a thought

[Don Maurer]

The question you ask is really bad bible teaching. There is nothing you can do to make yourself elect, either "inward" or "outward." In Romans 9:11 "for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth,"
Paul plainly states that Jacob was elected before his birth, and before he did anything good to become elect, or bad to be not elected. There is no such thing as "becoming elect."

Election occurred in eternity past (Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: ).
Notice in this verse that we are not elected because we are holy, but we are elected to holiness. We are holy because we are elect.

If you are elect, you cannot become unelected. Joh 6:37 All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Joh 6:39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

Finally, if your not elect you will certainly not be the one "forever searching and wanting to fill the God shaped hole we all have." Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;
The scriptures are clear that none seek after God. The unsaved, unregenerate man, loves his own rebellion against God and seeks only to suppress the truth (see Romans 1:18). The reference to "ask seek and knock" in Matthew refers only to believers in prayer, but unbelievers seeking God.

Election is not a work of man for God. Election is a choice of God based upon nothing in man, but totally upon the sovereign choice of God.

Another thought occurred to me. What if i wanted to be elect and did all the right things outwardly as well as inwardly really wanted to do what was right, could i become one if i wasnt? would God let me become an elect if i wasnt. would i be forever searching and wanting to fill the God shaped hole we all have but not be able to?

 

[The Righterzpen]

so how do you know for sure if you're elect or not?

The simplest answer to that question is: Are you obedient? Do you display fruits of repentance? Do you show forth your love to God by service to His people, of what ever your gifts and talents are?

Works do not save you; yet faith without them is dead. They are akin to the cart that comes after the horse. First you need the horse; (the horse is redemption). Redemption births within the individual the desire to obey God. Desire produces outward manifestations of obedience.

Now, I've noticed this particular phenomenon, as I look back over my Christian life of about the past 30ish years. I tend to encounter two types of "Christians". Ones who have their doctrine Scripturally orientated, but no real love and ones who are all emotion and no real understanding. When I encounter someone who is a balanced combination of both, those are the people I gravitate toward.

Absolutely we need solid Scriptural understanding to know who Christ is; and to get that, (in so much as we are capable) we have to study the Bible. Now grant it some people's inability to study the Scripture is lack of access. Some is a practicality of time. (Retired people have more time than a mother with 4 kids in diapers.) Some it's a matter of intellectual capacity. Someone with and IQ of 110 has a greater ability to access, process and intellectually understand Scriptures than someone with an IQ of 70. Although people who lack greater capacity don't necessarily lack faith; as well as having greater capacity does not guarantee having faith either. I've worked with developmentally disabled people who have greater faith than a lot of theologians I've seen!

Yet an intellectual understanding that fails to love the Lord who allegedly bought them, is amiss also. In the practical realm, that love is made manifest to other believers. We are called to be servants to each other. Yet if there is no emotional attachment to God; something there isn't right either.

"Zealots" fall into 2 categories too: People are either passionate about other's coming to understand God; or they are passionate about being "right". How do you tell the difference? Here's the "litmus test". People who are passionate about other's coming to know God will admit to you when they are wrong; or will admit to you when they don't know the answer to the question. (Let me research that before I answer. - That's a good / humble place to be.)

Now here is where the rubber really meets the road concerning "works" (love) manifesting a person's true faith: and these are examples of things that have really happened to me.

In the short explanation. I have a developmentally disabled child. Myself, husband and son were in a catastrophic car accident in 2010. That accident left me permanently mobility impaired. In the midst of this, my husband had a couple of affairs (marriage fell apart) and he committed suicide before the divorce was actually final.

Now In the midst of all THIS; I've had several "Christian" friends who seemed to have their doctrine strait. They would proclaim "we love you as a sister in Christ" but failed to come along beside me to help and support me. (And I'm not even talking about financially - I didn't need their financial help). When things got bad they walked out; because they couldn't "cope" with it. For what ever reason they believed God was punishing me. Now I had done absolutely nothing to warrant this accusation, except maybe have a child who displayed behavioral difficulties, the worst of which happened in school. (He has Autism.)

