What is righteousness?

Romans 3:21-22 2 Corinthians 5:21 Romans 5:17 Romans 4:3 Ephesians 4:24 Romans 3:23 1 John 4:17 Romans 3:19-20 Romans 6:14

Many of us have felt like we’re not good enough for God. We wonder how anyone could meet His perfect standard. The answer is simpler than you might think - and more radical.

  • Two kinds of righteousness - Human righteousness is your best behavior; God’s righteousness is His perfect standard given as a gift
  • No one measures up - All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, so your own righteousness can never be enough
  • Righteousness comes through faithWhat is faith?Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ - not working up belief, but receiving a gift from God that grows as you hear His Word and dismiss unbelief. Read full answer → - God offers His righteousness freely to those who believe in Jesus, not those who think they deserve it
  • It’s a gift, not an achievement - You receive righteousness the same way Abraham did - by believing God’s promise
  • Your new identity - When you’re born againWhat does it mean to be "born again"?Being born again means receiving a new spirit through faith in Jesus, transforming you from spiritually dead to spiritually alive in Christ. Full answer coming soon… , your spirit is created in righteousness and true holiness

Righteousness means being in right standing with God. To be in His presence, you need a righteousness that equals His own. That’s an impossible standard for any human to achieve.

The good news is that God doesn’t leave us to figure this out alone. Romans 3:21-22 reveals that “the righteousness of God without the lawWhat is the difference between law and grace?Law reveals our inability to avoid sin. Grace is God's unearned favor despite our flaws - Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness as a gift. Read full answer → is manifested…even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” God offers His own righteousness as a free gift to everyone who believes in Jesus.

You’re not trying to be good enough for God - you’re receiving the gift of being made righteous through faith in Christ.

A deeper look

Two kinds of righteousness

The Bible describes two completely different types of righteousness. There’s human righteousness - the righteousness you produce through your own actions and behavior. This kind of righteousness matters in relationships with other people. If you don’t live right, you might lose your job or damage your relationships.

But God doesn’t accept you based on your external righteousness. He literally gave you His righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that “God made him who knew no sinWhat is sin?Sin is falling short of God's standard, and used to separate us from Him. The law revealed sin, and Jesus took the punishment for us. Read full answer → to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

This is a completely different category - not something you produce, but something you receive. You need your own righteousness to maintain relationships with people. But you need God’s righteousness to have a relationship with Him.

No one measures up

Romans 3:23 declares that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” This isn’t just saying that we’ve made some mistakes - it’s saying that no human righteousness can meet God’s standard.

Think about it: if you went to visit a friend’s home while he was away and stole his stuff, wouldn’t you feel guilty even if you’d never heard of the Ten Commandments? God has written His law on every human heart through conscience.

The Law’s purpose isn’t to make us righteous. Romans 3:19-20 says the Law was given to reveal sin and show us our guilt before God. It’s like a mirror that shows you the dirt on your face - the law can reveal the problem, but it can’t clean you up.

No amount of trying harder, being more religious, or keeping rules can bridge this gap. That’s why Jesus came - to rescue us from our powerless attempts to fulfill God’s standard.

Righteousness comes through faith

Here’s where it gets beautiful. Romans 3:21-22 says this righteousness comes “without the law” - it’s not based on your ability to keep commandments or follow rules. It comes “through faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.”

Abraham is the perfect example. Romans 4:3 says “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” He wasn’t declared righteous because he performed well or kept the Law perfectly. He was declared righteous because he believed God’s promise.

The same is true for you. Righteousness comes through faith - through dependence and reliance on Jesus Christ. You’re not working your way into right standing with God. You’re believing your way into it.

It’s a gift, not an achievement

Romans 5:17 makes this crystal clear: “they which receive abundance of graceWhat is grace?God's unearned favor toward us - a free gift of righteousness and forgiveness through Jesus, not earned by our performance. Read full answer → and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” Notice that word - “gift.” Righteousness is something you receive, not something you achieve.

