Proud vs pride of life

[gallenwalsh]

Can some one comment on the attitude of being proud, lets say being proud of a relative for a particular achievement VS what the bible calls pride of life? I get confused as to the appropriateness of those feelings some times. I know Ray has commented on how the coat of many colors represented the pride felt by Josephs father which represented the pride of the father towards Jesus .although the kjv comment is the father was very pleased regarding Jesus. The word proud is not used.

[Dave in Tenn]

Paul was 'proud' of others.  He even boasted of others as a way to encourage them.  I see a lot of that 'fatherly pride' exhibited by him when people under his ministry did well.  Surely the Father commended the Son very highly.  Is the Father 'proud' of the Son?  I don't know why He wouldn't be.

One thing I have loved about growing belief in the Gospel is the chance to re-define myself and my life thus far in honesty and knowledge.  I am a beast, as He says.  But I am not a worm.  I am a beast of the species 'mankind'--a creature, not the Creator.  I don't rate next to God, but though He created me weak, He did not create me inperfectable.  We all need encouragement (just as we all need correction) and sometimes that encouragement has to come from within our own selves in the light of the sum of God's word about us.

When I think of the pride of life, I think of the book of Ecclesiastes.  This guy did it all, had every accomplishment under the sun.  What all his experience and knowledge brought him was humility, in the end.  We're not to be puffed up, high-minded, boastful.  But it is 'dishonest' to rate ourselves too lowly also, as we are bought with a great price.  We're even warned not to be 'falsely humble'.  

I think we tend to admire people who have succeeded in some way, yet retain that sense of 'humility'.  That's a good quality--maybe one we don't see often, but when we do, it shines.  That's something to emulate, and I can usually sense in myself when I'm 'doing' that.  And when I'm not?  Pride also goes before a fall.  

If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.  His rod of correction nudges us both to the left and to the right whichever we need to get our basic path/life straight.

Just some thoughts--not very 'theological', but I think I could find support in examples of Scripture.
     

[Rene]

Can some one comment on the attitude of being proud, lets say being proud of a relative for a particular achievement VS what the bible calls pride of life? I get

Hi gallenwalsh,

The scripture at 1John 2:16 speaks on the inappropriate pride we are to avoid.  Here are two bible translations of this scripture that may give you some better understanding of what is being said here:

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (KJV)

"Because all that [is] in the world -- the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the ostentation of the life -- is not of the Father, but of the world." (YLT)

The word ostentation means "Pretentious display meant to impress others; boastful showiness." 

This definition of "ostentation" should give you a clearer understanding of the type of prideful attitude that is not pleasing to our heavenly Father.  Hope this helps.

René

[Dave in Tenn]

Here's one passage I was referring to.  It fits in very well with what Rene shared as the flip side of the thing.  Ostentatious pride---

Col 2:18-23 (GNB)  Do not allow yourselves to be condemned by anyone who claims to be superior because of special visions and who insists on false humility and the worship of angels. For no reason at all, such people are all puffed up by their human way of thinking and have stopped holding on to Christ, who is the head of the body. Under Christ's control the whole body is nourished and held together by its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God wants it to grow.

You have died with Christ and are set free from the ruling spirits of the universe. Why, then, do you live as though you belonged to this world? Why do you obey such rules as "Don't handle this," "Don't taste that," "Don't touch the other"?  All these refer to things which become useless once they are used; they are only human rules and teachings. Of course such rules appear to be based on wisdom in their forced worship of angels, and false humility, and severe treatment of the body; but they have no real value in controlling physical passions.