| a.k.a. | | |
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| Number of Members | 39,000,000 | 52,000,000[1] |
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| How does one get saved? | Sola fide: Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection alone to save you. | Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized.[2][3][4] |
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| Who gets saved? | Those who God chooses to call will be saved and no one else. | 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? | Eternal security: No, once a Christian is saved, he is always saved. | Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy. |
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| Who gets baptized and why? | Saved people and their infant children get baptized as a sign of God's grace.[5] | The believing but unsaved get baptized as part of their salvation. |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism should be by sprinkling water on the head. | Baptism should be by triple immersion. |
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| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation.[6] | 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. |
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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. | Human nature is corrupt and naturally inclined to evil.[7] |
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| Are we guilty of Adam's original sin? | Federalism: Yes, Adam represented all of the human race, and all are guilty of his 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][8] |
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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. | Yes, all Old Testament laws are binding on Christians. |
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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. | Yes, Christian perfection is possible. |
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| Do the elements of communion become 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. | Yes, the bread and the wine change into the body and blood of Christ in an unknown way.[9][10] |
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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.[11][12] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[13] |
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| Did Mary ever sin? | Yes, Mary sinned like all other humans except Jesus. | Mary was prone to sin like anyone else, but no, through her own free will she still never did. |
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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.[6] | |
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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.[14] | |
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| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion.[15] | The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Unction of the Sick, Matrimony, and Priesthood.[16][17][18] |
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| To whom do Christians need to confess their sins? | Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins. | Sins must be privately confessed to a priest within 40 days.[19][20][21][22] |
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| How should a church be structured? | Presbyterian: Churches should be governed by its own elders, who in turn are governed by a presbytery comprising the elders from the region, which is governed by a general assembly of commissioners from each presbytery. | Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the bishop in that eparchy, who in turn is governed by a patriarch of an autocephalous church. |
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| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday. | Christians worship on Sunday, although the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday. |
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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. | Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith.[23] |
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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. | Varies widely |
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| Was the Bible written inerrantly? | Varies widely[24] | |
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| Who can speak with God's authority today? | Nobody today can speak for God. | |
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| How was the earth created? | Varies widely[25][26] | Generally creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. |
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| What is marriage? | Varies widely[27][28][29] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[30][31][32] |
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| Is sex permissible outside marriage? | Varies widely[33][29] | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible. |
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| When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[34] | Divorce is seldomly permissible upon investigation by a clergical committee, usually instigated by infidelity.[35] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[36] | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[37] |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Most believe humanity begins at conception. Some say it is unknown when humanity begins.[38][39][40] | Ranges from humanity beginning at fertilization to 40 days after conception[41][42][43][44] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. | Varies widely[43][45][46][47] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[48][49] |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[50] | No, alcohol should be totally avoided aside from Eucharist.[51] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[52] | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.[53] |
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| How should Christians musically worship God? | Any style of worship music is acceptable.[54] | |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[55][56] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.[57] |
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| Do icons glorify God? | Varies widely[58][59][60][61] | |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[12] | After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with Christians being with Christ.[62] |
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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.[63] |
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| 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. |
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