In general, I'd gotten the same thing from the church I was going to. (Although not from everyone.) I was the one many of the other "good Christian women" thought they needed to "fix"; because my life did not line up with what they thought a Christian should look like. I'm not a quiet "mousy" person. I'm a war veteran and for better or worse - I'm not afraid to speak my peace. I have been through a lot. God has taken care of us. Both my son and myself have strong faith and my biggest desire is to be useful to the Kingdom. So, basically i was a "Job" in a church mostly full of "Job's friends". Though they had their doctrine right; they failed to love me, is basically what it boiled down to.

So, I left that church; in search of a place where i can be useful. I do a lot of research of both historical stuff (some political) and Bible study. I also write Christian Science Fiction and I post stuff on the Internet.

So to answer "in short" your question about knowing if you're on of God's elect?

Are you obedient in "being a Barean" (Searching the Scriptures to know if these things are true.) Do you love God for what He's done and show forth that love by feeding His sheep. Do you have a desire to be useful to the Kingdom. Do you want to see people come to redemption, enough that you share the gospel with them? Do you come along side of other believers who are struggling and need support? Are you a friend to Christ, making that manifest by your care for others in the world around you?

I know you've posted a lot of questions in this forum and I hope what I've written gives you some of the answers you are looking for.

 

[twin1954]

The simplest answer to that question is: Are you obedient? Do you display fruits of repentance? Do you show forth your love to God by service to His people, of what ever your gifts and talents are?

Works do not save you; yet faith without them is dead. They are akin to the cart that comes after the horse. First you need the horse; (the horse is redemption). Redemption births within the individual the desire to obey God. Desire produces outward manifestations of obedience.

Now, I've noticed this particular phenomenon, as I look back over my Christian life of about the past 30ish years. I tend to encounter two types of "Christians". Ones who have their doctrine Scripturally orientated, but no real love and ones who are all emotion and no real understanding. When I encounter someone who is a balanced combination of both, those are the people I gravitate toward.

Absolutely we need solid Scriptural understanding to know who Christ is; and to get that, (in so much as we are capable) we have to study the Bible. Now grant it some people's inability to study the Scripture is lack of access. Some is a practicality of time. (Retired people have more time than a mother with 4 kids in diapers.) Some it's a matter of intellectual capacity. Someone with and IQ of 110 has a greater ability to access, process and intellectually understand Scriptures than someone with an IQ of 70. Although people who lack greater capacity don't necessarily lack faith; as well as having greater capacity does not guarantee having faith either. I've worked with developmentally disabled people who have greater faith than a lot of theologians I've seen!

Yet an intellectual understanding that fails to love the Lord who allegedly bought them, is amiss also. In the practical realm, that love is made manifest to other believers. We are called to be servants to each other. Yet if there is no emotional attachment to God; something there isn't right either.

"Zealots" fall into 2 categories too: People are either passionate about other's coming to understand God; or they are passionate about being "right". How do you tell the difference? Here's the "litmus test". People who are passionate about other's coming to know God will admit to you when they are wrong; or will admit to you when they don't know the answer to the question. (Let me research that before I answer. - That's a good / humble place to be.)

Now here is where the rubber really meets the road concerning "works" (love) manifesting a person's true faith: and these are examples of things that have really happened to me.

In the short explanation. I have a developmentally disabled child. Myself, husband and son were in a catastrophic car accident in 2010. That accident left me permanently mobility impaired. In the midst of this, my husband had a couple of affairs (marriage fell apart) and he committed suicide before the divorce was actually final.

Now In the midst of all THIS; I've had several "Christian" friends who seemed to have their doctrine strait. They would proclaim "we love you as a sister in Christ" but failed to come along beside me to help and support me. (And I'm not even talking about financially - I didn't need their financial help). When things got bad they walked out; because they couldn't "cope" with it. For what ever reason they believed God was punishing me. Now I had done absolutely nothing to warrant this accusation, except maybe have a child who displayed behavioral difficulties, the worst of which happened in school. (He has Autism.)

