Philippians 3:8 says, Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,  Paul had been a powerful man in the Jewish religion.  He was well educated and looked up to by his peers.  He said counted this all as nothing but a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ as his Lord.  I don't believe that this means he had given up so much, but that what he had before, no matter how of much importance it was viewed by the world and by himself, was worth nothing.  Paul was saying not that he had sacrificed, but that he had gained.  We need to have that same attitude today.  We cannot look back feeling that we lost anything when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse nine states, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:  Paul said he found righteousness through Christ and not through the law.  Righteousness can only come by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  We might try to find a right relationship with God through the law of God, and if anyone could, Paul could have, but he knew it was impossible.  Righteous, being in a right relationship with God, comes only through faith in Christ.  Verse ten declares, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  By faith. Paul could know Jesus Christ.  By faith, we can know Jesus Christ.  Paul knew the power that came from the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ defeated sin and death by his resurrection.  Paul said that by faith he could know the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ.  We need that same type faith today.  We are not called to great affluence and power when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, but are called to be humble servants, taking up our cross daily.  Paul was willing to follow Jesus Christ even if it cost him his life.  The question is, "Are we?"  Verse eleven adds, If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  I believe that Paul was saying that he would willingly give up everything, even his life, to have an everlasting relationship with Christ.  I don't believe that he was questioning whether he might have this relationship, but was stating the truth of the fact that he did.  We today can have that same assurance.  Verse twelve continues, Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.  Paul said he knew had not attained perfection, but that he strived for it through his faith in Christ.  He said he had been apprehended by Christ.  We today, as followers of Christ, are not perfect, but we are to strive for perfection through our faith in Christ.  Everything in our life should be apprehended, or controlled, by our faith in Christ.  Verse thirteen states, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  Paul said he hadn't achieved perfection, but that he did not look back on what he had before becoming a Christian, but that he looked ahead to what he was through his relationship with Christ.  Likewise, we cannot look back but must look ahead by faith in Christ.  Verse fourteen adds, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Paul said he pressed on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God through Jesus Christ.  We should recognize what a great calling we have through Christ today, and daily walk by faith in Him.  Verse fifteen concludes, Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.  Paul asked that all the believers in Christ in Philippi be of a like mind as he was.  This is still the way that we should be as followers of Christ today.