Pre-existence of Christ

Reformed Baptists affirm the eternal pre-existence of Christ as God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, coequal and coeternal with the Father. The 1689 London Baptist Confession and broader Reformed theology present Christ as the eternal Logos — the Word through whom God created all things and by whom all things are sustained. Before his incarnation, Christ was actively engaged in the work of creation and providence, never having not existed.

Reformed Baptist theology articulates the pre-existence of Christ through the doctrine of eternal generation: the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, a relationship that does not imply a temporal beginning but rather describes the eternal personal distinction within the Godhead. The Son is the divine image, the exact imprint of God's nature, reflecting God's character and power. This generation is a necessary and eternal relation, not an act of God's will in time.

The Covenant of Redemption (pactum salutis) is foundational to Reformed Baptist soteriology: before the foundation of the world, the Father appointed the Son to be the Mediator, and the Son covenanted to undertake the work of redemption for the elect. This eternal counsel reveals Christ's pre-temporal commitment to his redemptive mission and establishes the unity of God's purposes across creation and redemption.