8 Bible Verses about Formality

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

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

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law, justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things? Do you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

If with Christ you died to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you still belonged to it, do you submit to regulations such as,

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,read more.
treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding a form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid such people.

But if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and approve of what is excellent, because you are instructed in the law, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,read more.
an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a breaker of the law. For he is not a real Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something outward and in the flesh. He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, and not by the written code. His praise is not from men but from God.

though I myself have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.read more.
But whatever was gain to me, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.