Letters of Thomas Charles V: Spiritual Appetite
In this episode of The Whole Counsel Podcast, Dr. John Snyder explores Thomas Charles’s essay on spiritual appetite, written in 1782. Charles compares the believer’s hunger for God to physical hunger and paints a portrait of spiritual health.
Charles gives three reasons why Scripture’s physical metaphor of hunger and thirst perfectly reflects spiritual appetite. Both physical and spiritual appetites are strong and persistent. Both physical and spiritual food provide not only nourishment but also delight. Loss of appetite is a sign that something is wrong.
Charles warns against spiritual indifference, showing how sin, worldly distractions, and complacency can dull our desire for the Lord. Charles points out that Christ hates indifference and would rather we be hot or cold than lukewarm. A poor spiritual appetite is a sign of spiritual decay and must be dealt with immediately, lest we endanger ourselves and grieve our God by becoming “walking skeletons’ instead of flourishing Christians. He also challenges the idea that spiritual fervor naturally fades with age, urging believers to guard their affections and pursue a growing hunger for God throughout their lives.
SHOW NOTES
📖 Thomas Charles’s Spiritual Counsels | Banner of Truth
▶︎ 🔴 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for weekly updates.