Romans 6:3-4

The final poem in this set: the summation of God's redemptive plan.

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

How many ages
were thrust upon those nails,
and rode His blood,
when it dropped down and sucked the wood?
If men had heard
a thousand mother’s child’s brother’s voices cry
pain and triumph along with His,
they would have heard truth.
Not for small gain
did the Son of God and Man stake His flesh
against Justice—
nor was it a gamble, for Him.
He got what He came for,
a miracle,
and transposed souls across time
writhed, gave up their breath,
received a Redemption
by anguish they would never feel.

Nor, when He rose in sundered death,
did He rise alone.
No, we, too are
plunged through spiritual water,
flung into eternity, and life,
breathing,
still gasping
the breath of righteousness.
Sin is dying and the dead are living
by His cross

we are crucified.
He is propitiated, and
we are decimated, seared, slain,
and born,
leaving our sins behind,
like empty rags in a tomb.

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