The doctrinal position of Carpe Vitam Institute is that of the fivefold ministry and evangelical Christianity. Carpe Vitam Institute firmly upholds the integrity and inerrancy of Scriptures and accepts the foundational Doctrines of the historic Christian faith.

Carpe Vitam Institute firmly stands for these fundamental truths, and it is the effort of Carpe Vitam Institute to offer trained and experienced individuals to edify and encourage each member in their faith. Carpe Vitam Institute will maintain this theological position. To guarantee that Carpe Vitam Institute will maintain its theological position, each staff member, whether it be the medical personnel, the office staff, teaching staff or cashiers, all are required initially and annually to engage in and subscribe to the following Statement of Belief and Agreement. The Doctrinal Statement, which every staff member must sign, is the following Statement of Belief and Agreement. All Staff members attest to and believe:

The Holy Scriptures

1) We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, the complete authority for faith and life, inerrant in every matter in the original writing, infallible and God-breathed, that God cannot lie (II Timothy 3:16-17). Scripture inerrancy means that the original manuscripts were entirely free of error. Inspired by God is defined as God’s influence or guidance of human thought or verbal expression. The Greek word “theopneustos” is where this concept originates and is translated directly to mean “God-breathed.” This definition is to explain how Scripture was inspired by God, the Holy Spirit, and what resulted from that activity of God, the Holy Spirit.

2) We believe in all the words of Scripture, as originally written, were God-breathed. It came from God the Holy Spirit, but He employed imperfect humans to write down His message and to recognize it as His Word. (2 Peter 1:21).

The Triune God

1) We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons. The God head consists of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are unique but are one. The three are eternal in being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4, 2 Corinthians 13:14)

2)  The Godhead is one God in three persons, of one essence, power and eternal existence; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God cannot be divided into three parts, but instead, the Godhead represents the shared substance of the three persons. The Father originates from none, He has no beginning or end, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, the Holy Spirit eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.” (Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20, and Colossians 2:9).

3) The Bible establishes a consistent picture of three distinct persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All three are assigned status as God. They relate to each other to a harmonic degree. They share in the works of creation, redemption, and sanctification as described in scripture. Also, in every way, all three are related to by the New Testament believers, each in turn, and all in unison, as God. Each circumstance shows they are consistently presented as one God, not three.

God the Father

1) We believe that the Father is, the First Person of the Godhead, unseen by men, who shares one essence with Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit. God the Father possesses the same characteristics of omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, love, truth, righteousness, holiness and goodness (Matthew 6:8, John 5:46, 6:26, 6:32, 7:28, 14:9-10, 15:9, 17:11, 17:25, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 3:20, James 1:17). He deserves worship and is the Father that we have a relationship with through Christ, having sent Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit to the earth (John 4:23 & 14:6).

2) We believe God the Father resurrects the dead, and that He controls the eschatological timeline of events (Acts 1:67). 

God the Son, Jesus Christ

1) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Godhead, eternally God, self-existent God, became man (incarnation), without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by The Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Luke 1:35, John 1:1-2).

2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the alpha and the omega. He always was and always will be: God the Son is eternally begotten of God the Father. (John 3:16) He existed as the only Son of God the Father before he was born of Mary. God the Son is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. 

3) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as the perfect and unblemished lamb and substitutionary sacrifice. Our justification is made sure by His physical and literal resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25, Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:35, 2:24).

4) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ descended to Hell then ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father, where, as our High Priest, He intercedes, and advocates on our behalf.  (Acts 1:9-11, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 9:24, 1 John 2:12).

The Holy Spirit

1) We believe that God, The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead, is a person who convicts the world of sin and of righteousness.  The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to men and ministers to them to believe. The Holy Spirit is the one that baptizes all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, II Corinthians 3:6, Ephesians 1:13-14).

2) We believe that He guides believers into all truth, anoints with spiritual gifts, and teaches them. (John 16:13, Ephesians 5:18, 1 John 2:20, 2:27). We believe that The Holy Spirit gifts believers with the ability to speak in tongues, to heal, to cast out demons and to prophesy and teach. 

3) We believe in God the Holy Spirit as a divine person, and distinct from God the Father and God the Son.  The Holy Spirit is one with God, and is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. God the Holy Spirit was involved in the work of creation (Genesis1:2). Both the revelation and inspiration of Scripture were the result of the work of the Holy Spirit (2 Samuel 23:2).

The Creation & Man

1) We believe that the book of Genesis presents a historically accurate account of the origin of man, and creation. Genesis describes the fall of man, the worldwide flood, Abraham’s promise and the origin of God’s chosen people, Israel. We reject the idea that the world randomly exploded into existence with no reason or explanation; rather that Genesis is the accurate account of the beginning of the world. God created the earth in six literal days. Day being a 24-hour period with night and day. 

2) We believe that God created the angels. One third followed the lead of Lucifer, now called Satan, in rebelling against God, that resulted in sin entering all of creation. We believe Satan was defeated once and for all at Calvary.

3) We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God. Adam and Eve fell for the deception of Satan and sinned. Because of this fall, all of mankind was cursed and alienated from God. Man became totally depraved and unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27, 5:2, Psalm 51:1-8, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-13). We believe in man’s need for repentance, redemption and justification through faith in Christ who was crucified and risen from the dead on the third day. 

