John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

I know that the numbering of scriptures did not exist in the original letters and gospels or scrolls. I cannot help but to marvel at the coincidences of numbers either. Teachers have often commented on how many meaningful scriptures have the address 3:16, John’s being the most notable and remembered. But just look at this 666 and marvel again at coincidence.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

The son of perdition, a man who’s number is 666. Here in John 6:66 we see an example of a falling away. Many disciples went back to their old lives and no longer walked with Jesus. Is this an example of the falling away of 2 Thess. 2:3? If this is true then I have to question the issues of discipleship.

I haven’t seen discipleship as a focus in the main stream churches in a very long time. I have no idea if any of them realize the importance of discipleship. For all I know they assume that if you are sitting in a pew listening to a preacher or teacher that makes you a disciple. Really?

John 13L35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

I got to see what discipleship was on Emmaus walk 1717. We would sing a centering song at the opening of each session. It began with a two or three guys holding hands. Next session it seemed like all the tables were holding hands. The next session they put arms over each other’s shoulders at their tables. Before you realized it, without a word between men, the tables broke up and formed a circle around the room which included everyone in the room, leaders, pastors and musicians alike. No one was left outside the circle for the centering song. Discipleship is inclusive, no one is left behind, no one is alone.

Ephesians 4:1-3 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. …

Numbers 16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

“Have you lost your mind?” “What were you thinking?” “That’s insane!” “Get your head on straight.”

Being outside the framework of worldly thinking, followers of Christ are often seen as being duped, deluded, irrational, or just plain stupid. Attacks on our mental state is often the easiest course of action for those who oppose Christ.

The life of faith that we have chosen is one where we seek the mind of Christ. When we do find it, we still have to make a choice. Scoffers often assume that we have no mind of our own. The truth is far from it. To hear, to believe to obey is totally mental. We have not lost our minds we make choices that are based in faith and that is what they do not have.

The world fails to relinquish control. They are the masters of their own destiny. They see us as mindless puppets, controlled by some insane pattern of mass delusion. Yet when they see us act in a way which is totally human in nature they call us hypocrites. All because they have no concept of what faith really is in our lives. They think that faith is a choice.

Faith isn’t a choice, it is a gift from God. Our access into all that faith can do for us is still within our control to make that choice to do of our own mind or His.

Romans 12 (select text) be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Receiving faith does not relieve you of the responsibility of thinking.