Knowledge of Good/Evil!

 October 13, 2025,Monday Message:

Hebrews 10:29 NLT: “Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.

Sometimes we’re better off not knowing. Let me explain.

When Adam and Eve were first created, they didn’t know about sin and judgment. They innocently romped through the Garden of Eden, doing whatever they pleased and enjoying life. Sometimes God would walk with them in the evening, along the stream. Understand that Adam and Eve couldn’t sin, because they had no knowledge of right and wrong. God had told them, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

God was right! Predictably, mankind did exactly what they were told to NOT do! Eve saw that this unique fruit (knowledge of good and evil) was good, and offered some to her husband. Knowing they had done wrong, both hid from the Lord. With the transfer of knowledge, the bar had been raised. Now that they could discern good from evil, they were expected to choose “good.” Now that they could separate right from wrong, they were expected to choose “right.” As it was, they surely would have perished without the intervention of Jesus, who took the sins of the world upon himself.

In today’s example, the people knew all about Jesus and the new covenant. So ignoring those things would constitute willful and intentional disobedience, people thinking their way was better than God’s way. It never is.

As we model our lives following the footsteps of Jesus, we should be accustomed to knowing good from evil, and always choosing “good.” We may not be perfect, but our God is a God of second chances. Our shortcomings won’t derail God’s goals for us!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Atonement Substitution!

August 25, 2025, Monday Message:

Hebrews 9:22b AMP: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness [neither release from sin and its guilt, nor cancellation of the merited punishment].”

If we violate a law in our land, there is always a penalty. Sometimes it’s a fine we must pay. More severe crimes require incarceration, e.g. time spent in prison. A judge may require both if he is so inclined. A capital crime like first-degree murder may require capital punishment, the life of the one who committed that crime.

Capital punishment stirs up a perpetual debate. Some people believe that killing another human is wrong, regardless of their crime. Others believe that punishment fits the nature of the most severe crimes. If the crime was extremely vicious, the thought is that the criminal is unredeemable.

In Moses’ day, people practiced substitutionary atonement. Livestock were valuable, and the offender could offer up a sheep or a goat to square things up for their sin. In a way, it doesn’t make sense for an animal to lose it’s life to cover the owner’s sin, but that’s how it was done. If the sinner was not prosperous enough to own livestock, they could sacrifice a couple of birds.

Jesus changed everything! On the cross, he took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, and consequently mankind was freed from its sin problem. There were no longer animal sacrifices. Jesus dying for our sins is the highest example of substitutionary atonement. Anything else would be redundant and unnecessary, as if we didn’t trust Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice.

It’s as if Jesus was saying, “Count my blood as the sacrifice for the sins of the world. Forgive these sinners! Let’s make a forever place for them in the Kingdom.” Because without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Commands!

For Thursday, March 20, 2025:

Leviticus 24:1-2 NLT: The Lord said to Moses, “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.”

The light in the Tabernacle was to burn continuously, as a sign that God is looking out for his people 24/7. God is never on holiday, unable to help. We are commanded to do no work on the Sabbath, but God still keeps his eye on believers because Satan never takes a day off!

Nowadays there is no Temple, no Tabernacle, the location of the Ark of the Covenant remains a mystery and the Old Covenant has been replaced by Jesus’ New Covenant.

Later in ch. 24, God teaches that punishment should fit the crime: “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” If someone injures another’s animal, they should replace it or pay for it. That seems fair. The most severe punishment, stoning, was reserved for those who take another’s life and for those who blaspheme the Lord. Only God determines when life begins and when life ends. And don’t dis God!

Jesus taught us to be more loving and forgiving. The New Covenant offers us second chances. If a repentant person has injured a believer, we are to forgive them 70 X 7 times. Jesus said we should not only love our Lord but likewise love our neighbors! Jesus was God coming to earth to rescue mankind from our sins. Jesus’ way is a good way to live!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Punishment

For Sunday, March 16, 2025:

Leviticus 20:1, 2a NLT: The Lord said to Moses, ““Give the people of Israel these instructions.”

In the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, those who sinned were to be punished. The most severe penalty was to be stoned to death. For lesser sins, God says the sinner should be punished but doesn’t specify the penalty.

Songwriter Bob Dylan always claims his song that chants, “Everybody must get stoned,” is about this scripture. The Bible says that, “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” Therefore, all people deserve to be stoned. Bob was raised Jewish. (You decide...)

People were sacrificing children to the idol Molech and consulting mediums. And God seems especially concerned with sexual relations and family systems. If God plainly lays out his rules, mankind will never have to question if a practice is right or wrong. The answer is in the Bible. Seek out the “God Trend.”

The New Covenant gives us a second chance, a do-over. If we confess our sins and claim Jesus as our Savior, he will take away any record of our sin and usher us into the hereafter. Jesus is the only way we can quality for the life after this life!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Eye for an Eye!

For Tuesday, February 18, 2025:

Exodus 21:24 NLT: “...a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.”

In God’s system of justice, the punishment must fit the crime. If someone deliberately kills another, then they too should be put to death. But lesser crimes should have reduced penalties. We are still accountable for our actions.

These rules do not apply in the case of accidents, but they do apply in cases of negligence. “If your ox has a reputation for goring, yet you failed to keep it under control, you must pay full compensation.”

God’s justice system shouldn’t surprise us. He only asks for what’s fair, right and honest. Loving our neighbors includes treating them equitably and with respect. If we live our lives God’s way, we shouldn’t ever incur discipline. Let’s all try to live our lives in such a way that our Father in heaven can be proud of us!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship