16 Bible Verses about Formality

Therefore the Lord said, Since this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

When the priests enter them, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments in which they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.

I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not take delight in your solemn assemblies. Though you offer me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fatted beasts. Take away from me the noise of your songs; for I will not hear the melody of your harps.

For you desire not sacrifice; else would I give it: you delight not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went you out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft clothes? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went you out to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

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

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

But now, after you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

Therefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances,

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,read more.
Traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Behold, you are called a Jew, and rest in the law, and make your boast of God, And know his will, and approve the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of them who are in darkness,read more.
An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, who has the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. You therefore who teach another, can you not teach yourself? you that preach a man should not steal, do you steal? You that say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? you that abhor idols, do you commit sacrilege? You that make your boast of the law, through breaking the law do you dishonor God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily profits, if you keep the law: but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keeps the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who by the letter and circumcision do transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has reasons he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.read more.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.