STATEMENT OF FAITH

CEIBA VIDA International bases its ministry on the following statement of faith:

THE BIBLE

We believe the Bible to be the authoritative and inerrant Word of God: it is God’s revelation about Himself to man. It is both living and active, applicable to all time, and is not only the measure and standard of truth, but truth itself. 

(Numbers 23:19, Psalm 12:6, Proverbs 30:5, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Peter 1:20-21, Hebrews 4:12)

GOD

We believe there is only one true God who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and sovereign. God is the Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

(1 Timothy 2:5, Jeremiah 10:12, Psalm 139:1-10, Colossians 1:16-17, Ephesians 4:4-6, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14)

  1. God the Father: He is our loving, merciful, and kind heavenly Father who loves His creation as a father loves his children. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless. He sent His only begotten Son to save us. (1 John 3:1, Ephesians 2:4-8, Romans 8:32-33, John 3:16, John 17:3)

  2. God the Son: Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and is God’s Anointed One - empowered by the Holy Spirit to inaugurate God’s Kingdom on earth. He lived a perfect, sinless life. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He physically rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven, He is now our High Priest and Advocate at the right hand of the Father.  (John 1:1-18, Romans 4:25, Ephesians 1:15-23, Colossians 1:15-23, Hebrews 7:23-25)

  3. God the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit of Truth who guides us. He is our Helper and illuminates Scripture so that we can understand truth. He draws us to the Father. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He empowers the believer to live the Christian life in victory. He dwells in all believers as the living and ever-present Lord. (John 14:17, John 15:25, John 14:26, John 16:13-16, Romans 8:11, John 16:7-11, Galatians 2:20)

HUMANITY

We believe that God created humanity in His image. But, because of the disobedience of Adam & Eve, sin entered the world. We further believe men and women are sinners by nature and action and are therefore spiritually dead. We also believe that those who repent of sin and place their trust in Jesus Christ are forgiven and born again to new life by the Holy Spirit. 

(Genesis 1:27, Acts 2:38-39, Ephesians 2:1-9, Romans 3:9-26, Romans 5:12-21)

SALVATION

We believe that salvation is a free gift of God and is received by individuals through faith in Jesus Christ apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus and His resurrection provide the only grounds for forgiveness of sins for all who believe and that only those who receive Jesus Christ as Lord are born of the Spirit, become children of God, and are given eternal life. 

(John 3:16-17, John 8:23-24, John 14:6, Acts 16:29-34, Romans 3:21-31, Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:4-9, 1 Timothy 2:3-6, Titus 3:5-7)

THE CHURCH

We believe that the Church is composed of all people who through saving faith in Jesus Christ are united together in the Body of Christ of which he is the head. We believe the sacraments of the church are believer’s baptism and holy communion. Believer’s baptism is a testimony of the death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ; and communion is the “Lord’s Supper,”a memorial service, setting forth in sacred and symbolic manner the death of Jesus and our salvation through faith in him. All believers and only believers should participate in these sacraments.

(Matthew 26:26-29, Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:38-39, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32, Colossians 2:11-12)

KINGDOM OF GOD

We believe that the Kingdom of God is the rule and authority of God. It has come in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it continues to come in the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Church, and that it will be consummated in the glorious, visible and triumphant appearance of Christ when he returns to earth as king. We believe that after Christ returns He will bring about the ultimate defeat of Satan, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the eternal blessing of the righteous. At that time, the Kingdom of God will be completely fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth. 

(Matthew 4:23, Matthew 12:28, Mark 12:26, Acts 1:1-8, Acts 2:14-39, Romans 14:17-18, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, Revelation 19:11-16, Revelation 20:10, Revelation 21:1-5)

CHRIST’S RETURN

We believe that the personal and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ to the earth is our future hope and has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of every believer.

(Matthew 24, John 14:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, Titus 2:11-14, Revelation 19-20)

CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY 

We believe that the highest priorities for every believer are the Great Commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” These commands are fulfilled by glorifying God, enjoying him and fulfilling his Great Commission to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” These pursuits require personal commitments to live by the truth of God’s Word and to depend on the power of his Spirit. Practically, both the Word and the Spirit call us to a life of Christ-like character, wholehearted worship, generous giving, unselfish service, and compassionate outreach to the lost.

(Matthew 20:26-28, Matthew 22:37-40, Matthew 25:24-31, Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 6:38, John 4:23-24, Ephesians 4:12-13, Ephesians 5:18-21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)