Who is righteous?

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." - Matthew 25:46 KJV

The Bible says it is the righteous that will have eternal life.

The Bible also says no one is righteous.

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" - Romans 3:10 KJV

So, who can have eternal life, if we must be righteous, and in God’s eyes none are righteous?

The Bible speaks of sin and death entering mankind by Adam.

"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." - Romans 5:19 KJV (Romans 5:17-18, 21)

By Christ, humanity has the hope of being made righteous!

"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." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

How then can we be made righteous – the righteousness of God – so that we may have eternal life?

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

When we are IN Christ, we are made righteous.

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:" - 1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV

How do we get IN Christ?

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." - Galatians 3:27 KJV

We are BAPTIZED INTO Christ!

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" - Romans 6:3 KJV

When we are baptized INTO Jesus Christ, we are baptized INTO His death. We crucify our old man of sin with his lusts. 

We do this by thoroughly repenting of our sins, regretting that we committed them, letting Jesus know we are sorry.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." - Romans 6:6 KJV

We turn our back on sin, and purpose to live our life for Jesus. We make a covenant with Him when we are baptized in Jesus name for the remission of our sins. We are baptized into Jesus and baptized into death to sin when we are buried with Him by baptism.

"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." - Romans 13:14 KJV

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." - 1 Peter 2:24 KJV

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:4 KJV

When we receive the gift of His Holy Ghost, we are filled with the glory of the Father to walk in newness of life. We have put on Christ.

When we have put on Christ, we are filled with the righteousness of His Spirit.

"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man [your old sinful nature and your former way of life], which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind [let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes]; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness [which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness]." - Ephesians 4:22-24 KJV

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." - Romans 8:9 KJV

"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin [even though your body is subject to death because of sin]; but the Spirit is life [gives life] because of righteousness." - Romans 8:10 KJV

We have the promise of His Spirit (the Holy Ghost/the Spirit of Christ) when we repent of our sins, and are baptized in His name Jesus for the remission of our sins.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV