I agree with your post completely. I just don’t see how repenting, something God leads us to is a work. It isn’t.
I struggled with that at first also. There is so much reference to “works of the law” that we have our mind fixed on the “law” when we read the word “works”. But look at this verse.
“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 6:28-29
That verse removes the requirement to think of the law when we read the word “works”. Works can be viewed as any action by man that is put forward as something we do that merits salvation. In that respect there is nothing we can do that would merit salvation other than “believe”. And even believing is still a function of the Spirit of God within us.