getting closer to Christ

Today Slawomir Oder (the head of the Vatican committee investigating whether Pope John Paul II was a saint) and Saverio Gaeta (journalist for the Catholic weekly Christian family) published the book, "Why he is a Saint: the True Story of John Paul II."  The book reveals Pope John Paul II whipped himself to bring himself closer to Christ, but not to the point of inflicting bodily injury to himself.

What are your thoughts about Christians who self-flagellate, i.e. whip themselves with a belt for the purpose of bringing themselves closer to Christ?  Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke 9:23-24, that "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

What did Christ mean when he said that his followers must take up a cross daily?  Do Christians take up a cross figuratively when they fast; renounce sinful pleasures; donate money to charity; or face persecution by their friends who question the validity of the Christian faith?  Certainly Christ did not approve of hedonism, but to what extent should Christians engage in self-sacrifice to atone for their sins?

Many Protestants argue that Christians have already been saved by Grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Romans 3:20, 28; Galatians 2:16), but does this mean that Grace eliminates the need for atonement by Christians to repent for their sins?  I believe that we are saved by a combination of faith and good works.  If Christians truly have Grace through their faith in Christ, then they should want to obey the commandments and repent for their sins.  In James 2:24, it is written that "a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone."  Christ also says in Matthew 19:17 that "if you want to enter life, obey the commandments."