| Number of Members | 9,240,000[1] | 2,000,000 |
|---|
| How does one get saved? | 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. | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized. |
|---|
| Who gets saved? | Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved.[2] | Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved. |
|---|
| Can one lose his salvation? | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy. | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy. |
|---|
| Who gets baptized and why? | The unsaved, often as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, washing away their original sin. | The believing but unsaved get baptized as part of their salvation. |
|---|
| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by sprinkling water on the head. | Baptism should be by immersion. |
|---|
| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at Holy Sealing. | The Holy Spirit is received at baptism. |
|---|
| 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. |
|---|
| What is the human nature? | Total depravity: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own.[3][2] | Most believe human nature tends to sin, but it's not depraved. |
|---|
| 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.[4][3] | No, we are not guilty of Adam's sin, nor did we inherit a sinful nature from him, but we did inherit the consequences.[5][6][7][8] |
|---|
| 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. |
|---|
| Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life? | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life. | |
|---|
| 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. |
|---|
| Can one be baptized of behalf of someone who has died? | Yes, a living person can be a proxy for the dead to be baptized, who then can accept or reject it in the afterlife. | No, the dead cannot be baptized. |
|---|
| 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. |
|---|
| Did Mary ever sin? | Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. | Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. |
|---|
| What spiritual gifts are available today? | | Cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[9] |
|---|
| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has three sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, and Holy Sealing.[10] | The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion.[11] |
|---|
| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | No confession is necessary.[12][13] | Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins.[14] |
|---|
| How should a church be structured? | 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] | Congregationalist: Every church congregation should be independent and governed by its members. |
|---|
| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday. | Christians worship on Sunday. |
|---|
| 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.[16][17] | Sola scriptura: The Bible is the only infallible source of God's revelation, sufficient for all faith and practice. |
|---|
| How was the Bible written? | | Verbal plenary inspiration: The Bible was written by men who had every word supernaturaly inspired by God. |
|---|
| How many books are in the Bible? | There are 66 canonical books of the Bible: 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books.[18][19] | There are 66 canonical books of the Bible: 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. |
|---|
| Is the Bible inerrant? | | Yes, the Bible was written without any error. |
|---|
| Who can speak with God's authority today? | The Chief Apostle proclaims revelations from God as binding doctrine.[20] | Nobody today can speak for God. |
|---|
| What is marriage? | | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[21][22] |
|---|
| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[23][24] |
|---|
| When is divorce permissible? | | Most believe divorce is only permissible for adultery.[25][26] |
|---|
| When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at fertilization.[27][28] | Humanity begins at conception. |
|---|
| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible as long as they work before fertilization.[29] | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. |
|---|
| Should women cover their heads? | | Most believe no, women's long hair is enough of a covering. |
|---|
| Should Christians drink alcohol? | | Most believe no, alcohol should be totally avoided. |
|---|
| How should Christians musically worship God? | | Worship should be a cappella. |
|---|
| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[30] | |
|---|
| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | After death, souls are conscious in the realm of the dead, with the dead in Christ in proximity of God.[31][32] | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die. |
|---|