Faith vs Works for the advanced

The topic of faith vs works is one of the most controversial topics I hear from non-believers. There are those who reject spirituality and Christianity because they feel that spiritually oriented ("Faith" oriented) people are aloof of reality and live in an impractical fantasy land where simply "believing" will magically make everything perfect - but they themselves know the importance of works.   Then there are those who reject spirituality and Christianity because they have felt so beat up by the works and expectations and the honest realization that no human can live in perfect obedience 100% of the time, for life.

I struggled with both of these personally for many years and God brought me clarity to this in that time, but when I read this today I just found it to be an excellent summary of what the bible really says on faith and works.  (Taken from this week's sabbath school study guide)

Are we saved by grace through faith alone, or do we also need works?

Ephesians 2:8-9 (New King James Version)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

James 2:14-26 (New King James Version)
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d]And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Is Paul in conflict with James on the issue of salvation? What do the following texts have to say on this topic? 

Romans 3:21-28 (New King James Version)
God’s Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[a] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Boasting Excluded
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Romans 4:3 (New King James Version)
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[a]

Galatians 3:6-12 (New King James Version)
6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[a] 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”[b] 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

The Law Brings a Curse
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”[c] 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”[d] 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”[e]

When we look at the larger context in Scripture, what other passages have to say on the topic, we discover that James is not arguing for good works as a requirement for salvation. Rather, he insists that there are two kinds of faith, one valid and the other invalid. Paul speaks about the valid faith that is followed by good deeds. James refers to the invalid faith that stops at the intellectual level; faith that is mere mental assent.

Paul uses the example of Abraham to show that we are justified on the basis of valid, or real, faith. James shows that Abraham’s faith was real because it produced good works (obedience). Therefore, we do not need anything but faith, valid faith, to be saved, and our behavior will show if our faith is valid or not.
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When we look at the total body of what [is] written on a given topic, a balanced picture emerges that is invaluable for every Christian who takes religion seriously.

And so, it seems to me, that faith ultimately is what makes works possible (if we don't labor in the Lord, our labors are in vain).  Faith without works is really not faith at all.  And thanks to Christ's death on the cross, we are not held accountable for our unintentional failure at works as long as we have faith.