The Greek word for grace (charis) means unmerited favor - getting something you didn’t earn and don’t deserve. When you understand that righteousness is a gift, you stop trying to earn God’s acceptance through your performance. You simply receive what Jesus has freely offered.

This is why salvationWhat is salvation?Salvation is being made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Its how we gain eternal life and get to know God. Full answer coming soon… leaves no room for human boasting. Romans 4:2 says “if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” If righteousness came through your effort, you could brag about it. Since it’s a gift, all glory goes to the Giver.

Your new identity

When you’re born again, something happens in your spirit that you can’t perceive through your emotions or external circumstances. Ephesians 4:24 says “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

This isn’t something you’re growing into. It’s something that already happened the moment you believed. Your spirit was created righteous and truly holy. In your spirit, you’re identical to Jesus ( 1 John 4:17 ).

This means God is pleased with you based on Christ, not based on your behavior. Your spirit’s righteousness is constant and perfect, unlike your external righteousness which varies with your performance.

When you understand this, you can fellowship with and worship God based on who you are in your spirit - not on what you do in your flesh or how you feel in your soul. Romans 6:14 reminds us that “you are not under law but under grace.” Your standing before God is secure in Christ.

What righteousness is NOT

  • Not earned through good behavior - Righteousness isn’t about trying hard enough or being good enough
  • Not based on keeping the Law - Romans 6:14 says you’re not under law but under grace
  • Not something that fluctuates - While your behavior varies, your spirit’s righteousness in Christ is permanent and unchanging
  • Not self-righteousness - This isn’t about comparing yourself to others and feeling superior

Key Scriptures

  • Romans 3:21-22 - God’s righteousness comes through faith, not the Law
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21 - Jesus became sin so we could become God’s righteousness
  • Romans 5:17 - Righteousness is received as a gift, not earned
  • Romans 4:3 - Abraham believed God and it was counted as righteousness
  • Ephesians 4:24 - Your new man is created in righteousness and true holiness
  • Romans 3:23 - All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory
  • 1 John 4:17 - As Jesus is, so are we in this world
  • Romans 3:19-20 - The Law reveals sin and shows our guilt before God
  • Romans 6:14 - You are not under law but under grace
  • Romans 4:2 - If Abraham were justified by works, he could boast, but not before God

INTERNAL

Similar Questions

No highly similar existing questions found. This is a foundational theological concept that needs its own dedicated page.

Agent reasoning: While related to “What is grace?” and “What is salvation?”, righteousness is a distinct concept that deserves thorough treatment. Many people don’t understand the difference between human righteousness and God’s righteousness, or how righteousness relates to salvation. This question addresses a core misunderstanding that keeps people trapped in performance-based Christianity.

Resources

  • Slide 45: What is being saved
  • Slide 50: Not by works
  • Slide 52: Why the Law
  • Lesson L1-03: Righteousness by Grace
  • Lesson L1-10: Identity in Christ (Part 2)
  • Lesson L1-11: What Happens When A Christian Sins
  • Lesson L3-08: The Proper Use of God’s Law
  • Lesson L3-09: Not Under Law, But Under Grace
  • Lesson L3-11: I Am Loved, I Am Pretty

Research Notes

From The Good News Slides

Slide 45 - What is being saved:

  • Being saved is being made righteous, and being righteous means being made in right standing with God
  • This right standing is a gift given through Jesus’ death
  • Our born-again spirits are totally new and dead to sin
  • Our new spirits were created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24)
  • A born-again person cannot sin in their spirit
  • Key verses: Romans 6:2, 1 John 4:17, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 10:14

Slide 50 - Not by works:

  • By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified (Romans 3:20)
  • Salvation is by grace through faith, not of ourselves (Ephesians 2:8)
  • Not by works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5)
  • We are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14)
  • Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law (Romans 3:28)
  • To him that worketh not but believeth, faith is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:5)
  • We are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Slide 52 - Why the Law:

