| a.k.a. | | Calvinist |
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| Number of Members | 300,000 | 75,000,000 |
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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.[1][2] | Sola fide: Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection alone to save you. |
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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.[3][4] | Those who God chooses to call will be saved and no one else. |
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| Can one lose his salvation? | Eternal security: No, once a Christian is saved, he is always saved.[5] | Eternal security: No, once a Christian is saved, he is always saved. |
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| Who gets baptized and why? | Saved people get baptized as a public demonstration of their new lives.[6] | Saved people and their infant children get baptized as a sign of God's grace.[7] |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by immersion.[6] | Baptism can be by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. |
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| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation.[1][2] | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation.[8] |
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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.[1][2] | 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.[9] | Total depravity: 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? | | 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.[10] | 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. | No, the elements do not become the body and blood of Christ, but Christ is present in an unknown way. |
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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.[11][12] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[13][14] |
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| Did Mary ever sin? | Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. | Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. |
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| What spiritual gifts are available today? | Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers.[15] | Cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[16] |
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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. | Covenant theology: God acts either within the covenant of works or the covenant of grace.[17] |
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| What is the gift of tongues? | Speaking in tongues is sometimes unintelligible and sometimes foreign human languages.[18] | The gift of tongues is the ability to speak foreign human languages without knowing how.[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. |
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| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion. | The church has two ordinances: 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.[20] | Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins. |
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| How should a church be structured? | | 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.[21] | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible. |
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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.[22][23][1][2] | Verbal plenary inspiration: The Bible was written by men who had every word supernaturaly inspired by God.[24] |
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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.[22][23][1][2] | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[24] |
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| Who can speak with God's authority today? | Nobody today can speak for God. | Nobody today can speak for God. |
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| How was the earth created? | Creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. | Creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. |
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| What is marriage? | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[25][26] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[27] |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[28] | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[29][30] |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[31][26] | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[32][33] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | Yes, a Christian may freely remarry after divorce.[26] | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[34] |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at conception.[35] | Humanity begins at conception.[36][37] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[38] | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[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, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[40][41] | |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[42][43] | Varies widely |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars. | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[44] |
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| How should Christians musically worship God? | Any style of worship music is acceptable. | |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[45] |
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| Who can be demon-possessed? | Demons can possess unbelievers but not Christians. | Demons can possess unbelievers but not Christians. |
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| Do icons glorify God? | No, icons violate the Second Commandment against graven images. | Most believe no, icons violate the Second Commandment against graven images. Icons of Christ are especially prohibited.[46][47][48] |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[49] | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[13][50] |
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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.[51] | |
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| When will the church be raptured? | Pretribulationism rapture: The church will be raptured sometime before the Tribulation.[51] | |
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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.[52] | |
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