[aron]

Hebrews 3 and 1 Corinthians 10 show us a journey with a finish line. A coming promised rest. We should press on until the journey is over. This notion seems widespread in Christian faith, not confined to the LSM (tho I appreciate their emphasis).

But I find a "thousand year finishing school" to be unsatisfactory because Moses "didn't make it" yet he is with Christ on the Mountain in glory, in the gospels. Maybe you give him a pass but I don't; he's the same as the rest of us.

My personal theology is "we see Jesus" a la Hebrews 2:8. He is the overcomer. Getting lost in subjective introspection is a house of mirrors.

The thief on the cross was promised to be with Jesus in Paradise. He never even got baptized! How could he get "mature"? And the story of Lazarus and the rich man is relevant. You think the first-century audience would discount it because "it's not a parable"?

And how pleasant is the "pleasant section of Hades" when you have a thousand years of torment waiting?

No, I suspect that one immediately deals with the consequences of one's actions. I know life is like that - why should the afterlife be different? The criminal immediately deals with the consequence of the crime - there is flight, hiding, lies and so forth.

Jesus made it across the finish line. Keep your eyes on Him. Never look away.