See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy….

-Colossians 2:8a, NIV

Recently, I came across a fascinating article in Christianity Today by Jen Pollock Michel entitled “Glennon Doyle Melton’s Gospel of Self-Fulfillment: Why living your truth bravely isn’t enough.”

The article takes aim at the thinking espoused by famous Momastery blogger, Glennon Doyle Melton. This is someone who divorced her husband and is now dating women soccer celebrity, Abby Wambach. The article analyzes what Melton shares as justification of her recent life choices and actions.

I am less interested in the details of Melton’s love life and more interested in her message. The philosophy of self-fulfillment sounds eerily familiar. 

It sounds like a cheater “justifying” here.

Here’s the major nugget from the article:

…while the self-fulfillment narrative isn’t new, here’s what is: how easily and insidiously it gets baptized as a Christian story. Melton hasn’t simply said: I should be happy. She has emphatically said: God should be equally and unequivocally committed to my happiness as I am.

Sound familiar?

I am convinced my cheater was a disciple of this particular false gospel–i.e. “The Gospel of Self-Fulfillment.” It is a gospel cheaters use to convince themselves of a lie regarding God.

Namely, it is a false gospel they espouse to convince themselves (and others) that God is okay with their sin.

 

I add “and others”there because cheaters are not satisfied with just espousing this false gospel. Like Melton, they are out to make disciples of this lie about God.

The truth is that God is not interested in supporting our happiness at the cost of our holiness.

God does not author sin and cheating is sin even if it makes the cheater “happy.”

 

Anyone who thinks God is happy for him or her in pursuing a lifestyle of sin is absolutely and totally delusional.

God does not rejoice in anyone running head long down the road of destruction (see 2 Peter 3:9). Yet running down the path of destruction is precisely what a cheater is doing when pursuing his or her adultery partner.

The Bible is unequivocal on this point. The wicked–i.e. those who live in willful, habitual sin–will NOT inherit God’s Kingdom (see I Corinthians 6:9-10). In fact, the Bible tells us that they ought to rather expect God’s fiery judgment as enemies of God (see Hebrews 10:26-27)!

So, to be crystal clear:

God does not rejoice over a spouse breaking his or her marriage vows in committing adultery (not to mention breaking several other Ten Commandments along the way).

And NO, the “happiness” of the cheater sinning joyfully does not change the fact of God’s displeasure over such wicked behavior.

*A version of this post ran previously. And yes, God still condemns adultery as sin, even if the cheater claims it makes her/him happy and “fulfilled.”