The Love of God

To be born again, a person must believe God with an active faith placed in Jesus, the Son of Man, who was lifted up - crucified - for our sins. This belief is something generated in the individual by the Spirit of God, yet, the promise is made to 'whosoever will.' Salvation would be based on true belief that results in an active faith rather than man's self effort to gain salvation by trying to be good in order to appease God and earn His favor. What a contrast to the system of the Pharisees that Nicodemus followed in which you had to earn your salvation through good works and diligence in keeping the law. Variations of such work based efforts to earn righteousness still exist in the many false religions, cults and even in many segments of professing Christianity. None of them can save you from sin and its consequences.