| Number of Members | 100,000,000 | 77,000,000[1] |
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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.[2][3] | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized. |
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| Who gets saved? | Most believe anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved.[4] | 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? | Most believe eternal security: No, once a Christian is saved, he is always saved.[3][5][6] | 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.[7] | 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 immersion.[7] | 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.[8] | 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.[5][8][9] | 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.[3][9] | 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? | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life. | 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.[10][11] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[12][13][14] |
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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? | Cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[15][16] | Most believe cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[17] |
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| What framework has God used in dealing with man? | Dispensationalism: God acts differently with humanity in seven different periods of history. | |
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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. | The gift of tongues is the ability to speak foreign human languages without knowing how.[18][19] |
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| What are the requirements for clergy? | Experienced men above reproach, faithful to their wives and with with obedient children if applicable, and able to teach are to be appointed as pastors. | Varies widely |
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| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion. | 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, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins. | 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. | 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. | 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? | Verbal plenary inspiration: The Bible was written by men who had every word supernaturaly inspired by God.[3][20] | Varies widely[21][22] |
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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? | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[3][20] | Varies widely[23][24] |
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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.[25] |
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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.[5][26] | Varies widely[27][28][29] |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[5] | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[30][31] |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is only permissible for adultery. | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[32][33] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | No, a Christian should not remarry while his former spouse lives. | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry. |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Varies widely[26][34][35] | Most have no established doctrine. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod believes life begins at conception.[36][37][38] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[30][39] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. |
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| Should women cover their heads? | No, women's long hair is enough of a covering.[40][41] | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[42][43][44] |
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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? | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars. | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[45][46] |
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| How should Christians musically worship God? | Varies widely | |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | No established doctrine | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[47][48] |
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| Who can be demon-possessed? | Demons can possess unbelievers but not Christians. | |
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| Do icons glorify God? | No, icons violate the Second Commandment against graven images. | |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[10][49] | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[12] |
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| When does the Tribulation happen? | Futurism: The Tribulation will happen at a time in the future which no man knows the time of. | |
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| When will the church be raptured? | Pretribulationism rapture: The church will be raptured sometime before the Tribulation. | |
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| When is the millennial reign of Christ happen? | Premillennialism: The millennial reign of Christ will be the 1,000 years immediately after the Tribulation. | |
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