Read, do & believe in order to be recognized a Reformed?

[Unix]

What are the first things where I should make progress? What in particular would constitute a progress? See the thread title for the question.

Regarding what to read, some works are so massive, so please give me exact references! I have a sufficient library, mostly on my laptop, with everything I want to read or use. The main Bible Study Software I use is Logos, and as it tends to include or be biased towards Reformed and/or Evangelical Theology I have lots of that.
And today I've complemented with the best translation (Battles) of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion.
I also have a good selection of commentaries, for example (Baker Edition) New Testament Commentary by Hendriksen and Kistemaker and a few Interpretation -volumes as well as Hermeneia Lk by Bovon and one New Testament Library -volume (NTL) (on 1-3 Jn), just to name a few of the more recent ones (no I don't have a whole lot of old ones) that I remember being Reformed. I do have Calvin's Commentaries, but only a few of the volumes on the tablets as I couldn't figure out where to start reading.
You can tell me to read any reference and I'll see whether I have that work or something equivalent in my library! (I don't like doing online reading, I don't pay for the internet I'm using and it's extremely slow right now as it has a monthly data cap and it went beyond it when I forgot a setting and had to download my entire library recently instead of installing parts of it from an old DVD.)

I don't know too much about local Reformed parishes but I'm asking all the questions related to that in the Europe sub-forum right now.
Oh, and I'm far from Reformed Baptist.
I'm hesitant to use Catechisms.

Please specify what I ought to believe that is specific for Reformed!

If there's something that needs to be corrected in the following testimony, please tell me so!:
Having started out as a believer as 6½ years old (no, I haven't believed in Jesus all my life, I had a period as an adult when I didn't) I read through most of the Bible as a child and finished when I was about 19. Lately I've been re-reading 2011 or 2012 through 2014. I received an adult baptism in the early '00s attending a small Church in Lapponia. Since 2½ years, Summer 2011 I have grown in faith considerably. I believe in the Trinity, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, and that Jesus was crucified and resurrected. I believe in Bodily Resurrection. I believe that Jesus performed miracles while on earth as both a human and God and that he is God. I believe Hell is temporary and that Heaven is for people who have lived sincerely. A mere confession is not enough for salvation, but faith must show in deeds and the person must not deny God and the Son or worship with a completely differing theology.

 

[Keachian]

What are the first things where I should make progress? What in particular would constitute a progress? See the thread title for the question.

From my interaction with you elsewhere Unix, and I say this out of a love for you, you are very independent and that's not really how the Reformed Church works, fellowship with other believers is incredibly important.

Regarding what to read, some works are so massive, so please give me exact references! I have a sufficient library, mostly on my laptop, with everything I want to read or use. The main Bible Study Software I use is Logos, and as it tends to include or be biased towards Reformed and/or Evangelical Theology I have lots of that.

It really depends on what you want to start studying, the Reformed Church is considerably confessional so if you have Schaff's 3 Volume Creeds and Confessions of the Christian Church I'd probably start with volume 3 of that, esp. the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Canons of Dordt, and the Heidelberg Catechism) (which judging by where I think you are is what you are likely to run into in Reformed Churches in your area)

And today I've complemented with the best translation (Battles) of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion.

Books 2 and 4 are probably where you will find most instruction on things that may be new to you esp. v2 c1-6, 15,16 v4 c1,12-17 also of interest is v1 c1-6,10,17 v3 c2-3, 14, 18

Please specify what I ought to believe that is specific for Reformed!

Soli Deo Gloria

If there's something that needs to be corrected in the following testimony, please tell me so!:
Having started out as a believer as 6½ years old (no, I haven't believed in Jesus all my life, I had a period as an adult when I didn't) I read through most of the Bible as a child and finished when I was about 19. Lately I've been re-reading 2011 or 2012 through 2014. I received an adult baptism in the early '00s attending a small Church in Lapponia. Since 2½ years, Summer 2011 I have grown in faith considerably. I believe in the Trinity, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, and that Jesus was crucified and resurrected. I believe in Bodily Resurrection. I believe that Jesus performed miracles while on earth as both a human and God and that he is God. I believe Hell is temporary and that Heaven is for people who have lived sincerely. A mere confession is not enough for salvation, but faith must show in deeds and the person must not deny God and the Son or worship with a completely differing theology.

Do you trust that God will accomplish what he set out to accomplish? This I think is a pivotal question for any Christian and in many ways turns an assent to a list of facts to a personal struggle with the Almighty God. The Christian's faith is focused upon Christ. Because Christ died we are free to die with him. Because Christ now lives, if we have died with him we are now captive to the life that he lives in us.

 

[Unix]

I don't have that one:

It really depends on what you want to start studying, the Reformed Church is considerably confessional so if you have Schaff's 3 Volume Creeds and Confessions of the Christian Church I'd probably start with volume 3 of that, esp. the [...]

... where else could I start?



I woke up in the middle of the night. Thanks for the reply, but I have to take a nap now and will be back.

 

[hedrick]

I wouldn’t say that being Reformed is entirely a matter of what you believe. For conservative Reformed, you should believe most of the Westminster Confession or (for non-Presbyterian Reformed) Heidelberg. For mainline Reformed I’d point to the Declaration of Faith, A Declaration of Faith - Introduction, and the Confession of 1967, Confession of 1967. But Reformed is as much about participating in Reformed worship and sacraments, and doing theology as part of a Reformed community. Particularly for the mainline Reformed, where the limits of acceptable belief are wider.