| Number of Members | 374,000[1] | 77,000,000[2] |
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| How does one get saved? | Sola fide: Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection alone to save you. | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized. |
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| Who gets saved? | Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved. | Those who God chooses to call and who don't resist Him will be saved and no one else. |
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| Can one lose his salvation? | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy. | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy. |
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| Who gets baptized and why? | Saved people get baptized as a public demonstration of their new lives. | The unsaved, typically as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins. |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by sprinkling water on the head. | Baptism should be by pouring water on the head. |
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| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. |
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| What is the trinity? | The Trinity is God existing as one god in three equal, eternal, cosubstantial persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. | The Trinity is God existing as one god in three equal, eternal, cosubstantial persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. |
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| What is the human nature? | Total depravity: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own. | Bondage of the will: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own. |
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| Are we guilty of Adam's original sin? | No, we are not guilty of Adam's sin, but we did inherit the consequences and a corrupt human nature from him, causing us all to sin. | Federalism: Yes, Adam represented all of the human race, and all are guilty of his sin. |
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| Are Christians required to keep the Old Testament ceremonial laws? | No, the ceremonial laws of Judaism were fulfilled and done away with by Jesus. | No, the ceremonial laws of Judaism were fulfilled and done away with by Jesus. |
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| Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life? | Yes, Christian perfection is possible. | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life. |
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| Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ? | No, the elements merely symbolically represent the body and blood of Christ. | Sacramental union: No, the elements do not become the body and blood of Christ, but Christ's body and blood are non-physically joined to the elements. |
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| Can one be baptized of behalf of someone who has died? | No, the dead cannot be baptized. | No, the dead cannot be baptized. |
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| What happens if a saved person dies without being perfect? | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies. | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[3][4][5] |
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| Did Mary ever sin? | Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. | Most believe that, yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. |
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| What spiritual gifts are available today? | | Most believe cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[6] |
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| What is the gift of tongues? | | The gift of tongues is the ability to speak foreign human languages without knowing how.[7][8] |
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| What are the requirements for clergy? | | Varies widely |
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| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has three ordinances: Baptism, Holy Communion, and Footwashing.[9][10] | The church has two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. |
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| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | Confession should be made directly to God unless the church might discipline for such sin, in which case it must be confessed to the bishop.[11][12] | General sinfulness should be confessed to a priest. This is usually done as a group during a service. |
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| How should a church be structured? | Congregationalist: Every church congregation should be independent and governed by its members.[13] | Varies widely |
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| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday. | Christians worship on Sunday. |
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| How does God's revelation come to us today? | | Sola scriptura: The Bible is the only infallible source of God's revelation, sufficient for all faith and practice. |
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| How was the Bible written? | | Varies widely[14][15] |
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| How many books are in the Bible? | There are 66 canonical books of the Bible: 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. | There are 66 canonical books of the Bible: 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. |
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| Was the Bible written inerrantly? | | Varies widely[16][17] |
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| Who can speak with God's authority today? | Nobody today can speak for God. | The church as a whole speaks with God's authority at ecumenical councils.[18] |
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| How was the earth created? | Creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. | Varies widely |
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| What is marriage? | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman. | Varies widely[19][20][21] |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[22][23] |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is never permissible. | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[24][25] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | Divorce is never permissible. | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry. |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at conception. | Most have no established doctrine. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod believes life begins at conception.[26][27][28] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | No, contraceptives are not permissible. | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[22][29] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[30] | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. |
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| Should women cover their heads? | Yes, women should cover their heads to symbolize submission whenever in public. | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[31][32][33] |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | Most believe no, alcohol should be totally avoided. | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk. |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | No, Christians should never fight.[34] | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[35][36] |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[37][38] |
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| Do icons glorify God? | No, icons and images of people violate the Second Commandment against graven images.[39][40] | |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die. | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[3] |
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