Until We Cross The Bridge

Our sanctification wont be compete until we are judged by Christ and we receive our glorified body. What a day that will be! Until that day –  until we cross the bridge that seems both close and distant all at the same time – we will learn, practice, work, strive and press on to that goal.

I entered recruit training aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC, in August 1982.  Parris Island is, well, a rock covered in sand in the middle of a tidal swamp. That is it. Nothing more to see. It is inhabited by Marine Drill Instructors and recruits trying to become Marines. It is not a fun place to live. I spent three months on that island. The three months I spent there are some unforgettable moments.

One thing I’ll never forget is the bridge to the mainland. My barracks was right next to the swamp. I could easily see the bridge that would one day take me off the island. Every day it seemed to get a little closer. In fact a friend of  mine and I would encourage each other every day with a simple reminder: that bridge is getting closer. Until the day came for us to leave the island, we would continue to grow and mature into Marines…and we would look forward to the day when we would cross that bridge.

The same is true for us Christians. In many ways we are on an island that is seemingly disconnected with the rest of the universe. We live among hostile folks who not only don’t believe like we do but are also hostile to our beliefs. But we have a mission here on this island. We have a role, we have things to learn. The lessons may be difficult sometimes but they are necessary. We also have a bridge we can see from here. One day we will cross that bridge when we leave this world with all its problems and difficulties and go to be with our heavenly Father. But until we cross that bridge, we must press on as we press forward.

Paul addressed this in Philippians 3. There he wrote

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may ay hold of that for which I was also aid hod of by Christ Jesus.Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12- 14 NASB

There are many important truths being taught in this passage. I cannot cover them all in one article and do them all justice. So I want to focus on one and really emphasize the attitude I think we Christians should have as we walk through this life.

We are passing though this place much like I passed through my time on Parris Island. But the goal in different. When I was on the island, my goal was to become a Marine and then leave the island. In my life as a Christian, I want to grasp the goal for which Christ grasped me. That goal is to be like Him. I am to be perfected in Him, to the glory of God. I am to be conformed to the person of Jesus Christ. That is what I have tried to focus on in this first series of articles: the progressive sanctification of us as Christians. Our sanctification wont be compete until we are judged by Christ and we receive our glorified body. What a day that will be! Until that day –  until we cross the bridge that seems both close and distant all at the same time – we will learn, practice, work, strive and press on to that goal.

A key to achieving that goal is total abandonment of our previous accomplishments. Paul wrote that he practiced “forgetting what lies behind” while he pressed forward. 

One possible way to take this statement is that Paul chooses to forget his previous failures as he draws closer to Christ. Another way to take this is that Paul chooses to forget his previous accomplishments as he was progressively sanctified. So which is it? And why?

Because Paul so often is combatting those who denied biblical grace and relied on their own efforts, I really think that he is referring to his own accomplishments rather than his past failures. This emphasis would make it clear to those who read this letter that Paul rejected human effort and accomplishment when considering his goal of being Christlike. And so should we.

We like to talk about ourselves and about what we have acomplished. But we are called to a different life. We must not rest in our accomplishments or achievements. We must focus on what Christ is doing in us and through us. We must never look at our accomplishments as important. No, we must…we MUST focus in what Christ is doing rather than what we have done.

So how are you doing with this? It is tempting to say to ourselves and to others “look at what I have done!” But we must resist this. We must forget our accomplishments and focus on what Christ is doing…how we are becoming like Him, which is what we are to do anyway.

So keep pressing on this island existence. Keep reminding yourself that the bridge to this life to come is getting closer by the day. But until we cross that bridge, we must continue forward. We must continue to be more Christike. We must continue in our progressive sanctification Because one day – one glorious day –  we will cross that bridge and we will be like Christ.

Our work will be done, our goal accomplished. One day…one fine and glorious day.