Firstfruits

"Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." James 1.8

Through the Lord Jesus, the Word, each one of those who are born of the Holy Spirit is God's first fruits, His firstborn, His tithe, His property, holiness to Him, in short, they are children of God.
Do you think this a small thing?
Then, wait until you get to the glorious New Jerusalem to see what the Almighty has in store for each of His own.

Holiness and firstfruits

"Israel was holiness to the LORD, the firstfruits of His increase..." Jeremiah 2.3

Israel had double honour before God: it was the firstfruits and holy. Those who are born of the Spirit of God have the same characteristics: they are the first fruits and the sole property of the Almighty. Therefore, the Holy Spirit guarantees that everyone who is born of God overcomes the world (1 John 5.4).

The Spirit of the Firstborn

"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says the Lord: 'Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.'” Exodus 4.22-23

God demands to have the first place in our lives because He treats us as first priority in a relationship with Him. The firstborn is the eldest son who, in practice, assumes all the authority of the father in the family leadership. Firstborn means first child ...
GOD IS FAMILY. FIRSTBORN IS THE FIRST CHILD IN THE FAMILY OF GOD.

Shunning evil

"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil." Job 1.1

Three characteristics of those born of the Spirit: they are honest and upright, they fear God and they shun evil.
Honesty and uprightness are related to our conduct towards other people. The fear of God relates to our conduct towards the Lord or the practice of His Word. The rejection of evil has to do with our conscience, when we avoid places and situations that have nothing to do with faith.

Israel was...

"Israel was holiness to the LORD, the firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; disaster will come upon them, says the LORD." Jeremiah 2.3

To be holy to the LORD means to be His property. To be the first fruits of the harvest of the Lord means to be His tithe. That is how Israel was before the Most High. What is your situation before the LORD: are you or were you consecrated unto the LORD? Are you or were you the tithe of the LORD?

The difference

"Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." Malachi 3.18

Those who are born of the Spirit are essentially different.

If a person says he or she is a child of God but their behaviour is not different from those who live according to the course of this world, they are deceiving themselves.

Those who are born of the Spirit bear the image of God Almighty, that is, His character.

The only way the world will see and know the invisible God is through His children.

As Jesus said, "Who sees Me sees the Father."

Fear

"The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy." Psalm 147.11

The fear of the Lord has nothing to do with dread, fright or the like. Rather, it has to do with respect and obedience to His Word. And it's the Holy Spirit who does that.