Dangers of Multiple Sexual Partners

“Make love, not war” was a popular saying in the 1960s and 1970s. This catchy phrase promoted sexual liberty and the attitude that no one should dictate personal moral behavior for others. However, such ideas and behavior have come with a cost.

While health professionals have long known that sexually active people are engaging in a “high risk” lifestyle, this warning is seldom conveyed by Hollywood or the popular press. However, a recent study did make headlines. Research published in the highly respected BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health concluded, “People who have had 10 or more sexual partners during their lifetime may have increased odds of being diagnosed with cancer” (Reuters, February 13, 2020). Specifically, women who had ten or more sexual partners were at nearly double the risk for contracting cancer, compared to women with zero or one sexual partner. Men with ten or more partners were 64 percent more likely to contract cancer than those with zero or one sexual partner.

Although the study only showed a correlation between sexual activity and disease, the results validate a broader principle God outlined in the Bible. God designed sexual relations to occur only within the boundaries of a marriage between one woman and one man. Biblical commandments also label sex outside marriage as sin (Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:13–18). When we fail to follow these God-given instructions, there are serious consequences for our mental and physical health. God gave His laws to protect and bless those who choose to follow them. To learn more about the biblical perspective on this important topic, be sure to read or listen to our article “AIDS Can Be Stopped!”