The Bible speaks of that relationship as being like the closeness shared by a loving Father and a beloved child. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but received the Spirit of sonship. However, instead of forcing people to love God like robots acting on command, God gave us the choice to love or to reject God. We chose to reject God as God, and chose instead to live life independent of God.
People still make that choice today.
Such a choice for independence, the Bible calls sin. By dying on the cross, Jesus suffered the death penalty we deserved, thereby freeing us from sin's guilt. When he was raised from the dead, He overcame death for us, providing eternal life for us. He returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit into the lives of all believers, forever making God's presence available to people. God could now live in the hearts and lives of all Christians.