Jim Miller
Gray, Manine
When I am studying the word I sometimes remember the things that Roy Cogdill taught over the years. I think of passages which emphasize the vital importance of a militant proclamation and defense of the gospel. I think of Philippians 1:17, "I am set for the defense of the gospel," and of 1 Timothy 6:12, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life." I see a valiant soldier girding himself to do battle for the right and against all wrong. Yet, his warfare is dominated by love — love for the Lord, for the truth, for the church, and for the lost. This is not the watered down type of love that teaches only the positive it is the love that is willing to go forth and proclaim the whole Gospel and if I step on some toes doing so then so be it.
I think of 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." How often brother Cogdill reminded people that "true gospel preaching is both positive and negative!" Contradicting a slogan which is as popular as aspirin, he warned others often that we must not so "accentuate the positive" as to "eliminate the negative."
1 Peter 4:11 comes to mind: "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." Brother Cogdill has impressed young and old alike with the need for positive, divine authority in all that we preach and practice. How often and how well he has taught us that such authority is found in direct statement or command, apostolic example, and necessary implication. We must speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where it is. If we cannot produce "Book, chapter, and verse," we dare not act or speak.
I think of Jude 3, "that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints," and of Galatians 1:8-9, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. " Brother Cogdill was not afraid to rebuke and refute false doctrine even if an angel delivers it in person, because of his love for the gospel of Christ in its purity and simplicity.
When we set out to teach the Gospel to others we are not sent to win a popularity contest. If you or I are seeking to look good in the eyes of others then we are in error for God is the one whom all the glory should go to. As is so often seen today a watered down Gospel is a dangerous thing just look how far from God even some of our own churches have gotten. Some of our most sound preachers have given up the fight for truth just to be accepted by others. Our assemblies and young folks are not being taught to stand for the truth as they should be. Look around you folks and open your eyes. Most of all you and I both need to hold fast to that form of doctrine once delivered for all and stop worrying about whether we look good in the eyes of others or whether we are accepted.
I implore you do not seek to be men pleasers Put on the whole armor of God and go out and fight the good fight.
