What We Teach

At Loma Alta Baptist Church, we teach what the Bible teaches, nothing more and nothing less, as we preach through the Scriptures verse by verse.

Essentials and liberty. The primary truths of the gospel are essential for membership: the authority of Scripture, the Trinity, the deity and humanity of Christ, His substitutionary death and bodily resurrection, salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and His personal return. On secondary matters, members have liberty, and we seek to love one another as we keep studying the Word together. Everyone who teaches or leads at Loma Alta gladly submits to what this page teaches, so that we speak with one voice.

The Scriptures. We teach that the 66 books of the Bible are the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings. The Bible is our only infallible rule for faith and life, and it is sufficient for all God requires of us. We read it in its plain, grammatical, and historical sense. (2 Tim. 3:16–17; 2 Pet. 1:20–21)

God. We teach that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He created all things by His word and rules over all things for His glory, yet He is never the author of sin. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; Eph. 1:11)

Jesus Christ. We teach that Jesus is eternal God who became man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and He is truly God and truly man. He lived without sin, died as the substitute for sinners, rose bodily from the dead, and now intercedes for His people at the Father's right hand. (John 1:1–14; 1 Cor. 15:3–4; Heb. 7:25)

The Holy Spirit. We teach that the Holy Spirit is fully God. He convicts of sin and gives new birth. At conversion He baptizes every believer into the body of Christ, and He indwells, seals, and sanctifies each one. He gives every believer gifts to serve the church. Our worship gathers around the expository preaching of God's Word, because Scripture is sufficient. Sign gifts such as tongues are not practiced in our public worship or made the center of our church life. (Titus 3:5; 1 Cor. 12:4–13; 2 Tim. 4:2)

Man and sin. We teach that God created Adam and Eve directly, as real, historical people made in His image, male and female. Through Adam's one sin, all humanity fell and became separated and alienated from God, and sin and death entered the world. We are all born with a sinful nature, and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We cannot save ourselves. God designed marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman, and every human life is sacred from conception. (Gen. 1:26–28; 2:7; Rom. 5:12; 3:23; Eph. 2:1–3)

Salvation. We teach that salvation is entirely God's work of grace:
• Before the foundation of the world, the Father chose a people in Christ.
• Christ died effectively for the elect, those the Father gave Him, and secured their redemption.
• The Holy Spirit gives them new life, so that they repent and believe.
• God declares them righteous by faith alone, crediting Christ's righteousness to them.
• He makes them holy over a lifetime and keeps them to the end.

Salvation is freely offered to all, and we call everyone to repent and believe in Jesus. (Eph. 1:4–11; John 6:37–44; 10:11–15; Rom. 3:21–28; 8:29–39; Acts 17:30)

The Church. We teach that all believers are joined by the Spirit into one body, the church. The church began at Pentecost and is distinct from Israel. A local church is a congregation of baptized believers joined in covenant under Christ, its head. Christ gives His church elders (also called pastors), who are qualified men, and deacons who serve. Loma Alta is an elder-led church. The elders examine each person who asks to join, hearing their testimony and confirming their understanding of the gospel and their baptism. The congregation then has the opportunity to affirm them or to raise any concern before they are received as members. It is also an autonomous local churc, hself-governing under Christ, and our own statement of faith governs our teaching and life.. (Acts 2:41–47; 1 Tim. 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9; Heb. 13:17)

Baptism and the Lord's Supper. We teach that baptism is the immersion of a believer as a testimony of union with Christ in His death and resurrection, and that it comes before membership and the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper remembers and proclaims Christ's death until He comes, and it should be taken with self-examination. The bread and cup are symbols, but as we eat in faith we have real fellowship with the risen Christ, who is present with His people by His Spirit, and with one another. (Rom. 6:3–5; 1 Cor. 10:16–17; 11:23–32)

Angels. We teach that angels are created servants of God, never to be worshiped. Satan is a fallen angel who was defeated at the cross, and he will be punished forever. (Heb. 1:14; Col. 2:15; Rev. 20:10)

Last Things. We teach that at death believers go immediately to be with Christ. Before the seven-year tribulation, Christ will come for His church and take it from the earth. After the tribulation, He will return in glory and reign on the earth from David's throne for a literal thousand years. God will keep His promises to Israel, who will turn to her Messiah and be restored to the land. Christ will judge all unbelievers, who will face eternal, conscious punishment, and the redeemed will live forever with God in the new heavens and new earth. (1 Thess. 4:13–18; Rev. 19–22; Rom. 11:25–29)

If you have questions about anything here, we would love to open the Bible with you.
— Pastor Jose A. Nava III