Liam slowly set his phone down on the nightstand by Jade's bed. "Alright Tori", he thought to himself. "Take it or leave it". Then he second-guessed himself, thinking what if she decided to leave him over this, and whether this was the best time to send her a message like that considering her grandmother's condition and all. And then his mind went back to a conversation with Declan in the cafeteria an hour earlier.

"Mind if I join you?" Declan had asked sitting down in the seat across from Liam

"I can't believe you're still talking to me after the way I treated you."

"It's alright, Liam. I forgive you"

"Thanks, Declan. I really don't deserve to have a friend like you"

"I don't deserve a lot of things, but I have been forgiven and for that I am eternally grateful"

"Jade didn't deserve what happened to her today, Declan. She is an amazing girl who has a whole full, promising life ahead of her. I hope that drunk driver stays in jail for a very long time!"

"See that's where you're wrong though, Liam. We deserve much worse then what Jade just went through. We deserve to be punished in hell for eternity."

"God would never send someone like Jade to hell!"

"Oh really? And why is that?"

"She is a good person. She should go to heaven"

"Do you think she ever sinned?"

"Well of course she did. Nobody's perfect. But compared to other people, I don't know many who would be as close to perfect as Jade"

"God doesn't grade on a curve though. His standard is perfection. I wish I could make you understand this Liam. One sin is enough. Even a small one. God can't be unjust. He has to punish every sin"

"That seems a bit strict though, don't you think? If you're being a good person 99 % of the time and commit one sin, God sends you to hell forever? Shouldn't he count all the good you do?"

"Liam, what if the judge applied that logic to the drunk driver who crashed into her car? I'm sure he's mostly a nice person, so he should be off the hook then?"

"No way! If he did, then that judge should go to jail"

"Exactly. Now apply that justice to yourself as well, Liam. If God didn't send you to hell, he should go there himself for letting you off the hook. It would be unjust."

"But I'm not that bad. Granted I haven't exactly been perfect, but I've tried to be a good person"

"I'm sure that drunk driver would think the same. Still you judge him because your standard of justice is higher than his. Now how much higher is God's standard of justice than yours?"

"I never thought about that"

"You need to think about it Liam. God says every liar will have their part in the lake of fire. He says lust is the same as adultery in his eyes, and that you will even be judged for every word you speak."

"But he's merciful though, right?"

"He is, to those who belong to him. He sent his son to die a gruesome death on the cross to take the punishment for their sins, so that he can pardon them. The question is, Liam, are you one of those people?"

"I hope I am. I prayed a prayer once at a summer camp, to ask him into my heart. Even did it again next summer. The preacher said that if I meant it from my heart then I would be saved. I think I meant it from my heart"

"So since this time when you prayed for Jesus to come into your heart, have you seen any indication that he actually did?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did your heart change at all? Or did he perhaps find it perfect just the way it was? Are you bearing any fruit? Growing in holiness? Have you repented from any sins?"

"Well to be honest, I've actually added a couple more sins to my repertoire... So am I not saved then? Am I going to hell?"

"From what you're telling me, I don't see any indication that you're saved. The question is, are you going to keep it that way, or do something about it?"

"What do I do? I don't think I even can be all holy like you guys are. I'm not that kind of person"

"You don't earn salvation by being holy. It is God's gift that he gives you freely when you put your trust in him and repent from your sins. Than he will make you holy."

"I don't know if I even can repent"

"You mean you don't know if you want to?"

That last question was still ringing through Liam's head as he was sitting by Jade's bed.
It was getting late. He'd better be heading home. And why didn't Tori text him back yet? Was she mad?