| a.k.a. | | |
|---|
| Number of Members | 52,000,000[1] | 2,000,000 |
|---|
| How does one get saved? | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized.[2][3][4] | 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. | 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 believing but unsaved get baptized as part of their salvation. | The believing but unsaved get baptized as part of their salvation. |
|---|
| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by triple immersion. | Baptism should be by immersion. |
|---|
| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at baptism. | 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? | Human nature is corrupt and naturally inclined to evil.[5] | 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.[5][6] | No, we are not guilty of Adam's sin, nor did we inherit a sinful nature from him, but we did inherit the consequences.[7][8][9][10] |
|---|
| Are Christians required to keep the Old Testament ceremonial laws? | Yes, all Old Testament laws are binding on Christians. | No, the ceremonial laws of Judaism were fulfilled and done away with by Jesus. |
|---|
| Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life? | Yes, Christian perfection is possible. | |
|---|
| Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ? | Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ in an unknown way.[11][12] | No, the elements merely symbolically represent the body and blood of Christ. |
|---|
| Can one be baptized of behalf of someone who has died? | No, the dead cannot be baptized. | 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.[13] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies. |
|---|
| Did Mary ever sin? | Mary was prone to sin like anyone else, but no, through her own free will she still never did. | 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.[14] |
|---|
| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Unction of the Sick, Matrimony, and Priesthood.[15][16][17] | The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion.[18] |
|---|
| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | Sins must be privately confessed to a priest within 40 days.[19][20][21][22] | Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins.[23] |
|---|
| How should a church be structured? | Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the bishop in that eparchy, who in turn is governed by a patriarch of an autocephalous church. | Congregationalist: Every church congregation should be independent and governed by its members. |
|---|
| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday, although the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday. | Christians worship on Sunday. |
|---|
| How does God's revelation come to us today? | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith.[24] | 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? | Varies widely | 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? | | Nobody today can speak for God. |
|---|
| What is marriage? | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[25][26][27] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[28][29] |
|---|
| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[30][31] |
|---|
| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is seldomly permissible upon investigation by a clergical committee, usually instigated by infidelity.[32] | Most believe divorce is only permissible for adultery.[33][34] |
|---|
| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[35] | |
|---|
| When does a fetus become human? | Ranges from humanity beginning at fertilization to 40 days after conception[36][37][38][39] | Humanity begins at conception. |
|---|
| Is contraception permissible? | Varies widely[38][40][41][42] | 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? | No, alcohol should be totally avoided aside from Eucharist.[43] | Most believe no, alcohol should be totally avoided. |
|---|
| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.[44] | |
|---|
| 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 alone.[45] | |
|---|
| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with Christians being with Christ.[46] | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die. |
|---|