16 Bible Verses about Formality

Then the Lord said: "Because these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, worship of me has become merely like rules taught by human beings.

Watch your step whenever you visit God's house, and come more ready to listen than to offer a fool's sacrifice, since fools never think they're doing evil.

For it is love that I seek, and not sacrifice; knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

How am I to present myself in the LORD's presence and bow in the presence of the High God? Should I present myself with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with endless rivers of oil? Am I to give my firstborn to pay for my rebellion, the fruit of my body in exchange for my soul?

Stop bringing useless offerings! Incense is detestable to me, as are your New Moons, Sabbaths, and calling of convocations. I cannot stand iniquity within a solemn assembly.

When the priest enters, they will not enter the outer court from the sanctuary without having removed their garments worn during their time of ministry, because they are holy. They will put on different clothes, and then they will approach the area reserved for the people."

"I hate I despise your festival days, and your solemn convocations stink. And if you send up burnt offerings to me as well as your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I consider your peace offerings of fattened cattle. Spare me your noisy singing I will not listen to your musical instruments.

Indeed, you do not delight in sacrifices, or I would give them, nor do you desire burnt offerings. True sacrifice to God is a broken spirit. A broken and chastened heart, God, you will not despise.

As they were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? Really, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? See, those who wear fancy clothes live in kings' houses. Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, "Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands when they eat."

"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, and cummin, but have neglected the more important matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others.

But now that you know God, or rather have been known by God, how can you turn back again to those powerless and bankrupt basic principles? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again? You are observing days, months, seasons, and years. I am afraid for you! I don't want my work for you to have been wasted!

If you have died with the Messiah to the basic principles of the world, why are you submitting to its decrees as though you still lived in the world?

You must realize, however, that in the last days difficult times will come. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unfeeling, uncooperative, slanderous, degenerate, brutal, hateful of what is good, read more.
traitors, reckless, conceited, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. They will hold to an outward form of godliness but deny its power. Stay away from such people.

Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the Law, and boast about God, and know his will, and approve of what is best because you have been instructed in the Law; and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, read more.
an instructor of ignorant people, and a teacher of infants because you have the full content of knowledge and truth in the Law as you teach others, do you fail to teach yourself? As you preach against stealing, do you steal? As you forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? As you abhor idols, do you rob temples? As you boast about the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law? As it is written, "God's name is being blasphemed among the gentiles because of you." For circumcision is valuable if you observe the Law, but if you break the Law, your having been circumcised has no more value than if you were uncircumcised. So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, his uncircumcision will be regarded as circumcision, won't it? The man who is uncircumcised physically but who keeps the Law will condemn you who break the Law, even though you have the written Law and circumcision. For a person is not a Jew because of his appearance, nor is circumcision something just external and physical. No, a person is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, brought about by the Spirit, not by a written law. That person's praise will come from God, not from people.

although I could have confidence in the flesh. If anyone thinks he can place confidence in the flesh, I have more reason to think so. Having been circumcised on the eighth day, I am of the nation of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As far as the Law is concerned, I was a Pharisee. As for my zeal, I was a persecutor of the church. As far as righteousness in the Law is concerned, I was blameless.read more.
But whatever things were assets to me, these I now consider a loss for the sake of the Messiah.