10 Bible Verses about Nominal Religion

wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye are like whited sepulchres, which to outward appearance are fine. but within are full of dead mens bones, and all sort of filth. just so ye put on an air of probity in the sight of men, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

the prophecy of Esaias exactly suits such hypocrites as you; "this people, says he, draw nigh to me, they honour me with their lips: while their hearts are far from me. but in vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the institutions of men."

Jesus answered, to such hypocrites as you may well be applied those words of the prophet Esaias, "this people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the institutions of men."

they make a profession of knowing God; but in fact they deny him, being execrably incredulous, and utter strangers to all virtue.

Beware of false prophets, who to outward appearance are sheep, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. you will know them by their fruits: do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? so every good tree yields good fruit: but a corrupt tree yields bad fruit.read more.
a good tree cannot produce bad fruit: neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. every tree that doth not yield good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire. by their fruits then shall ye know them. Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but only they who do the will of my Father who is in heaven. many will cry out to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? have we not cast out devils in thy name? and in thy name have we not wrought many miracles? and then will I make this declaration to them: I never knew you: depart from me ye that have practised iniquity.

At my departure from Macedonia, I advised you to stay at Ephesus in order to charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, or trouble their heads with fables and endless genealogies, which rather promote disputes than the gospel-dispensation: such a charge will produce that charity, which arises from purity, from a good conscience, and a sincere belief:read more.
for want of which, some have lost themselves in frivolous disputes, pretending to be doctors of the law, tho' they neither understand what they advance, nor upon what it is founded.

he that says, he knows him, and does not keep his commandments, is a lyar, and an enemy to the truth:

go then and learn the meaning of that expression, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice:" for I am not come to call saints, but sinners.

if ye had known the meaning of that expression, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice," ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Take notice that in the latter days difficult incidents will arise; for men will be selfish, avaricious, vain, proud, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, villainous, unnatural, perfidious, defamers, debauchees,read more.
cruel, enemies to virtue, traitors, insolent, conceited, and more devoted to pleasure than to piety: of which they wear the appearance, but disclaim its influence. have no intercourse with such.