Waldensians affirm that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who existed before all creation and took on human flesh at the incarnation. This eternal preexistence is integral to his divine nature: as the second person of the Trinity, the Son has no temporal beginning. The Logos (Word) of John 1 is identified with Jesus of Nazareth — the historical person who walked the earth is the same eternal divine being who was 'in the beginning with God.'

The Waldensian Confession affirms eternal sonship in contrast to adoptionist views that would date Christ's divine status to his baptism, resurrection, or birth. The preexistence of Christ is understood as essential to the infinite value and efficacy of his atoning sacrifice. Only the eternal Son of God could make a substitutionary atonement sufficient for the sins of the whole world.

This conviction unites Waldensians with the historic Christian tradition across denominational lines and is affirmed as a non-negotiable element of Christian orthodoxy. The preexistence of Christ stands as a fundamental affirmation in Waldensian catechesis and theology.