Is There Really No One Who Is Righteous?

As an excuse for not having to perform deeds to try and not sin, I hear people quote the following verse from the Christian scriptures (NT):

     Romans 3:10 - "As it is written; "There is no one righteous, not even one."  (NIV)

As it is written...where is "it written"?  It is PART OF Psalm 14:1-7.  Putting it into context, a completely different application becomes visible:

      "THE FOOL HAS SAID in his heart, "There is no God."  They have done corruptly, they have done an abominable deed, there is no one who does good.  The Lord looked down from the heavens on the sons of mankind, to see if there is a wise one, seeking the Lord.  They have all turned aside, they have together become filthy; no one is DOING good, not even one.  Have all the workers of wickedness no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call on the Lord? There they are in great fear, for the Lord is with the generation of the righteous.  You would put to shame the counsel of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge.  Oh that the deliverance of Israel would be given out of Zion!  When the Lord turns back the captivity of His people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad."

Hmmmm, sounds to me like in context, the Hebrew Scriptures (OT) that the NT verse is referring to, is really talking about corruption in the world; that no one is doing good, BUT the Lord is with the generation of the righteous.  In context, this is not saying there is no one who was/can be/will be righteous.

The other problem I've found, is that there are many verses in the NT that refute the Romans 3:10 claim, for example:

     Matthew 10:41 - "....whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person reward." (NIV)

     1 John 3:7 - "Little children, let no one deceive you.  Whoever practices righteousness is righteous...." (ESV)

     2 Peter 2:8 - "....Lot was righteous." 

And an example in the Hebrew Scriptures:

     Malachi 3:18 - "And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."

 Next question:  What does being "righteous" mean?

It does NOT mean a person never sins.  It is a person who sins, repents, is forgiven and pursues a life to change his ways.  It is a person who seeks to justify our Creator, such as Job when he said, "The LORD gives and takes.  Blessed be the Name of God."  Even in his loss, he is justifying the Creator; therefore he's righteous.