Thank you for those wonderful, hope endowing verses from Scripture. The passages in James, though few, are used as proof texts by those who desire to boast in their own merits and good works in attaining salvation. But we can know from the hundreds of other God-inspired Scriptures that the real "good news" is that man does not and cannot ever contribute anything to the payment of the penalty of his sin. It is only through the sacrifice of Christ in our place - his shed blood for the propitiation of our sins - that we can receive the gift of eternal life with him in Heaven. James, read in this context, then becomes perfectly clear and those who want to twist it to mean they have anything to boast of are proven incorrect. It confirms the Gospel of grace and does not contradict it.
I praise God that he has given me eternal life by grace through faith and this knowledge has changed me intrinsically. I am not the same person I was before. I have grown in the faith. I have grown closer to the Lord with each passing year and this is how our Heavenly Father works within us. I do not presume to judge another's faith or walk with Christ based upon the labels they use to identify themselves.
Who would these be? The Church teaches that good works are works that God through His grace enables us to do; that it is by grace and infinite merit of Christ's work on the Cross that our works become salvific for us. We are saved by grace alone, and not by grace and works.