In general, I'd gotten the same thing from the church I was going to. (Although not from everyone.) I was the one many of the other "good Christian women" thought they needed to "fix"; because my life did not line up with what they thought a Christian should look like. I'm not a quiet "mousy" person. I'm a war veteran and for better or worse - I'm not afraid to speak my peace. I have been through a lot. God has taken care of us. Both my son and myself have strong faith and my biggest desire is to be useful to the Kingdom. So, basically i was a "Job" in a church mostly full of "Job's friends". Though they had their doctrine right; they failed to love me, is basically what it boiled down to.

So, I left that church; in search of a place where i can be useful. I do a lot of research of both historical stuff (some political) and Bible study. I also write Christian Science Fiction and I post stuff on the Internet.

So to answer "in short" your question about knowing if you're on of God's elect?

Are you obedient in "being a Barean" (Searching the Scriptures to know if these things are true.) Do you love God for what He's done and show forth that love by feeding His sheep. Do you have a desire to be useful to the Kingdom. Do you want to see people come to redemption, enough that you share the gospel with them? Do you come along side of other believers who are struggling and need support? Are you a friend to Christ, making that manifest by your care for others in the world around you?

I know you've posted a lot of questions in this forum and I hope what I've written gives you some of the answers you are looking for.

I am sorry but the SRiptures nowhere teach us to look for evidences. Its akin to, if not actually, legalism. The Gospel is simple. Believe on Christ. Nothing more and nothing less. We are to look to Christ for all because He is of God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption so that no man may glory. 1Cor. 1: 30-31.

BTW, welcome to the forums.

 

[The Righterzpen]

I am sorry but the SRiptures nowhere teach us to look for evidences. Its akin to, if not actually, legalism. The Gospel is simple. Believe on Christ. Nothing more and nothing less. We are to look to Christ for all because He is of God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption so that no man may glory. 1Cor. 1: 30-31.

BTW, welcome to the forums.

2 Peter 2:2-10

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

 

[The Righterzpen]

I am sorry but the SRiptures nowhere teach us to look for evidences. Its akin to, if not actually, legalism. The Gospel is simple. Believe on Christ. Nothing more and nothing less. We are to look to Christ for all because He is of God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption so that no man may glory. 1Cor. 1: 30-31.

BTW, welcome to the forums.

We are also told to repent. There's a boat load of verses about repentance. 2 Corinthians 7:10

Repent and believe:
Matthew 21:32,
Mark 1:15

 

[twin1954]

2 Peter 2:2-10

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Peter isn’t telling us to look for evidences but what will guard our hearts. Sheep never have to look to see if they have wool or if they sound like a sheep. They just naturally do what sheep do. That is, walk by faith not by sight. We are called to faith in Christ and the natural outcome of that faith, which flows from a new born creation, is a life of faith. We are told only once to examine ourselves to see that we are in the faith. That means that we are to make sure we are not misled or looking to anything but Christ. I don’t need evidence, I believe Christ. The glory of God shines in His face giving light to my heart and mind. I must have mercy and it can only be found in Christ. He is all in all to the wretched sinner. He is my salvation, my righteousness, my holiness, my sanctification, my peace and my God. He alone is enough for me and all who look to Him alone find assurance in Him.

 

[twin1954]

We are also told to repent. There's a boat load of verses about repentance. 2 Corinthians 7:10

Paul is speaking of the repentance of the chosen sinner in whose heart the Spirit has made known the great need of mercy. Moreover the verse isn’t a stand alone one. It is often used as a proof text but has a connection to the verses before it.

Repent and believe:
Matthew 21:32,
Mark 1:15

And what exactly was He telling them to repent of? He was telling them to repent of their religion. The same would apply to many today.

 

[twin1954]

Do you read or listen to a lot of John MacArthur?

