The image there is that our 'works' are like an building we build over
time, and at the Judgment Seat our 'works' are put to the test...those
works that are built of 'solid' character (e.g. gold, silver, etc.)
SURVIVE the fire and those built of 'flimsy' materials (e.g. hay, wood,
etc.) are destroyed...we are 'saved' of course, but the 'rewards' we get
to take with us to honor the Lord with are dependent on our
works...according to vs 15, some Christians will go into the Kingdom
with absolutely nothing (just as a person who escapes from a burning house
takes nothing with him--'as one escaping from the fire')
The 'idle' words passage is important is that these words (acc. to the
passage) are the most ACCURATE INDICATORS of our heart's content ('for out
of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks...')...whatever you fill
your heart/mind with (e.g. life, death, self, others, God, wealth) will
be 'manifested by' our 'unplanned' utterances...Not only will our works
be judged for rewards, but so will our words be used to 'measure' our
Christian growth...
One additional passage I use in understanding this, is the parable about
the Master who entrusts different amounts of talents to different
stewards...the stewards who were believers (the ones who KNEW the master
and loved Him) shared in the fruits of their labors!--they were held
accountable for the investments the Lord made in them...(not for
salvation, but for producing and furthering the Lord's household and
kingdom)...the one 'steward' who had a negative view of the Lord (and
hence betrays the absence of a knowledge of Him--i.e. an unbeliever), is
'cast outside'...
I think that when He asks us what we did with the time, talents,
relationships, education, money, health, church, interests He gave us,
that He will REJOICE over each success we show Him, and probably ignore
or downplay the failures...just my personal 'image' of the judgment seat
for believers...(oh, just to make sure we are in synch, the Judgment
Seat of Christ is ONLY for believers---unbelievers are judged at the
Great White Throne judgment of Revelation)...
hope this helps, and thanks again for your kind words....