a.k.a. | | |
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Number of Members | 80,000,000[1][2] | 300,000 |
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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. | Sola fide: Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection alone to save you.[3][4] |
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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.[5][6] |
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Can one lose his salvation? | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy. | Eternal security: No, once a Christian is saved, he is always saved.[7] |
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Who gets baptized and why? | Saved people and their infant children get baptized by as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins. | Saved people get baptized as a public demonstration of their new lives.[8] |
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How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by sprinkling water on the head. | Baptism should be by immersion.[8] |
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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.[3][4] |
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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.[3][4] |
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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. | Total depravity: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own.[9] |
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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. | |
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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, Christians can become evangelically perfect through sanctification. | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life.[10] |
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Do the elements of communion become 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. | 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. | 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] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[12][13] |
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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.[14] |
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What framework has God used in dealing with man? | Covenant theology: God acts either within the covenant of works or the covenant of grace. | Dispensationalism: God acts differently with humanity in seven different periods of history. |
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What is the gift of tongues? | | Speaking in tongues is sometimes unintelligible and sometimes foreign human languages.[15] |
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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.[16] | 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. A general confession of sinfulness is usually done as a group during a service. | Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins.[17] |
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How should a church be structured? | Connectionalism: Churches are governed by conferences of representatives. How respresentatives and pastors are chosen 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? | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible. | Sola scriptura: The Bible is the only infallible source of God's revelation, sufficient for all faith and practice.[18] |
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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.[19][20][3][4] |
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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? | No, the Bible is not inerrant in any respect.[21] | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[19][20][3][4] |
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Who can speak with God's authority today? | | Nobody today can speak for God. |
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How was the earth created? | Generally that the earth was formed by gravity pulling dust together, which ultimately came from the Big Bang.[22] | Creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. |
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What is marriage? | Varies widely[23][24][25][26] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[27][28] |
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Is sex permissible outside marriage? | Varies widely[23][24][25][26] | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[29] |
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When is divorce permissible? | Varies widely[30][31] | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[32][28] |
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May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | Varies widely[30][31] | Yes, a Christian may freely remarry after divorce.[28] |
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When does a fetus become human? | No established doctrine[33][34] | Humanity begins at conception.[35] |
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Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[36] |
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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.[37] | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[38][39] |
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Should Christians drink alcohol? | Most believe that yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[40][41] | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[42][43] |
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Should Christians fight in wars? | Most believe that no, Christians should never fight.[44][45] | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars. |
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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.[46] | |
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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? | No established doctrine[47] | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[48] |
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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.[49] |
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When will the church be raptured? | | Pretribulationism rapture: The church will be raptured sometime before the Tribulation.[49] |
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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.[50] |
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