What is meant by the words ‘work’ & ‘works’, in scripture, varies with the author.
In the Gospels, it usually refers to what Jesus does to demonstrate who he is.
Paul uses it as ‘works of the law’ - good deeds done to earn the approval of God. I think one of the most revealing passages is this one:
Gal 3:2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
It is receiving the Holy Spirit that marks one a Christian, and how does one receive the Holy Spirit? Not by doing works of the law - as Paul points out later, “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.””
No one receives the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses, but how? “By hearing with faith”.
Our faith is not unreasonable, but neither does reason take us all the way. Jesus did many great works - miracles - and not all believed. Yet Jesus didn’t hesitate to give evidence that would encourage belief:
“27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Believing is contrasted with works of the law. The latter is man trying to force God to approve, while the previous is God’s gift to man.
Not all work is bad. We have been born again to do good works.
“8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Saved by grace thru faith, we are born again to do good works - but those works are the fruit of our new birth, not the cause. All we can do is believe the word of God, and accept his gift of salvation. We obtain access by faith into this grace in which we stand...
There is only one verse in scripture that I know of that refers to believing as a ‘work’, and there it is said to be the ‘work’ God requires. There are no other verses that I know of where believing is described as a ‘work’ in the sense that Paul uses works.
“What is meant by the words ‘work’ & ‘works’, in scripture, varies with the author”
I didn’t ask you what works were. I asked you for your definition of believe and faith. Does your definition include the gathering of facts and reasoning based on those facts?