What Books Did It for You?

 
What books did it for you?

I thought it might be interesting to poll my readers to see what book (or books) finally pushed you over the edge so that you cried "uncle" and embraced Reformed theology. 

These are five books that were very instrumental in my conversion to Reformed theology from Arminianism and dispensationalism back in 1979-80--although what really did it was Donald Gray Barnhouse's tape series on TULIP.  My list includes Warfield's Inspiration and Authority of the Bible and Plan of Salvation, Bavinck's Our Reasonable Faith, Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied, and Berkhof's Systematic Theology.

So, I am looking for those books (not tapes or videos) which were most instrumental in your own journey to Calvinism.  Leave your list in the comments section below.  This could be fun! 

Comments

[Eric]

I grew up in an independent fundamental Baptist church. My father-in-law had been working on me for many years regarding Reformed theology. I decided one day to read Romans in my devotions to see if it really said what he was telling me it said. It does and so much more! It was like I was reading it for the first time. Reformed theology made perfect sense and the book was no longer a great doctrinal work only to be understood by seminary graduates. It is amazing how non-reformed believers have to twist that book to make it compatible with their theology.

[timinator]

Bible, especially Romans. White houre Inn tape series on Right Order of worship. The book that introduced me to reformed theology was none other then Ursinus Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism. That was a real eye opener especially predestination. I still remember many questions I could not fully understand until later.
WHI tapw series though made me see that we are in church to worship God not be enterained by God. I listened to the tapes a couple of thimes and saw what my current Baptist church was teaching like and said I had to leave.
It also help going to CRC with Pastor Kim and Professor Samples and now Rev. Marcello

[Peggy Burke]

Hi, Kim.

Actually it was sitting in your Academy classes on Berhof that helped me the most intitially.

Gary Matlack (and you) going through the three forms cemented it.

Three of your diagrams: (1) "already and not yet diagram," (2) the "two arrows" covt. works and covt. of grace, and (3) the two Adams were all extremely helpful.

Thank you so much for your faithful teaching.

[Doug Gossard]

An old book that I bought when I came in to a book sale (MBI) after all the popular books were gone. The Cause of God and Truth by John Gill and more importantly, The Riegn of Grace by Abraham Booth (it hit me between the eyes and I wasn't the same. I then devoured anything by R.C Sproul and when I read Chosen by God I said...OK, I am a Calvinist!!! Since then I have read most of the books mentioned by all of the comments above.

[Roberto G]

Gordon H. Clark's Predestination (P&R Publishing Co.) rocked my theological world.

[Dan Britton]

I find it somewhat strange that no one claims that the whole bible changed their mind about the truth. Only one book of scripture or book by a man. What a shame.

[walt]

"In the Face of God," by Horton. And going to Lee Irons' Bible study at UCLA. oh boy, was that an eye-opener after reading stuff by Zane Hodges. I'll never forget Lee gently insisting that Hodges' theology was 'completely unbliblical.' I got mad, but kept going to the Bible study. He started calling me a 'recovering fundamentalist.'

[Rick]

Saving Grace - John Cheeseman

[pilgrim]

"I find it somewhat strange that no one claims that the whole bible changed their mind about the truth. Only one book of scripture or book by a man. What a shame."

Go back and see my comment-Here's the first part-
"Hmm, a lot of good books in that list. For me though it was mostly the Bible.
I was more Arminian when converted but over time came to believe Reformed doctrine from reading the Bible--I didn't know it had a name, but I started believing it any way.

So the book that did it for me was the Bible."

(I understand with almost 90 comments it's easy to miss one.)

[Sam]

Chapter 7 of The Potter's Freedom by James White (where he discussed John 6) and The Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards.

[inwoo]

horton's putting amazing back into grace

sproul's esstenial truths of the Christian faith

and the white horse inn broadcast--especially the broadcast guilt, grace, and gratitude.

[Ed Morris]

1) Faith Works by John MacArthur
2) The Sovereignty of God by AW Pink
3) Chosen by God by RC Sproul
4) Foundations of the Christian Faith by James M Boice
5) Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray

[Howard]

1. Reformed Doctrine of Predestination -- Boettner
2.The Bondage of the Will -- Luther

[Jeremy M]

It's amazing how many people were helped by the same books. Here's my list:

1) Rev 20...I was a Calvary pastor teaching verse by verse and got sick to my stomach running across Hoekema's stuff on Rev 20. It startled me enough to rethink everything.
2) Every verse of the bible seeing it in fresh light.
3) Pipers lectures on TULIP
4) Knowing God - Packer
5) Bondage of the will - Luther

It was all downhill (uphill?!?) from there.

Now I'm a reformed baptist pastor...enough said.

[Scott]

1) Putting Amazing Back into Grace, Horton

2) Plan of Salvation, Warfield

3) Theonomy in Christian Ethics, Bahnsen

4) The Early White Horse Inn Shows, I believe it was a Modern Romans series.

5) Kim's amillenialism syllabus from years ago.

Scott

[Ivan]

In 1988 I read:
J I Packer: Knowing God
Still recall telling my wife, "The God of this book is much bigger than the god I have been hearing about in church for years".

John MacArthur: Study on Election [often quoting Charles Spurgeon]
JM often quoted Spurgeon and boy was that powerful in persuading me, because as a Disp-Arminian-Baptist, we heard Spurgeon often referenced. For me it was shocking to read those quotes of Spurgeon. He had me talking to myself, "Why haven't I ever been told before of this teaching of Spurgeon?

In 1989 I read:
J I Packer: Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God
When I began reading this, I found it difficult reconcling God's sovereignty and Man's responsiblity, but working through this book was a great pivotal point to move me forward.

These were the three that really were used by God to "get the ball rolling" for me.

Then in the next two years came:
Boettner, Sproul, Steele and Thomas etc.

[Joe C]

As Roberto G mentioned, Gordon Clark's "Predestination" left me at first troubled, but ultimately helped me look beyond myself and put no confidence in the flesh.

[ken e]

a few books got me interested in Historical Protestantism were Creed or Chaos by Dorothy Sayers and The Foundations of Social Order by Rushdoony. Both books were required for class I took at a charismatic church's college. But it wasn't until 5 years later that things came into focus while reading an article by RC Sproul and he described that Regeneration proceeded faith. I've read the scripture 15 years as an Armenian and thought otherwise, but after reading that article by Sproul the "reformed" snow ball wasn't able to stop. After that I read What is Reformed Theology by Sproul and after darkness light and was convinced on the Doctrines of Grace last summer. Over the pasted fall and winter I read all of Berkolf's Systematic Theology, Christianity and Liberalism among others and now attend a PCA Church. I was attending an Assembly of God church and would read from Berkolf, because the preacher would teach from self-helps books instead of the Holy Bible. Well the bible was only quoted from instead of read or taught from.

[Robert Mosley]

A Letter
from
George Whitefield
to the
Rev. Mr. John Wesley
IN ANSWER TO MR. WESLEY'S SERMON ENTITLED
"Free Grace"

I remember as if it was yesterday (actually 10 years ago) I read Wesley's sermon and thought it was the greatest sermon I had ever heard. Then my wife gave me Whitefield's response and it has been think God for wifes ever since.

[Sean Gerety]

Gordon Clark's Predestination had me up at nights for weeks searching the Scriptures and made me realize I had been sold a false bill of goods. Still one of the best books on the topic, particularly his handling of the question of evil. Clear and unflinching.