Hi Doug,
The Comforter is another name for God's spirit. It was "poured out" at the time of pentecost. That doesn't mean that no one ever had the Holy Spirit before.
I think that the Holy Spirit certainly worked with/upon people in the OT, but there is no other way to be saved accept through Jesus Christ, He is key and absolutely necessary in the process. I know the God of the OT is who became Jesus Christ, but He was not yet Jesus Christ who died on the cross as a sacrifice for sin before He was born of Mary.
John 10:1 Truly, truly, I say to you, He who does not enter into the sheepfold by the door (Jesus Christ), but going up by another way, that one is a thief and a robber.
Rom 5:10 For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
v. 11 And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Here are a few places where Ray speaks on this.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php?topic=3120.0 ---------------------------
Acts 4:12 And there is no salvation in any other one, for neither is there any other name, given under heaven among men, in which we must be saved."
The word "must" (Greek means 'necessary, behooves, binding') shows that salvation
can not come by or through any other ways or means, than the NAME of Jesus Christ, ONLY.
Hence, the emphasis upon that Name. Jews, for example, cannot be saved in the Name of "God" aside from the Name of Jesus as John Hagee teaches. They MUST acknowledge the "Name" of Jesus Christ.
http://bible-truths.com/part2.htm -----------------------------------
And here is their only salvation:
"And there is NO salvation in any other one, for neither is there any other name, given under heaven among men, in which we MUST be saved." (Acts 4:12)
How could anyone have the audacity to suggest that Africans and Chinese by the billions are responsible for their own salvation through their "conscience" without any knowledge of God or Christ's blood and His sacrifice for them? If a person can be saved by his "conscience," then he doesn't need Jesus Christ. Do you really want to teach such a farce?
Look at the twelve hand-picked Apostles. They walked and talked with Jesus day and night, seeing miracle after miracle for three and one-half years. Yet in Gethsemane they all forsook Him. Peter cursed His Savior three times in one night. And you would have us believe that man, in himself, has the ability to do right and walk the walk and qualify for salvation? You might respond: "But I never said that." Sure you did. You only say it's all of God and pretend to give God all the credit for salvation, but in the end, your teaching always holds man responsible for his own salvation. Why else did you invent your own analogy?
According to modern Christian teaching, if the twelve Apostles had all been killed that night in the Garden by the Roman soldiers, they would have all gone to "Hell!" Theologians would say: "They had their chance." Well, if salvation is a thing of "chance" then I guess they had a better "chance" than most people. But they blew their "chance" didn't they? Why can't we learn from these simple Scriptures? These twelve Apostles lived closer and longer in an intimate relationship with our Lord than any other human beings in the history of the World, and yet, after three and one-half years they all rejected and forsook Him, all in one night.
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2385.0.html --------------------
John the Baptist will not be in the Kingdom before us. And that goes for all the patriarchs of old. Heb. 11 proves that none of them received the promises to them and furthermore, it proves that they will come into the Kingdom only by and through US (See Verses 39-40).
http://bible-truths.com/fools.htm -----------------------------
Here is the briefest outline of how God "saves us:"
Jesus Christ must first "CHOOSE" us (John 15:16). You don’t choose Him until He first chooses you. You have no "free will" by which you choose Christ. Christ CHOOSES YOU, or you aren’t chosen. (Be sure to read my four-part series on "Exposing the Myth of Free Will" on this site).
The Father then "DRAWS" [Gk: ‘drags us’]" us to Christ (John 6:44). You don’t come without an invite. What may seem like a "free choice" on your part to come to Christ, in reality is the Father dragging you by many unseen circumstances beyond your view or control.
By GRACE, God gifts us with FAITH (Eph. 2:08. Both are from God; man contributes NOTHING. If you don’t give God credit for all of your faith then you don’t have any faith, because faith comes ONLY from God.
Then "the goodness of GOD leads you to repentance" (Rom. 2:4). Our repentance originates in GOD, not in ourselves. If God doesn’t lead someone to repentance then they CAN’T REPENT.
We are spiritually "BAPTIZED into Christ’s death" (Rom. 6:3).
"For he that is dead is freed from sin… For SIN SHALL NOT have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under GRACE" (Rom. 6:7 & 14).
And it is the grace of God ONLY that will save us. But HOW and WHEN? What does it mean to be "under grace?" Answer:
"For the GRACE of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, TEACHING US [Gk: ‘to train, educate, discipline, punish, chasten, instruct, learn, teach’] that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly [with a sound mind], righteously, and GODLY, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12).
If you are not doing this and growing every day, then you are not being graced by God, and you are not on your way to salvation. The grace of God WILL DISCIPLINE AND CHASTEN us into obedience to all of God’s Spiritual laws and commandments.
"Whosoever will come after Me, let him DENY himself, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME" (Mark 8:34).
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I decided to add this last excerpt to show all that is require in God's plan for our salvation. So just trying to show you the teaching where I gained my understnding on this.
mercy, peace and love
Kat