The word “righteous” or “righteousness” appears throughout the Bible. God is considered to be a righteous God whose actions are righteous and just (Ps. 35:24;28; 85:10-13). The prophet Jeremiah wrote that God would be called the “The Lord our Righteousness” (Jer. 23:6; 33:16).
The word “righteousness” describes a recognized state or standard. God is ultimate standard of righteousness. He is without morally pure and without sin. His actions with creation and human beings are righteous and just. Righteousness for humans, on the other hand, means to be made right with God, or to have “right standing” with Him.
The issue with our self-proclaimed righteousness is that its inferior to God’s. Isaiah wrote, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6). God considers our righteousness to be an unclean rag.
Thankfully, we do not have to rely upon our own righteousness. God will impute His righteousness to us. Not on the basis of our works or efforts, but on the basis of Jesus Christ who was lived obediently, perfectly, and righteously on our behalf. “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Rom. 3:22). Jesus took our unrighteousness, and gave us His perfect righteousness, in that we can have right standing with God.