Luke 1:77

Knowledge of salvation. It is in the very nature of things that knowledge must precede belief, for “how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:14). Faith in Jesus requires an intelligent understanding of the fundamental facts and principles of the plan of salvation. In order to believe, a man must have something to believe, and the grand objective of John’s ministry was to lay a firm foundation for belief that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the promised Messiah, “the Lamb of God,” “the Son of God” (John 1:36, 34). It is the Messiah who brings “remission” of “sins” (see Matt. 1:21; 26:28); it was His forerunner who brought a knowledge of sin. Luke here makes it evident that the “salvation” whereof he speaks is personal salvation of the individual rather than political salvation of the nation. It is for a lack of saving knowledge that men are “destroyed” — not for not having heard it, but for rejecting it (see Hosea 4:6).