Knowing that this is not the first time we have had this discussion, all I can do is present the truth God has revealed in Scripture and pray that the Holy Spirit opens your eyes and heart to the truth. Take a good hard look at the other passage you posted. Those who Jesus said he NEVER knew and whom he saw as goats, they were NOT people who were unreligious. In fact, they pleaded with Jesus to recognize ALL the mighty works they did for him but he told them, "I never knew you.". Not, "I knew you for a little while but you did bad things, so you're not my friends anymore.", Not, "Sure did appreciate all those things you did but it wasn't enough, you should have done more.". No, he said he NEVER knew them. Why might that be?
When you post the other passage about the sheep and goats, you fail to make a few crucial observances. First, they were ALREADY sheep OR goats. This account was not to determine what kind they were but to pass judgment. Secondly, you failed to place this event in a certain time frame. It cannot be speaking of the Judgment Seat of Christ, which is for believers only. See Romans 14:10 and II Corinthians 5:10. Then there is the Great White Throne Judgment, where all those who come out of the great tribuation are judged, both believers and unbelievers and they are judged in the final judgment and everyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life is cast into the lake of fire which is called the Second Death. Those "sheep" were the ones who were believers and who helped the "brethren" through the persecution of the Anti-Christ during the Tribulation. But even if you don't accept that there IS a tribulation, it still doesn't show that this judgment was what MADE them sheep or goats. They ALREADY were one or the other.
But ask yourself why John would write in Revelation words that contradict what he wrote in the Gospel According to John as well as his epistles? That is where context really counts. Knowing that the Holy Spirit was who Divinely inspired the Scriptures. And the Bible IS the infallible Word of God, despite what you have been told by those who want to supercede Holy Scripture.
Eternal hell is NOT the reward for bad works. It is the condemnation due ALL who have not received the redemption that is in Christ. We all deserve hell because we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Hell is eternal separation from God and I don't care how "good" someone is or how many "good" works they have done, it can never be enough to pay for even one sin - not even a lie. No one goes to heaven based on their good deeds and no one goes to hell because of their bad deeds. We ALL have bad deeds and without the blood of Christ to pay the penalty of sin, we would ALL be doomed. You say:
We throw ourselves on His mercy, we do not pronounce it. We plead for our salvation, we not claim it. He Judges, we await His Judgement. Otherwise He is not Judge.
That is all we can do is surrender to Him and trust in his mercy and grace and he HAS pronounced it already. He has pronounced salvation through Jesus Christ, the righteousness of Christ that he gives to us as a gift if we only receive it, believe him, trust him and rest on his promises. We don't await the judgment between heaven or hell if we are his own, he takes that out of the equation.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Rom. 5:18)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)
The no condemnation is for NOW. Not later. NOW.
That’s a powerful verse. One person caused all the problems and one person paid for it all. That verse basically says it all.
Knowing that this is not the first time we have had this discussion, all I can do is present the truth God has revealed in Scripture and pray that the Holy Spirit opens your eyes and heart to the truth.
Right back atcha.
Eternal hell is NOT the reward for bad works.
I think that you are conflating rewards for behaviour and punishment for misbehaviour with predestination.
Notice what Jesus said? They are sheep and goats because of what they do, not who they are predestined to be. They are rewarded or condemned based upon what they do or do not do.
Everyone is originally written into the Book of Life - and they are subtracted from it according to their deeds, as Revelation 3:5 indicates. Only those who overcome (with His Grace, of course) are not erased from the Book of Life.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1)
As long as you remain in Christ Jesus.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
As long as you keep believing and acting accordingly.
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Rom. 5:18)
One may decline a free gift - look around at the world today.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)
As long as you remain a believer.