Tuesday: Clear Boundaries
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 16th of December 2025
Using the same words that were addressed to him at the beginning of the book (Joshua 1:7-8), Joshua states that the task that lay ahead of Israel is not primarily military in nature. It is spiritual. It has to do with obedience to God’s revealed will in the Torah.
Why do you think Joshua took such a strong position concerning Israel’s relations with the surrounding nations (Joshua 23:6-8,12-13)?
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The danger facing Israel is not the threat of the remaining nations’ animosity but the risk of their friendship. Their weapons might not represent any challenge to Israel; however, their ideology and values (or counter-values) could prove to be more harmful than any military force. Joshua draws the attention of the leaders to the crucial fact that the conflict they have been involved in is first, and ultimately, spiritual. Therefore, Israel has to maintain its unique identity.
The prohibition of invoking the name of a god, swearing by it, and serving or bowing to it has to do with idolatry. In the ancient Near East, the name of a deity represented his or her presence and power. Invoking or mentioning the names of foreign gods in everyday greetings or business transactions meant recognizing their authority and helped lead the Israelites to seek their power in time of need (compare with Judges 2:1-3,11-13).
The danger of intermarriage with the remaining Canaanites consisted in losing Israel’s spiritual purity. The intent of Joshua’s admonition is not to promote racial or ethnic purity but rather to avoid idolatry, which can lead to the spiritual collapse of Israel. The case of Solomon is a dramatic example of the sad spiritual consequences of intermarriage (1 Kings 3:1, 1 Kings 11:1-8); in the New Testament, Christians are openly warned against seeking marital relationships with nonbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14), although, in the case of existing marriages, Paul does not advise divorce from the unbelieving spouse but calls them to live an exemplary Christian life in hope of winning the spouse to the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:12-16).
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Joshua’s warning against harmful associations inevitably leads to the question of the Christian’s relationship to the “world.” How can we find a balanced relationship with the society that surrounds us? |
As Christians we face the issue of interacting with the world but not being contaminated by it. And that creates a tension we find difficult to manage at times. James summed it up this way:
The parable of the peas which I have told here before provides perspective:
A pea pod ripened and fell onto the brown earth, splitting open in the process and spilling out three green peas.
The first pea looked around and everywhere as far as it could see was brown earth. The pea said to the others, “It is so brown out here and it makes me feel so uncomfortable! I am going back where it is all green.” And with that is crawled back into the green pod and wrapped it around itself.
The second pea looked around and everywhere as far as it could see was brown earth. It said to the others “It is so brown out here and I am so green. Everyone will notice me and make fun of my greenness” Quickly it rolled and squelched in the brown earth, trying to make itself as brown as possible.
The third pea looked around and everywhere as far as it could see was brown earth. It said to the others, “It is so brown out here. What we need is a lot more green! It put down its roots and grew into a tall green pea vine covering the brown earth with greenness.
It is all about perspective. We look at the world and see sin How we react to it depends on our relationship with Jesus. He set an example:
Jesus has set the boundaries.
Jesus entered sinful environments as a doctor, not a patient.We engage the world to bring Christ, not to absorb its values.We must know why we are present in certain environments.Our closeness to sinners should lead them toward healing, not draw us into compromise.
A church becomes “green” when Christ is clearly seen in both word and action.It is spiritually healthy, growing, and life-giving when what it proclaims (its teaching, preaching and beliefs) matches how it lives (its behavior, service and relationships).It does not just talk about Jesus—it looks like Jesus.It
nourishes believers, attracts seekers, transforms communities and glorifies God. It is truly alive when Christ is heard in its message and recognized in its lifestyle.
Dear Brother Maurice:
As I read today’s lesson I couldn’t help but reflect that there has been a failure on the part of the Church. It has been 181 years, and 60 days, (This December 20th, 2025 ) and counting since Jesus has stepped into the Holiest of Holies in heaven. Today’s lesson touches the sore point– “The danger facing Israel is not the threat of the remaining nations’ animosity but the risk of their friendship.”
I cannot think of any other reason that we are studying this lesson here on this earth in 2025, instead of singing praises to God on the sea of glass, in heaven. James 4:4 is a pinching ear tug to the church to cleanse itself from worldliness. (He that hath an ear, let him hear. Revelation 3:22)
As I read about your trials with colon cancer, and the fate of your friend who died of the disease, my mind recalled Paul’s explanation. ”
They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” I Corinthians 10:2-5
I hope to meet my dear mother on the day that Jesus wakes her from the grave, but how disappointed must be our Saviour to see the coldness of “friendship with the world” leaking,cooling and diluting the very remedy of sin. Your recital of Mark 3:15-17 should spur us to invite our friends, family and neighbors to visit our potlucks, to eat of the spiritual bread, and drink spiritual water– To feast to the hearts content on physical and spiritual food, and if there is a lack of enthusiasm for following Matthew’s example we need to examine why that is. Fearfully I suspect that it is the love of ease, and love of the world, and its friendship with it.
