All that I Was My Sin My Guilt
All that I was my sin my guilt
This hymn articulates the Lutheran doctrine of justification by faith through the forensic image of guilt-transfer, wherein Christ assumes the sinner's condemnation while the believer receives Christ's righteousness in exchange. It reflects the Reformation principle of simul iustus et peccator applied christologically, making it essential to Lutheran passion theology.
History & Background
Originally composed as a German passion hymn by Zinzendorf during the Moravian renewal, this text exemplifies the Moravian emphasis on Christ's substitutionary work. It was first translated into English by John Christian Jacobi and became widely used in Lutheran hymnals through the 19th and 20th centuries.
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Worship — 370
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 378
Translation
Bulletin Note
Written by Count Zinzendorf in 1740, this Moravian hymn expresses the Reformation doctrine of imputed righteousness through the image of guilt-transfer, making forensic justification singable and spiritually palpable.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Law-Gospel dialectic: it names our true condition under the law while announcing the gospel's radical reversal through Christ's substitutionary atonement, deepening the congregation's grasp of justification.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Confession of Sin Small Catechism — Confession
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Themes
substitutionary atonement forensic justification guilt and innocence exchange Christ's passion imputation