Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, ND, joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study 1 John 4:1-6.

Our itching ears can be led away from Christ by attractive words. It can be difficult to distinguish what is from God or from some other spirit, but it is clear that only the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel and keeps us with Christ. John proclaims the truth of the Holy Spirit but confesses who is NOT the Holy Spirit. Any time a person confesses that salvation or forgiveness is NOT from Jesus, true God or true man. To confess that there is salvation in someone else is not a small issue, but that of the anti-Christ. “O Holy Spirit, call, gather, enlighten, sanctify us and the whole church on earth to stay in the true faith and keep us with Christ. Amen”