2Corinthians 5:17-19
:17 Therefore, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new
person altogether, his old life has passed away, behold, a new
life has begun.
:18 It is all the doing of the God who has reconciled us
(Believers) to Himself, through Christ and has given us,
the service (ministry)of reconciliation,
:19 what I mean by this is, that God was, in the person of
Christ Jesus, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer
holding men's misdeeds against them, but has entrusted to us
(Believers) the Word (message) of reconciliation.

The first example of righteousness, the state of being in right-
standing with and before God, is seen in the life of Abraham.

A review of Romans 3&4 will open a window of understanding the
very real distinction, between having past sins forgiven and having
sin period, removed from a Believer's life.

Romans 3:20-28 No human creature can become acceptable in His
sight by observing the law, all the law can do is make men
conscious of sin.
:21 But now God's way of giving men rightstanding with Himself
has come to light; a way without connection to the law, through
the law, though the law and the Prophets gave witness to it
:22 it is God's own way of giving men rightstanding with Himself.
(God's way of justification and righteousness for man) which
comes through faith (believing in, trusting on) in Jesus Christ,
to all and upon all who believe, no distinction is made,
:23 for everyone has sinned, and everyone is unworthy of the
divine splendor (the glorious likeness of God)
:24 but now anyone can receive rightstanding with God as a free
gift of His grace, coming through the ransom (purchased price)
which is paid in Christ Jesus.
:25 For God set Him before the world, to be, by the shedding
of His Blood, a way of reconciliation through faith, thereby
to manifest the righteousness of God; for in His forbearance,
cleansed man of his former sins
:26 with a plan to demonstrate His righteousness in this present
time, that He might be both righteous and the way of
righteousness to those who put faith in, rely on and trust in
Jesus.
:27 Then what is there to brag about doing in order to earn
salvation, boasting has been ruled out, excluded, not by the
application of law, not by doing works, but by the law of faith.
:28 Understanding this, we see that man is saved (redeemed,
justified) by faith in Christ and not by the good things he
does or which law demands.

4:1 What, then, can we say that our forefather Abraham
gained through keeping fleshly ordinances?
:2 For if he had been pronounced righteous as a result
of what ht did (works), then he would have something to
boast about. But from God's point of view, Abraham had no
basis for pride.
:3 How does the scripture put it? Abraham believed (put faith
in, trusted on) God, and that is why God blotted out his sin
and declared him to be righteous.
:4 Now if a man works for his reward, it is paid to him as a
debt owed, and not counted as a grace gift.
:5 But, if, without any good works to his credit, a man
simply puts his faith in Him who acquits the guilty, his
faith is regarded by God as righteousness (rightstanding,
justification).
:6 In precisely the same way, David speaks of the blessing
placed on the man whom God declares righteous when it has
nothing to do with his actions (works, deeds).
:7 Blessed are those whose wrong-doings have been forgiven
and whose sins are wiped away (cleansed).
:8 Happy, blessed, highly favored, is the man whose sin the
Lord does not charge against him.
:9...for we say, Abraham's faith was credited to him as
rightstanding, righteous before God.
:16 That is why rightstanding is credited on the basis of
faith, so that the promise might be guaranteed to all
Abraham's seed (descendants) not merely to those descendants
who rely on the law, but to those who rely on and trust in a
faith like that of Abraham, who is the father of us all (law
keepers and faith receivers).

Abraham learned trust in what God said, he grew in faith as he
witnessed God give life to the dead, and calls into existence
the things that do not exist.

Though flesh and natural circumstances gave Abraham no grounds
to hope, he laid hold of a higher level of hope by putting faith
in God and so he became the father of many people groups, in
fulfillment of what God said, countless will be your descendants.

Though he was nearly a hundred years old, he did not allow his
faith to be weakened, even when he thought about how worn out
his body was and how Sarah was well past bearing children.

It was believing that God would do, exactly what He said He would
do, that sustained Abraham and brought God's favor. Abraham was
righteous through what he believed, not because of good deeds or
a good life. Faith in God's Word made Abraham righteous, not what
he did or did not do in his human behavior.

Righteousness, the state or position of being in rightstanding with
God, is not the product of anything man can do, by way of good deeds,
good works or good living, or even abstinence from doing certain
things.

Salvation is a faith act, in which a person believes God and His
gospel, receives its truth as their own personal truth and becomes
clothed with His righteousness.

For it is by grace (God's free gift of favor) that you are saved
and faith is the instrument of that salvation. It does not result
from your action, works or deeds, it is the gift God gives. It is
not the result of what anyone can do, so that no one can brag about
what they did. (Ephesians 2)

It is all about God. God is all, He is in all and nothing exists
outside Him. (John 1:3,1 Corinthians 15:28) Righteousness is His
domain and no one can make themselves righteous by what actions
they take or refrain from.

It must also be noted that no one can maintain a place of right-
standing by what they do or do not do. It is all of faith and
not works. Man cannot add to or take from a sovereign work of
God's great grace and love.

Righteousness before God, believe it, receive it, rejoice in it.
It came at a price greater than you can pay. It is an eternal
gift. It is all of Him, it is His work for those who would believe
Him and be changed by His work for them, in them and through them,
to the world.

"But go ye and learn

what that meaneth,

I will have mercy,

and not sacrifice:

for I am not come to

call the righteous,

but sinners

to repentance."

Matthew 9:13

[Jesus was saying... the "self-righteous" (those who outwardly obeyed the law assuming they had nothing to repent of) would not heed the call; only those who new they were "sinners" and in need of the LORD'S saving grace & power of forgiveness would come repentant unto Him]
"...Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29

Enoch, Noah, and his family were saved; these men "walked" with God daily but the rest of the world had vain imaginations. Thus...the flood.