| a.k.a. | | |
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| Number of Members | 52,000,000[1] | 1,800,000 |
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| How does one get saved? | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized.[2][3][4] | 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. | 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? | The believing but unsaved get baptized as part of their salvation. | Baptism not practiced.[5] |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by triple immersion. | Baptism not practiced.[5] |
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| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | 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.[6] |
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| What is the human nature? | Human nature is corrupt and naturally inclined to evil.[7] | Total depravity: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own.[8][9] |
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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.[7][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.[9] |
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| 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. |
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| Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life? | Yes, Christian perfection is possible. | |
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| 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] | Communion not practiced. |
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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.[13] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[14] |
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| 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. |
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| 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] | Jesus is the only true Sacrament.[18] |
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| 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. |
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| 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. | Corps should be governed by an officer, appointed by and governed by higher and higher officers in the hierarchy until reaching the General of The Salvation Army. |
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| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday, although the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday. | Christians worship on Sunday. |
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| How does God's revelation come to us today? | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith.[23] | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible. |
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| 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. |
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| Is the Bible inerrant? | | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[24] |
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| 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. |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is seldomly permissible upon investigation by a clergical committee, usually instigated by infidelity.[28] | |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[29] | Yes, a Christian may freely remarry after divorce. |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Ranges from humanity beginning at fertilization to 40 days after conception[30][31][32][33] | Humanity begins at fertilization.[34] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Varies widely[32][35][36][37] | Yes, contraceptives are permissible as long as they work before fertilization.[34] |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | No, alcohol should be totally avoided aside from Eucharist.[38] | No, alcohol should be totally avoided.[39] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.[40] | Varies widely[41] |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.[42] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[43] |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with Christians being with Christ.[44] | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[14] |
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