Mankind's greatest need is for righteousness, that is, to be in right standing, or a right-relationship with his Creator (Rom 3:10). Why? Because all have sinned (Rom 3:23), mankind is without hope and without God in this world (Eph 2:12), all come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23b), and there is none righteous, no not one (Rom3:10).
While mankind was in this condition, God offered them, as a free gift, the righteousness they so desperately needed. It's God's own righteousness that He offers us freely through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:22).
According to Rom 3:21 the righteousness God offers us is independent or apart from the law. The law says that men are accepted by God based meeting certain standards. In other words, your acceptance by God is based upon your efforts or by your actions.
If this righteousness is apart from the law (apart from my good deeds, apart from my achieving it by my efforts), how then are we made righteous before God? Rom 3:22 says it's by FAITH in Jesus Christ.
The bible uses the phrase "dead works" in Heb 6:1. Dead works are the things people trust in to get them to heaven. Things like living a good life, keeping the 10 commandments, attending church, giving to the needy etc.
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