And will ye pollute Me among Ny people
for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread,....
by your lying to My people that hear your lies?
Ezekiel 13:19
THE GODHEAD
Trinitarian View:
Catholic View-- That the Son and Holy Spirit proceed from the Father and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son from Eternity.
Orthodox View-- That the Son and Holy Spirit proceed from the Father from Eternity.
Triune Godhead View-- 3 distinct beings who work together as one in purpose from Eternity.
Binitarian View:
Binitarian--That only the Father and Son comprise the Godhead from Eternity. The Holy Spirit is the Father's presence in the world not a being.
Arian-- That the Son is not Eternal but rather the first of God's Creation but has always been Divine since His creation---The Father created a co-God in other words.
Semi-Arian-- Same as Arian except the Son wasn't granted Divinity until He was resurrected --sort of a reward for coming to earth and dying on the cross to represent the Father.
Socinianism-- That the Son did not exist until implanted in Mary.Unitarian View:
Modalism-- That the 3 types of names for God (Father, Son, Spirit) are all one God but just different roles He plays as you approach Him in prayer.
Also some believe the 3 types of names represent how God related to the world in history. As the Father from creation to the first advent. As the Son from the first advent to the cross. as the Holy Spirit filling the world post-cross.
POLITY
Episcopal-- Bishops run the Church.
Presbyterian-- Elders are elected to govern the Church boards.
Congregational-- Congregations run themselves by vote.
Conexionalism-- Boards of Church authority consist of clergy and laity.
Conference-- Leadership is elected by delegates elected.
Non Denominational Denomination-- No leadership above the congregation level---but they are united in either holding joint Camp Meetings, pitch in to support a Publishing House or a University.
SOTERIOLOGY
Sacramental-- The Sacraments have salvic benefits such as Mass, Last Rites, Penance.
Calvinism-- Traditional Predestination is that you were either predestined to be saved or lost--you don't have a choice. When you join a Protestant Church it is a sign you were predestined to be saved. (Liberal Calvinists include Catholics today on the list). Arminian Calvinism allows limited Free Will in that if you were predestined to be lost, but join a Church God in His mercy will make an exception for you. Hyper-Calvinism says that doing Missionary work is an indult to God and that He will lead His elect by His Grace one can't resist.
Eternal Security-- Known as Once Saved Always Saved says once your saved you can be lost. Billy Graham taught a watered down version called Preservation of the Saints (a term borrowed from TULIP of Calvinism) which was Grahams teaching that you can be lost--only if you leave Christianity. Spirit Baptism is the idea that you are saved once you speak in tongues and can't be lost after that (which is what Oneness Pentecostalism is accused of teaching).
Free Will-- Lutheran Free Will says all can be saved but doesn't know if one can be lost afterwards. Arminian Free Will answers the question and says yes you can be lost still.
Universalism-- Everyone will be saved.
Pluralism-- Many paths lead to God. In other words the Christian God will honor your faithfulness to a non-Christian religion and if you are a good person you can be saved.
ESCHATOLOGY
POST-MILLENNIALISM: The Second Advent is "Post", after the Millennium.
1) Amillennial-- The Millennium is symbolic for a long period of time from the Cross to the 2nd Advent.
2) Post-Millennial-- The 1,000 year Millennium is on earth with peace and love before the 2nd advent and at some point Christ comes down and reigns on earth in Jerusalem for a while. Then He leaves and a rebellion breaks out triggering the 2nd advent. The starting point for traditional Post Millennialists is when the last person on earth converts. For Dominionism it is when the government leaders convert and set up a religious world government preparing for Christ's rule in Jerusalem. Some Oneness Pentecostals believe it begins when the last person speaks in tongues on earth.
-*-Both Amillennial and Post-Millennial separate the Little Horn of Daniel and the Beast of Revelation. They make the Little Horn to be some obscure Greek King Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Beast into Roman Emperor Nero.
PRE-MILLENNIALISM: The Second Advent is "Pre", before the Millennium.
1) DISPENSATIONALISM: A "Secret Rapture" kicks off a 7 year tribulation. Those Left Behind split into two groups. One turns to God and the others follow the antichrist. 144,000 Jews convert to Christianity and restart the Old Testament sacrifices in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. At the 3 and a half year mark the antichrist destroys the temple and slaughters the Jews. The 2nd advent takes place during the physical battle at Arrnageddon in Israel as Christ intervenes.
Most are Pre-trib meaning the rapture is at the beginning of the 7 year tribulation. A few are Mid-trib believing the rapture is on the eve of the attack on Jerusalem. And a few are Post-trib meaning the rapture is at the 2nd Advent.
