The
reign of grace
God reigns over all mankind in providence, but this is not the reign of
grace. The Lord shall reign over the wicked for all eternity. He shall
judge them at the last day and this will be visible in law and judgment.
This, however, will not be the reign of grace.
The reign of grace is in the souls of men and women whom God has chosen
unto salvation. God, by His grace, brings them to Christ in faith. He puts
within them a principle of true holiness, delivering them from the guilt
and penalty of sin, breaking the dominion of sin in their lives,
progressively mortifying the principle of sin in them and finally
translating them from the very presence of sin.