Can life on earth be likened to a sting operation?

Is it consistent with the Holy Bible to believe that God uses this period to see who is a rebel and who is not; that is, to believe that the reason that God has created the Universe, which is temporary, is to get to know people properly before welcoming anyone into His eternal kingdom?

What about predestination? A closer examination of the key text about predestination in the New Testament, Romans 8:28-30, indicates that when God foreordains a person to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, that does not mean that this person will cooperate [1]. Indeed, the same author and letter warns: 

You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. (Romans 11:19-22, NKJV)

The same warning of conditional salvation (rather than predetermined, unconditional salvation) is given for example by Paul in another letter:

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12, NKJV)

An interesting modern-historical parallel to such "sting-operation testing" is the practice of putting military candidates into jungles, under observation, upon the premise that any key character flaws will emerge under such constant, dire pressure.[2]
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Notes
[1] See the translation of Romans 8:28-30 at Christ Family Bible.

[2] This is drawn from a Channel 5 series about one of the UK's elite military forces ("Secrets of the S.A.S.: In Their Own Words", 2016).

NKJV: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.