Paul wrote to the Romans’……… there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been by God’. By this statement Paul meant that all the follow...

Based on the statement, Paul believed that all legitimate authorities are sanctioned by God, and that there is no authority except from God. This means that he believed that all authorities, aimed at good governance and order, are in accordance with God's plan. Furthermore, he also believed that all authorities should reward goodness and punish wrong-doings, as this is consistent with God's justice. However, the statement does not imply that when an authority is obviously anti-Christ, it has no claim to legitimacy. Paul's focus is on the legitimacy of authority that exists, not on whether a specific authority is in alignment with Christ or not. In summary, Paul's statement emphasizes the importance of recognizing the legitimacy of all authorities, as they are all sanctioned by God, and that they should aim to promote good governance, justice, and order.