Catholics have to realize that sometimes doctrines are written down in the objective realm. But God is God, He can act as He well pleases. Therein is my humble answer to so many "Letter of the Law" interpreters... the letter kills...
God can and does deal with some subjectively. He moves some men/women by the Holy Spirit as He so desires. And again God's ways are not man's ways. Did Jacinta Marto receive her first HOLY communion according to Church Law? NO!. Was Abraham baptized with water? NO! Isaac or Jacob?, Did King Solomon have one wife? NO! God allowed him to have 800 plus wives, hundreds of concubines to show the glory and power of the king.
So God can do as He wants. We are even asked to plead God to change our hearts, as He did with king Saul. But crucial to remember that we then have to be faithful to the very end. Some kings didn't...
And even St Pius X teaches about Baptism of Desire!
This is the type of reasoning / excuse V2 used - "The spirit moved through the council."
BTW far as the OT saints go, Christ did not make it a requirement until about 2000 years later.
But yes, God can do as He wants, not only that, but we know that everything God does is for His own good pleasure. One thing that He said in no uncertain terms, was that He wanted everyone to be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, and unless they do this, they they cannot enter the kingdom of God. That's what He said.