Layton Talbert

About Author Layton Talbert

Layton Talbert and his wife, Esther, live in Greenville, SC and have five children. Layton mentors budding pastors at Bob Jones University and has authored two books—Not By Chance and Beyond Suffering. He enjoys South Carolina barbecue and drives a very ugly Toyota pickup truck.

Knowing the Word

How Do Orthodox Jews Read Isaiah 53?

If you look up the yearly synagogue reading schedule, you will discover that Isaiah 53 is never read. Ever. Not in the weekly Sabbath readings. Not on any special holy day. Now you might think, “Well, there are probably a good many other passages that are omitted as well.” And you’re right; there are many other passages that are omitted. But this omission is a particularly curious one.

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to forgive or not forgive
For the Heart

To Forgive, or Not to Forgive?

As a Christian, am I obligated to forgive everyone who sins against me? Do I forgive only if the offender asks me to? What do I do if he never asks forgiveness?

All this came up while my daughter was counseling at a Christian camp this summer. One of her campers (“Anna”) asked her whether she was obligated to forgive her father for being verbally abusive to her, even if he never apologized for his behavior. See, someone else had told her that she needed to, and she wanted to know if that was right.

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