 

[The Righterzpen]

Peter isn’t telling us to look for evidences but what will guard our hearts. Sheep never have to look to see if they have wool or if they sound like a sheep. They just naturally do what sheep do. That is, walk by faith not by sight. We are called to faith in Christ and the natural outcome of that faith, which flows from a new born creation, is a life of faith. We are told only once to examine ourselves to see that we are in the faith. That means that we are to make sure we are not misled or looking to anything but Christ. I don’t need evidence, I believe Christ. The glory of God shines in His face giving light to my heart and mind. I must have mercy and it can only be found in Christ. He is all in all to the wretched sinner. He is my salvation, my righteousness, my holiness, my sanctification, my peace and my God. He alone is enough for me and all who look to Him alone find assurance in Him.

I think what you are missing is that when we are told to "make our calling and election sure" and "examine ourselves as to weather or not we are in the faith".

This isn't a "do this to prove that you believe". It's if you see that you lack fruit of the Spirit, you lack morality; than it is legitimate to question whether or not you are actually redeemed.

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; yet perfect love casts out fear. So the longer one walks in sanctification, (which your being sanctified is done by God Himself). We know that we belong to Him when we are chastised of Him. If we do not feel the compulsion to walk in obedience than something is wrong, because faith without works is dead. You proclaim to me that you have faith, yet I prove to you my faith by my works.

Sheep don't have to look if they have wool or if they sound like sheep... But our natural inclination is not to be sheep.

If you first come to faith and you read that without holiness no one will see God. If you are regenerated, your inclination will be: God teach me to be holy. Teach me to understand what holiness is because I do not want to offend You. You bought me with a price (and that was a hefty price) I'm to glorify you in my body. Sin does not glorify God and if my life is full of unrepentant sin something is wrong.

We do not clean ourselves up to become worthy. The Holy Spirit does the cleaning, yet make no mistake the Holy Spirit cleans.

 

[The Righterzpen]

Do you read or listen to a lot of John MacArthur?

Yes, I am familiar with McArther, RC Sproul and many other reformed preachers. I've been to many reformed churches through the years. i've been a "Calvinist" for most of my Christian life.

 

[The Righterzpen]

Paul is speaking of the repentance of the chosen sinner in whose heart the Spirit has made known the great need of mercy. Moreover the verse isn’t a stand alone one. It is often used as a proof text but has a connection to the verses before it.

And what exactly was He telling them to repent of? He was telling them to repent of their religion. The same would apply to many today.

All throughout the New Testament people are told to repent of many things; not just false religion.

 

[twin1954]

I think what you are missing is that when we are told to "make our calling and election sure" and "examine ourselves as to weather or not we are in the faith".

This isn't a "do this to prove that you believe". It's if you see that you lack fruit of the Spirit, you lack morality; than it is legitimate to question whether or not you are actually redeemed.

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; yet perfect love casts out fear. So the longer one walks in sanctification, (which your being sanctified is done by God Himself). We know that we belong to Him when we are chastised of Him. If we do not feel the compulsion to walk in obedience than something is wrong, because faith without works is dead. You proclaim to me that you have faith, yet I prove to you my faith by my works.

Sheep don't have to look if they have wool or if they sound like sheep... But our natural inclination is not to be sheep.

If you first come to faith and you read that without holiness no one will see God. If you are regenerated, your inclination will be: God teach me to be holy. Teach me to understand what holiness is because I do not want to offend You. You bought me with a price (and that was a hefty price) I'm to glorify you in my body. Sin does not glorify God and if my life is full of unrepentant sin something is wrong.

We do not clean ourselves up to become worthy. The Holy Spirit does the cleaning, yet make no mistake the Holy Spirit cleans.

Yet we are a new creation, not a reformed old creation, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph 4:20-32. We have a new nature that cannot sin, 1John3:9. We are born of God and naturally do that which our new nature dictates. The old man does not need to be taken to the hospital to be cured of his wretchedness but to the cross to be put to death. Sanctification is not a process by which we become more holy or righteous but a one time act of God by which we are made a new creation.

