“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits.” Prov. 16:2. “Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know my integrity.” Job 31:6. It is not only a matter of having many works, but the real question is their weight. We learn this from what we read in 1 Corinthians 13 and from Jesus’ words to the Pharisees. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” Matt. 23:23. Here we can see what it is that has real weight. The fullness of the virtues in the work is what gives weight to the work. When we think about the growth of the church, most people think about the number of people, larger meeting halls and various activities—especially mission work among the heathen. All these things were relegated to second place by the apostles. “I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.” Gal. 4:11. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . . .” V. 19. Growth consisted of Christ being formed in them, that they might increase more and more in brotherly love. 1 Thess. 4:9-10. The apostle grieved over the fact that the Hebrews were still babes in Christ. To grow meant to have their senses exercised to discern between good and evil. Heb. 5:9-14. Peter measured their fruitfulness according to their growth in the virtues. If they did not grow, they were unfruitful in the true knowledge concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 1:5-11. We see that the apostles did not write much about what religious people call “mission work” and “activity.” One could think they would have written a great deal about mission work, but we read almost exclusively personal exhortations to grow in the virtues of Christ. 1 Tim. 4:12-16; 6:11-14. This, of course, was necessary, because they were called to proclaim the virtues of Christ. 1 Pet. 2:9. The more they possessed the fullness of the virtues, the greater the power and weight in their preaching. “For God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor. 9:7. If you have no joy in giving, your gift has no weight. And if you give to be seen by people, you have already received your reward. In other words, that work has no value before the Father. Matt. 6:1. One is prone to value certain works above others. This is also the reason for so much ceremony. Many are so occupied with mission work and other activities that they have no time for their families. The family, in their eyes, is something of lesser value. In all this striving to do mission work there is also a lot of strife and envy, and they are far away from the fruit, which was to be the result of their ministry—sanctification. Rom. 6:22. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Col. 3:17. Here we see that the work itself is of no value, because the fullness of the virtues of Christ that make our works valuable and lend weight to them is in our spirit and in our heart, and life proceeds from the heart. What I speak and what I do comes from the heart. That is why there is no difference. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31. Everything we do proceeds from the same heart. The fact that one considers certain things to be holier than others, with the result that one walks, and talks and acts more holy on certain occasions than on others, is only hypocrisy. One does that to be seen and heard by people. People deceive themselves in this hypocrisy. The only works that are of value for eternity are the works that are brought forth by the virtues of Christ to the praise and glory of God.Sigurd Bratlie