Sirach 5:6 - And say not, His compassion is great; He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins: For mercy and wrath are with him, And his indignation will rest upon sinners.

Generated Verse: Sirach 5:6

What does "Sirach 5:6" mean?


Sirach 5:6, "And say not, His compassion is great; He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins: For mercy and wrath are with him, And his indignation will rest upon sinners," is a caution against presuming upon God's mercy. Let's break it down:

"And say not, His compassion is great; He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins...": This is the core warning. It cautions against thinking you can just continually sin because God is merciful and will forgive you every time. It speaks against a flippant attitude towards sin, assuming forgiveness is automatic and unconditional, regardless of your actions or repentance. It's a warning against presumption, not a denial of God's mercy.
"...For mercy and wrath are with him...": This highlights the balanced nature of God's character. He is merciful, but He is also just and righteous. He possesses both mercy and wrath. This is crucial. God's mercy doesn't negate the reality of His justice. It does not give license to sin.
"...And his indignation will rest upon sinners.": This emphasizes that there are consequences for sin. "Indignation" implies righteous anger and displeasure. God's anger, or righteous indignation, comes to rest upon those who persist in their sin without repentance. This is not about one-off mistakes, but a persistent lifestyle of unrepentant sin. It speaks to the reality of divine judgment.

In essence, the verse conveys the following message:

Don't take God's mercy for granted and presume you can sin as much as you want without consequence. While God is compassionate and forgiving, He is also just and righteous. Continuing in sin without repentance invites His judgment. True forgiveness requires genuine remorse and a turning away from sin.

Key takeaways:

Balance: The verse emphasizes the balance between God's mercy and justice.
Presumption: It warns against presuming on God's mercy as a license to sin.
Repentance: Implies the necessity of genuine repentance for forgiveness.
Consequences: Acknowledges that sin has consequences, and God's wrath rests on the unrepentant.
Responsibility: Underscores the importance of taking personal responsibility for one's actions and choices.

In short, Sirach 5:6 is a call to reverence and responsible living, urging us to appreciate God's mercy while simultaneously recognizing the seriousness of sin and the need for true repentance.