The epistle of the Apostle Saint James consists in a series of requirements and advices for the Christian life, the letter has a certain similarity with the sapiential books of the Old Testament in particular the Book of Proverbs, one of the most important teachings of the letter is the definition of sin: If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn´t do it, it is sin for them. James 4:17.
This phrase teaches us the definition of the sin, sin is anything that involves an omission, either intentional or unintentional. The good is define as the Golden Rule or Spiritual Gift of Rectitude: do unto others as you would have them do unto you, Matthew 7:12.
The virtue however, is define in a different mood, and this is an Aristotelian definition is any human disposition that is intermediate between the exes and the defect. Aristotle continues his explanation of virtue and justice is defined as giving and receiving proportionately. Now Aristotle teach us that man practiced the virtue to be happy.
But happiness and good are different things, can we achieve happiness forgetting the good? Comparing the definition of virtue with sin nothing prevents that many virtues involves the absence of good. We can be virtuous and sin; "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" was holding by the famous code of Hammurabi. When justice does not decreases the suffering and ignores the dignity of men, justice becomes a mask, in an appearance to hide the real problem: the neighbor does not matter.
Sin brings us to the law of God and the neighbor, happiness to our own selfishness, virtue does not absolve us of the sin, and of our duty towards God and the neighbor. The good, the retitude is a spiritual gift, a gift of God. The love of charity is the righteous life. Justice is not enough, remember to us the Apostle James in his letter, we are called to live the gifts we inherit from God to reach the full likeness to him.