| Number of Members | 1,800,000 | 22,000,000[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. | Sola fide: Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection alone to save you.[2] |
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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.[2] |
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| Who gets baptized and why? | Baptism not practiced.[3] | Saved people get baptized as a public demonstration of their new lives.[4] |
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| How should baptism be done? | Baptism not practiced.[3] | Baptism should be by immersion.[4] |
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| When does one receive the Holy Spirit? | | The Holy Spirit is received at baptism.[5] |
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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.[6] | 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.[7][8] | 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, 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.[8] | 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. | Yes, all Old Testament laws are binding on Christians except for animal sacrifices. |
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| Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life? | | Most believe no, although Christians can and should sin less, they can never become sinless in this life.[9] |
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| Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ? | Communion not practiced. | 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.[10] | Once Christians leave their sinful bodies, nothing else is needed to receive glorified, sinless bodies.[11] |
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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.[12] |
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| How many church ordinances/sacraments are there? | Jesus is the only true Sacrament.[13] | The church has three ordinances: Baptism, Holy Communion, and Footwashing.[14] |
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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. |
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| How should a church be structured? | 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. | Church congregations should be governed by a local conference which its congregation elects a representative to, and conferences elect representatives to higher conferences governing them. |
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| What day of the week should Christians worship? | Christians worship on Sunday. | Christians should worship 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. | Sola scriptura: The Bible is the only infallible source of God's revelation, sufficient for all faith and practice.[15] |
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| How was the Bible written? | | Dynamic inspiration: God inspired the thoughts of the human authors, but the words were chosen by the authors.[16] |
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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.[17] | The Bible is infallible, but not every word is without error.[18][19] |
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| How was the earth created? | | 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. | Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.[20] |
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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.[21] |
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| When is divorce permissible? | | Divorce is permissible for adultery or desertion.[20][22] |
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| May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive? | Yes, a Christian may freely remarry after divorce. | The innocent party to the adultery may remarry.[22] |
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| When does a fetus become human? | Humanity begins at fertilization.[23] | Humanity begins at conception.[24] |
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| Is contraception permissible? | Yes, contraceptives are permissible as long as they work before fertilization.[23] | Yes, contraceptives are permissible.[25] |
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| Are blood transfusions permissible? | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible. | Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.[26] |
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| Should Christians drink alcohol? | No, alcohol should be totally avoided.[27] | No, alcohol should be totally avoided.[28][29][30] |
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| Should Christians fight in wars? | Varies widely[31] | Varies widely |
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| Whom does the Holy Spirit come from? | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[32] | The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.[33] |
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| Where does a Christian's soul go after death? | Christians immediately go to heaven when they die.[10] | Souls are unconscious after death until God raises them from "sleep".[34][35][36] |
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