a.k.a. | Calvinist | |
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Number of Members | 75,000,000 | 300,000 |
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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. | Sola fide: Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection alone to save you.[1][2] |
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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.[3][4] |
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Can one lose his salvation? | Eternal security: No, once a Christian is saved, he is always saved. | Eternal security: No, once a Christian is saved, he is always saved.[5] |
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Who gets baptized and why? | Saved people and their infant children get baptized as a sign of God's grace.[6] | Saved people get baptized as a public demonstration of their new lives.[7] |
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How should baptism be done? | Baptism can be by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. | Baptism should be by immersion.[7] |
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When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation.[8] | The Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation.[1][2] |
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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.[1][2] |
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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. | Total depravity: Human nature is corrupt, naturally inclined to evil, and incapable of choosing God on his own.[9] |
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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. | |
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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? | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life. | No, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life.[10] |
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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. | No, the elements merely symbolically represent the body and blood of Christ. |
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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][14] |
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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? | Cessationism: Spiritual gifts used for serving are available today, while gifts used as signs have ceased.[15] | Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers.[16] |
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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.[17] | Dispensationalism: God acts differently with humanity in seven different periods of history. |
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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.[18] | Speaking in tongues is sometimes unintelligible and sometimes foreign human languages.[19] |
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What are the requirements for clergy? | Experienced men above reproach, faithful to their wives and with with obedient children if applicable, and able to teach are to be appointed as pastors. | |
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How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion. | The church has two ordinances: Baptism and Holy Communion. |
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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.[20] |
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How should a church be structured? | 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? | Prima scriptura: There are many sources of God's revelation, although none can contradict the Bible. | Sola scriptura: The Bible is the only infallible source of God's revelation, sufficient for all faith and practice.[21] |
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How was the Bible written? | Verbal plenary inspiration: The Bible was written by men who had every word supernaturaly inspired by God.[22] | Verbal plenary inspiration: The Bible was written by men who had every word supernaturaly inspired by God.[23][24][1][2] |
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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? | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[22] | Yes, the Bible was written without any error.[23][24][1][2] |
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Who can speak with God's authority today? | Nobody today can speak for God. | Nobody today can speak for God. |
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How was the earth created? | Creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. | Creationism: The earth was spoken into existence by God. |
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What is marriage? | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[25] | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[26][27] |
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Is sex permissible outside marriage? | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[28][29] | No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.[30] |
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When is divorce permissible? | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[31][32] | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[33][27] |
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May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[34] | Yes, a Christian may freely remarry after divorce.[27] |
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When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at conception.[35][36] | Humanity begins at conception.[37] |
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Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[38] | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[39] |
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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.[40][41] |
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Should Christians drink alcohol? | Varies widely | Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.[42][43] |
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Should Christians fight in wars? | Yes, Christians should fight in just wars.[44] | Yes, Christians can fight in just wars. |
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How should Christians musically worship God? | | Any style of worship music is acceptable. |
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Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[45] | |
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Who can be demon-possessed? | Demons can possess unbelievers but not Christians. | Demons can possess unbelievers but not Christians. |
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Do icons glorify God? | Most believe no, icons violate the Second Commandment against graven images. Icons of Christ are especially prohibited.[46][47][48] | No, icons violate the Second Commandment against graven images. |
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Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[11][49] | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[50] |
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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.[51] |
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When will the church be raptured? | | Pretribulationism rapture: The church will be raptured sometime before the Tribulation.[51] |
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When is the millennial reign of Christ happen? | | Premillennialism: The millennial reign of Christ will be the 1,000 years immediately after the Tribulation.[52] |
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