Number of Members | 2,000,000 | 9,240,000[1] |
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How does one get saved? | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized. | Repent of your sins; believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection; be baptized, participate in communion, and be sealed by an apostle in faith; and don't die with any unconfessed mortal sins. |
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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. | Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved.[2] |
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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? | The believing but unsaved get baptized as part of their salvation. | The unsaved, often as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, washing away their original sin. |
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How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by immersion. | Baptism should be by sprinkling water on the head. |
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When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at baptism. | The Holy Spirit is received at Holy Sealing. |
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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? | Most believe human nature tends to sin, but it's not depraved. | Total depravity: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own.[3][2] |
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Are we guilty of Adam's original sin? | No, we are not guilty of Adam's sin, nor did we inherit a sinful nature from him, but we did inherit the consequences.[4][5][6][7] | 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.[8][3] |
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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. |
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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 merely symbolically represent the body and blood of Christ. |
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Can one be baptized of behalf of someone who has died? | No, the dead cannot be baptized. | Yes, a living person can be a proxy for the dead to be baptized, who then can accept or reject it in the afterlife. |
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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. |
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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? | Cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[9] | |
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How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion.[10] | The church has three sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, and Holy Sealing.[11] |
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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.[12] | No confession is necessary.[13][14] |
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How should a church be structured? | Congregationalist: Every church congregation should be independent and governed by its members. | Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the apostle in that church district, who in turn is governed by a district apostle, who is governed by the Chief Apostle.[15] |
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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. | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible.[16][17] |
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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. | |
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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.[18][19] |
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Was the Bible written inerrantly? | Yes, the Bible was written without any error. | |
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Who can speak with God's authority today? | Nobody today can speak for God. | The Chief Apostle proclaims revelations from God as binding doctrine.[20] |
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How was the earth created? | 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.[21][22] | |
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Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[23][24] | |
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When is divorce permissible? | Most believe divorce is only permissible for adultery.[25][26] | |
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When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at conception. | Humanity begins at fertilization.[27][28] |
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Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. | Yes, contraceptives are permissible as long as they work before fertilization.[29] |
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Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[30] |
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Should women cover their heads? | Most believe no, women's long hair is enough of a covering. | |
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Should Christians drink alcohol? | Most believe no, alcohol should be totally avoided. | |
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How should Christians musically worship God? | Worship should be a cappella. | Any style of worship music is acceptable.[31][32] |
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Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[33] |
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Who can be demon-possessed? | | The extent to which demons can possess humans is a mystery.[34] |
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Do icons glorify God? | | No, icons violate the First Commandment against graven images.[35] |
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Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die. | After death, souls are conscious in the realm of the dead, with the dead in Christ in proximity of God.[36][37] |
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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? | | Partial pretribulationism rapture: An unknown part of the church known as the "bridal congregation" will be raptured sometime before the Tribulation.[38][39][40] |
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When is the millennial reign of Christ happen? | | Premillennialism: The millennial reign of Christ will be a long period immediately after the Tribulation.[41] |
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