"Imputed Righteousness" rather, is a biblical and LEGAL rendering by God, pardoning and declaring criminals (sinners) forgiven, according to an outside righteousness . . . that of a Savior and Substitute . . . who exchanged His righteousness to save His guilty children. He willingly and actually paid their death sentence, in order to trade His goodness for their sinfulness, in the court of God (on the cross).
This is the saving grace of God.
Despite all the slander that has been poured forth upon me in these threads put up by Doom, I do not believe any criminal, such as you and I, can ever achieve the holy righteousness of our Savior. God alone is good. His creatures, by nature, are not good.
But Jesus Christ saw it to be fit to pay the price for their failures, by sinlessly and perfectly keeping all the moral Law, even unto death, to vicariously supply them with His righteousness, through LEGAL Justification, before God the Judge; obtaining their Pardon and forgiveness by His blood (life) offering, which alone could remit their sins.