Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
This verse in Romans 10 begs the question, when did the law end? At the same time, you must ask for whom did it end? What Paul is telling us is when Christ fulfilled the law, righteousness came. It took the fulfillment of the law to usher in righteousness. Righteousness did not exist until He announced to God that His work was done in John 19:30. Righteousness did have a relationship with works. It is not our works but Christ’s works to which it is connected. Very simply our works are just as Adam’s, only good for condemnation. Even our very best righteousness is as filthy rags in the eyes of God. Anything we do on the grounds of justifying ourselves in the sight of God He detests. Thankfully there was a work that pleased and satisfied God, it was that of the Lord Jesus Christ. This righteousness by His works was that righteousness promised to Abraham. It was that righteousness that Noah preached.
2 Peter 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
This is the same righteousness Paul proclaims to us in Romans. It is the righteousness of God. It is not the righteousness character of God, but it is that righteousness that came by the obedience unto death of Jesus Christ. This righteousness is revealed to us by faith. Belief is a commonality to all those who are children of God. Children of God by God.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
From start to finish we see God in salvation. God the Father PURPOSED salvation. God the Son ACCOMPLISHED that salvation. God the Holy Spirit REVEALS that salvation. It was righteousness, it was justification, it was salvation by the shed blood of Christ. Salvation then and there because with His obedience, the curse of the law was taken away.
Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
The curse of the law and the handwriting of ordinances against us remained in effect until Christ came. He ushered in righteousness by His faith alone. For those in Him, that curse was removed then and there at Calvary. Those ordinances were nailed to His cross. For those not in Him they remain to this day. Righteousness did not come until the law was removed for us.
Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.