Many people know that the terms “Pentecostal” and “charismatic” are associated with certain beliefs, churches, and people in modern Christianity but aren’t sure how they compare. Although the terms have overlapping definitions, there are important differences between them. Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement generally agree about baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and…
The terms “Pentecostal” and “Church of God” commonly describe certain kinds of Christian churches. Many people know that the terms describe Protestant churches, but they aren’t sure how Pentecostal and Church of God churches overlap in their beliefs and practices or where they disagree. The Church of God is the name of a Pentecostal denomination…
Many people know that the terms “Pentecostal” and “evangelical” are associated with Christianity, but they aren’t sure exactly how or what the difference is between them. The words may refer to a set of beliefs, a local church, or a person depending on the context. There is also a significant amount of overlap between the…
How connected are people in heaven with those who are still on Earth? Do people see what their loved ones are doing? Are they aware of their lives? The Bible describes prayer as talking to God, which people in heaven surely do. If people in heaven know what’s happening on Earth — or even if…
According to the Bible, heaven is the place where believers go after they die. It’s a place without death, mourning, crying, or pain (Rev. 21:4). In heaven, people live in the fullness of God’s presence and experience the joy of their salvation. Many people wonder who goes to heaven when they die. Does everyone go…
God created sex. He was the matchmaker for the first couple, Adam and Eve, and designed the pair to “become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). In the rest of the Bible, sex is celebrated in proper relationships, but it’s condemned in inappropriate contexts. This has led many people to wonder if there will be sex in…
Pentecostalism and Lutheranism are both traditions within Protestant Christianity. As children of the Protestant Reformation, the denominations, churches, and people in each tradition have many similarities in doctrine and practice. However, they have differences as well that people should pay attention to. Pentecostals and Lutherans affirm the core beliefs of Christianity, like the Trinity, the…
For many people, nothing in life is more important than God and family. However, life is temporary (James 4:14) and so are people’s relationships with grandparents, parents, siblings, spouses, children, grandchildren, and other loved ones. Many people wonder if those in heaven remember their family or forget them. Some theologians believe that the Bible illustrates…
The Pentecostal and Baptist traditions are two of the most prominent branches of Protestant Christianity. They have many beliefs and practices in common and have more similarities than differences. Nevertheless, the traditions aren’t the same, and it’s important to understand where they differ and why. Pentecostalism and the Baptist tradition disagree about when the baptism…
Catholics and Protestants agree about certain doctrines of the Christian faith, like the Trinity, and disagree about others, like the Eucharist. Some of what each tradition believes about Jesus Christ, sin, and salvation are the same, but they have differences, too. Given the lack of uniformity, many people wonder if Protestants believe that Catholics are…
Worship in Christianity has many different expressions. Some forms of praise consist of silence and stillness. Other forms involve raised voices, moving, and even dancing. In the Pentecostal tradition, occasionally falling down from a standing position is the practice of some during worship and prayer. In the Pentecostal tradition, following down during worship is a…
Adam and Eve are the first humans God created. Readers know the pair as the first man and woman, and as the first people to rebel against God, which they did in the Garden of Eden. Did Adam and Eve go to hell for their offense, or did God give them grace and allow them…
Pentecostal Christianity has a rich tradition in the United States and worldwide. The participants in the Asuza Street Revival in 1906 in Los Angeles, California, which launched the modern movement, found motivation from stories in the book of Acts. The third person of the Trinity has always held a central place in Pentecostal doctrine and…
When We All Get to Heaven is one of the most beloved Christian hymns of the last 100 years. Ever since Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (1851-1920) wrote it, people have joyfully sung the hymn in their homes and churches. The hymn is full of biblical imagery that recalls the teachings of Jesus Christ and can encourage…
Pentecostalism is one of the fastest-growing movements, not just in the Protestant tradition but in the history of Christianity. The movement started over 100 years ago in America but has quickly circled the globe. Unfortunately, though many people have had a good experience with Pentecostalism, not everyone has. An Ex-Pentecostal used to be a Pentecostal…
For the vast majority of people, life on Earth ends in physical death. The Bible teaches that the consequence of sin is death (Rom. 6:23) and that people are destined to die once and after that face judgment (Heb. 9:27). However, the Bible says that two people never physically died but were transported to heaven…
Roman Catholicism is one of the three historical branches of the Christian religion, Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy. On the other hand, pentecostalism is one of the fastest-growing movements in the 500-year history of Protestantism. So what are the similarities and differences between Catholicism and Pentecostalism? As Protestant Christians, Pentecostals believe the Bible is the believer’s…
