Thank you! I have a member in my family who you cannot talk to about things spiritual because they know it all. They puff themselves up with their “knowledge” of the Bible and will not tolerate any interpretation other than what their preacher tells them, or what they decide themselves. This person has always taught me that all sin is the same and we are all wretched sinners and I just get this image in my childhood that God is always watching me with a frown. Well I grew up, studied on my own, and have learned a lot. I don’t have to be so humble as to suffer low self esteem in order to please the Lord. If we are instructed to be righteous then during the glimpses of righteousness we might feel within ourselves or others, why can we not embrace that and feel good about ourselves. It is by the grace of God that we have them but it is by the very grace of God that we are even alive. Is it not OK to feel good just to be alive sometimes? Anyways, I don’t know about this Pope. There is something about him that rubs me the wrong way. Two things come to mind but that’s not the discussion here. I hope he’s a good shepherd but time will tell.
Of course. I don't think his somewhat inelegant "stew" remark was intended for people such as yourself, who recognize the grace of God as the source of goodness. I think he is referring to those who by their self-righteousness and pride have ejected God completely from the equation, and by doing so are rejecting His grace and thus are isolating themselves from Him (reduced to "cooking in their own stew").
Technically, that is true...All sin is equal before God...And we are all wretched sinners in the eyes of God, IF that's what God sees...
Thankfully God doesn't see that...All God sees in us Jesus in us...Because he IS in us...God sees in us his righteous Son...
and I just get this image in my childhood that God is always watching me with a frown.
On the contrary...God is joyful with his children...
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.