If the child of at least one believer is, by birthright and by calling, a disciple of Christ, then that child is entitled to receive baptism (see Mark 10:13–16; Acts 2:39; 1 Cor. 7:14). Baptism summons this child to look in faith to Christ as Savior and Lord. Christ has appointed the Supper, on the other hand, to be received by disciples who meet the qualifications of 1 Corinthians 11:17–34. The Supper solemnly sets forth Christ as crucified and involves a believing participation in Christ and in the benefits of his death.

In Reformed (and particularly Presbyterian) churches, you may hear about “paedocommunion,” sometimes called “infant communion” or “child communion.” This view maintains that the child of a believer (a “covenant child”) is entitled not only to receive the covenant sign of baptism but also to partake of the bread and the wine in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Proponents argue it’s inconsistent to bestow baptism on a covenant child and withhold from that child the Lord’s Supper. Strikingly, the ad absurdum argument made against paedobaptism by some credobaptists (“paedobaptism logically leads to paedocommunion”) is being championed by paedocommunion’s proponents.
Because of growing interest in paedocommunion within some quarters of the Reformed church over the last half century, the practice merits a closer look. Let’s consider the compelling biblical and theological arguments against paedocommunion. These arguments, furthermore, help to explain why the confessional consensus of the Reformed churches has knowingly rejected the practice. Then let’s review Scripture’s teaching about when and under what conditions a child in the church may come to the Lord’s Table.
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Our nation may be under attack right now. The pride flag may be flying. And, the American people, once known for valor, may now be impotent. But the Church of Jesus Christ shall surely stand, and she shall reign until all His enemies have become a footstool for His feet. The only question is will you be the one who fights and builds His Kingdom? Or will you be one who compromises, cowers, and capitulates?

Star-Spangled Patriotism
In the heart of the night, as the cannons boomed and the air crackled with tension, Fort McHenry stood resolute against an onslaught that threatened to engulf the fort. The Battle of Baltimore, an inferno of chaos and valor, surged through the darkness during the War of 1812. In this epic clash, the fate of a young nation hung precariously in the balance, with the stars and stripes of the American flag, flying rebelliously overhead, serving as a beacon of hope amidst the tempest of war.
As the British fleet arrived and unleashed its fury upon the fort, the relentless bombardment shattered the tranquility of the Baltimore sky. Thundering cannonballs screamed through the air, painting the horizon with fiery trails of destruction. Yet, as the explosions rent the air and as buildings crumbled, the defenders clung to their resolve, their spirits unwavering.
Amidst the pandemonium, a colossal American flag billowing defiantly in the face of peril soared high above Fort McHenry. Each gust of wind unfurled its stars and stripes, a sight that ignited the hearts of the defenders at every fateful flash of light. It symbolized their unyielding determination and an emblem of their unwavering love for country and land.
As the British bombardment intensified, fury was unleashed upon McHenry’s walls. Explosions jolted like volcanic eruptions, devouring the night with smoke and flame. The defenders, though few, not only held their ground but held up that flag defiantly through every blast keeping it from falling, keeping it upright, and ensuring it remained intact. Hour after hour, the shells fell on the heads of those poor souls, killing American patriots left and right, painting the dampened soil like rubies from their sacrificial blood. The earth shook beneath their feet all night, and the deafening roar of cannons reverberated through their bones.
But yet, by dawn’s early light and by twilight’s last gleaming, what the men of Fort McHenry beheld as the smoke and ash began to clear, was far brighter than the rocket’s red glares and much more deafening than the British bombs that were bursting in air. What they beheld was proof that our flag had withstood the night and that it was still there. Still there through the bitter onslaught. Still waving, though, hell had been unleashed upon it. Yet, though tattered and torn, it stood proudly, defiantly streaming and screaming at the English Navy that America was still here.
The sight of the American flag still waving triumphantly above became a powerful symbol of American resolve and inspired a deep sense of national pride in the men standing beneath it. And as their hearts swelled with pride and their bodies fueled by an instant bath of adrenaline, those heroic American soldiers valiantly defended the fort, won that battle, and eventually the entire war.
Flags and Declarations of War
To comprehend the profound willingness of these valiant men to sacrifice their lives in defense of a mere piece of colored fabric, it is imperative to delve into the intrinsic essence of what a flag is. These emblems were not intricately woven to serve as mere decorations or museum relics. Instead, flags embody the very heart of national sovereignty.
