This was written about the church. Revelation 19:8. It says, “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” 

Let’s go back to Abram. He had no children. Yet the Lord took him outside to look up into the heavens. He said that his descendants would be more in number than the stars if they could be counted.

Verse 6 says, “And he believed in the Lord, and he accounted it to him for righteousness.” At salvation we are given His gift of righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

1 John 3:7 is a warning for us. It says, “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” As we follow our Shepherd, He will lead us into His purposes for our lives. Hearing and obeying is a safeguard against deception. James 1:22.