One's "latter end" and Perseverance

"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." (II Peter 2:20 KJV)

This verse overthrows the reasoning of our Hardshell brothers who oppose the doctrine of the sure and certain perseverance of the saints. How so?

To demonstrate this, let me quote from a Hardshell elder with whom we have had some interaction over the past few months.

In "Avoiding Extremes" by Elder Ben Winslett (see here), Winslett wrote:

"While controversy often results in precision in how theology is expressed, we must be careful not rush to the opposite extreme of that which we disagree. There is a ditch on each side of the road. Opposing an idea by swerving to the opposite extreme renders one in just as much error as he initially and rightly rejected.

Example:

Error 1 - Every born again person - bar none - will grow in sanctification and holiness to the extent that they are effectively "supersaints" by the time they die."

Winslet thinks that if one's "latter end" of life is not better, but is the same or worse than at first conversion, that this does not mean he is not one of the elect. If there is little or no growth during the Christian life of a professor, then we should not conclude that this is evidence that the person was never truly saved.

The position of Winslett and the Hardshells is that many of those who are "elect and called" actually fit the description of those false professors as given by Peter, whose "latter end" is worse than when they were first converted.

He doesn't believe that the elect will be made to persevere in allegiance to Jesus, and thus, many of the elect live in sin and do not persevere, and in fact leave this world in a worse state than when they were first converted. But what does Peter say? "The latter end is worse than the beginning" with those described as "washed pigs" and "vomit eating dogs." But, if this is likewise true of the truly called, then Peter's reasoning amounts to nothing.

What think ye?