There are no degrees to righteousness or to holiness. You can’t be almost holy, you are unholy. You can’t be almost righteous, you are unrighteous. You either are or you are not.

When I say sheep act like sheep I mean that we do that which is natural to our new nature. You must always drive goats. That is what so many preachers are trying to do. But sheep follow the Shepherd because it is their nature. When you try to drive sheep you scatter them.

Christ Jesus the Lord is all my wisdom,righteousness, sanctification and redemption. All the blessings of God are in Him. He is enough for the Father and enough for me. That is why those who were told to inherit the kingdom prepared for them didn’t even know that they had done any of the work,s Christ Jesus said that they did.

Looking for evidence is tantamount to questioning the promise of God. He said Christ is all and I believe Him.

 

[twin1954]

All throughout the New Testament people are told to repent of many things; not just false religion.

I would ask that you give me some references that I may look at. Not too many though, I don’t have th,e time to go through a whole mess of passages. Thanks

 

[Hazelelponi]

Yet we are a new creation, not a reformed old creation, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph 4:20-32. We have a new nature that cannot sin, 1John3:9. We are born of God and naturally do that which our new nature dictates. The old man does not need to be taken to the hospital to be cured of his wretchedness but to the cross to be put to death. Sanctification is not a process by which we become more holy or righteous but a one time act of God by which we are made a new creation.

There are no degrees to righteousness or to holiness. You can’t be almost holy, you are unholy. You can’t be almost righteous, you are unrighteous. You either are or you are not.

When I say sheep act like sheep I mean that we do that which is natural to our new nature. You must always drive goats. That is what so many preachers are trying to do. But sheep follow the Shepherd because it is their nature. When you try to drive sheep you scatter them.

Christ Jesus the Lord is all my wisdom,righteousness, sanctification and redemption. All the blessings of God are in Him. He is enough for the Father and enough for me. That is why those who were told to inherit the kingdom prepared for them didn’t even know that they had done any of the work,s Christ Jesus said that they did.

Looking for evidence is tantamount to questioning the promise of God. He said Christ is all and I believe Him.

Your trying to apply the sanctification through Christ that God sees when He looks at us, to what others see and that won't work because other people are not God.

Being sanctified doesn't make you a perfect person it just makes you sanctified.

 

[twin1954]

Yes, I am familiar with McArther, RC Sproul and many other reformed preachers. I've been to many reformed churches through the years. i've been a "Calvinist" for most of my Christian life.

I am a Baptist who holds to historical Baptist Covenant Theology. I do not identify as Reformed because I differ with them on the law as a rule of life and on progressive sanctification. I do not adhere to either the Westminster or 1689 London confessions. My theology is more like John Gill. The men you mentioned were, at least some of them, nice men who I would call brethren. Again I would disagree with men such as Sproul, Piper and others on some things. MacArthur I consider a heretic because of his Dispensationalism and his legalist Lordship Salvation.

 

[twin1954]

Your trying to apply the sanctification through Christ that God sees when He looks at us, to what others see and that won't work because other people are not God.

Being sanctified doesn't make you a perfect person it just makes you sanctified.

Not really. The word sanctifyor sanctification has only three connotations or uses in Scripture. The word normally means to be set apart for God. The elect are set apart for God in eternal electing love. Another example would be the vessels in the Tabernacle. They were sanctified in their being chosen for that use.

The second use of the word is to to be set apart as holy to God. Again I use the vessels as an example. Nothing physically changed in their makeup or nature. They were simply set apart as holy to God.

The third use of the word was to be set apart and made holy by God. In this use the things set apart have their very nature changed. I will have to find the passage which would give us a better understanding.

Sanctified or sanctification is never used to identify a process. It is always an act of God.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Not really. The word sanctifyor sanctification has only three connotations or uses in Scripture. The word normally means to be set apart for God. The elect are set apart for God in eternal electing love. Another example would be the vessels in the Tabernacle. They were sanctified in their being chosen for that use.

