The Church As A Family 

  Scripture is undeniably clear that all who possess the indwelling life of the Risen Head make up the church.  The natural implication of this glorious truth is that the church is a family.  A family whose members are joined together, organically connected and inseparably related by Divine life. 

  This being the case, one cannot join the church.  If you are in Christ Jesus, you are joined already!  You are joined by the new birth.  

   Our limbs are joined to our physical bodies by life and not by organization, invitation, creedal confession or catechism.  So too, we are joined to Jesus Christ and His body simply by life.  If you are a believer in Christ then you share one new life with all the other reborn believers.  In becoming a Christian, you have become part of a new family.  That family is the ekklesia—the habitat of God’s people. 

  It is for this reason the New Testament frequently refers to the church as “the household” or “family” of God.  The New Testament authors describe the church with a variety of different images—such as a body, a bride, a nation, a priesthood and an army, but their favorite metaphor is the family. 

  Familiar terms like “new birth”, “children of God”, “sons of God”, “brethren”, “fathers”, “sisters”, “brothers” and “household” are punctuated throughout the New Testament documents. 

  Doubtless, most Christians have no trouble giving glib assent to the idea that the church is a family.  Yet there is a vast difference between giving mere mental assent to the family nature of the church and in fleshing out its sober implications.  Regrettably many modern Christians give mere lip-service to the fact that their fellow brethren are their brothers and sisters.  Few live as though this were the case. 

Frank Viola, ‘Rethinking The Wineskin’ Ch 4

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A few New Testament scriptural examples: 

Household (13 times): Galatians 6:10, Ephesians 2:19  

Brethren (231 times): 1Corinthians 15:50, Acts 15:23

Sisters (8  times): 1Timothy 5:2  

Fathers (59 times): 1Corinthians 4:15, 1John 2:13 

Mothers (3 times): 1Timothy 5:2 

Family (1 times): Ephesians 3:15