| a.k.a. | | |
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| Number of Members | 77,000,000[1] | 52,000,000[2] |
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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, and be baptized.[3][4][5] |
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| Who gets saved? | Those who God chooses to call and who don't resist Him will be saved and no one else. | Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved. |
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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 unsaved, typically as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins. | The unsaved, typically as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins.[3] |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by pouring water on the head. | Baptism should be by triple immersion. |
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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 baptism. |
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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? | Bondage of the will: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own. | Human nature is corrupt and naturally inclined to evil.[6] |
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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. | 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.[6][7] |
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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. | Yes, all Old Testament laws are binding on Christians. |
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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. | Yes, Christian perfection is possible. |
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| Do the elements of communion become 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. | Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ in an unknown way.[8][9] |
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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][12] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[13] |
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| Did Mary ever sin? | Most believe that, yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. | Mary was prone to sin like anyone else, but no, through her own free will she still never did. |
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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.[14] | |
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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.[15][16] | |
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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 two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Unction of the Sick, Matrimony, and Priesthood.[17][18][19] |
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| Should communion bread be leavened? | | Most believe leavened bread should be used in Holy Communion. Armenians use unleavened bread. |
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| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | General sinfulness should be confessed to a priest. This is usually done as a group during a service. | Sins must be privately confessed to a priest within 40 days.[20][21][22][23] |
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| How should a church be structured? | Varies widely | Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the bishop in that eparchy, who in turn is governed by a patriarch of an autocephalous church. |
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| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday. | Christians worship on Sunday, although the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday. |
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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. | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith.[24] |
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| How was the Bible written? | Varies widely[25][26] | Verbal plenary inspiration: The Bible was written by men who had every word supernaturaly inspired by God.[27] |
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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. | Varies widely |
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| Was the Bible written inerrantly? | Varies widely[28][29] | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[27] |
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| Who can speak with God's authority today? | The church as a whole speaks with God's authority at ecumenical councils.[30] | Nobody today can speak for God.[31] |
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| How was the Bible preserved? | | God has preserved the meanings of the Bible, but not every word.[27] |
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| How was the earth created? | Varies widely | Generally creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. |
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| What is marriage? | Varies widely[32][33][34] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[35][36][37] |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[38][39] | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[40][41] | Divorce is seldomly permissible upon investigation by a clergical committee, usually instigated by infidelity.[42] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry. | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[43] |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Most have no established doctrine. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod believes life begins at conception.[44][45][46] | Ranges from humanity beginning at fertilization to 40 days after conception[47][48][49][50] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[38][51] | Varies widely[49][52][53][54] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[55][56] |
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| Should women cover their heads? | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[57][58][59] | |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk. | No, alcohol should be totally avoided aside from Eucharist.[60] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[61][62] | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.[63] |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[64][65] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.[66] |
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| Who can be demon-possessed? | | Demons can possess unbelievers and Christians living in sin.[67][68] |
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| Do icons glorify God? | | Yes, icons are holy and should be venerated.[69][70] |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[10] | After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with Christians being with Christ.[71] |
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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.[72] |
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| When is the millennial reign of Christ happen? | | Amillennialism: The millennial reign of Christ is an indefinite period of time beginning on the day of Pentecost and ending at His Second Coming. |
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