For me, it was in 1991 that I began to understand the doctrines of grace. I had been born again in 1989 (previously I was raised Roman Catholic, although my father is an atheist and teaches evolution as a college professor, and converted to the Baha'i Faith in college but joined IVCF and Campus Crusade for Christ and converted to Christianity after reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity), and worked (during college) as a sexton in an independent Bible Church. It had a library which I perused after hours that contained a copy of Calvin's Institutes.

Moreover, providentially, during college I had an English lit assignment on the writings of Milton that challenged me to explore predestination. I also had to write on T.S. Eliot and therefore explored his religious views.

Also, I was coming to a political stance that was very close to that held by the Scottish Covenanters, although I didn't know it at the time.

Around this time, I became reacquainted with a cousin of mine who was a Reformed Presbyterian, ie., RPCNA (he grew up an unbeliever like me). He was living in the Boston area so we tried to get together when I went up to Gordon-Conwell to see if I wanted to apply to that seminary. It didn't work out, but then he moved south and lived close enough to invite me to a PCA church in Durham, North Carolina that held to the Regulative Principle of Worship and Exclusive Psalmody. My cousin talked to me about these issues, told me about the Scottish Covenanters, and Reformed Presbyterianism.

All of these events came together providentially to prepare to accept the Reformed Faith, although it seemed to me like a second conversion compared to my prior Arminian understanding of salvation.

In late 1991, I took a three-week trip through Germany by train alone. I visited the Wartburg Castle where Martin Luther translated the Bible into German. I visited Catholic cathedrals and saw the superstition of European Romanism. I read Calvin's Institutes cover-to-cover on the train. I wrestled with issues like TULIP, the sovereignty of God, predestination/free will and practical applications of Reformed worship such as Sabbath-keeping, man-made holy days, psalm-singing, musical instruments, etc.

By God's grace, the light finally came on, and I began to obey and understand, and to give God the glory rather than man. Ps. 119. Thus, here I am today, Reformed and Reforming, to God be the glory!

This forum is aptly named. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was one of the first things I read as a Calvinist and it so beautifully describes the Christian experience. We as Christians all go through the pilgrimage of this life (meant not in the Catholic sense) and it is often only with hindsight that we can see how God's providence truly does work to his glory and our good (Rom. 8.28).

Soli Deo gloria!

Solo Christo!

Sola Scriptura!

Sola Gratia!

Sola Fide!

__________________
Andrew