The philosopher A.J. Ayer was asked in the 1970s: "Logical positivism must have had real defects. What do you now, in retrospect, think the main ones were?"
Without hesitation, Ayer replied: "Well, I suppose the most important of the defects was that nearly all of it was false."
Thus a towering intellectual mind abandoned its life achievement with a throwaway line. In tomorrow's epistle reading, another brilliant mind, in sharp contrast, humbly invites readers to "join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the patterns we gave you" (Letter to the Philippians 3:17-4:1).
Where logical positivism failed Freddy Ayer and his disciples, positive modelling of Christian teaching and lifestyle is a non-negotiable element of witness to Jesus Christ. St Paul realised he could not appeal to the Philippians to follow his teaching if they were not able to see it lived out in flesh-and-blood reality in his own life.
Paul himself had been seriously affected by the life and death of the martyr St Stephen, whose dying words of forgiveness were an echo of the words the Saviour had uttered from the cross. The then Saul of Tarsus must have found Stephen's Christ-likeness unnerving.
The Christians in Philippi were observing two models of Christian discipleship from their leadership and this was not only confusing but potentially disastrous. Paul was too wise a pastor to assume that everyone who professed to be a teacher of the faith was faithful to Christ. He was also too sensitive a Christian to speak about this without deep emotion. There were tears on his cheek as he wrote (v.18).
The false teachers claimed a perfection ordinary believers could not achieve unless they reached a special level of enlightenment. Alas, then as now, church leaders who lay down the strictest and most legalistic standards for their followers may themselves be slaves of their own lusts. The apostle gives three tests, equally valid in 2001, for discerning false teachers and their teaching.
First, they live as enemies of the cross of Christ (v.18). The cross is always and ever the touchstone of both true doctrine and true practice. When new teaching comes along, or when a preacher or teacher is given special prominence, it is essential to ask: "What does he or she say - or not say - about the cross?" Is there any parallel with Paul himself who said, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world"? (Letter to the Galatians 6:14)
Where the cross, which is the laser-sharp focus on Christ's death as the means of the forgiveness of sins, is denied or ignored, however plausible the leaders or preachers, then it is right to question whether they may ultimately prove to be enemies of the cross of Christ.
Secondly, their god is their stomach (v.19). The sense is that not only is the cross marginalised in their teaching, but these leaders also repudiate it in their lives. Instead of modelling for the church a way of life which entails following Christ in self-denying devotion to God and love for others, their lives are marked by a sad self indulgence.
Thirdly, their minds are on earthly things (v.19). Now, as then, there were preachers and Christian teachers whose ambition was to acquire wealth for themselves rather than store up treasure in heaven. They were magnetised by reputation, position and possessions. These things filled their minds and were the hidden agenda behind all their activities. People in the pews, lay folk, says the apostle, wise up and look out for these behaviour patterns in your clergy which are a betrayal of the gospel. Tears or no, Paul pronounces a damning verdict on the long-term prospects of the false teachers: their destiny is destruction (v.19).
When many in Ireland have been scrutinising the words of church leaders on a single issue, tomorrow's reading is more comprehensive in directing congregations whether or not to follow their clergy. This scripture, incidentally, is prescriptive and definitive for all denominations and none with no opt-out clause.
Follow Christ, the crucified Saviour, and those whose lives provide Christ-like examples. Christ crucified is the content of the gospel and taking up the cross is the way he calls us to live. Follow St Paul as he boasts only of Christ and his cross and identify with those who walk that narrow way.