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Well, after becoming saved about 11 years ago, I would read the Bible and get confused over the issue of whether or not it was possible I could lose my salvation. Everyone I knew held to the "once saved always saved" position, but could not clearly articulate this from Scripture. The first theology book I ever got was "Basic Theology" by Charles Ryrie, and he did a good job of defending Eternal Security, but I still was bothered by how "the whole thing went together". It seemed like what he was saying was true, but there must be more to the story.
Enter in the "Lordship Salvation" controversy. I first took the side of the "No-Lordship" people thanks to a little website hosted by The Grace Evangelical Society". They kept on bringing up this John MacArthur guy, who apparently was their arch nemesis, and I eventually bought the book "The Gospel According to Jesus" just to see what all the fuss was all about. Well, I immediately saw the light (regarding Lordship) while reading MacArthur's book, and proceeded to begin telling my friends at church about this marvelous book and this marvelous MacArthur. The response I got back from the more learned people was "Don't you know MacArthur is a Calvinist?" To which I would reply, "Yes, I know that, he doesn't believe a Christian can lose his salvation"- (At that time the only thing I knew about Calvinists and Arminians was their view about Eternal Security)
Anyway, long story short, I made it my next goal to find out whatever I could about Calvinism, so I went down to the local bookstore and picked up "The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination" by Loraine Boettner. My entire view of Christianity changed while reading that book! That was officially when I became "a Calvinist".
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