People love their pets. Relative to human life spans, the life span of many domesticated animals is short. People get to have pets like cats for 10 to 15, and sometimes longer before they die. When cats die, some owners wonder if they will ever see them again in heaven. The Bible doesn’t directly state…
Christmas is an important time of year for most Christians because it’s when they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, some religious traditions don’t celebrate Christmas because adherents believe it’s pagan, worldly, and superstitious. A lot of people wonder if Pentecostals celebrate Christmas or refrain from it. Pentecostals celebrate Christmas to remind them that…
Judas Iscariot is one of the most infamous figures in the Bible. He is best known for betraying Jesus Christ with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver. Judas committed suicide not long after his horrendous deed. A lot of people want to know what happened to Judas after that. Did Judas go to heaven…
The New Testament teaches that the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues is when a person talks in sounds, syllables, and words that the speaker doesn’t understand. Some Christians, their churches, and the denominations they belong to speak in tongues, but others don’t because they believe the gift was for the first century only. What…
Heaven is the great desire of all Christians. It’s also the subject of great curiosity for many believers. Followers of Jesus Christ think about Heaven, talk about it, and write about it as well. One question writers ask about Heaven is whether or not it should be capitalized. Some Christians capitalize Heaven to make a…
The identity of Jesus Christ, one of the Bible’s most vital messages, is central to all branches of the Christian faith. Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant Christianity affirm that Jesus is God. Do Pentecostals believe that Jesus is God, too? Historic Pentecostalism, which lies inside the theological framework of Protestant Christianity, affirms the deity…
According to the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Moses is in heaven. In the story, commonly called the Transfiguration, Moses and the prophet Elijah appear to Jesus Christ. Matthew 17:3 reads, “And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him” (ESV). Moreover, according to Luke’s account, Moses appeared in…
The Bible’s teaching about alcohol has stirred debate in Christian churches for centuries. Is drinking alcohol in moderation, so as not to cause drunkenness, permissible, or should believers abstain entirely? Followers of Jesus Christ, the churches they attend, and the denominations they belong to answer this question differently. The Pentecostal tradition has a strong history…
The reality of heaven leads many people to wonder about who enters it when they die, and on what basis. The Bible teaches that if people confess and repent of sin and put their trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, they go to heaven when they die. Thus, short people can go…
Though Pentecostals and Catholics agree about certain doctrines like the Trinity and share many values, such as the importance of family, the differences in their belief systems raise compatibility questions regarding marriage. Pentecostals have the freedom to marry a member of the Catholic Church, but some argue that it may not be a wise choice…
God hates racism. Prejudice, discrimination, and antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their race or ethnic group is the result of sin and contrary to God’s desire for people to love one another. [1] What does the Bible say about racism? The Bible is adamantly opposed to racism in all…
Baptism is one of the most important practices in Christianity. Whether baptism occurs through full immersion underwater, pouring, or sprinkling, it’s a pivotal moment in a person’s life. But do people have to be baptized to go to heaven? According to the Bible, being baptized isn’t necessary to go to heaven, though some Christian traditions,…
The unique nature of Rh-negative blood has a simple scientific explanation to most people. But for some, it’s evidence that an extraterrestrial encounter occurred thousands of years ago, which produced half-human creatures that still live on Earth today. The Bible never mentions Rh-negative blood. According to one unorthodox modern theory, the Nephilim, who are mentioned…
Men, women, and young people get tattoos to express their identity, memories, and values. They like the permanent nature of getting the face of a loved one, the name of their hometown, or a meaningful saying, like a song lyric, etched in ink on their body. But can people with tattoos go to heaven? Tattoos…
All Christians believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ saves sinners and enables them to live forever, even after they physically die. Not all Christians agree about whether or not believers still living on Earth can interact with the faithful men and women who are in heaven. Protestant Christianity contends that, according to the Bible,…
Confessing sin to priests, who in turn communicate the requirements for forgiveness, is an important practice in Roman Catholicism. Many people wonder if Protestants have the same practice or a similar one. Confessing sin to God is an important spiritual discipline in most Protestant traditions. Protestants aren’t required to confess their sins to their pastors…
Making the sign of the cross, also called “crossing one’s self,” is a practice common in certain branches of historic Christianity, such as Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. However, it is much less common in Protestantism. Why? Most Protestants don’t make the sign of the cross because they are not persuaded that there is a…
