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.
Power of transformation
65-1031M §118
One day when the world lay in darkness and chaos again, the Spirit of God moved upon ... and the predestinated seed, a predestinated seed, the predestinated---it was transformed. It took Isaiah 9:6. Now that prophet standing there: what a man that had a sway over the nations! The people, the religious people of his days, believed him. Not all of them. They never do. But this prophet... They had seen that man speak things, and it was exactly right. What he said was perfect, and it come to pass. And here this man has...
Works is faith expressed
65-1126 §55
Now, here, predestinated plan is in plain view. Just as other seed, the Word of God is a seed and must have the ground prepared beforehand. If you sowed seed, just throwed it out there on the ground, it would do no good. The birds would pick it up. You throw it among thistles and thorns, it'll choke it out pretty soon. Jesus' parable said so. So the ground has to be made ready first. So God, in sovereign grace, prepares the heart first. He prepared you before the foundation of the world to receive Him in this age....
Jehovah-Jireh
55-0222 §45
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Christ is revealed in His own Word
65-0822M §53
Now, in order to study the Scripture---Paul told Timothy, "Study it, rightly dividing the Word of God which is truth." Them is three "musts" in the Scripture. In using God's Word there is three things that you must not do. Now, let's study those for the next ten minutes: Three things that you must not do. And all out in the land wherever you are across the nation, be sure to put these down in your mind if you haven't got a pencil. You must not do these things. We tell you all the time how you must do; now, I'm goin...
Spiritual Amnesia
64-0411 §31
I must never forget this. If I want to remain a true American citizen, I must remember that I am what my nation is, for I'm identified with my nation. To (forget) her or, to fight for her, to die for her, or to stand for all she stands for, I must stand for it. What my nation is, I am. What it stands for, I stand for it. To be a loyal American I'll be ready to die for it, fight for it, stand for it ---do anything there is. I'm part of it. You can't pick on it without picking on me. When you say something against it...