Denomination Differences

Oriental Orthodox vs. Jehovah's Witness Beliefs

Oriental OrthodoxJehovah's Witness
a.k.a.
  • Miaphysite
  • Coptic
Number of Members52,000,000[1]8,687,000[2]
How does one get saved?Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized.[3][4][5]Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection to save you, be baptized, and do good works for the rest of your life. The 144,000 most faithful Christians will go to heaven; the rest will live on earth.
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 unsaved, typically as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins.[3]Saved people get baptized as a public demonstration of their new lives.[6]
How should baptism be done?Baptism should be by triple immersion.Baptism should be by immersion.[6]
When does one receive the Holy Spirit?The Holy Spirit is received at baptism.God's holy spirit is received after one prays for it, learns God's Word, and lives in line with it.[7][8]
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.There is no Trinity. Jesus is God's first creation, and the Holy Spirit is not a person.
What is the human nature?Human nature is corrupt and naturally inclined to evil.[9]Human nature is corrupt and naturally inclined to evil.
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.[9][10]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.
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.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?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.[13]
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.[14]Death itself is the full and complete punishment for sin.[15]
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 are the requirements for clergy?No clergy is employed. All members are ministers, but only men who have been ministerial servants may be elders.
How many church ordinances/​sacraments are there?The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Unction of the Sick, Matrimony, and Priesthood.[16][17][18]The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion.[13][19]
Should communion bread be leavened?Most believe leavened bread should be used in Holy Communion. Armenians use unleavened bread.
To whom do Christians need to confess their sins?Sins must be privately confessed to a priest within 40 days.[20][21][22][23]Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins.[24]
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.
What day of the week should Christians worship?Christians worship on Sunday, although the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday.Jehovah's Witnesses meet on any two days of the week.
How does God's revelation come to us today?Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith.[25]The Bible, as interpreted by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, is the only infallible source of God's revelation.
How was the Bible written?Verbal plenary inspiration: The Bible was written by men who had every word supernaturaly inspired by God.[26]
How many books are in the Bible?Varies widelyThere are 66 canonical books of the Bible: 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books.[27]
Was the Bible written inerrantly?Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[26]
Who can speak with God's authority today?Nobody today can speak for God.[28]The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses is God's "faithful and discreet slave" and "spokesman", although it does so imperfectly.
How was the Bible preserved?God has preserved the meanings of the Bible, but not every word.[26]
How was the earth created?Generally creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God.The earth was formed by gravity pulling dust together, which ultimately came from the Big Bang.[29]
What is marriage?Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[30][31][32]Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.
Is sex permissible outside marriage?No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[33]
When is divorce permissible?Divorce is seldomly permissible upon investigation by a clergical committee, usually instigated by infidelity.[34]Divorce is only permissible for adultery.[35]
May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive?The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[36]Yes, a Christian may remarry after divorce if the divorce was for a valid reason.[37]
When does a fetus become human?Ranges from humanity beginning at fertilization to 40 days after conception[38][39][40][41]Humanity begins at conception.[42]
Is contraception permissible?Varies widely[40][43][44][45]Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[46]
Are blood transfusions permissible?Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[47][48]No, blood transfusions are not permissible.[49]
Should women cover their heads?Women should cover their heads when praying or teaching when a man normally would.[50][51]
Should Christians drink alcohol?No, alcohol should be totally avoided aside from Eucharist.[52]Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[53]
Should Christians fight in wars?Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.[54]No, Christians should never fight.[55]
Whom does the Holy Spirit come from?The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.[56]God's holy spirit comes from God alone.
Who can be demon-possessed?Demons can possess unbelievers and Christians living in sin.[57][58]
Do icons glorify God?Yes, icons are holy and should be venerated.[59][60]
Where does a Christian's soul go after death?After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with Christians being with Christ.[61]After death, one's existence ceases until and unless God resurrects him.[62]
When does the Tribulation happen?Futurism: The Tribulation will happen at a time in the future which no man knows the time of.[63]
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.