While preaching through 1 John, one of the commentaries I've been reading is Robert Candlish's 19th century commentary, one of the Geneva series of commentaries. Robert Candlish was a minister in the Free Church of Scotland.

While reading through his comments on 1 John 2:16, I found this gem on "the pride of life." The ESV translates this phrase as "pride of possessions," and the NIV translates as "boasting of what he has and does"... here's one instance where I prefer the King James and the New American Standard translations. Here's the verse in the KJV:

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.

Candlish writes the following (and the excessive use of semicolons is in the original):

"What pains are taken in the world to save appearances and keep up a seemly and goodly state! It is a business all but reduced to system. Its means and appliances are ceremony and feigned civility. Life is to be ostensibly, nay even ostentatiously, all right. All is to be in good taste and in good style; correct, creditable, commendable. It is the world's pride to have it so. What is otherwise must be somehow toned down or shaded off; concealed or coloured. Falsehood may be necessary; a false code of honour; false notions of duty, as between man and man, or between man and woman; false liberality and spurious delicacy. Still the world does contrive, by means of all that, to get up and keep up a proud life of its own; a life grand and graceful; having its decencies and respectabilities; yes, and its charities, courtesies, and chivalries too; all very imposing in themselves, and altogether contributing to make the world's life very imposing as a whole...

It sets in motion a game of diplomacy and a race of emulation most destructive of all the truer and finer instincts even of unrenewed humanity. It debauches conscience, and is fatal to high aims. It puts the men and women of the world on a poor struggle to out-manoeuvre and outshine one another, to outdo one another, for the most part, in mere externals; while, with all manner of politeness, they affect to give one another credit for what they all know to be little better than shams. Nevertheless, the general effect, I repeat, is imposing. The world's 'pride of life' is something to be proud of after all...

Need I suggest how many sad instances of religious inconsistency and worldly conformity spring from this source? I may acquit you of sensuality or sensuousness, and of selfish jealousy; you are free, as to both of these instruments of the world's power. But what of its opinion? Have you learned to defy it, or to be independent of it? Can you dispense with the world's approval and brave its frown? Do you not sometimes find yourselves more afraid or ashamed of a breach of worldly etiquette - some apparent descent from the customary platform of worldly respectability - than of such a concession to the world's forms and fashions as may compromise your integrity in the sight of God, and your right to acquit yourselves of guile?

The opinion of the world! What the world will think or say! Ah! That pitiful consideration may often sway or embarrass you when you have no selfish longing or envious grudge to gratify..."

As a very wise man once said to me, "Take it to heart, son!"