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.
Faith
56-0427 §64
What if you were predestinated or predestined by foreknowledge to never receive Christ? You know that's so. The Bible said that men of old was foreordained to this condemnation to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jude the 4th verse). Yes, what if that was you that God never did speak to your heart? What if that was you, sinner, and when you go out of this church tonight walking down the street yonder, and drop over dead? What if they call the doctor, and he comes and says, "Well, there's nothing to do, mo...
Future home of the heavenly Bridegroom and the earthly Bride
64-0802 §125
...e the Bible"? Sure, but he couldn't recognize the expressed Word of the hour. He only had a intellectual learning from some group that'd been back before him. And it's the same thing today. See? I know that's strong but it's the truth. There was the Word, as spoken exactly for that day, and he... Yet he was a scholar; yet, he was a renown person, but he could not recognize it. Why? No matter how scholar he was, anything like that, he still didn't have representation of predestination. See? Only the predestinated wi...
Ye must be born again
58-0619B §45
Then, if sin has marred it and God cannot be defeated, then people are coming on the earth by a perverted way, but still, God's lumber is being used up. The potash, calcium and stuff He lets us eat it from ... and by your ... till the soil, and by the sweat of your brow you'll make your living. But man come just exactly the same, just exactly. God still has His purpose in His mind. Now what happens? If the Holy Spirit brought me and you on this earth this morning ... or, you and I, rather, on this earth and made us...
How can I overcome?
63-0825M §94
You know, one time the mother of James and John---we won't have time to read it---the mother of James and John came and asked for this place. Do you know that? You remember that? "Lord, let my son sit on one side, and my other son sit on the other." There's a mother's desire for her sons. But watch? But that place, Jesus said, was predestinated. This position was not in existence at that time. Why? Notice, it will be granted to them who it is meant for. Watch! The one that set at the right hand and the other closes...
Taking sides with Jesus
62-0601 §112
Like that blind boy... Said, "This was done that the works of God might be made manifest," see. He knowed what was going to take place. Sure He did. All right. Now, the predestinated, when they seen His scriptural signs, knowed that the Word vindicated the works ... or, the works vindicated the Word, that the Word was right; they were predestinated to see it, and they were right in line to see it, and they got it. Then they said... after they'd seen they couldn't get nowhere, because the people that's predestinated...