The second use of the word is to to be set apart as holy to God. Again I use the vessels as an example. Nothing physically changed in their makeup or nature. They were simply set apart as holy to God.

The third use of the word was to be set apart and made holy by God. In this use the things set apart have their very nature changed. I will have to find the passage which would give us a better understanding.

Sanctified or sanctification is never used to identify a process. It is always an act of God.

Your not wrong, I simply believe your not looking at the whole view.

However, my husband declared, that as I have not studied systematic theology enough, I'm going to get into a contest of sorts, and lose if we continue along this path, so it is considered by those who know me most, for it to be best for me to bow out and allow the more theologically educated to discuss this topic with you in full.

Lovely meeting you, and God bless.

 

[redleghunter]

The third use of the word was to be set apart and made holy by God. In this use the things set apart have their very nature changed. I will have to find the passage which would give us a better understanding.

I believe the above is where the term process comes from.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

so its based on your feelings?

I'd like to quickly respond to the question. It is based on God and whether or not He regenerates a person. In other words, from our perspective, whether or not we have experienced the "born again" experience, which will result in changes to the heart, mind, and soul. So while it is not based on feelings, it does result in changes to feelings from changes to the heart and mind. These are good signs of a changed life pointing to the miracle of conversion to faith in Christ and his righteousness while walking in the good works prepared beforehand by God. Of course there are many counterfeit experiences and instances of self-deception, but God can be the judge of those, He knows the truth.

 

[The Righterzpen]

Yet we are a new creation, not a reformed old creation, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph 4:20-32. We have a new nature that cannot sin, 1John3:9. We are born of God and naturally do that which our new nature dictates. The old man does not need to be taken to the hospital to be cured of his wretchedness but to the cross to be put to death. Sanctification is not a process by which we become more holy or righteous but a one time act of God by which we are made a new creation.

There are no degrees to righteousness or to holiness. You can’t be almost holy, you are unholy. You can’t be almost righteous, you are unrighteous. You either are or you are not.

When I say sheep act like sheep I mean that we do that which is natural to our new nature. You must always drive goats. That is what so many preachers are trying to do. But sheep follow the Shepherd because it is their nature. When you try to drive sheep you scatter them.

Christ Jesus the Lord is all my wisdom,righteousness, sanctification and redemption. All the blessingsHe of God are in Him. He is enough for the Father and enough for me. That is why those who were told to inherit the kingdom prepared for them didn’t even know that they had done any of the work,s Christ Jesus said that they did.

Looking for evidence is tantamount to questioning the promise of God. He said Christ is all and I believe Him.

Define what you mean by "We have a new nature that can not sin." Are you saying that you don't sin? For if you say you have no sin, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. (1 John 1:8)

He that says I know Him and keeps not His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:4)

Sanctification is a process. Becoming holy (holier in this life) is a process. (Romans 6:18, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 2 Peter 3:18) All these verses talk about sanctification being a process that takes place as part of the natural course in this current life of a person who's been redeemed.

2 Timothy 2:21
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Now sheep acting like sheep isn't exactly a compliment because "We all like sheep have gone astray." (Sheep aren't very smart and this is why they need to be herded.)

To say Jesus is my wisdom, my righteousness, my sanctification and my redemption, does not mean anything if there is no manifestation of that in your life.

"He was enough for the Father..... " Yet Jesus "learned obedience through the things that he suffered;"

Hebrews 5:
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

8 Though he were a Son, yet LEARNED he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Philippines 2:8
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and BECAME obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Because of his obedience Jesus obtained the right to reign. He could have made all sorts of claims, all sorts of truthful claims; but they didn't mean anything if he didn't rise from the dead. For if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain and you are yet in your sin. 1 Corinthians 15:17

Looking for evidence is not "tantamount to questioning the promises of God" because those promises only apply to those who are obedient. This is why Jesus said "If you love me, you'll keep my commandments." John 14:15