A Faith of Your Own – November 8, 2026
Joshua 24:14-18, Philippians 3:7-14
November 8, 2026
What do we do with the faith that has been passed down to us? That’s what I want us to think about today. I want us to think about Paul’s words to the Philippians. In talking about faith, he said, “Not that I have already obtained this, or I’m already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
I talked last week about the saints – the saints who came before us, and how their faith – their legacy – has now been passed on to us. And now we’re the new saints of the Church. And I asked you to think about Paul’s description of “the race that is set before us,” and how we’re part of that race.
If you think about it, it’s almost like a relay race, where the baton is passed to the next person in the race, and then the next, and then the next. But everybody on that relay team – even those who have already passed the baton to the next runner – have the same goal in mind! That is, the finish line!
So, the baton has been passed to us. What do we do with it? What do we do with the faith that has been passed down to us? And what does that faith look like? Do we simply believe what those who came before us believed? And there’s nothing wrong with that! We’ve followed some wonderful people of faith! And what those “saints” have passed down to us is very meaningful! But, have we – have you – “pressed on” and made it “a faith of your own?”
As I look at the Church, and as I think about the Church through history, I sometimes think that some people have made the Christian faith somewhat formulaic? That is, there is a “formula,” there are certain rigid rules. “Here’s what you do.” “Here’s what you believe.” “Here’s how you become a Christian.” “And these are the issues and what you should believe about them.” “Here’s how you do it right!” And many Christians struggle with that question, “Am I ‘doing it right?'”
And I’m not just talking about our time. Down through the ages, the church has tended to give it’s people a formula of faith. “Here are the sacraments.” “Here are the milestones.” “Here’s how you do it right!” And that’s what Martin Luther objected to. We talked about him a couple of weeks ago. He saw the church as “doing what they had always done” – but without thinking about it. And some of those things they did had no basis in scripture.
But in all of that, in all of the different doctrines and beliefs of faith, the real struggle, I think, has always been, how do we make it personal? How do we make it a faith our own? Are we just living the faith of those who have come before us, without really thinking about it? (Or heaven forbid, questioning it?)
The Christian faith cannot be something we just do without thinking, or worse, just something we watch others do. We have to take it in, we have to “press on,” we have to make it personal. We have to make it useful in our lives – that is, we have to make it something that helps us, especially when the storms of life hit us! And that’s an ongoing thing. It’s something we work on every day of our lives! Because you may already know the personal faith in your life. But it’s too easy to slip back into that formulaic kind of faith. It’s too easy to fall back to a place where we just going through the motions, and just “checking all the boxes.”
William Tennant was very concerned about this. I’ve often talked about William Tennant. His story is amazing to me. He was one of the early Christian leaders in this country. And in the early 1700’s he saw that there was, in the American Colonies, what one author described as a “spiritual malaise.” That is, people didn’t care about their faith. And if they had a faith at all, it was a faith that was given them by the old school pastors, trained in the ivy-covered institutions in the old world. It was very “formulaic” and lifeless.
So, Tennant took it upon himself to train pastors here in the new world – right over here in what is now Warminster. He taught new pastors in what was facetiously referred to as “The Log College.” And along with the classic studies, Tennant emphasized a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In other words, he emphasized “a faith of your own.” And Tennant’s teachings, and his students, sparked what has been called “The Great Awakening,” which was one of the biggest religious revivals in history! So by the time of the revolution, churches were packed, people cared about their faith, they talked about it all the time, and they came by the thousands to hear the great Christian speakers of the age, people like Charles Beaty!
William Tennant would tell you that you that your relationship with God has to be personal, not something you live by a formula or by someone else’s legacy. He would tell you that you have to “press on” – to have “A Faith of Your Own.”
I hope you’re with me on this,. But, “A Faith of Your Own” can be scary! You might think, “What if I have a wrong belief?” “What if I don’t ‘get it right?'” For some people, it’s much more comfortable being told – sometimes in great detail – what they should believe. Someone once said that’s the lure of fundamentalism. There is no debate. There is no questioning. There is no struggle. You’re just told what to believe. And that’s more comfortable to some people.
Then there are those who live a more rigid faith, where they’re told all the things they must do and believe, but then they pick and choose what they’re going to “go along with.” Have you ever heard anyone like that? They’ve been called “Cafeteria Christians.” You know what that’s like. You go down the line in the cafeteria and you say, “I’ll have that, and that, but I won’t have that.” That’s always seemed strange to me. Someone is proud if being in the Church they’re in. But then they say, “But I don’t go along with everything I’m taught there.”
Well, throw into that mix “us Presbyterians!” Historically, we’ve handled things a little differently. We believe – and you’ve heard me say this many times! We believe that “God alone is Lord of the conscience.” That is, God speaks to each of us – personally. He meets each of us where we are. He helps us “work out our faith with fear and trembling,” as Paul said.
And we also believe that “people of good conscience can differ.” And that doesn’t mean that “anything goes” in our beliefs. But it does mean that we need to listen and learn from each other. We need to try to understand and even encourage others in their faith, even though it might be different from our own! We need to believe they have a “good conscience.” And that’s always a little harder than just being told what to believe! Isn’t it?
So then, with all that in mind, let me remind you of three important things. First of all, we always need to try to have the best understanding about things that we can. And that means listening to God! That means trying to discern what God is leading us to believe and to do. Because too many people already have in their minds what they want to believe, what they want God to be and to do! Mark Twain once said, “God created man in his own image, and man has been trying to return the favor ever since!”
The second thing goes along with that. We need to strive for humility, and rely on God’s Grace. We’re not going to “get it right” all the time. Again, even Paul himself said, “Not that I have already obtained this, or I’m already perfect, but I press on to make it my own!” He told the Corinthians that we all “see in a mirror dimly.” We all “know in part.” But God’s grace is always sufficient – even when we “blow it!” Yes, someday, we will “understand fully, even as we have been fully understood.” That’s the second half of that verse. But this is not that “someday.”
Thirdly, give that same Grace to others! Encourage them in their faith journey – even though it may be different than your own. Remember that “people of good conscience can differ!” And “God alone is Lord of that conscience” – not us.
All of this is especially meaningful today, as we welcome the confirmation class into the membership of this church. They’ve spent time learning about the faith of those who have gone before them. But today they’ve taken an important step in making that faith their own. And I hope they understand that this isn’t the end of their journey. It’s only a new beginning. And that’s the journey the rest of us are on, too!
So, think of Paul, “pressing on” in the faith. Strive to have “a faith of your own.” And that doesn’t mean a faith based on what you want things to be, but an honest, self-reflecting faith, a faith based on a personal relationship with our God who guides us, and shapes us, and grows us. If only we will let him!
Prayer
Eternal Father, help us as we truly seek to be your children. Help us to have the strength and the courage we need to set ourselves – and our egos – aside, and seek to hear your voice, and feel your guidance. Help us to know the joy of living a faith that is our own, a personal and living faith in you. For we pray in your name, Amen.