  • By the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20)
  • The law is not made for a righteous person (1 Timothy 1:8-9)
  • The law entered that the offense might abound, but grace abounded much more (Romans 5:20-21)
  • Sin is not imputed when there is no law (Romans 5:13)
  • We are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:14)

From Discipleship Evangelism

Lesson L1-03: Righteousness by Grace (Don Krow):

  • Two types of righteousness: righteousness of man and righteousness of God
  • Romans 3:23 - all have sinned and come short of God’s glory
  • Romans 3:21-22 - God’s righteousness comes “without the law” through faith in Jesus Christ
  • To go to heaven, you need a righteousness that equals God’s righteousness
  • Only Jesus had perfect righteousness, and He offers it as a gift
  • Romans 5:17 - we receive righteousness as a gift, not something we earn
  • Abraham was declared righteous by believing God’s promise (Romans 4:3)
  • Righteousness comes through faith, dependence, and reliance on Jesus Christ

Lesson L1-10: Identity in Christ Part 2 (Andrew Wommack):

  • Ephesians 4:24 - your new man is created in righteousness and true holiness
  • This isn’t something you’re growing into - you already possess it completely
  • Ephesians 2:10 - you are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
  • In your spirit, you are perfect and complete with no sin or inadequacy
  • Ephesians 1:13 - you were sealed with the Holy Spirit after you believed
  • Your spirit received God’s righteousness as a permanent, unchangeable seal
  • God accepts you based on Christ, not your behavior
  • Your spirit’s righteousness is constant and perfect, unlike external righteousness which varies

Lesson L1-11: What Happens When A Christian Sins (Don Krow):

  • Christians will eventually sin (1 John 1:8-9)
  • Romans 4:2-5 - Abraham was justified by faith, not works
  • If salvation were based on performance, there would be room for boasting
  • Romans 4:22-24 - righteousness is imputed (credited) to those who believe
  • Hebrews 10:2, 14, 16-17 - through Jesus’ sacrifice, believers are perfected forever
  • God remembers our sins no more
  • Believers should have no more conscience of sins

Lesson L3-08: The Proper Use of God’s Law (Don Krow):

  • Many people don’t see their need for a Savior because they think they’re “good enough”
  • The Law reveals sin and shows we all fall short
  • Romans 2:14-15 - God has given everyone a conscience
  • The Law and conscience work together to accuse or excuse us
  • Romans 3:19-20 - the Law’s purpose is to show us our guilt before God
  • The Law was never meant to make us righteous, only to reveal our need
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21 - we must have a righteousness that equals God’s
  • Romans 5:17 - righteousness is offered as a gift
  • Romans 6:14 - we are not under law but under grace

Lesson L3-09: Not Under Law, But Under Grace (Don Krow):

  • Grace is the unearned, undeserved favor and ability of God
  • Many believers live as though they’re being punished for every mistake
  • Jesus came to rescue us from the impossible burden of the Law
  • Trying to please God by performance is like defying gravity - you’ll eventually fail
  • Jesus took the punishment we deserved
  • Romans 5:17 - we receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness
  • Through grace, we have peace with God - unearned and undeserved
  • Proverbs 4:23 - guard your heart above all else
  • When established in grace, we know God has given us everything we need

Lesson L3-11: I Am Loved, I Am Pretty (Don Krow):

  • Story of Patricia writing “I am loved, I am pretty” because she didn’t feel loved
  • We all have a desire to be loved, accepted, valued, and to know we’re right with God
  • Religion often makes us feel unloved and condemned
  • When you came to Jesus, He became your righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30)
  • Romans 1:16-17 - the Gospel reveals the righteousness of God to those who believe
  • This righteousness is not earned - it’s received
  • God is love (1 John 4:8) - you can’t make Him love you more than He already does
  • Romans 8:38-39 - nothing can separate us from God’s love
  • Paul was persuaded, fully convinced, that nothing could separate him from God’s love
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