How could Abraham be the father of faith?

It sounds like you are speaking of trust rather than faith.

I suppose for the same reason that King David, an adulterer, and murderer was still a man after God's own heart (2 Samuel 16:20-19:8). These saints were penitent, not perfect. Abraham wasn't entirely faithful when he lied, and David wasn't entirely holy when he murdered and abused authority to fornicate. However, these saints were repentant like Peter, and got back to be with the Lord. Our role model, I believe, should always be Christ Himself. Peace in Christ .

curious mike said:

Guys, since Abraham lied and deceived not once but on two occasions telling first the Pharoah and then King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister because he was afraid he would would be put to death if he had told the truth. Isn't that not having faith in God for his protection if he had told the truth?

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Abraham was not justified by his works, but by his faith.

Genesis 15:6 And he [Abraham] believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Have you kept the law of God perfectly, never failing in one iota?

curious mike said:

Guys, since Abraham lied and deceived not once but on two occasions telling first the Pharoah and then King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister because he was afraid he would would be put to death if he had told the truth. Isn't that not having faith in God for his protection if he had told the truth?

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His faith that was counted as righteousness was his belief that God would fulfill his promise regarding his son Isaac, even if he needed to raise him from the dead.

Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

This is why he is the father of our faith for we believe that God is able to raise the dead, too.

curious mike said:

I don't see any difference, if he didn't trust in God to protect him same as not having faith?

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When we say "have faith in..," its an expression. I would say the two are related but not identical.

curious mike said:

Guys, since Abraham lied and deceived not once but on two occasions telling first the Pharoah and then King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister because he was afraid he would would be put to death if he had told the truth. Isn't that not having faith in God for his protection if he had told the truth?

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The answer rests on your definition of faith, Mike. Paul wrote that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. James wrote that faith without works is dead being alone. When we put these two together, we have, "faith comes by hearing God and acting on what we hear." It isn't that one is perfect, error-less, or anything like that (as we are all fallen and imperfect at this time). Rather, it is that one has the intent to walk with God, is willing to hear and obey, and that is why Abraham stands as one of our many examples. He heard God tell him to go to a new nation, He believed what he heard because the source was God, and he acted in the form of moving... he heard God and acted on what he heard, that is faith.

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curious mike said:

Guys, since Abraham lied and deceived not once but on two occasions telling first the Pharoah and then King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister because he was afraid he would would be put to death if he had told the truth. Isn't that not having faith in God for his protection if he had told the truth?

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How can David be called a man after God's heart if he commited murder ?

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She was his sister from the same father but they shared a different mother. With all the polygamy this sort of marriage was common. We see this in the story of Tamar and Amron her brother: "Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” 2sam13

Genesis 20:12 " 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father— though not the daughter of my mother— and she became my wife. "

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curious mike said:

Guys, since Abraham lied and deceived not once but on two occasions telling first the Pharoah and then King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister because he was afraid he would would be put to death if he had told the truth. Isn't that not having faith in God for his protection if he had told the truth?

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When you are baptised because you committed to leave serving self for treasure that perishes, you get to drink from the Rock, Christ. "Christ" is metonymy for testing: it happened to Christ. You are led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness and your promise to depend on God for everything is tested, as well as your pride. There is a parallel between Christ and Israel, when they went through the exact same process. When deprived of food, Christ never complained or began to struggle for sustenance but waited. When tempted to show off that God was with Him in the form of the dove, He refused to display His protection to the world by jumping off a high place or turning stone into bread, did only what God commanded, said what God told Him to say, unlike Israel, who set out to battle even when God had not commanded it.

Abram left his father's house when God called. Under testing, he failed at first. However, when God proved He could be depended on, he obeyed the commands, even when asked to sacrifice Isaac, believing God could bring him back from the dead. Israel on the other hand, forgot God's great works, proofs of His dependability, and persisted in disbelief. It's the final result which counts.

Psalms 106:21They forgot God their Savior, who did great things in Egypt, 22wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

Hebrews 3:7Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

8DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME,
AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,

9WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me,
AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS.

10“THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION,
AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART,
AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’;

11AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH,
‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’”

curious mike said:

Guys, since Abraham lied and deceived not once but on two occasions telling first the Pharoah and then King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister because he was afraid he would would be put to death if he had told the truth. Isn't that not having faith in God for his protection if he had told the truth?

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The faith it's talking about regarding Abraham was that of Gen 15:5,6 which Paul brings up in Romans 4

1 ¶ What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter?
2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about— but not before God.
3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.
5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

That is, God gave Abraham a promise in Gen 15:5 "Look up at the heavens and count the stars— if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." And then the very next verse "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness", there being no intervening work between Gen 15:5 and Gen 15:6 and thus Abraham was the precedent of a man justified by faith alone apart from works, just like Christians are.

So Abraham set the precedent of justification by faith apart from works. And furthermore the promise regarded not only Jews but Gentiles. In fact Abraham was a Gentile when he was given the promise.

curious mike said:

Guys, since Abraham lied and deceived not once but on two occasions telling first the Pharoah and then King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister because he was afraid he would would be put to death if he had told the truth. Isn't that not having faith in God for his protection if he had told the truth?

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His failings are exactly why Abraham is such a great model of faith. The key to understanding this is given in relating of the cutting of the covenant between God and Abraham. The normal practice was for both parties to walk together through the divided parts of the animal sacrifice, signifying that their agreement was unto death. There could be no commitment more solemn or serious. But when God cut His covenant with Abraham, He alone, signified by the burning torch, walked through the animal parts. He was taking upon Himself the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham. Abraham had a role to play - he had to prepare the sacrifice, and protect it from the birds of prey, and finally to present it. But God took over from there.

That is exactly emblematic of our faith relationship with the Lord. We come in weakness and in sin. Our job is to "present ourselves as living sacrifices" (Rom 12). God will do the rest. Abraham was taken from a fearful follower to a lion of faith as he continued to walk with God. Finally, when God instructed him to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, we see not a moment of hesitation, excuses or protest. Abraham simply saddles up and goes to the mountain to obey. Consequently, God says, "Now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

God will do the same for us. He will take the fearful "Much Afraid" and turn him into a lion of faith, if we only will hold fast to Him and let Him do His work within us.