4. – Speak Up!

The last check that your salvation is real, is whether or not you speak about it. Let’s start with what the Apostle Paul tells the Christians in Rome:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” – Romans 10:9

Paul sent a similar message to the Christians back in Jerusalem, indicating that one of the fruits of our faith (remember the 1st sign?) was to proclaim the name of God to others:

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. – Hebrews 13:15

Certainly, if you are truly saved, there should be a deep joy in your heart that just wants to come out – similar to how you might want to tell others about your kids’ achievements or other big event in your life.

The prophet Isaiah captures this idea perfectly, and also weaves in the fear that you might sometimes have in speaking out about God and your faith:

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.TheLord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. In that day you will say:“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.” – Isaiah 12:2,4

Being saved is the very best thing that can ever happen to you! You should want to jump up and shout out the good news to everyone you meet, it is THAT GOOD, right??

Even though it really is that good, daily life seems to put up so many constraints all around us. So we don’t easily jump up and proclaim the goodness of God or tell others all about our salvation. We are a little afraid and don’t want to make a scene and embarrass ourselves. Sadly, that’s often the case, right?

But check what Jesus has to say:

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:38

So what’s the sign that your salvation is real? It is that you are not embarrassed, not ashamed and certainly never want to deny Christ. If you are too embarrassed to speak up even when you know you should, or you are ashamed, then yes, perhaps your salvation is not real after all…

The good news is that if we are doing well with the other 3 checks – doing good works, loving others and forgiving those who wrong us – then this 4th check should flow just naturally. You don’t need to be a full-time evangelist or stand on a street corner with flyers – you just need to be yourself; the person that God created you to be:

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. – Ephesians 4:11-12

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.– 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

The conclusion of the matter – just be yourself and let your light shine, showing your good works, your love, your forgiveness and also speaking up when the time is right:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16

In that context, these 4 signs really do confirm your salvation, don’t they?

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We hope this reading plan helps clarify God’s plan for your life. For more readings like this, please visit our website or search for other plans authored by "Roland Heersink" in the YouVersion app. Or if you’re looking for practical advice to help live out you faith, then look up the reading plan “How to be a Christian at your Work” to read next.