. With the Bible as his foundation, Chatfield walks through six common cultural assumptions and challenges them with scriptural truth. He admits, “Oh boy, this one’s going to get me into some hot water,” but insists, “If we can get God’s perspective on this, it will bring so much clarity and so much peace.”
Chatfield’s message is clear: this is not about partisan politics. It’s about biblical obedience. “Those who love God love what he loves and hate what he hates,” he says, calling believers to think biblically in a world of noise and confusion. Here’s a breakdown of the six key points he addresses, using Scripture as the ultimate authority.
1. “We must love all people regardless of their immigration status” — TRUE
Chatfield opens by affirming that love is non-negotiable for Christians: “God commands us to love all people whether they are quote-unquote illegal or legal… documented or undocumented.” He cites Luke 10:27 — “Love your neighbor as yourself” — and James 2:1, which says, “Do not show favoritism.”
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He also references Leviticus 19:33-34: “If a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him… you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” However, he quickly clarifies, “Loving someone doesn’t mean endorsing everything that they do.”
2. “The government’s role is to uphold laws, including immigration laws” — TRUE
Citing Romans 13:1-4, Chatfield asserts that honoring the law is not optional: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities… for rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil.” He continues, “We need to understand this as Christians. The Bible is really clear — we’re supposed to submit to our governing authorities.”
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He quotes directly from U.S. law as well: “This is what it says in 8 U.S. Code Section 1325 — this law is a federal law that makes unlawful entry into the United States a federal crime.”
3. “Jesus was a refugee, so we should support open borders” — FALSE
Addressing a widely repeated claim, Chatfield is blunt: “This is a myth.” He explains that Jesus’ journey to Egypt wasn’t illegal. “There was no indication of unlawful entry when he and his family went into Egypt.” He notes that both Judea and Egypt were under Roman rule at the time, likening their movement to “traveling between states inside of the United States.”
Chatfield also highlights divine instruction: “An angel of the Lord commanded Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus from Herod.” He cites Matthew 2:13, “Arise, take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word.”
4. “Loving your country is Christian nationalism, and that’s dangerous” — FALSE
The idea that patriotism is unbiblical gets dismantled with the words of the prophet Jeremiah: “Seek the peace of the city where I’ve caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it, for in its peace you will have peace” (Jer. 29:7).
Chatfield argues, “Loving your country doesn’t make you a Christian nationalist. It actually makes you a good steward of the nation that God has placed you in.”
He recounts a historical example of biblical patriotism through Pastor Peter Muhlenberg in 1776, who preached from Ecclesiastes 3, then declared: “There’s a time to fight, and that time has now come,” before revealing a Continental Army uniform beneath his robe.
5. “Border walls are unbiblical” — FALSE
“First of all,” Chatfield says, “that’s 100% not true.” He turns to Acts 17:26: “He has made from one blood every nation… and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” His point: God created national boundaries.
Referencing the book of Nehemiah, Chatfield reads Nehemiah 2:17-18: “Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach… Let us rise up and build.” He explains, “They were called by God to rebuild this wall to protect the city from foreign invasion.”
He compares border protection to locking the doors of one’s home: “Do you lock your doors at night because you hate the people on the other side of that door? No — you do it because you love the people inside of the home.”
6. “The Good Samaritan story means we should help every immigrant no matter what” — TRUE, with nuance
“The Good Samaritan story is obviously a great example to us of how to care for people in need,” Chatfield acknowledges. But he stresses, “It’s a story about personal responsibility… not about an entire population breaking through a border.”
He draws a critical distinction: “There’s a difference between personal compassion and national policy. And they are not the same thing.” He affirms that Christians are called to help the hurting, but governments are responsible for upholding the law.
A Biblical Balance of Love and Law
Chatfield closes with a personal story of a young man in his church who caused a fatal car crash while drunk driving. Though the man repented and was spiritually transformed, Chatfield says, “Just because we know that he had this encounter with God… we’re not going to rebel against the local government.”
Justice still had to be served.
In his final charge, he urges believers not to let political views cloud biblical truth. “We as Christians still have a responsibility to love these people and to care for them. Love the person right in front of you, and still at the same time submit to the authorities that God has placed over us.”
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As controversial as this topic may be, Chatfield’s message cuts through emotional rhetoric with clarity from the Word of God. “When I looked at the full counsel of God’s Word… I realized I had been forming my opinions more from feelings rather than from the Word of God,” he said.
During this time of national chaos, Chatfield calls the Church back to its true foundation — not opinions, not politics, but Scripture.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
