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.
Things that are to be
65-1205 §60
And when a child of God, when that predestinated... That's a bad word to use but it's ... got to use God's Bible. The foreknowledge of God could predestinate, make everything work to His honor. When that predestinated seed that you was to be, and God calls you, and that little eagle of a seed in there heard the Word of God, it will build on top, one word on top the other one, on top the other one, on top the other one; it'll not mix with any creed. Notice, in these gates every day they should eat new kosher, and th...
Souls that are in prison now
63-1110M §111
She's a goddess. How the devil is at work! Why the Catholic people make them women, gods---pray to them. That's right, goddess Mary, and so forth. I see where in the Ecumenical Council they said that it would come to pass that they would pray a little more to Jesus if it would help the Protestants to come in. Oh, that sugar-coated-inchangeable, they say it... It's still the same old devil. The Bible said that "he caused all to receive a mark upon their forehead that didn't have their names written in the Lamb's Boo...
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
58-0928M §92
...f of thorns?" See? No, no. You draw figs off a fig trees, you get apples off a apple tree, you get thorns off a thorn tree. That's right. Now, listen real close now. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to His own ... to His good pleasure of His will. Having predestinated us... To the praises of His glory of His grace, wherein He has made us acceptable in the beloved. Who did it? Cause I quit drinking, because I quit smoking? No. He did it. He made me, before t...
Let your light so shine before men
61-0903 §46
So we must be like Him. Be careful what we do, what we say, what we do in our daily life, because we are sponsored by Christ. How ought we to walk if we're sponsored by Christ? What ought we to say if we're sponsored by Christ? If someone says evil against us, what must we say if we're sponsored by Christ? We must be like Christ, isn't that right? Now, now there's only one thing, another thing we must do---not the only thing but another thing---that we ministers must do: we must preach a gospel that's appealing to...
Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord
57-0629 §29
...e His servant tonight and declare Him right. God will make every sin that you ever committed ... the devil that's called your soul for his own. He will make the devil stand still tonight. Watch the power of God come down and take away your sin and iniquity and give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He'll surely do it. He will make every cancer drop. He'll make every blinded eye come open. He'll make the cripples walk. He will let the devil who afflicted you stand still and see the glory of God. It's not your battl...