I love a good detective story. Patricia Cornwell, Lee Childs, Jeffery Deaver - I just can’t get enough of them. Given this level of interest, then I’m sure you can imagine how I felt when one of my sons gave me half a dozen of their novels on the weekend. And best of all, I haven’t read a single one.

I’m especially looking forward to reading David Balucci’s Divine Justice. And before you say, it’s the sort of book that would appeal to any preacher let me into a secret. It is not a ‘religious’ novel at all. It gets its name from the coal-mining town in Virginia where much of the action takes place.

Having said that, I felt drawn to the title because of some of the things I have been thinking about lately. You might remember for example, that some two weeks ago, I pointed out that we now know the name of the ‘mole’ who betrayed the whereabouts of Nelson Mandela when he was captured by the South African security forces in August 1962. It was a CIA operative named Donald Rickard.

All this got me thinking that the apostle Paul was dead right to suggest that nothing will remain a secret for ever. Everything comes to light eventually - or more accurately, everything will be revealed one day. To quote the apostle himself: “He will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives.”

I find this hugely encouraging. Let me explain. It won’t be long now before we finally learn what the Chilcot Enquiry has to say about the Iraq war and its embarrassing aftermath. And if the sources who spoke to the Sunday Times last week are correct, then former Prime Minister Tony Blair is going to be heavily criticised, as will other key players such as former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and the former Chief of M16, Sir Richard Dearlove.

It’s been a long time coming; in fact, far too long as far as many of us are concerned. Hopefully, this long-awaited report will finally vindicate those of us who believe we were taken into war on a false premise, and that the way we dealt with post war Iraq has been nothing short of disastrous.

Some things will be held back of course. And you can be sure that those severely criticised will do everything they can to salvage their reputations. In fact, I reckon any talk of impeachment is simply whistling in the wind, even though a recent report in the Independent suggested that a cross-party group of MPs may renew their attempts to impeach Tony Blair following the publication of the report.

Given all this then, I find it highly re-assuring to believe that whatever the Whitehall mandarins and lawyers do to obscure the truth I can look forward to a day when all will be revealed. And there will be no right of reply because God’s verdict will be final and just.

But if this is true, we need to be wary lest we are ever tempted to rush to judgement. All our conclusions are provisional. We will never know all the facts, let alone understand people’s motives. For God alone knows the truth, the full truth and nothing, but the truth.

Rob James is a Baptist Pastor broadcaster and writer who currently operates as a church and media consultant for the Evangelical Alliance Wales. He is available for preaching and teaching throughout Wales and can be contacted at [email protected]