When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you. Mark 2:5
In this passage, Jesus saw their faith. But I hear you say that how can I know that a person is in Christ? In response to your question, I will ask, but how can I know that a person is pregnant? In the early stages of pregnancy it doesn't immediately appear as if there's anything in the womb, but soon, it will become obvious to all that a child is in the womb. But nobody sees the child that is in the womb, yet, no one is in doubt that there's a child there. In the same way, no one sees the physical Jesus in our lives apart from the fruit that His presence in us produces. To say that we have faith in Christ, but have no fruit in us to show that we are in Christ is the same as a woman who claims to be pregnant in whom, after many months have passed and there is nothing in her that shows that she is pregnant.
Apostle James would say, show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by my works. It is true that faith dwells in the heart where only God can see it, but like the child in the womb where no one sees him, yet, the pregnancy shows that a child is in the womb. The same is true for faith, works is what shows that there is faith in the heart. If there's faith in the heart, there will be works to show it. The works don t show God that there's faith because He sees what is in the heart, but works is a sign to people that faith is in the heart. Faith that has no works is questionable faith, that cannot save the possessor.
Toni
