One mark of cheap grace is Christianity without self-denial. Christians do not have the option of following Jesus without taking up the cross and denying self. That is what He said!  “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:27 (NASB)  The real experience of following Jesus is to experience His cross as our cross through the sometimes painful circumstances of our personal lives.  In that real dying, we discover real living.  He can enable us to become victors and not victims.