“If also anyone contend in the games, he is not crowned unless he contend lawfully. The husbandman must labor before partaking of the fruits” (2 Tim. 2:5-6 JND).
Those who engage in the Lord’s conflicts have to remember that they must “strive lawfully” and be in subjection to His conditions of service, which must be carried on in conformity to His will and His Word. This is of the utmost importance, for many a right thing is done, even by otherwise good soldiers of Jesus Christ, in a wrong manner or at a wrong moment, whereby the end is defeated. The Lord’s servants must wait entirely upon the Lord’s will both for the time and the mode of their warfare, or they will not gain the crown of His approval. Nowhere is this more plainly taught than in the siege of Jericho. To human eyes the manner of conducting it, the method of warfare, was nothing but folly, but it was the Lord’s way (and “the foolishness of God is wiser than men”), and the victory was assured.
In addition, the husbandman must first labor before he can partake of the fruits. Our Lord reminded His disciples of the same principle when He said, “He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together” (John 4:3636And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (John 4:36)). It is indeed a universal law that labor must be expended before the harvest can be enjoyed, and it is this which Paul recalled to the mind of Timothy. The tendency of all, and especially of the Lord’s servants, is to forget this salutary truth in the intense desire to gather in and feast upon the fruit. It should therefore be remembered, and thereby we should be saved from many disappointments, that now is the time of labor and that it will be the time of labor until the Lord’s return. Hence, our only concern should be to be found diligent and faithful in our service. The time of partaking of the fruit is future, and the knowledge of this will encourage our hearts to persevere in service, and all the more in that our enjoyment of the fruit will be in communion with the Lord. “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psa. 126:66He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:6)).
E. Dennett (adapted)