Salvation of Mankind

1) We believe salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by faith in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of sins (1 Corinthians 15:15, Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10, 1 Peter 1:18-19).

2) We believe that man is justified by grace through faith, because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, are born again (new creations) of the Holy Spirit and become children of God the Father (John 1:12-13, II Corinthians 5:17).

 Life of the Believer

1) We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to frustrate the grace of God, that separation from all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded by God (Romans 12:12, 14:13, 2 Timothy 3:15, 1 John 2:15-17, 2 John 9:11).

2) We believe that it is the responsibility of each believer to live a holy life unto God, keeping oneself separate from the world, and that it is God’s intention that this shall be accomplished in the believer’s life by his constant dependence on Christ. We believe in the conviction, indwelling and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit enabling the Christian to witness effectively to the gospel and to serve responsibly in the world (John 14:16-17, 14:26, I Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 4:1-3, 5:1-3).

Mission of the Believer

1) We believe that it is the obligation of every believer to witness by action and by word to the truths of the Word of God and to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8, II Corinthians 5:19-20).

The Church of the Lord

1) We believe that the church of The Lord Jesus Christ is made up of the remnant of believers. it is the Body and Bride of our Lord Jesus Christ and is the one body into which all believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit. We believe that Christ is head of the church (Acts 2:1-47, Ephesians 1:22).

2) We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion) as scriptural ordinances. They are a means of Christian testimony for the church today (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:41-42, 18:8, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Ministry & Spiritual Gifts

1) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts; that the gifts of evangelist and pastor- teacher are given to the church for the equipping of the saints today. We believe that each believer has spiritual gifts for the purpose of ministering to others. Some of these gifts are ministry, helping, leadership, administration, exhortation, giving, mercy, and teaching, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and the working of miracles are given by the Holy Spirit for expansion of the Kingdom of God and evangelism (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11, II Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:7-12, 1 Peter 4:10).

2) We believe that the gifts of prophecy, speaking in tongues, and the working of miracles have not ceased. The apostle Paul speaks of all these with expectation that they were still in practice 

3) We believe that God hears and answers the prayer of faith. We believe that it is God’s will that people be healed. That sickness is illegal in the believer. We believe that people can be demonized (be oppressed or possessed with demons) because the fallen state of man. Sin gives legal right for demons to enter. It is the job of the believer to cast out demons and lay hands on the sick. (Matthew 10:8, Mark 16:17-18)

 Angels & Satan

1) We believe that angels are created beings. (Ps.148:5) Angels possess intelligence (1 Pet 1:12), feelings (Lk 2:13) and will (Jude 6). They are spirit beings (Heb.1:14), and are called sons of God. They are limited in power, knowledge, and activity (1 Pet.1:11-12).

2) We believe that the fall of the angels was done from a knowledgeable position. He was not deprived of the blessings of God before he sinned (Ezekiel 28:11–15). In fact, he was close to God. Evil angels, like Satan, delight in opposing God and antagonizing His work (Mat.4:1-4. Luk.4:2).

3) We believe that Satan is the author of sin and is the cause of the fall of mankind. We believe that he is the declared enemy of God and man. We believe he will be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Job 1:67, Isaiah 14:12-17, Matthew 4:2-11, Revelation 20:11).

The Second Coming & Rapture

1) We believe the second coming happens after the rapture. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) where those are that are alive and remain, will be caught up in the air with the Lord. After the rapture, the 7-year tribulation takes effect. We believe the body of Christ is the restraining power (because of the Holy Spirit) that prevents the Anti-Christ from appearing. We believe the Lord must take us out before the prophesied Tribulation takes effect. All this happens before the second coming of Christ.  God the Son will set up His kingdom upon the earth, after the final battle of Armageddon. Death does not end it all. A day of reckoning and accounting will come. There is no second chance after death (Matthew 24:29-37, Act. 1:11, Revelation 22:20).

2) We believe in the rapture, which will happen suddenly, in a blink of an eye. And then the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will be a personal coming (Acts 1:11), a physical coming (Heb. 9:28. Rev.1:7), a visible coming (Matt. 24:30, 26:64, Luke 21:27), and a glorious and triumphant coming. Jesus Christ will not return in the body of His humiliation, but in a glorified body with royal apparel (Heb. 9:28. Matt. 24:30).

 The Eternal State

1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all mankind, the saved to eternal life with Jesus, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46, John 5:28-29, 11:25-26, Revelation 20:56, 22:12).

2) We believe that the souls of the justified are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where they await the resurrection, when soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23, 3:32, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 20:46). 

3) We believe that the souls of unbelievers are absent from the body and present with the Lord, after death, then are sent immediately to hell to await judgement. We believe that the body and soul are  eventually  reunited  and they shall appear at the Judgment of Jesus Christ, called the Great White Throne Judgement and shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment (Matthew 25:41-46, Mark 9:43-48, Luke 16:19-26, 2 Thessalonians 1:79, Jude 6-7, Revelation 20:11-15).