Setting relationship boundaries: 1)for physical or emotional protection (Psalm 59:1-2, 35:1-3, Psalm 143:9) 2)for moral or spiritual protection (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) 3)to send the message to another Christian: “How you are living is NOT okay.” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)

1)Setting relationship boundaries for physical or emotional protection Oppose my opponents, LORD; fight those who fight me. Take Your shields and come to my aid. (Psalm 35:1-2) Deliver me from my enemies, my God; protect me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from those who practice sin, and save me from men of bloodshed. (Psalm 59:1-2) Rescue me from my enemies, LORD; I come to You for protection. (Psalm 143:9)

IN the world, but not OF the world. 15 I am not praying that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, as I am not of the world. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. Jesus, John 17:15-16, 18

2)Setting relationship boundaries for moral or spiritual protection 14 Do not be mismatched (“unequally yoked”) with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does God’s sanctuary have with idols? For we are the sanctuary of the living God, as God said: I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. 17 Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. 18 I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

2)Setting relationship boundaries for moral or spiritual protection What does, “Do not be mismatched (“unequally yoked”) with unbelievers” mean? (2 Corinthians 6:14) It DOESN’T mean, “Don’t hang out with or be close friends with unbelievers.” It DOES mean: Don’t date or marry an unbeliever. Don’t do sinful things with unbelievers.

Setting relational boundaries for: 1)for our physical or emotional protection 2)for our moral or spiritual protection 3)to send the message to another Christian: “How you are living is NOT okay.”

1 It is widely reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles: a man is living with his father’s wife. 2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from your congregation. 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

9 I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10 I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world. 11 But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer who is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. 12 For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? 13 But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Wrap-Up 1)Set boundaries for your physical or emotional protection. 2)Because “right living” matters, we need to set relationship boundaries for our own moral and spiritual protection. 3)Sometimes we need to send a loud-and-clear message to Christians living in unrepentant sin: “I will not spend time with you because how you are living is NOT okay.”