In North America one of the popular teachings about righteousness is that once you have declared Christ as your Saviour you can sin, and your punishment for this sin and other sins (past and future) has already been paid for by Jesus Christ through his atoning death on the cross.  This belief and teaching is contrary to all teachings about righteousness in the OT and the NT.  The books of the Bible teach repentance and a turning away or ceasing from our sins and a reception of what is good and right that we strive for each day and apply to our lives.  This rejection of sin in our lives and hearts is enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit and produces life in us and an inheritance in Christ Jesus.

We live in the present with God.  If we are doing what is wrong  in the present day and time, we are heading to an appointment with death.  If we are doing what is right in the present day and time, then we are entering into life and the rest of God.  This kind of teaching about righteousness is clear in the book of Ezekiel and in the teachings about righteousness taught in the apostles letters to believers in the NT.  There is no other way to interpret these teachings.  We must be striving toward righteousness.  It is while we are striving for what is good and right that the grace of God is given to us believers to provide us with an imputed righteousness until we come to the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ.

We need to separate ourselves as believers in Christ from the world so that we can attain victory over sin.  Ezekiel teaches in chapter eighteen that we cannot indulge in the common sins of man and our society and please God.   We cannot involve ourselves in sexual sins or sins of greed or in oppression of the poor and weak.  We have to continually choose what is right and good in our day to day lives.  The Holy Spirit enables this choice for believers.  If this is not working for you then you should pray and ask God to give you the Holy Spirit and be ready to change your mind and accept what is it that God presents to you as from himself.