How do we know the doctrine of God's judgment by fire is true?

The doctrine of God's judgment by fire is substantiated in scripture, such as in Matthew 13:40 where Jesus parallels the gathering of tares to be burned with the final judgment of the wicked. Fire is used as a metaphor for God's wrath that consumes all that is false. Moreover, in 2 Peter 3:10, we see a vivid description of the day of the Lord coming as a thief in the night, where the heavens and earth as we know will be set ablaze. This reinforces the truth that God's judgment is both purifying for believers while being destructive for those who persist in rebellion against Him.