On January 31, 2025, the North American Division (NAD) of Seventh-day Adventists issued a statement regarding illegal immigration. The statement used (misused) a couple biblical principles to demonstrate solidarity with invididuals who are here illegally.
Here is a response to the NAD Statement, by Pastor James Milam:
I was hoping to have a week where I didn’t feel impressed or compelled to address something wrong going on within our denomination, and I almost made it through the week, but then this article was shared with me by a concerned member of our denomination and I felt compelled to address it.
We will start here. Psalm 89:14 tells us something vital about God’s character: His throne rests on justice and judgment, while mercy and truth go before Him.
Here, we have mercy and truth standing together. Not one against the other. Always together.
Any time we elevate mercy in a way that weakens justice, or enforce justice in a way that denies mercy, we stop reflecting God accurately.
This article from NAD leadership, although presumably well meaning, emphasizes mercy while omitting justice, presenting only half of God’s character. Because it separates what Scripture joins together, it offers an incomplete picture of God and does not accurately reflect biblical Christianity.
It emphasizes compassion, fear, and dignity, while remaining silent on justice, law, and accountability. These statements speak eloquently about love, but they unintentionally present law itself as dehumanizing, and enforcement as inherently unbiblical.
Scripture clearly does not support that framing.
“Any time we elevate mercy in a way that weakens justice, or enforce justice in a way that denies mercy, we stop reflecting God accurately.”
The Bible teaches that law is not cruelty. God Himself gives Law. God establishes nations (Acts 17:26). God ordains civil authority. Romans 13 tells us that government exists because God is a God of order and justice, not chaos. To imply that law, by its nature, dehumanizes, is to forget that God governs by law.
At the same time, Scripture also teaches that mercy must temper justice. God commands His people to love the stranger, care for the vulnerable, and open their hearts to the suffering. The church must always be a place of refuge, compassion, and dignity for every human being.
But here is where balance matters and the article goes astray of holistic biblical principles.
The Bible never uses fear as a justification to dismiss justice.
The Bible never uses equality in Christ to erase moral or civic distinctions.
And the Bible never calls the church to undermine God-ordained authority in order to show compassion.
Jesus did not do that.
When Christ showed mercy, He never denied truth. When He upheld law, He never crushed the sinner.
Statements that speak only of mercy, without affirming justice, do not reflect Psalm 89:14. They present a partial portrait of God, and partial truth always leads to distortion.
Implications
The final conflict of earth’s history is not merely political—it is theological. Revelation shows a world confused about who God really is. And God’s last-day remnant people are called to vindicate His character before the universe. That means we must reflect Him accurately.
We must say:
Yes, every human being is made in God’s image.
Yes, the church must welcome all.
Yes, mercy must lead our interactions.
And also say:
Yes, God establishes law.
Yes, justice matters.
Yes, truth must not be sacrificed for sentiment.
Psalm 89:14 does not allow us to choose sides. It calls us to stand where God stands—on a throne upheld by justice and mercy together.
Anything less may sound compassionate, but it does not tell the whole truth about God.
Divisive
At a time when the church is deeply concerned about division, this article has unfortunately contributed to it in three ways. Some readily embrace it and claim it fully represents Adventist Christianity. Others, who lean hard in justice over mercy (completely imbalanced in the other direction) reject it outright. Then there is a third group—those seeking a simple “Thus saith the Lord,” desiring to live by the full balance of biblical principles. This group has also been alienated, because the article presents an incomplete and unbalanced picture of God’s character and governance for our lives.
I do not condemn the motives or hearts of those who wrote it. However, the end result is a message that is misleading, unbiblical in its imbalance, and does not represent all within the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
A greater measure of humility and prayer before issuing public statements meant to speak for the whole body would go a long way toward preserving unity, and faithfully reflecting the character of God.
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Pr. James Milam
Director
Remnant Mission Society