Reference

Romans 9:7

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
5

Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

6

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9

For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Church as Fulfillment

This verse, at face value, is a direct quote from the Old Testament (Genesis 21:12) explaining a distinction within Abraham's physical descendants (Isaac vs. Ishmael) and does not explicitly mention the "Church," Gentiles, or a "spiritual Israel." The verse's immediate context in Romans 9 is about God's sovereign choice among Abraham's physical lineage, not a redefinition of Israel to include non-Jews.

Church Replaces Israel

This verse explicitly discusses the lineage of Abraham and the calling of "seed" through Isaac, a figure within the nation of Israel. It does not mention the Church, gentiles, or a new covenant community, nor does it suggest a replacement of Israel.