Some people, when they hear the word “Protestant”, immediately think of the Reformation. Some assume that there is no difference between Protestant and Evangelical churches. However, this is a false dichotomy, as they are very different denominations.
Have you ever wondered what the differences were between Protestants, Evangelicals, and all of the other flavors that go around? There are a lot of differences, but here’s the main big differences between them.
If you’ve found yourself asking the question, “What’s the difference between evangelical and protestant?” this article is for you.
Protestants Are Christians Who Accept the Teachings of John Calvin.
Protestants are Christians who accept the teachings of John Calvin. They believe in the Trinity and the divinity of Christ, but they also believe that salvation is earned through faith, not through good works.
Evangelicals are Protestants who emphasize evangelism and personal conversion. Evangelicals believe that their faith is a personal relationship with God, which can only be achieved through a direct experience with Jesus Christ.
Calvin’s teachings include the idea that people are “saved” by God’s grace, rather than through their own efforts or deeds.
His views on this subject are known as “predestination,” which means that God chooses who will be saved and who will be damned before anyone is even born. This means that people have no control over their own salvation; they can only hope that God has chosen them for salvation.
Calvin also taught that God has predetermined everything in the universe, including all human actions. This means that God controls everything—whether we are saved or damned—and there is nothing we can do about it.
Evangelicals Engage in Missionary Work and Social Action.
Evangelicals and Protestants are similar, but there are also some important differences.
Both groups of Christians believe in the Bible as God’s Word, and both groups practice baptism. However, evangelicals engage in missionary work and social action, while Protestants do not.
Evangelicals engage in missionary work and social action. They believe that the world is a fallen place, but that God loves us so much that He sent His son to die for us. Evangelicals believe that everyone can be saved from their sins through Christ’s death on the cross.
Protestants believe that faith alone is enough to gain salvation, not good works or social action. They also believe in predestination, which means God has already decided who will be saved and who won’t.
Protestant Christian Denominations Include Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist.
Protestant Christians believe that the Bible is the only source of God’s truth and that it is necessary to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order to be saved.
Evangelical Christians believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins, rose from the dead, and is coming back again one day to bring salvation to all who believe in Him.
Protestant Christian denominations include Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist, among others. Protestant Christians generally do not believe in the authority of the Pope or other religious leaders to interpret scripture for them, and instead draw their own conclusions about what the Bible means. They also reject many of the practices of traditional Roman Catholicism, such as confession to a priest, who is seen as an intermediary between God and man.
Protestant denominations include Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist. Evangelical is a broader term that describes a belief system that focuses on the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
Evangelicals Are Part of An Independent Movement that Does Not Belong to A Specific Denomination.
Evangelicals are part of an independent movement that does not belong to a specific denomination. They believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who died for their sins and rose from the dead. However, evangelicals can be found in a variety of denominations including Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian and many others. In order to be considered an evangelical you must believe in these five essential beliefs:
- The Bible is the inspired word of God and it is sufficient as our only authority for faith and practice.
- There is one God who exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life on earth, died on the cross as payment for our sins (penal substitution), was raised bodily from the dead (bodily resurrection) and now sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us (intercessory ministry).
- Man has been created with a sinful nature that separates him from God; therefore he needs salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone apart from human effort or merit (sola fide).
- Only those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit can be saved (regeneration by grace through faith alone.
Protestant Christianity Is Distinguished by Its Faith in Salvation by Grace Through Faith in Jesus Christ.
The difference between Protestant Christianity and evangelical Christianity is that evangelicalism is a movement within Protestantism that emphasizes the need for personal conversion and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that arose in Europe during the 16th century. It differs from Roman Catholicism in several ways, including its rejection of papal authority, its emphasis on sola scriptura (the idea that all doctrines must be based on the Bible alone), and its belief in justification by faith alone (that salvation comes through grace alone). Evangelicalism can be considered to be a subset of Protestantism, but it stresses personal conversion and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ more than other branches of Protestantism do.
The term “Protestant” was coined by Martin Luther in the 16th century when he protested against the Catholic Church’s doctrines of transubstantiation and papal authority.
Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists are all considered Protestant denominations.
Evangelicalism is a form of Christianity that emphasizes the importance of spreading the gospel. It originated in Europe, but has since spread throughout the world.
Protestantism is an umbrella term used to describe a number of different Christian denominations that broke away from the Catholic Church during the Reformation.
Evangelicals Endorse the Bible as Their Authority for Faith, Life, and Practice.
Evangelicals are Christians who believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and that it is their ultimate authority for faith and life.
Protestants, on the other hand, believe in the authority of Scripture but also recognize that there are other sources of authority in Christianity.
Conclusion: Most people assume that there is little difference between being a protestant and an evangelical. Both terms refer to a branch of Christianity that has its origins in the Protestant Reformation and some have concluded that the two terms have thus become almost interchangeable. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, there are significant differences between the two.
The differences can seem very minor to the casual observer. However, when examined closely, there are strong contrasts between these two similar Christian groups. Protestantism is a much broader grouping that Evangelicalism. From their beliefs to their lifestyle to their worship styles, the contrasts are apparent when you compare and contrast the two.