The Beauty of Law

The concepts of Gravity and Buoyancy are very well known physics concepts. In fact, they are phenomena that affect us every day! The fact that you are not floating in the air as you read this is because there is a gravitational pull drawing you to the earth. It is a negative pull - it pulls downward.

Buoyancy is the near opposite of gravitation. It allows things to defy gravity. It is the substance that allows helium to raise a latex balloon. A deflated balloon, on its own, would not be able to defy gravity - only when it is filled with helium can it do so, because it is under a different scientific law. It is no longer under the law of gravity, it is under the law of buoyancy, and it's reaction to surroundings thus changes.

I know what you are probably thinking. "What does gravitation and buoyancy have to do with anything regarding Impetus?" The answer is, everything!

Think of gravitation as our sinful nature. In our sinful nature, we cannot raise ourselves up. Try as we might, it is impossible for us to attain holiness. Our humanity does not, and cannot, allow us to do so, because sinfulness is inherent of it. Like gravity, then, it pulls us down because we are under the law of sin (The Old Testament law, which was created to show us how needful we are of a Savior). In our gravitational sin, we are under the law of sin and unrighteousness.

In contrast, the Holy Spirit is like the helium in the balloon. Upon our asking of forgiveness and repentance, He raises us up to holiness. Like a helium balloon, when we bounce down, we bounce back up, because we are now under a different law - the law of grace, which allows us to defy the previous law.

Nerdy as it may seem, I find it to be a wonderful and tangible analogy that I have been able to effectively apply to every area of my life! I am no longer in bondage of my sin, because I have found something greater and infinitely powerful - Jesus' salvation, grace, and eternal life!