“As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.”
(2nd Samuel 9:11)

Mephibosheth is a type of every sinner saved by the grace of God in Christ. He was counted as one of the king’s sons, sits at his table and eats as one, enjoying all the benefits of the king’s grace and mercy. How we as believers rejoice as those who have received even greater mercies in Christ though by nature from an enemy family. Likewise, we were fetched to God by the Spirit of His grace. Though sin still dwells in us, and we are in that sense still “lame in both our feet,” the King’s table covers our lameness. We love to hear about this relationship and delight to be called the King’s children. I wonder though, do we have any sense of the responsibility? As those who have been blessed by such grace, does the love of Christ constrain us in any way to conduct ourselves as such? Children of the King of glory, children of the living God, brought by sovereign grace and power to such an elevated position and state of glory? We know for sure that our conduct of life did not bring us to this position and neither does it maintain it. But does being in this state of justification by grace motivate us to seek to glorify the King in all we do? Does being His child by grace move us to obey His word?

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1st Corinthians 10:31)

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:14)

Does my position as the King’s child put me under a higher standard of conduct before this world? I think so. Dare we be a reproach to my heavenly Father! We are to “adorn the doctine of God our Saviour in all things.”

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2:11-13)

As John Gill says of this verse, “living unto righteousness, or in a righteous manner; and as being justified by the righteousness of Christ, revealed in the Gospel: and “godly”; in a godly manner, according to the Word of God, and agreeably to the will of God; and in all godly exercises, both public and private, and to the glory of God:”

G. Shepard