8 Bible Verses about Formality

And when they were gone, Jesus began to speak to the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in delicate garments? Lo! they who wear delicate garments are in the houses of kings. Yet what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and abundantly more than a prophet.

THEN came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread?

Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithes of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier precepts of the law, judgment, and mercy, and fidelity: these thing ought ye to have done, and not to leave the others undone.

But now after having known God, or rather being known of God, how turn ye back again to those weak and beggarly elements, to which again a second time ye desire to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid for you, lest haply I have bestowed on you labour in vain.

If then ye have been dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye dogmatically taught,

BUT this know, that in the last days distressing times will come. For men will be self-lovers, money-lovers, boasters, vainglorious, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unnatural, implacable, slanderers, intemperate, inhuman, averse to goodness,read more.
treacherous, wilful, puffed up [with pride], lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; holding the form of godliness, but denying the power of it: from these men turn with aversion.

Lo! thou art named a Jew, and restest on the law, and boastest in God, and knowest the will of God, and bringest to the test the things that are different, being instructed out of the law; and hast confidence that thou thyself art a leader of the blind, a light of those who are in darkness,read more.
an instructor of the uninformed, a teacher of babes, holding the form of knowledge and of truth in the law. Thou therefore who teachest another, dost thou not teach thyself? thou that proclaimest aloud that a man should not steal, dost thou steal? thou that sayest, Do not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that holdest idols in abomination, dost thou commit sacrilege? thou who gloriest in the law, dishonourest thou God by the transgression of the law? for the name of God is blasphemed through you among the heathen, as it is written. For circumcision indeed is advantageous, if thou practise the law: but if thou art a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision becomes uncircumcision, If then the uncircumcision observe the righteous judgments of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be accounted for circumcision? And the uncircumcision by nature which fulfilleth the law shall condemn thee, who through the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law. For not he who is outwardly such, is the Jew; neither is that which is outward in the flesh, circumcision. But he is a Jew who is such inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

Though I too might have confidence in the flesh; if any other man thinks that he may have confidence in the flesh, I may claim more: circumcised the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; respecting the law, a Pharisee; with regard to zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is by the law, blameless.read more.
But what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ.