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Holy and upright living, in accordance with God's standard. The word righteousness comes from a root word that means "straightness." It refers to a state that conforms to an authoritative standard. Righteousness is a moral concept. God's character is the definition and source of all righteousness <Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; Rom. 9:14>. Therefore, man's righteousness is defined in terms of God's.
The sacrificial system in the Old Testament and the cross of Jesus in the New Testament show man's need for righteousness. Sin is disobedience to the terms that define man's relationship with God and with other people. Since the FALL in the Garden of Eden, man is inherently unrighteous. As the prophet Isaiah said, "We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" <Is. 64:6>. Man cannot be righteous in the sight of God on his own merits. Therefore, man must have God's righteousness imputed, or transferred, to him.
The cross of Jesus is a public demonstration of God's righteousness. God accounts or transfers the righteousness of Christ to those who trust in Him <Rom. 4:3-22; Gal. 3:6; Phil. 3:9>. We do not become righteous because of our inherent goodness; God sees us as righteous because of our identification by faith with His Son.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)