Mysteries of god

SUMMARY: José was raised in an evangelical family but lost his faith in his youth. Later in life, he started attending a church again but did not regain his faith. However, in his old age, he asked his family to read him biblical passages and recited Psalm 23, which he had learned as a child. It is unclear if he experienced a true conversion, but the author believes that there are mysteries beyond our understanding when it comes to faith and salvation.

José was the only son of an evangelical pastor. He grew up running in church halls, listening to his father preach and observing his mother's prayers. As a child he attended weekly Sunday school and was educated at a famous Presbyterian college. Like my father and many others, José abandoned the faith in his early youth. When I met him, he was already an adult and I did not know his personal history. For me, he was a good man, studious and a lover of history, very close to his home and his family, but he declared himself totally incredulous.

When he found out that I was studying at a seminary, José invited me to his house. He told me about his evangelical origin and the reasons why he abandoned the faith. He showed me many Christian books that he still had, and he said: