Narkissos,
You were right on the mark with this one. The letter was not written in vacuum as some think but was written specifically to correct what was a major problem for James and Christian Jews following him. Faith for James inspired works that were a problem that he now corrected, at least in a way that a once proud man could humble himself. He was crushed because he also once was: James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. His letter was like the one Jude wrote who did much the same. Works, works, works, what are they? At one time they were works of Law for James who was adamant and worked hard to get others including Paul to keep them. Now James no longer kept the Law and was telling his brother Jews around the world most of which knew his prior ways: 1 "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting." After a brief and pointed introduction: 1:22 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Wow, what a change of attitude and doctrine as well when you get right down to it. Now James is on Paul’s side. The works now were no longer keeping the Law as before but were as you stated: "The church should stand out against "the world" from this perspective, in its attitude toward the poor and helpless: see 1:22--2:13." Faith inspired works of Law for James at one time now morphed into Faith required: mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; that were discussed by Paul in Collosians chapter 3. Such works are personal in nature and have nothing to do with serving an organization of laws that requires specific duties as proof of obedience to them. That is what James did in the past but no more.
Joseph
