Peter’s Pentecost sermon in Acts 2 reveals that the heart of the Christian gospel, and the pattern for faithful preaching, is that Jesus was a real historical figure who died as a sacrifice for sin, rose again, and is now exalted as Lord and Messiah, so that everyone must repent and turn to him for forgiveness.

What is saving faith, and how can you know you are truly saved? Bernard Palmer explores what the Bible teaches about genuine faith in Jesus Christ, explaining why salvation is by grace through faith, not church membership or good works. Discover how a living faith produces repentance, love, obedience and spiritual growth, alongside the reassuring biblical promises that give Christians confidence in their eternal salvation.

Christians shouldn’t have to choose between grace and truth, since Jesus embodied both fully and calls his followers to combine loving compassion with firm commitment to doctrine as they share the gospel.

People often cling to their family’s religious and social beliefs and refuse to examine Jesus’ claims, even though the evidence (his miracles, resurrection, John the Baptist, Scripture, his character, and the witness of sceptics who became Christians after investigating) is strong, and that what God ultimately wants is a heart devoted to him.

Just as the Nuremberg trials rejected the “I was only following orders” defence, no excuse will stand at God’s final judgment (not ignorance, not denying God’s authority, not claiming innocence), so our only hope is to turn to Christ for the free gift of salvation by grace and to share that message with others, as Frank Jenner did on Sydney’s George Street.

A faith that comes truly from God will reflect our built-in instincts (for truth, a longing for close relationship with a fair, loving Father, a sense of right and wrong, and a need for forgiveness), which is why Christianity, where Jesus pays the price for sin and invites us into a loving relationship rather than rule-keeping religion, fits the human heart better than systems that try to earn God’s acceptance.

This article argues that while the world contains many contradictory human-made belief systems, a true, God-given faith must be authenticated by God Himself and can be identified by the "SUPREME" framework—defining it as a supernatural, universal, and character-transforming system that is uniquely fulfilled through the historical evidence, divine authority, and love of Jesus Christ.