There are two kinds of righteousness that come to us as part of the new covenant. The first is imputed (ascribed) righteousness. God sovereignly forgives our sins through the blood of the Lord Jesus and imputes, or ascribes, Jesus' own righteousness to us as we put our faith in Him. On the basis of our repentance and profession of faith in Christ, God regards us as acceptable and pleasing in His sight.

The second kind of righteousness is actual deliverance from the nature and effects of sin. It is the removal of the presence of sin from us so we do not sin any more. We no longer practice the actions, such as fornication, lying, stealing, murder, occult practices, and drunkenness, that are contrary to the law of God. Also we obey God without question in all matters in which He speaks to us.

The first kind of righteousness, imputed righteousness, is the foundation of the new covenant. We customarily refer to receiving imputed righteousness as being "saved by grace." Imputed righteousness is the foundation of Christian preaching and teaching.

There is little understanding of the second kind of righteousness. Yet it is the second kind that is the primary purpose of the new covenant.

The Lord Jesus came to remove sin from us; not only or even primarily the guilt of our sin but the actual presence of sin. According to the Book of First John, Christians are not to be sinning. When we sin we are to confess that sin, obtaining both forgiveness and cleansing. We then are restored to God's Presence. The New Testament does not permit the continued practice of known sin in the life of the believer.

There is no sin in the Kingdom of God. We cannot enter the Kingdom of God while we are practicing sin.

There are relatively few verses in the New Testament that speak of imputed (ascribed) righteousness. However there are numerous passages in the New Testament that proclaim the necessity for the practice of righteous behavior on the part of the believer. By the practice of righteous behavior we mean:

Turning away from the world and all its enticements, the entertainment offered by the world, and the world's communication systems. We are to lead a wholesome, normal life whenever possible but are not to be caught up in the secular, materialistic patterns of pleasure, competition, and security based on the acquisition of money.

Shunning moral uncleanness, covetousness, stealing, drunkenness, drugs, and other defilements of the body, gossiping, anger, spite, violence, and all forms of the occult.

Recognizing that our calling as a saint is the supreme purpose of all we are and do. Our prime energies must be directed toward our personal consecration and service to God. We no longer are free to do as we will, to pursue our own ambitions and desires.

If we are not diligent in serving the Lord in these areas we are practicing sin.

The teaching that Christians must not be practicing sin is not popular in our day. There is a tremendous overemphasis on the grace of forgiveness. Now God desires that the teaching of righteous, holy, and obedient behavior be restored. God wants His commandments kept! (from Deliverance From Sin)