Can Christians tell the difference between sins and sinners? Pope Francis encourages everyone to know the distinction by heart.

Speaking to thousands gathered at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican for his regular Wednesday general audience, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church emphasised that God's mercy always reaches out to all of us who are sinners, and forgives our sins.

"The Word of God teaches us to distinguish between the sin and the sinner," Pope Francis said, as quoted by The Catholic News Agency.

He, however, made it very clear that when it comes to sin, there should be no "compromises."

As to how to deal with sinners, the Pope said it is important to reach out to everyone. He compared those suffering from sin to "the sick" who need to be healed.

"In order to be cured the doctor must be close to them, visit them, touch them," the Pontiff said.

At the same time, for a sick person to be fully healed, he or she must "recognise their need for the doctor," the Pope said.

Pope Francis cited some stories from the Holy Bible that showed how merciful God is, including His dining in the house of Simon, the Pharisee, and His encounter with a "sinful woman" who washed His feet with precious oils. He compared the two Biblical figures.

"While the first judges others based on appearances, the second with her actions expresses her heart with sincerity," Pope Francis said.

He added that while Simon did not want to get involved in Jesus' life, the woman showed how she was willing to fully entrust herself to the Lord "with love and veneration."

The Pope further explained that it is common for humans to act like Simon, and "not approach God when we sin because we think He will be contaminated by our sins."

The Pontiff said that God knows how to distinguish between the sin and the sinner. He encouraged Christians to do the same.