"Be killing sin or it will be killing you" -John Owen

"On May 1, 2003, Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven year old backpacker, did something unthinkable in order to save his life. After being pinned for five days by an eight-hundred pound boulder in a remote Utah canyon, he took his dull pocketknife and cut off his right arm to free himself. ... he sawed through his flesh just below the elbow in order to free himself.

He walked out of that canyon without his right arm, but with his life. This is the exact picture that Jesus gives us when telling us how to deal with sin that remains in our lives. ... if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. ... (Matt. 5:29-30)

...Our Lord's words are intended to shock us into recognition of the seriousness with which we must deal with the sin that remains in our lives as believers. We must treat it ruthlessly. ... We must become willing to act as drastically to preserve our spiritual lives as Aron Ralston was to save his physical life.

But along with desperation a Christian must also be convinced of the real prospect of life. Death awaits me if i do not kill my sin. But life is guaranteed along the path of mortification of sin. We are saved not because we fight against sin. We fight against sin because we have been saved.

Because Jesus Christ died for every one of our sins we can be sure that God will forgive us all our sins. ... It is that hope, ... that keeps believers in the fight against sin...

... Because of all that Jesus has accomplished for us, we who trust Him are free to face our sin honestly and fight against it tenaciously." -Tom Ascol (Excerpts From An Article In TableTalk Magazine)

I was edified with these fine words from Tom Ascol, and convicted as well. I wondered about whether I would take a dull knife and sever my own arm, or would I simply die. I can't imagine the pain it must have been to cut through the bone. But this young man did it, and he lives today.
But even more difficult for me is to have to pluck out my spiritual eyes, and cut off my heart's lustful hands. But I'm encouraged that by the grace of God, that I will continue to fight against my sin, my lusts, my pride, my apathy, and my self-centeredness.