must we keep His commandments?

John 14

v15

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

I've heard a gospel from this verse, along these lines:

1. You can't be saved unless you love God
2. You can't love God unless you obey His commandments
3. His commandments consist of the whole law, to do this action, and to not do that action
4. (Therefore, you can't be saved unless you do this or that good work, and keep the letter of the law)

So you can see how people have sneaked in the same age-old false gospel of salvation by doing good works and keeping the letter of the law. In fact, that's not what the Lord is saying in this verse at all.

I think it's a grave danger that plays on the ignorance of novice believers, to assume that this verse refers to any written commandments of do this, but don't do that, commandments whether in the Old or New Testament, or even invented by men. The Scripture clearly, undeniably, emphatically, and repeatedly, shouts that is not the gospel or the way of salvation.

Now, no doubt, this verse is a call to keep Christ's commandments. This begs the question, What are His commandments, that He asks us to keep, then?

1 John 3:23

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

So we see that, once again, the way to be saved and to receive eternal life is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; and, the way to live our live pleasing to God is by the spiritual law of love.