Two Kinds of Righteousness

By Joe Keim

September 1, 2025

How perfect or righteous does one have to be to enter heaven?

Is being 80% perfect good enough, or does God require better? Does He require 90% perfection?

If we turn to the scriptures for our answer, we will learn that God requires 100% perfection. This means absolute obedience to His laws without any exceptions. Even the smallest mistake falls short of His standard.

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (Ja 2:10).

“...Cursed is everyone that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Gal 3:10).

The truth is, not a single human being has ever been able to keep the whole law. Not even one person. This accounts for billions and billions and billions of human beings that have lived and died. This accounts for you and me.

“There is none righteous, no, not one” (Ro 3:10).

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Ro 3:23).

I’ve heard people say, “Well, if I try my best, if I reach 90% perfection, God will make up for the remaining 10%.” However, let me be clear: if you hold this belief, you will be very disappointed on the day you die and stand before a holy and righteous God.

The Bible describes two kinds of righteousness, which separate the over 8 billion people in the world into two groups: the saved and the lost.

1. Group #1 is trusting in and covered in their own righteousness.

2. Group #2 is trusting in and covered in God’s righteousness.

Which Righteousness are You Covered with?

1) Matthew 5:20

“For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven”

In this verse, Jesus is emphasizing that merely following religious rules and outwardly appearing righteous, as the scribes and Pharisees did, is not enough to enter the kingdom of heaven. To put it bluntly, wearing a certain kind of clothing pattern, using a horse and buggy for transportation, and belonging to the Amish church is not enough.

Those rules and laws may please your parents, the person sitting next to you in a church service, and the bishop of the community, but they hold no value in the eyes of God.

2) Isaiah 64:6

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…”

In comparison to God's perfect holiness, we are all impure and imperfect. Even our best efforts to be righteous and good are like filthy rags when measured against God's required righteousness. The passage clearly highlights the idea that human attempts at righteousness are not enough and are flawed.

Remember when Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened in the Garden of Eden? They immediately realized that they stood naked before God, illustrating for us that we cannot hide anything from God. What Adam and Eve did next is exactly what most humans do today.

“...they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Gen 3:7).

Did the man-made apron, or Adam and Eve’s self-righteousness, cover their flaws? No, it did not. Let me take it a step further: could Adam and Eve have come up with a single man-made rule to cover and hide their sinfulness? Absolutely not!

It took the shedding of blood to cover man’s sins. If we read just a few more verses, we will learn that God sacrificed an animal, made coats from the skins, and clothed both of them. Look! This is amazing!

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them” (Gen 3:21).

What can we learn from this?

1. Human beings go to great lengths to justify their sins, clothing themselves in self-righteousness. While this self-righteousness may appear good on the outside, sound right, and put one in right standing with the Amish church, it will do nothing for you on the day of judgment.

2. God requires His righteousness to cover our sinfulness. His righteousness is 100% holy, perfect, and pure. Those who die and are covered in God’s righteousness will spend eternity with God.

Now, let’s keep reading.

3) Romans 10:3

“For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God”

Just like Adam and Eve, the Jews ignored God’s righteousness and went about creating their version of righteousness. They put together a man-made system, similar to an ordinance letter, and held each other accountable to it rather than submit themselves to God’s righteousness. Later, Paul wrote:

“[Jesus] Blotting out the handwritng of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross” (Col 2:14).

Jesus took all those man-made ordinances with Him to the cross. When the Romans drove the nails through Jesus’ wrists and feet, those long lists of ordinances got nailed to the wood. That was 2,000 years ago. Stop reaching back and trying to take them off. Leave’em there. They were contrary to us, distracting, and false worship. They did nothing for us. In fact, all those self-righteous ordinances stood in the way and kept men from submitting to God’s righteousness.

4) Titus 3:5

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost”

Adam and Eve did not deserve to be clothed in God’s clothing. Neither do you! Nor do I! We are the ones who rebelled, God didn’t. And yet, God, in His great mercy, clothed Adam and Eve with His holiness and His perfection. Today, God wants to do the same for you. Will you stop following your own righteousness and submit to God’s righteousness?

5) Philippians 3:9

“And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith”

Some day you and I will die, just like the rest of mankind. A moment later, we will each stand before God. At that point, we will either be found wearing our own righteousness or God’s righteousness. Which will it be? According to the passage we just read, the righteousness of God is received by faith alone.

6) 2 Corinthians 5:21

“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me...” What was in this cup that made Jesus plead with the Father to remove it? What was in this cup that caused Him to sweat drops of blood? I believe it held the world's most dreadful, vile, evil, and wicked sins. I also believe that within that cup, you would have found self-righteousness and man-made religious systems.

As we know, it was not the Father’s will to remove the cup. Jesus went on to not only take our sins upon Himself, but the scripture points out that He literally became my sin. Then, He suffered the wrath of God for my sin. He became what I was, so I could become what He is; that is, 100% holy, righteous, and perfect in the sight of God!

7) Romans 3:22

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference”

Once again, the scripture teaches us that it is impossible for you and I to be justified (made righteous) before God by our acts of holiness. We need God's righteousness, which only comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8-9).

This righteousness of God, which we have been reading about, is a gift from God. It is received by faith alone, by God’s grace alone, and in Christ alone. There is nothing more you can add to what Jesus has already paid for in full. Stop trying! Stop adding! Just believe and then rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9–10

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto [God’s] righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”

The author invites you to text or call with questions or comments!

(419) 651-6813