2 Timothy 2:6

‘The husbandmen who labours must be the first to partake of the fruits.’

The third principle is the principle of hard work. Living by faith is not to be an easy option. It is the one who does the hard work who expects to benefit first from the fruit. When the harvest comes he is the first to be rewarded. He can pick it even while it is on the tree. Then he benefits from the sale of the remainder. Timothy must therefore expect, and delight in, hard labour in his Christian service so that fruit may result, which he may enjoy when he hands it over to his Master, and is the first to hear His ‘well done, good and faithful servant’. In labouring in this way he can be confident that with God’s help there will be fruit, for just as the husbandman/vinedresser/farmer works hard and depends on God for the right weather, so must the Christian leader work hard trusting in God for the heavenly rain. God alone can send the rain, but the workman can ensure that the soil is ready in order to achieve the best results (compare also John 4:36-38).

Some have compared this with 1 Corinthians 9:10-11, but it is doubtful whether that thought is in mind here. Here the eye is mainly on the final reward.