Knowing It is Well

Romans 6: 6

I'm glad in this Christian walk there are some things we can know.

To Know: To be sure, resolved, understand something, feel, settled, absolute.

Now without wanting to cause controversy this morning, Paul is speaking here of salvation, our old man of sin or our old life that life governed by sin can die. We don't have to live in bondage to sin any longer. We can be free what is greater is we can know it - we don't have to hope or guess or wish.

The language here, "Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him," is literally it was crucified with him - meaning that all the provisions for your knowledge of this, for this to be a reality in your life is made available to each of us. Verse 11 makes this clear where he tells us to "reckon yourselves dead" or to count yourself dead to sin but alive to God. I don't know about you but that sounds like a know so to me.

I spoke last week on the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment I love Mark's gospel where he tells how this dear woman who had tried every way she could imagine to take care of her problem reached out and touched the hem of Jesus' garment and found healing. Mark puts it like this, "KNOWING what was done in her she turned about to leave…" Aren't you glad you can Know when you touch Jesus.

I'll never forget early summer of 1999 as I reached out in a healing service of all things and touched the hem of Jesus' garment oh I KNEW sin was defeated in my life. Bro. Smith didn't have to tell me I had been touched by the Lord, no one else had to I knew for myself. GLORY.

This must have been the experience of Mr. Horatio Spafford back in the early 1800's.

He and his wife Anna, no doubt had many happy times around the family hearth. Family was good.

He had a thriving law business, and invested some in real estate business was good.

He was good friends with D.L. Moody and others who were helping to bring revival, he had made things right with the Lord, Church was good

Life was good and wonderful. He could lustily sing in church -

"When peace like a river, attendeth my soul,

He goes on to write …

whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say

It is well, It is well with my soul.

Brother Spafford is trying to tell us that circumstances do not alter this knowledge or the reality of this experience. When things are good, when things are not so good - it is still well with my soul.

In 1873 the Spafford family was planning a vacation on a French luxury liner. Some urgent business came up for Horatio and he was detained but sent Anna and their four daughters ahead with plans to meet up. On November 22nd 1873 the vessel that Anna and the girls were on was rammed by a British Iron ship and sank within about 12 minutes. Anna was able to grab hold of some wreckage and hold on and was later rescued. Several weeks later she arrived in Wales and sent a brief telegraph home to her husband "Saved Alone"

A short time later as Horatio was making his trip across the sea, the captain called him to his cabin and told him this is the spot where your girls went down. He grabbed a piece of stationary from the Breevort House and begin to write that beautiful hymn "It is well with my soul" A song of knowing and confidence.

The second phrase of the first stanza says,

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Yet thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

Even when things are sad, and hard to bear - yet it is well with my soul. I can stand over the grave of my children and weeping nearly overcome with sorrow, but know it is still well with my soul. I know that he still lives in my heart.

I think of Job who suffered so much he had this knowledge, when he has tried me, I know I shall come forth as gold. All he suffered and yet he could stand and testify, "I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVETH…"

Bro. Spafford goes on in his hymn to tell us that even under satanic attack we can know that Jesus is in our heart

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

And I love how the very next verse addresses Romans 6:6 fully

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

The ultimate test to this knowledge is the thought of facing death or the return of Christ, when you stand before him a hopeful wishing will not do, a fake little feeling won't work and yet Horatio Spafford had such a relationship with Christ and a hope of heaven that he went on to write…

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

This morning I wonder about you, do you know that you really know. We never know what could happen to any one of us at anytime. We must know now where we stand with the Lord.

I'm going to give you opportunity to testify or to seek that knowledge as we stand and sing this hymn and sing it like you know that;

IT IS WELL IT IS WELL WITH YOUR SOUL.