Brad,  Since you invoked my name, I reckon I will have to jump in here.
LOL

John 3:18: He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, (why?) because he hath not (never)
believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The following verses go on to explain the reason for this condemnation. It
is man's refusal to have anything to do with God.  We all at one time
before believing in Christ stood condemned as this passage would indicate.
Here John, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, is writing about one's
individual relationship to God through faith in Christ and therefore
meritorious works are not what is being evaluated as they are in Matthew.

In Matthew 25:31-46, (CF John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev.
20:11-15), along with the suggested references, are judgments of so-called
meritorious works of both the believer and the unbeliever.  The eternal
destiny of those referred to in each passage has already been determined
and all that remains is the degree of "reward" received by each
individual.   A careful examination of each context will reveal that both
believers and unbelievers will have varying degrees of reward or
punishment administered at the various judgments (2 Cor. 5:10, the
judgment-seat of Christ for believers as one example; and Rev. 20:11-15,
the judgment of the wicked dead at the Great White Throne as another.

It is important for our Bible study to be done with careful consideration
and not to lump everything together because it sounds similar to some
other passage of Scripture.

BTW, I aggree, "Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness."  Not only
in salvation but also with respect to our relationship to God in our daily
walk.  We also "walk by faith" and not according to the Decalogue.  All my
attempts to keep or compare myself with the Law results in failure and
frustration.  See Romans 6, 7, and 8 where Paul makes it very clear that
it is our mental attitude and relationship to God and the power of the
indwelling that that allows us to reflect the character of Christ in our
lives.

Grant
Listening for His shout! - First Thessalonians 4:16

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