Christians: If you know the answer...what is the difference between SDA, JW, LDS, Baptist, Catholic, Apostolic

Question

I want to know comparatively regarding the major points of each of these denominations...state of the dead/hell, identity of Christ, identity of Yahweh, Ten Commandments, Works, Love, Outreach....

OK maybe it's a lot to ask...how about if you pick one of the points and show the differences, or two of the churches and a couple of the points...in brief if possible.

Answer 1

Of these I know the SDA is the only one which believes the entire Bible and the Ten Commandments according to Jesus words, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." Works are a manifestation of our obedience to Christ...we know them by their fruits...and it is a good thing to do good. Love your neighbor as yourself...selfless love for all, not just those who pay your building fund. Outreach is the work of the lay people, to reach people in the community who might need a righteous and Godly friend....
Yahweh is God the Father, Christ is the Word of God in physical body...He is part of the Godhead as is the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches us that the dead know not anything. Hell is the grave, and those who are dead are asleep...I believe in this the JW's and SDA's might agree...the ultimate destruction of the unrepentant sinners and Satan and the fallen Angels will be once and for all time. They will not be sadistically tortured, never being allowed to die...that's a lie Satan wants people to believe so they'll think how unjust and unfair God really is.
God is Love, and Love is of God...just as His grace allows us life, by grace the non-believer can experience love with other human beings.

The JW's and LDS both agree that Christ was created. SDA's disagree with that one. The LDS believe Satan and Yeshua (Jesus) are brothers. The SDA's believe that Christ is Divine, and that Lucifer was created as the most beautiful and unique Angel. Lucifer changed into Satan because of His selfish ego problems...he wanted to get Jesus' glory and rise above God. Couldn't do that so he works to discredit God in every way imaginable, so he can deceive the masses of people to hate God, or serve Him falsely in some way.
JW's, LDS, and many Catholics believe one can gain salvation by working for it, and God will fill in where you left off or something--I guess the LDS guy answered that one. I know in history, the Catholics used to sell pennance...forgiveness for a price. What do you think paid for the Vatican, and all those luxurius robes the Pope and Cardinals wear? I have heard all kinds of non-biblical ideas regarding hell in relation to Catholics and their link to the polytheistic past of Rome. The Catholics have also changed the Ten Commandments. The JW's have many ideas similar to SDA's...however they still adhere to the Catholics change of the fourth Command to remember the Sabbath day. The rest of them don't even acknowledge the change because they come straight out of Catholics' loins.
Some Apostolic groups believe that if one does not speak with tongues, he or she does not have the Holy Spirit. The Bible doesn't say that, so SDA's don't agree. I believe JW's, LDS, Baptist, and Catholics all find the tongue speaking thing is not the same thing as what happened on the Day of Pentecost. I believe the sincere Christian or Christian-like organization members will know how to show love for each other...those who are easy to love. The Catholics have one of the greatest testimonies for loving the unlovable with Sister Theresa! I regret that many members of my church do not have this same professed compassion with their lives, only with their mouths. I think that is true with every denomentation--humans ego rearing its ugly head....
I hope this was not too confusing, it certainly wasn't as focused as I would like it to be.

Answer 2

I'm a JW. Here's a little of what we believe.
Yahweh is God's name in Hebrew. In English it's Jehovah. He is God Almighty and the Most High (Ps 83:18) And He is the Creator (Is 40:28) Jehovah and Jesus are not the same, they are not part of a Trinity (Mark 12:29)
Jesus Christ is his son, the first of his creations (Col 1:15) He is also the Messiah (John 4:25)
The Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) is God's active force or his power (John 14:17)
The Bible say that the dead are just dead, no more than that (Ps 146:4; Eccl 9:5)
Hell is English for the Greek word Hades and the Hebrew word Sheol. It is just the grave, not a place of fiery torment. In fact the Bible says Jesus was in hell! (Act 2:31)
Ten Commandments were among the laws given to the Isrealites. These are timeless.
Love is a prerequisite to being a Christian. Jesus told his disciples true Christians would be recognized by their love (John 13:35)

That's all I can think of. The official website of Jehovah's Witnesses is www.watchtower.org you can learn more there

Answer 3

I happen to be LDS so this is a summary of the LDS beliefs.
The bible states that the dead will be resurrected and then judged. LDS belief is that after judgement everyone will receive a degree of glory. LDS belief considers hell to be shutoff from the presence of GOD.
Christ is the Jehovah of the Old Testiment before he received his own physical body and came to earth via immaculate conception. Christ, GOD the Father, and the Holy Spirit are separate and distinct personages.
LDS beliefs holds to the ten commandments and adds to it via modern revelation.
LDS belief is that we are saved by grace after all that we can do (no free ride we have to do works, then the grace of Jesus Christ picks up the slack)
LDS belief is that Love is eternal and therefore has marriage ceremonies for eternity and not (until death do us part), also families can be sealed together for eternity.... in fact it is the LDS goal to seal together the entire human family.
LDS church has over 50,000 volunteer missionaries worldwide.

Answer 4

Hi! I'd be more than happy to help you find the answers to your questions about these sects, religions, and denominations but I'd highly suggest just going to the public library or a Christian bookstore and picking up the following:

Kingdom of the Cults by Dr. Walter Martin
New Kingdom of the Cults by Hank Hannegraf

These two books will answer most of your questions.

As for the Catholic faith, that's a bit more difficult because, just as with the JW's and the Mormons (LDS), their doctrines have varied widely depending on the decade and/or century. However, while the JW's and the Mormons are cults and false religions, there are some orthodox Christians in the Catholic faith as well as the SDA.

