Let's start in 1John:

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

RIGHTEOUSNESS, FAITH AND LIFE
I would like to discuss two ideas inseparably linked to righteousness, and then consider the example of a righteous man.

Hab 2:4 "Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just (righteous) shall live by his faith."

Ro 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just (righteous) shall live by faith."
Gal 3:11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."
Heb 10:38 "Now the just (righteous) shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

FAITH: THE PATH TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

Ro 1:17 For in it [i.e. the Gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Ro 3:21-26 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe [so here the righteousness of God is given to those who believe (Ro 10:1-4). Faith is the means by which God's righteousness becomes man's righteousness]. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified [made right] freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed [God is not slack or unrighteous in passing over sins that were committed in the past. He has make plain His judgment against sin: blood must be shed], 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus [God's righteousness is also revealed by His work to justify, or make righteous, those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Why does this show God's righteousness? What is so righteous about declaring a person right because they have faith? Why is faith emphasised by Paul as the path to becoming righteous before God?].

Ro 4:13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Paul states that we are reckoned as righteous through faith:

Ro 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted [Gk: logizomai] to him for righteousness."

Ro 3:28 Therefore we conclude [logizomai] that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

Ro 4:1-8,13,18-22 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness [so this is not our own earned righteousness, but something given to us], 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin [Abraham had faith that he was given the forgiveness of God. Paul then goes on to explain that righteousness may be imputed to us in the same way]".
13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith [the righteousness which is learned and practised through a faithful relationship with God].
18 [Abraham] who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."

Jesus Christ, when preaching the Gospel, often encouraged this way of thinking. He said that the Kingdom of God was like a man who sowed good seed in his field, like a seed of mustard which a man planted, like leaven which a woman hid in bread, or treasure hidden in a field, or a merchant in search of fine pearls, a net thrown into the sea, a householder hiring labourers, a king giving a wedding feast for his son, and so on. So what is this idea of "righteousness accounted through faith" like?

The principle of righteousness imputed through faith can perhaps be likened to being a young boy. You see your father in his workshop building something. You want to be like your father, and you want to help. If you have an impatient father, he will grumble and complain and tell you to go and play with your toys. If you have a different sort of father, he will bear with the short-term inconvenience of your clumsiness and your inability to help because he wants your involvement, he wants to see you interested, he wants to teach you. And as long as you want to be with your father and want to learn, want to help, then your father knows he can teach you to be competent. It seems to me that Abraham was like that. He saw what God was doing and loved it, but he knew he had nothing of himself that he could contribute. He was sinful. Yet he heard the word of God and believed that God could make him and his family into a blessing for the whole world. And because he believed it, desired it, and trusted in God's wisdom and power to make it happen, God has made and is making his family into a righteous house that has been and will be a blessing to the whole world.

Ro 4:13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Ro 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon [logizomai] yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ro 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Eph 4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Php 3:8-11 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law [i.e. an outward observance of the law], but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Ge 26:5 "because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."
Ro 1:5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.
Ro 6:16-18 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Ro 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Dt 6:25 'Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us.'
Ezk 18:9 "If he has walked in My statutes and kept My judgments faithfully; he is just; he shall surely live!" says the Lord GOD.

Ro 5:17-18,21 For if by the one man's offence death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as through one man's offence judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Pr 10:2,11,16 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
16 The labour of the righteous leads to life, the wages of the wicked to sin.
Pr 11:4,6,19,30 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.
19 As righteousness leads to life, so he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
Pr 12:10,28 A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
28 In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.
Pr 21:21 He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness and honour.

Ps 31:1-5 In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness [deliverance from the threat of death comes because of God's righteousness]. 2 Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me. 3 For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name's sake, lead me and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. 5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
Ps 36:6 Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O LORD, You preserve man and beast.

