You raise a very important point.
It's easy to look at passages you have mentioned and take it out of context.
But as a man who fell foul of this I can understand how easy it is to fall foul.
There are many reasons why people do, and to be honest I do not feel its intentional.
My having to work hard in order to be loved and accepted was based on my life's experiences.
I must work harder, harder and harder.
If I fell foul then God was gonna come down on me like a ton of bricks.
A beating was coming and at some point God was gonna say "You stupid ########, it's no wonder I don't love you, I only accept you because of my son Jesus, of only you could be like him, then I know you love me"
Now that was my thoughts based on life's experiences. And that is shocking, but was real to me.
Now I have been set free from that, not fully but still working through the old deep rooted mindset.
Now what at me free?
When I read Jesus saying "God loves me as much as he him"
I questioned myself as to did I love God and Jesus, because after all I wasn't perfect.
I spent the first 28 years of my Christian life thinking I'd committed the unforgivable sin.
So it easy to fall into the trap to work hard in order to be loved, accepted and saved.
Jesus said "If you love me, you will"
When I think of my kids.
Do they obey to still be my kids?
No they do not.
They obey because they love me.
They don't get it right all of the time but they still know they are my kids and I am their dad.
So our works should always be based on "Because we love" nothing more or nothing less.
We are saved by faith unto good works.
When Jesus seperates the sheep and goats the sheep are those whose works are those based on love.
We do not do works to be saved or loved, we do works because we are loved and saved.
His love in us outworking to others.
If we could work our way to heaven then Jesus would have said so.
But he did not.
He said believe in me for the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to the Father through faith in him.
As a result works will follow.
People works do not save.
Faith in Jesus for forgiveness of sins save and as a result works will follow and fruit will grow.
Look at the concourse between Jesus and Peter when Jesus restored him.
The first 2 times Jesus asked Peter "Do you Agape me?
Peter responded twice with "I Phileo you"
To which the 3rd time Jesus used Phileo and Peter gets upset.
The point is that Peter went on to good works, growing from Phileo to Agape.
Works based in love.
It's easy to look at passages you have mentioned and take it out of context.
But as a man who fell foul of this I can understand how easy it is to fall foul.
There are many reasons why people do, and to be honest I do not feel its intentional.
My having to work hard in order to be loved and accepted was based on my life's experiences.
I must work harder, harder and harder.
If I fell foul then God was gonna come down on me like a ton of bricks.
A beating was coming and at some point God was gonna say "You stupid ########, it's no wonder I don't love you, I only accept you because of my son Jesus, of only you could be like him, then I know you love me"
Now that was my thoughts based on life's experiences. And that is shocking, but was real to me.
Now I have been set free from that, not fully but still working through the old deep rooted mindset.
Now what at me free?
When I read Jesus saying "God loves me as much as he him"
I questioned myself as to did I love God and Jesus, because after all I wasn't perfect.
I spent the first 28 years of my Christian life thinking I'd committed the unforgivable sin.
So it easy to fall into the trap to work hard in order to be loved, accepted and saved.
Jesus said "If you love me, you will"
When I think of my kids.
Do they obey to still be my kids?
No they do not.
They obey because they love me.
They don't get it right all of the time but they still know they are my kids and I am their dad.
So our works should always be based on "Because we love" nothing more or nothing less.
We are saved by faith unto good works.
When Jesus seperates the sheep and goats the sheep are those whose works are those based on love.
We do not do works to be saved or loved, we do works because we are loved and saved.
His love in us outworking to others.
If we could work our way to heaven then Jesus would have said so.
But he did not.
He said believe in me for the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to the Father through faith in him.
As a result works will follow.
People works do not save.
Faith in Jesus for forgiveness of sins save and as a result works will follow and fruit will grow.
Look at the concourse between Jesus and Peter when Jesus restored him.
The first 2 times Jesus asked Peter "Do you Agape me?
Peter responded twice with "I Phileo you"
To which the 3rd time Jesus used Phileo and Peter gets upset.
The point is that Peter went on to good works, growing from Phileo to Agape.
Works based in love.
After being held captive to a false system of beliefs, you must really understand well the people who are in the same place. Were you set free from this in an instance or was it over a period of months or years. I would like to know what brought you out of this world of uncertainty and darkness. What one thing do you attribute to your being set free, the leading of the Holy Spirit without doubt.
God bless you BillG, you have an amazing testimony.