In 1505, Martin Luther (1483-1546) was traveling by foot when he was struck to the ground by lightning. He cried out, “Save me, St. Anne, I will become a monk.” Luther ended his training as a lawyer and became a monk in Erfurt. He slept on a steel cot to merit salvation by works. He confessed his sins to his priest for three and four hours every day. He would get his absolution only on the way back to remember a sin he forgot to confess and would fall back into despair.
Read morePerseverance versus Preservation
Advocates of the doctrine of perseverance teach that the believer must persevere to the end in holiness of character, love for God and the brethren, and belief in the doctrines of Scripture.
On the other hand, proponents of the doctrine of preservation teach that God keeps the believer saved even if he does not persevere to the end of his Christian life in holiness, love, and truth. Not enduring to the end is not normal for believers but there are examples in Scripture of believers who walked not with God at the end in holiness, love, and truth.
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