The terms “Protestant” and “Reformed” are both used to describe Christians, each with certain sets of beliefs and practices. However, Protestant and Reformed Christians, as well as their churches, have many overlapping convictions. The term “Protestant” describes the 500-year-old movement that started when its founders attempted to reform certain teachings and practices in the Roman…
Catholics and Protestants have many similarities regarding doctrine, like the Trinity, and practices, such as studying the Bible. While Catholics, and the vast majority of Protestants, participate in the Lord’s Supper, they disagree on what exactly happens when they consume the bread and cup. Unlike Catholics, Protestants do not believe in transubstantiation — i.e., the…
The Lord’s Prayer is one of the most well-known and much-loved passages in the New Testament. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke record the prayer, which believers have recited in their churches and homes for over 2,000 years. But why do Catholics have one version of the prayer and Protestants have another? The ancient manuscripts…
Catholics and Protestants believe in the Trinity and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They both practice baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Catholicism and Protestantism have important differences, too. But how significant are they? Does the Catholic Church teach that Protestants will go to heaven? The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Protestants who are saved by…
Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy are two of the three historical branches of the Christian faith, along with Roman Catholicism. Though the Orthodox tradition is approximately 500 years older than Protestantism, similarities exist. There are also important differences. A key disagreement between the Orthodox and Protestant traditions regards the Holy Spirit. Orthodox theology teaches that the…
Christians have used symbols as expressions of their faith since the time of Jesus Christ. Biblical authors used symbolism in their writings, and readers employed many of them in their churches and homes. Some symbols used in Protestantism are also used in other branches of the Christian faith. A fish, the Latin cross, the Alpha…
Protestantism and Anglicanism are branches of the Christian faith that have roots in Europe. Protestantism and Anglicanism have similarities and differences with each other as well as other historical branches of Christianity like Roman Catholicism. Protestantism emphasizes the authority of Scripture and that sinners are saved by God’s grace, through faith, and in Jesus Christ…
The terms “Protestant” and “Puritan” are both associated with Christianity, but many people are not sure what the differences are between them. The terms often describe people, belief systems, and more. So how do “Protestant” and “Puritan” compare? The word “Protestant” describes the 500-year-old movement that challenged the Catholic church’s teaching of certain doctrines and…
Many people know that the terms “Protestant” and “non-denominational” are associated with Christianity. Sometimes the terms describe churches; other times, they describe people. But what is the difference between them? The term “Protestant” describes one of the three historic branches of Christianity, the other two being Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox. The term “non-denominational” describes…
Many people have heard the terms “Protestant” and “Pentecostal.” They know they are associated with Christianity but are not sure of the difference between them. Are they denominations? Churches? Theologies? Or are they something else altogether? Protestantism is one of the three historical branches of the Christian faith, along with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy….
Martin Luther (1483-1546) sparked the Protestant Reformation in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church in 16th-century Germany. Luther’s allegations of false teaching and corrupt practices struck a chord with many Christians in Germany, elsewhere in Europe, and eventually in America and around the world. Protestants left the Roman Catholic Church because it was not upholding…
Many people know that Catholic Bibles and Protestant Bibles are not the same. While both contain the same 27 New Testament books, the Catholic Bible has more Old Testament books than the Protestant Bible. Did the Catholic church add these books, or did Protestant churches remove them? Protestants do not accept certain Old Testament books…
Crucifixes — a cross with a physical representation of Jesus Christ nailed to it — is one of the most notable symbols in the Roman Catholic Church. Crucifixes are the centerpiece of sanctuaries, hang on the walls of people’s homes, and are displayed as pendants on jewelry. But why don’t Protestants revere and similarly use…
Christians have celebrated Lent in some way since the church started because preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ has always been considered important. Many people associate Lent with the Roman Catholic Church but are unsure if Protestants observe the 40-day period as well. Many Protestant traditions celebrate Lent, though their observance is not…
When people imagine a nun, they often think about their black and white clothing, the vows of poverty and chastity the woman has made, and the Roman Catholic church. Are nuns only found in the Catholic church, or do Protestant churches have nuns, too? In Protestant Christianity, Anglicanism is the tradition with the most nuns…
The names “Protestant” and “evangelical” both describe Christians. In some contexts, they are differentiated from each other. In other contexts, they are used as synonyms. What are the similarities and differences between the two terms? “Protestant” describes the Christian reform movement that started in 16th-century Europe that opposed certain doctrines and practices of the Catholic…