Calvin believed in justification by faith only or also in justification by works?

---Did Calvin believe in work-righteousness as a necessity for the Christian? Yes or No?

---Kevin Philip Emmert ended his dissertation in 2019 with the answer yes.

---He found that Calvin’s teaching on work-righteousness more complex than what most people thought.

---Most studies focused on Calvin’s negative statements in order to establish his teaching on Justification sola fide.

---While it is true that he was negative about the role of work as a means to salvation, he affirms work-righteousness at other times in his statements.

---Emmert investigated not only whether Calvin believed in work-righteousness but how he believed it.

---If there is a proper theological context, Calvin felt, one can believe in work-righteousness.

---If faith has already been established, one should believe in work-righteousness.

---Now I can understand why Jakobus Arminius remained a Calvinist until his death in 1609.

---People called Arminius an apostate from Calvin but he was not. He focused on these positive statements of Calvin of work-righteousness.

---It was the black sheep in people’s thinking in the 17^th century, and he felt it should not be.

---That is what Adventism is. Adventism tries to give a balanced view of faith only and work-righteousness and it does. It is biblical and it is accepted by John Calvin but not by later Calvinists.

---Later Calvinists were your Orthodoxy misreaders of Calvin. They were eclectic Calvinism.

---Eclectic Calvinism only clings on the positive statements of Calvin how one is saved solely by Christ but they do not dwell on the aspect of holiness and sanctification and work-righteousness which is both biblical and Calvin’s understanding.

---They pick and choose only those statements that will make religion easy and not will not require much changes in one’s life. Not so with Calvin.

---It is a kind of form of justification by works.

---Not only does Calvin view good works as helping a good relation with divine acceptance. Calvin also said that good works has salvation value for believers. Wow. Hello Adventists.

---Now Calvin and Ellen White is speaking the same language.

---The topicsthat are important for a study of this kind is:

Calvin’s understanding of divine-human activity

Calvin and the nature of good works

Calvin and divine grace and benevolence

Calvin and the union with Christ

Calvin and the relation between justification and sanctification

Calvin and the relation between good works and divine acceptance

Calvin and the role of good works in the Christian’s life

Calvin and the content of good works

---Sources: Institutes, Commentaries, Theological Treatises, Catechisms, Sermons.

---Sources: Kevin Philip Emmert, “The Righteousness of Works in the Theology of John Calvin” (PhD Thesis, Middlesex University/London School of Theology, 2019).