Was Herod Saved my Hardshell Brothers?

"For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly." (Mark 6: 20)

"He was a burning and a shining light: and ye (lost Pharisees) were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." (John 5: 35)

I have pointed out many times over the years how the Hardshells of today have become quasi Universalists. To them only a few are going to Hell and most are going to Heaven. You do not have to be Christian to be saved according to today's "Primitive Baptists." Because of such heretical ideas, they have often taught that the following characters were really saved people: Balaam, Esau, Nadab, Abihu, Lot's wife, Simon the Sorcerer, Demas, Athenian idolaters, etc.

Based upon what they consider to be the evidences of regeneration or new birth, to show some happiness when the gospel is preached is a sure proof of it, like conviction of sin, or a guilty conscience. Well, by that reasoning, we would have to say that Judas and the wicked Christ rejecting Pharisees were born again, for they heard the gospel "gladly" and were "willing to rejoice" in it.

The shallow ground hearer in the parable of the soils also "received the word with joy" but it was a shallow and temporary joy of nominal and hypocritical believers.

Was Herod saved my Hardshell brothers? By your present beliefs about the nature of regeneration, will you not have to say that he was indeed saved? Was Herod's hearing John gladly a proof or regeneration?