That's no different than the criticism lobbed at Protestants that all our sins are forgiven, even the ones we haven't repented of.
Jesus wouldn't throw someone into hell for stealing?
So, Catholics can do what they want and figure that stealing isn't a big deal for Jesus and they're good to go?
James 2:10-11 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
Protestants don't put sin on a sliding scale of seriousness. Sin is sin, be it a lie or murder.
So for a Catholic to criticize a Protestant over taking sin lightly, this is extremely hypocritical. If Jesus won't send someone to hell for stealing, then Catholics have no reason to not steal. They can steal with impunity because it doesn't affect their salvation.
That's taking sin lightly; thinking that some sin of some kind is not worthy of hell.
However, Catholics believe that we still have some personal responsibility to atone for our sins and strive to eliminate further sins from our lives.
Hebrews 9:22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
What part of this verse is so hard to understand? Personal responsibility to eliminate sin from our life? It can't happen because we can't do it. If we die for our own sin, we have just paid the wages due for it and it does not redeem us. Penance, works, sacraments, nothing, can obtain forgiveness except the shedding of righteous blood.
Christ didn't die to finish up what we could do on our own. He died to do what we couldn't do on our own, and that is gain forgiveness for the least sin in our lives.
If works could do it, Christ died for nothing.
If Christ's blood can take care of some of our sins, it can take care of all of them.
Rom. 11:6 "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."
It’s either grace or works. It’s not grace and works. It’s a serious thing to teach that somehow works or effort on our part is required for salvation or even adds to our righteousness. What we do adds nothing to our righteousness.
Gal. 2:21, I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.
Our righteousness comes through our faith in Christ. It’s His righteousness that we are clothed with.
Phil. 3:9, "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."
The comforting thing is that it’s not even our faith that we need to rely on. It’s the faith of Christ in us that sustains us.
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: Philippians 3:9
It’s His faith that is given to us when we accept Him.
Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
When we understand that it’s totally Christ who wraps us in the His righteousness and works in us to do His will we can give glory to Him rather then vainly think we have pleased Him on our own.
Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:30-31