When the British beheld that resolute flag fluttering defiantly in the morning harbor breeze, it was not the robust fabric that rendered them immobile but rather the damning symbolism it represented. As the flag soared proudly overhead, the British came to a realization: America was the embodiment of resilience, refusing to fade silently into oblivion like the flag they proudly held aloft. That banner symbolized her undying spirit and unyielding dominion that they could not overcome.
This is precisely why every invading army endeavors to establish its own flag upon conquered territories. Why? Because planting the flag signifies a shift in power dynamics, the rise of a new ruling nation, and the ultimate demise of the former regime. The iconic sight of Marines hoisting the Old Glory amidst the battle-scarred landscape of Iwo Jima epitomized the irrevocable defeat of Japanese imperialism. Likewise, the Soviets triumphantly displaying the hammer and sickle above Berlin’s Reichstag symbolized the dethronement of Nazism and the definitive end of Hitler’s tyrannical reign.
When a nation plants its flag firmly into the ground, it openly and audaciously proclaims its dominion over that soil. It screams, “We are the ones in charge!”
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The LGBT culture is alive and flourishing within Disney. During a recent virtual meeting, a group of Disney filmmakers together with employees said they have been given the freedom to add “queerness” and LGBT characters to children’s programming, but they believe a lot more needs to be done. Such was expressed during an “all-hands” meeting following controversy regarding Florida’s parental rights bill that prohibits classroom teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.

“M. I. C. K. E. Y, M. O. U. S. E!  Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck!  Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck! …”  Many of us remember this sing-along song that opened the Mickey Mouse Club program when as children we were enjoying the biggest name in entertainment. That, of course, was the wonderful world of DISNEY. At one time, Walt Disney’s family-oriented programming was enjoyed by almost everyone, adults and children alike. However, times have changed and so has Disney, so much so that ole Walt is probably “turning over in his grave”. Disney now promotes the progressive anti-family and anti-Christian LGBTQ woke culture that the founders of BLM intended for the destruction of the nuclear family.
Chances are that if you want to watch a good movie, sporting event, or have your child watch an animated cartoon program, more than likely it will be connected to the vast empire that Disney has become, owning a good portion of the television and entertainment world. Just three years ago Disney, for $73.1 billion, bought the film and TV assets that were held by 21st Century Fox, marking the transaction one of the largest media mergers in history.
The above is just for starters. Add to that the list of Disney-owned companies and you begin to get a sense of just how big Disney really is. That list includes ABC, ESPN, Touchstone Pictures, Marvel, Lucasfilm, A&E, The History Channel, Lifetime, Pixar, Hollywood Records, Vice Media, and Core Publishing among many others.
Included are recognizable brands and film franchises as the following: Star Wars, The Muppets, The Marvel Cinematic Universe (but not the X-Men – yet!), Disney Princesses/Princes (such as characters from Cinderella, Mulan, Frozen, Aladdin, and The Lion King), The Chronicles of Narnia Franchise, The Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise, Pixar Films, (such as Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Cars), The Winnie the Pooh Franchise, The Indiana Jones Franchise, Grey’s Anatomy and other popular ABC shows.
The LGBT culture is alive and flourishing within Disney. During a recent virtual meeting, a group of Disney filmmakers together with employees said they have been given the freedom to add “queerness” and LGBT characters to children’s programming, but they believe a lot more needs to be done. Such was expressed during an “all-hands” meeting following controversy regarding Florida’s parental rights bill that prohibits classroom teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the bill into law.
In a series of videos released by journalist Christopher F. Rufo, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, Disney executive Karey Burke told attendees of the meeting that she is the “mother of two queer children – one transgender child, and one pangender child”. Wanting to see more LGBT characters in Disney programs, she states, “We have many, many, many LGBTQIA characters in our stories, and yet we don’t have enough leads and narratives in which gay characters just get to be characters and not have to be about gay stories.” Rufo, in a tweet, said that Burke added in the video that she wanted a minimum of 50 percent of characters to be LGBTQIA and racial minorities.
