The Salvation Army affirms that Jesus Christ existed eternally with God the Father before his incarnation in human history. The Word (Logos) is divine and participated in creation. This doctrine affirms the full deity of Christ and his eternal nature as God the Son. The Handbook of Doctrine articulates this in harmony with Johannine and Pauline theology.

The pre-existence of Christ underscores his divine status and eternal significance. He did not come into being at his conception but entered history in incarnate form. This belief is foundational to Salvation Army Christology and evangelicalism more broadly.