| a.k.a. | | Calvinist |
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| Number of Members | 9,240,000[1] | 75,000,000 |
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| 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. | Sola fide: Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection alone to save you. |
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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.[2] | Those who God chooses to call will be saved and no one else. |
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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. |
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| Who gets baptized and why? | The unsaved, often as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, washing away their original sin. | Saved people and their infant children get baptized as a sign of God's grace.[3] |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by sprinkling water on the head. | Baptism can be by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. |
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| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at Holy Sealing. | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation.[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. |
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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.[5][2] | Total depravity: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own. |
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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.[6][5] | Federalism: Yes, Adam represented all of the human race, and all are guilty of his 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? | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this 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 do not become the body and blood of Christ, but Christ is present in an unknown way. |
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| 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. |
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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.[7][8] |
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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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| What framework has God used in dealing with man? | | Covenant theology: God acts either within the covenant of works or the covenant of grace.[10] |
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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.[11] |
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| What are the requirements for clergy? | | Experienced men above reproach, faithful to their wives and with with obedient children if applicable, and able to teach are to be appointed as pastors. |
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| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has three sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, and Holy Sealing.[12] | The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion. |
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| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | No confession is necessary.[13][14] | Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins. |
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| 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] | 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.[16][17] | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible. |
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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.[18] |
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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.[19][20] | 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? | | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[18] |
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| Who can speak with God's authority today? | The Chief Apostle proclaims revelations from God as binding doctrine.[21] | Nobody today can speak for God. |
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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.[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? | | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[25][26] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[27] |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at fertilization.[28][29] | Humanity begins at conception.[30][31] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible as long as they work before fertilization.[32] | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[33] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[34] | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | | Varies widely |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[35] |
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| How should Christians musically worship God? | Any style of worship music is acceptable.[36][37] | |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[38] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[39] |
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| Who can be demon-possessed? | The extent to which demons can possess humans is a mystery.[40] | Demons can possess unbelievers but not Christians. |
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| Do icons glorify God? | No, icons violate the First Commandment against graven images.[41] | Most believe no, icons violate the Second Commandment against graven images. Icons of Christ are especially prohibited.[42][43][44] |
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| 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.[45][46] | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[7][47] |
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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.[48][49][50] | |
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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.[51] | |
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