Pre-existence of Christ

The C&MA affirms that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who existed with the Father before the foundation of the world. The prologue of John's Gospel, proclaiming Christ as the Logos (Word) through whom all things were made, is foundational to C&MA Christology. Christ's incarnation was not the beginning of his existence but his entry into time and human flesh.

This pre-existence is affirmed both in the texts of Scripture and in the logic of the incarnation: for God the Son to assume human nature, he must have possessed a nature prior to that assumption. The pre-existent Christ is understood as coequal and coeternal with the Father, sharing the divine attributes and being worthy of worship alongside the Father and the Holy Spirit. His preexistence establishes his unique authority and mediatorial role in creation and redemption.

The C&MA teaching on pre-existence is integrated with its understanding of Christ as the Coming King: the One who existed before time will consummate history. This doctrine underscores the continuity of Christ's divine identity and agency throughout creation, incarnation, and consummate redemption.