Old Testament saints were born again.

[LoveofTruth]

Please refrain from saying what God can (and cannot) do.
News Flash:
God can do anything He wishes, to anyone He wishes,
at any time he wishes, and many etc.
And dese peoples don't need to have His indwelling Spirit to qualify.

However God CANNOT lie, or change or deny himself, or do any iniquity etc.

 

[LoveofTruth]

What IS that perfecting?

Arsenios

Being made perfect can also relate to the conscience (with knowledge) they did not have a perfect conscience in OT because the finished work of Christ was not yet done. Now we have a pure and perfect conscience or knowledge of the work done and a full assurance.

We read these things here,

Hebrews 9:9, 14 “Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

 

[LoveofTruth]

IMO, it was possible for people in the OT
to be declared righteous by God ...
without having God's Spirit indwelling them.

God declared that the new covenant would be a new and better covenant.
This was because believers would be new creations
with the indwelling Holy Spirit, Who would lead them
and guide them into all righteousness.

There is NO comparison between OT saints and
NT saints who have had their sin nature removed
and have been thus enabled to live righteously.
Plus, they have God's Spirit inside to help them.

Only a very few OT saints were able to do this
without the indwelling Holy Spirit to help them.

Consider

Psalm 40:10. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.”

Isaiah 54:17. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Isaiah 51:7. Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.”

Psalm 97:10-12 “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 12. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”

 

[LoveofTruth]

Also, in regards to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within the Old Testament saints: What do you make of Genesis 41:38, Numbers 27:18, Isaiah 63:11, Ezekiel 11:19, and Ezekiel 36:26-27?

In addition, while John 14:23 is not talking about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it does show that both God the Father and the Son of God had the capacity to indwell believers before Christ's crucifixion (Which would have been the time of the Old Covenant still). For Jesus essentially says that both the Father and the Son were able to make their abode (or home) within a person if they love God by keeping His words.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:23).


...

Yes, this is a key that many miss they will be locked out of the right understanding without this key

 

[LoveofTruth]

Yes, this is so obvious, how can anyone even argue about it?

The Holy Spirit is the "another Helper" (John 14) on earth
... Who replaces the original One on earth (Jesus).

All of this is in the context of the new covenant, of course.
The Holy Spirit coming inside believers replaces Jesus who was on the outside.

)

Jesus and the Father were inside every believer before the Acts two baptism with the Holy Ghost, As scripture shows.

John 15:4-7 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Matthew 10:20. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”