It doesn't seem to me that we BECOME righteous, we are right with God upon accepting Jesus as our Savior.
Romans 5:17
We are right with Him at that moment.
We are forgiven of all our past sins.
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth
as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God
had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and
the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26
When we are joined to the Lord, through faith, and have His Spirit abiding in us, God sees you through the righteousness of His Son.
If we sin, then we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Let's look at the principle, of forgiveness, from a teaching of the Lord.
15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16
But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell
it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church,
let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17
and again
Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe
to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.3 Take heed to yourselves.
If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying,
‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
Luke 17:1-4
The common denominator in these two teachings from the Lord, concerning forgiveness is: Repent to be forgiven.
Matthew describes this as, you go to a brother who has sinned against you, and you tell him what he has done to you.
If he hears you, which is another way of saying he repents, then you need to forgive and be reconciled: you have gained your brother.
Jesus says...
If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
That is how forgiveness is attained in God's kingdom.
Now, lets apply that to us, and the Lord.
This teaching that once we "believe", we are forever saved and all our past present and future sins are automatically forgiven, is simply not true.
If we do commit a sin, then we confess our sin to the Lord and ask for His forgiveness, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
If we neglect this and just continue to live in sin, then we will have a problem.
The Lord will speak to you and if you do not listen, He will send people to talk to you, if you still refuse to listen, then the day will come when he will allow you to eat the fruit of your own way, which is to say, ...
let you be to Him like a heathen and a tax collector.
JLB