The scriptural verse which records that records that heaven and earth will be consumed by fire (II Peter 3:12) could not be a literal one, otherwise the purpose of creation could not be fulfilled. In Jesus' time, it was recorded that the judgement would come by fire (Mal. 4:1), but it was not done literally. James 3:6 says "the tongue is a fire," meaning that judgment by fire is the judgment of the tongue or the spoken word. In other words, judgment is done by truth.