a.k.a. | Friend | |
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Number of Members | 400,000 | 80,000,000[1][2] |
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How does one get saved? | Varies widely | 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? | No established doctrine | 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? | Baptism not practiced. | Saved people and their infant children get baptized by as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins. |
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How should baptism be done? | Baptism not practiced. | Baptism should be by sprinkling water on the head. |
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When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | There is "that of God in everyone". | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. |
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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? | There is "that of God in everyone", making humans inherently good. | 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 established doctrine | 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. |
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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? | Christian perfection is possible and a major goal of Quakers. | Yes, Christians can become evangelically perfect through sanctification. |
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Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ? | Communion not practiced. | 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? | 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? | Perfection must take place during life, not after death.[3] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[4] |
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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? | Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers. | Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers.[5] |
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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. |
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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.[6] |
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What are the requirements for clergy? | | Varies widely |
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How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church does not have any ordinances more sacred than any other practice.[7] | The church has two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion.[8] |
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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. | Confession should be made directly to God, but confession to another believer is beneficial for some sins. A general confession of sinfulness is usually done as a group during a service. |
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How should a church be structured? | Congregationalist: Every church congregation should be independent and governed by its members. | Connectionalism: Churches are governed by conferences of representatives. How respresentatives and pastors are chosen 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? | Varies widely[9] | 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? | There are 66 canonical books of the Bible: 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. | 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? | Varies widely[10] | No, the Bible is not inerrant in any respect.[11] |
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How was the earth created? | The earth was formed by gravity pulling dust together, which ultimately came from the Big Bang. | Generally that the earth was formed by gravity pulling dust together, which ultimately came from the Big Bang.[12] |
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What is marriage? | Varies widely | Varies widely[13][14][15][16] |
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Is sex permissible outside marriage? | Varies widely | Varies widely[13][14][15][16] |
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When is divorce permissible? | | Varies widely[17][18] |
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May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | | Varies widely[17][18] |
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When does a fetus become human? | Most believe humanity begins sometime between conception and birth.[19] | No established doctrine[20][21] |
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Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. | Yes, contraceptives are permissible. |
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Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. |
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Should women cover their heads? | | No, head coverings are no longer required due to cultural changes.[22] |
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Should Christians drink alcohol? | No, alcohol should be totally avoided.[23][24] | Most believe that yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[25][26] |
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Should Christians fight in wars? | No, Christians should never fight.[27][28] | Most believe that no, Christians should never fight.[29][30] |
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Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[31] |
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Do icons glorify God? | | No established doctrine |
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Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | No established doctrine | No established doctrine[32] |
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When does the Tribulation happen? | | Idealism: The Tribulation is not literally seven years, but it is purely a symbolic representation of typical spiritual battle.[33] |
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When will the church be raptured? | | The church will not be raptured at any point.[34] |
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When is the millennial reign of Christ happen? | | No established doctrine[35][36] |
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