When you ask about the 'Apostolic' church you need to be more specific because there are orthodox protestant apostolic churches and then there is the United Pentecostal Church (UPC) which often claims the title 'apostolic.' The latter is a false the religion (UPC), the former are orthodox.

You might look at: http://www.christiananswers.net/menu-ar1.html

Rev. Lonnie Honeycutt

Answer 5

The length of that answer is a book not written yet at least not by US, the Yahoo Answers crowd...so you may need to go to a library and read each doctrine from each faith...

but there is only ONE of those Churches that has

1) Modern Revelation
2) Prophet with the same authority or Priesthood of Moses, Noah, Isaiah, etc...

3) The same Priesthood that Melchisedek and John The Baptist also had. That is, the authority to act in proxy on God's behalf and realize the ordinances necessary for its people to receive Eternal Salvation.

Answer 6

I personally have never researched a denomination that follows the Bible in full truth. I believe SDA are right about the Sabbath Day being on Saturday (but even Jesus performed miracles on the Sabbath), but on other accounts they are off, like the Mark of the Beast. I like the way JWs run specific things at the Kingdom Hall - like they have a donation box instead of asking for your money, it is just there in case you want to donate, and they do not really preach at you in service - instead its more like a giant Bible / Watch tower study; but they take away from the Divinity of Jesus, and have changed wording in the Bible because some of their teachings contradict the WORD. LDS - Book of Mormon is false doctrine; enough said. Catholics have blended many pagan beliefs into their church and religion - christmas tree comes from yule, easter bunny was a pagan god of fertility, and now even the Cross is suspect because so many pagan religions have used the cross. I was Baptized as an Apostolic, and when I recieved the Holy Ghost I spoke in tongues... but, I disagree with them on a few things - most importantly, the fact that they believe you can loose your salvation. This is not true. Salvation comes by Faith, not works. However, one must repent regulary (like they preach) in order to continue to renew ones mind so the Holy Ghost can help you. Trinitarians - this is a group that saw the flaws in Catholicism and tried to change, but they brought the image of the Trinity along with them (and their is a possibility that this idea comes from another pagan source). I do not know, but I am trying to find out for myself. It is possible that the Apostolic are right, and that Jesus is in fact GOD (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost). Much of what He says in the Gospels makes me think its possible, but I am still not completely sold... but, I am not sure of its importance in the whole scheme of things. There are so many different denominations in Trinitarism, but ultimately it comes down to two things - some believe you recieve Salvation by your works, and some believe you receive Salvation by your faith. Me personally - my interpretation is that you receive Salvation when you First show that you Belief (John 3:16) sums it up - and the evidence that you have received the Gift of Salvation is by the Fruits you bear (your works). You will be judged according to your works, but you cannot loose your salvation. In Acts 2:38 it says repent (meaning renew your mind) in the name of Jesus and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (which is an entirely different gift then salvation - which is there to Help you in your walk here on Earth).

Answer 7

You could write a book on all those. For a start look at the difference between Catholic vs Protestant. Those are the big opposing views. Other groups have minor differences.

Answer 8

SDA's are a false cult whose main unique teaching is that one must obey the Saturday Sabbth. However that one flaw disqualifies them from being saved, according to the book of Galatians. They also follow a false prophetess named, Ellen G. White.

JW's are a false cult which denies the Diety of Jesus and demands that people have to work their way into heaven.

LDS is a false cult which started in the 1830's as a sex cult where the main distinctive teaching was that men should have many wives. Its still a sex cult today. They deny the deity of Jesus. They teach that God was once a man living on a planet near the star of Kolob, whiile other Mormons teach the name of the planet is Kolob. They teach that Jesus is not God and that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers.

Roman Catholic Church makes the false claim that they are the one true church. They claim the Pope was Jesus' appointed leader of the church and that Peter was the first Pope. The Bible disagrees with this. The RCC as we know it today got its start with mixing in pagan customs with Christianity in about the 4th century.

The RCC no longer claims to follow the Bible instead they claim to follow their traditions more than the Bible.

All of the above groups claim to be the ONE and ONLY TRUE Church.

There are at least 57 different types of Baptists and those groups can't even agree amoung themselves about much.

Usually, Baptists believe in Baptism by immersion after someone becomes a new follower of Christ and their churches operate with a Congregational Form of church gov't.

Apostolics are part of the Oneness Pentecostals which deny the Trinity and teach one must be baptized in water and speak in tongues to be saved.

Most other pentecostals teach salvation just like most Baptists.

I hope that helps.

See the links below.

Pastor Art

Answer 9

I dont know if I can answer on all those points, but I can tell you points in each denomination that aren't Biblical.

SDA: Still maintain dietary laws. Believe you accept the Mark of the Beast if you go to church on Sunday. Do not believe in eternal punishment.
JW: No hell.. unrighteous merely stop existing. Jesus, an angel.. Michael the Archangel to be exact. Saved by grace ONLY if you work your butt off. Only 144,000 in Heaven.
LDS: Satan and Jesus are brothers (?!) Jesus visited early america. In Heaven you can be God over your own planet :/
Baptist: Dancing is sin, Once Saved always saved,
Catholic: Mary remains a virgin forever, can be prayed to and praised. Saints can also be prayed to and praised as well as certain statues, medals, beads etc. The Pope is God's mouthpeice to man.
Apostolic: No Trinity (though they do believe the trinity but call it something else) if you dont speak in tongues, you arent saved. You cannot be saved unless you are baptized in water in Jesus Name (do not say "In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit like Jesus said to or you wont be saved)

Answer 10

Hows about we just recommend books for you to read. It is going to take quite a bit of research to figure everything out. I have been spending months at a time researching different religions.