Is it Right to Print on a Gospel Flyer an Announcement of Salvation?

Nigel Williams
Sep 23
4 min read

Updated: Sep 29

In the work of Printing Evangelism, we are often asked to design and print Gospel flyers, posters and tracts for churches and individuals. A common request is for us to print a Gospel flyer containing an announcement of salvation – perhaps a declaration that someone is saved, or an invitation to repeat a short prayer and then state with certainty that salvation has taken place.

But is that really what the Scriptures tell us to do? Does the Bible

ever say we can publicly announce a person’s salvation?

The answer is, quite simply, no.

Born of the Spirit, Not of Man

When our Lord spoke to Nicodemus, He described the new birth in these words:

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”(John 3:8)

New birth is a supernatural work of God, not something that can be charted, predicted, or certified by man. We can hear the sound of the wind, but we cannot see it or control it. Likewise, we may see the evidence of a changed life, but the new birth itself is invisible and sovereignly accomplished by the Holy Spirit.

We see this reality elsewhere in the scriptures, for example "born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:13

This truth alone should make us cautious about announcing salvation on a flyer or certificate. It is God’s work, not ours to declare.

The Kingdom Within

Jesus was clear when asked about the coming of the kingdom:

“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”(Luke 17:20–21)

The kingdom is not about outward signs, external labels, or printed affirmations. It is about an inner change of heart (God looks at the heart, unlike us "the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7). To give someone a slip of paper that states “you are saved” is to put confidence in the flesh, whereas the Apostle Paul himself warned:

“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”(Philippians 3:3)

True assurance does not come from a tract, a certificate, or a man’s declaration – but from the witness of the Spirit with our spirit (Romans 8:16).

The Danger of False Profession

The Scriptures give sober warnings that not all who outwardly profess Christ are truly His.

Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8 “believed” and was even baptised, yet his heart was not right in the sight of God. Peter told him:

“Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”(Acts 8:20, KJV)

Likewise, Judas Iscariot followed Jesus, shared in His ministry, and appeared as one of the disciples – yet he was “a devil” (John 6:70).

These examples show that lip service, outward profession, or even participation in religious rites are not the same as genuine salvation. How dangerous it would be, then, to hand someone a printed tract declaring them “saved”, when in reality only God knows the heart.

What Should We Print?

Our duty is to preach Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). We are to declare the Gospel faithfully – that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

We should point people to repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). We should urge them to seek the Lord while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6), and to trust in Him alone for salvation.

But we must not go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6). Nowhere does the Bible instruct us to certify salvation by a formula, a printed line, or a man-made guarantee.

A Word of Caution when we print a Gospel flyer

At Printing Evangelism, we gladly print Gospel tracts, Scripture posters, and Bibles to put the Word of God into people’s hands. But we always encourage Christians not to include an announcement of salvation in their printed items. Salvation belongs to the Lord (Psalm 3:8). It is His work, His glory, and His witness in the heart.

Let us, then, use our printed materials to shine the light of the Gospel, trusting God to do the saving work. And let us remember the solemn words of Paul: