Course, John Calvin doesn't really believe works have no element in salvation:
unless I am mistaken, calvinists believe a person who is saved WILL do good works..
so if they aren't doing them.. they weren't saved in first place!
Now THIS is works based salvation.. plain and simple..
real salvation..
is saved by grace through faith.. and we serve God after salvation because we want to.. not because we have to.
Anyway, also I don't know if John Calvin knew about the third option of salvation.. the most scriptural way:
1) calvinist- don ask God for salvation.. you are elected for it and irrestibly drawn to salvation by Jesus (I still don know how a calvinist knows they are saved - if they never ask for salvation)
2)arminian- ask for salvation.. but it is not secure.. saved by grace through faith in God, but his faith is conditional upon our service and their is no real assurance of salvation
3)- the scriptural way:
Asking Jesus for salvation.. entrusting your salvation with Him (this is not works- this is just calling out for salvation).. then it can in no way be taken from you - either by God.. or by yourself..
saved by grace through faith in Christ... where Jesus' payments is completely all sufficient and completely efficious to anyone who believes in Him - calls upon Him for salvation.
Romans chapter 10 supports this..
Ephesians 2:8-9 supports this..
Romans 3:28
Galatians 2:16
Galatians 3:11
1 Peter 1:3-6
etc etc etc
NOW
the verse- 'faith without works is dead'
What is the context? Context is not about receiving eternal life.. but accounts of acts of service to God.. Abraham.. Rahab.. etc
these are people that acted in faith for God.. taking opportunities to use their faith..
if they didn't take those opportunities.. they weren't losing their salvation, or never had it in the first place.. their faith would just be unused.. dormant.. the Holy Spirit still inside them... indwelling them.. but the person indwelled not relying on Him.
So.. 'faith without works is dead' ... becomes not using the relationship you have with God to take opportunities to be faithful.. your relationship is unused.. dormant.. useless. NOT gone.. NOT lost
Abraham was justified by works in that God was pleased with his act of faith toward Him.. not that he was actually being eternally saved by this act!
Rahab was justified by works in that God was pleased with her act of faith toward Him.. not that she was actually being eternally saved by this act!
the other verse:
'he who endures to the end will be saved'
what is the context?
being rescued from trouble.. being delivered from trials...
what does save mean?
Sometimes it can refer to obtaining eternal life.. sins forgiven.. other times it can just mean be rescued from a bad situation.. depends on the CONTEXT of the verse!
In this case.. it is just being rescued from a bad situation.
This verse again, is not about receiving eternal life.. having sins forgiven..
So 'he who endures to the end will be saved'..becomes
'he who perseveres and is patient during these trails to come will be delivered out of them-'
They won't be eternally saved out of them.. that was done and dusted for those people when they asked for salvation from Jesus.
Anyway,
dunno how this will go.. but that is my 2 cents