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

[mark grady]

Chosen by God- RC
The Gospel of the Kingdom- Eldon Ladd
BreakThrough by Derek Morphew

[russ]

Spurgeon's Autobiography - esp. the chapter "A Defence of Calvinism"

[Tyler]

Jacob Arminius' "Five articles of the Remonstrants."

Once I read the guy, I realized what a moron he was and decided Calvin HAD to be right!

[Martin Downes]

Principally Ephesians 2:1-10 (my synergistic views were incompatible with this text)

God's Way of Reconciliation, Ephesians 2, Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J. I. Packer

Chosen by God, R. C. Sproul

[Brian @ voiceofthesheep]

It was a simple process for me (thank you Lord!)

1. Verse-by-verse study of Romans
2. Chosen By God - Sproul

That's all it took!

There was no way I could ignore the truth contained in Romans, and Chosen By God was just incredible when I read it through for the first time.

[JD Ketterman]

The two books that did it for me were Berkhoff's systematic theology and Calvin's institutes.

[matt holst]

Romans
"Putting Amazing Back Into Grace" by Horton
"Knowing God" by JI Packer
Packer's intro to John Owens' "Death of Death in the Death of Christ"
"The Sovereignty of God" by Pink
"The Bondage of the Will" by Luther
"The Confessions" by St. Augustine

I should also credit the White Horse Inn and Modern Reformation for not only helping me in my early years, but even now as the PCA is plagued by the Federal Vision.

Great question Kim.

Matt Holst

[Raymond Coffey]

J.I. Packer, "Arminianisms," in Through Christ's Word.
Philip E. Hughes, The True Image.
Kenneth E. Bailey, Poet and Peasant (on the Prodigal Son)
John Piper, Desiring God.
Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will

[PB]

Well I didn't really know even the definitions until I attended the Alliance conference in Atlanta in fall 2000. <grin> As for books -
Knowing God - Packer
Boice's Commentary on Romans

[Timothy]

Chosen By God, by R.C. Sproul

and
John Calvin's Institutes... It was a done deal at that point. Even being a student at DTS could no longer keep me in their camp!

Blessings

[P ekk]

Putting Amazing Back into Grace

Romans

Studying the Westminster Shorter Catechism for the first time

[Chris Malamisuro]

Like many others: R.C. Sproul. The first was Faith Alone, then Getting the Gospel Right. Along side that was a subscription to Modern Reformation in about 2000.

[Tim Etherington]

Galatians 3:29 was the straw that broke the Dispensational camel's back for me.

[Erancal]

5 - Grudem, Systematic Theology
4 - Sproul, Chosen by God
3 - Sproul, Grace Unknown
2 - James White, The Potter's Freedom
1 - The Coming Evangelical Crisis (with chapters by Horton, Mohler, Godfrey, Sproul, Strimple, MacArthur, and others)

That number 1 book was published in 1996, but I didn't read it until 1999. It was one of those God-things: I was in an awful Christian bookstore and saw it, bought it, read it. It grabbed me by the collar and yanked me into reality; got me to critically examine my evangelicalism. I then re-read it. What a timely and great book that was for me. God is good, all the time.

[Marcos Iglesias]

First and foremost, Horton's Putting Amazing Back Into Grace. This explained Reformed theology so well to this ex-Campus Crusader that it answered most of my questions.

Chosen by God, by Sproul, had started me on the road to Reformed thought.

Berkhof's Systematic Theology helped to answer many finer points.

SDG

Marcos

[zanchius]

all of the above...
plus Doctrine of Absolute Predestination
/ (Jerom Zanchius)..and No Place for Sovereignty/(McGregor Wright).. Five Points../ (Thomas & Steele)... A Reformation Debate.(CalvinSadoleto)... all started with a simple essay "Never Perish"
by J.C. Ryle and a lot of those Calvinist
pamphlets from Christian Discount Books

[Michael]

The Bible, during one Bible study with a Calvinist.

[DThommen]

1. The Potter's Freedom by James White
2. Chosen By God by R.C. Sproul
3. What is Reformed Theology by R.C. Sproul.
4. A Case for Amillenialism by Kim Riddlebarger.
5. Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray.

In my opinion Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied is one of the best works on Reformed soteriology and is a must read. I would throw in as honorable mention Volume 2 of Francis Turretin's Institutes of Elenctic Theology.

[dsanger]

1. Romans chapter 9
2. "The Bible and the Future" by Anthony Hoekema
3. "Systematic Theology" by Louis Berkhof

[Nick Coleman]

Another vote for Romans.