Pope Francis: Focus on One Person

The newspapers report that Pope Francis is focusing less on the "thou shalt nots" and more on the postive aspects of the Gospel.

Nothing could be more positive, actually, than the Gospel.

Here's the long and short of it:

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)

We are justified from all sins, and all sin, because of what Jesus did at the Cross.

When Jesus died at the Cross, He took us from dead in our trespasses to alive and seated in heavenly places in Him (Ephesians 2: 4-8)

We do not grow from faith to faith by our works, for works make faith void (Romans 4: 17-18)

We grow from faith to faith as we grow in grace (2 Peter 3: 18)

And we grow in grace as we learn more about Jesus:

"2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord," (2 Peter 1: 2)

Pope Francis is taking a gracious tone, moreso than his predecessor, who was the doctrinal enforcer.

If Pope Francis wants the world to understand the grace of God, let us pray that He will abound in greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and lead more to see more of Him who has been from the beginning!