Closer to home, many of us have our own memories tied to a bridge – perhaps the route to a favourite park, a scenic lookout, or a gathering place for community events. Bridges often become part of our everyday lives, quietly doing their job. And yet, have you ever stopped to think about what they represent?
A Quiet Trust
Every time we cross a bridge, we exercise trust. We don't stop to examine its supports or question the materials used. We simply believe it will hold us. That quiet confidence mirrors the kind of faith the Bible talks about. Faith is required in eternal matters! All God requires of us is a recognition of sin, the turning away from it, and simple but sincere trust in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God doesn’t ask a lot of us! There’s a verse in the Bible that says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8 NET). It is not something we can do by ourselves!
Picture a well-used bridge that’s been declared unsafe. Engineers inspect it and conclude it’s no longer reliable. Suddenly, unquestioning trust gives way to concern. Demolition begins, and a new bridge is planned. It’s a powerful image – something once so dependable now gone, and the only way forward is something entirely new.
In the same way, God offers us a way to be right with Him. Not by our own efforts or works, for those will not stand the test, but by trusting in something eternally sound that He has provided.
One Way Across
Just as a single bridge might be the only way to cross a river or canyon, there is only one way to cross the great spiritual divide between us and God as a result of our sin. The Bible tells us that “there is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12 CSB). Note how it says “a way”. Many people are confused, perceiving that there are many ways to get to heaven. There is actually only one way to obtain eternal life, and that is by trusting in the Lord Jesus and the work He finished when He died on a cross for our sins. The Lord Jesus Himself could say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Faith in Jesus Christ – His death and resurrection – is the only way, because He is the bridge that God has supplied. It's not about what we build for ourselves, but about trusting the one He has provided.
A Warning Ignored
Imagine someone ignoring all the signs and barriers and trying to drive across a condemned bridge. We would consider that person reckless. Yet many today do just that with their souls – choosing their own way over God's. The Bible says, “how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3 ESV).
People may think that there are many roads to God, but only one actually leads to life and ultimately to God Himself – and that is salvation through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:18).
The Bridge Won’t Stay Open Forever
God’s invitation will not last forever. Sometimes access to a bridge can be cut off, maybe due to flooding or erosion; so, too, the opportunity for salvation will eventually come to an end. The bridge – Jesus’ death on the cross – is open to you now. But a warning: this way, this bridge, will not always be available; a time will come when it is no longer accessible to those who have delayed crossing it. The Bible warns: “now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Will You Cross?
The bridge is built. All that’s left is for you to “walk across” in faith. Not through effort, not through religion, but by believing in what Jesus Christ has already done. You don’t need to find your own bridge. The way has already been made. God, in His great love, has provided it at great cost to Himself. And it’s the only way. The question is: will you cross?
