Therefore the end and goal of world missions is that the nations might glorify God for his mercy. The aim of missions is worship. Missions exists because worship doesn't. The gap between God's goal to glorify himself in all that he does and the world of unbelief that denies him that glory is being closed by God through the means of world missions.

And he will close it. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14). The foundation of this certainty is God's unconditional election and the sovereignty of grace in the conversion of sinners through the worldwide preaching of the Gospel. The sure hope of success in world missions is the power of God to see to it that his sheep in every tongue and tribe and nation will give heed to the word of his missionary shepherds.

Jesus described the missionary task remaining like this: "I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also and they will heed my voice" (John 10:16). The success of their in-gathering is certain. He said that the reason some don't believe the missionary proclamation of the gospel is that they do not belong to his sheep. But "my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me" (10:26-27; cf. 8:47; 18:37). So the remaining missionary task as Jesus conceived it was "to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (11:52).

So, for example, when the missionary Paul enters the pagan city of Corinth the Lord assures him in a dream, "Do not be afraid but speak and do not be silent; … for I have many people in this city" (Acts 18:9-10). And when he finishes preaching in the city of Antioch, Luke describes the results like this, "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48). And how did these sheep, who were dead in trespasses and sin, give heed to the master's voice? Luke gives us Lydia as an example of the power of grace in the preaching of the gospel: "The Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul" (Acts 16:14).

The ultimate success of the cause of world missions rests on the great realities of unconditional election and the sovereignty of grace in the preaching of the gospel. Therefore, it is certain that one day there will be "a great multitude which no man can number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb … crying with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!'" (Rev. 7:9-10). They will fill the new heavens and the new earth with the white hot affection of their praise, and the goal of God in creation and redemption will be achieved.