James has a simple argument. If the spirit of this world can produce these things then the Spirit of the new-born should produce works shown as fruits of the Spirit.
Unfortunately, although he firmly packages ‘works’ in the context of ‘fruit’ throughout chapter-one, he does use the word ‘works’ rather than ‘fruits’, in chapter-two, which greatly upset Martin Luther, and his disdain for the letter has bugged the Church since. Martin Luther was so disgusted with this letter he took it out of scripture, putting it in an appendix at the end. He saw it through the narrow eyes of his battle with the Pope. But Martin Luther was no more infallible than the Pope he opposed.
The answer is simply this: The foundation of new-life is ‘grace channelled through Faith’. Faith naturally produces in a person hope. Hope naturally produces in a character, fruit, which is displayed in the form of behaviour. That is the same teaching of all Scripture. It is the fundament of the sermon-on-the-mount, It is the fundament of Paul’s complex doctrinal arguments, it is the simple teaching of Peter and John as they seek to strengthen hope in the believers for future trials.
James writes to Jewish believers. Paul writes to gentiles. Paul defended gentiles from Jewish law. James defends Jews from gentile licence.
‘All behaviour is caused, … All behaviour is goal orientated’170
The most important things in a person’s life will be captured in the fruit of a person’s character171.
170 Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904 - 1990)
171 Brian Limmer