Question:  Some of my friends said that if we don’t praise God three times a day, that we are not real Christians and we will not be saved in the second coming. Is it true?

Answer:  We cannot limit our praise to God or try to make it fit a certain number of times per day and call this salvation. This is legalism. We are not saved or lost because of how many times a day we praise God. What we want is a relationship with Jesus Christ that brings us into a continual attitude of praise. Praise is a fruit of salvation, it is not the way we are saved. We are not saved by praising God, but rather we praise God because He is our Savior. Praise then is no longer a duty we perform three times a day in order to be saved. It is the continual response of thankfulness to God for His love to us.  

The Continual Sacrifice of Praise

“By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:15, 16).

In Christ God has given the ultimate sacrifice, the very best, which is to bring forth from us the sacrifice of praise. The more we dwell upon the love of God, the more we realize the gift of heaven, the more continual and spontaneous will be our praise to God. In saying this, Paul is again drawing us to the reality of faith in Jesus from the symbols/types of the earthly sanctuary.

In the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), specifically in Numbers and Leviticus the “daily” (Strong’s #8548) is identified with the earthly sanctuary service. The sacrifices for sin, incense, lamps of light, shewbread and ministration of the priests were all identified as “daily” or “continual” (#8548) aspects of the sanctuary service (Leviticus 6:13; 24:2; Exodus 28:29; 29:42; 30:8; Numbers 4:7).

The earthly sanctuary and its divine ordinances all pointed to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice, incense, light, bread and priest (Hebrews 7:27; Ephesians 5:2; John 1:9; John 6:51; Hebrews 7:24). Therefore the earthly sanctuary was God’s method of pointing us to entire dependence in Him. This is why the same word, “daily,” which means the “continual,” is found throughout the Bible in verses that direct us into close relationship with God. Here are a few examples:

1)    In Psalm 40:16 we are to say “continually [#8548], the Lord be magnified”   

2)    In 1 Chronicles 16:11 God longs for us to “seek His face continually [#8548]” To give Him thanks; make know His deeds among the people; to sing unto him, to glory in God and remember His marvelous works (see 1 Chronicles 16:8-12). 

3)    When we look to God instead of man “His praise shall continually” [#8548] be in our “mouths” according to Psalm 34:1.

4)    God’s “loving-kindness” and “truth” is to “continually [#8548] preserve” us (Psalm 40:11).

5)    And God alone is to be our “strong habitation” where we “continually [#8548] resort” (Psalm 71:3).

The entire sanctuary service was designed to point us to a continual relationship with Jesus Christ as our Savior, spiritual lover and best friend.