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.
Trying to do God a service without it being God's will
65-1127B §109
I can say, "Glory to God! The Holy Ghost fell on me, hallelujah, just like it did on the day of Pentecost." But that might be different today. It fell on David, too, didn't it? Sure, it did. Fell on Uzziah, but it was wrong! See, you got to go deeper than that now. See? You got to go deeper than that. Now, don't feel hurt, just be reverent. And notice, and it also must come to the man of God's choosing. Not a denominational choosing, not a people choosing, but according to God's choosing. And if it's a message from...
Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord
57-0629 §39
All right, where's Brother Sothmann and... Just stand still for the next fifteen, twenty minutes. What a challenge. Here we are, here's the display that when Christ must show Himself alive. If I only teach you a word and the word does not manifest the one who spoke it, then the word's no more than any other written words. If this Bible doesn't live tonight in this tabernacle, then it isn't God's promise. Then Buddha has just as much right, and the followers of Buddha. Mohammed has just as much right ... Mohammedans...
Wisdom versus Faith
62-0401 §188
...word of God is real to you? Oh, brother how's Satan going to stand against that? How's he going to stop that from growing? How's he going to keep them signs from following. Why, you could throw them in jail. If you could... I don't care what you do, they done tried it. They rotted in the jails; they was fed to lions; they were sawed asunder; they were burnt to pieces. You can't kill it (right!), a church that's predestinated. "Those who He foreknew (like He did Jesus), He has called; those who He called, He has jus...
Seals 9: Questions and Answers on the Seals
63-0324M §138
QUESTION: Will any that are not predestinated accept the Lord? If they do, will they fall away? Not if they're predestinated, no. They couldn't.
Blasphemous Names
62-1104M §63
I believe there is a bride that's predestinated. I believe God said He would have a church without spot or wrinkle. I believe in predestination: that the bride is predestinated; she's got to be there. I hope I'm with her. That's ... see. I'm with her. Now, it's up to me to work out my own salvation with God until these things are approved of God and then sealed into the kingdom of God. There's the Holy Spirit. There's the genuine works of God. It's sealed until the day of redemption. That was her dream. I thought i...