What is the relationship between God's grace and righteousness?

In sovereign grace theology, the relationship between God's grace and righteousness is pivotal. God's grace is the foundation upon which righteousness is built, as seen in Romans 3:24, which states that believers are justified freely by His grace through redemption in Christ. The death of Christ is central to this relationship; it is through His atoning work that the righteousness of God is made accessible to believers. As illustrated in Galatians 2:21, if righteousness were to be achieved through adherence to the law, then the death of Christ would have been rendered meaningless. Therefore, God's grace and righteousness are not separate entities, but rather intricately woven together in the redemption narrative.