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 was very explicit in his view of worldly things versus his relationship with Christ.  He said he counted all his credentials, his birth into the Jewish faith, his studies, and his position as but dung so that he might win Christ.  Now, we likewise must consider everything as dung, or less than nothing, in order to gain a relationship with Christ.  We cannot put all our faith in Christ and still attempt to hold on to the things of this world.  Verse nine adds, 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 that he found in Christ the true righteousness, and that it was not based on Paul's goodness but the goodness of Christ.  We will never do enough works, even if they are done in the name of God, to be righteous by our own merits.  The only way to attain righteousness with God is to accept Jesus Christ as ones personal Savior and Lord.  Verse ten continues, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  Paul said that he wanted to know Christ, and not just about Christ.  We can know all the facts about Christ, but until we know Him personally, it doesn't matter.  Paul said that he wanted to be made conformable to the death of Christ.  I believe that this meant that he wanted to be willing to die for his faith in Christ, and we must be the same way today as followers of Christ.  Verse eleven declares, If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  I don't believe that when Paul said this that he was implying that faith in Christ was just one possible way to attain resurrection from the dead, but that he meant that all his actions would be consistent with his faith in Christ, which is the only way to attain resurrection from the dead.  Verse twelve adds, 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 that he was not perfect, but he followed after Christ so that through his faith in Christ that Christ could make him perfect in his relationship with God.  As followers of Christ today, we are not made perfect by our own actions, but we can only follow after Christ in our imperfection, knowing that only through Him can we be restored to righteousness before God.  Verse thirteen says, 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 that he did not count himself to have gained perfection, but knew that all he could do was to forget the past and reach ahead to whatever lay ahead by faith in Christ.  This is all that we can do today as well.  Verse fourteen adds, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Paul said that he pressed toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ.  We today can do no more than this.  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 tells us that God will reveal to us our status with Him.