Ps 51:14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

Ps 65:5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas.
Ps 71:2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. (Ps 72:1-4; 40:9-10)
Ps 98:2 The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
Ps 129:4 The LORD is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked.
Ps 143:1-12 Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness. 2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is righteous. 3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been dead. 4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed. 5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. 6 I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah 7 Answer me speedily, O LORD; my spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit. 8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You. 9 Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; in You I take shelter. 10 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. 11 Revive me, O LORD, for Your name's sake! For Your righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. 12 In Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant.
Mic 7:8-9 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.

Jn 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Jn 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS: RECONCILIATION AND RESTORATION
Let's look at the example of a righteous man. Joseph is a fascinating type of Jesus Christ. He is one of the men of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, and the story of his reconciliation with his brothers, the restoration of his relationship with them, is quite instructive.

Joseph, we are told, was a shepherd (Ge 37:2). He was opposed to evil. We know that because he exposed to his father Jacob some evil his brothers were committing (37:2). He was dearly loved by his father, because he was the son of his old age (37:3), but he was hated by his brothers (37:4), because of his words:

Ge 37:8 And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Ge 37:19-20 Then they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!"

Ge 37:26-28. Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed.

During a time of severe famine in Egypt and Canaan, Jacob tells his sons to get off their backsides and do something worthwhile to alleviate their plight. Ten of the brothers then go down to Egypt to buy some grain, while Benjamin is told to stay behind. They come before Joseph, who is the governor, but whom they do not recognise.

Ge 42:7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognised them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food."

8 Although Joseph recognised his brothers, they did not recognise him.

9 Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected."

10 "No, my lord," they answered. "Your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies." 12 "No!" he said to them. "You have come to see where our land is unprotected." 13 But they replied, "Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more." 14 Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told you: You are spies! 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"

Gal 2:4-5 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

17 And he put them all in custody for three days. 18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they proceeded to do. 21 They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us." 22 Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." 23 They did not realise that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. 24 He turned away from them and began to weep,

Ge 42:28 ….Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, "What is this that God has done to us?"

Ge 43:3-9 But Judah said to him, "The man warned us solemnly, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'" 6 Israel asked, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?" 7 They replied, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. 'Is your father still living?' he asked us. 'Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?" 8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life."

Gen 44:1-5 And he [Joseph] commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money." So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, "Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.'"

9 "If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord's slaves."

So they conduct a search, and the missing cup is found in the sack of Benjamin, the only innocent one among them!

13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city. 14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, "What is this you have done? Don't you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?" 16 "What can we say to my lord?" Judah replied. "What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants' guilt. We are now my lord's slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup." 17 But Joseph said, "Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace." 18 Then Judah went up to him and said: "Please, my lord, let your servant speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, 'Do you have a father or a brother?' 20 And we answered, 'We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother's sons left, and his father loves him.' 21 Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.' 22 And we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.' 23 But you told your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.' 24 When we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said. 25 Then our father said, 'Go back and buy a little more food.' 26 But we said, 'We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.' 27 Your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One of them went away from me, and I said, "He has surely been torn to pieces." And I have not seen him since. 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in misery.' 30 So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy's life, 31 sees that the boy isn't there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. 32 Your servant guaranteed the boy's safety to my father. I said, 'If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!' 33 Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father."

Ge 45:1-7,14-15 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt."
14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.

Ge 50:15-17 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him." 16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you." Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

THE GOAL OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIFE
The goal of righteousness is life—eternal life. The law of God encompasses everything that protects life, restores life, points the way to life. And it threatens everything that undermines life, diminishes life and destroys it. Law cannot stand in its own right, outside the context for which it exists—and the law exists to enrich life. Life doesn't exist for the sake of the law.

Joseph was a righteous man, and we can only understand his actions in spirit, not in their strict outward appearance. In Spirit they were right, leading to life, but they are not easily conformed to a rigid "Do this, don't do that!" framework.

Righteousness, faith and life—three inseparable qualities of a Christian.

Ro 1:17 ….."The just [righteous] shall live by faith."