Conviction and commitment to live by what we believe

Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and … be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and … put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22–24 ESV)

 Salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit bring transformation to our spirit; they break the power of sin over us, which enables the process of spiritual growth that changes our fundamental inner nature. The process of having our thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes reflect Christ isn’t something that happens on its own; it calls for conscious inner transformation.
 So what do we do to be renewed in the spirit of our mind, to put on our new self?
 One key factor is believing what Scripture teaches. The type of belief that results in ongoing transformation isn’t one we give mere intellectual assent or acknowledgment to. Rather, it is a belief that becomes a foundation for how we live.
 It’s one thing to believe that God exists; it’s something quite different to live with the Creator as the center of our lives, so that our decisions and actions are based on our relationship with Him. Belief in this context means conviction and commitment to live by what we believe. —Peter Amsterdam [1]

 Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire; and to know what he ought to do. —Tomas Aquinas

[1] Anchor Living the Transformed Life