| a.k.a. | | |
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| Number of Members | 80,000,000[1][2] | 52,000,000[3] |
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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. | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized.[4][5][6] |
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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. |
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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? | Saved people and their infant children get baptized by as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins. | The believing but unsaved get baptized as part of their salvation. |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by sprinkling 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? | Total depravity: 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.[7] |
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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. | 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.[7][8] |
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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? | Yes, Christians can become evangelically perfect through sanctification. | Yes, Christian perfection is possible. |
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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. | Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ in an unknown way.[9][10] |
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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] |
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| Did Mary ever sin? | 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 framework has God used in dealing with man? | Covenant theology: God acts either within the covenant of works or the covenant of grace. | |
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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.[13] | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Unction of the Sick, Matrimony, and Priesthood.[14][15][16] |
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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. | Sins must be privately confessed to a priest within 40 days.[17][18][19][20] |
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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. | 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? | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible. | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith.[21] |
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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? | No, the Bible is not inerrant in any respect.[22] | |
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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.[23] | Generally creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. |
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| What is marriage? | Varies widely[24][25][26][27] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[28][29][30] |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | Varies widely[24][25][26][27] | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Varies widely[31][32] | Divorce is seldomly permissible upon investigation by a clergical committee, usually instigated by infidelity.[33] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | Varies widely[31][32] | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[34] |
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| When does a fetus become human? | No established doctrine[35][36] | Ranges from humanity beginning at fertilization to 40 days after conception[37][38][39][40] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. | Varies widely[39][41][42][43] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[44][45] |
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| Should women cover their heads? | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[46] | |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | Most believe that yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[47][48] | No, alcohol should be totally avoided aside from Eucharist.[49] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Most believe that no, Christians should never fight.[50][51] | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.[52] |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[53] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.[54] |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | No established doctrine[55] | After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with Christians being with Christ.[56] |
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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.[57] |
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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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