Deuteronomy 32:15
Revelation 3:17
”Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or serve them or worship them” (Joshua 23:7, NLT).
Joshua took great exception to whom the Children of Israel were prohibited from associating with. The people we associate with have the power to shape our beliefs, behaviour, character, and ultimately our destiny. Teaching on the power of association, one day, Jesus said, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6). Jesus was warning His listeners to be mindful of whom they associate with. If we choose to associate with those who compromise with the truth, we take the risk of being inadvertently swayed into error. On the same subject (association), Jesus also said, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16). What we associate with in terms of people, ideas, behaviour, or worldview will shape the fruit we bear in life. By beholding, we become changed (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The power of association is extensively explored in management theories. This is a powerful and fundamental concept which demonstrates how people make decisions, form opinions, influence values, and determine goals. Likewise, in our spiritual walk, we should discern with whom we associate with in order to produce good fruit.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
God established clear boundaries for the children of Israel to help them understand His character and to protect them from harm and danger. When God gave His law at Sinai, it was an act of salvation and relationship, not merely regulation: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount… and I will give you tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them” (Exodus 24:12). These boundaries distinguished Israel from surrounding nations and revealed that heaven’s love always operates within moral order.
The boundaries also revealed heaven’s attitude toward sinners through the way God dealt with Israel. Despite repeatedly failing to uphold their covenant responsibilities, God continually pursued them with mercy and love. He never abandoned them in their sin but patiently worked for their restoration, reflecting the heavenly character later revealed in Christ: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Psalm 103:8). Just as God loved Israel before they were faithful, He loves us despite our sinfulness.
At times, when Israel crossed these boundaries, God disciplined them but still never withdrew His love. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Revelation 3:19). This clearly shows that divine discipline is an expression of love, not rejection. In the same way, we are called to treat one another by combining patience with mercy, forgiveness with clear boundaries, and compassion with faithfulness to God’s standards. Heaven teaches us to love the imperfect deeply while remaining loyal to righteousness.
I get a little weary when I see this title “clear boundaries” and the connection to the words “do not associate with” (Joshua 23:7). The interpretation of such is often made to insinuate isolation, segregation, even separation, which many times in human history has led to negative prejudice – and made many judges and executioners of fellow humanity. The word used in the Hebrew text is , which loosely translates to . The correct connotation is not about “association” but more about “making covenants”, which was the huge problem we see in the days of then (Genesis 34, Numbers 25). The issue was “intermingling” not “mingling”, which is deeper than association. It’s more about influence – do not take influence of …..!!!. Jesus invites us to be the (Matthew 5:13), be an influence (His witness) as we mingle, but we are warned not to be influenced or to go deep into “intermingling” with their cultures, worship, or even traits (Psalms 106:34-46). Though Salt is not a recipe, it enhances flavour and preserves. It is here that we must mention “clear boundaries” that we need to set. Setting boundaries doesn’t mean being rigid and stubborn, but being clear and comprehending your own belief and stand by it. It’s about association or of purpose (spiritual function) and not compromise.
The words “Be strong and of good courage” appear all over Joshua 23-24 as well as Joshua 1, with emphasis on “keeping all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses – not to turn right or left”. Clear boundaries involve us connecting daily with God through prayer, study, fellowship, and worship of God. It’s about being in this world but not of this world (John 15:19, 17:14-16).
My fear really, is how we interpret today’s lesson; that we can easily find ourselves losing context of the words of scripture and peddling a wrong concept. Jesus mingled and made an impact on lives by transforming (influencing) them into a life of spiritual profit. Yes! We should set clear boundaries in our faith, but let’s also dig deep into understanding the context and concept that scripture highlights. Matthew 28;19-20 is cognizant of these “clear boundaries” but asking us to go into these territories to influence them about the Gospel of Christ. Only that we need to “be strong and of good courage” allowing God to be with us; ahead of us; above us and in us.
Where had you gone to Stan? Great to see you back! That’s very important information, I had never thought about.
Thank you Stanley!!
I TOTALLY agree with you. That’s the crux of the matter!!
We follow Jesus’ example- mingle to save; not intermingle to be influenced adversely.
