Righteousness is simply 'rightness.' It is the same word translated just or justice. It refers to lining up to the standard. In this world every line is crooked to some degree. God alone judges perfectly. The only time He interrupts justice is for the sake of mercy, which is the basis of our hope.
The principle of righteous and fair treatment is thoroughly biblical. The prophets brought the word of YHWH, demanding a just society, especially regarding "the least of these," as Jesus called…
Justice is a popular term today. But what we know about ourselves is a clue as to how we have confused and corrupted moral categories such as justice. Everyone strives…