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The Life Purpose

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 24, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 10.

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The Life Purpose

By Edith M. Graham

The call of Jesus to his disciples is, “Follow me.” What does it mean to follow Jesus? Literally, to follow a person means to walk behind him, going in the same path as he does, turning as he does, and watching to see the way he goes, that it may not be missed. We may conclude that figuratively it means to do as Jesus did, to make his life purpose ours.
What was Christ’s life purpose? “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19: 10. The one purpose of his life was to save souls. He had no other aim. Then to follow Christ means to seek and to save the lost.
“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” 1 John 2: 6. “Even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” 1 Peter 2: 21.
How did Jesus walk? “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10: 38. To walk as Jesus walked, to follow his steps, therefore, means to go about doing good, to spend the life in acts of service for others, to bring them to a knowledge of the way of salvation.
Where should our following begin? “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1: 8. To each of us Jerusalem means our home, our city, town, or village, the place where we live. There we are to be witnesses for Christ by our lives and by our works. Only so can we in truth be followers of the Lord. EDITH M. GRAHAM.