When I feel like my heart is divided between self-interest and devotion to Christ, there are two ways the Spirit has helped me to deny myself and worship the one true God:
First, the Spirit opens my eyes to realize that I am not a god worthy of worship. That does not mean that I am without value, for my value has been established by Jesus at the cross, in that he was willing to pay an infinite cost for my ransom. On my own, the Bible tells me that I am a sinner with a deceitful heart and limited understanding (1 John 1:8; Jeremiah 17:9). With Christ, I am a saint who has freely received the righteousness of God through the work of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In my efforts to deny myself, I need to face the truth that, apart from God’s grace to me in Christ, there is nothing living and true in me. All successes in my life, all of my spiritual victories and the fruit of my own efforts are purely the result of his grace. The Bible says that until Jesus returns and frees me from the presence of indwelling sin, my heart remains deceitful. That means that when I am faced with a conflict between what God says and my own understanding, to choose the way of the Lord is to obey the first commandment from my heart.
Second, the Spirit opens my mind to embrace the immeasurable wonder and holiness of the Everlasting God, whose ways are not my ways.
Romans 11:33-36 says:
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.
This Scripture, spoken by Paul, has become my anthem. The more I have grown in the knowledge of God and have sought to grasp the mysteries of his ways, the more I am made aware of how magnificent he is and how little I have grasped of him. A lifetime is far too short to explore and comprehend his depths.
As my heart grows in adoration and worship of the one true God, I am led to repent of my idolatry, and other gods are expelled from my heart.
“What would Jesus do?” is a question engraved on the mind, and every Christian action has to go through this strainer. The only way to find balance in life, not only in matters of relationships, is to follow Jesus closely. May the love of the Lord guide us every moment.
While as believers we must as a necessity live in the world, make a living and win souls to Christ we must promote relationships that would ultimately end us eternal felicity with our creator. Apostle John writes in 1 John 2:14-16 thus “Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.”
I agree with today’s lesson. Harmful association could indeed pose a threat to our relationship with God, especially if we form an association with an ungodly society and adopt their values. Modern society requires us to adopt diverse culture initiatives to allow others to be part of our community, and under that initiative, we must learn to accept and respect foreign practices. The demand of a unilateral alliance to build a common faith with different beliefs means well; however, we must not abandon our solemn duty to God in the course of extending good courtesy to ourselves as a diverse society. I pledged to be obedient to the Lord’s commandment, and I will commit myself to the pledge because God will reward faithful servants with salvation for them to live again.
Joshua’s warning intends to remind Israel of what the Lord might do if they turned away from Him to cleave unto the doctrines of the nations around them. Israel must know for certain that if they cleave unto the doctrines of the nations around them, the Lord will not drive out any of these nations, but the nations will rather pose a challenge unto them until they perish from the land they received from God (Joshua 23:12-13).
Joshua 23:7-8 – ”You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.”
Judges 2:2-3 – ”And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their alters. But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”
Joshua conveyed God’s Truth to his kinfolk; in Jesus Christ, God’s Truth is still alive today – our most important relationship is to be with our God through Jesus Christ; not with this world. Establishing a “balanced relationship with the society that surrounds us”, is calibrated by the type of relationship we seek with our God – the closer, the more intimate, the more loving and accepting, the clearer the ‘pitfalls’ in our relationship with the world become.
We are not commanded to maintain a relationship with Him based on self-flagellation – legalistic, arduous self-justicement to assure that we stay ‘separated’ from the world. We are called, admonished, to allow our relationship with God to grow and mature for it to become the sentinel to warn us of dangers as part of living in this world but not being of this world – John 17:15-16; Isaiah 62:5-7; James 4:8.
Lots to think about with today’s lesson.
I do feel that we have to be careful about applying everything to everything. Yes, Christians do have parallels to ancient Israel. But there are differences too.
One thing that I observe is that Israel before Christ was to draw people to itself. The church after Christ is to go to other nations. There is a difference. God in His wisdom knows why this difference – we could speculate about it, but it probably isn’t useful. However, there isn’t much in the New Testament that repeats the warnings of Joshua.
The exception is the verse about being unequally yoked, which I think actually goes beyond marriage. It likely also refers to other close connections such as business partnerships. I think we have to be very careful about deeply connected relationships with unbelievers because they generally require some level of compromise. And if there is no compromise, the two parties will be distant. It’s not a good situation for anyone. But beyond these close relationships, I think we should mingle with the “world” as long as we are sure to nurture our connection with God. Mingling with Him is safe.
Setting clear boundaries as Christians is very important so we don’t compromise the work which God has set for us. This will help us stand in the faith we have with our God.