Appetite vs. Will

Richard Hooker was a 16^th century English priest and theologian. One of his groundbreaking works was a series of books known as, “Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie”. “Lawes” has been called, “The first substantial contribution to theology, philosophy, and political thought written in English.”

The primary guiding light for Hooker in writing the Lawes was, “Scripture alone is the rule that should govern all human conduct”.

Although in today’s world, “theology, philosophy, and political thought” rarely intermingle, the three were inseparable during times such as the Protestant Reformation and immediately afterwards during the founding of this country. This why reading great Bible expositor’s such as Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin and even Spurgeon will lead you directly to philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. This is also why our founding fathers and great political thinkers such as George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and John Locke were so deeply entrenched and guided by God and His word.

In reality, philosophy and political thought are branches from the theological tree, the tree of Jesus Christ and His word.

The following is a brief snippet from “Lawes” by Hooker. Here he explains the difference between appetite and will. Read carefully, for it dismisses any notion that we have no control over passions and urges.

“The object of Appetite is whatsoever sensible good may be wished for; the object of Will is that good which Reason doth lead us to seek. Affections, as joy, and grief, and fear, and anger, with such like, being as it were the sundry fashions and forms of Appetite, can neither rise at the conceit of a thing indifferent, nor yet choose but rise at the sight of some things. Wherefore it is not altogether in our power, whether we will be stirred with affections or no: whereas actions which issue from the disposition of the Will are in the power thereof to be performed or stayed. Finally, Appetite is the Will’s solicitor, and the Will is Appetite’s controller; what we covet according to the one by the other we often reject; neither is any other desire termed properly Will, but that where Reason and Understanding, or the show of Reason, prescribeth the thing desired.” (Richard Hooker- Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie-Book One, Chapter 8, Section 3).

Will is a choice made by reason and understanding. We may not be able to control having affections, but we do have control over whether or not we act upon those passions due to our will. So for those who say they believe in God and His word but succumb to homosexuality, do so willingly.

The urge is not debated, for the homosexual urge does exist. To one degree or another the urge exist in all human beings. But an urge is not an act. An act is the product of the will. Therefore the act is a choice. To be consumed by passions and to act on those passions is a choice and a decision of the will. The will rationalizes and permits the act of passion. Regardless of whether or not someone is “born that way”, homosexuality is a personal choice and a result of will.

It is important to note that since the will chooses and reasons. Therefore it can reason and rationalize anything it chooses. If the will elects God and His word, it will reason and rationalize accordingly. But if the will chooses to adhere to the world’s standards, then it will choose and act accordingly and give supporting evidence as to why it is correct.

God asks us to “Chose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19). God has asked us to use our reason, logic and deductive capabilities. He has asked us to squelch those passions that war against our soul. To choose life, to choose, it is an act of the will. Our relationship with Christ and adhering to his word is an act of our will. No passion can overcome us when we are in Christ and Christ is in us.

Bill Hitchcock