Latoya Raveneau, directing two episodes of The Proud Family on Disney Plus, reports she previously had heard “whispers” – when she worked for other studios – that Disney does not allow LGBT characters in its programs. But she said that’s not the case. The Proud Family includes a same sex married couple. She says, “My experience was bafflingly the opposite of what I had heard, and the showrunners were super welcoming of LGBT characters.” She further states, “Our leadership over there has been so welcoming to my not-at-all secret gay agenda…I don’t have to be afraid to, like, let’s have these two characters kiss in the background. I was just, wherever I could, just basically adding queerness [to projects].”
Another Disney production coordinator, Allen Martsch, discussed adding LGBT content to the upcoming Disney series, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Martsch applauds Disney saying, “They’ve been really open to exploring queer stories, …we take place in modern-day New York – so making sure that that’s an accurate reflection of New York. So I put together a tracker of our background characters to make sure that we have like the full breadth of expression.”
He concludes by saying, “…It’s not just about a numbers game of how many LGBTQ-plus characters you have,…The more centered a story is on a character, the more nuanced you get to get into their story. And especially with trans characters, you can’t see if anyone is trans – there’s not one way to look trans. And so kind of the only way to have these canonical trans characters, canonical asexual characters, canonical bisexual characters, is to give them stories where they can be their whole selves.”
Yes, Disney holds great power to persuade children and adults into believing it is kind and loving to accept this perverted worldview. Add to this the promotion of the LGBTQ lifestyles by politicians and lobbyists, then a sense of the battle takes on a greater sense of urgency. And it gets more complicated when the President of the United States aids and abets the issue. Just recently some observed a Transgender Day of Visibility and President Biden has declared his support of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria to undergo body mutilating surgeries or use puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to look more like the opposite sex despite unknowns about the long-term side effects.
Standing in opposition to the above procedures the American College of Pediatricians said, “There is not a single long-term study to demonstrate the safety or efficacy of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries for transgender believing youth,”… ” This means that youth transition is experimental and therefore, parents cannot provide informed consent, nor can minors provide assent for these interventions. Moreover, the best long-term evidence we have among adults shows that medical intervention fails to reduce suicide.”
Also, on their website, acpeds.org has a page stating that “Transgender Interventions Harm Children” and that puberty blockers may cause both mental illness and permanent physical harm adding that such is not only experimental but dangerous.
Besides Disney, now Apple is lending its strength to opposing gender legislation. That makes two very powerful entities. According to an article in Politico, Apple’s communications, government affairs and legal offices are working with policymakers and advocacy groups to plot out strategies in filing court briefs in cases involving LGBTQ “rights.”
Fred Sainz, their senior of corporate communications, recently pressed leaders of fellow Fortune 500 companies to denounce an order by the Texas governor that called for child abuse investigations of parents who provide transgender children with “gender-affirming” procedures despite opposition from doctors. Sainz asked these leaders to lend their company’s name to the issue because Apple will lend its name and logo to fight for LGBTQ rights. All Americans will be affected by decisions made by Disney and Apple.
Note:  I believe it is important to distinguish some terms.  The so-called “anti-LGBTQ” laws are not against the 1% of the population who identify as transgender or the 3% who identify as homosexual (percentages according to the YouGov poll released in March). Instead these laws should rightly be termed parental rights legislation or child protection laws to protect the vulnerable from possible lifelong harm.
What is a parent to do? What is a Christian to do? How are parents to handle the area of children’s programs and entertainment? How do we respond? Boycott Disney? Throw away your Apple phone? Good luck with that! Even if that were possible, the extensive effects of Disney influence are worldwide. I think it is safe to say that one thing Americans will not give up is their freedom to be entertained. I’m probably including myself. I love sports. Many people do and to give that up would be a challenge.  “Don’t mess with my entertainment” might be the prevailing attitude.
I remember reading about the contrast between Christians in the Soviet Union under Khrushchev and Christians in America during the same time period. The difference was Christians under Khrushchev were tested by persecution while Christians in America were tested by their freedoms. Can it be said that our freedoms have blinded us and are holding us hostage, preventing us from bringing every thought captive to the word of God and keeping us from seeing the threat at our doorsteps? Some say that only time will tell, but I believe time is already telling! Let’s open our eyes and be accountable to truth.  Let’s seek to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in the Word of God instead of being conformed to the world system and its culture.
Clete Hux is Director of the Apologetics Resource Center headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. A Teaching Elder in the PCA, he has pastored churches in Alabama and South Carolina.