I am replacing a wall-mounted light fixture in a half-bathroom. The old fixture had the wiring running from a hole in the wall and the connections were made inside the fixture. It would be possible to do the same with the new fixture, but it states that I have to install a junction box first and make the connections inside there.

Problem is, there are a number of wires running through the wall in the general area where I'd be cutting the sheetrock to insert the box. Is there any real safety reason why I cannot simply connect the existing wires directly to the fixture instead of having them inside a newly-installed box?

 

I think a box cuts down on the potential for fire by containing an sparks that might occur.

 

What held the old fixture? Two screws? Seems to me that the box may already be in the wall.

 

Some fixtures have a built in box, others do not. You need a box if the directions state you need one.

 

They make real easy install boxes that have wings on them for drywall, they swing out when you tighten the screws making it real easy. Chandltp is correct, a box is intended to contain a flame if there is a short plus it provided strain relief to keep something from yanking the wires out. I believe that it's required by code almost everywhere. Mounting a switch to the drywall isn't the way to go, installing one is easy.