We undoubtedly make this more difficult than it is. Look at it in a very straightforward way. All men are going to stand before the eternal judge. Ultimately no one knows who is assuredly going to be given eternal life in its full effects or who will be judged eternally. But the sole difference is whether we genuinely know Christ. He will either say to come in my blessed child and receive your white robes or depart from me I never knew you. Consequently, in this sense religious formalism has little to do with real saving knowledge.

 The gospel is geared toward saving and not judgement. Instead of blurring the lines between salvation and judgement the bible teaches salvation is better than we could ever imagine and judgement is worse than we could ever imagine. If we try to reduce the objective reality of this then we really are not in step with genuinely moving toward salvation. Seeking salvation is the accurate knowledge of it even if we do not experience it. Maintaining the accurate knowledge of salvation is the only hope of being saved. He came to save and not condemn. So salvation is geared toward eternal rewards and not punishment. Our wish for universal love will water down the attitude of Gods standard of goodness which we avoid anything to prevent us from experiencing that goodness. Consequently, salvation is found outside of ourselves in exalting God.

 In seeking salvation, we face the reality that men will try to keep us from obtaining it. There is nothing wrong with vicariously experiencing separation unto God. There is nothing wrong with always confessing that if all men unanimously rejected salvation that we would earnestly seek it in-spite of them. Our humble confession is "do not drag me away with the wicked."This is in the Lords prayer "lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil."God demands what He gives. Theres a considerable difference between the questions posed to God out of unbelief and the sincere questions in the context of these presuppositions and in step with salvation that command faith. He leads in a way in which we follow. The whole race of mankind is only able when God gives.