If I Am Predestinated, Why Must I Still Strive?
1) Direct Answer
Yes, you must strive. Predestination is not a license to drift; it is God’s purpose that you be holy, overcome, and walk in obedience. The very proof of predestination is that you press on.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- The Bible says we were “chosen…that we should be holy” (Ephesians 1:4) and “predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). That calls for a life, not laziness.
- “Make your calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). If election were a reason to coast, the Scripture would not tell you to confirm it by diligence.
- “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you” (Philippians 2:12-13). His work in you makes you work it out.
- Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). The predestinated sheep are marked by following.
- “Strive to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:24). The narrow way is not careless—it’s earnest.
- “Follow peace… and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
- Grace “teaches us… to deny ungodliness” and to live soberly and godly (Titus 2:11-12).
- “Shall we continue in sin…? God forbid” (Romans 6:1-2). Real grace never excuses sin.
- The overcomer promises are to those who overcome, not to the indifferent (Revelation 2–3).
- The Bride is shown as those who came through and overcame—washed, faithful, serving, reigning (Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 20:4). That is a life of victory, not apathy.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Predestination sets the end, and God also ordains the means to that end. He ordained repentance, faith, obedience, holiness, prayer, suffering, correction, and perseverance as the pathway of the elect. The same God who wrote your name also writes your walk.
- You don’t strive to become the elect; you strive because the elect Seed is in you. Life presses. A lamb nature follows the Shepherd; a holy calling produces a holy living.
- If someone says, “If I’m predestinated, I can live as I please,” ask: Where is the fear of God? Where is the chastening that God gives sons? (Hebrews 12:6-8). Where is the following of the Voice? (John 10:27). The foundation of God stands sure—“Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19).
- Faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Works don’t save, but they show the life that does.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Election gives assurance, not apathy. The Bride is ordained to overcome; therefore she strives. The Seed in you makes you walk, war, and win.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Adoption, part 2: Manifested sons of God
60-0518 §104
Manasseh can't take his land. I can't have a healing service when half of the ... when I go out there and preach the baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, and the trinitarian brethren saying, "Oh, he's old 'Jesus Only.'" And I can't go over here and have a divine healing when half of them says, "Divine healing's all right..." And a lot of them enjoy the miracles of the Lord, and say, "Well, I believe Brother Branham's a prophet, but let me tell you something. As long as the Spirit is on him, and he's discerning, he'...
Perseverance
63-0113E §53
Jannes and Jambres threw their rod down, turned into a snake. There was those men, just as honorable as they could be, did exactly what God told them to do, and there come a bunch of impersonation of them---throwed down their rods. Only thing they could do was stand still and see the glory of God. Amen. God'll stand by it. If He sent you and you're sure of it, you're going to achieve the work that God predestinated for you to do. You'll stand there, and God'll take every carnal impersonator away from you. Right. St...
Ye must be born again
58-0619B §12
...ed man was saying not long ago for me in a convention ... or, meeting, and he said, something another, said, "I talked it over with the Lord a long time ago. And I told Him if there's anything wrong with me, let me get it right now because I don't want no trouble at the river." I think that well expresses what I'm trying to say, "Let's talk it over now so we won't have no trouble at the river, because you can't backtrack then, see. Let's be more sure right now." And so when Jesus said to this great ruler, "Ye must...
Why are we not a denomination?
58-0927 §179
So, I've got the insurance that tells me, "I bring all the Father has given Me, are Mine." I don't care what my daddy done, what my mama done, what anything was, "All the Father gives Me will come to Me, and no man can come unless My Father draws him." Hallelujah! Why did He know them for? "I foreknew them before the foundation of the world. When I slayed the Lamb, I slayed him with Him." Amen. "I predestinated the church." What's got predestination? The church. How do you get in the church? "By one Spirit we're al...
Hebrews, Chapter 6, part 3
57-0915M §47
...It's God's election that does it. "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him." That's right. And all Jesus come to do was to get these that the Father foreknew; and predestinated them before the foundation of the world, to become sons and daughters of God. Amen. "Not him that runneth or him that willeth, but God that showeth mercy." It's God that does it! You can't brag at all. There's not a thing that you did; God, by grace, saved you---not you, yourself; if you do, you got something to brag about. But you...