AFTER YOU BELIEVED

       " In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise."  (Ephesians 1:13)

The time when we "believed" is a line of demarcation – a point of separation in our lives. It marks the end of one manner of life and the beginning of another. It stands between bondage and liberty, darkness and light, condemnation and justification. This is time worthy of pondering – "after that ye believed." It identifies when you were convinced of your need for a Savior, and did something about it. It reminds you of when you were delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son. It marks the beginning new life, Divine acceptance, and blessed identity with God through Jesus Christ. Frequently we are asked to consider the point of change in our lives. In the sixth chapter of Romans, we are pointed back to our baptism (vs 1-6). In the third chapter of Titus, we are reminded of the time when the love and kindness of God became apparent to us (vs 3-4). In the tenth chapter of Hebrews, we are asked to consider the time we were "illuminated" (v 32). These are all pivotal, or central, times. Something of an epochal nature occurred at those times. The working of God was most prominent, and we were moved to a higher plateau.
In this text, the focus is on the time you believed "the Gospel of your salvation." It was the "word of truth" from God Himself. It announced that He had made full provision for your acceptance. Your full debt to Him had been paid, and you were released from the power of the enemy. Enabled by His marvelous grace, you "believed" that message, taking hold of it in your heart. It was "given to you" to believe (Phil 1:29), and you received the gift. For you, everything really began at that point – "after that you believed." Then is when hope was spawned within you. Then is when your conscience was purged. Then is when you were "made accepted in the Beloved" (Eph 1:6). Then, our text affirms, is when you were "sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise," or the Spirit that God had promised. You were "sealed" in the sense of being marked as God's own child. The seal was official, like a notary seal, proving you were His child. That seal brought all the privileges of being a child of God: access to Him, blessing from Him, guidance from Him, and the privilege of working together with Him. But it all began "after that you believed." Among other things, that shows how marvelous believing really is. When you believed, God was moved to bless you, help you, and give you heavenly advantages.