OT Promise 292: Live in the Kingdom

Proverbs 2:20, 21 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

The “if” condition for the promise is “not going in to the strange woman.” If you avoid the ways of the world and “walk in the way of good men,” then you will dwell in the Kingdom (land) and remain in it. This is the promise: God gives you the Kingdom of God, which is within you and in which you dwell, and He will see that you remain in it forever.

The Kingdom of God is placed in the hearts of the upright. By faith we are declared righteous for Christ’s sake. That faith and uprightness works out in our daily lives when we stay away from the “house” of the strange woman and walk in the way of good men. The strange woman is the way of the world; the way of good men is the way of the Kingdom of God.

The Christian lives in both worlds at the same time, as saint and sinner, flesh and spirit. Each of these worlds will be nourished by and affected by the company we keep. We are friendly toward “strangers,” but we do not bond with them or walk their way. Worldly people are actually strangers to us since we do not share eternal life in Christ. Avoiding one and fellowshipping with the other keeps us in the life of the Kingdom. Living in the Land = Enjoying the Kingdom. That is our promise.