There are two types of righteousness, one is positional and one is practical. Positional righteousness is how God views us in Christ, practical righteousness are the right things we do.
When the Bible says there is none righteous it's referring to positional righteousness, it's not saying that no one does right things because there are many people who do right things. Listen.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Notice how it says, "All our righteousness is as filthy rags". It's not saying we have no righteousness, it's saying the righteousness that we do have are as filthy rags. The reason for this is because our righteousness is coming from a tainted source. It's coming from someone who is positionally unrighteous outside of Christ.
Let me give you an example. Let's say you are driving down the road and you see a bunch of men cleaning up the highway. All these men are wearing orange jump suits. No matter how much trash they pick up or how beautiful they make the road look they are still wearing the orange jump suit. They need to go before the court to have their orange jump suit removed. If they try any other way to remove their jump suit they will be subject to more time. Not only that, no matter how much trash they pick up or how beautiful they make the road look they will still be wearing that orange jump suit.
Our righteous works may look the same, whether in the orange jump suit or not, it's the orange jump suit that's the issue. This is why it's hard for some people to see their need for Christ because they are not really a bad person, they don't know that God sees them in their orange jump suit. Another problem is that today, most of the world accepts the orange jump suit and some even find it fashionable.
When we turn to Christ, the orange jump suit is removed and we put on a new suit.
Zechariah 3:1-5 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.
In Christ we will still have righteous works but now they are accepted because we are now positionally righteous. The good works that we do now become the fruit of a new nature because we are now part of God’s family through a new birth.
1 John John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
Notice how is it says we practice righteousness? Practice means we get better at it as time goes on. This also means that if someone is not very good at it, it doesn't mean they are not positionally right with God. Being positionally right with God is a free gift through Christ but doing what is right is a learned and practiced behavior that one gets better at as God matures them in Christ.
Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
When the Bible says there is none righteous it's referring to positional righteousness, it's not saying that no one does right things because there are many people who do right things. Listen.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Notice how it says, "All our righteousness is as filthy rags". It's not saying we have no righteousness, it's saying the righteousness that we do have are as filthy rags. The reason for this is because our righteousness is coming from a tainted source. It's coming from someone who is positionally unrighteous outside of Christ.
Let me give you an example. Let's say you are driving down the road and you see a bunch of men cleaning up the highway. All these men are wearing orange jump suits. No matter how much trash they pick up or how beautiful they make the road look they are still wearing the orange jump suit. They need to go before the court to have their orange jump suit removed. If they try any other way to remove their jump suit they will be subject to more time. Not only that, no matter how much trash they pick up or how beautiful they make the road look they will still be wearing that orange jump suit.
Our righteous works may look the same, whether in the orange jump suit or not, it's the orange jump suit that's the issue. This is why it's hard for some people to see their need for Christ because they are not really a bad person, they don't know that God sees them in their orange jump suit. Another problem is that today, most of the world accepts the orange jump suit and some even find it fashionable.
When we turn to Christ, the orange jump suit is removed and we put on a new suit.
Zechariah 3:1-5 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.
In Christ we will still have righteous works but now they are accepted because we are now positionally righteous. The good works that we do now become the fruit of a new nature because we are now part of God’s family through a new birth.
1 John John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
Notice how is it says we practice righteousness? Practice means we get better at it as time goes on. This also means that if someone is not very good at it, it doesn't mean they are not positionally right with God. Being positionally right with God is a free gift through Christ but doing what is right is a learned and practiced behavior that one gets better at as God matures them in Christ.
Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.