Many tend to consider the Mark of the Beast to be an implanted chip, or a card, or a stamp placed on you.
2) HISTORIC PRE-MILLENNIAL: The prophecies unfold over time culminating in the 2nd Advent.
-*-Dispensationalists separate the Little Horn of Daniel from the Beast of Revelation. They make the Little Horn some obscure Greek King of the past Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Beast of Revelation is put into the future as the antichrist of some yet unknown world leader.
Some Historic Pre-Millennials view the Little Horn of Daniel and the Beast of Revelation as one and the same entity as the reformers did--Papal Rome. Others have their own views such as the Little Horn being Papal Rome and the Beast the U.N., etc.
MINOR VIEWS:
IDEALIZED VIEW: That prophecies are just a spiritual symbol for the battle between good and evil in your heart.
REALIZED VIEW: That all the prophecies were fulfilled by 70 A.D. with the destruction of Jerusalem. There are no future prophecies.
CONSITENT VIEW: That Christ was wrong about the nearness of His coming so who are we to think we can figure out prophecy?
The SABBATH
"Christian" View: That the Solemnity of the 7th Day Sabbath was transferred to the 1st Day of the week by His resurrection.
Lutheran View: Pick any day of the week as long as you keep one Holy.
Idealist View: There is no literal Sabbath Day. It is just a spiritual metaphor for resting in His Grace.
Sabbatarian View: The Solemnity of the 7th Day Sabbath has never been Changed by God.
LORD"S SUPPER (COMMUNION / MASS)
Catholic View: Transubstantiation, that the substance of the bread and drink literally transforms into Christ's flesh and blood as it enters one's lips.
Lutheran View: Cosubstantiation, that the bread and drink is literally Christ's flesh and blood before entering one's lips but not after.
Calvinisitic View: That the bread and drink is filled spiritually with the Holy Spirit.
Zwinglian View: The bread and drink are just symbols for a memorial service.
CREATION
Young Earth Creationist: God spoke the world into existence a little over 6,000 years ago fully functioning with plants, animals and humans.
Old Earth Creationists: That God created the earth but over millions of years in gradual steps.
Theistic Evolution: Life evolved over billions of years via Darwiniam mechanisms but God guided it.
Pre-Adamite: That man evolved from primates and didn't have a "soul" until the first human evolved and God placed the soul in one named Adam.
STATE OF THE DEAD
Immortality of the Soul: That the soul lives on after death, in heaven or hell.
Soul Sleep: That the Breath of Life returns to God at death and the soul ceases to exist until the resurrection.
Reincarnation: The "soul" keeps coming back.
"HELL"
Eternal Torment: That souls rot in a fiery "hell" for eternity.
Annihilationism: That "hell" is the Lake of Fire where the wicked are destroyed once and for all. They are not tormented eternally.
SCRIPTURE
Hyper-Dispensationalists: Only use the writings of Paul for Church Doctrine.
New Testament Christians: Only use the New Testament.
Red Letter Christians: Only use the words of Christ in the Bible.
Theological Liberal: Don't take much of Scripture serious or literal.
Theological Moderate: Liberal here, Conservative there.
Theological Conservative: Takes Bible serious and is filled with literal stories unless context specifically indicates otherwise.
ISRAELITISM
British Israelitism: That the lost 10 tribes of Israel are 10 German tribes, some of which settled England (like the Saxons, Angles and Jutes) and that is why God has blessed Germany, Britain and the U.S.A. economically.
Black Hebrewism: That blacks from Africa are the lost 10 tribes of Israel and blacks are God's special people today.
Mormon Theology: That the lost 10 tribes of Israel are the American Indians.
BAPTISM
Pedobaptism-- Infant Baptism
Credobaptism-- Age of consent Baptism only.
Sprinkling-- Baptism by sprinkling,
Immersion-- Baptism by Immersion.
"TONGUES"
Glossolalia-- Gibberish Tongues.
Xenolalia-- Foreign Languages as poured out at Pentecost.
"Those who are unwilling to accept the plain,
cutting truths of the Bible are continually seeking
for pleasing fables that will quiet the conscience.
The less spiritual, self-denying, and humiliating the doctrines presented, the greater the favor with which they are received.
These persons degrade the intellectual powers to serve their carnal desires. Too wise in their own conceit to search the Scriptures with contrition of soul and earnest prayer for divine guidance, they have no shield from delusion. Satan is ready to supply the heart's desire, and he palms off his deceptions in the place of truth."
E.G.W.
